THE MATCHUP: Winter football greets Winter' s football

Finally a reason to use Aron's Oranje ball

TORONTO FC VS. PORTLAND TIMBERS
BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 2PM ET
TV: TSN
　
For new management team Aron Winter and Paul Mariner, Saturday's Toronto FC home opener could have a chillier reception than expected. While sub-zero temperatures (likely hovering around -10C) won't be welcome, the usual warming embrace of the TFC faithful may be missing to some extent. It is terribly unfair to the new bosses, but the 2011 opening match will likely not be sold-out and many of the brave souls who do bundle up seem to have short fuses after four years of re-building. Hopefully the frustration, which should be directed at ownership and former management, will be overcome by optimism and BMO Field will show the new team what makes it a great home.
　
If a tonic is needed for the fans, it could come in the shape of the opposition Portland Timbers. Vancouver's Cascadia and expansion cousins looked far from sharp against Colorado last week and has a defence more suspect that TFC's. A win against the young Timbers and improved play could see some of the early venom pointed toward Aron Winter subside. Of course, it is a double-edged sword, or chainsaw in this case, as a second straight loss against an expansion team would have many cursing in Dutch at the new manager. With the often lethal Kenny Cooper up front, Timbers can't simply be passed over as a sure win..
　
MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME: "The Frozen Timbit"
　
Brrr-REDS: Dwayne De Rosario, Stefan Frei, Javier Martina
TIM-Brrrs: Kenny Cooper, Jack Jewsbury, Adam Moffat
　
THE ODDS:
- Announced 20,000 strong crowd looking very 15,000ish: 2-1
- Defensive errors caused by players literally frozen in place: 5-1
- Former Red Kevin Goldthwaite inducted onto Wall of Honour: 15-1
- Aron Winter failing to see irony of his name / the weather: 25-1
　
WHO ARE YA?
- The BMO Field match will actually be the 4th coldest match on Saturday's FIFA calendar behind: Antarctic Scientist XI vs. Greenland, Sheffield Frozen Food Supply Wednesday vs. Yeti Town FC and the Nunavut League Cup 4th Round replay
- Portland had to alter travel plans as team sponsor Alaskan Airlines deemed Toronto "too cold" to fly into
- TFC scrapped plans to counter the famous Timbers' lumberjack mascot "Timber Joey" with a local version named "Andrea Lumber-do"
- The cold weather has opened opportunity for BMO Field's concession stands as Saturday sees the debut of Scotch Egg Broth Soup, new "Carlsberg HOT Draft" and $9 dollar pints of coffee
　
CAPTAIN'S LOG SAYS: 3-2 Toronto
LUMBERING DEFENCE SAYS: 2-2 Draw
FUTURE HEADLINE: "TORONTO HIT BY MASSIVE SNOWSTORM - MAYOR CALLS IN TIMBERS ARMY"

NOTE: Toronto FC officially signed Joao Plata today as well as completing the loan signing of midfielder Alen Stevanovic from TFC Italia aka Torino FC. More here…