Full Version: Toronto FC 2007
Toronto FC's first-ever game was a bit of a let down, as they lost 2-0 to Chivas USA. Although there were some scoring chances early, by the time I started watching (around the 30 min. mark), the game was pretty dull. Toronto FC looked tired late in the game and the passing was not crisp throughout. Still, they have 2 more road games before their home debut vs. KC Wizards on Saturday April 28th.
Canmark, Are you one of the 14,000 season ticket holders? It's amazing.
My friend and I are going to a Dynamo away game each year and wanted to go to Toronto but we didn't expect the early May 16th date. It is a bit too soon for both of us but better planning next season. This season we'll probably go to Colorado.
Anyway, I can't believe they made the first 3 Toronto games away. On one hand it's just cruel but on the other it's a fantastic build-up to the home opener. I'm sure you'll be there. And I'll definitely be watching. I just gotta find a HDNet bar open that early. No Problem!
My friend and I are going to a Dynamo away game each year and wanted to go to Toronto but we didn't expect the early May 16th date. It is a bit too soon for both of us but better planning next season. This season we'll probably go to Colorado.
Anyway, I can't believe they made the first 3 Toronto games away. On one hand it's just cruel but on the other it's a fantastic build-up to the home opener. I'm sure you'll be there. And I'll definitely be watching. I just gotta find a HDNet bar open that early. No Problem!
No, I'm not a big soccer fan, but I wanted to get tickets to a single game--but when I checked the other day they hadn't even put single tickets up for sale. The website says season's tickets are sold out, but they are selling half-season tickets. Who knows if there will be any single tickets when they host their home opener in a couple of weeks?
The media were invited to sample the foods that will be available at concessions at BMO Field. Brad Long, the executive chef at the Air Canada Centre, developed the items with a nod to international street foods. Items to include: "...Portuguese cornbread sandwiches, chip butties (french fry sandwhich), Scotch eggs, beef patties, chicken rotis and aranci (the traditional cheese-stuffed Italian rice ball)... corned beef on rye sandwich, roast beef on a bun and a kosher hot dog... corn on the cob, watermelon... strawberry shortcake served inside a waffle cone and topped with whipped cream"
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Broadcast partners announced
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Broadcast partners announced
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Toronto FC announced Wednesday that Rogers Sportsnet (RSN), CBC and The Score will be the team's broadcast partners for all of Major League Soccer's (MLS) 30 regular season matches to be televised during the 2007 MLS season. Toronto FC broadcasts will consist of national and regional broadcasts.
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CBC will also broadcast one of the most anticipated Toronto FC games of the upcoming season on Sunday, August 5 when the team hosts soccer superstar David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy at BMO Field at Exhibition Place.
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CBC will also broadcast one of the most anticipated Toronto FC games of the upcoming season on Sunday, August 5 when the team hosts soccer superstar David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy at BMO Field at Exhibition Place.
Houston Dynamo acquires midfielder Richard Mulrooney from Toronto FC
HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Dynamo have acquired midfielder Richard Mulrooney from Toronto FC, in exchange for defender Kevin Goldthwaite and its first-round SuperDraft pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, it was announced today. Mulrooney will be available to play for the Dynamo on Saturday, April 21 against Red Bull New York. "We know Mulrooney very well from his days with us in San Jose," said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. "He is a very talented player who will give us great depth at midfield. He will also provide a tough, physical presence in that area as well. We would like to wish Kevin a good season up in Toronto."
HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Dynamo have acquired midfielder Richard Mulrooney from Toronto FC, in exchange for defender Kevin Goldthwaite and its first-round SuperDraft pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, it was announced today. Mulrooney will be available to play for the Dynamo on Saturday, April 21 against Red Bull New York. "We know Mulrooney very well from his days with us in San Jose," said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. "He is a very talented player who will give us great depth at midfield. He will also provide a tough, physical presence in that area as well. We would like to wish Kevin a good season up in Toronto."
Toronto FC played their first home game under cold, grey skies. I watched the game on TV and must say they looked a lot better than at their first game of the season a few weeks ago. Although losing 1-0 to the KC Wizards, they had some legitimate scoring chances, but a defensive lapse allowed Eddie Johnson to get behind the defence (not the first time in the game) and score at point blank range.
Their next 3 games are at home (to Chicago, Houston and Washington D.C.). Surely somebody can score the franchise's first goal during that series.
Their next 3 games are at home (to Chicago, Houston and Washington D.C.). Surely somebody can score the franchise's first goal during that series.
Hey Mark:
I caught the game on CBC too and TFC did play much better than any of their previous 3 games - but will they EVER score a goal. What a fantastic boisterous and colourful crowd. The sell-out of 20,000+ were singing and cheering all game - and when they really got going when FC had a couple of corner kicks in injury time - trying to tie it - even the British announcer CBC have hired to do the FC games was going on and on about the crowd being so 'loud -- you can't hear yourself think.' Later on he remarked 'if teams were awarded goals for noise then FC would have had many goals already'. And players interviewed after the game all remarked on how amazing the crowd was, with many saying it was an authentic soccer atmosphere very much like you would get at English soccer games. And some of the camera angles - from TV cameras that were obviously up in the stands - were shaking so much from the crowd jumping up in down - I wonder how wild it would have been - if they had ever actually scored.
Best cheer or song of the day - was when late in the game the crowd in full throat were singing to the tune of John Lennon's 'Give Peace a Chance' - tweaking the words slightly as they were loudly singing...'All we are saying...is give us a goal.'
A friend has season tickets - so I will be going to at least two games with him later this year - and based on what I saw today it is clearly going to be a lot of fun. Also - although not that big the BMO Field looked very good on TV. I especially like the fact that the city skyline is in the background with the CN tower pretty much lining up with the centre field strip - as you can see in the picture you included with your post.
I caught the game on CBC too and TFC did play much better than any of their previous 3 games - but will they EVER score a goal. What a fantastic boisterous and colourful crowd. The sell-out of 20,000+ were singing and cheering all game - and when they really got going when FC had a couple of corner kicks in injury time - trying to tie it - even the British announcer CBC have hired to do the FC games was going on and on about the crowd being so 'loud -- you can't hear yourself think.' Later on he remarked 'if teams were awarded goals for noise then FC would have had many goals already'. And players interviewed after the game all remarked on how amazing the crowd was, with many saying it was an authentic soccer atmosphere very much like you would get at English soccer games. And some of the camera angles - from TV cameras that were obviously up in the stands - were shaking so much from the crowd jumping up in down - I wonder how wild it would have been - if they had ever actually scored.
Best cheer or song of the day - was when late in the game the crowd in full throat were singing to the tune of John Lennon's 'Give Peace a Chance' - tweaking the words slightly as they were loudly singing...'All we are saying...is give us a goal.'
A friend has season tickets - so I will be going to at least two games with him later this year - and based on what I saw today it is clearly going to be a lot of fun. Also - although not that big the BMO Field looked very good on TV. I especially like the fact that the city skyline is in the background with the CN tower pretty much lining up with the centre field strip - as you can see in the picture you included with your post.
T-O-R O-N-T OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO T-F-C
Que Sera, Sera... Whatever will be, will be... We are Toronto FC... Que Sera, Sera
Que Sera, Sera... Whatever will be, will be... We are Toronto FC... Que Sera, Sera
Goals by Dichio, Goldthwaite and Edu result in a 3-1 victory over Chicago, the first of (hopefully) many wins in Toronto FC's innaugural season.
What a game, what a win, what an atmosphere in Toronto! The fans were electric and it really did have a European feel to it. There's no denying that soccer is alive and well in Canada!
What an atmosphere is an understatement. The reaction to the first goal was so loud and so long - it was BY FAR the wildest reaction by any Toronto crowd since Joe Carter's walk-off home run to clinch the 1993 World Series. Players were marvelling after the game about the atmosphere saying it even surpassed the crowds at many English league stadiums - and some with MLS experience on the team were saying it was unlike anything else they have ever seen in the MLS.
It was so revved up that I think even the officials get caught up in the atmosphere and got a bit to wound up themselves. The red cards given out after a brief altercation late in the first half were an overreaction. And as the British announcer the CBC has doing the games mentioned - he thought that the referee maybe has never officiated a game in such an atmosphere and was just to excited like everybody else.
And you can bet they will never do a seat cushion giveaway again. Every exciting moment in the game was greeted with literally hundreds of the cushions being thrown on the field as frisbees. It was wild. And that huge Toronto FC flage that got passes around the stadium neaqr the end - awesome! Toronto's coach said:
"I hope it's like this every week," Johnston said. "It's like a cup final. Teams in America won't like coming here."
http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/213366
A friend on my softball team works at the stadium and came over to our game at around 12:30 - our gay softball league plays a block away from BMO (pronounced B-Mo) Field. He said already at that point - more than 3 hours before game time there were already hundreds hovering outside the stadium like a US football game tailgate party. He's worked for other teams in Toronto and everybody is amazed at the reaction this team is getting.
Also nice to see that it was a sell-out crowd of over 20,000 not only for the Toronto FC game but for the Canada Under 20 exhibition against Argentina the night before. That game the crowd was 50-50 between all the local Argentinians who showed up and filled half the stadium. All in all 2 wild days at BMO Field!
It was so revved up that I think even the officials get caught up in the atmosphere and got a bit to wound up themselves. The red cards given out after a brief altercation late in the first half were an overreaction. And as the British announcer the CBC has doing the games mentioned - he thought that the referee maybe has never officiated a game in such an atmosphere and was just to excited like everybody else.
And you can bet they will never do a seat cushion giveaway again. Every exciting moment in the game was greeted with literally hundreds of the cushions being thrown on the field as frisbees. It was wild. And that huge Toronto FC flage that got passes around the stadium neaqr the end - awesome! Toronto's coach said:
"I hope it's like this every week," Johnston said. "It's like a cup final. Teams in America won't like coming here."
http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/213366
A friend on my softball team works at the stadium and came over to our game at around 12:30 - our gay softball league plays a block away from BMO (pronounced B-Mo) Field. He said already at that point - more than 3 hours before game time there were already hundreds hovering outside the stadium like a US football game tailgate party. He's worked for other teams in Toronto and everybody is amazed at the reaction this team is getting.
Also nice to see that it was a sell-out crowd of over 20,000 not only for the Toronto FC game but for the Canada Under 20 exhibition against Argentina the night before. That game the crowd was 50-50 between all the local Argentinians who showed up and filled half the stadium. All in all 2 wild days at BMO Field!
After 4 scoreless losses, Toronto FC is now on a 2-game winning streak following tonight's 1-0 victory over Houston on a cold, wet night.
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That ain't no way to treat a lady... According to this Toronto Star article umbrellas are banned at the flimsy and roof-free BMO field, leaving fans to stand out in the cold (8C) and the rain. Sheesh.
And according to the Globe and Mail: Falling debris forces emergency repairs at BMO Field. Not a good week for BMO, as a 300-pound piece of marble fell 51 stories from First Canadian Place (BMO tower), shutting down part of King. St. for the past 2 days as the entire building (at 72 stories, the tallest office building in Canada) is inspected.
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That ain't no way to treat a lady... According to this Toronto Star article umbrellas are banned at the flimsy and roof-free BMO field, leaving fans to stand out in the cold (8C) and the rain. Sheesh.
And according to the Globe and Mail: Falling debris forces emergency repairs at BMO Field. Not a good week for BMO, as a 300-pound piece of marble fell 51 stories from First Canadian Place (BMO tower), shutting down part of King. St. for the past 2 days as the entire building (at 72 stories, the tallest office building in Canada) is inspected.
Although they didn't play all that poorly in the field, Toronto FC were shutout last night 3-0 vs. New England Revolution. Backup goalie Srdjan Djekanovic did not look sharp. One hopes Greg Sutton will be back soon from concussion. Toronto FC now 4-7-1, last in the East.
Toronto FC will host the 2008 MLS All Star game at BMO field it was announced today. The MLS all-stars will take on a marquee international team TBA.
One more game in Columbus on this extended 6 game road trip - because of the Under 20 World Cup having taken over BMO Field for the last few weeks. Not bad so far with 1 win, 1 loss and 3 draws on the road.
Back home for 4 in a row after that - with the obvious highlight - the August 5th MLS debut of David Beckham - when the LA Galaxy come to town.
One more game in Columbus on this extended 6 game road trip - because of the Under 20 World Cup having taken over BMO Field for the last few weeks. Not bad so far with 1 win, 1 loss and 3 draws on the road.
Back home for 4 in a row after that - with the obvious highlight - the August 5th MLS debut of David Beckham - when the LA Galaxy come to town.
Will he or won't he? David Beckham is scheduled to make his MLS debut for the LA Galaxy on Sunday night in Toronto vs. TFC... IF his ankle holds up.
Toronto Star:
Toronto Star:
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Around 10:30 last night, a bus carrying several Galaxy players arrived at the chic Ultra Supper Club on Queen Street West. As the players darted out the door and into the back entrance, security guards lifted up dumpster lids and obscured photographers' view of the players.
Earlier, in front of the King Edward Hotel where Beckham and his teammates were slated to stay, lone fan Corey Hicks, 33, stood for hours waiting for his idol to arrive.
``I'm shocked there's not more people here. I was expecting a circus,'' said Hicks, a fan from Beckham's Manchester United days. ``But I'm a huge, huge fan, I'll stay to get a picture – who knows, maybe even an autograph.''
Hicks was joined in his lonely vigil several hours later by Toronto special education teacher Mark Howard, who wore a Real Madrid jersey he hoped Beckham might sign.
Earlier, in front of the King Edward Hotel where Beckham and his teammates were slated to stay, lone fan Corey Hicks, 33, stood for hours waiting for his idol to arrive.
``I'm shocked there's not more people here. I was expecting a circus,'' said Hicks, a fan from Beckham's Manchester United days. ``But I'm a huge, huge fan, I'll stay to get a picture – who knows, maybe even an autograph.''
Hicks was joined in his lonely vigil several hours later by Toronto special education teacher Mark Howard, who wore a Real Madrid jersey he hoped Beckham might sign.
Becks looked good in a suit sitting on the bench as the Galaxy played TFC to a 0-0 tie before a raucous Toronto crowd. I wasn't able to watch the game, but from the highlights it looked like TFC outplayed LA (outshooting them 14-2, 5-1 on goal; 11-2 on corner kicks). This game was the debut for their newly signed goalkeeper Kyriakos "Kenny" Stamatopoulos.
I was outside BMO Field yesterday and took this picture through the fence:
I was outside BMO Field yesterday and took this picture through the fence:
OK - Now this is ridiculous. No goals in 552 minutes of play - just 5 minutes short of the all time MLS record for futility! Toronto FC better score this Saturday night against DC - when I am there in attendance with 20,000+ other crazies.
The last time I was at BMO field and had a real rooting interest I sat through Canada going goalless against Chile in the World Cup. The last game i was at Chile and Argentina - I didn't care who won.
I want to at least once feel that stadium shake rattle and roll (literally!) with the insanity that overwhelms the absolutely crazy fans that have packed BMO field for every single Toronto FC game.
That's not asking too much - is it?
Maybe something like the celebrations when they scored their first goal ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQvz01OKrsA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhXLf2zkhGA
The last time I was at BMO field and had a real rooting interest I sat through Canada going goalless against Chile in the World Cup. The last game i was at Chile and Argentina - I didn't care who won.
I want to at least once feel that stadium shake rattle and roll (literally!) with the insanity that overwhelms the absolutely crazy fans that have packed BMO field for every single Toronto FC game.
That's not asking too much - is it?
Maybe something like the celebrations when they scored their first goal ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQvz01OKrsA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhXLf2zkhGA
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