Yorkies Cards 2011 - Pack 5

When plotting these cards out, we opted for a heavy TFC slant (obviously) and because I wanted to use those mock logos here, we went with at least one player from every team in the league. Some favouritism was shown for ex-TFC players because to be honest, I don't know crap about Colorado's players short of Marvell Wynne. Also included was hair guru Brek Shea and the biggest little man on the pitch anywhere, Joao Plata.

Download Pack 5 [PDF]

Big, boring, burgundy beating

------------------------"Stay crappy, Mo Johnston"

The only other noise that could be heard through the continuous din of fog horns and high-pitched children's screams emanating from Dick's this afternoon, was the exasperated sighs of Toronto supporters. There can be little doubt left in any Reds' fans minds that this club isn't moving forward and "gelling" as has been shoved down our throats through MLSE promotions (i.e. GOLTV). In fact it is a very fair assessment to say that this version of TFC is the worst, and definitely least entertaining, since Year One.

Toronto FC under Preki not only have yet to score a goal from regular open-play but most shockingly have yet to find anything that remotely looks like an offensive strategy. The lone TFC goal in today's 3-1 loss to the "Burgundy Army" of Colorado was once again a Dwayne De Rosario converted penalty. Good for De Ro's account - awful for Toronto's prospects. Has anyone in the front office cared to ponder what happens if TFC's "One Man Gang" gets injured? It does happen in football occasionally you know.

Colorado opened the scoring today in a first half which was incredibly shoddy on both sides but hardly saw TFC anywhere near Rapids' goal. The goal was result of a Conor Casey penalty after the usual "high-quality" MLS referee called a handball on Adrian Cann - which was clearly a faceball and nowhere near the Thornhill giant's hands. Despite gaining some momentum after tying the game through De Ro's penalty not long after, TFC came out flat in the second half and their lack of quality showed.

A clumsy tackle by the highly overrated and vastly under-talented Martin Saric led to a free kick which Rapids' Jeff Larentowicz powered through the Toronto wall and passed a bewildered Stefan Frei. The keeper's bewilderment likely came from the fact that TFC's DP, and voted "Least Wanting To Be Here", Julian de Guzman, jumped out of the way of the shot's path creating a gaping whole for the ball to curl into the net. A player of JDG's quality should know better, although that genuine quality has yet to show in Toronto. A further messy tackle by Russian rightback Maksim Usanov gave Rapids their second penalty late in the second half and Conor Casey iced the cake with their 3rd.

The result is one that wasn't entirely unexpected but that in itself is quite sad. The fact that in this club's fourth year fans can't expect TFC to compete on the road against a mediocre club in front of the most tepid support in the league is so unfair to 21,000 BMO Field customers and many more on TV and radio. As a cherry on top - wasn't it just great to see Marvell Wynne looking comfortable and explosive in a centreback role? That Wynne was never even experimented in that position in three years, when TFC had a gaping whole there, is a glaring example of the total lack of football knowledge in charge of this club. But like road losses, I guess that is just another reality we've all had to just accept.

THE MATCHUP: Mo to unveil 5-year plan to battle altitude

------John Denver + 10 Muppets = 11. Mo Johnston has an idea...

COLORADO RAPIDS (8th) VS. TORONTO FC (10th)
　
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - 5:00PM EST
TV: GOLTV -----RADIO: THE FAN 590
　
Toronto FC's spirits may be a bit higher after their 2-1 win over the 10-man Union but their game will need to be elevated if they want a result in the Mile High City - well, the Mile High Suburbs at least. Three matches in eight days is no easy task for any club but TFC desperately needs to show some consistency and also the ability to get some points on the road. "The Dick" isn't exactly a fierce place to visit but if Toronto makes the poor mistakes they did against Philly, they will be punished often.
　
You can forgive Rapids supporters (Hello, you four!) for thinking it's a split squad match as TFC is stacked full of former Maroons. However, can our Re-Rapids return for some Rocky revenge? No less than five Reds have played for Rapids - Dan Gargan "Tuan", Ty "Tryin' Hard" Harden, Adrian "Yes We" Cann, Nick LaBrocca “nd roll all night” and Jacob "Too Plain for Nickname" Peterson. Perhaps these Colorado vets can give some insight into the mind of your average Rapid. If it works, Mo can go out and trade for half of the next opponents every week!
　
Rapids are an improved club this year and boast a wide range of TFC killers. Big man on campus Conor Casey is supported by return Red-killer Mehdi "Jim/John" Ballouchy and their new explosive centreback - American International Marvell Wynne. We hear great things about Wynne who has adapted instantly to a new CB role. Wow, whatever club had him before Colorado must be really kicking themselves! Wish we could have an explosive centreback. (No, Garcia - not implosive... go away.) Either way, it's going to be a hard one for TFC when they have to face Mile High Dick's on little rest.
　
What?
　
JOHN DENVER SAYS: 3-0 Colorado
BOB "GILLIGAN" DENVER SAYS: 1-0 Colorado
NEWSPAPER HEADLINE: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORROR PICTURE SHOW

----------------------------------"DEN-VER!!!"

Wynne out of our sails

In the end, Marvell Wynne's explosive speed ran him right out of town. The jovial American wing-back, who became a quick fan favourite after his 2007 arrival, seems to be the latest victim of the "Mo Johnston Last Minute Club". Wynne has been shipped off to Colorado Rapids in exchange for versatile midfielder Nick "La Rock" LaBrocca and a low draft pick thrown in for fun.
　
Wynne will always be the "should've been" superstar for Toronto. His blinding runs down the flank and ability to backtrack on defence like a bullet were met with awe when he arrived but the inevitable development seemed to stall over the last year. Despite flirtations with the US Men's National Team the swift Californian couldn't raise his game, especially in regards to first touches and crosses. Many TFC observers had grown tired of waiting for Wynne to expand on his obvious raw skills and it seems as if Preki was in that camp too.
　
Nick LaBrocca comes as a relatively unknown commodity in these parts but seems to be highly regarded by Rapids supporters - all 17 of them. He has played the majority of minutes for the Mountain Men and has played at every midfield position and also in a pinch at left-back. He seems like a workhorse and fits in with the other Re-Rapids TFC has picked up - Ty Harden and Jacob Peterson. Of course, a midfielder doesn't exactly fill The Reds' emergency holes in the defence and up front but that's not LaBrocca's fault and depth is of course an issue too.
　
Further movement rumoured today, but not confirmed officially, has TFC moving GK Brian Edwards either by trade or in a release. If this comes to fruition it would be a move to open up cap room, likely to pay for the signatures of trialists Adrian "Yes We" Cann and Martin Saric. Former Chivas USA backup keeper Jon Conway is reportedly in camp so there may be flame to this smoke. The fact that Mo Johnston looked up from his winter solstice and realized that the season starts in two days is just further proof of the phenomenal work this true Hall of Famer does. Now... which button on the keyboard denotes sarcasm?

---------------------Good luck Marv. Enjoy the quiet.