The Weekly Dis
Disa and data about the Crew's new coach, and much more
The lads are back in town. Columbus Crew players are due to report by Saturday morning and, as far as I know, they're here. One fan (@ratcalledaj.bsky.social) observed that the parking lot was filling up at the team's training center on Black and Gold Blvd. New coach Henrik Rydstrom, however, had not yet arrived. At last check, he was still waiting to have his visa paperwork fully processed in Sweden, as were two assistants (Theodor Olsson and Max Pakhei). Crew GM Issa Tall and select players are due to meet with local media Tuesday morning, with Rydström TBA.
Also, there was this bit of what I think is good news:
Can confirm per source.
— Michael Arace (@michaelarace1.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T19:04:47.716Z
Is it time for the Blue Jackets to become sellers?
This NHL season was supposed to be a transition to better things for the Blue Jackets. Heading into Saturday's game at Ball Arena – where the Colorado Avalanche sport a home record of 18-0-2 – the Jackets are in last place in the Eastern Conference.
On the latest edition of the Cannon Balls podcast, the subject of bleakness is batted about between me and The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, the Mayor of Jacketville.
I also recorded a new episode of The Crewcible podcast with Neil Sika, the Costas of Columbus, longtime voice of the Crew, elastic play-by-play man for every sport on the BIG Network and a prominent caller of MLS games on Apple TV. Take a deep dive with a total pro.
Disrespected Media pods can be found at Spotify and Apple Podcasts (we'll be expanding to more platforms soon, I hope.) Join the conversation, won't you?
A golden age of sports journalism loses another ray of light
A tribute from one legend to another. RIP Livy, indeed.
RIP Livy. We covered Browns, Buckeyes and many, many golf tournaments together. A great columnist. Few went to greater lengths to accrue Marriott points. www.chambersfuneral.com/obituaries/w...
— Bob Baptist (@bobbaptist.bsky.social) 2026-01-09T23:17:10.641Z
Posts
I always plan on writing columns that post on M-W-F for paid subscribers and The Weekly Dis, free for everyone, on Saturday mornings. This week, news of the sacking of Wilfried Nancy by Celtic presented a theme that worked better on Tuesday (rather than Wednesday).
Monday:
We discuss the latest third-period meltdown, at home, against the hated Pittsburgh Penguins. Oof, this one hurt CBJ fans. The lede is a comparison of last year at the 41-game midpoint of the season and this year at the 41-game midpoint. The Jackets haven't moved – but the rest of the Eastern Conference has passed them. Also, the potential to grind down goaltender Jet Greaves and the latest post-game venting from the god among us, Zach Werenski.
Michael Arace
Tuesday:
After 33 days on the job and a 2-6 record, Nancy is driven out of Celtic by an angry mob in Celtic. The rest of Bloody Monday – NFL and EPL coaches were sacked all over the place – is chronicled. And Sir Rod Stewart makes an appearance.
Michael Arace
'I'm going down the pub to celebrate!'
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 5, 2026
Sir Rod Stewart reacts to the news that Wilfried Nancy has been sacked as Celtic boss ⤵️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/OhSE4Oe7XL
Keeping it classy.
Friday:
When Rydström was officially announced as Nancy's successor in Columbus on New Year's Eve day, there was a rush to compile a file on the former Malmö manager. I turned over a free post that evening and included a link to a post at The Massive subreddit which, upon further inspection, seemed to be a bit fantastical. It made me wonder if the subreddit post was, at least in part, AI-generated. What I wrote on the last day of 2025:
Michael Arace
I followed up on Friday. I poured a number of Swedish profiles of Rydström through Google translate (more AI, I know) and attempted to synthesize the best excerpts. This is what I came up with:
Michael Arace
What is "Relationism," at the core of Rydström's system?
A musical interpretation
Actually, the tactics of "Relationism" aren't nearly this beautiful. Pour yourself a cup of coffee. Pick a random spot in the timeline of this recording. Marvel for 5 minutes, or an hour.ColCo
Strip-mall restaurant fare
Scotty's Cafe
The special at Scotty's Cafe Friday was a barbecued half chicken with sides and cornbread. All homemade. I'm pretty sure I heard the special price, but it was so low, I don't trust myself to post it here for fear of being wrong. We opted for the Miamian, middle, a turkey on grilled rye with cheddar cheese, grilled onion and thousand island, and an equally well-executed tuna melt, middle right, with a side of homemade tomato-basil soup. I don't normally order tomato soup when I'm out because it invariably comes to of a can. Not so here. Top right: Scotty has a full deli and dessert case in the back of the dining room. Bottom left: Scotty working the tables, a common sight. If it's your birthday, he will compel everyone in his place to sing. He is irresistible.
In previous installments of The Dis, I began taking you to my go-to places that are walkable for me on the East Side. I will eventually expand my radius, but these are places I know well and make me happy. They can be found on a magical, two-block stretch on E. Broad St. in Eastmoor, in two strip malls that are dissected by N. Broadleigh Rd.
The first place I brought you to is Stav's Diner and the second was Pita House. Today, I stop in between the two at Scotty's Cafe. Scott Bast runs the back of the house and his wife, Gina, the front.
It is one of my favorite places to eat in Columbus. Full stop.
The menu seems fairly standard, but there is a quality to the ingredients and an excellence of execution that separates this place. Even though I should know better, Scotty's sometimes surprises me with its deliciousness – but, perhaps more importantly, it has never let me down. Even the French fries are elevated, if only because they're always perfectly cooked. If I'm picking up someone at the airport and Scotty's is open, we're stopping for a reuben or a patty melt or a full breakfast on the way home.
Note: This is a popular, neighborhood institution that has been in business for nearly 36 years, and it stays busy. It's open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Scotty's is clean and well-staffed with friendly people. I imagine he can keep so much help around because the cafe isn't his core business – Catering by Scott is. He told us Friday that he has catered more than 2,900 weddings. He has also set spreads out for five presidents, two prime ministers and their entourages.
Bon appetit.
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Michael Arace
