Crew veterans Jason Garey, Frankie Hejduk and Duncan Oughton will be serving as celebrity bartenders this Thursday, Oct. 23, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Brewsky’s Sports Bar (4510 Kenny Road, Columbus 43220), official away game viewing headquarters of the Crew. Admission is free and all tips will benefit Crew Soccer Foundation youth programming for central Ohio youth and families. Don’t miss out on a night of fun with Jason, Frankie and Duncan in support of a great cause!!

The Columbus Crew earned a 3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls in MLS Reserve League action Sunday morning (Oct. 19) at Montclair State University. Cory Elenio scored two goals and Jason Garey tallied another after John Wolyniec put the Red Bulls in front.

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With its 2-2 tie at Chicago last Sunday (Oct. 12), coupled with Houston’s scoreless draw vs. D.C. United hours later, the Crew clinched the 2008 MLS Supporters’ Shield for the second time in club history (2004). The Supporters’ Shield is awarded to the team with the most points overall during the regular season and the 16-6-6 Crew’s club-record 54 points can no longer be matched by any of the league’s other 13 teams. The Western Conference-leading Dynamo (11-5-11, 44 pts.) was the last team with a chance to catch the Black & Gold. The Shield carries even more weight and significance than it did in 2004, the previous time the Crew won it, as it now earns the winning team a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League (the Crew will open play in the prestigious regional club championship tournament in August 2009).

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Several Crew players have been busy with their respective national teams over the last week as Brian Carroll, Frankie Hejduk, Alejandro Moreno and Ricardo Pierre-Louis all contributed in their squad’s efforts to reach the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. More after the jump.

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A few interesting tidbits to pass along this afternoon…

First, Crew captain Frankie Hejduk is currently featured in a great, in-depth interview on ussoccer.com. Among the topics discussed with Frankie are his current role on the USMNT, his past memories of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying and his love (addiction?) of espresso. Click here to check it out. (hat tip: Michael Kammarman & ussoccer.com)

Also, head coach Sigi Schmid will be appearing on the Average Joe Sports Show tonight at 8 p.m. with host Dan Fronczak on ONN. Be sure to tune in to ONN at 8 p.m. to hear coach discuss the Crew’s success so far this season, including being awarded the Supporters’ Shield, and what it will take for the Black & Gold to make a deep run in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

ONN is the Crew’s regional TV broadcast partner and Ohio’s Channel for news, weather, sports and lifestyles programming. Make sure to tune in to ONN this Saturday, Oct. 18 to watch the Crew take on the New York Red Bulls at 7:30 p.m. Click here for more information and to locate ONN on your local cable system.

The always boisterous and enthusiastic Nordecke was well represented during the Crew’s match at Chicago yesterday, as a Black & Gold-clad throng did their very best (with rousing success) to extol the praises of the Crew while drowning out the Fire support during the Sunday afternoon rivalry match.

Team administrator extraordinaire Tucker Walther made sure to document the dare we say “massive” effort of the Crew faithful, and we’ve got the photos and video clips to prove it after the jump.

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We’re checking in briefly with a few news and notes for your Monday afternoon perusal:

On the U.S. Men’s National Team front, head coach Bob Bradley has made two changes to his 18 man roster for Wenesday’s WC Qualifier against Trinidiad & Tobago in Port of Spain, Trinidad, both of which involve Crew midfielders. Robbie Rogers is currently recovering from a sore back after the physical match against Chicago yesterday, and has been replaced by Chris Rolfe for the match. Alternately, Brian Carroll recieved a late call-up for Wednesday’s match to replace the injured Pablo Mastroeni. BC departed early Monday morning and will join Crew teammate Frankie Hejduk and the rest of the USMNT later this evening in Trinidad.

Meanwhile, Eddie Gaven’s skillful volley from yesterday’s match vs. the Fire has been nominated for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week for Week 29. Gaven’s tally, which came in the 59th minute, was his third of the season, to go along with his two assists. Click here to view Eddie’s spectacular goal and register your vote!

And finally, the Crew Reserve squad dropped a 1-0 decision to the Fire Reserves following yesterday’s first team game, to move its record to 3-5-2 (11 pts.) for the season. The Reserves’ starting line-up and substitutions were as follows: Andy Gruenebaum (GK), Jed Zayner, Ryan Junge (Eric Brunner 60), Ezra Hendrickson, Andrew Peterson, Stefani Miglioranzi (Brian Plotkin 76), Duncan Oughton (Steve Gillespie 91+), Stanley Nyazamba, Emmanuel Ekpo, Steven Lenhart (George Joston 65), Jason Garey (Cory Elenio 65)

With its 2-2 tie at Chicago Sunday afternoon, coupled with Houston’s scoreless draw vs. D.C. United hours later, the Crew has clinched the MLS Supporters’ Shield for the second time in club history. The Supporters’ Shield is awarded to the team with the most points overall during the regular season and the 16-6-6 Crew’s club-record 54 can no longer be matched by any of the league’s other 13 teams. The Western Conference-leading Dynamo (11-5-11, 44 pts.) was the last with a chance. The Shield carries even more weight and significance than it did in 2004, the previous time the Crew won it, as it now earns the winning team a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League. The Crew will open play in the prestigious regional club championship tournament in August 2009.

Thanks to its 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday (Oct. 4) - in front of a black-clad, standing-room-only crowd of 22,685 that included Gov. Ted Strickland at Crew Stadium - the Crew heads into its match at rival Chicago today, as the newly-crowned 2008 regular-season Eastern Conference Champion. The Crew (16-6-5, 53 pts.) heads into today’s match needing just three points in its last three matches to secure the 2008 MLS Supporters’ Shield, while Chicago (12-9-6, 42 pts.) enters the match needing a win or tie against the Crew to become the fourth team (CLB, HOU, N.E.) to secure a berth in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

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Columbus’ favorite Scotsman will be appearing at the Columbus Italian Festival Sunday afternoon from 1-2:30 p.m. That’s right, our own Adam Moffat will be on hand - along with the Crew Soccer Tour - to sign autographs and visit with attendees before heading out to make sure he catches his teammates in action at Chicago on ONN at 3 p.m. So if you’re going to be at the festival - or in the neighborhood - make sure to stop by and say hello.