No form letters from this guy! I am enjoying the information I am finding on him via the World Wide Web.
I got this far into his history before stopping because I've seen enough: Basically second in command at the Columbus Partnership. Before that, ran marketing and sponsorship opportunities for the Memorial. On the board of Experience Columbus and Ronald McDonald House. A trustee of Capital University. His time with the Memorial corresponds with the growth of the tournament into the unofficial "Fifth Major". I'm sure a lot of that has to do with it being Nicklaus' baby but there needs to be business types making it happen in the background. He appears to be a big part of that. The Bezt has been! #BeBezt
I think Lyons is one of the most underappreciated guys who did some of the biggest lifting in saving our damn team. The guy who was the VP of the Columbus Partnership is now in charge of our business operations. Let that sink in for a second.
Alex Fischer specifically referenced how much more he did and more important Lyons was to saving the Crew and getting the deals done at nearly every opportunity to do so. He's not a mini anything.
I agree with you on this. I'd like to see Argudo in the 10 spot for a few games and push Santos back wide. I think Argudo and Accam were connecting well during the US Open Cup matches.
It's embarrassing when you have a society name with a huge typo. His last name is Jimenez. It has been since before he was born.
Damn, in this transfer window, we have added Dante and Lyons on top of IBM IX. Great moves off the field to match some of the moves on the field, done and possible ones still to be completed.
It should be noted that the ownership and Bez are loading up on big time, and expensive, corporate talent. The hiring of Dante Washington (who, besides being an ex-star has an MBA from Fisher) - no classier guy ever wore the crest - included, this stuff is huge and is as strong an indication as you could possibly get that this organization means business, on and off the field, it means to go big time, it means to win and it will spend whatever it takes to get there. And as noted, IBM iX is as big as it gets and they don't work cheap. As lowly Crew fans who have spent the last 20 years following an orphaned team run on a shoestring by third rate grifters, it's genuinely breathtaking. Pay attention people. Look at the big picture. This club wouldn't hire Andy Twobuttons to wash and wax their cars, and Dave Greeley would be laughed out of the building as a zero-accomplishment con man. I'd only add that if the players ever thought this attitude didn't extend down to them because Berhalter was their shield, they surely are waking up by now. The message could not be clearer: be good or be gone. Here's a box, we need your locker in an hour.
Not only can the guy pick up the phone and get any of 75 or so Central Ohio CEO's on the line but I have it on reliable authority that if he takes them out to dinner he doesn't run out and stick them with the tab. And I'm pretty sure that he doesn't work out of his basement or share a Regus office with 9 other guys. It's a freakin revolution.
I know that we are all excited for news of updates to our roster, but it will take some transfer to beat out being more excited for Lyons than any player we add this window. Hires like Lyons send a message to the rest of the business community that the Crew isn't minor-league in the FO anymore. He is the type of hire that can help make sure we keep getting the nice things we deserve as fans long-term.
Also, since there's no real place to mention it, the media release about the Dante Washington hiring said that the club has ended their affiliation with Sporting Columbus or whatever the hell that was and Dante is charged with,among other things, re evaluating and rebuilding the teams relationships with local soccer. Stuff like that is really wonderful to hear. Bez is basically blowing the place up. Thank God.
I think we have a couple people with better inside info than me, but Sporting Columbus was essentially the Crew Jr's guys splitting off and doing their own thing anyway, since PSV was trying to move the team. But, yes, I caught the part about Dante rebuilding teams relationship with local youth clubs, and that was good to hear.
If he is, I don't want to know, and I don't want the rest of us to know either. Our source of information will dry up if identified.
Good Lord, people! Word drops about a transfer and this place blows up! I thought the days of 120+ posts ended when we were Saved!
The Crew are now doing the things that needed doing 20 years ago. It will be interesting to see how media coverage changes in the future.