Monday, October 10, 2011

Crew History, The (in)Complete

John Wilmar Perez, 2001. The best single season in Crew history.

Don't bother searching him. You won't get much. Only real substance I found was a cached CNN SI pic. But it is a good one of him. Blacked out, baby. All Blacks.

Parez played in all but one game that year. Listed as a mid-fielder, 8 Goals, 15 Assists. Most of them to Crew legends Brian Maisonneuve (8 Goals, 5 assists) and Jeff Cunningham (10 Goals, 13 Assists). The 2001 Crew team won 13 of 26 games and had a points p/GM of 1.73, or second only to the incomparable 2008 team (1.90 ppg).

So who had the best seasons in Crew history? Glad I asked:

2001 : John Wilmar Perez
2001 : Brian Maisonneuve
2008 : Alejandro Moreno
2008 : Guillermo Barros Schelotto
2008 : Brian Carroll
2010 : Guillermo Barros Schelotto
2008 : Chad Marshall
2001 : Jeff Cunningham
1998 : Stern John
2008 : Robbie Rogers

No secret why the 2008 guys are on there. Couple outlying data points though, GBS in '10 and Stern John in '98. Don't want to stir the pot with GBS last year, but to show up on my list sandwiched betwixt two great crew years (01 and 08) means he had an outstanding year. The other: Stern John. Absolute goal scoring machine. More on him in a bit.

Want my complete list with stats? Go HERE. That's a big HERE. So go there.

Completely, originally, extrodinary Crew:

100% : Simon Elliot is the only player in Crew history to never miss a minute during a season (2005)

116 : Stern John's Shots on Goal total in 1998 (4.8 p/GM). Insanity. Number two? Stern John again in 1999. Warzycha took 92 in '97 for 3rd. Robert, frisky that year.

3 : Robert Warzycha goals off 92 shots in 1997. Effort.

TOP CREW GOAL SCORERS, INDIVIDUAL SEASON:

26 : Stern John (1998)
18 : Stern John (1999)
17 : Brian McBride (1996)
16 : Jeff Cunningham (2002)
15 : Dante Washington (2000)

The lost art of GOAL SCORING WARRIORS
(Played in over 85% of all minutes)
(Goals p/90 without PK)

0.53 : Dante Washington (2000)
0.34 : John Wilmar Perez (2001)
0.33 : Alejandro Moreno (2008)
0.33 : Brian Maisonneuve (2001)
0.23 : Robbie Rogers (2008)

I could go on forever with this stuff. I'm hoping at least one Crew Supporter finds this and takes a look at history beyond their own experience.

Last note is going to be on Stern John. Prepare yourself.

Stern John scored 44 goals in 55 games for the Crew in the short time he was here. Late '90s. Let that sink in...

Man, I wish he were still around. Wait... he just captained the Trinidad and Tobago team a couple days ago? He must be old though, right? Well, yes and no. He is 34. But, you know what? Only 1 year older then Andres Mendoza.So, since I have all these stats, it has got me thinking...

WHO IS THE BEST CREW PLAYER OF ALL TIME?

Brian Carroll.

I'll explain later. Schelotto, Moreno, Gaven, Hesmer, Perez, Maisonneuve, Cunningham, Clark, Hesmer, and yes... O'Rourke make my all time list. All time Crew team coming soon.

McBride is an exception.

Finally, finally. Would you believe Miranda is having a season to remember. 37th best season in Crew history? Balchan (164) and Julius James (63) doing great. Future looks really good. Really. Just trust me on this stuff, okay?

Good.

Oh, 178 different players have seen minutes wearing a crew uniform since 1996.

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Funny at the end, here. Only 2 of the teams in Crew history would not be in the playoff race at this point in 2011. I don't want to disparage our modern day MLS... but. What a joke.

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