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Man, did I love buying hockey cards as a kid. I'd take my 35 cents, run over to the corner store,
and open those bad boys up. After stupid things like inflation and market saturation, my beautiful
card collection's value sunk like a stone. I still have them (if interested, inquire within) but
some of the cards are, effectively worthless.
Wow, they are happy Thierry Henry's leaving on loanMere hours from now, Dick Clark will descend on Manhattan's Times Square riding a fully armed
crystal ball where he will fight an army of Mayan warriors bent on destroying the world. Or
something to that effect.
Yes, 2012 is upon us and while many fear that it is the year that marks the end of civilization,
most TFC supporters just hope that it is the year that marks the end of futility.
Happy Boxing Day!Boxing Day... not only the one day of the year that Maxim Usanov
celebrates his hero, Soviet-era pugilist Ivan Drago, but the day where you look at all of your
Christmas gifts and ask your loved ones... "do you still have the receipt?" It's not always quite
as easy as gently hinting that the new Cosby sweater your dear Aunt Nora gave you "isn't quite you"
though.
In my 2011 season preview, I predicted that Toronto would struggle for the first few months under
its newest leadership structure (new general manager and head coach) but toward the end of the year
start to look like a promising ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.
Wednesday's MLS Expansion Draft provides the Montreal Impact a chance to build the foundation
for its MLS roster, and the club will have some decisions to make based on how much it wants to
spend and which direction it wants to go off the bat.
Designated Players Julian de Guzman, Andres Mendoza, Mustapha Jarju, Branko Boskovic, Frank
Rost, Milton Caraglio, Omar Bravo and Jeferson are all free for the taking (although Rost is likely
to return to Germany after a few-month stay with New York), giving the Impact the option to make a
major investment immediately.
Seriously, you'll never guess which one was protected...Less than 24 hours after
Galaxy lifted the MLS Cup, it's back to business at Don Garber's Playhouse. Aside from the Cup
Final, it has been a busy few days for league administrators with a few major announcements: future
MLS Cup Finals to be held at the home of the highest seeded finalist (Good); a tweak to the playoff
structure (Meh); and, the introduction of a conference-heavy unbalanced schedule (Fugly)
Today's paperwork however, was the release of the Expansion Draft Protected Lists with each club
shielding certain players from L'Impact du Montreal avec le Bibliotheque's grubby, petite, Joe
Louis-grabbing fingers.
The New England Revolution were unable to finish the season with smiles on their faces as they
again conceded a late goal to draw Toronto FC 2-2 at BMO Field this afternoon. The Revs leave
behind the worst season in franchise history, setting team records for fewest wins and most goals
conceded.
Nick Soolsma got Toronto started early before the Revs took the lead with goals from Monsef
Zerka and Milton Caraglio.
The New England Revolution are all set to take on Toronto FC in the Great White North this
afternoon for the final game of the 2011 season. Neither team will be making postseason appearances
this year, leaving it a fight for pride future job security. For the Revs, that should be nothing
new, since they've been out of it for weeks now.
Duncan Fletcher of Waking the Red, SB Nation's Toronto blog, and I
chatted ahead of this afternoon's Union-TFC match.
tBG: How about yourself, what do you think the game will be like?
WtR: Though we should be looking to Tuesday's CCL game, a part of that is the fact that
we've had two weeks off, so I'd expect to have the first team out there to shake the rust off and
practice.
Big win on Saturday, eh?
Now, for some perspective.
- Seattle played without their top three scorers. Fredy Montero, Alvaro Fernandez and Mauro
Rosales have combined for 24 goals and 20 assists this season. Seattle may be the league's deepest
team, but that's still a big gap to fill.
It was another beautiful September night at BMO Field Tuesday evening. As a fan, I got much more
than I bargained for. The team showed some spine and some sparkle against a Mexican team that had
ripped them to shreds in the first half of their south of the border (x2) game in the CONCACAF
Champion's League.
Frings: Suspended due to impaling with foot
TORONTO FC (3rd) VS. PUMAS UNAM
(1st)CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP C BMO FIELD - TUESDAY 8PM ETTV: SETANTA CANADA THE KICKABOUT:Many are saying Aron Winter gambled and lost in playing, and tiring, his 1st Team against Chivas
USA on Saturday.
Chivas USA 1 Toronto 0
Juan Pablo Angel scored his sixth goal in five games for Chivas USA in the 12th minute, heading
home an Ante Jazic cross from seven yards after Justin Braun picked up a loose ball in the Toronto
half.
*************************
It took me just 30 minutes to get from my Torrance driveway to my press box seat tonight at Home
Depot Center where a rather subdued atmosphere has greeted two struggling teams.
That's a lot of Colo
THE BUZZ:Or rather lack thereof. On the quietest day in memory at BMO Field (tornado days notwithstanding)
there was a cautious yet apathetic vibe in the air pre-match. Would the TFC that beat Columbus
soundly one week ago show up or would it be their evil-twins who went to Mexico City?
TFC's defensive line in usual form
THE BUZZ:Mexico City's cavernous Estadio Olimpico Universitario is the setting as The Reds try to steal
three valuable Champions League points from PUMAS UNAM. The mood was hopeful leading up to the
match against the underachieving Mexicans but a rash of TFC absences and a suddenly strong Pumas
starting eleven have got us sweating through our UNAM's.
Pumas UNAM: Quite possibly the greatest kit ever
PUMAS UNAM (4th) VS. TORONTO
(2nd)CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP C ESTADIO OLIMPICO UNIVERSITARIO - WEDNESDAY 8PM ETTV: GOLTV THE KICKABOUT:- Can TFC become just the 2nd MLS club in history to score a victory in Mexico City?
Toronto FC finally put it all together against the Columbus Crew.
TFC put an end to its Trillium Cup nightmare by posting a 4-2 victory over the Crew for its
first win in the rivalry series in 13 matches (1-5-7) and a performance worthy of SBI's MLS Team of
the Week honors.
By DAVE GUBALA
Toronto FC defeated the Columbus Crew for the very first time in franchise history in a six-goal
thriller and were able to lift the Trillum Cup on Saturday night at Crew Stadium.
It was a back and forth game from the very start.
Tommy Heinemann reduced Toronto's lead to one in the 67th minute but the Crew were unable to
respond as Julian de Guzman netted a third goal in the 87th minute.
Trillium Cup... now with Trillium Saucer
IN THE TUNNEL:Half empty stadium? Check. Dirtiest looking cheerleaders east of the Mississippi? Check. Children's
playground outside the ground? Check. Simmering racial undertones in the stands? Check. With all
that in order, it's all systems go for the return leg of The Trillium Cup - MLS' weakest
manufactured derby ever.
While the New England Revolution is in the midst of a rare break in the schedule, thanks in part
to hurricane Irene, one player who won't be getting much rest is 22-year-old forward Kenny
Mansally. The speedy attacker was called up by Gambia for a crucial Africa Cup of Nations 2012
Qualifier away to Namibia on September 4th.
Sporting Kansas City's Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury have been called up by their respective
national teams. (Getty Images)
It will be a fairly slow week around these parts, seeing how MLS is pretty much off this weekend
(except for two games). With a FIFA fixture on the calendar this weekend there are a full slew of
MLSers involved in friendlies and even some World Cup qualifiers.
Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By JOSE M. ROMERO
The Chicago Fire are in last place no more in the MLS Eastern Conference, thanks to goals by
someone who is expected to score and someone else who is not.
In other words, it's likely to be a good day at Toyota Park when striker Dominic Oduro is flying
past his defenders and defender Dan Gargan, with one career goal, nets his second.
11 starting Knackwurst and 5 subs! Game on!
CHICAGO (17th) VS. TORONTO
(15th) TOYOTA PARK - SUNDAY 7PM ETTV: GOLTV THE KICKABOUT:- With TFC unbeaten in nearly a month (I know!
Style points not withstanding, Toronto FC made Major League Soccer a perfect 5-for-5 in the
CONCACAF Champions League group stage Thursday night.
Ryan Johnson and Julian de Guzman took advantage of shoddy defending to score goals three
minutes apart midway through the first half, and TFC held on to defeat Tauro FC in Panama City,
2-1, in a Group C matchup.
Just imagine it constantly going up and down
IN THE TUNNEL:Sing with us... "
The Chaaaaaaamp-pions!" While hardly the stuff of Internazionale visiting
Barcelona at the Nou Camp, tonight marks the start of Toronto FC's journey through this region's
premier club tournament.
A victory is a victory and each should be valued. At least that is what I have beentrying to tell
myself on the drive home. They have been rare enough in 2011, aseason where TFC have played 26
games to reach the plateau of 4 victories.Somehow plateau does not seem like the right word.
Perhaps it should be 26games to reach the doorstep of 4 victories.
Kyle Beckerman: "Is it Reds boy day?"
TORONTO FC (16th) VS. REAL SALT LAKE
(5th) BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 7PM ETTV: GOLTV RADIO: FAN 590 THE KICKABOUT:- Can TFC continue its unbeaten streak against an opponent far superior than the last four clubs
they faced?
Dwayne De Rosario scored three times for D.C. United, including an 88th minute penalty conversion
just a minute after falling behind, in their controversial 3-3 draw last night against Toronto FC
at RFK Stadium. United's quest to win back-to-back league ...
By THOMAS FLOYD
WASHINGTON - Before D.C. United's match against Toronto FC on Saturday, many wondered if Dwayne
De Rosario could continue tormenting his former clubs with a strong performance against his
hometown team.
The answer, as it turned out, was a resounding "yes.
Pity the fool that doesn't own this on VHS
D.C. UNITED (12th) VS. TORONTO FC
(17th) RFK STADIUM - SATURDAY 7:30PM ETTV: TSN THE KICKABOUT:- Will TFC's Pan-Continental travel finally take its toll on the squad?
"2-2 and that's okay"
IN THE TUNNEL:A very late night for Reds supporters who have stayed up to watch "the best atmosphere in the
league". You remember that right? Used to be D.C.'s then we came along. Then Seattle came along.
And, then Portland came along. Sigh... at least we have those NutCan flags though right?
Like Magellan apparently...It's the word that's sweeping the nation: "gel". As Toronto FC tries to explain away loss after
loss, the collection of new players added recently has provided excusematicians (it's real - I
looked it up) the new verb du jour. "Injuries", "lack of talent", "a new system", "Harden".
"Mr. Bojangles can partner me at CB boss"To say the last few days have been a time
of great change at BMO Field would be a major understatement. While most people familiar with The
Reds are used to the revolving door with playing staff, the sheer amount of new faces in such a
short period is still quite monumental.
Just when it seemed that Carlos Tevez was on his way out of England, the team after his services
has claimed that a deal is not yet done.
Tevez's current club, Manchester City, claimed to have finally reached a fee agreement with his
former club, Brazilian power Corinthians, according to remarks made by City boss Roberto
Mancini.
Same stadium - new red shirtThe Reds made a curious pair of deals today in that they
both seem to represent the beginning of a path to change rather than a conclusion. The club
officially announced the acquisition of 29-year-old Canadian international midfielder Terry
Dunfield from Vancouver Whitecaps while a deal sending Nana Attakora to San Jose Earthquakes has
been announced by the player, but at time of writing yet to be officially announced by TFC.
Luckily, the team we're going to be facing in this video is not the one with Red in the name,
but rather the one in red jerseys.
Among the things I'm seeing here that I hope Dynamo exploit on Saturday night:
1. Woeful defending. I think the next time TFC play together as a unit will be the first
time.
"The Champagne of Football Clubs"
NEW YORK (6TH) VS. TORONTO
(16TH) RED BULL ARENA - WEDNESDAY 8PM ETTV: TSN THE KICKABOUT:- Can TFC extend the momentum from their Vancouver double into Red Bull Arena?
See those three Maple Leafs Whitecaps? Yeah, those are ours.
IN THE
TUNNEL:No signs of torrential rains or other biblical wraths on the horizon as the two clubs make their
way onto a hot and hazy BMO Field. The Canadian Championship and a spot in CONCACAF Champions
League is on the line as familiar foes, TFC and Whitecaps, conclude what started more than a month
ago.
Caps' supporters are ready for Saturday
TORONTO VS. VANCOUVERNUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPFINAL (REPLAY) - 2ND LEG (AGGREGATE 1-1) BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 12:30PMTV: SPORTSNET ONE THE KICKABOUT:- Will Toronto FC be able to build momentum from Wednesday night's league win over Whitecaps or are
two positive results on the trot too much to ask?
Torsten Frings, the newest DP in MLS and in Toronto. (Getty Images)
On a day when Toronto FC is set to take on their Canadian rivals, the Vancouver Whitecaps. The
club has gone out and made a big splash in the transfer market. The club announced today the
signings of German World Cup midfielder Torsten Frings and former PSV Einhoven striker Danny
Koevermans as the club's newest Designated Players.
