Fun
With Louisville's appearance in the National Championship game, Drew Beckie jumped from third to first to win the 2013 Crew Bracket Challenge. It's the second year in a row that a rookie has won the challenge as the Canadian joins Ethan Finlay, who took the crown last year.
FINAL STANDINGS
- Drew Beckie - 219 pts.
- Wil Trapp - 183
- Aaron Schoenfeld - 176
- Eric Gehrig - 159
The Scoring System:
- 3 points for each team correctly picked to advance to the Round of 32.
- 5 points for each team picked in the Sweet 16.
- 10 points for each team in the Elite 8.
- 25 points for each team in the Final 4.
- 50 points for each team in the National Championship.
- 100 points for correctly picking the National Champion.
Heading into Final Four weekend, rookie Wil Trapp owns a seven point lead over Aaron Schoenfeld after correctly selecting four out of the Elite 8 teams in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship bracket. However, if Louisville beats Wichita State, Drew Beckie could win the 2013 Crew Bracket Challenge. Every player chose exactly one of the Final 4 teams, and Beckie is the only one that has a National Championship hopeful with Louisville.
STANDINGS
- Wil Trapp - 183 pts.
- Aaron Schoenfeld - 176
- Drew Beckie -169
- Eric Gehrig - 159
The Scoring System:
- 3 points for each team correctly picked to advance to the Round of 32.
- 5 points for each team picked in the Sweet 16.
- 10 points for each team in the Elite 8.
- 25 points for each team in the Final 4.
- 50 points for each team in the National Championship.
- 100 points for correctly picking the National Champion.
After two rounds of play in the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament, the Crew Bracket Challenge is tightly contested. Wil Trapp leads Drew Beckie by three points with 118 points, while Aaron Schoenfeld sits just three points behind Beckie. Eric Gehrig trails his teammates after picking up just 104 points in the first two rounds.
To no one's surprise, the West region of the bracket gave everyone trouble. However, Ohio State Final Four hopes are still alive as three players picked the Buckeyes to advance. Beckie chose Gonzaga to win the region and dance all the way to Atlanta.
STANDINGS
- Wil Trapp - 118 pts.
- Drew Beckie -114
- Aaron Schoenfeld - 111
- Eric Gehrig - 104
The Scoring System:
- 3 points for each team correctly picked to advance to the Round of 32.
- 5 points for each team picked in the Sweet 16.
- 10 points for each team in the Elite 8.
- 25 points for each team in the Final 4.
- 50 points for each team in the National Championship.
- 100 points for correctly picking the National Champion.
Taking a mental break from preparing for this weekend's rivalry match against D.C. United, four Crew players took the time to make their picks in this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. The trash talking commenced as the players filled out their brackets after training.
Rookie defender Drew Beckie is projecting a Final Four of Louisville, Ohio State, Kansas and Miami, but basketball may not exactly be his forte.
"Beckie, this isn't hockey!" fellow rookie Daniel Withrow teased the proud Canadian and Denver University product as he filled out his bracket. "The Frozen Four is later."
Eric Gehrig returns to the Crew Bracket Challenge this season after finishing in fourth-place last year behind Josh Williams, Justin Meram and winner Ethan Finlay. A native of Northwest Indiana, Gehrig is picking his home-state Hoosiers to win the National Championship.
Pumped for Akron's fourth tournament appearance in school history, and third since 2009, Homegrown midfielder Wil Trapp is picking his Zips to pull off an opening round upset against Dominic Oduro's VCU Rams. The Gahanna native is picking the hometown Ohio State Buckeyes to knock off Indiana in the National Championship Final.
Finally, forward Aaron Schoenfeld is picking the Miami Hurricanes to prevail in the Final Four against Duke, Gonzaga and Michigan-- all No. 2 seeds, except the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs of the West Region.
The Scoring System:
- 3 points for each team correctly picked to advance to the Round of 32.
- 5 points for each team picked in the Sweet 16.
- 10 points for each team in the Elite 8.
- 25 points for each team in the Final 4.
- 50 points for each team in the National Championship.
- 100 points for correctly picking the National Champion.
Stay tuned to TheCrew.com to see which player will have bragging rights around Crew Stadium.
With Saturday's MLS Cup Final between the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo looming, it only feels appropriate to revisit the only time Crew Stadium has hosted an MLS Cup Final.
On October 21, 2001, the San Jose Earthquakes outlasted Sigi Schmid's LA Galaxy 2-1 to win MLS Cup behind eventual Cup MVP Dwayne De Rosario's golden goal six minutes into the first overtime period. Landon Donovan also scored for Frank Yallop's Earthquakes, while Luis Hernández tallied for the Galaxy. The victory marked the first of four MLS Cups wins for De Rosario and Donovan. Donovan will be competing for his fifth title on Saturday.
Others who were involved in this historic that will take part in the Final on Saturday include Houston Dynamo Head Coach and then-San Jose assistant Dominic Kinnear (seen hoisting Frank Yallop onto his shoulders in the photo above) and Houston assistant Wade Barrett, who was an Earthquake defender in 2001 (#24 above).
On Saturday, be sure to tune into the Final between the Galaxy and Dynamo at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
NBC4's Monica Day visited the Crew's training ground in Obetz recently to find out how the Black & Gold are raising awareness for men's health issues through the Movember campaign. The package was featured on the station's morning show on Tuesday.
For more information, visit the Crew's Movember page.
This week's Throwback Thursday comes from the 1996 Tampa Bay Mutiny media guide. Crew legend and Brand Ambassador Frankie Hejduk was an integral part of the Mutiny's Supporters Shield victory in Major League Soccer's inaugural season. As you can see by the photo above Hejduk hasn't seemed to age in the past 16 years.
Perhaps the most entertaining part of Hejduk's bio page is the "Rongen Says" section in which then-Mutiny Head Coach Thomas Rongen describes each of his players:
"Frankie is a young player who has already distinguished himself at the International level while playing for the U.S. Olympic team. He is one of those players that MLS is actively seeking. He should be a star in the future."
Well put, TR. Well put.
The only thing questionable in Hejduk's personal information on his bio page is "favorite actor is Nicolas Cage."
To help raise awareness and funds for men's health issues such as prostate and testicular cancers, the Crew is proud to take part in Movember. Over the course of this month, Crew players and staff will be growing mustaches to get the word out about the Movember campaign. 
Though it is undetermined whether or not he will be sporting a lip warmer this month, Crew Head Coach Robert Warzycha may have the best ability to grow a mustache of anyone in MLS as evidenced here in his headshot from Everton FC in the early 1990s.
For more information on Movember and the Crew's effort towards the cause, please visit the Crew's team page.
America's hardest working mascot, Crew Cat, joined fellow Columbus mascots Brutus Buckeye and Stinger in rappeling the PNC Building in downtown Columbus to promote "Over the Edge for Kids' Sake," an initiative run by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Though his nine lives apparently flashed before his eyes, Crew Cat made it to the bottom safely and will be back in action on October 28 for Fan Appeciation Day as the Crew takes on Toronto FC.
You never know what you will find in the offices at Crew Stadium.
This promotional shield of Chad Marshall was used in the Crew's 2005 marketing plan. The photo was taken during the Black & Gold's 1-1 draw with the NY/NJ MetroStars on August 29, 2004, Marshall's rookie season.
But if you look closer, you'll see Chad is playing against a beardless, 17-year-old Eddie Gaven. The two Crew veterans took a trip down memory lane upon being shown the photo.
"It looks like in this picture, I tried to beat Chad and he won the ball," Gaven said. "I have a look in my eye like, 'Oh boy, he just stole it. Now I have to run back 80 yards and play defense.' That's what happened in this picture."
"I remember playing against Eddie," Marshall reflected. "He had the 'touch and trip' back then, too. He got all the calls as a 17-year-old. It's nice that in this picture, it looks like I probably won [the ball] and he's chasing me."
The main regret Gaven has of this moment in 2004 is his choice in hairstyle.
"I think that's the ugliest hair I've ever had," Gaven said. "I don't know what I was doing back then with my emo haircut, I thought I was cool, but looking back I realize it wasn't cool at all. I'm glad I don't have that hair anymore, and now I try to think I'm cool by growing out the beard."
The shield now currently resides in the back seat of Danny O'Rourke's car.
Have any cool Crew-related relics like this laying around your house? Send me a picture at socialmedia@thecrew.com or tweet it to me: @CodySharrett. I'm still waiting for Steve Sirk's Doctor Khumalo keychain.