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http://www.columbussports.com/content/hotNews/fall-fab-five---local-dont-miss-games-coming-up.shtmlFall Fab Five - Local Don't Miss Games Coming Up
Local fans have great games to look forward to . . .
It's almost fall and that means the annual convergence of great sporting events. That's obviously true nationally with the NFL and college football gearing up and the MLB playoffs and World Series on the way. It's equally as true locally in Columbus and there are some obvious must see matches and also some hidden gems headed our way in the next 60 days, so get out the calendars and start planning to buy some tickets! Despite the kids grumbling about starting school, September is arguably the best sports month we've got, and the weather is usually warm and dry --perfect for getting out to the ballfield, pitch or gridiron, and close enough for dreaming of the icy confines of Nationwide Arena as well. To give everyone a starter menu, I've listed five games many readers may want to check out in the area.
1. Toledo Mud Hens at Columbus Clippers (9/1) -- Why the Clippers you ask? Well it's the last game ever at Cooper Stadium before the bellringers move into the plush and trendy new digs in the Arena District in 2009. Most of us have ignored Cooper Stadium for years, but now a bout of nostalgia is hitting. Columbus and Toledo are both fighting for respectability at around the .500 mark, which is pretty good considering Columbus is a feeder for the worst team in MLB, the Washington Nationals, who are often reminiscent of the Washington Generals of the Globetrotter heydays. Get out to enjoy the national pasttime at the old ballyard here in town -- there's certainly no use in travelling two hours to see the last place Reds or Indians when you can hit the finale at the Coop with much less gas and ticket money.
2. New England Revolution at Columbus Crew (9/6) -- If you haven't been to a Crew game, now is the time. Columbus is chasing its best year ever and stands just two points behind New England at 10-6-4. It's a playoff year for the black and yellow, and this is sure to be the best soccer to be seen in the USA as well as an important home game for the Crew. Plus, you get a chance to be part of the Crew Stadium rowdies that are becoming famous across MLS. Crowds are on the rise (17,500 last game) and we seem to have gotten rid of most of the smoke bombs while keeping the noise and excitement that has made the Crew a unique experience recently. Alejandro Moreno, Robbie Rogers, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Wil Hesmer and the rest of the team promise great effort every time and are probably the best squad we've seen in town yet.
3. Pickerington Central vs. Pickerington North at Crew Stadium (9/19) -- I had to pick a good local high school football matchup, so why not a slightly new one at a bigger stadium that looks intriguing? Actually there's two reasons many local fans will want to catch Pickerington Central -- Tigers Jamie Wood and Zach Boren are both Ohio State bound. Patrick White is also headed to Michigan State to play football. Central won a state championship just two years ago and has become a local powerhouse as they proved in their opening week 23-6 dismantling of a strong Upper Arlington squad on the road. Wood and Boren bouth found the endzone. Don't discount underdog Pickerington North, which won its opener as well, 14-12 over Central Crossing on two Matt Ferguson TDs. North tied for the OCC Central title last year. Plus, it's just fun to get out to a big neutral site on a warm September evening to see two local rivals duke it out.
4. Purdue at Ohio State (10/11) -- Okay, the two most talked about games (USC and Wisconsin) are on the road this year and will already be in the books by the time the Boilermakers make their way to the Horseshoe. Still, ya gotta' get out to see the Scarlet and Grey. This will be the heart of the Big Ten schedule against a traditionally strong opponent in Purdue, which as most will recall almost spoiled the Buckeye's fun in the 2002 National Championship season by clinging to a late 6-3 lead before Ohio State pulled off a fourth down TD miracle to keep the machine rollin'. QB Curtis Painter will likely be the top thrower in the league and may set career Purdue records as well, and this is famed coach Joe Tiller's last go around as he heads into retirement. This should be a good game to catch down on campus, folks.
5. NY Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets (10/24) -- It's always a blast when one of the original six comes to town, so Nationwide Arena is sure to be rockin' especially as this matchup is on a Friday night. Meanwhile, the frozen faithful are holding their breaths for a year with a playoff hunt for the Blue Jackets given the increasing disappointment with the local franchise's on ice performance. This is a great chance to get an early hint of whether Rick Nash and the gang are finally going to put together the season we've been waiting for. If not, at least you got to see the Rangers in town and get a Friday night out on the town in the Arena, so life can't be bad either way.