I think that I'm going to continue trying to forge a supporters alliance with a club in Germany. I was given a contact in the Crew Front Office who might be able to help with making this work. Since I didn't get a reply from St. Pauli, do you guys want me to try again or move in a different direction? I'll be living in Berlin starting next summer, so I would be able to easily take banners/shirts if we should forge a partnership with Hertha Berlin. However, St. Pauli is only 2 hours by train, so that is also very reasonable. Thoughts?
On Saturday, I learned that apparently there is someone in the Crew FO that has an in with St. Pauli. As soon as I learn more, I'll shoot the info your way.
I mean, it's a bit of a conflict of interests for me, being a VfB guy. I'm curious Die Alte Dame's association with Karlsruhe, particularly since they are both 1. Bundesliga now. Look, VfB is total money. In fact, if I had any time to pursue this, I would suggest going that route. Unfortunately I don't have time to help except for a few fingers pointing a way. I mean, if you want awesome TIFO, just look at the Cannstatt Commandos and the Ultras Lost Boys. http://www.cc97.de/index2.php http://www.lostboys99.de/ Some of their TIFO is intense and we could learn from them a lot. Great Photography: http://www.lostboys99.de/fotos/fotos-0809.htm The big stuff is pulled out in the game against Karlsruhe. Here is a pretty sweet video too: http://www.myvideo.de/watch/5145751/0809_05_Derby Just something for one massive team to learn from another
Alright, since the letter to St. Pauli failed way back in the summer...I think that I'm going to restart the effort to find a sister club in Germany. This is what I have in mind: Since St. Pauli was pretty much a consensus on the boards, I will send them another letter in both English and German. I will give them a week or so to respond. If they do, then we move forward accordingly...if not then we'll move on to other clubs and follow the same sort of pattern. Right now the clubs on the table (or have been mentioned at some point): FC St. Pauli (Pretty much #1 choice on the boards) Hertha BSC Berlin (The club that originally gave me this entire idea and where I'll be for an entire season) VfB Stuttgart (KaiserKraut's favourite club and a power in the Bundesliga) Dynamo Dresden (Our sister city and they also have similar colours) --- I encourage others working on the potential partnerships with Yellow Fever in NZ as well as this Charleston Battery thing that's been floated. I can concentrate on the German aspect of this.
If Kaiser's pick is getting thrown in I might as well put in a word for BVB's supporters group The Unity. [youtube]i3x3s883Z2w[/youtube] And they have already taken a liking to our logo (I believe this image is from an away reserve match)
Alright...since it looks like VfB Stuttgart has a lot of friends already, let's try contacting them in this order... 1. FC St. Pauli 2. Hertha BSC Berlin 3. Borussia Dortmund (BVB) 4. VfB Stuttgart
I'm going to send them pretty much the same e-mail I sent earlier this year. Here is the letter, it remains unchanged (except I took out that I'd be Hamburg during early September). Below are the English and German versions of the e-mail. ------- To whom it may concern, My name is Nick Dilenschneider and I am a representative of Columbus Crew fans of the Nordecke. The Nordecke is comprised of three independent groups: Hudson Street Hooligans, Crew Union, and La Turbina Amarilla. These three groups are extremely diverse. Hudson Street Hooligans represent an energetic younger generation of supporters. Crew Union has helped give us a European flavour of vocal support. La Turbina Amarilla is a group that brings us the constant rhythm of support prevalent in Latin America. The number of people in the Nordecke continues to grow as does our reputation around Major League Soccer. We recognize that we must network with fans from around the world. After discussion and debate, we would like to form a friendly partnership with the fans of FC St. Pauli. We like the diversity, stances against racism and fascism, and uniqueness found at the club of St. Pauli and amongst their supporters. For this attitude and mentality, we have only respect and high regard. With this alliance between our fans, we will not accept or extend any other offers of partnerships from/to other clubs in Germany. If you accept this invitation of solidarity, members of the USP and all fans of St. Pauli will find a second home in Columbus and will be welcomed in the Nordecke. Please consider this offer. This would be the first official partnership between supporters of an American club and a German club. St. Pauli represents the first choice of the fans of the Nordecke. Thank you very much for your consideration. -Nick Dilenschneider Representative of the Nordecke An die zuständige Abteilung, Ich heisse Nick Dilenschneider und ich bin einer Vertreter von den Columbus Crew Fans der Nordecke. Die Nordecke ist von drei unabhängigen Gruppen beinhaltet: Hudson Street Hooligans, Crew Union, und La Turbina Amarilla. Diese drei Gruppen sind sehr mannigfaltig. Hudson Street Hooligans repräsentiert eine neue Generation mit vielen Energie. Crew Union gibt uns eine europäische Variante mit stimmlichen Unterstützung. La Turbina Amarilla ist eine Gruppe, die uns den andauernden Rhythmus von Unterstützung gibt, die man in Lateinamerika finden würde. Die Anzahl der Menschen in der Nordecke und auch unsere Reputation in Major League Soccer wachsen. Wir anerkennen, dass wir mit anderen Fans in der Welt vernetzen müssen. Nach Diskussion und Debatte, wir möchten eine freundliche Partnerschaft mit der Fans des FC St. Pauli beginnen. Wir mögen die Diversität, die Haltungen gegen Rassismus und Faschismus, und die Einzigartigkeit bei dem Verein und den Fans von St. Pauli. Für diese Attitüde und für diese Mentalität, haben wir nur Respekt und Hochachtung. Mit dieser Verbindung zwischen unsere Fans, wir werden keine Angebote von anderen Vereinen aus Deutschland anbieten oder akzeptieren. Wenn ihr diese Einladung der Solidarität akzeptiert, Mitglieder der USP und alle Fans des FC St. Pauli werden in Columbus eine Zweitwohnung finden und werden in der Nordecke empfangen. Bitte bedenken Sie doch dieses Angebot. Diese Verbindung wäre die erste Partnerschaft zwischen Fans aus einem amerikanischen Verein und einem deutschen Verein. St. Pauli repräsentiert die erstklassige Entscheidung von den Fans der Nordecke. Vielen Dank für ihre Betrachtung. -Nick Dilenschneider Vertreter der Nordecke
The letter has been sent to Ultra' Sankt Pauli. I say we give them a week (so next Wednesday) to respond. If they don't, we move on to Hertha Berlin.
Looks like your club will have to do something to keep up with us out here in Columbus. I would say "don't fall behind" but you guys are a little late for that.