Here we go again. Another weekend, and no one wants to throw in the towel. Of the three playoff spots up for grabs, all nine remaining teams are theoretically alive and well - although some in a better place than others. Whether it was a stunning shot from the likes of Brandon McDonald, or some [...] Click to continue reading...

We're into the last few weeks of the season for MLS. And since MLS is The League That Does Not Recognize International Breaks, this makes it one of the few leagues still playing this weekend. This makes it a good time to look at what's happening. First, I'd like to point everybody toward our [...] Click to continue reading...

Say it with me: OH-HIGH-OH! Click to continue reading...

Great video of the Ohio Playas. Keep it going boys & girls...this could be your year.

Shouts to D for the heads up on the clip. Click to continue reading...

When you're top of the league and havin' a laugh it's to be expected you have a great big season in review video. The following is such an example:
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And people say the MLS isn't as professional as the Premier League. Pah! When you're club captain is suspended you expect him to be sitting in the crowd urging his team-mates on and maybe even popping into the dressing room with some half-time words of advice, no? Apparently not at MLS outfit Columbus Crew. Click to continue reading...

Who do you pick now to make the playoffs? With a handful of games remaining there are now three teams who have assured themselves of a playoff berth - New England, Houston, and Columbus, one team that hasn't been there in awhile, two that have been there time and time again. Who's next? That's a [... Click to continue reading...

It's an exciting time of year. As the crisp autumn weather cools most places around the country, the playoff race is heating up. Teams are fighting for their postseason lives, anxious to be one of the eight to have a shot at the MLS Cup. It has been well documented here that Columbus is the [...] Click to continue reading...

GAME OF THE WEEK: Serbian Superliga - Red Star Belgrade vs Partizan Belgrade When: Sunday, October 5, 17:00 CET Where: Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade Why: One of the most heated, violent and dynamic derbies in world football, this one's extra special because of all the recent happenings in Belgrade. Click to continue reading...

The USA announced their roster for the Cuba match, to be played at RFK Stadium on 10/11/08.  With advancement to the next round close to a sure thing, Bradley has taken a few more risks (well...I'd be happy to debate anyone on how "risky" they actually are) and called in some younger players.  I, for [. Click to continue reading...

How cute. LA think they have a shot against the now-mighty Columbus Saturday at Crew Stadium. There a bunch of scrappy 'lil guys aren't they? Bless their little deluded hearts. Click to continue reading...

Damn y'all. That one article in Sports Business Journal really got a lot of people chattering and pulling the conspiracies out of their asses, didn't it? Every message board, blog, op-ed piece, Facebook group and bathroom wall is awash with half-cooked hypothesis and declarations that the Ohio soccer sky is falling and will land squarely on the head of our girl CC a. Click to continue reading...

These excerpts come to us courtesy of The Black and Gold Standard, the official Columbus Crew blog:

"Hunt Sports Group has been approached by a group led by Jonathon Bloch and Mark Noorzai regarding a potential minority investment in the Columbus Crew Soccer Club. Although no agreement has been reached at this time, discussions are ongoing.

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It was a bit of a harrowing day for Columbus Crew fans on Tuesday amid reports that an ownership group that has been trying to land an expansion team in Las Vegas was buying a piece of the Crew. The speculation started to bubble and fear began creeping in about the idea of the Crew eventually leaving Columbus and moving to Las Vegas.

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There's plenty to talk about after another busy weekend of MLS action. A few teams look dead and buried (DC, LA, and Toronto), while others storm to life at the right time - RSL and Colorado - to give themselves the inner track in the race to the playoffs. But if this season of the [...] Click to continue reading...

The United Soccer League named it's All-League Teams on Tuesday. I know I don't report nearly as much about the USL as I should, especially given the league's recent success in the U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League, but here is a chance to get a look at the best the USL has to offer.

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Probably one of the top five differences between being in jail and not being in jail is that when you are in jail no one ever calls you on your cell phone with a complicated speech about mythological Japanese tsunami heroes and picking you up at the airport. And yet, when you are not in [...] Click to continue reading...

Ah, September. We hardly knew ye.

It was a month filled with pressure (two must win-matches), promise (CONCACAF Champions League), and putrid performances. It opened with a stunning 4-0 Revolution loss to Joe Public FC, which was duly followed by another 4-0 loss to the Columbus Crew. Within five days, the Revs gave up a total of eight goals. Click to continue reading...

I woke up Friday morning with two thoughts already in my mind. First, Vandal-prone was supposed to cover the Crew-Revolution game that night. Second, Tropical Storm Kyle was expected to reach hurricane strength that afternoon and was bearing down on the New England coast. All morning I was haunted by the image of my MLS [. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

With the MLS schedule for September now over, it is time for members of the media to submit their votes for MLS player of the month.

The only problem is that this month, perhaps more than any other month this season, picking the best player for the month is very difficult because there isn't an obvious choice.

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How crazygonuts-desperate are rich people to invest some cash in MLS? Some of them, Vegas people with Vegas money for God's sake, want to buy part of the Columbus Crew. Yet surprisingly I can't think of a punchline for this, most likely because I am hushed by their completely dominate play as of late. Click to continue reading...

[What are the chances that the West would do it two weeks in a row? Were they pacing themselves? Whatever the case, the West went 3-1-1 against the East this week, resulting in the conferences drawing level with four sides each residing in the playoff spots. But it's still those Hard Hats that are looking unbeatable at the moment, even without their talisman . Click to continue reading...

The group of investors previously committed to bringing an MLS expansion club to Las Vegas is now in discussions to buy a portion of the Columbus Crew franchise from Hunt Sports Group, according to a SportsBusiness Journal article. Hunt Sports Group President John Wagner has confirmed that there have been discussions with the group over a potential minority investment, but stressed that no agreements have been reached and talks are ongoing. Click to continue reading...

Week 27 of Major League Soccer's regular season is now in the books, but the playoff picture is not much clearer now than it was before the weekend began. For the first time in weeks, four teams from the Western Conference would make the postseason if it started today.
* Columbus has now moved eight points clear in the race for the Supporters Shield and could clinch the trophy given to the team with the regular season's best record as soon as this weekend if a host of other results fall their way. Click to continue reading...

The New England Revolution's hopes of claiming the supporter's shield took a huge blow on Saturday when the Revs fell, 1-0, to the Columbus Crew at Gillette Stadium to drop eight points out of first with only four games remaining.

Chad Marshall headed in a corner kick in the 35th minute to give the Crew a lead, and despite having a man advantage for the last 25 minutes when Frankie Hejduk was ejected, the Revs were unable to come back. Click to continue reading...

Here are the results that mattered Saturday for Chivas USA:
Chivas USA 2 Kansas City Wizards 1
Houston Dynamo 1 Toronto FC 1
Colorado Rapids 5 Red Bull New York 4
Real Salt Lake 3 San Jose Earthquakes 2
Dallas plays D.C. United at noon Sunday
(Just for the sake of completeness, Sigi Schmid's Columbus Crew beat the New England Revolution, 1-0, and lead the league.

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Who: Columbus Crew at New England Revolution
What: MLS Regular Season
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (TV38, Cox 3 [R.I.])

The New England Revolution, now well-rested and on a more MLS-like one game a week schedule, return home to Foxboro on Saturday to face off against the league-leading Columbus Crew. Click to continue reading...

The amazing thing about the Galaxy's awful record in the past two months (winless in 13 of 14) is the fact they aren't dead in the water. Even in the woeful West, their 29 points still gives them an outside chance at the MLS playoffs. When you're a league that accepts 8 of 14 teams, [...] Click to continue reading...

This rain.

Ordinarily, I don't mind rain. I don't mind it Monday-Friday, when I'm trapped in front of my computer at work. I don't mind it at night, when I'm undertaking reasonable efforts to capture eight hours of sleep.* I don't mind it in the late-afternoon on a hot, sticky August day, when it arrives minutes after a severe thunderstorm warning. Click to continue reading...

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MLS/Craig Merz - Padula a quiet leader for Crew
Columbus has 8-0-1 record with Argentinean defender in lineup
Gino Padula has missed nearly two-thirds of the season with an injury, but has still had an impact for the Crew.

COLUMBUS -- Good luck charm or just plain good? Click to continue reading...

With all due respect to MLS' best team the Columbus Crew who can essentially clinch the supporters shield on Saturday in Foxborough, and the two time defending champions Houston Dynamo, the biggest night in the MLS season at least from a public relations and TV perspective could be tonight. That's because the two highest profile [. Click to continue reading...

Forbes.com recently released a report that looked at the economic side of MLS and also put a value on each of the Major League Soccer franchises. At a macro level, things are looking up for MLS. Seven of the league's 14 teams play in soccer-specific stadiums, five of which have been built since 2002. Click to continue reading...

Here is a response from Allen Skaggs, A Crew supporter to my post the other day: Your accusations against the Crew supporters is so far from the truth that I dare you to find out for real what's going on in the Nordecke. I would love to speak with you about the Toronto FC situation.  I [...] Click to continue reading...

With just about 5 weeks remaining in the regular season schedule the race to the playoffs is heating up. Here is a quick look at the current situation of each team

Columbus Crew 14-6-5 47pts

The Crew missed the playoffs last year and are on the top this year.

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Photos by ISIphotos.com

There is still a month to go in the MLS regular season but with two clear front-runners for the MVP award we can start to talking about who might win the award.

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