The Team Cleveland Forgot About: A glance back at the Cleveland Crunch

BulaJacket · May 2, 2007

http://media.www.csucauldron.com/me...The-Team.Cleveland.Forgot.About-2830169.shtml

It was the best place for a birthday party. They had the best food and the entertainment was even better. It seemed like the team that represented Cleveland never lost a game. In fact, they played right here on campus as their home arena was the Convocation Center (now known as the Wolstein Center).

Does anyone remember this team? Hint: Ever try a wall pass to yourself?

So, what ever happened to the Cleveland Crunch indoor soccer team anyway?

Yes, I realize the organization was unable to find a new owner in 2005 after losing money four years after joining the new Major Indoor Soccer League in the year 2002. The team has been gone for over two years, but people act as if they never existed.

I am not talking about the Revco Cleveland Force; although it was basically the same team with a new name that changed in 2001.

I am talking about the BP Gas sponsored Cleveland Crunch that played from 1993-2001 that sold out the Convocation Center on a regular basis.

Back when the Crunch played, sporting their green and yellow long-sleeve jerseys with the BP emblem on the front, sporting Kelly green shorts, the people of Northeast Ohio showed their support for the indoor team nightly and they provided young soccer players at the time like myself the dream of becoming a professional soccer player.

Not only were the games a great spectator sport and just plain fun to be at, the Crunch were actually a damn good team too. The Cleveland Crunch won the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) during the 1993- 1994, 1995-1996, and the 1998- 1999 seasons. Along with those championships the team won the Central Division during the 1996- 1997 season and the 1999-2000 season.

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Many of us who attend or work at Cleveland State University remember the great professional teams that have come through Cleveland. The Browns during the 80s, the Indians in the 90s, and now the Cavaliers appear to be on their way to creating a dynasty.

However, at one point, this was all this city had believe it or not. The Browns were in Baltimore, the Indians were in their off-season, and the Cavaliers actually had a lower attendance rate than these indoor soccer games here on campus.

So why do people not even acknowledge the fact that the Cleveland Crunch ever even existed?

Perhaps we're all too caught up in what is the most popular sport at the present time. Well, at one point in the late 90s the Cleveland Crunch was Cleveland's best sports team. And that in itself is something we should be proud of and recognize, not erase from our diminutive memory.
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Big-Time Crew Fan · May 2, 2007

Since the writer was only 7 years old when the events described occurred, I am willing to cut him some slack. However, let's set the record straight:

* The Crunch never outdrew the Cavs in the 90s at the Convo. That was the Mark Price era when Cavs attendance was pretty high in the brand new Gund. The Force of the 80s outdrew the Cavs at Richfield a number of seasons before Bart pulled the plug due to the instability of the league. About 14,000, I believe.

* Cleveland area Revcos had already been bought out by CVS by 2001. Again, the reference must have been to the 80s, when the Force radio broadcasts ran the same "you need all the Revco you can get" jingles interminably. The Crunch was only sponsored by BP and wore the green and yellow kits for 2 or 3 years. Their normal colors were red and black.

* Bernie James "was without a doubt the fastest player on the team if not the entire NPSL"? I remember Mike Snyder calling him "Bulky Bernie" on the radio. I will concede that, based on pictures of Bernie when he finished his career with the (outdoor) Seattle Sounders, he had slimmed down quite a bit.

Still a nice trip down memory lane. It is a shame that the MISL is nothing like the 80s-era league when all the leftover stars stuck around in the US after the demise of the NASL. It is a shame that there is no Cleveland pro soccer franchise.

Let's hope for Scott and Paul's efforts to build an MLS stadium will be successful ASAP. A Cleveland MLS franchise would make up for the lack of indoor soccer quite well, I'd think.

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Crew14 · May 3, 2007

Never thought I'd see the Cauldron being linked on Big Soccer.

SimplyThis · Sep 19, 2020

I caught this story on Newsnet5. https://www.news5cleveland.com/spor...ional-indoor-soccer-is-returning-to-cleveland

SimplyThis · Feb 12, 2021

Crunch to start season in M2. https://www.crainscleveland.com/kev...-year-m2-will-team-metrohealth-2021-22-season