Wanted?

By: Matt | April 23rd, 2009

Photo yet again thanks to the Crew Photo Gods at Studio 79. I bow to your greatness!

In my football life, I have seen my fair share of turncoats, Judases (what is the multiple form of Judas?), and traitors. As a Celtic supporter, perhaps the most famous turncoat of all time, Judas Johnstone *spits*, who ironically has some vague management job that apparently does not have much to do with football after his one stellar year of coaching (haw haw haw, Karma is certainly, as they say, a bitch.) at the Crew’s arch rival Toronto FC. I have also experienced the saga of Kenny Miller, who has suited up for Rangers, Celtic, and then Rangers again, in a game of “Naw, you take him!” between the Old Firm. But these players were by no means legends for Celtic or Rangers. Johnstone was apart of the Celtic team that dramatically won the league at Love Street on the last day of the league in 1986, but the outrage with Johnstone went past his play or abilities and into the messier side of the Celtic-Rangers rivalry that many are aware of and if you are not, it is not really worth getting into now. Kenny Miller is a useless bawbag that I am quite frankly glad is over at Rangers rather than still with Celtic. However, Crew fans were presented with last summer is one different than the cases of Mo Johnstone and Kenny Miller. What happens, when a legend for the Crew comes back from a good stint at Team America in the EPL, signs with the team that has been a thorn in the side of the Black and Gold since they came into the MLS? What happens when Brian McBride, Crew legend, signs with the hated Chicago Fire?

Let me first preface that of the Crew’s three “rivals” in MLS, I dislike Chicago the least. The Toronto rivalry does not have to be explained after the last two years (a rivalry in which one team has yet to earn a victory yet…hee hee) and DC has ended the Crew’s season too many times (although it was nice to end their season last year). Along with that, Chicago contains two of my soon to be alma mater, the University of Dayton, alumni. Chris Rolfe and Dasan Robinson have been representing the red and blue well, especially with Rolfe having a breakout year last year. I hope that Rolfe and Robinson do well, of course not at the expense of the Crew though.

With that being said, when McBride came back to the MLS and found his way back to his hometown of Chicago to finish his career, there were two schools of thought from Crew fandom. First, some Crew fans believed that Mr. Brian McBride would be forever etched in the folklore of Columbus soccer history, as one of the best players to ever suit up for the black and gold. Not only does he hold a sacred place in Crew history, but in US soccer history as a crucial member of the United States National Team and a great representation for American soccer in Europe as a member of Fulham. To these members of Crew nation, McBride has earned the right to suit up wherever he wants, Chicago is his hometown, and he deserves to be able to end his career wherever he (or his wife *rimshot*) want.

There is, of course, an alternative view from this thought. The hang ‘em high bunch of the Crew support see McBride on equal footing as Osama bin Laden. They see this transgression as sullying McBride’s legacy with the Crew to the point where they no longer acknowledge his past successes in Columbus. They wonder how McBride performed so well in the EPL with his wife having a leash on McBride’s neck, as reports were that Mrs. McBride wanted to go back home to Chicago. The banner above is a pretty good representation of their feelings towards McBride.

So what happened the last (and only) time McBride was back in Columbus Crew Stadium in Chicago Red? Well, he was noticeably booed and jeered every time he touched the ball. But to be fair, that was paired with a Eastern Conference Finals, with a trip to the MLS Cup on the line. Tensions were high. The vitrol did not seem to affect McBride, as he got Chicago’s only goal of the day. However, the Soccer Gods served justice as rising Crew superstar Chad Marshall got his head on a ball over McBride to net the Crew the game winner. This moment in Crew history is captured currently on the side of Crew stadium and greeting cars on I-71 going past Crew Stadium, as it can be seen here (look at McBride’s face…HAW HAW HAW!)

So what does Joe Crew fan really feel about McBride? For me, I am disappointed that he is with the Fire, but I am sympathetic to his reason why he is there. It is nice to be home with the kids and playing some football for a paycheck, not to mention, hell has no fury like an angry wife. Will that stop me from chirping McBride about the leash that his wife has him on this Saturday? Of course not. As a career US Nat player, it must be strange for McBride to be on the same team as the Hunchback of Mexico. After so many fierce battles with Blanco, I can’t believe the two are good pals, but whatever puts the ball into the net.

Brian McBride is definitely not on the same line as Mo Johnstone (what a wanker, what a wanker) with me. However, it is a bit disappointing that McBride chose to end his career this way. It would have been nice to end his career where it began. For many, you are the company you keep, and for both Crew fans and US National Team fans, McBride is keeping company with a Mexican cheap shot dive artist. However, this fact cannot tarnish the legacy of Brian McBride in the black and gold and what he has meant to the Crew.