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Saturday, September 15, 2012

THE SOUTH STAND REPORT : Toronto v Philadelphia... or That game where we got to sit


I don't even know where to begin with this one, mostly due to the fact that it is such a common occurrence that it barely phases me when it does happen.  Typically I write this part down pre-match, but I did not today.

Con : The Gardiner was closed.
Pro : At least the weather was nice.

23' - YELLOW - Hassli booked for... ok crap I can't remember and to be honest, I wish I had brought the notepad with me.

Half-time Mood : Optimstic if a wee bit underwhelmed.  Silva had a pile of opportunities, ranging from just wide to deGoo levels of over the bar.  Philadelphia was largely without teeth though they did break through a few times.

58' - GOAL - A bit of rebounds about the box and Hassli lets a low skidding shot past a few defenders and a diving keeper, tucked nicely into the corner. Class goal.
ROBINS 1, ONION 0

75' - This is the part of the match where Toronto decides that they've done enough and kindly allow Philly the opportunity to get back into the match.  Usually we let the refs do that for us, but just in case they forgot to, we'll kindly uphold our end of the bargain.  Let the onslaught commence!

80' - SUB - Hassli takes quite the knock and once the little scuffle surrounding it died down, he makes way for Amarikwa.

81' - I ask what kind of a DP we can get for the last few games of the season.  Just in case...

84' - YELLOW - After Toronto had one of theirs bowled over in a rough tackle and no foul, Jeremy Hall returns the favour to test the waters and goes into the books for his troubles.

85' - GOAL - This is the part of the match where our opponents are back into the match.  Sheanon Williams gets a hold of one that bounces past everyone.
ROBINS 1, ONION 1

Full Time : Toronto 1, Philadelphia 1

Man of the Match : There was some hustle out there today but I'm going to cop out and give it to Hassli for the calm finishing.

Goat of the Game : I didn't get to see if anyone can be hung out to dry on the equalizing goal as it happened in the opposite end.  But if it was one person, their name would go right here.  Otherwise, the last 15 minutes of TFC play is the goat, which would implicate everyone.

Ref Rating : 3 out of 5.  Yeah, yeah, I know.  Some of his calls were inconsistent.  But he was rocking the hell out of the spray can marking up the pitch with it and I like that stuff.  As far as officiating crews, we've seen far worse this month than these guys...

Our part-time neighbour Lattes handed this flyer (see right) to us just outside of the GO Station pre-game.  We here at the Yorkies have been "no gear, no beer" every year without fear you hear (sorry... *ahem*) for quite some time.  We support this campaign 100% if only for the reason that no one should ever spend $12 for a $5 beer... If Mariner only played those who are showing heart and a desire to play for this club, the 'who' question isn't as important as 'why'... Kurt Larson at The Sun reported earlier today regarding a ticket pricing scheme that rewards loyalty.  I'm sure we'll all have our butts thoroughly kissed over a 5%-7% drop.  Yes, marketing gurus, this is an open challenge to shock me and not screw up my community (see bottom for rant)... Did anyone else feel bad for the players as they came out on the pitch this afternoon? I don't know why this came over me.  It's like you know you're not going to graduate this year and it's only February so you just go through the motions and scrape together your pride and try not to drop out altogether... Happy to see Sons of Ben make it out today.  Both of them looked happy...

Observation : That's two games in a row with a dead south end atmosphere.  For all the 'everybody get the f*ck up's and 'ole ole ole's being barked at, the "Toronto Til I Die" people seem to be, well, dead.

Support is not a phrase, or a song, or a t-shirt, or a scarf, or a road trip.  It's what you do.  Everyone expresses it differently, but as long as we can all agree that it is 'supporting', no one is right or wrong, as long as you do it in your way.

The amusement stems from the people barking at us in June to participate are visibly and vocally absent in September.  No idea at how many games it has been in a row, but it's been many.  Perhaps maybe they're ill, or there's been a tragedy, or something very important keeps them from the ground.  It happens to all of us from time to time.

But you can't help the convenience of this one.

We support the team by paying our tickets and showing up.  We support by standing in the south end.  We support by singing when we feel like it, such as when they do something good.  When the game is good, we hang on every pass and live and die on every shot.  We're here for the football first.  Not TFC, but for a high-ish level of football.  We genuinely like football.

We suspect that there are many who come 'for the party', and we suspect that there are some who believe that they are an integral part in the game with a specific role as 'voice #55'.  We suspect there are many who love football like we do, and the last few games have had those who love the game in attendance for as many games that logic and reason permits.  We are the 'football til I die' crowd.

If those people who have been absent for the last few games are part of the 'Toronto til I die' group, then I cannot miss them.  I hope the 'football til I die' types step up and replace them.  I think there will be a healthier culture in the south end.

Player Ratings : Kocic 6, Hall 6, Eckersley 6, O'Dea 6.5, Emory 5.5, Lambe 5.5, Maund 5.5, Dunfield 6, Johnson 6; Silva 6, Hassli 6.5 [Amarikwa N/A]

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