Toronto will certainly protect their stars but who won't be protected? (Getty Images)

The 15h and final club in our expansion draft speculation lists is Toronto FC. Yesterday they announced Preki as their new head coach and his first big task will be helping General Manager Mo Johnston with figuring out who to protect and who to leave exposed in the expansion draft.

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While we are no big fan of the playoff structure in MLS, it seems to be a necessary evil in a North American league for now. The 2009 MLS Playoffs have actually been quite good though with 3 out of the 4 teams who remain being deserving. Sometimes however, there are off the field occurrences which can be just as interesting. Click to continue reading...

One of the more quiet acquisitions that MLSE made this summer was a controlling stake in the football specialty channel GolTV. The purchase may be the first step towards making a TFC TV channel but of course that means MLSE will need to create a full line-up of programming. As with any network, not all of the shows can be big hits - such as. Click to continue reading...

------------------ "Sing when you're winning" - RSL = 40pts
After having to swallow a 5-0 debacle in New York, one thing was clear - any team other than Toronto FC had to make the playoffs tonight. There was that brief moment where it was still possible that the Reds, that unbalanced, built-on-the cheap by Mo Johnston squad could still make the playoffs despite the club's horrifying display and completely mediocre season. Click to continue reading...

Today was a little lesson in redemption. I guess it is possible to bounce back. TFC looked a tougher team today, Cummins seemed a smarter coach and I might not have been alone in feeling that I was a more confident fan.
It was cold down by the lake this afternoon. Cold in temperature and cold creeping into the heart as so many elements of this week's game seemed to mirror chilly aspects of last week's game. Click to continue reading...

After the all too predictable failure of Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon, the supporter's, and media's, axe was immediately and forcefully swung at interim manager Chris Cummins' head. It is hard to argue that anger, what with the technical shortcomings of TFC in the San Jose match and in many previous matches this season, but how much of the blame can lay solely at Cummins' feet? Click to continue reading...

Sorry for the lengthy absence - I am back. And seething with anger. This isn't exactly going to be a warm-fuzzy post about how I love TFC. It's a little negative, so brace yourself for it.
If football matches were only 75 minutes long, we'd be 3 points off of first in the league, and we'd have a playoff spot locked up. Click to continue reading...

Toronto FC broke out the pink jerseys to support breast cancer research this weekend against San Jose Earthquakes. This one ended in a 1-1 draw, and was mainly a good outing for TFC except for their usual nemesis the last 15 minutes. To be fair, this time it was only the last 2 minutes that were the problem (San Jose scored the equalizer in the 92nd minute).

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Last night's game in Chicago was yet another episode in frustration for Toronto FC. TFC need every point they can get to cling to their slim chance of making the playoffs, and unfortunately they gave up two of them last night.

The frustrating part is that Chicago was definitely beatable, but Toronto still managed to squander the lead twice in the game and may now be too far out of the playoff race to catch up.

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McBride nets game-tying goal, but potential winner evades Carr
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - The Chicago Fire are likely bound for the postseason, but the degree of their mishaps do not exactly paint the picture of a playoff team.
The Fire did fight back for a 2-all draw Saturday night when they earned 1 point against Toronto FC at Toyota Park. Click to continue reading...

That's about it then right? Enough now with the endless quest for the playoffs? Toronto had to leave Illinois with three points tonight but could only grab one from a match that saw TFC start with a frenetic energy and end with most players about to collapse. The 2-2 result was probably fair for both teams who both showed a lot more in the way of mistakes rather than skill. Click to continue reading...

Most parents will tell you that if you coddle a child for too long then they will end up spoiled. Now it's unsure how long "childhood" lasts for your average MLS club but three years seems to be at least "young adult". Why then, is Toronto FC being treated so gingerly by most observers - both on the inside and the outside of the club? Click to continue reading...

AP Photo

And those words are: Getting it done.

One week after giving up the most goals in team history, the Los Angeles Galaxy put together perhaps their most complete game of the season (though the Fire game at Toyota Park is in the running), shutting out a talented Toronto FC side to become only the fourth team in MLS history to record a shut-out immediately after giving up six goals.

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If BMO ever decides to pull their sponsorship from Toronto FC, we'd like to make a suggestion - Nyquil. The nighttime syrup has nothing on a TFC road match for helping you get your Z's. The Reds went to Los Angeles on Saturday night knowing that all of their close rivals for the post season had dropped points earlier in the day. Click to continue reading...

Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena hasn't exactly rung the changes despite last weekend's record-setting 6-3 home loss to Dallas.

Sean Franklin has recovered from injury and replaces A.J. DeLaGarza (knee bruise) at right back in his first start since May, Chris Birchall makes his second MLS start in midfield, while Landon Donovan moves up front to partner Edson Buddle, perhaps the lone bright spot for the Galaxy last week when he came on as a sub.

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TORONTO FC VS. COLORADO RAPIDS
BMO Field - Saturday, 4:30PM EST
TV: CBC -- Radio: The Fan 590
Hey Colorado - do you like the circus? Well, let's hope so because without putting up the BMO Winter Bubble, the big top is definitely in full effect. The only thing not happening around TFC this week is talk of how poor they have played lately! Click to continue reading...

Toronto FC fan favourite Danny Dichio has called time on his playing career. The man is Toronto FC's first real "legend". Possibly my favourite memory so far at BMO Field happened at 23:13 in our match against the Chicago Fire on May 12, 2007.
He's an English journeyman, having spent time at QPR, Sunderland, Millwall, and Preston Northend. Click to continue reading...

This realization has taken a few weeks longer this season, but it's still just as painful. After watching TFC shit the bed this past weekend in Colorado, my faith in our ability to bounce back and hit a good run of form is effectively dead. I'm not too urked by a 1-0 loss away to the Rapids - they've been a good team this year. Click to continue reading...

Stillkicking is lost in the North Woods this weekend, so I'll be filling in for the time being.
What is there really to say about this game? Personally I had a new experience during this one, I managed to sleep through most of the second half, something I have never done before. At least during a TFC game. Click to continue reading...

Colorado Rapids striker Omar Cummings puts a bicycle kick on goal in the second half of the team's 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday. (photos by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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Colorado striker Conor Casey wasn't supposed to be at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.

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They have been told that there are only a few games left right? I mean, TFC didn't think this was another run out against a Saskatchewan amateur club did they? Another away match, same away form for The Reds as they never looked like they were interested in giving Colorado a match which they lost 1-0. Click to continue reading...

Impotence is no laughing matter for a man. It's even less funny when 11 men have it. Toronto FC's anemic finishing was in full effect today as the Reds were held to a 0-0 draw at Seattle's Qwest Field. The rotating cast of characters up front saw Dwayne De Rosario partnered by Chad Barrett (!!!) with the same results as usual - nothin' much. Click to continue reading...

It was hard to fight the temptation at 12:30AM EST not to just find a previous TFC road match recap and just copy and paste that one. What exactly happens to this team when they go on the road? Are they bad flyers and get whacked out on Gravol on the way? Do they spend the day on open-top tour buses seeing the sights only to get too much sun? Click to continue reading...

It's make or break time. Well, maybe not - one good weekend of results can make quite the difference in this league. Nonetheless, with a majority of our home season done, we have to take some points on the road, and taking three from Chivas USA tonight would be a fantastic way to start a three-match road trip. Click to continue reading...

Well, the MLS International transfer window has passed on the Lake Ontario breeze once again with only a Fellinga to show for it. While its never a good policy to buy someone just because they are foreign (see Welsh, Tebily, Robert, Ruiz etc.), Toronto is a multicultural place and the fans do like to see that global flair. Click to continue reading...

TORONTO FC VS. D.C. UNITED
BMO Field - Saturday 4:00 PM EST
TV: Rogers Sportsnet -- Radio: The Fan 590
How do two teams react after being punched repeatedly in the face by Spanish billionaires? It will be interesting to see which club gained the most out of being Real Madrid's b*tches last week. Click to continue reading...

Jeff Cunningham leads Dallas into Columbus this weekend. (Getty Images)

A fun weekend ahead for MLS clubs. The playoff races are heating up like a wild fire and at this point the majority of the league is still in the running for a playoff spot. While this week may not ultimately determine who goes into the playoffs and who is hitting the links early this fall it will indeed help us all know how is getting closer to clinching said playoff spots.

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Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey was voted Major League Soccer's player of the week for week 21 of the 2009 season.

Casey scored three first-half goals on Saturday in the Rapids' 4-0 victory against Chivas USA. It was Casey's second hat trick of the season, and this marks the third time this season Casey has received the MLS weekly honor.

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The Chicago Fire signed Brian McBride, acquiring his rights from Toronto FC in exchange for forward Chad Barrett, the Fire's 2009 first round draft choice and conditional future considerations. (ASN, July 30, 2008).

A year later, the trade appears to be working out for both teams. McBride scored five goals in the 10 games he started for his hometown club in 2008 and added six in 16 starts this season.

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If I said not much had changed in the Major League Soccer table in the last seven days, I'd be doing Week 20 a terrible disservice. The action was thrilling, surprising and eventful, shaking things up even if the shock didn't quite register in the standings.
The week got underway in nauseatingly corporate fashion on Wednesday at Rio Tinto, where the MLS All-Star game 2009 saw Premier League side Everton go up against the league's hottest talents. Click to continue reading...

STARTERS
El Guzano leads Aston Villa to a preseason tournament championship over Juventus. See Americans in Europe for details.
dN
LA v Barca drew an astonishing 93,137 fans to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
MLS
Of the 6 games played this weekend, three of them were pure Wild West shootout, while three were old fashioned nail biters. Click to continue reading...

Gee...thanks Chad.
Chad Barrett the person might be a cool guy. Chad Barrett the player though? I hate him. Today he was outmuscled and outplayed time and time again by a rookie and his reaction to getting beaten was by fouling the player. He's arguably the league's worst finisher, and I'm starting to think his soccer IQ is worse than my grandmother's. Click to continue reading...

First you toss justice out the window. Toronto had a strong game. Ahead at halftime, they had weathered a rocky start and were showing more attack than one expects from them in New England. Then the TFC momentum was derailed when the ref threw out Chad Barrett on his second yellow early in the second half. Click to continue reading...

So that was Toronto's soccer team playing in Toronto's soccer stadium last night.
I have just returned from a great holiday and I am finding it hard to fall back into old routines. Perhaps this is a part of a great holiday, you return home and find yourself in a strange state. You start to see many of the old familiar things in a new light. Click to continue reading...

Figure it out.
On the way to yesterday's first leg of Toronto FC's CONCACAF Champions League qualifier against the Puerto Rico Islanders, I overheard one of the many scumbags* who scalp in and around BMO Field told a potential seller, "I'll buy your tickets if the price is free. No way I'd pay a cent for these tickets. Click to continue reading...