So, The Crew Rocked Preseason…Now What?

By: Jeff | April 2nd, 2007

Please excuse the unplanned hiatus; I had two kids’ birthday parties this weekend, you see…

Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff.

“Columbus played to a scoreless draw against Kansas City in a neutral-site game in Winston Salem, N.C., on Saturday. Andy Gruenebaum had a shutout for the Crew in a game that saw Columbus have the better of the play in the first half.”

So, that’s officially all the copy I’m seeing so far on the Columbus Crew’s goalless draw against the Kansas City Wizards (showed on the ever-temporary main page of the official site – hence the word “officially”). However it came about, that draw takes the Crew into the regular MLS grind/season with a combined 9-2-2 in preseason play (even if the preseason Big Board hasn’t yet recorded the draw with KC). In the real world, that would get them 29 points, just four shy of what they managed in 32 games last season. Super.

How’s that going to translate to the regular season? I have no idea, not a real one or one that should be taken seriously anyway. As I keep saying, though, I like the Crew’s chances this season; I’ll say it again in the official preview I wrote for The Offside, which ought to be posted some time around Wednesday. We can compare notes then, but, for now, just take my word for it and assume the Crew will do well.

Speaking of which, I did OK on said preview till the final question, which asked for any “quirky” details I knew about the Crew. Being new to this beat, I didn’t know much and would like you – yes, YOU, dear reader and likely Crew fan – to fill me in. What kind of “weird” happens around the Crew players and culture? All I could come up with was the suckiness hitting Joseph Ngwenya’s home country, which I picked up through a general interest in geo-politics, and the “Bob Evans Buck-a-Brat Night,” which I say with all due reverence, is so Ohio…at least the Ohio I remember. So, what else do all y’all have?

And if it’s pointing out the distinctly homo-erotic nature of the team’s shield, I threw that in out of sheer desperation – though not in those terms.

Finally, with the regular season kicking off Saturday – when your Columbus Crew will (hopefully) wipe that apparently permanent smirk off Bruce Arena’s face – it occurs to me that, in order to be a half-decent beat reporter for Crew news, I’ll need to see a game or two first-hand. Happy as I am that all y’all locals can catch every Crew game on TV this season, I ain’t a local; they don’t seem to carry the Columbus Sports Network in Portland, Oregon for some damn reason. So, yeah, getting that figured out will take some doing. But I think they’ve got something that’ll work. Now the thing is finding the time, given I’ve got a wife, a kid, a cat, and a dog (name that movie!).

At any rate, we’re getting down to go-time. As hinted at in vague language above, the Crew will play Red Bull New York Saturday, April 7, 7 p.m. EST. You will be able to see it on the TV, but wouldn’t it be nice to take in the game live? I know I would…if I lived in Columbus or thereabouts…and had the money…which I don’t just now…