Many random-ass questions flood my mind and have kept me up at night. What if Optimus Prime had survived the first time? What will be the go-to costume this hallowe'en? Is it possible to have a national team that plays at the level related to the sum of its parts? Remember SlamBall and how much fun that looked? What would it take Ryan Gosling and Tyler Labine to do a buddy movie like the old days?
Summer turns to fall, so does the annual tradition of "is it over yet"? Leaf fans know this as "spring". Jays fans know this as "June". I'm sitting in a wee restaurant killing the time and the latest question is "how many will turn out tonight?". Its a gorgeous night, weather-wise, but looking at my limited twitter feed, everyone knows someone looking to offload some tickets. (I'm predicting less than 8000, for what its worth) [Editor : 14,600 turned up. Madonna must be furious]
Toronto is adrift in mediocrity and, well, I like going out to the park... So standings and streaks be damned, especially since they're crap.
Who will step up tonight? Who will show that the future isn't as bleak and DP-tied as it seems? Who's cuisine will reign supreme?!
13' - GOAL - Shot comes off the post and rolls into Fernandes path who puts it out of the reach of Kocic.
ROBINS 0, WATERBOYS 1
42' - GOAL - Rolfe scored it.
ROBINS 0, WATERBOYS 2
Half-Time Notes : Amarikwa was sniffing for goal multiple times. Looked like he was poised for bagging some goals as he was making some solid runs but the defense shut him down. Toronto had the majority of positive aggressive possession but nothing came of it. Chicago had four attempts and, well, you know...
45' - SUB - Wiedeman came off for Morgan. Seems a bit harsh, and confusing... winger for defender...
56' - SUB - Emory for Avila. OK, defender for a midfielder. Balance has been restored.
66' - YELLOW - Morgan booked for something very likely suspect.
75' - SUB - Amarikwa comes off for Stinson. Also seems bizarre as Amarikwa was playing well from what I watched...
79' - GOAL - Hassli pots one across Johnson and into the far right corner. About time someone solved him.
ROBINS 1, WATERBOYS 2
90' - YELLOW - Avila gets booked for a bit of a clumsy challenge.
4 minutes of extra time
Full Time : Toronto 1, Chicago 2
* Toronto FC have been mathematically, physically, emotionally and athletically eliminated from play-off contention
Man of the Match : no one was truly stand out.
Goat of the Game : no one was truly mediocre.
Ref Rating : 2 out of 5. Perhaps I'm still seething from the disgusting display of reffing from Panama last night, but too much leeway was given to Chicago tonight.
Much of the talk in our section when it got quiet was regarding seasons ticket renewals. If the MLSE braintrust believes fans don't talk about this in the stands, you're nuts. In 6 years, you get to know your neighbours... Avila was a fire cracker when he finally got on the pitch. Hopefully that translates to a start on Saturday... Kocic was hung out to dry a few times tonight. The man just had triplets, he can't stop everything!... For all the chest bumping and aggro grandstanding, it was nice to see so few "hardcore support" come out tonight... Wiedeman looked good near the front, resuming service from the last time we saw him. Won't dream of asking him to defend... I know the measure of a good defense involves how few opportunities you hand your opponents for a free go at your keeper, and there were too many. But, felt that they did everything else above what I expect from them. I think that's why I couldn't out them as goats... What the hell is with Hassli? Everytime he shot, passed or missed, he does these over-dramatic hand gestures like he was so close to the greatest moment ever. This was well before the goal he bagged. Maybe he feels he's some tortured artist but someone should ask him to turn that down a few notches. It looks silly.
I like coming out to the park. I genuinely do. I like the majority of my neighbours and the transplants who have become staples over the last few seasons. I like the camaraderie that being in the south end provides.
Something about the team is crap, and this blog, as well as many others, have speculated what exactly that is. But I keep paying for that crap. I tell myself that said crap isn't what I pay for, but being out at the park, hanging with my friends, talking about footie and having a location to facilitate that bond.
Community is what keeps me coming back. Even though I couldn't give my other ticket away tonight. Even though many others couldn't give their tickets away tonight. What remains is my community.
I eagerly anticipate what the brains at MLSE have in store for me and my neighbours. If they think for a second that I'm going to pay for anything that resembles an increase, no matter how they shuffle it, swap it, payment plan it - they will have truly lost the plot.
I don't expect them to completely screw it up, but we're anticipating that they're going to ruin a great thing we've got. And not just us, but every community in the south end. That is depressing. But who knows, perhaps the south end's new denizens will create a stronger community. We discover that the elements that quit have been holding everything back, and those who can afford seasons tickets will bring their blind passion to the games and solidify supporters groups, singing the same five songs for the next fifty years.
Vancouver and Montreal have made pre-emptive gestures to keep the younger communities that their franchise has enticed to return. Year two and year one respectively.
And Toronto is at year six.
Just sayin'
Player Ratings : Kocic 6, J. Hall 5.5, Eckersley 6, O'Dea 6, Emory 6 [Avila N/A], Lambe 5.5, Maund 5.5, Silva 6, Wiedeman 6 [Morgan 5.5], Amarikwa 6 [Stinson N/A], Hassli 6
@ignirtoq is making up for some lackadaisical match reporting. Sure he couldve done one for the Canada v Panama match but he would've felt bad describing how there's nothing happening in the final third and McKenna should not be yelling at Hirschfeld for, what was, a piss poor back pass - things you already knew. Besides, who doesn't like a random YouTube reference?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment