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#SavingTheCrew and U.S. Soccer
After a year of hell, the state of soccer in Columbus–and the United States–is back on track.
This time, when Crew fans chant that #HellIsReal, it’s a good thing.
We’re ready, FC Cincinnati.
Beginning this morning, reports were pouring in essentially stating the Columbus Crew–the original Black & Gold in MLS–will be #saved.
Actually, my mom tipped me off this morning via text while I was working on an unsuspecting Friday.
A mom who loves soccer and lives in Columbus? The best damn mom in the land!
In a joint statement, the Columbus Partnership, Jimmy Haslam, and Dr. Pete Edwards, the Crews’ team doctor, stated: “While there are many details to be worked out, our alliance is working diligently and collaboratively with [MLS] to keep the Crew in its community. We are very excited about the quiet but deliberate progress that has been made to date and will keep the community updated as this process moves forward.”
-Jeff Carlisle, ESPN U.S. soccer correspondent
A rumored downtown stadium is also in the mix.
Major props to Ohio Attorney Mike DeWine and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein for their legal work to #SaveTheCrew. And the major part–well, all of it–for this legal effort by Mr. DeWine and Mr. Klein is the Modell Law, which basically created a window for local investors to make a reasonable offer to keep the Crew in Columbus.
Quite poetic and perfect that the owner of the Cleveland Browns will be keeping the Crew in its hometown, isn’t it?
My favorite reaction today from a Cleveland Browns perspective is that Jimmy Haslam was thinking, “If I can’t find a good kicker, then I’ll just buy a professional soccer team.”
That was well played.
Deep down in my heart, I knew the Columbus Crew would somehow stay in Columbus. What did Joe Dirt say? “You can’t have no in your heart.” And now Columbus is reenergized to reclaim its rightful place as THE soccer capital of the United States, both on the pitch and in the stands (plus on Twitter).
After failing to qualify for the thrilling 2018 World Cup, the USMNT experienced an identity crisis, among other things. With the Crew staying in Columbus–the soccer capital of the United States–American soccer and the under-construction national team has a burgeoning identity rooted in the inspiring passion and relentless dedication of its fans.
Incredible.
The next step is revealing a sophisticated, creative and surprising tactical identity. That is still in the TBD-phase as the pursuit for a new head coach continues.
With the spotlight shining brightly on Columbus, the national media will now be forced to take note that goalkeeper Zack Steffen, defensive midfielder (and frequent USMNT captain) Wil Trapp and forward Gyasi Zardes make up the spine of the new USMNT. They come courtesy of the Columbus Crew. Just to be clear. And let’s also not forget that if an American is chosen as the next USMNT head coach, it will be the detail-minded Columbus Crew head coach Gregg Berhalter.
It’s not surprising that when U.S. soccer started to plot against the Columbus Crew behind closed doors that its national team suffered similarly along a parallel path. It worked in opposite fashion in the early part of this century with Dos-a-Cero when U.S. soccer and MLS celebrated the country’s first soccer-specific stadium and all the talent that Crew Stadium was home to.
Time for the pendulum to swing back in the right direction and for the new Crew front office to be inspired by Lamar Hunt’s winning legacy. Lamar Hunt can rest a little easier in Heaven tonight.
The Crew is being saved. Imagine what could happen to the USMNT if they begin embracing Columbus again with everything–and everyone–its capital city has to offer.
P.S. For good measure:
C-R-E-W, f*$! you, Precourt, we SAVED THE CREW!
Columbus Doesn’t Want 12 Varieties of Jelly
The word “crew” takes on so many important meanings, including family.
Christmas provides the special opportunity to spend time with family and loved ones. Reconnecting on a myriad of levels can be heartwarming and critical. It sharpens and ironically broadens our perspective on what’s valuable in the present and in the future.
In the broad sense, the Columbus Crew needs to be saved from snakes Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt, Crew SC President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane, Precourt Sports Ventures President Dave Greeley and complicit MLS Commissioner Don Garber by remaining in Columbus for this city (America’s soccer capital and beating heart) and for the very identity and promise of U.S. soccer.
Yes, that’s at stake.
In the sharpened sense, a popular clip from a Christmas cinematic classic translates all-too-perfectly for what is happening between the Columbus Crew faithful and its greedy, deceitful and heartless boss. Specifically, the surprise, sleazy announcement by Mr. Precourt a couple months back to Crew fans, employees and sponsors detailing the forthcoming lame-duck season in 2018 reminded me —
You know the scene of…pure passion (yes, I’ll go with that) from Christmas Vacation.
We’re not done yet.
A lot of people happily consider themselves to be a version of Clark W. Griswold and/or that their family is Griswold-esque. It’s a funny, yet proud comparison. Count me and my family in for this exercise! Speaking of the latter, Clark is a proud man, despite his many goofy characteristics. He works hard and wants what is best for his family. Just as stand-up comedians are able to say things in public we only wish we could, maybe Clark W. Griswold is doing that for us (although, my previous blog posts have shown I’m pitching in in that regard) during the holidays.
Now that is the gift that can keep on giving the whole year of 2018 that will not be the last of the Columbus Crew.
#SaveTheCrew
Winter is Definitely Coming to Columbus
Feels like there’s a Game of Thrones vibe with the ongoing battle with #SaveTheCrew vs. Precourt and Co. and MLS.
The #SaveTheCrew movement is far from over and continues to build in power and argumentative prowess and influence against scumbags Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt, Crew SC President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane, Precourt Sports Ventures President Dave Greeley and MLS Commissioner Don Garber as the quieter post-season schedule descends into the winter months.
There’s a popular sign from Magnolia Farms of Fixer Upper with the saying “Today is a good day for a good day.” A great catchphrase. In that spirit, tomorrow is a good day…to save the Crew. I couldn’t swing a rhyme from that but you get the idea.
Here’s another idea to consider.
We aren’t done yet and we need to #SaveTheCrew for Columbus, which is the capital, and beating heart of American soccer.
And for Lamar Hunt. His legacy isn’t done yet either.
Cleveland’s Infamous Art Could Reframe #SaveTheCrew’s Abstract Landscape
Once again, we’re not done yet.
Cleveland Browns fans recall (with a few four-letter words) their teams’ infamous owner Art Modell who moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995, then becoming the Baltimore Ravens. Like Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt (DNA test between Modell, Precourt and a snake is still pending), a flashy new stadium was demanded by Mr. Modell in northern Ohio. Without diving deep into “The Move,” the city of Cleveland was devastated and rightly pissed-off at its sleazy owner. So, how do Art Modell and the Cleveland Browns from the mid-’90s connect to Anthony Precourt and Columbus Crew SC in 2017?
Earlier today, State Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) became the latest central Ohio political figure to throw his support behind the first club of MLS. Rep. Duffey requested that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine exercise his legal authority and expertise in the latest public attempt to #SaveTheCrew.
Here we go.
“The basis for the action, he said, is a 1996 law that says no owner of a professional sports team in Ohio that uses tax-supported facilities or gets public financial assistance can move out of town unless the owner gives six months advance notice and gives the city or local individuals who reside in the area the opportunity to purchase the team.”
–Jim Siegel, “Lawmaker wants to use law passed after Browns move to block Crew from leaving,” December 6, 2017, The Columbus Dispatch
The article continued.
“Duffey says Crew SC qualifies as receiving taxpayer-supported facilities because it is paying a below-market rate to lease state land for parking, the stadium sits on land that is tax exempt, and the state in 2009 provided $5 million for parking upgrades at the Ohio Expo Center, where lots just south of the stadium and are used by Crew SC fans.”
–Jim Siegel, “Lawmaker wants to use law passed after Browns move to block Crew from leaving,” December 6, 2017, The Columbus Dispatch
Will this work? Maybe. There is a degree or two of uncertainty as to whether this kind of injunction would keep the Crew in Columbus but the silver lining may be with the famous misery of Cleveland Browns fans.
Bet you didn’t expect to ever read that sentence, did you?
“The Move” is not local history but famous NFL and sports history. The city’s then successful professional football team, coached at the time by this guy named Bill Belichick, was taken away by its owner more than 20 years ago. That tragic memory lives on and defines that city, the current Browns team and this state’s professional sports identity all while residing alongside St. Louis and other cities that have had their beloved teams ripped away from them by immoral owners. Relocation is worse than any loss on the field. It’s a wound that never heals. And I also can’t name anyone who has said that Art Modell made a sound, morally right decision.
The Cleveland-to-Baltimore move remains an ugly black eye for professional sports.
Ohio has been given a second chance to make things right for one of its iconic professional sports teams but will they take it? Will Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine understand what’s really at stake in this battle to #SaveTheCrew and that this issue extends far beyond Columbus, the beating heart and earned soccer capital of American soccer, to small market clubs everywhere?
Given all the lies, deception, sabotage and manipulation (ie – Crew SC’s “business metrics”) by Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt and his firm Precourt Sports Ventures, Crew SC President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane, and MLS Commissioner Don Garber, there is no gray zone in the situation regarding the Columbus Crew SC and its threatened move to Austin, TX. Zero. There is a good side and a bad side. Plain and simple.
This clear-cut distinction between #SaveTheCrew and Precourt and Co. completely strips away any benefit of the doubt for the latter. Scrutiny and possible punishment for Precourt and Co.’s deceitful and manipulative actions and motives could get its day in court. Still, another proud local community willing to do whatever it takes to keep its sports team through inspiring support and several legitimate offers to buy the team and/or build a new downtown stadium with land and funding options could be left out in the cold again.
Or, would the soccer gods (and a few legal mortals) combine to score a last-second victory to change the sports relocation debate forever?
If so, talk about a stern turn for the ages.
#SaveTheCrew
Jimmy's Daily Planet 