Blog Archives
The Minions Experiment: Part II?
Columbus Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt’s Twitter:
“The colors Black & Gold also feel stale and dated after 21 years…#CrewSC”
This is the same person who approved (and possibly initiated) the mind-boggling “City of Columbus”/Minions kits with the light blue shorts and a jersey with strange looking yellow streaks down the middle. Mr. Precourt has certainly made some good decisions for the club. That’s a fact. But he also continues to make recent error after recent error. For starters, he didn’t appear to firmly stand up to LAFC for literally stealing the Crew’s signature (and MLS exclusive) Black & Gold color scheme. The Crew is even nicknamed, “The Black & Gold.”
Fans certainly had strong reactions to the new soccer kits for this season, which inspired a Jimmy Kimmel “Mean Tweets” video segment.
With that being said, there is one thing that’s for damn certain with his latest tweet!
He might finally understand the genuine backlash over whimsically changing the Crew’s beloved branding identity.
Well played, Mr. Precourt, well played.
That was a good April Fools’ joke, except for the fact that half of Crew Nation probably has just cause for suspecting he’s not altogether kidding. We’ll find a little more about whether he considers himself an owner of an MLS club or if he is indeed a convert to the history, spirit and embodiment of the Columbus Crew SC. How will he react when LAFC officially unveils its black and gold kits? When LAFC plays its first game at MAPFRE Stadium?
Until then, it’s okay to joke about this on April Fools’ via Twitter. However, it’s what he does after today that will reveal whether he’s a real favorite among fans. Mr. Precourt has done many good things for Crew Nation and Columbus, but it’s time he starts defending his (and our) Columbus Crew SC and its defining colors with the tenacity of Mike Clark or Todd Yeagley.
And like the old #3 and #6, fans would be just fine if Anthony Precourt earned a yellow card (so-to-speak) for unequivocally defending The Black & Gold.
The Smack and Scold
If this were Medieval times (the era, not the restaurant), Columbus and Los Angeles would be preparing for a joust between a 20-year knight and a hotshot newcomer of the soccer kingdom.
The Columbus Crew SC, one of the first ten teams of Major League Soccer (MLS), has been defined by its colors. So much so that the club affectionately and proudly goes by the nickname, “The Black & Gold.” Their sobriquet and trademark color scheme, unique in MLS for 20 years, has exclusively distinguished Columbus and its fans from the other original 9 teams and continues to stand-out among the league’s 20 other clubs.
(Original Logo, 1996)
(New Logo, 2015)
(Nordecke, Google+)
Until now.
The 22nd club recently entered MLS: LA FC.
Just as they’ve become the second MLS team in Los Angeles (adios Chivas USA), the frustration they will receive from soccer fans in Columbus will be second to none when they visit for a soccer match in the future (except for Portland).
Why?
The LA FC group, less likely blind to reality and more likely deliberately provocative, chose black and gold as its primary colors.
“Black and Gold embody the success, glamour, and urban texture of Los Angeles.” (LA FC Online)
When thinking of Los Angeles, do you composite the colors black and gold above all others in your mind?
Anthony Precourt tweeted his reaction from the January 7th LA FC presentation.
How does the owner of Crew SC feel about this?
“Hat’s off to @LAFC. Absolutely crushed it with your new crest and colors. @MLS”
He added:
“Only one comment. Columbus Crew SC is the true Black and Gold! Maybe you roll with Gold and Black? @LAFC #CrewSC”
A tweet is one thing, but hopefully Mr. Precourt understands how important tradition and character are to this city and soccer club (the banana kits, cough cough), grows a stronger spine and makes a larger public statement alongside the club’s infectiously energetic ambassador Frankie Hejduk about Crew SC’s decorated (and checkered) history, identity and team-to-team decorum. The brazen brand management color decision made by LA FC, at its core, violates a level of sportsmanship of the beautiful game in MLS.
These are not just colors, but much more. It’s not just poor form, it’s really not cool.
The LA FC logo is fine, but the color choice unmistakably spray paints a lack of respect for its storied Midwestern counterpart. There are dozens of other color combinations they could have selected for this league, but they chose to use a stick instead of a paint brush as their illustrative tool.
LA FC should receive a warm welcome as MLS’s 22nd team. Their entrance is exciting news. However, their naive freshman status does not excuse their team of brand and marketing professionals from deliberately poking Columbus Crew SC in the eye with a stick with tips dripping in friendly shades. LA FC’s logo/crest brainstorming surely involved pictures of every team’s logo and colors with explanations of every team’s history and defining characteristics.
Color Columbus mad.
Actually, coloring just Columbus black & gold is all we want.
Happy Monday
2015 MLS Cup at Crew Stadium: 14 vs. 11
Evidenced by the unbelievable (not an exaggeration) non-call on a pass that rolled an unmistakable two yards out-of-bounds by a Portland Timbers player just 6 or so minutes into the game, the continuation of this play that led to a cross into the Columbus Crew box that was headed into the net by a Timber in obvious offside position, the officials made it clear to everybody watching that they were biased against the Crew with destructible consequences.
These two consecutive embarrassing miscalls led to an early 2-nil lead for Portland (instead of 1-nil), defining the tone with a favorite in mind.
Important: The head official, Jair Marrufo (chosen by the league) was the same ref that years earlier had granted a controversial free kick to the Chicago Fire against the Columbus Crew. The Fire scored and won on this undeserved kick. After the game, Marrufo received a signed jersey from the Fire player (Blanco) who benefited from the controversial whistle.
From subsequent yellow card offenses that were never shown to a penalty kick not being awarded to multiple instances of diving by the Timbers (appropriate team name), the officials’ IQ of soccer would scrape the bottom of a grungy gutter.
Disgraceful (and completely inexcusable), especially for a championship game at the professional level.
The crowd was electric and the atmosphere and energy before and during the match was special. Unfortunately, the Crew did not play its best game. That’s the truth. However, the prejudiced officiating changed the game and gave clear advantages to the Portland Timbers that influenced the result.
The final score was 2-1.
There are moments when we just need to laugh to take a break from crying, so here’s a very short, temporary relief for Crew fans everywhere.
Laughing and crying (at the same time) at something completely unrelated to our frustrations can work pretty well serving as a welcomed distraction.
This game will sting for a long, long time, but Crew fans must look on the bright side. Life can be very unfair, yet it’s those who find that shred of light in the blinding storm in the present who are able to find success in the uncertain future.
Have a Massive Week.
Happy Monday!
Life can change in a matter of seconds.
The same goes for sports, which includes the beautiful game. And the Columbus Crew proved this sentiment with authority last night in the first leg of the MLS Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Red Bulls at Mapfre Stadium.
Blink and you might have missed it.
Justin Meram scored the fastest goal in MLS Playoff history. He blazed the back of the net just 9 seconds after kickoff. Plus, he’s #9 on the Crew. It was meant to be.
Have a Record-Breaking Week!
P.S. When it comes to the MLS Cup, the Red Bulls will not deny the Columbus Crew (Remember the 2008 Final)
Jimmy's Daily Planet 