Sigi Schmid died on Christmas Day. It was reported a day later that the incomparable Guillermo Barros Schelotto had agreed to terms to be the next coach of the LA Galaxy.

Today, Friday the 28th of December, 2018, it is announced that the Crew has been saved, officially if not quite legally. There is still more paperwork to do before MLS is satisfied. There remains a title transfer to be made, for the land where the new Columbus soccer stadium will be built. Yet, a lawsuit before Jeffrey M. Brown of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas has been dismissed, and in the view of Major League Soccer, the ownership of the Crew is no longer in the hands of Jay Anthony Precourt Jr.

What seemed impossible a year ago is a reality. The Crew is saved, in more of a past-tense sense than ever.

The new owners are in business. Somewhere in heaven, Sigi is raising an oil can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Here in Columbus, there is not enough microbrew in cans, bottles or kegs to toast the new caretakers, the Edwards family of Columbus and the Haslam family of Cleveland. The king is dead. Long live the king.

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The Crew, the first chartered team in MLS and caretaker to the spiritual home of our national team, is in local hands for the first time in its 23-year history. Against all odds our roots have been respected. Precourt hacked and the league sawed but in the end their blades cracked and their teeth bent. They can only hope that the tree they are planting in Austin is of the same stuff. Godspeed and begone, Anthony. Darken this door no more.

There was a glorious celebration here in October, when the league confirmed it was negotiating with the prospective new owners to keep the team in Columbus. There was weepy-good news earlier this month, when plans for a new stadium — and for a redevelopment of the old stadium grounds — were unveiled. For all of this, it has been a confounding interlude for the faithful. Save The Crew, the grassroots movement, solicited 11,000 season-ticket pledges and lined up more than 400 business allies, but was snookered.

Until today, when the league recognized the ownership transfer, no tickets could be sold. Until today, the entire organization remained in limbo. Until today, Crew fans – whose power and purpose drew respect from a world-wide following – were stymied in their own market. Dig: The league last week released a schedule — and in Columbus, nobody could buy a ticket for the home opener (“Crewsmas”) — or any other game.

Gregg Berhalter, the former coach and sporting director, departed for the U.S. Men’s National Team on Dec. 2. Who would be the next coach? Would there be another sporting director? A general manager? Who was going to oversee the player combine in in January? Who was going to conduct the draft? Who would run the show?

Nobody had any idea.

And then Sigi died. There is not another supporter group in the country, not even in LA or Seattle, which can comprehend how Sigi’s loss is felt in Columbus. A rider-less horse, with boots reversed in the stirrups, will clop down Hudson Street in perpetuity.

And then the incomparable Schelotto agreed to coach the Galaxy. To Crew fans, this is like Dan Gable winding up at the University of Iowa. Guille will not be her? Not now? Damn the soccer gods.

Meanwhile, Pat Onstad, the goalkeeper coach under Berhalter, has been serving as interim general manager. It should be noted that Onstad has, with alacrity, taken care of some important business this month.

A few weeks ago, Onstad put the finishing touches on the transfer agreement that will send goalkeeper Zach Steffen Manchester City of the English Premier League. Steffen will leave the Crew when the second international transfer window opens in July. For his rights, Man City will pay something close to $9 million.

Just prior to Christmas, Onstad acquired outside back Milton Valenzuela on permanent transfer and signed the Argentine as a young designated player. Acquiring Valenzuela’s rights is a coup.

Thursday, Onstad acquired and signed veteran goalkeeper Joe Bendik, formerly of Orlando City. Bendik lends needed depth to the position as the Crew prepares for the departure of Steffen, an MLS All-Star and the USMNT player of the year. Well done.

Sometime in the next week or so, sources have indicated, the Crew will announce that Caleb Porter will be the next coach. What is more, one placed source has told The Dispatch that Tim Bezbatchenko — Westerville-bred, DeSales graduate and currently senior vice president and general manager of Toronto FC — will be the next GM.

With Sigi’s passing and Schelotto headed to LA, there will be squabbling about whether Porter — who has a reputation for hard-headedness and, reports say, will get a relatively huge contract — is the better choice over assistant Josh Wolff. (I like Wolff.) And there will be squawking over whether Bruce Arena, whose name has been floating over Crew limbo, fits in Columbus. (I like Bezbatchenko.)

But, damn, local owners are in place. Almost officially. Party on. Raise a glass to Sigi. Somewhere, he is smiling. So is Lamar Hunt, who planted the roots. Cheers.

marace@dispatch.com

@MichaelArace1