The space needle got a little makeover for MLS CUP 2009:




The only thing that could make this better was if the Crew logo was up there, but I digress.

Columbus Crew GM Mark McCullers gives a much needed, state of the Crew union address here. I like most of what he had to say. Good points on the Nordecke, the team, and the fact that we still had a pretty successful 2009 (could have been a lot worse). Anyways, good timing for a State of the Union, as everyone has been a little over the top with all of the rumors lately, including myself.

The Schelotto thing is in the early stages as well. Who knows Schelotto might take the offer, he did say he might look it over once he "cools down." If McCullers can sign Schelotto up for $227,000 or a little more, he is a genius. So, lets wait to see what happens with that before jumping to conclusions.. Once again myself included.

**According to Shawn Mitchell, Robert Warzycha and Brian Bliss were in Miami tonight to scout the Peru vs. Honduras Friendly at Landshark Stadium. Both clubs used their A rosters and Bliss has shown interest in Honduran players. Probably a good call since a lot of them are playing in the EPL these days.

So, whose a player the Crew could be after? How about Carlos Costly? Costly plays for GKS Belchatow in Poland. Maybe he is getting a little sick of cold, Eastern Europe and wants to be a little closer to Honduras.

The Crew could possibly sign Costly as a DP, that could explain why they're looking to drop down Guillermo's salary. Guillermo won't likely be enough to compete in CONCACAF.

**From here, Warzycha is headed to South Africa:
Major League Soccer and adidas announced today that Crew head coach Robert Warzycha has been selected to lead 18 MLS 'Generation adidas' players to South Africa - site of the 2010 FIFA World Cup - for a two-week tour that will include a trio of friendly matches. The group is scheduled to depart Friday, Nov. 27 and will return stateside Tuesday, Dec. 8.

The squad will first take on the Orlando Pirates reserve squad on Monday, Nov. 30, then will take on a yet-to-be-determined opponent on Thursday, Dec. 3. The schedule of friendlies will then conclude with a match against the AJAX Cape Town reserves on Sunday, Dec. 6.

The 2008 Mexican Apetura champions Toluca square off against the 2008 MLS Champions Columbus Crew.

Well I was hoping for a little Arab United or Marathon, but we get pegged against Toluca, one of the top clubs in recent history in Mexico. As Toluca won Mexico's 2008 Apetura and has made it to the playoffs of Mexican soccer the last four seasons. Currently, in the 2009 Apetura, Toluca is once again in first place...

However, one good thing (and there is just about one good thing) is that if we beat Toluca in the first knockout round of games, we could likely beat anyone in the knockout rounds of the tournament.

The matchup against Toluca begins between March 9-11th at Crew Stadium and will continue March 16-18th down in Mexico. The Crew will likely not be game fit at all and will face a Toluca side in the middle of their season. Isn't that just gravy?

Overall, against Mexican sides, the Crew have only won one non-friendly competition. The Crew beat Morelia 2-0 at home in 2003 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. But, Morelia already beat Columbus 6-0 in Morelia's home leg so that wasn't a worry. In total, in official CONCACAF competition the Crew are 1-3 against Mexican sides and have been outscored by a total of 2-13. The current Crew were demolished against Cruz Azul by a total of 7-0 in their two 2009 games. Even losing 2-0 to Cruz Azul's B/C side in Columbus.

So, let's hope the Crew stops offending Guillermo Barros Schelotto. And, somehow signs Palermo. And, agrees to sign some other superstars for $16,000 dollar salaries. Otherwise, this might be a tough one against Toluca.

I had a feeling that when Schelotto came over to the Nordecke for the first time in the two years of it's existence that it would be his last. It felt like a fairwell, as he waved at us on the way to the tunnel and gave a final bow. That seems especially the case now, according to today's Columbus Dispatch story. As the Crew dropped their highest goal scorer's salary by 65% percent in their 2010 contract offer and figured that their best player would be okay with it. Umm, figuring that GBS was and is your best player and you already benched him in a playoff game, wouldn't you maybe want to play this one with some kid gloves? Yet, this is starting to look like an ever going offseason saga, as the Crew front office looks to offend any world-class coach or player that comes into this organization. My conclusion from all of this is that it appears the Crew are inept at negotiating with anyone world-class at this club.

Look at last year, Sigi Schmid at one point wanted to stay with the club but the Crew botched that giving him a ridicoulous salary until it was too late.

Now Guillermo Barros Schelotto wants to stay with the club, but they cut his salary 65% percent, even though he was the team's leading scorer with 12 goals (3rd highest in all of MLS).

The Sigi move might have cost the Crew another cup, as no way Sigi Schmid leaves GBS out of a playoff game. The next move might make it unnecessary for the Crew to even show up to their games in March against Toluca in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Of course, Guillermo has a right to be mad. GBS said the following to the Dispatch:
"Maybe I am a little -- not angry -- but surprised," Schelotto said. "Maybe I will analyze this offer from Columbus when I get cool."

Maybe he will analyze the offer. My thinking is the damage is done. World-class players and coaches have ego's, heck any player does, and when they are lowballed they're going to look for other offers. And, someone, somewhere will offer more than $227,000 dollars for a midfielder that has nearly 20 goals and over 20 assists and was a MVP in the last two seasons; doesn't matter if that league is MLS.

The point is that no one world-class is staying in Columbus for $200,000 dollars when they can jet off to Seattle for more money or jet off to a South American club and be a hero again.

So, sure, the Crew Front Office did an excellent job in building the team that won it all in 2008. But, they seem to be doing an equally impressive job of tearing it all down. First, the coach. Now, the team's best player BY FAR! Hmm..

I get dropping down Guillermo's salary a little, hell even Guillermo would understand that for his second half of the year. But, 65% PERCENT! ROFL!

Crew General Manager Mark McCullers seems a little aloof on how ridicoulous the offer was:
"Guillermo has said he wants to stay here, and we've said we want him to stay here," McCullers said. "When you've got two willing parties that have the same goal, that's a pretty good thing."

Yeah but one willing party is offended and is now looking for more willing parties that are likely going to best the Crew's offer...

I mean sure I would love for GBS to sign for $227,000 dollars, that would leave us more cap space to sign more players that could make us a legitimate contender for winning CONCACAF. Especially because if you saw the two games against Cruz Azul, our current roster doesn't have a chance in hell. And, well, maybe McCullers knows this and maybe Mark McCullers can convince Guillermo to go along with it for the allocades.

But, I still don't think that GBS will go along for $227,000. Sure, Guillermo is probably not still worth $650,000. But, he is at least worth $350,000. I'm not totally against what McCullers is attempting to do because that might mean the Crew will attempt to bring in another DP (possibly a striker) to supplement GBS. But, the Crew have to be careful how they tread, they could end up without Guillermo and if the Maciej Zurawski debacle taught us anything, without a replacement.

So, if everything goes bad with GBS, I just hope the Crew has some backup plan. Or a player or two that could keep us from falling into the cellar in 2010.

Also, why not just drop Guillermo's salary a little and make cuts in other places. Like drop Moreno's salary. And, maybe have Zayner take Hejduk's place. I love Hejduk but I think Zayner (who is closer to being a credible starter than Brunner in my opinion) could be a starter and a credible replacement. We have no credible replacement for Guillermo and I'm doubtful we will be able to find one that wants to come to Columbus.

Garber continues to stress the importance of the CONCACAF Champions League, the fact that Columbus made it more of a priority than some teams may have put them in Garber's good graces.

Today, the Crew will be drawn for a March 9th and March 16th matchup against either four teams from Mexico including Pumas, last year’s runner-up Cruz Azul, Toluca and Pachuca or three teams from Central America – Arabe Unido of Panama, Comunicaciones of Guatemala and Honduras’ Marathón.

The Crew will be likely routing to go against one of the latter; either the oddly named Arab United, Comunicaciones, or Marathon in the quarterfinal.

Oddly enough the winners of the 2008 CONCACAF Champions League Atlante, don't play in the Club World Cup until December 2009. Therefore, if the Crew do win the CONCACAF Champions League, in a tournament that started in the Summer of 2009, they will not play in the Club World Cup until December 2010. That's a wee bit ridicoulous.

Almost two years from start to finish.

Also, the Crew have qualified for the 2010-2011 Champions League by winning the 2009 Supporters Shield. Therefore, in 2010 they will finish up the 2009-2010 version in the Summer of 2010 if they get all the way. And, then have to start up the 2010-2011 version in August 2010. Which means the Crew will be playing in two versions of the Champions League for virtually the whole 2010 season. And, they thought 2009 was congested?



**Mexican-American and Tigres central defender Edgar Castillo is likely to get his first cap on Wednesday for the USA vs. Denmark. Add Jermaine Jones in the New Year and the USA appears to get much deeper on the defensive side of the ball.

In a UK Eurosport Yahoo Article:
"For many, many years, people said, 'Hey, soccer is never going to make it because Americans don't understand the game, it's a foreign sport, people might play the game but they stop playing as teenagers.'

"We have proven in many, many markets, we've proven it in Toronto, we've proven it in Seattle, in Chicago and Columbus, that all of these people who have grown up with the game now can get into stands and can replicate that aspect of the game that gets them very excited when they are watching the EPL (English Premier League) or La Liga on television," he added.

"We now have that in MLS. To me this is a by-product of the league being around for 14 years, of expansion and more and more teams, very broad television coverage and deeper commitment to the sport (on television)...

According to Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, The Columbus Crew was one of the few teams to report an increase in ticket prices for 2010. The club increased season-ticket packages 6 percent on average, or $1 a ticket. Despite that, the team is ahead in renewals compared with 2009 largely due to its on-field success and an enhanced customer service department, President Mark McCullers said.

In total, the renewals so far look like this, according to SBJ:
Chicago Fire 50%
Chivas USA 50%
Colorado Rapids 70%
Columbus Crew 50%
D.C. United 50%
FC Dallas NA
Houston Dynamo 50%
Kansas City Wizards NA
Los Angeles Galaxy 60%
New England Revolution 30%
New York Red Bulls 85%
Philadelphia Union **
Real Salt Lake 50%
San Jose Earthquakes NA
Seattle Sounders FC 90%
Toronto FC 95%

My thoughts: I still haven't renewed. If my ticket reps are reading I'm still a college graduate student. So might want to throw me back down to the college student rate, and we'll talk. :-)