Time for the Crew FO to Step Up?

Discussion in 'Columbus Crew' started by Bill Archer, Aug 26, 2007.

  1. Bill Archer

    Bill Archer BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 19, 2002
    Washington, NC
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So what I'm seeing is this:

    1) Just a couple weeks ago Crew was six points clear of F*re and coasting on a feel-good streak. Today, we're ONE point ahead and holding onto the last playoff spot by our fingernails.

    2) Next week it appears that our starting center backs will be Ezra Hendrickson and Rusty Pierce. Frightening.

    3) Andy Herron, even when not being offered as a human sacrifice to the gods of community relations, is not starting and not scoring.

    4) Alejandro Moreno is starting, and is not scoring.

    5) If Kei Kamara and Jason Garey are pushed any farther down the bench, they'll be sitting in 141.

    6) Schelotto is getting his ass kicked by every punk in the league and the referees aren't doing diddly about it. The word around the league, apparently, is to just knock the guy down.

    7) Even when he's not just trying to stay upright, Schelotto is wasted because he just hasn't got a target. Of any kind. Ever.

    8) As you look around the league, nobody is standing still. Dullass, F*re, even that pathetic bunch at RSL are bringing people in.

    The bottom line, it seems to me, is that this team cannot hope to go anywhere at the moment. And the team as an entity cannot survive many more disastrous seasons. Has anyone in MLS ever missed the playoffs three seasons in a row before?

    If HSG gives a crap, and is not just looking for a reason to leave town, then they need to give McCullers the money it will take to bring in a player or two. Right now.

    While we're on the subject, do we even have an owner these days? Is Clark Hunt even paying attention? Is he sitting there in his Caribbean beach house and counting his money?

    We need to hear something like a long-term committment from Clark Hunt. We need the FO to do something creative and find an impact player to give this outfit some momentum.

    We're in dire straits, and the only guy talking is Will Hesmer. Does the FO and HSG have nothing whatever to say to the fans? Do they think the fans don't deserve some encouraging words?

    It seems to me at this point that to the management and ownership, Crew fans are just an annoyance, noise to be handled, and I'm sick of it.

    The fat man is blowing it here. He can go back to his wife and his home in California any time and never look back. Except for his pride, who cares? He'll be fine.

    The rest of us are stuck with this mess, and it's time someone stood up, accepted some responsibility and took some positive action. Right now, there aren't many differences between the way this club is being run and that disaster in Salt Lake. And they don't even HAVE a front office.

    What is being done, besides encouraging everyone to play hard and complaining about tough breaks and bad luck, to turn this around? We deserve some answers.
     
  2. Missionary

    Missionary Member

    Jul 13, 2003
    Mission Viejo
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Trade Sigi for Yallop (Sigi would be overjoyed and the Galaxy fans would love to have him back). We are too deep in mid field so grab a defender or two.
     
  3. TrueCrew

    TrueCrew Member+

    Dec 22, 2003
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I completely agree. Wholeheartedly.

    I'd like to note that last year I was nearly flayed alive on these boards for having the audacity to suggest that the FO (HSG) wasn't exactly commiting the kind of resources necessary to make the Crew a winner. (I think the word I used was cheap).

    While my characterization may have been a bit harsh. In my view its on the money. Yes, Lamar was a soccer God, and bless him and HSG for CCS.

    I don't know if the problem is HSG, McCullers, or Sigi, but we have a problem. Teams that are serious about winning (with some exceptions) have used the DP slot. A look at the top tier teams.

    1. New England: 42 Points. OK, there's an exception. But NE is loaded, even with Dempsey gone. Twellman and Joseph are two of the best in the league. Throw in Ralston, Noonan, Parkhurst, Dorman and Reis, and you've got one heck of a club. Larentowicz, Smith, and Crisman (sp) are all developing nicely. You can see why they haven't made a move. Plus Kraft IS cheap, and the Revs never win anything.

    2. D.C. United: 39 PTS. No movement on the DP front. But they sure made a serious (not a 1 million dollar McBride bid) for Veron. Add to that Emilio (14 goals) and Fred, and its hard to say DC sat on their hands.

    3. Houston: 38 PTS. The defending champs ARE loaded. Like NE, they haven't even made a hint of using their DP. Again, where would a DP help them? They can't even find room to play all the players they have. They have the best D in the league. Onstad is solid. Clark, DeRo, and Mulrooney in the middle. Mullan, Davis, and Holden out wide. Ching up front.

    4. Dallas: 36 PTS. Just brought in Denilson. To add to Richetti earlier. Plus Cooper has been hurt forever. And of course Toja. That's three starters, and Toja has been HUGE. This despite the fact that Ruiz will count as a DP next year.

    5. Chivas USA: 33 PTS. They used their DP to acquire Guevara from NYRB. It didn't work out. But I'd much rather try and fail than not try at all (the philosophy of some Crew fans). Their season is not ruined. Plus, if you don't ever use your DP, what difference is there if it doesn't work out. Also, they didn't stand pat afterwards, getting Nagamura. Also, Galindo has been brilliant.

    6. New York: 33 PTS. They've used two. Angel and Reyna. One has been brilliant, one injured. Also brought in Watterus, Van den Berg, and Mathis.

    7. Kansas City: 32 PTS. Haven't even had a sniff of one. Brought in Marinelli. However, they did resign EJ when it looked like he would fly. Also, he may count as a DP next year.

    8. Columbus: 27 PTS. Brought in Schelotto. He has been brilliant. Traded for Herron, he's rarely even seen the pitch. We play defensive. Lack goalscoring.

    9. Chicago: 26 PTS. Blanco and Wanchope. One point behind (with game in hand). Mapp missed a month and a half with the USMNT. Rolfe has been hurt forever. And Blanco and Wanchope just arrived. Still only a point behind us. In typical Chicago fashion, they are busting their butts to make the playoffs and get in. They needed goalscoring, they got help (Wanchope).

    10. Colorado: 24 PTS. Don't know what the Rapids have been doing. Made a controversial trade of Beckerman to get Ballouchy.

    The rest:
    11. Toronto: expansion plus injuries and so many moves I can't keep up. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to use a DP until you see what kind of team you have.

    12. Galaxy = Beckham. Landon counts next year. A move must be in the works.
    13. RSL. Too distant to matter. Hands were tied on the DP front unitl Adu left.

    Sorry, for the length. But most teams have made major moves in a playoff push, unless they have been sitting pretty (NE and Houston) or at least tried (DC).

    This team needs help. I wonder if Columbus is close enough to Cleveland for Drew Carey?
     
  4. Bill Archer

    Bill Archer BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 19, 2002
    Washington, NC
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As you note, New England is an exception, but there's a reason, and a damn good on:

    They are terrific at talent identification and they make great draft choices.

    From 2002 through 2005 their first round draft picks were Twellman, Noonan, Dempsey and Parkhurst, and they fill in with excellent SI's like Avery John and Shalrie Joseph. Backed 'em up with a quality keeper (Reis) who they got for the immortal Alex Pineda Chacon, fill in around the edges with veterans like Ralston and Franchino and what the hell do they need a DP for?

    Of course, they were reportedly close to a couple big ones, but unlike SOME teams they can afford to be patient.

    During that same period, 02-25, our first round picks were Kyle Martino, Diego Walsh, Chad Marshall and nobody- we traded the pick.

    And go ahead and add in 2006 - Jason "Splinters" Garey and, again, nobody in 2007 and they're killing us. One starter out of our last six first round picks - and we've had, obviously, some very high ones, is a pretty pathetic record and the one guy who we DID get lucky on was Marshall who is currently a big question mark.

    Now it's not all Sigi's doing, and in any case we can't undo the last 6 years, but there are only two ways to get talent into your side: pick it in the draft or bring it in from outside. And since we haven't had any succes at all in the draft, that only leaves on alternative.

    (I'd go into the whole deal about how one thing we were told about Sigi was what a great drafter and talent guy he was. Well I look around the roster and can't find a single solitary guy he's drafted out there on the field.
     
  5. wjones3044

    wjones3044 Member

    Aug 26, 2003
    Borinquen
    I couldn't agree more that Columbus needs to bring in more talent; however, the above statement could not be more incorrect.

    NONE of the top four teams, as of this writing, have been winning with designated players.

    Unless Eddie Johnson counts as a DP (not sure about this), New York is the ONLY team whose DP acquisition has catapulted them into contention as playoff contenders.

    As a DC fan who recently moved to Columbus, I enjoy coming out to the Crew games and I'm glad that the team has shown considerable positive signs. The Crew IS a good team, contrary to the gloom and doom that will inevitably permeate these boards after a series of poor results.

    They need one or two more quality players to put them over the top.

    I seriously hope they spend the money; I really don't want to see Chicago make the playoffs...
     
  6. Matt D

    Matt D Member

    Mar 17, 2006
    new orleans
    This forum is bipolar.

    One thing I do hold against them, though, is the fact that they never went and got another center back during the offseason or even during the season up to this point. I'm no genius, but I saw that as a weakness during the offseason, I don't know what made them so confident in what they had. The prospect of Ezra and Rusty Pierce starting the the middle is frightening, really.

    However, I still think we are a playoff team, and they will get things right soon enough. What, did you expect them to keep winning every game?
     
  7. foozer

    foozer Member

    Dec 19, 2005
    Indy
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Koolaid really works wonders on us, you know. :cool:

    After making it through June and July with one loss, I would have thought we could manage better than two points in four games during August. Nevermind the Latino All Stars we played showed more desire in a scrimmage game than we did against DC.
     
  8. eboe

    eboe Member+

    Columbus Crew
    United States
    May 23, 2006
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think the extra center back was supposed to be EZ, who has the height. The problem is that for basically 3 games in a row, Gonzalez is non-existent, and Marshall is sliding down the slope with a retired hockey-player number of concussions... so we get EZ and Pierce. I hope to god they put Danny O back there and leave Rusty on the bench. Do we even know who Tim Ward is these days? Or Jed Zayner? How bout Ward on the left with Danny O EZ and Frankie, and move Migs up to mid with Duncan. Put Robbie on left wing with Guille on right and put Herron up top (or on the left I guess) with Edward Gavenski in the a-mid slot. Have Kei, Moreno, Szetela, Grabavoy, Zayner, Hebrew Hammer, and whoever else we can get from the Latino Rec league on the bench...

    Or, splash some cash this week and man up and go get Palermo to dump some into the opposing goal for us. DP problem solved. We make the playoffs. Special game C ticket means something and everyone is happy!
     
  9. Bill Archer

    Bill Archer BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 19, 2002
    Washington, NC
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Certainly not. In fact, I specifically said that we'd probably lose 3 more games.

    The problem is that, frankly, we've looked terrible while losing. Last week they simply mailed it in. This week if it weren't for Duncan Oughton we would have lost by six.

    We can't score goals, and now our defense - which was the team's strength in the first half - is looking thin and very beatable.

    It's not the "L" on the record, it's the way it got there.

    Just my opinion.
     
  10. POdinCowtown

    POdinCowtown Member+

    Jan 15, 2002
    Columbus
    I think the Center back depth chart was supposed to be Gonzalez, Marshall, Hendrickson, and Miglioranzi. Migs got moved to left back then Marshall got hurt, and now Marcos is suspended. Yikes. I'd move Miglioranzi back to center back and give Zayner a long look in practice to see if he can beat out Rusty on the left side.

    The playoffs are looking a bit of an uphill march but suppose the DC games were flip flopped where we looked bad early on then gutted out a 1-0 win last week? We'd have exactly the same number of points but would be feeling better.
     
  11. Raoul

    Raoul New Member

    Sep 19, 1999
    Downtown Dublin
    To paraphrase and summarize:

    We're one to two players away from being a really competitive team

    The Crew FO has made no real direct moves, since GBS, while many teams in the league have added impact players to improve their teams and some were costly for ownership.

    We need to add a real forward vs. younger players with "potential" which may never be realized (Gaven, Sztella, Ward).

    We have no "Power Forward" to play to from the wings and very few AMs who can shoot with velocity, on frame, from the top of the box. We play crosses into shorter weaker forwards and rarely attack from the front of the goal. Defenses now simply push us wide and we never really challenge the keeper from 20-25yds out from the front.

    We seem to be back to blaming the referees for our outcomes vs. controlling the game ourselves.

    There is significant doubt that HSG plans to spend any money on additional players and this comes as absolutely no surprise to LT Crew fans. This was Lamar's team and i really don't thinks HSG ex. Lamar really cares what happens here as long as we don't lose money...
     
  12. THOMA GOL

    THOMA GOL BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 16, 1999
    Frontier
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sad but true, the moves we all hope for are going to have to happen in the offseason, especially when it comes to the dire need for team speed in the offense.
     
  13. Bora Fan

    Bora Fan Member

    Dec 14, 1998
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bill - I'm gald you finally came around to my position which at the time (March) you and other Crew fans chose to ridicule.

    YOU RECENTLY WROTE:
    From the March Discussion:https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=495667&highlight=Clark+Hunt&page=3

    Bora Fan
    So it's time somebody calls out the Clark Hunt on what his vision is for HSG and the future of soccer in the US.

    Bill Archer
    How about the "vision" of continuing to fund professional soccer in the US out of his own pocket?

    Bora Fan
    I'm not hearing anything that says there will be any change in course - and for a guy who played college soccer and went to 9 World Cups - I don't get it.

    If he's that passionate about the sport or knowledgeable - why is he missing the boat right now?

    Is he not that big of a soccer guy?


    Bill Archer
    I think the only "boat" anyone is missing the the tramp steamer you rode in on.

    Your arguments are shallow, your examples are mistaken, your syllogisms are weak and your conclusions are hopelessly flawed.

    Other than that, great post.
     
  14. Kryptonite

    Kryptonite Fancy Title Here

    Apr 10, 1999
    Columbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yet how many times has Bill Archer wrote something to the tune of "The Crew continue to stink while Clark Hunt relaxes in his tropical island beachfront property."

    Bill Archer is, and always has been, one of the most critical Crew fans this forum has ever known.

    You lose, Bora Fan.
     
  15. Bora Fan

    Bora Fan Member

    Dec 14, 1998
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, you as a Crew fan lose, but if it makes you feel better. . .
     
  16. electrickeeper

    electrickeeper The Ginger Pele
    Staff Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Oct 14, 2002
    The Cheese Room
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He drafted Grabavoy and Moreno whilst in LA, but I see your point.
     
  17. Bill Archer

    Bill Archer BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 19, 2002
    Washington, NC
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And some other guys too, absolutely.

    It just seems that as Crew HC, which has covered two drafts, we haven't ended up with a single starter.

    Zayner has been injured, and that was a possibility, but other than that who?
     
  18. Bill Archer

    Bill Archer BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 19, 2002
    Washington, NC
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You are one of the better-known jackasses on BigSoccer, so I won't waste much effort on you, but on the off chance that you might still have a few synapses firing, I'll just toss this out:

    Your first quote was about the future of professional soccer in America. I replied that he's got nothing to prove in that regard. As indeed he does not. I don't think there's any question that his children will inherit the Dallas Burn.

    My concern is the future of the Columbus Crew, a distinctly different topic. Are you able to follow this? Perhaps if you sound out the big words.

    And then I wrote this:

    Your arguments are shallow, your examples are mistaken, your syllogisms are weak and your conclusions are hopelessly flawed.

    A position in which I grow more confident with each passing day.
     
  19. Missionary

    Missionary Member

    Jul 13, 2003
    Mission Viejo
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    why is Sigi so reluctant to play Tim Ward? Sure he laid down a stinker at World Cup but he has to be damned good or he wouldn't have made it that far. I liked the way Tim played when I saw him. Has a decent foot, not afraid to make hard charges.
     
  20. kaiser kraut

    kaiser kraut New Member

    Jun 26, 2001
    Indianapolis
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm thinking of paying for the BS membership dilly so that I can get that ignore list function...
     
  21. Grouchy

    Grouchy Member+

    Evil
    Apr 18, 1999
    Canal Winchester
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And miss out on your USDA recommended serving of stupid? I hope you have a membership to a Paris Hilton fan club or subscription to Tiger Beat to backfill...
     
  22. Bora Fan

    Bora Fan Member

    Dec 14, 1998
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What's stopping you?

    1. It will also allow you to add the cool Crew logo to your posts, and

    2. At the bargain price of only $34.99 - it's an added investment even Clark Hunt might consider making in the Crew.

    Enjoy the post season.
     
  23. TimD

    TimD Member

    Aug 9, 1999
    Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
    How long have we been saying that we are just one or two guys away from being a contender? It has been a long time and my guess is that we will be saying it for even longer yet.

    The Hunt's have never been a sports organization to throw money around and that is not going to change anytime soon. The team we have now is the team we will have at the end of the season be it the last regular season game or at the end of the first round of playoffs.

    We got Guille because we could get him on the cheap. We are only going to use our DP if/when we can get someone who is either a big time forward who is willing to come here or is someone who is recognizable enough to help with the public profile of the franchise.

    McB fit that bill but my guess is that even if Fulham hadn't stepped up and offered him the 2MM we would have been outbid by the F*re.

    My guess is that the plan is still to try and eek our way into the playoff and hope that something good happens once we are there. Meanwhile we look to continue to develop our young talent with an eye toward building a solid team a year or two down the road.

    At the moment that plan would look like it has some serious faults to it.
     
  24. Goalden

    Goalden New Member

    Aug 4, 2003
    Bottoms
     
  25. NUFC Fan

    NUFC Fan Member+

    Apr 8, 2007
    Cbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    FO needs to contact Sky Sports and let them know Columbus is spelled with a u, not an o. They started showing the MLS league tables (thanks Becks) and list us as "Colombus". They also show the western conference first, which is very Euro centric of them.
     

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