Could you imagine a more perfect night at Crew Stadium?
From start to finish, on the field and off of it, what transpired at One Black & Gold Boulevard on Saturday night was something that no one in attendance will soon forget. And there were quite a few people in attendance, at that: the sellout crowd of 21,318 was the team's fourth of the season, establishing a new club record at Crew Stadium on a night worthy of breaking that mark.
Of course, it was Frankie Hejduk's Circle of Honor induction. The halftime ceremony featured a tribute video with special messages from many of Hejduk's past teammates, a commemorative plaque with artwork of each jersey Hejduk wore during his tenure in Black & Gold, and naturally, the revealing of his name on the upper fascia at Crew Stadium.
Surrounded by his family and former teammates, the ceremony was the main course on a night capped off by a three-point dessert for the Crew.
"I felt the pressure [to win], honestly," joked Gregg Berhalter after the match. "I think it's a fantastic win on a fantastic night. The whole team, myself and the coaching staff, we're extremely proud of Frankie. He means a ton to this organization. I think it's a fitting way to honor him with the Circle of Honor."
Hejduk's impact is obvious and important. It rubs off on fans and players alike, all of whom know that this club wouldn't be the same without him.
"Frankie did so much on the field for this club, and he still brings it every day," said Eric Gehrig. "He hasn't been on the field for the club since 2010; he went to LA, came back, and the guy does so much for the club and us players. We feel it, not only myself. His presence is infectious, it's comforting, it's calming – it's a comfort level. I know how much he means to the fans, the club and the city. He's one of them. In a way, he's one of us. Couldn't happen to a better guy. He for sure deserves it."
Hejduk's ceremony and the fans that helped make it so memorable all contributed to the atmosphere on the pitch, which was "infectious," at Ethan Finlay said.
"You could feel it at the start of the second half … We were jacked up just as much as every fan in the building was [after Frankie's ceremony,]" said the winger. "They lifted our spirits in the final 45. We can't thank them enough."
"To me, it was a different level," added Gehrig. "With the crowd out there tonight, everything on the line for both teams: man, I think the intensity and the aura of every little decision on the field, it was there. There were pressure situations. The pressure was there. I thought a lot of guys stepped up and the team stepped up, and that's important. That says a lot about the team."
Perhaps it isn't coincidental, then, that Federico Higuain's free kick and the match's only goal came just after the ceremony. In order to make the night as perfect as possible, the Black & Gold had to hold on to the three points, which wasn't easy down the stretch. New England gave the Crew everything it could handle, and was inches away -- literally, thanks to Steve Clark's fingertip save -- from a draw.
Gehrig, who was substituted off in the 75th minute, said he was so nervous that he could "barely watch" the end of the match.
"Even though I was off the field, I wanted to be out there and see it out," said the defender, who was up off the bench supporting his teammates with each kick of the ball in the final 15 minutes. "We were so close. Pipa unfortunately missed a PK, we had a couple of chances to see them off. I've been in situations where if you don't put teams away, it comes back to bite you. I think everyone has those thoughts in the back of their head. Any backing that I can throw at the team, any energy, any positive vibes, as Frankie would say, is what I was trying to do there. I couldn't sit still."
Neither could the fans at Crew Stadium, which witnessed a historic night in this club's history, and another important three points to cap it off.
