denime
03-25-2009, 05:40 AM
Mornin'
Cronin playing it cool
Midfielder trying not to overdo it too early
Daniel Girard
As he stepped onto the field in Kansas City for his professional debut last weekend, Sam Cronin had one thing going through his head.
"I just wanted to keep things simple and not mess up to be honest with you," the Toronto FC midfielder said with a laugh yesterday.
Mission accomplished.
Read More (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/607732)
Raising the roof
Gerry Dobson
Here's a sure sign of spring's arrival with a soccer point of view. The bubble is down at BMO Field!
Work began Monday night on the procedure which takes several days which leaves TFC without access to their home pitch to train on for a few days. In this case it means all week, since their Tuesday session was the last one before the team departs Thursday for Columbus and their match with the Crew on Saturday.
Read More (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/blogs/2009/03/24/dobson_spring/)
TFC loses two to international play for weekend tilt
By LANCE HORNBY (lance.hornby@sunmedia.ca), SUN MEDIA
Two bubbles burst for Toronto FC this week, one at BMO Field with the protective winter roof deflated, the other in John Carver's lineup with two key deletions for Saturday's game in Columbus.
The team's chances of duplicating last Saturday's emotional season-opening road win in Kansas City took a hit with two-goal hero Amado Guevara and the savvy Carl Robinson leaving for respective World Cup games with Honduras and Wales. The loss of the midfielders is the kind of major inconvenience that contributed to TFC's troubles in gaining early-season traction in its first two MLS seasons.
Read More (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2009/03/25/8873561-sun.html)
MLS: Toronto set stage for Seattle
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Soccer supporters in Seattle may give the fervent Toronto FC fans a run for their money this season in the MLS when it comes to home atmosphere, says league commissioner Don Garber.
"I believe they will," Garber said when the question was posed during a conference call Tuesday. "But listen, Toronto has set the stage. Their fans are incredibly passionate. Toronto FC fans have proven to the MLS family that you can create a dynamic, exciting environment in your stadium for a home game and it's what soccer ought to be.
Read More (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2009/03/24/MLS-Commissioner-0/)
MLS commish lavishes praise on Toronto FC
by Sean Fitz-Geral,NP
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he was moved to tears when more than 32,000 fans paid (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2008891845_sounders20.html) their way into watch the Seattle Sounders FC make its debut last week, but suggested that success actually has roots on the other side of the continent.
"Toronto has set the stage," he said in a conference call Tuesday. "Toronto FC fans have proven to the MLS family that you can create a dynamic, exciting environment in your stadium for a home game. It's what soccer ought to be. We didn't necessarily have that in many of our stadiums, and Toronto is writing the book."
Seattle romped to a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls last Thursday, drawing 32,523 fans to Qwest Field, which is also home to the National Football League's Seahawks. The Sounders FC, co-owned by comedian Drew Carey (http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/carey-waits-for-the-other-boot-to-drop-in-seattle/), had also sold 90 corporate suites.
Toronto capped its season ticket sales at 16,000 again this season at BMO Field, leaving 14,000 on a waiting list. The franchise has become a model for expansion teams to follow, having developed a loyal army of fans that has been known to travel in the hundreds to away games.
"I've heard stories from people in Columbus that their supporter's group, which continues to grow, was really berthed out of the fact Toronto fans came into their stadium and really almost dominated them during the opening game last year," Garber said. "We're very proud of the stage that they've set."
Toronto, which won its season opener in Kansas City last weekend, will re-visit Columbus on Saturday.
'We can improve' says new Canadian women's soccer coach
Newly appointed women's soccer coach Carolina Morace says she likes what she sees on the Canadian squad, although the team has to play — and learn — more.
Morace (pronounced more-AH-chi) met the media Tuesday in the same room at BMO Field where she was introduced as the successor to Even Pellerud some seven weeks ago. Since then, she has held national team camps in Los Angeles and Rome and guided the team to second place in the Cyprus Cup where the Canadian women went 2-1-1.
Read More (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2009/03/24/sp-canada-morace.html)
SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/) :)
Cronin playing it cool
Midfielder trying not to overdo it too early
Daniel Girard
As he stepped onto the field in Kansas City for his professional debut last weekend, Sam Cronin had one thing going through his head.
"I just wanted to keep things simple and not mess up to be honest with you," the Toronto FC midfielder said with a laugh yesterday.
Mission accomplished.
Read More (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/607732)
Raising the roof
Gerry Dobson
Here's a sure sign of spring's arrival with a soccer point of view. The bubble is down at BMO Field!
Work began Monday night on the procedure which takes several days which leaves TFC without access to their home pitch to train on for a few days. In this case it means all week, since their Tuesday session was the last one before the team departs Thursday for Columbus and their match with the Crew on Saturday.
Read More (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/blogs/2009/03/24/dobson_spring/)
TFC loses two to international play for weekend tilt
By LANCE HORNBY (lance.hornby@sunmedia.ca), SUN MEDIA
Two bubbles burst for Toronto FC this week, one at BMO Field with the protective winter roof deflated, the other in John Carver's lineup with two key deletions for Saturday's game in Columbus.
The team's chances of duplicating last Saturday's emotional season-opening road win in Kansas City took a hit with two-goal hero Amado Guevara and the savvy Carl Robinson leaving for respective World Cup games with Honduras and Wales. The loss of the midfielders is the kind of major inconvenience that contributed to TFC's troubles in gaining early-season traction in its first two MLS seasons.
Read More (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2009/03/25/8873561-sun.html)
MLS: Toronto set stage for Seattle
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Soccer supporters in Seattle may give the fervent Toronto FC fans a run for their money this season in the MLS when it comes to home atmosphere, says league commissioner Don Garber.
"I believe they will," Garber said when the question was posed during a conference call Tuesday. "But listen, Toronto has set the stage. Their fans are incredibly passionate. Toronto FC fans have proven to the MLS family that you can create a dynamic, exciting environment in your stadium for a home game and it's what soccer ought to be.
Read More (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2009/03/24/MLS-Commissioner-0/)
MLS commish lavishes praise on Toronto FC
by Sean Fitz-Geral,NP
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he was moved to tears when more than 32,000 fans paid (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2008891845_sounders20.html) their way into watch the Seattle Sounders FC make its debut last week, but suggested that success actually has roots on the other side of the continent.
"Toronto has set the stage," he said in a conference call Tuesday. "Toronto FC fans have proven to the MLS family that you can create a dynamic, exciting environment in your stadium for a home game. It's what soccer ought to be. We didn't necessarily have that in many of our stadiums, and Toronto is writing the book."
Seattle romped to a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls last Thursday, drawing 32,523 fans to Qwest Field, which is also home to the National Football League's Seahawks. The Sounders FC, co-owned by comedian Drew Carey (http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/carey-waits-for-the-other-boot-to-drop-in-seattle/), had also sold 90 corporate suites.
Toronto capped its season ticket sales at 16,000 again this season at BMO Field, leaving 14,000 on a waiting list. The franchise has become a model for expansion teams to follow, having developed a loyal army of fans that has been known to travel in the hundreds to away games.
"I've heard stories from people in Columbus that their supporter's group, which continues to grow, was really berthed out of the fact Toronto fans came into their stadium and really almost dominated them during the opening game last year," Garber said. "We're very proud of the stage that they've set."
Toronto, which won its season opener in Kansas City last weekend, will re-visit Columbus on Saturday.
'We can improve' says new Canadian women's soccer coach
Newly appointed women's soccer coach Carolina Morace says she likes what she sees on the Canadian squad, although the team has to play — and learn — more.
Morace (pronounced more-AH-chi) met the media Tuesday in the same room at BMO Field where she was introduced as the successor to Even Pellerud some seven weeks ago. Since then, she has held national team camps in Los Angeles and Rome and guided the team to second place in the Cyprus Cup where the Canadian women went 2-1-1.
Read More (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2009/03/24/sp-canada-morace.html)
SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/) :)