Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Event Bigger. Brian McBride

Every once in a while you have a game overshadowed by something bigger. This weekend, while I'm stuck at something called Pops in the Park for work, a one; Brian McBride will be honored at Crew Stadium. He will be the first person inducted into the Columbus Crew Circle of Honor.

McBride was the first pick in the first ever Major League Soccer draft in 1996. I hope future generations remember that. Love it or hate it; There couldn't be a more fitting player to represent United States Soccer.

When I heard that the Crew were going to be honoring McBride this year I searched around trying to quantify what it might mean, the significance of it. Its place in MLS and Crew history.

I hear and read about 19th century football history in England quite a bit and I can't help but think of the similarities to where the MLS is now. I think of my Grandmother first. She was born in Kettering, England the 1920's when English soccer was only a few decades old. We here in the United States are crossing that threshold now, only it is a century later. I'll be curious as to what kids born in the 21st century have to say about the league when they are my nana's age. Just as I wonder what my grandmother and her peers thought of English soccer in the 1930's.

I'll be following the game on my phone Saturday (arg). I know who the crew is playing, I know the players, I know the stats, the minutes, the matchups. The holes, the gaps and the likely outcome... and will even make up a game program.

But as it stands in history --- this game matters little.

It will be Brian McBride's night. His name and accomplishments will be etched into Columbus Crew history for generations to come.

My video marking the event. You'll need to carve out 7 minutes of your life to watch it, which is a bit long but why not. Turn it up and enjoy, if nothing else, the music (and not my editing hack job). Watch it on youtube here.

-----------------------



-----------------------

About the video:
It's pulled from 4-5 (or 10-20) other vids out there. Lots of good McBride highlights on the internets. Not much on the Crew in 1996 though. I stuck with Hans Zimmer instead of going with music popular in 1996. For McBride it was Zimmer or friggin' Basil Poledouris "Riders of Doom" (Conan). Both composers fitting McBride, uh, fitfully.

Note to the HSH, Union, Yellow Nation Army and other Crew Supporters groups in the Nordecke: McBride punched his time card every morning for 8 years here in Columbus. Years before y'all got organized. I love the Nordecke. I was upset when he came back from England and played for Chicago too. But the way you all acted last year when he came back into town is unforgivable. It's one of the reasons the Crew doesn't have any nationally televised games this year (Crew only team snubbed). We can't change last year but we can make sure he gets respect this weekend. Show it to him.

If you don't then I'll come smack that pacifier out of your mouth.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

man, did the nordecke really give him crap when he rolled into town with chicago? horrible. terrible. the ble brothers must have created that banner. a-holes they are.

i remember in 98 when i broke into my friends parents house (they were supposed to leave a key) in minnesota to watch the world cup. i saw that only US goal scored by mcbride, i remember his work rate. then of course following him once he went to fulham. don't know if there's another american on the team now that has what he has. that spirit of leaving everything on the field.

Larry W Johnson II said...

no excuses for the supporters in the north deck on that night. i remember it as other fans do. it was a terrible moment.

i've meet a few people that were around the crew in those early years 1996-2000ish. even from their personal stories, the guy is incredible. if i'm brave enough, hoping to get some stories recorded soon.