Mark McC and Co© re-signed the most decorated player in Crew history. Now, let’s be honest here, raise your hand if – after hearing that The Twin was applying for a green card – you had any doubt this was going to happen? I sure didn’t. Guillermo wanted to be here all along, he said so himself. Mainly, the whole thing was blown way out of proportion by some bad PR from the Crew front office and Ives. We’re used to it from Ives, and I’ll give the FO a mulligan on this one.

For all of you social media hounds out there, Jed(ediah) Zayner and Steven Lenhart have joined Robbie Rogers and Eric Brunner on Twitter.

Speaking of Jesus Jed, he’s hitting this Web 2.0 thing pretty hard by going all bloggy on us. I added it to my reader quicker than a hipster gets moody, for I’m sure that it’ll be a comedy gold mine for locker room stories. The first highlight: Adam Moffat’s Pro/Con list for Massive Training Camp in Bradenton.

Oh, by the way, the Crew is in Florida for two weeks of training. I’ll do my best to keep you posted.

I don’t how many of you are fans of Dirty Tackle, but it’s without a doubt one of the best things going these days. For example, they’ve been keeping up with Landycakes escapades around around the FA and it is hilarious. Read up, y’all.

And finally, big thanks to the gang at WV Hooligan for posting the entire World Cup 2010 broadcast schedule. Calendars at the ready, boys…

[photo via J. Mowry]

The new guys are forward Dilly Duka from Rutgers and Bright Dike, another forward, from Notre Dame. Coach Bob also grabbed three more players in the forth round (one of whom was a midfielder, which we need almost as bad as oxygen).

Most of the picks will post good returns in both the short and long-terms, but the Duka addition seems a little more promising right off the bat.

I, unlike a lot of people, think the Dike pick is a smart one for this team because he is a huge striker whose style is very well suited to the kind of game that Coach Warzycha likes to, and wants to, play.

However, this is going to be the end of my 2010 MLS Draft analysis, mainly because I have no idea who these two guys are apart from the random Youtube videos I’ve seen of them.

So instead of acting like I know what I’m talking about I’ll defer to Sean Mitchell from The Dispatch (twice), Ryan from Crewture (and again), and Patrick from An American Game to give you better introductions and breakdowns.

1) The 2010 adidas MLS Catalog was leaked this week, and it’s chock full of sweet gear. And the cover features this photo of Frankie’s goal from the ‘08 Cup.

On an unrelated note, if anyone wants to buy me that hat I’ll be your best friend.

2) For all of you that are following the single entity/labor negotiations argument going on this off season, Fake Sigi has one of the best points of veiw on the whole thing – including this piece on why MLS’ single entity is the bees knees.

I’m trying not to get involved in any of the labor debates, but some of the things I’m reading from around the blogosphere make me wonder if these people are living in a dream world.

I hate to say it y’all, but this is America, and in this country we have our own model for how to run a sports league. Promotion/relegation won’t work here (for a variety of reasons), and the single entity, love it or hate it, has been proved time and again by every other major sport in the country. Yes, MLS has its flaws, but I bet the NFL and MLB did after 14 years of existence, too.

Basically, give it time people. One day, you’ll all see that Uncle Lamar and his buddies knew what they were doing when they formed the league.

How Firm Thy Friendship, indeed.

As for the Crew, they’re not flying off to Tibet anytime soon, but they are climbing the mountain that is Major League Soccer. And we’re not just talking about on the field; I think we can all agree that we want our beloved Crew to be the most successful club in the league both on the field and off. And in order to realize our dreams of total MLS domination, there are a few areas that the front office/ownership/coaching staff needs to focus on.

I think it’s safe to assume that we all know how 2009 ended for The Crew, so I’m not going to reopen old wounds. I’m just going to focus on the wide-open future rather than the case-closed past.

And so, I respectfully submit my “Ten Things the Crew Needs to Do In 2010”:

1) Re-sign Schelotto. Duh.

2) Use the fans. I may have a bit of a biased opinion, but I’d like to think that the Crew front office has a better relationship with its core of fans than any other team in the league, and it took a lot of hard work and communication to get to that point. We, as fans, have had plenty of sit-downs with the Suits, and we all get along really well. Now, in this new age of crowdsourcing and new media, it’s time for the Crew to put us to use.

A quick stroll though the BigSoccer boards will reveal that there are a lot of creative people making a plethora of creative things for the Yellow Soccer Team, from t-shirts to hats to all sorts of graphics and writing. Since the Crew is bringing their web presence and merchandising in house, it would be a great idea to tap into that (nearly unlimited) resource.

The best way to start is by simply buying a few graphics from the artists, throwing them on a t-shirt and selling it in the club store. There is some great Crew apparel out there, but not much of it is officially licensed, and so the club is missing out on a lot of revenue.

Or, they could buy some artwork and put it on the club’s website as a wallpaper download. How many of us have a Crew-related wallpaper that we made ourselves? I do.

Or, and here’s one that’s near and dear to me: feature a “guest writer” after each game on the official blog. Give that person all the access of the traditional media and then let them write a story about that week’s match that will be featured on the B&G Standard.

Long story short, there are a lot of creative types out there in the Nordecke, and beyond, and they’d love to contribute something official to the team. And since the team is strapped for cash in these areas (thanks Mr. Hunt) it’s a great way for them to expand their offerings without mortgaging the stadium.

3) Find a new (or veteran) midfielder. Robbie Rogers, no matter how we feel about him, is not long for this country. And when he bolts for greener pastures it will leave The Crew extra thin on the flanks. Without Robbie, we have Ekpo and Gaven and a handful of subs to play the wings. When Mr. Rogers bolts do we really want Cory Elenio filling his shoes? Or would we prefer Alex Grendi?

4) Find a steady starting 11. I know that Coach Warzycha is famous for that quote where he said he doesn’t have starters, he has 23 guys that can play any time. That’s all well and good, but I respectfully ask: What does that shuffling do for continuity? Michael always knew where Scottie would be and that’s what made them so deadly together. We were close to that in ’08 with Schelotto and Moreno, but now we’ve got nothing. Schelotto is a playmaker, but he needs a steady partner, or nine, to make plays for.

5) Pave the freaking parking lot.

6) Tie Adam Moffat and Guillermo Barros Schelotto together until Moffat learns everything Schelotto knows. One of these days GBS isn’t going to wearing Black and Gold anymore, and though we’d like for that day to never come it’s an inevitability. And someone is going to need to step up as maestro of the midfield, and unless Guillermo hand appoints someone else I hereby nominate the newlywed Scotsman. The only caveat to my master plan is that these two need to become closer than Guillermo and his actual twin brother. Moffat needs to soak knowledge from the master like a ShamWow soaks Coke from carpet.

7) Make Buck-a-Brat night the biggest thing in town. Everyone and their mom with a 614 area code knows that Dime-a-dog night with the Clippers is every Monday night. Buck-a-Brat has the potential to be that Massive, but it need to be publicized in more ways than just a couple of billboards around town, and ad in The Dispatch and a pop-up on the website.

8. Renovate the northern exterior of the stadium. I know this is a long shot, but the north end of the stadium is plainly visible from I-71 and it’s, well, ugly. It’s so ugly it’s nearly invisible. I don’t know how they could put up a façade that would match the rest of the structure, but something has to be done. That wall of the House That Lamar Built is seen by hundreds of thousands of people every day, and the current scheme of cement blocks and crappy siding isn’t very eye-catching. Brick? Ivy? I don’t know, but I bet an architect could figure something out.

9) Mingle with the commoners. When I went to Colorado over the summer, we tailgated with a small group (read: most) of the Rapids fans. It was a normal fan gathering, except that the GM was there with a couple of other suits from their front office. Apparently they come out every week just to have a hot dog and a beer and chat with the fans before the game. I’m looking at you, Mark McCullers. Grab a couple of your front office kids and come to the tailgate for half an hour. Or, if you’re feeling risky, walk over to Ruby’s and have a PBR with HSH. We’d love to have you, and I’ll buy your first beer.

10) Win it all. We’re up for five trophies this year (Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup, Open Cup, Trillium Cup, CONCACAF Champions League) and there is no legitimate reason why we can’t bring them all home.

I don’t know how many of these items will need to be checked off in order to consider 2010 a success, but if we consider the main goals of the club winning trophies and increasing revenue, then these points are the map to the summit.

The contract talks with Guillermo Barros Schelotto have cooled off quite a bit since the original “will he/won’t he/what is Hunt Sports Group thinking/holy crap if the Crew loses GBS there is no hope” fervor. Personally I think he’ll be back in the Black and Gold next year, because although Clark Hunt may be a delinquent parent of the Crew, deadbeat dads still send Christmas cards.

That and I don’t really think it’s about money, it’s about respect. HSG really insulted Schelotto by offering him a lowball offer and I don’t blame him for making the organization sweat. Guillermo likes Columbus, his family is finally settled here with him, and though he and head coach Robert Warzycha have had their differences in the past they both know that the other is bent on winning championships.

If anyone out there really thinks that Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson had a lovey dovey relationship all the time send me some of whatever you’re on.

Sure, Guillermo may not come back as a DP, but really, how much more money does the guy need? At this point in his career it’s all about going out on top and retiring to a place where he feels liked/wanted/comfortable.

Word about the rest of the team has been lacking, too. Jed Zayner is out of contract this year, Brian Carrol had shoulder surgery, Danny O’Rourke and William Hesmer are both considering going under the knife, and Andy (myfavoritegoalie) Gruenebaum is still recovering from season-ending hip surgery. Anyone have any news about these guys?

Maybe the old adage “no news is good news” was meant for times like this.

On the business side of things, the Crew is beefing up their merchandising and web presence, taking both departments out from under the league umbrella and bringing them in house.

I, personally, think this is a great move on both counts: the Crew (and MLS as a whole for that matter) has a pretty terrible merch line, leaving a lot to be desired for as far as casual wear goes. And if you’re a female soccer fan in Columbus your options are pretty much limited to a jersey.

As far as the Crew upgrading to web 2.0, more power to them. All of the other major sports in America have a great and expansive philosophy when it comes to new media, but we soccer fans are, again, left out in the cold.

As a die-hard Red Sox fan, I could choose to get a text every time David Ortiz sneezes or Josh Becket looks at someone menacingly or even every time the Sawx score a run, if those things interested me. But if The Massive are playing and (God forbid) I’m not in the stands or watching it on TV I have to go searching for updates. ESPN.com has a pretty good way to track games, but that’s about it.

The Crew drew nine-time Mexican League champ Toluca for the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League, but how many people know that? The teams will open the home and home series on March 9th in The House That Lamar Built, and play the return leg a week later, on the 17th.

Let’s not forget that the MLS SuperDraft is coming up on January 14th, and the Crew have three picks. Will Coach Bob and company go after a speedy young striker, or will they bolster the back line with a defender? Or, as a third option, will he trade away a pick or two for some allocation money and a veteran? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Yeah, there are things going on over on Champions Drive, but it ain’t much. I’m sure after the new year we’ll get some news, most likely regarding the Guillermo saga or an injury update, but I expect HQ to retain strict radio silence until at least the draft, if not longer.

But if anything does make news I’ll come out of my hole and offer an opinion.

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: