Photo Credit: USA Today
In Austin they won’t have a theme song “Africa” by Toto. They won’t have monikers surrounding the team like Massive, they won’t have a Nordecke, they won’t have places like Ruby Tuesday’s.
I went to Ruby Tuesday’s on Saturday before the game for a supporter’s breakfast and the march to the stadium.
Ruby’s back in 2008.
When the Nordecke began in 2008 Ruby Tuesday’s was the hangout place. Thousands of Nordeckians began their Saturday there.
Since then groups went to other places for their pregame rituals and fan bonding.
Even Hudson Street Hooligans left as they started their own bar.
But, this past Saturday some of Hudson Street and Gate 5 Collective were there.
A lot of people I haven’t seen at Ruby’s since 2008 were on hand.
Grant, Jackman, Goshert, T-Bone, Robyn, and about 20 others.
Almost was an impromptu, unexpected ten year 2008 Nordecke fan reunion.
I haven’t been there myself since the 2008 MLS Cup win.
It was fantastic to see everyone and see ten years later they all look the same and they all feel the same about the Columbus Crew.
If you want to go somewhere to get a good interview on what Columbus Crew means. I would suggest this is the place to begin.
It felt right, like home again.
On the game side of things, I felt we got lucky.
Columbus Crew picked up first half with a similar intensity to the prior week in Toronto.
After 15 minutes, they were up 2-0.
Then with the more comfortable then it looks 2-0 lead, always a dangerous lead in soccer which every commentator must point out like it generates money if mentioned ?, the Crew players relaxed a bit mentally.
Montreal quickly made it 2-1 in the second half.
I was like “ok wow. Maybe I’m going to guess the lineup and score correctly for the second week in a row.”
I predicted a 2-0 win last week and predicted a 3-1 win this week and then it became 2-2.
Montreal hit the crossbar twice as well and two of our goals were gained through penalty kicks so it was a “take the three points and run” result considering.
We deserved a tie.
Columbus was sort of bailed out in the 93rd minute; as Raheem Edwards tripped and fell on Luis Argudo in the penalty area.
The team did some things great again, there are some things they’ll have to do better to keep the win streak going next Saturday in Philadelphia.
Which in a way could be what this team needed after winning six out of seven in preseason and kicking Toronto’s ass last week in Toronto.
A wake up that they are not there yet.
I wonder whether to predict the same lineup again or if a change or two is coming up next week for Columbus? Do you see any?
photo credit: Alena Shuckman/Columbus Crew SC
Man of the Match: Gyasi Zardes
Review of Save The Crew: The Battle For Columbus:
The night before the game Sean Kelly debuted his new film Save The Crew: The Battle for Columbus at the Gateway Film Center in downtown Columbus.
Overall, I thought the video was good and achieved it’s purpose.
I was expecting the first film with a few new scenes added in. Wasn’t that as it was a completely different movie.
Because that’s the case don’t really get why the first #SaveTheCrew movie (that was more fan-orientated compared to player, Austin orientated) was taken off of YouTube?
In this version, I really enjoyed the parts where Alejandro Moreno talked about 2008 MLS Cup and the goal he scored.
I thought the Austin parts were a bit dragged out and a tad tedious, boring.
I bought tickets for both the 7 o’clock and 9:30 showings last month. I’m from out of town and had a three hour trip, was spending the night so had no other plans.
Yet at 9:30, I thought “maybe I’ll just stay for the first 60% of the film this time, just the fun part.”
But, the audience was even more rambunctious and amusing at the second showing. As the crowd was yelling at the screen non-stop (perhaps because the players were no longer there) so decided this is fun and stayed.
I do get including Austin as their story is important too. Kind of like Thomas Lincoln’s story is to Abraham Lincoln. I mean losing a two year USL team is about the same as losing the Columbus Crew. So had a hard time listening, figuring out what the hell they were trying to say? But may have helped if they were at least compelling or interesting.
That Babetski guy and the guy in the Austin Aztex shirt had me like… ? It was nice to see Chris Bils, a local sportswriter who seems to be Erickson competent. But, no Morgan Hughes is present in Austin in a speaker sense.
Including them all would’ve made more sense if the second film is a replacement for the first on YouTube and then available to a wider soccer audience compared to just Crew fans.
As that may help form opinions of a broader group of soccer fans if there was any other correct opinion?
But, this film will not be on YouTube as some rights are not owned or something so that means they cannot put it on YouTube. I also heard one or two people mention a possible third film on Saturday.
If that’s the case turns into a miniseries. Hoping Precourt just sells before that.
Thanks but no thanks.
Anyways, Die Innenstadt fans were at least amusing, interesting, added something. As haven’t heard their points of view.
Chris Bils interview was aggressively edited, his clip was cut around which was strange as it would cut and he would still be saying the same thing somehow when it began again.
The only Austin-related clip that I found sweet, revealing was Garber and Precourt broing out in March 2017 at the South by Southwest tour. That was a good find.
But was something else seeing a portion of the 2008 squad again and listening to them speak.
The first part of the film was very cool and regardless the entirety was one of the better ways to spend a Crewsmas Eve.
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