Chris Armas Retires

Chris Armas called time on his 12-year career earlier this week, and one of the folks on the NAS mailing list posted this link to the Chicago Tribune story:

Tough to Walk Away
Ultimate competitor Armas gives in – retirement official

No player was as respected as Armas in the locker room. His poise helped calm teammates in high-pressure situations. His down-to-earth persona helped newcomers make their transitions.

Armas made it a point to remember his new teammates’ names right away and often went out of his way to welcome them, even if he knew they wouldn’t make the roster.

Reading this description of Armas, I couldn’t help but be reminded how much the Crew miss a player like this. Oughton is probably the closest thing we have, but for various reasons he hasn’t come to be the new “face” of the Crew the way Armas has been in many ways. I’m not sure we have a face, these days – which might be one of the things we’ve been missing?

I’ve done some more work on the “worst team” analysis also – another draft of that should be coming soon.

Are the Crew the worst team in MLS history?

There are times when my curiosity gets the better of me. Today was one of those times. I was thinking about the Crew’s recent history of missing the playoffs, and wanted to try to understand how that streak fits into the league’s short history. There are times where it feels like we’re becoming one of the worst teams in the history of the league; is that anywhere close to the truth?

Over the 12-year history of the league, there have been a total of 39 team-seasons which ended outside of playoff position. Chicago, with 10 seasons under their belt, have failed to make the playoffs once – a 10% failure rate. Los Angeles, with 12 seasons, have failed twice (roughly 17%).

Columbus has failed to make the playoffs 5 times in 12 years – or about 42% of the time.

No other team has suffered that many failures, either as a raw total or a percentage. Excepting RSL and Toronto’s 100% failure rate (not hard for clubs that are 3 and 1 years old), the only real competitor was San Jose, which failed to make the playoffs 4 times in 10 years (40%). Still, their early ineptitude was easily forgotten once Frank Yallop started bringing home championships.

Looking at these numbers in a slightly different way, the Crew have failed to make the playoffs for three straight seasons (and 4 of the last 5, if you look a bit further back). The only teams to match that streak are Real Salt Lake (2005-present), DC United (2000-2002), and San Jose (1997-2000). San Jose’s 4-year streak is still the longest in league history, although both RSL and Columbus could equal that next year.

There are a lot of other ways that one could try to establish “the worst team in MLS”. I’m not about to make a claim that absolute without digging much deeper than this analysis goes. But it is somewhat worrying that the club have, in some ways at least, reached unrivaled levels of failure.

Hopefully the team will turn the corner, and next year will see the Crew rise from the ashes to claim glory heretofore unknown. But if recent history is any guide, I wouldn’t bet on it.

Obligatory Sports Thoughts

* I’d said on a few occasions this year that I didn’t think the Buckeyes were really the best team in the country. That doesn’t mean that I’m happy that they lost. Illinois, to my thoughts at least, is one of these teams that is always tricky – even when they’re bad, they’re usually tough. Maybe I’m just remembering the Cooper years with some myopia, but that game was always trickier than it should have been. This year obviously proved no different.

Now, we’re one of a ton of teams of one loss, all vying for too few bowl berths. Luckily, if we beat Michigan next weekend (never an easy task) then we’ll at least be playing on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. I don’t give us a shot in hell of getting back to the national championship game now – our schedule isn’t nearly strong enough to warrant being considered over teams like LSU or Oregon.

* The fact that Hawaii is being dismissed outright for consideration for the BCS is ridiculous. Yes, they’re from outside the BCS cabal – but shouldn’t Boise State have taught us anything? If a team is good enough to win every game they play, they deserve to be in the mix – not ignored. Otherwise, let’s shrink the Bowl Subdivision to just include The Annointed Conferences, and call a spade a spade. At least Kansas seems to be getting some respect.

* I’m told that Houston won the Western Conference Final – not surprising, considering their pedigree and the Wizards. So we have a rematch of last year’s MLS Cup on our hands. I’ll be pulling for Houston.

* Congrats to the fans in Seattle for apparently being the latest to join MLS – here’s hoping that they take the Sounders name and identity, if not their current players.

* For as much as I love the fact that San Jose is getting their team back, and that Kansas City is staying put, I cringe every time I think about the fact that we’ll be playing games in minor league baseball stadia. I’ve seen Rochester games on TV, and watched the old Miami Fusion play Fulham in person at a baseball stadium south of Miami – this is no way to watch a soccer game. Here’s hoping that Kansas City’s permanent stadium gets approved quickly and easily, so we can keep up the momentum generated by Toronto this year.

* Unfortunately, I didn’t get out to any of the high school games this weekend at Crew Stadium. My son turned 2 today, so our attention has been focused on him. He has been asking to watch soccer, however, so maybe there’s hope that we can get out to the Tecos exhibition on Tuesday. If not, there’s always MLS Cup next weekend I guess.

* Fulham lost to Liverpool, 2-0. Not surprising, considering they thumped Besiktas in midweek. Lille drew – again. 3-8-3 on the year is hardly a recipe for Europe; I just hope its not a ticket to Ligue 2.

I’ll have more substantive thoughts in a separate post…

Jinx…

So no sooner do I post about how the Indians are one win from the World Series than they become decidedly mortal and lose three straight. I don’t feel too bad, though as the Red Sox then throttled Colorado – but it would have been nice to see the Tribe actually finish the job.

Some additional sports-related thoughts:

* I laugh at DC United. They’re a great franchise, and they have some amazing players – but they completely flamed out in the playoffs. Ha-ha.

* Damn it, that means Chicago’s in the conference finals. Playing either New York (I still refuse to use their name-us-after-a-corporate-sponsor name) or New England. None of which I get all that excited about. Not that I’d have an easier time if it was DC, but then at least it would be the Supporters Shield winner and there’d be a clear favorite. Who’s alive in the West, still?

* While I’m glad to see Ohio State is still undefeated, I also saw LSU rally to beat Alabama tonight – and Oregon seems to be doing the business against undefeated Arizona State. The wins in Happy Valley and against Wisconsin today have certainly avenged some demons for this program, but I’m still not ready to believe completely yet. I said something in the last post about Washington and Purdue not being bad? Washington’s record is what, now? The Big Ten seems to be the OSU and Michigan show (yawn), so in a way we won’t know how good the Buckeyes are until after the game up in Ann Arbor. Its also been mentioned that with this year’s championship game, LSU would have to be the favorite against anybody else if only because they’re basically playing at home.

* Hooray, Fulham finally won a match. And Clint Dempsey scored the winner. Come on, you Whites. That’s only what, their second win in 12 matches? Or their third in 13? Hopefully McBride comes back healthy, and sooner than the New Year.

* Lille are no better, with 3 wins in 13 matches on the season. Let’s hear it for mid-table mediocrity! Hopefully they’ll have highlights on that new show on CSN tomorrow evening.

* I was on Boise State’s bandwagon last year for being undefeated, and as much as it pains me I might have to start thinking about touting Kansas’ horn this time around. They are still undefeated, after all – but teams like Oregon and LSU are making an excellent case for the one-loss ranks.

* Sigh – how long until the Crew take the field again? Or at least the high school playoffs? Stow are out (as far as I can tell), but I would like to watch soccer live and in person at some point.

* I can’t think of anything to say about Notre Dame, or Michigan State, at this point. I was hoping each would emerge from today’s games, but I see I’m bound for disappointment. Sorry, Bill, Dad, and Jamie.

Sports as a prism

Its been said (not sure when or by whom) that you can understand more of life by looking at sports. In that spirit – or because I’m becoming more of a sports fanatic – here are a few sports-related thoughts:

* There’s no way in h*ll that Ohio State is the #1 team in the country. I’m a proud alumnus, don’t get me wrong, but its really, really hard to believe that there’s no team out there better than the Buckeyes. Is it possible to leave the #1 slot empty? All the juggernaut teams have been upset, leaving teams like ours to reap the benefits – not of their own success, but of others’ failures.

Maybe if we can get through the rest of the season undefeated, we can talk about deserving a #1 ranking. Now? Beating Youngstown State, Akron, and Kent State shouldn’t get you anything other than a cup of coffee. Throw in Minnesota and Northwestern? Ha. The only halfway decent challenges we’ve had have been Washington and Purdue – which aren’t slouches, don’t get me wrong, but they’re hardly USC or LSU. Or even BC or USF.

There’s probably a lesson forming here about the spoils going to those who persist, but let’s not go too far down that road until, say, late November. I can also hear the grandfather from Princess Bride saying “who says life is fair? where is that written?”

* For the third year running, the Crew will not be making the MLS playoffs. Is this the longest streak any team has had without making the postseason? I don’t have a media guide handy.

When did McCullers become the GM, again? What have we done since that date? And we’re really going to renew his contract? He seems like a nice guy, and some decent business deals have gotten done – but if on-field performance is part of his responsibility, its hard to give him a passing grade in these conditions.

* The silver lining in the Crew’s futility is the resurgence of Cleveland teams, I suppose. First we had the Cavs reach the Finals for the first time in their history, and now the Tribe are one win away from their first World Series in 10 years. Not that I follow either team in all that much detail, but its good to know that at least a few teams I have an attachment to are enjoying some well-earned success.

More tomorrow, hopefully, including pictures of my latest project for Sacha.

Ouch?

This was in the Crew’s latest weekly roundup:

Crew Defeats Liga Latinos Unidos All-Stars, 9-1, in Exhibition

Kei Kamara notched three goals and one assist Tuesday in the Crew’s 9-1 victory over the Liga Latinos Unidos All-Stars in an exhibition match at the Crew Training Center at Obetz. Andy Herron added two goals and two assists, Tim Ward contributed a goal and two assists, Robbie Rogers and Jason Garey a goal and an assist apiece and Duncan Oughton a goal. Goalkeeper Bill Gaudette went the distance in net for the Crew. The game was one of the highlights of a new strategic partnership between the Crew and Latinos Unidos, an area Hispanic adult soccer league.

With a result like that, I’m hoping that the “new strategic partnership” doesn’t become the “failed strategic partnership”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that the Crew’s reserve squad is strong enough to score that many times, but I’m also hoping that the brass at Latinos Unidos aren’t offended.

The partnership itself was just announced last week, and its one that I heartily applaud – the Crew should be making connections with the soccer-playing communities in this area, and playing games against the local community should be a great way to do that. The Crew’s youth initiatives, fielding teams under the Crew banner in the new US national youth league setup, should also help.

Salient quote from the earlier press release:

The two organizations are functioning together to create a means with which to identify young talent in the Hispanic, and other ethnic communities across the state, as well as provide special access to Crew technical staff for area adult soccer players. The partnership also aims to consider the long-term potential of providing field space and other services to Latinos Unidos via the Crew’s efforts to build a larger training complex.

There’s just something about a 9-1 scoreline that makes me afraid that the partnership has had a bad first date – too much trying to impress, stepping on toes, hurt feelings, and no second date.

Guillermo Day at Sports Illustrated

Many thanks to the Crew’s Dave Stephany for passing this along – Sports Illustrated recently put together a series of articles on our own Guillermo Barros Schelotto that are well worth checking out:

Hero in Exile

Go-To Guille

Some good stuff here, although I’m a little concerned that he’d be so willing to leave the Crew for a Boca USA expansion team. Columbus had better get a DP slot for him, if that’s the case…

Danny O’Rourke

I’ve been paying more attention to Columbus Alive lately, which for you out-of-towners is one of the local free alternative newspapers. They’ve been a good source of amusing content in the past, but it also seems that they’re starting to cover the Crew in some interesting ways. Check out this interview they did with Danny O’Rourke, who grew up here in Worthington:

O’Rourke won the Hermann at Indiana, and played in San Jose and New York before coming home to the Crew. Seems like a decent guy.

For more Crew coverage, check out their “Sensory” blog, particularly the sports coverage. Or even better, their “Columbus Crew” tag. Good stuff.