The man, the myth and the legend.

(Columbus Crew winning 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with Lamar Hunt in attendance, pictured above in the center. Photo courtesy of thecup.us)

Lamar Hunt, American sports business icon, and Columbus Crew Founder is crying in heaven right now.

As you probably know, Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt bought the Columbus Crew back in 2013 with every discreet and sleazy intention (as has been reported in recent days) to move the team to Austin, TX in 2019. A previous blog post this week on Jimmy’s Daily Planet gave my first extended impression of this equally heartbreaking and infuriating news.

And the snake in the grass incarnate responded via Twitter last night. Let’s just say his message accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of failing to meet even the lowest standard of decency and self-awareness.

I really do feel for you Crew fans. Its an uncertain time I recognize, and I take full responsibility for the situation I have put us in.

— Anthony Precourt (@APrecourt) October 19, 2017

Then this.

Put you all in, not us.

— Anthony Precourt (@APrecourt) October 19, 2017

Anthony Precourt does not “feel for you Crew fans” because his intent all along was to move the team to Austin behind our backs while lying and, in the process, rip the heart out of this city, longtime Crew fans and the soccer capital of the United States of America. He knew exactly what he was doing from the moment he arrived in Columbus.

It’s an “uncertain time” because Anthony Precourt made it uncertain with his deceitful behavior whilst in concert with Don Garber from the beginning several years ago, who is another snake in the grass and opponent of professional soccer in Columbus.

The “I take full responsibility” is simply another over-sanitized and lawyer-approved line of PR nonsense. How is Anthony Precourt taking “full responsibility”? He’s cowardly hiding behind a Twitter account…and being quite terrible at it. Funny, I didn’t see the words “I’m sorry” or “I lied to everyone from the beginning” or “I’m going to sell the Crew to local investors ASAP to keep the team here at home, as they’ve requested multiple times, and leave Columbus, Ohio immediately in disgrace” or “I will meet publicly with Crew fans to see and listen to them, no matter the humiliation I’ll feel during this event.”

And then there’s the “correction.” Anthony Precourt consciously tweeted, “put you all in, not us.”

That said it all. 

Recent reports locally are that major Columbus investors will be meeting with the Anthony Precourt of the MLS head office (Commissioner Don Garber) today.

Concerning next steps, it’s important to know that the fight to keep the Crew in Columbus is not over and I have a feeling that the Black & Gold will be staying. I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy, plus there are positive signs that are pointing towards moving professional soccer out of Columbus (the soccer capital of the United States, with “Dos-a-Cero” for starters) as a massive mistake.

The movement (online and in-person) is called #SaveTheCrew and the website is savethecrew.com. Join the effort and stay tuned!

The USMNT has devastatingly lost its identity and, if Garber’s MLS allows Precourt to have his way, MLS will lose its identity, and beloved home and history, as well.

Saving the Crew is what we must do.