It seems everyone wants to leave Ohio these days. Whether it’s LeBron James leaving for Los Angeles or Urban Meyer facing trouble at Ohio State, sports in the Buckeye State are having a rough go of it recently. So Wednesday’s vote down in Austin, Texas, just piles on the bad news for fans of the Columbus Crew.
As first reported by Bill Reese of The Water Tower, logos posted to the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office on Wednesday morning appear to reveal the name and badge for the Miami MLS team that’s spearheaded by David Beckham and set to begin play during the 2020 season.
Is there a Mark Wahlberg Columbus Crew takeover deal in the works? According to the actor, it’s a possibility.
In a saga that’s been going on for nearly a year, Crew owner Anthony Precourt is trying to move one of Major League Soccer’s original franchises to Austin, Texas. He claims the club is unsustainable in Columbus, with no potential investors having come forward.
During a goal-packed, explosive MLS game between D.C. United and Orlando City on Sunday night, Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta combined to destroy Orlando at the death. United won 3-2 with Acosta’s hat-trick (two supplied by Rooney) surpassing the efforts of an own goal and Dom Dwyer.
In the 96th minute, a failed D.C. corner left their own net without a keeper (United's David Ousted had come forward despite the 2-2 scoreline — D.C. had to win this one) as Orlando’s Will Johnson sought to capitalize on the counter — until Rooney started rampaging.
It was only 109 days ago that Toronto FC was being hailed as the greatest side in MLS history after pushing Chivas to a penalty shootout in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League. Now, TFC’s in very real danger of missing the MLS Cup Playoffs and a chance at defending its 2017 title.
On Sunday, Toronto was defeated 3-2 by Eastern Conference rivals New York City FC in front of nearly 28,000 at BMO Field. It was a massive match for the Reds and a crucial opportunity to cut into the seven-point gap that separates them from Montreal for the East’s sixth and final playoff spot.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not play in the MLS All-Star Game last week. As a consequence, Major League Soccer suspended its biggest star for the LA Galaxy’s 2-1 loss to the lowly Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Of course, Zlatan could not stay quiet about this suspension. Speaking with reporters on Thursday, the hulking Swede said “no comment” while also making quite a comment.
The Colorado Rapids experienced a season-high crowd of 17,837 for yesterday’s visit of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s LA Galaxy, but the big Swede wasn’t there. Ibra was serving a one-game suspension after electing to skip the MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta, and we now know what the 36-year-old has been doing with his time off.
Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the seventh goal of his MLS career last night (his fourth of the 2018 season), and it was undoubtedly the best strike of his Chicago Fire tenure. Chicago was trailing 1-0 in the 48th minute after Damir Kreilach had given Real Salt Lake the advantage, but Schweinsteiger quieted the 19,817 inside Rio Tinto Stadium with this sensational long-range bomb.
All-star games should be about having fun, lackadaisical defense and offensive firepower. At least the MLS All-Star Game got one of those right on a record-breaking Wednesday night in Atlanta.
ESPN gave starting MLS All-Star goalkeeper Brad Guzan a mic and earpiece, allowing him to speak with the TV commentators in the middle of the match against Juventus.
It was stupid, gimmicky, dumb — and we absolutely loved it.
We weren’t the only ones who loved it.