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Guille won the MLS Cup MVP as well, as the Crew stayed Massive

Titletown -- Crew 3, Red Bulls 1 -- Crew are MLS Champs!!! Our hero Guillermo Barros Schelotto had three assists as the Crew broke an early second half 1-1 tie, pouring it on to win their first MLS championship Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. Coach Sigi Schmid repeated the title run he'd achieved with the Galaxy previously and Schelotto added some hardware again, picking up the MLS Cup MVP trophy to add to his season team and league MVP awards. The Argentine was amazing and in truly rare form for this game, indisputably the biggest one in Crew history. Guille heard his name chanted from the transplanted northeast corner Nordeckers throughout the match and transferred the energy to scoring after New York tied the game 1-1 lead and looked like it might continue some domination that began early in the game. The Red Bulls scored at 51 minutes on a goal by John Wolyniec after Jamaican Dane Richards evaded four Columbus defenders, but the Crew were close behind as just two minutes later Schelotto directed a corner to the head of Chad Marshall that became the winner. Schelotto at 31 minutes had also performed a beautiful steal and then sent a pass to team goals leader Alejandro Moreno who put in a low shot by the post for the opening score. Guille also assisted in the final goal at 82 minutes, chipping a ball up to Frankie Hejduk for the header insurance score, and even assisted as well on a nullified goal by Robbie Rogers off a free kick, as Rogers was offsides. Hejduk, in true fashion, later delighted the Columbus supporters after the game by joining them in festivities after the Cup had been paraded before the many Massive supporters. Thousands had travelled to LA to make up a sizeable contingent of the 27,000 strong crowd that took in a great sunny afternoon of soccer American style.  It was very fitting that the best team in the regular season (the Crew at 17-7-6) took home the final prize against a New York team that struggled to make the last playoff position after losing at home to the Crew during the final stretch of the regular season. So let's let Columbus and the Crew bask in the glow of a magical, massive season that brought a professional championship to town and some well-deserved recognition to the city, the team and its supporters!

Guillermo Barros Schelotto, league MVP, had 3 assists in the final

A Round of Red Bulls for Guille  --  We'll buy him something stronger after the final boys. You got it, I'm talking about two things at once again. First things first, the Massive will play the Red Bulls (NY) in the grand championship Sunday at 3:30 in LA. There appears to be a fair contingent of Crew fans heading out to SoCal for the match, and temperatures this week have been fueled to 85-90 by the Santa Ana winds. We know where there's smoke there's fire, and while that's certainly the case with some LA blazes, it's also the case with a certain banana kitted Argentine we know affectionately as Guille (that's "Bill" to you and me). This week's big news - Guillermo Barros Schelotto has won the MLS Most Valuable Player award, and by a large margin. Congratulations, just one more game to go!! Let's all get behind the team and get Massive. 

Former Crew star Brian McBride isn't smiling about Chicago's loss.

Headin' to California, Go West Young Men!! -- Columbus 2, Chicago 1 (11/13) -- Mission accomplished, part one. The Crew had been to four previous Eastern Conference championships and come away with nothing, so after winning the Supporters' Shield this year for MLS' best record (17-7-6) expectations were high for a change in luck. Must be the luck of the Argentine or the plata in ther pot. Whatever you call it, team MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto came through big with a game worthy of his salary and status to carry the Crew to a 2-1 come from behind win over Chicago Thursday night at Crew Stadium. A raucous crowd of almost 15,000, but seeming like more, filled Massive Field where the pounding beats and chants of the Nordecke faithful bolstered the local heroes, who went down 1-0 on a header goal by former fan favorite and current Fireman Brian McBride at 29 minutes. Put out the flames boys!!! That's what happened when Chad Marshall and Eddie Gaven scored second half goals for the win, both off Schelotto assists. The scores came just six minutes apart at the 49 and 55 marks. Schelotto impressed with his dribbling and passing all night, and set up both scores. The Argentine knocked a free kick to Marshall who banged it against the crossbar and in, and then headed one to Alejandro Moreno, who sent the ball to Gaven on the run towards the goal. Gaven struck a nice ball into the net to send Columbus to California. The Massive will face the winner of this weekend's NY Redbulls/Real Salt Lake game in the league final in Carson, CA on November 23. I'm sure a few banana colored, scarf wearing Massive supporters will making the trip one way or another. The rest of us can catch it back home on a national telecast -- either way, the side needs the support of every sports fan in the city, so be massive, my friends, and back the Crew as you would the Bucks!

Tags: columbus crew, crew, mls, soccer