THE SOUTH STAND REPORT - Toronto v Orlando... or What do you mean goaltending is illegal?!?

As a season ticket holder of Toronto FC, I have been afforded many privileges: Embarrassing officiating, failure at understanding why de Guzman was a big deal, and being told to get used to it, to name a few. Last night, another perk fell into my lap, tickets to see a professional basketball contest.

I was assured that this basketball was the best Toronto has to offer, and if I know anything about "the sports", the local sides have a history of lastminutedisappointus which isn't contagious.

On to the match:

1' - GOAL - Toronto hits a long range effort that evades all defenders and finds its way into the net
BASKETROBINS 3, MAGICIANS 0

1' - GOAL - What resilience! Orlando immediately marches up the pitch and pulls a goal of their own right back. Tiki-taka stuff that left the defenders wrong footed.
BASKETROBINS 3, MAGICIANS 2

2' - GOAL - We're in for a classic! When play resumes, Toronto runs right through the defense and after the first attempt hit the woodwork, another Robin was there for the tap in.
BASKETROBINS 5, MAGICIANS 3

5' - GOAL - This is just absurd right now. As I was writing down what happened, more goals were pouring in.
BASKETROBINS 10, MAGICIANS 5

OK, my hand hurts. This is stupid. How does anyone write a proper match report for this bouncy netball?

Half Time : Toronto 55, Orlando 40  Mood: Understanding it.

34’ - GOAL - Amongst other things, this one was remarkable as Lowry sends up a huge high cross right into the penalty area and Ross is there to slam it home. Fantastic stuff.
BASKETROBINS 76, MAGICIANS 59

39’ - OK seriously ref, that one guy has fouled just about everyone in the last few minutes and you’re not even going to book him? At least their gaffer would be wise to sub him off.

Basketrugby is a funny game. No seriously, it's f***ing weird.

Apparently if the Robins score 100 points or more, everyone in attendance gets free pizza. 2:30 remaining. This is good as done.

46' - um... ok, next possession.

47' - two misses. Oh well, there's injury time. Can't seem to find the 4th official’s signage. #PanicBall?

48' - another near attempt. Still at 98 points.

THERE'S NO INJURY TIME?!? WHAT FORM OF BARBARISM IS THIS?!?!?

Full Time: Toronto 98, Orlando 83

Man of the Match: This Lowry kid has the presence of a Laba and creativity of Osorio, but I'm gonna give it to Valanciunas. He blocked a pile of shots, wasn't afraid to get up the pitch and contribute. Second and third efforts were rewarded and stood his ground. Young defenders can learn plenty from this leader.

Goat of the Game  I didn't understand why the manager put the reserves out there at the end denying the faithful a piece of well earned pizza.

Ref Rating: 5 out of 5. No blown calls, no favoring the visitors, no blown tackles.

I Am Not The Gaffer But: how do you manage when you can make so many substitutions? It seems so schizophrenic.

Crowd seemed genuinely interested in the game until the one drunkard tried fifteen times to start a wave. Sadly he succeeded... As a fan of team sports, I was pleasantly surprised how well the Raptors played. It’s not like we have a precedence of how egos ruin a team... It doesn’t get said often enough at the field, but it needs to be said that the ACC staff, as well, are awesome... I saw really nice Raptors scarves worn by some of the fans but didn’t see it in the store... I thought I recognized Neymar’s mom in the crowd tonight but then I realized I don’t know what she looks like... Damn, is it footy season yet?

Player Ratings : Ross 7, Johnson 6.5, Valanciunas 8, Lowry 8, Vasquez 7, Salmons 6, Hayes 6, Novak 6.5, Stone N/A, Hansbrough N/A

@ignirtoq knows the hooperjamball. As a kid, he supported the Utah Jazz and though he checks the standings to see how they’re doing, it’s always with fond memories of Stockton-to-Malone. And fuck Michael Jordan and his damn “fever” story. He should’ve learned to share some NBA championships with other teams just as he did for Pippen, carrying him his whole career.

Rogers and Bell bundle their package

"Your call is important to us... please hold."



At the end of day there was no Arab Sultanate, no oil-rich Russian oligarch or even any American financiers. No, like a giant, wireless Voltron-like creature - Canada's two largest media giants, and bitter rivals, Rogers and Bell joined forces today to purchase 75% of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. The deal which will see the much-maligned Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan receive $1.2 Billion dollars suddenly creates one of North America's largest sports and media conglomerates along the lines of the Time-Warner Network and the YES Network - the New York Yankees based sports broadcast giant.
　
MLSE will still exist in name with Larry Tanenbaum managing to up his hold on the company to 25% while also holding on to his title of club governor to the NHL, NBA and MLS. Rogers and Bell will both own 37.5% of the company respectively while also agreeing behind the scenes on future broadcast sharing plans. While Rogers claims that their existing ownership of the Toronto Blue Jays is not officially part of this deal - in theory, an entity with many tentacles now controls four local sports clubs, three sporting facilities, valuable downtown real estate and a near monopoly over regional sports broadcast rights. It is a monumental deal no matter how you feel about its future prospects.
　
There will be advantages to the new structure once the OTPP officially hands over power next summer. MLSE will stay in Canadian hands, something which will please the patriots in the crowd; there will be revolutionary advances in wireless media options available to fans of the Leafs, Raptors and TFC; the continuing presence of Larry Tanenbaum will keep a fulcrum of power between the two faceless media giants; and, perhaps a silver lining for the sports fans, is the feeling that for the broadcasters to make the most profit out of this deal, their teams will need to be competitive and for the most part - winners.
　
On the other side of the coin of course there are fears. Did one giant anonymous profit-driven group step aside to be replaced by two anonymous profit driven groups? Will bitter rivals Bell and Rogers, as well as the mercurial Tanenbaum, eventually butt heads creating and air of chaos at MLSE? Is the groundwork being laid for a premium cost regional cable network which will house the broadcast rights for all of MLSE's clubs at a heavy cost to fans' wallets? Truly, only time will tell.
　
Being that our only real concern in this deal is the effect on Toronto FC, feelings are mixed. There will be the natural fear to think that TFC will now drop from its place as 3rd most important club down to 4th (with the Jays joining the family) and this may indeed be the case. However, the real aspect to watch will be if the groundwork being laid by TFC as a club, such as the Academy program etc., will be honoured going forward. You would have to hope that much of the structure of TFC as it exists now will be preserved but listening to Rogers' President Nasir Mohammed continually failing to mention TFC at today's press conference, as well as Tanenbaum forgetting the name of the MLS Cup, was worrying. The Leafs and Raptors were trumpeted as the jewels of the deal - let's hope TFC aren't relegated down to a multicultural marketing tool for cell phones and little else.
　
At the end of the day, things may not end up looking that different. Will the ownership still be a faceless unaccountable boardroom? Yes. Will we pay increasingly higher prices to attend matches as well as watch them at home? Yes. Will this deal really help bring trophies to the city's beleaguered sports fans? Rogers and Bell Customer Service is standing by.... please hold.