THE MATCHUP: X-Treme Skedding!

Crystal Pepsi Toronto Soccer Club - "Los Invisibalos"



TORONTO VS. NEW YORK
　
BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 2PM
TV: TSN
　
THE KICKABOUT:
In a league with as much parity as MLS there aren't too many "easy wins" (Not true say every team not named Toronto!) but boy have TFC faced some stiff early season fixtures. While some (fairly or unfairly) bemoan TFC's ability to snatch draws from the jaws of victory lately, many prognosticators wouldn't have seen them competing as they have. So far, The Reds have faced the current 1st and 2nd place clubs from the West while facing all top five from the East. If this was an energy drink commercial you would have just heard a guitar riff.
　
The star-laden New York Red Bulls are the latest to test TFC's hardened "winning culture" but will also test the recently lauded depth of the club. While managing to rotate some of his squad during Wednesday night's VCup match vs. Montreal, Ryan Nelsen will see just how much his core group can handle a hot 'n heavy schedule. As with most other things TFC right now it may have to fall under "work in progress".
　
MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"The Crashed Icer"
　
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
TORONTO: Joe Bendik, Robert Earnshaw, Luis Silva
NEW YORK: Tim Cahill, Thierry Henry, Jonny Steele
　
THE ODDS:
- Bitchy the Hawk to ice skate down from upper deck through frozen obstacle course: 100-1
- Reggie Lambe to dive to midfield from the stratosphere: 50-1
- Terry Dunfield to get the jimmy-legs after drinking to many Red Bulls at night: 2-1
　
WHO ARE YA?
When the Red Bull Corporation bought New York MetroStars and re-branded them, many thought it would start a wave of corporate-branded clubs in MLS. Toronto FC has had its share of beverage suitors but as their prestige declined annually so has the level of potential re-branding sponsors:
2007: FC CANADA DRY TORONTO
2008: RC COLA FC
2009: CRYSTAL PEPSI TORONTO SOCCER CLUB
2010: PC DIET COLA TFC
2011: FC POP SHOPPE TORONTO
2012: BRIO CALCIO TFC
2013 (pending offer): NEILSON EMPTY BAG OF HOMO MILK FC
　
POST-MATCH HEADLINE: (Just 3 minutes of extreme guitar riffs)