With J Hutcherson -- Instead of playing 'watch Columbus wreck their squad,' yesterday's news that Guillermo Barros Schelotto will be with them in 2009 told us two things. They'll get a deal done and they'll spend to do it. Remember, most rumors had the Crew grinding Schelotto to take a deal that kept him at the League maximum with the substantial risk he ended up elsewhere.
Now it's the Sigi Schmid part of the off-season, where the Crew play through the same scenario with their coach. For Schmid, it's the lure of Seattle, introducing several comparisons. New vs old, established vs expansion, champions vs less expectation, and Pacific Northwest vs Midwest. There's also that respect vs willingness to pay issue that got the Crew an MLS Cup and an out of contract coach a few weeks later.
With Major League Soccer dynasty averse and Sigi Schmid's long-term reputation tied to the one he already created at UCLA, what exactly is there to prove in Columbus that he couldn't do with Seattle?
For a cost averse club like Columbus, they've ended up with two situations where it's tough to argue against paying the people involved. They've gotten it right with Schelotto, who even at his reported designated player salary (around $600k) is still a bargain. Schmid will be tougher.
They'll need both of them and help to have a chance at contending in 2010. They'll be facing the addition of the CONCACAF Champions League along with the unlikeliness that we get a replay of the basic bad luck that hit so many teams in 2009.
Regardless of who coaches, Seattle will be stronger than your average expansion team. Toronto is talking designated player, San Jose gets a full season with Darren Huckerby, and the playoffs are now open to four wildcards. That's just the push from the bottom clubs.
So far, MLS has only had the small market/major market distinction in theory. Lack of free agency will do that. At the same time, MLS has pushed the idea of major markets for television and stadiums. They're still looking for that true New York team, regardless of what it would do to the one they've already got across the river in North Jersey. They've followed the National Basketball Association model of small/major in the same building in Carson.
There's also Fort Lauderdale and San Jose. The Fusion exited the League as Supporters' Shield holders and the Earthquakes mark II left with a Shield and a couple MLS Cups.
Columbus, by any standard in any league small market, is now in a position to exploit the single-entity by putting together another winner. They'll also be showing the knock-on effect a championship has on attendance in their city. To prove the most valuable points, they're going to need everything in place.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
