However, if you ask a guy on the street he wouldn’t be able to tell you that the last team in this city to win a trophy was The Crew. So what’s wrong with Columbus? Most Crew fans get the vibe from MLS Commissioner Don Garber that the league doesn’t care about The Crew. But why, we ask?

Answer: Columbus doesn’t care!

Last year the Crew brought home the first major professional championship trophy in the history of the city and what did the Crew Front Office and Owners do? Nothing.

Let’s look at RSL……the whole week was dedicated to them and fans showed up to wish them luck at the airport when the left for Seattle and welcome them home after winning the MLS Cup. They also had a town hall presentation along with a parade and various events in the city.

Columbus, on the other hand, didn’t have fans show up at the airport to see the team off and about 300 fans greeted the team when it arrived back from Los Angeles. The next day there was a town hall presentation and that’s all.

So how the heck are we, the fans, supposed to support the team and boost numbers in the stands if team management doesn’t lead the way? Well the front office and ownership better think of ways to improve if they want to see improved support from the Columbus metro area.

When the Ohio State University throwball team won the National Championship, the whole city was behind them. They even had 10,000 fans turn out to Ohio Stadium for a special ceremony. Six years later, what does the Columbus Crew do? Nothing. There is no passion in this city for the Crew.

Yes, we all have seen the rise of the Nordecke Supporters Section but that’s not enough. People can argue over the fact that the passion is there, but really, where is it?

I am hoping that one day marketing for the Crew rises to the level of Ohio State Football, but until Team management makes that happen the city will sit back and not care as the Crew wins cups.

Brunner, Carroll, Ekpo, Gaven, Hesmer, Lenhart, Marshall, Moffat, O’Rourke, Rogers, Schelotto

It’s the offseason in Columbus, and that means rumors about players and contracts and whatnot are as easy to find as a Buckeye hoodie. Robbie Rogers seems to have become the first player to fall victim of fan speculation.

First, to grease the wheels of gossip, Robbie himself tweetered that he was on his way out of Columbus. Of course, those of us with rational heads on our shoulders assumed that he meant for the off season. Because, ya know, he’s from California.

But then came news from duNord that Robbie would be left unprotected in the Expansion Draft, and then a blurb from Ives saying that Rogers is out of contract, and then there’s another source who is positive that Robbie is as good as gone (and I think we all believe her word above any other /wink/).

I don’t know how much of this is truth or speculation, but I can’t wait to find out because I love Robbie, I really do. And I want him back in Columbus next year.

On two conditions:

1) He doesn’t go to Europe. I don’t want to hold back his career and if a European club come knock he should most certainly answer. He has the potential and skills to play for a first division squad anywhere outstide of England, or he could go tear things up in the Cola-ship. God knows if Newcastle signed him I’d be ecstatic.

2) He grows some cojones. Or finds the ones he has. Or stops playing at 80%. Something. I’d like to buy him a beer and say “Robbie, brah, you’ve got a stellar game, you’re wicked fast and the ladies can’t get enough. But sometimes, buddy, you just need to shoot the ball. You did it a lot in ‘08 – but in ‘09, what happened?”

(I just had a thought: Maybe since Robbie scored goals in ‘08 and crossed the ball in in ‘09, that means in twentyten he’ll put the two together and be a BAMF)

So that’s where we stand with our pretty boy winger. No one who knows anything is saying anything and the people that are saying things don’t know anything.

I know this: I don’t want to see the 2009 version of Robbie Rogers ever again.

None of us expected this, no one thought it was possible. The Crew always performs under pressure. Columbus always gets the clutch goal or Jesus-save that it needs to stay alive. Not tonight.

Tonight, we were let down. Tonight we were defeated, both on the field and in our hearts. Everything comes to an end, even the MLS season, but no one wanted it to end this way, this early, and this shockingly. Don’t get me wrong: Real Salt lake is a good team, with a good coach, but we are Columbus, we are the defending MLS champ, we are back-to-back Supporters’ Shield winners, we are The Massive. We don’t lose in big games. (I know, I know: The Crew has been mediocre at best for most of it’s 13 season existence, but this is a different team, with a new heart, a new soul, and a new mindset. In 2001, sure, we were happy just to reach the playoffs, but not anymore. I don’t want to sound entitled like a Toronto or Seattle fan, but we expect more from the Massive Canaries)

As far as a recap, the only things I can remember are: 1) we gave up a 2-goal lead, 2) The officiating was horrendous, 3) The Crew gave it their all.

Our boys left it all on the field tonight and that’s all any fan can ever ask of their team during the playoffs.

If you want to get extra personal, you can read my thoughts over on The Jock. In case you’re curious, I’m not in the best mood tonight. None of us are.

Highlights:

Not of the hordes of ghosts and goblins floating around as I type this, but rather that the MLS season of my beloved Columbus Crew will come to an end on Thursday night.

Tonight, as they took on Real Salt Lake in the first leg of the home-and-home playoff series, The Massive looked anemic. Impotent. Unimpressive.

I know that they might have been bunkering for a nil-nil draw in order to bring the series back to Columbus even, but even still – they just looked like they were unable to play their game.

The Crew have scored one goal in their past five games, and that lone tally was on a fluke free kick. The offense is stalled, and no one is stepping up and making things happen. They’ve had plenty of chances, but no one on the squad is forcing the ball into the net like earlier in the season.

Where is the fire? Where is the work ethic? Where is the veteran leadership (though I bet Frankie went off in the locker room after tonight’s match)? Where is the team that was kicking ass and taking names in August and September?

I don’t want to dig into this game to much, else I’ll just wind up repeating what I’ve said before, but you can watch the highlights here. Let’s just suffice it to say that Robert Warzycha needs to find some offense. Quickly.

Or else he’ll be watching the MLS Cup from his couch rather than the sidelines in Seattle.

In Guillermo We Trust.

Paint The Town Black & Gold from Outsider E on Vimeo.

Playoffs start Saturday, kids!

Projected lineups: New England — GK Reis; Alston, Barnes, Osei, Heaps; Nyassi, Larentowicz, Joseph, Mansally; Jankauskas, Dube.
Columbus — GK Hesmer; Hejduk, Iro, O’Rourke, Zayner; Ekpo, Burns, Moffat, Rogers; Lenhart, Garey.

This is still subject to change. The Ref is Terry Vaughn so we shall see how he will keep the flow of this match. The game is on at 6pm on ESPN2 so stay tuned. Go Crew!

Lillingston chalked up an own goal tonight when the Fire took on Chivas at Toyota Park. Chicago held on to win the affair, and in the process handed the MLS Supporters’ Shield to Columbus for a second straight year.

The Shield is awarded to the MLS side with the best regular season record, and since Columbus us sitting at 49 points and Chivas, Chicago, Houston, and LA all have 45, the Crew is the regular season champ.

This is only the second time in league history that one team has captured The Shield in back-to-back seasons. DC United did it in ‘06 and ‘07.

Columbus coach Robert Warzycha is now facing an enviable problem for Sunday’s matchup with New England: Does he rest his “A” Team for the playoffs, or does he go for the jugular against the hapless Revs, and take the Trophy going away?

Knowing Coach Bob’s style, and the fact that he is a merciless competitor, I’m going to guess that he goes for all the marbles. Maybe he’ll rest the aging Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Alejandro Moreno in favor a younger lineup that needs the experiance, but in no way do I expect him to field a team of backups.

That being said, The Massive “B” Team could walk all over the Rev’s “A” team any day of the week. And twice on a Sunday.

Either way I’m not worried.

Again, horrible music with these highlights. But you get the idea: The Crew coasted to a 1-1 draw with The Islanders on Tuesday night, playing some of the most uninspired, “lets just go play and get it over with” soccer I’ve ever seen The Massive play.

But they got the result nonetheless, and are moving on to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Too bad we have to wait till March for the next round.