If you haven't had an opportunity to rewatch Steve Clark's diving, fingertip save in the 87th minute of Saturday's victory over the Revolution, take a minute and do so:
What's the first thing you notice about the play, outside of the save itself? For me, it's Clark's reaction. Notice the immediate exuberance after he gets up, gesturing toward the Nordecke and also his teammates, including Wil Trapp, who is the first to congratulate the Crew 'keeper after the play.
That kind of fire is the perfect embodiment of Steve Clark as a player. You see that passion come through in his now-famous "YES!" chants after each home win, and you see it on the field through plays like this. Crew Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, who said he "absolutely" likes to see that kind of passion from his goalkeeper, agreed.
"He embraces stuff like that. He embraces the opportunities to come up with plays like that," said the Crew boss at training on Monday. "It says a lot when you have a goalie that doesn't shy away from situations like that. You like it."
After the match, Berhalter gave Clark the highest compliment.
"That's Steve Clark, right there," said Berhalter on the save. "He gets you points. He's done it all year. We can debate whether he had enough action, enough saves … but I don't think there are many goalies in this League that win points for a team like he does. A handful, maybe. Less than a handful."
During the match, Clark made six saves, tying a season-best in that regard and validating that assertion by his Head Coach.
"I was looking for the ball we had just given away," said Clark on the play. "I had to get back in the spot, and then make the save ... When you make it [the save], it feels really good, and I am going to enjoy that."
The fans have certainly come to enjoy it, as have the Crew, which knows it is in good hands with Clark between the posts.
