Today’s News, Wednesday , Apr.15

[denime]

Panic won't solve Reds' woes
TFC has to find a way to become as good as the sum of its parts
By BILL LANKHOF (bill.lankhof@sunmedia.ca),

This is Toronto. Just call it Panic City where, from season to season, sports teams and their fans lurch from one train wreck, to impending disaster, to calamity.
The latest disappointment to happen has been the soccer team. After two expansion seasons of being unreservedly adored -- win or mostly lose -- voices of discontent are growing louder.
One game into their Major League Soccer season, after a road win, the cock-eyed optimists had Toronto FC ticketed as the best thing to happen to soccer since the invention of short pants.

Read More (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/bill_lankhof/2009/04/15/9115301-sun.html)


TFC striker works to end slump
Daniel Girard

Chad Barrett feels the heat.
The Toronto FC striker, who led the team with nine goals last year, has yet to find the back of the net through four games this season.
"This is not one of my good stretches," Barrett, a 23-year-old in his fifth Major League Soccer season, said yesterday. "It's going to take a goal to get out of it.
"I've got to keep playing as hard as I've been playing and I'll get my chances," he said.
Getting the chances was not the problem in Toronto's 1-1 draw with Dallas last Saturday. Finishing was.

Read More (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/618507)


Staying positive
Gerry Dobson

It's another cold and blustery start to Toronto FC's week of training at BMO Field in the lead up to Sunday's return engagement in Dallas.

At least the advantage of a Sunday game means the Reds are able to enjoy three straight days of solid work before a day off on Thursday; that is if you can call two hours in gale force winds under slate grey skies enjoyable. Toques and gloves were the order of the day.

Read More (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/blogs/2009/04/14/tfc_carver_training/)


Academy players head to Mexico
Cyprus, Samain, Lao, McNicoll and Maheu selected

Five members of TFC Academy have been selected to represent Canada at the 2009 CONCACAF Under 17 Championships in Tijuana, Mexico. Goalkeeper Garrett Cyprus, defender Feras Samain, midfielders Jonathan Lao and Brennan McNicoll and forward Justin Maheu are all heading to the tournament.

Read More (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090414&content_id=239776&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)


SUNSHINE :noidea::drinking::drinking::drinking::yum:
(http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/)

[Carter]

Mornin D,

I'll break her heart now, she will NEVER EVER EVER BE a Playboy Playmate

[keem-o-sabi]

she may never be a playmate, but the co-ed girl (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) probably could :)

[Stouffville_RPB]

Mornin D,

I'll break her heart now, she will NEVER EVER EVER BE a Playboy Playmate


she may never be a playmate, but the co-ed girl (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) probably could :)


True and TRUE! :D

[scooter]

mornin all

[Oldtimer]

A new book is coming up on MLS's "Beckham Experiment:"


NEW YORK (AP) (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/arts-culture/mass-media/news-media/associated-press-AUTOORNPR000041.topic) — A new book will offer an up-close-and-personal take on David Beckham (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/entertainment/david-beckham-PECLB005297.topic)'s American adventure.

Grant Wahl's "The Beckham Experiment," due out in July from Crown Publishing Group, draws upon interviews with Beckham, and teammates and officials at the L.A. Galaxy. The British soccer superstar signed a five-year contract reportedly worth $250 million in 2007.

Wahl is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated. According to a statement from Crown, his book will look at Beckham's relationship with his Galaxy teammates, his marriage to Victoria Beckham (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/entertainment/victoria-beckham-PECLB000409.topic) and his friendship with Tom Cruise (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/entertainment/tom-cruise-PECLB001209.topic).


http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-ap-books-beckham,0,3663270.story

[sully]

A new book is coming up on MLS's "Beckham Experiment:"



what's the story with him anyway...is he going to honour his contract with LA or not?

[Technorgasm]

I hated barreta SO much when he played for chicago.

Because he is a physical forward with a powerful shot
A good left foot for emergencies and seemingly great chemistry
With his midfield

I see al of that again now that he is with TFC

Fuck the barretta haters!!!
Watch the replay of fcshitcan again
He will soon be burying those chances.
He just needs to open his account this year

Fuck off haters
Chad . It's only a matter of time!


Eat it

[Razcle]

"SUNshine Girl Amanda is 23 years old and hopes to become a Playboy Playmate. In her free time, she likes to go to nightclubs and dance. If she isn't feeling as energetic, she enjoys laying on the couch and watching TV"

Wow. That has got to be one of the worst captions I have heard for a sunshine girl. What a waste of space. She is not even close to hot enough to be allowed to lounge around. Someone has got to kick her ass to the curb and get her to start bringing home the bacon.

[keem-o-sabi]

I don't know if any of you are members of Football partnerships, but it's a pretty cool footie networking thing. They have events all over the place http://www.footballpartnerships.com/ I went to one at the NSCAA convention (their first event) and it was interesting schmoozing with guys who run clubs in Europe. Probably should have put this somewhere other than news (sorry i got my newsletter from them today so I thought I'd put it here). Move if you must mods.

[Mojo]

SUNshine Girl Amanda is 23 years old and hopes to become a Playboy Playmate


I think we have a better chance of getting a DP then she does of becoming a playmate.

[Dunc]

I'm also shocked at today's sunshine "girl". I really hope they just forgot the airbrush artist for today and that isn't her touched-up face.

[Krasno.pL.]

u all would still bang er.. LOL

[Parkdale]

it's a slump for Barrett, that's all it is. He will be back in good shape before long.

[denime]

it's a slump for Barrett, that's all it is. He will be back in good shape before long.

Let's hope is just a slump,because we really need some goals.

[rocker]

u all would still bang er.. LOL

of course! i'd bang just about anything... but I'm not Hugh Hefner.. if she wants to get into Playboy it'll be as copy editor or something ;)

[Parkdale]

he was pretty efficient at making the shots count last season.
it's the worst when you see someone who has proven themselves in the past,
but for whatever reason, they just can't make it work now.

Cunny being an perfect example of someone who was good at one point, and then just broke down.

[Cadaren]

I love it when you guys rag on the sunshine girl, I'd bet my left nut that she's better looking then half the people on here are or are dating/married too/fucking.

[JDG]

she may never be a playmate, but the co-ed girl (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) probably could :)

http://www.teaganpresley.com/

[trane]

Lankhoff what insight, how deep, did you just cut and paste from the last article you wrote about the leafs?

[trane]

I hated barreta SO much when he played for chicago.

Because he is a physical forward with a powerful shot
A good left foot for emergencies and seemingly great chemistry
With his midfield

I see al of that again now that he is with TFC

Fuck the barretta haters!!!
Watch the replay of fcshitcan again
He will soon be burying those chances.
He just needs to open his account this year

Fuck off haters
Chad . It's only a matter of time!


Eat it

I hope you are right.


Trane
President of Barretta haters Society
[ not realy-I just have not been impressed so far]

[JDG]

Lankhoff what insight, how deep, did you just cut and paste from the last article you wrote about the leafs?


He might of, but any revisions were the result of giambac's thread. Nothing more.

[trane]

^ Yeah, we (including me) can be to quick, but I just do not want us to be so fucking patient that we lose another season.

[JDG]

I agree, but still think it's too early to let worry take hold.

[jloome]

He might of, but any revisions were the result of giambac's thread. Nothing more.

At least he's offering actual analysis, not the hooligan crap other writers were bandying about. C'mon media haters, save it for when it's deserved, eh?

[Steve]

At least he's offering actual analysis, not the hooligan crap other writers were bandying about. C'mon media haters, save it for when it's deserved, eh?

I agree. I especially enjoyed the "Hire a coach "From Brazil"" comment in the article. So very true. People here (and on every message board) tend to think they know more than... everyone else. "Come on Mo, you could go down to south america, throw a rock, and hit a player better, and cheaper, than any we have!!".

[trane]

^ What is the anlyses, Toronto supportes panic? Do you need a full article for that. I am no media hater, but being told that Rio Ferdinand is not coming here is no real insight.

I would rather read jloome talking about the need of technical consistency, then we shuold not panic, and that rome was not build in a day, we are expansion team kind of stuff.

[JDG]

At least he's offering actual analysis, not the hooligan crap other writers were bandying about. C'mon media haters, save it for when it's deserved, eh?

LOL - you are absolutely correct. I'd just like to see what he could accomplish with some real research that doesn't originate on our forum.

[Steve]

^ What is the anlyses, Toronto supportes panic? Do you need a full article for that. I am no media hater, but being told that Rio Ferdinand is not coming here is no real insight.

Fair enough. Can you please list everything that's appropriate material for an article? Also, it seems to me many people here wish TFC would get more media coverage. What do you propose they cover? "TFC Ties" ok good, one article down... I suppose we can have an article whenever we sign someone, so that's a few articles a season... I'm running out of ideas here.

That article was fine. It shines light on TFC, but not in a bad way. Sure, it says the supporters are overreacting, but so what? It ties TFC in with other major league sports in the city, thereby increasing its exposure.

[trane]

^ He can write any asrticle he wishes, I would just like to see more, analyses on what is happening on the field. Why did we get a tie, what did we do right, what did we do wrong, who played well, who did not. How we can improve. Did we use a good formation. What will be the likely formation for next week. Footy shit. That is what I would like to read. If you are saing we shuold not panic, tell me what is happening on the field that makes you say that we shuold not panic.

[rocker]

I love it when you guys rag on the sunshine girl, I'd bet my left nut that she's better looking then half the people on here are or are dating/married too/fucking.

sorry buddy, my girlfriend has a much better face, and more importantly, has breasts about double the size of the sunshine girl's. I can send you pics if you like ;)

don't drop you standards man... ;)

[jloome]

^ He can write any asrticle he wishes, I would just like to see more, analyses on what is happening on the field. Why did we get a tie, what did we do right, what did we do wrong, who played well, who did not. How we can improve. Did we use a good formation. What will be the likely formation for next week. Footy shit. That is what I would like to read. If you are saing we shuold not panic, tell me what is happening on the field that makes you say that we shuold not panic.

I don't disagree trane, it's logical. But it's tough to boil writing for a mass audience down to the technical side of the game, because most haven't been following it for 30 years. Heck, I see comments here from hardcores on tactics that make me wonder what game they just watched.

Plus, the average reader, newspapers have always believed, has a general interest in everything, not a special interest in one area. So while they compartmentalize news to try to get people to the area of a paper they most like, the actual writing on a particular subject is still geared to the general audience.

It's one of print news' many shortcomings compared to the new models being developed online. Whether they'll come about and realize newspapers are just silos of information, like anything else, is for time to tell, I guess.

The other issue is that long-time sportswriters fall into patterns of coverage, as in "time to haul out the 'you can't keep firing coaches" angle, or the "you can't fix problems midway through the season" angle. They think these are truisms that apply to all sports, when usually they simply haven't been taught to broaden and illuminate the angles within their beat, because they've never been news reporters.

You can go a long way in sports by just sticking to the tried-and-trued, which is why most of it is pretty formulaic.

[Marc"2L"]

sorry buddy, my girlfriend has a much better face, and more importantly, has breasts about double the size of the sunshine girl's. I can send you pics if you like ;)

don't drop you standards man... ;)

Seconded, and even then I'm willing to admit that with her
:drinking: -> :hump:

[Cadaren]

sorry buddy, my girlfriend has a much better face, and more importantly, has breasts about double the size of the sunshine girl's. I can send you pics if you like ;)

don't drop you standards man... ;)

Hence why I said half, you should try reading what I wrote excactly before you spout off about how your girl is so much better.

PS - Pics or it didn't happen :D

[trane]

I don't disagree trane, it's logical. But it's tough to boil writing for a mass audience down to the technical side of the game, because most haven't been following it for 30 years. Heck, I see comments here from hardcores on tactics that make me wonder what game they just watched.

Plus, the average reader, newspapers have always believed, has a general interest in everything, not a special interest in one area. So while they compartmentalize news to try to get people to the area of a paper they most like, the actual writing on a particular subject is still geared to the general audience.

It's one of print news' many shortcomings compared to the new models being developed online. Whether they'll come about and realize newspapers are just silos of information, like anything else, is for time to tell, I guess.

The other issue is that long-time sportswriters fall into patterns of coverage, as in "time to haul out the 'you can't keep firing coaches" angle, or the "you can't fix problems midway through the season" angle. They think these are truisms that apply to all sports, when usually they simply haven't been taught to broaden and illuminate the angles within their beat, because they've never been news reporters.

You can go a long way in sports by just sticking to the tried-and-trued, which is why most of it is pretty formulaic.

Your perspective on the media is always informative. I worry about these issue, sure in sports it may not be all that important but when it comes to issues such as politics, law and economy, I am always worried about this.

[jloome]

Your perspective on the media is always informative. I worry about these issue, sure in sports it may not be all that important but when it comes to issues such as politics, law and economy, I am always worried about this.

Unfortunately, in terms of having mass audience "pickup" on issues simply because they're in media play, that horse left the barn about two decades ago. Since the widespread adoption of the web, people have discovered they're quite content to have content fed to them instead of deciding on the menu.

As as result, they're glutted on informational junk food and absolutely starved of any contextual understanding of what important news even consists of anymore.

A sexual assualt in a city of a million people will get front-section play in a newspaper and 100 people will leave comments after the story, as if this particular case is likely to ever impact them, or as if the article contained broader information on personal safety or the social status of combatting the problem. We'll get calls from anxious parents; and half the people reading will let the broad "shock" nature of it impact their political perspective, because it matches up with the "easy answer" nature of the ideological divide.

The world's a very complex place full of very simple people. They don't do complicated; whether deliberate or just a natural rebalancing, the people on the top of the social pyramid are rearranging the deck chairs with respect to news media to give people what they want (and will support with ad dollars) not what they need.

There's always, as a long-term consequence, some balance to that. Down the line, you'll see a return at some point to the commercially viable possibilities of long-form daily reporting, context, important, good editing, stirling writing etc.

But we're about as far from it right now as a society is likely to get.

All of which means you're not likely to get exceptional MLS coverage anywhere any time soon.

[trane]

The world's a very complex place full of very simple people. They don't do complicated; whether deliberate or just a natural rebalancing, the people on the top of the social pyramid are rearranging the deck chairs with respect to news media to give people what they want (and will support with ad dollars) not what they need.

There's always, as a long-term consequence, some balance to that. Down the line, you'll see a return at some point to the commercially viable possibilities of long-form daily reporting, context, important, good editing, stirling writing etc.

But we're about as far from it right now as a society is likely to get.



I think you are right and hope you are right.

[TFCREDNWHITE]

Serbian Red Star fans set fire to partizan stadium LOL.

http://www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/galerija/r2/g2009/m04/x213200067165098704_6.jpg

[TFCREDNWHITE]

http://www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/galerija/r2/g2009/m04/x213200067165098704_2.jpg

[Whoop]

Unfortunately, in terms of having mass audience "pickup" on issues simply because they're in media play, that horse left the barn about two decades ago. Since the widespread adoption of the web, people have discovered they're quite content to have content fed to them instead of deciding on the menu.

As as result, they're glutted on informational junk food and absolutely starved of any contextual understanding of what important news even consists of anymore.

A sexual assualt in a city of a million people will get front-section play in a newspaper and 100 people will leave comments after the story, as if this particular case is likely to ever impact them, or as if the article contained broader information on personal safety or the social status of combatting the problem. We'll get calls from anxious parents; and half the people reading will let the broad "shock" nature of it impact their political perspective, because it matches up with the "easy answer" nature of the ideological divide.

The world's a very complex place full of very simple people. They don't do complicated; whether deliberate or just a natural rebalancing, the people on the top of the social pyramid are rearranging the deck chairs with respect to news media to give people what they want (and will support with ad dollars) not what they need.

There's always, as a long-term consequence, some balance to that. Down the line, you'll see a return at some point to the commercially viable possibilities of long-form daily reporting, context, important, good editing, stirling writing etc.

But we're about as far from it right now as a society is likely to get.

All of which means you're not likely to get exceptional MLS coverage anywhere any time soon.

Agreed.

trane is looking for something like Gazzetta but that's never going to happen in a daily. Hell, it doesn't even happen for hockey in Toronto. You'll get a recap and maybe a columnist offering his opinion on the game/players/other storyline.

The mentality is "I saw the game, I don't need you to break it down for me. But if I do, I'll go to other mediums."