With your penchant for fine beers, and soccer, it sound like you would be less frustrated if you just started your own bar, and hired someone part time to run it...
Columbus traffic is pretty good compared to most cities...being from Detroit I can definitely say its a whole lot better than anything up there. The whole I-75 corridor past 96, 94, and Gratiot sucks a whole family of goat balls more than the 70/71 split. Edit: I didn't realize this thing was so big or so old at the beginning...I guess that's what i get for drinking in the afternoon. Anyways, welcome to Columbus and Crew Fandom. The coach sucks but we got a great park!
Re: Sold I would hazard a guess that Whetstone HS is probably one of the better public HS in the Columbus City School system. And they've got good soccer - I used to be an assistant coach there, and the current coach (who is a vice principal at Briggs) has continued his winning ways from when I was there with him. They are easily the best consistent city team, and - IMO - can compete with all but the very best of the suburban programs. Now, it's unlikely he'll still be coaching there when your kids get to HS soccer age, and there is no telling if the school will continue to be one of the better ones, but that's how things stand there now.
Re: Sold The most direct place for general info is HERE Central Ohio is fortunate in that there is as yet no conflict between USYSA and US Club Soccer, as there is on Ohio North and has resulted in way too many clubs with way too many coaches chasing the same dollars and destroying everybody's enthusiasm in the process. MOSSL is a well-run, very accomodating outfit. Your kid is as yet a little young for the higher-level programs available, and I heartily applaud this. I think there's plenty of time for the regimentation and pressure of competitive soccer. Let 'em be kids for awhile. Competitive soccer begins at U 8 in what used to be called Pickerington Select league. For a long time MOSSL didn't want to have anything to do with competitive soccer before U 10, and they tried to ignore it. So the Pickerington SOccer Association started a league for U8 and U9 teams. It went OK but the power struggles and politics were an outrage to decency and finally, after much pleading, MOSSL agreed to run it. You have some good choices as to clubs. Ambassadors out of Westerville are nationally known, very successful and arrogant as hell. Their head trainer, Steve Serr, wants me dead, but that's another tale. Dublin FC is a little far for you to go, but a massive outfit with lots of different opportunities.. COSA is very good. Ohio Premier is good but may not have anything for a U7 (although depending on when his BDay is, he may be an 8 anyway) As for camps, GBBS is all over the place in the Summer and runs a good program. Lech Shrekili has a good one too. It's largely a matter of taste. Stop by Ryan's Soccer in Dublin or Soccer First in Westerville and peruse the piles of brochures. Good luck.
So, Minnman, you're going to be living within a couple of blocks of Clinton Elementary and you're going to be working at THE Enormous State University main campus and you like bicycling? Just a little note to let you know there's the Olentangy bike trail, which you can pick up a couple of blocks west of your new home, which will take you right into OSU. Of course, why any self-respecting male would want to bicycle through a university campus in good weather during sunbathing season is a complete mystery to me!
Looks as if the Crew will be getting a few more fans. We've finally decided to move to Columbus, hopefully by the early summer. Soon enough to get a half season of crew games. Trouble is neither myself of wife have a job there yet. Does anyone here know a good head hunter/recuiter, or have good contacts at some of the larger employers in the area (Limited, Hunnington...)? We're both accounting/finance people, and on career builder and monster it looks like there are a decent amount of postings, but having a local contact would be sure to help (we're gonig to be moving from Houston). Minnman, you ever find that pub you were looking for?
Where are you moving from? Finance person huh? How do you like the 1.5m in agents fees that Leeds spent this past year? Welcome to Columbus!
Moving from Houston, land where we are always the next city to get a team, except we have not owners. Watch out for Leeds, think we're in the top half of the Championship, and like 6 points back of a playoff spot! Realistically, next year should be when Leeds can challenge for promotion.
You'll also be docked points if you can't get your finances sorted out. Better hope Ken Bates bails you out.
Never found THE pub to replace my old local in Durham, but I have visited quite few establishments in the process. The search continues. Fado is the place to watch soccer, that much is certain. I'll help out with your job search just as soon as I find a job.
This is a bump. We have yet another person thinking about moving to Columbus who wants to hear about it from locals on these boards. Obviously this thread is a bit dated, but the story has changed fairly little. Shopping in the 'burbs has been enhanced, to the detriment of shopping downtown. More well-off people have moved just across the county line into McMansions in the adjacent counties, to the consternation of the Franklin County Republican Party.