Friday’s Crew game against FC Cincinnati was poised to be either Seventh Heaven or the Seventh Circle of Hell. Entering the match on a six-game losing streak, it was imperative that the defending MLS Cup champions, playing in front of their home crowd in their new stadium, proved to themselves and to the world that … Continue reading A Berry, Berry Interesting #HellisReal
Year: 2021
UPDATE: More Warzycha Free Kicks Unearthed
One of the perils of doing reconstructive research is that you might not catch everything on the first pass. Such research is often iterative, laying the groundwork for other researchers to fill in the gaps. Such is the case with my middle-of-the-night research on Robert Warzycha's unofficial free kick goal totals since the league did … Continue reading UPDATE: More Warzycha Free Kicks Unearthed
Mr. Numbers Nerd: Crew Comebacks from 2-0 on the Road
Hi. This is going to be very to the point as it is already after 1:00am and I have to get up early tomorrow. But Friday's 2-2 #HellisReal draw in Cincinnati after falling behind 2-0 was only the seventh time in club history the Columbus Crew salvaged at least a point when falling behind 2-0 … Continue reading Mr. Numbers Nerd: Crew Comebacks from 2-0 on the Road
The House Columbus Built
Shortly after arriving at Lower.com Field for the first time since the groundbreaking ceremony on October 10, 2019, I checked out the new Circle of Honor display at the northwest corner of the stadium’s exterior. That’s where I ran into one its inductees. Crew legend Frankie Hejduk, captain of the 2008 MLS Cup champions, radiated … Continue reading The House Columbus Built
Save The Crew: The Battle for Columbus
Three-and-a-half years ago, Sean Kelly invited me to dinner and told me of his moral compulsion to document the fight to save the Crew. Born in England and primarily based out of San Diego, Kelly had fallen for a Columbus girl a few years earlier, then subsequently fell for the city’s soccer team. Despite being … Continue reading Save The Crew: The Battle for Columbus
Warzycha Knows and Appreciates Zelarayan’s Free Kick Wizardry
The whistle blows for a foul. There’s a deadball opportunity just outside the opposing penalty area, well within shooting range. As you take measure and do your internal calculations, the goalkeeper shouts instructions to the several men comprising the human wall designed to take away half the target. It’s the final minute of stoppage time. … Continue reading Warzycha Knows and Appreciates Zelarayan’s Free Kick Wizardry
Legendary Lucas and His Big Apple Brilliance
It’s been a few hours and I still can’t process what I witnessed. After Eloy Room made some incredible saves to keep the Columbus Crew alive, Lucas Zelarayan stole the show, single-footedly flipping a one-goal deficit to a one-goal victory with a pair of late free kick goals. New York City FC, poised to claim … Continue reading Legendary Lucas and His Big Apple Brilliance
The De-Brand Debacle: It’s Time to Re-Respect Our Roots
I took no joy in writing that De-Branding the Crew piece earlier this week. I much prefer fun to glum. I did, however, need to get my own thoughts on paper and maybe try to give voice to those who felt the same way but didn’t know how to convey it without, like, ripping off … Continue reading The De-Brand Debacle: It’s Time to Re-Respect Our Roots
De-Branding the Crew
On Saturday, the Columbus Crew benefitted from a pair of own goals to pick up a big win. That was on the field. Off the field, the club was preparing to launch an epic own-goal of its own and take a big loss, as word leaked out about a disastrous rebrand that would remove the … Continue reading De-Branding the Crew
Through Josh’s Eyes: Lucas Zelarayan
LUCAS ZELARAYANAge at MLS Cup: 28Hometown: Cordoba, Argentina 2020 IN ALL COMPETITIONSGames: 21Starts: 17Minutes: 1515Goals: 8Assists: 9 In 2017, Crew fans were told by a now-former owner that they needed to respect his ambition. In 2020, the Crew's new ownership group took a different approach by actually demonstrating honorable ambition. They took a quick break … Continue reading Through Josh’s Eyes: Lucas Zelarayan
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