TODAY'S News, Friday , July,24

[denime]

Mornin'


Angry TFC fans boycott Columbus
Post-match mayhem in March leads Crew Stadium to crack down on banners and drums
Daniel Girard
For Toronto FC supporters, away games against the Columbus Crew are perfect for a road trip.
Geographically, Columbus is the closest Major League Soccer opponent. Also, tickets are usually plentiful at Crew Stadium and the teams are in the same Eastern Conference and play an annual cup competition, which heightens the rivalry.

Read More (http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/671085)



TFC to crash Crew's den
Rabid Columbus crowd hasn't seen home side lose since June 7 of last season
By STEVEN SANDOR
Three years ago, had you asked any Toronto sports fan what he or she thought of the city of Columbus, Ohio, the answer would have been a shrug. Maybe a mention of how nice it is to see Rick Nash scoring goals for the Blue Jackets or Ohio State football.
Now, for a large section of Toronto sports fans, Columbus is the black(Shit) ;) hole.

Read More (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2009/07/24/10243031-sun.html)


Toronto FC- Columbus
Crew could capture MLS record against Toronto FC
By Asif Hossain / TorontoFC.ca
The reigning MLS league and cup champions Columbus will have a chance to break a record set by San Jose between 2004 and 2005. By getting a draw or win against visiting Toronto FC, the Crew will go 19 league matches unbeaten, which would be a new MLS record. The odds are in Columbus' favour as the yellow submarines have never been sunk by the Reds in 8 meetings. The Trillium Cup is also on the line between the rivals as the earlier matchups between the clubs this season finished in a pair of 1-1 draws. It is fair to say that Columbus is in a confident mood, having disposed of Real Salt Lake last week 3-1 despite missing major offensive stars such as league's most valuable player Guillermo Barros Schelotto along with Alejandro Moreno and Robbie Rogers.

Read More (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090723&content_id=6018678&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)


Crew, TFC clash in heavyweight match
Eastern Conference frontrunners battle Saturday for Trillium Cup
MLSnet.com Staff
The Trillium Cup will be decided on Saturday at Crew Stadium when the Columbus Crew and Toronto FC meet in a game that also has huge implications in the Eastern Conference race. The clubs are separated by just a single point in the division, both within touching distance of leaders Chicago Fire. The teams have played to a pair of draws in their meetings this season as the Crew try to hold onto to the cup awarded by supporters' groups of both teams; TFC has never defeated the Crew in club history.

Read More (http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20090723&content_id=6020820&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp)



SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/)

[manic.street.preacher]

mornin D ... those be some colourful headlines. 'rabid columbus crowd' :rolleyes: ok ... time for bed now

[Oblio2]

Mornin' D.
"Angry TFC fans boycott Columbus" followed by "TFC fans to crash Crews den"

Which is it?

[CoachGT]

I think "angry" TFC fans is a little over the top. But I suppose headlines sell papers.

Interesting comment by Robbo - maybe if the fans stay away from this one we'll win! Looking forward to it anyway!

[scooter]

mornin d

boycott made the headlines and columbus still is as arrogant as ever
sounds like a challenge to me

my answer ---- C R E W poor excuse for a fuckin crew

[keem-o-sabi]

due to the scary SSG I have included extra COED Girls (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) today Here are the extras (http://coedmagazine.com/2009/07/17/introducing-the-tandem-boob-press/)

Enjoy, well I hope we get past the Islanders and go face off against the crew. That would be fun and I'd definitely be down to go to that one! There is one actual nice part of C'bus, it's called the German Village.

[Joe Kool]

"But Crew president and general manager Mark McCullers said the issue isn't banners taped to railings, or even the drums, but huge flags unfurled in the stands "which basically gave certain people cover" to light flares and vandalize the stadium, including removing seat rails."

I didn't know we were using the large flags for cover.

"On the drums, McCullers said the thought was "because we did have damage in the stadium that privileges needed to be minimized.""

Reminds me of my kid's Junior Kindergarten class. If they don't behave you take away priviledges. This guy McCullers sounds like a real winner. Was he the guy in the suit in the Crew video spurring us on before the March game?

[Stouffville_RPB]

due to the scary SSG I have included extra COED Girls (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) today Here are the extras (http://coedmagazine.com/2009/07/17/introducing-the-tandem-boob-press/)


THAT'S HOW YOU KICK START A WEEKEND!!! :pbjtime::hurray::drool5:

[flatpicker]

due to the scary SSG I have included extra COED Girls (http://coedmagazine.com/category/girls/daily-snapshot-girls-2/) today Here are the extras (http://coedmagazine.com/2009/07/17/introducing-the-tandem-boob-press/)



"Boob-press"? UMMmmmmmm.... YEAH!!!!

[jabbronies]

"On the drums, McCullers said the thought was "because we did have damage in the stadium that privileges needed to be minimized.""

Reminds me of my kid's Junior Kindergarten class. If they don't behave you take away priviledges. This guy McCullers sounds like a real winner. Was he the guy in the suit in the Crew video spurring us on before the March game?

What do you expect? This guys whole marketing plan is aimed at soccer moms and thier infants, it's only fitting that the only way he knows how to deal with people is in a pre-school fashion :D

[CoachGT]

"But Crew president and general manager Mark McCullers said the issue isn't banners taped to railings, or even the drums, but huge flags unfurled in the stands "which basically gave certain people cover" to light flares and vandalize the stadium, including removing seat rails."

I didn't know we were using the large flags for cover.

"On the drums, McCullers said the thought was "because we did have damage in the stadium that privileges needed to be minimized.""


I thought the issue was the distasteful banners that were hung up? Most people there probably didn't know about a huge flag being put over our heads and then flares being lit (which really is kinda dangerous) - I didn't, other than knowing that we've used large flags/banners in the past and continue to do so.

I wonder if that's why they no longer pass around the jersey and the big flag at our home games?

As for the damage that occurred, I was under the impression that most was to the aluminium benches with backs, and that similar problems happened in the Crew supporters end that caused that end to have some upgrades/reinforcement done. Damage to another stadium is unacceptable (unless accidental) just as it would be at BMO, but I'm not sure how taking away drums has any impact on that, because now people might bang on the seats more.

[Kevvv]

I'm sure the nature of the banners is a part of it, but wasn't there also a number of smoke bombs set off when the large banner was covering the section (when we scored)?

[T.Reis]

Any word on how many people are actually going down this trip?

[TOBOR !]

When Toronto FC goes to Ohio's capital, the atmosphere is electric. The league's most loyal supporters go to the most intimidating stadium on the American side of the border


I haven't been, but is that an accurate statement ?
Does Columbus house 'the most intimidating MLS stadium in the US' ?

maybe the author meant for Columbus fans when Toronto is in town... I dunno...

[billyfly]

Hopefully the bit of history that repeats itself is only a few of us go down and walk away with the victory (montreal miracle).

[Stouffville_RPB]

Any word on how many people are actually going down this trip?

I heard about 100 ppl. No organized trips by SG's.

[DOMIN8R]

The “center of the toy universe,” if you believe a nearby sign, is located on the main floor of the enormous Toys R Us store in Times Square. But for the month of July, thanks to a new promotion, it’s been inhabited not by toys but shelves and shelves of Major League Soccer gear.

Representatives from the league were at the store Thursday to take in the bustling scene and promote the display overlooking a multicolored canyon of toys. Also on hand was Juan Pablo Angel, the Red Bulls striker, who spent a half hour shopping for toys with his wife and two young sons.

More here: http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/mls-merchandise-rankings-dont-reflect-performance/

[rocker]

The “center of the toy universe,” if you believe a nearby sign, is located on the main floor of the enormous Toys R Us store in Times Square. But for the month of July, thanks to a new promotion, it’s been inhabited not by toys but shelves and shelves of Major League Soccer gear.

Representatives from the league were at the store Thursday to take in the bustling scene and promote the display overlooking a multicolored canyon of toys. Also on hand was Juan Pablo Angel, the Red Bulls striker, who spent a half hour shopping for toys with his wife and two young sons.

More here: http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/mls-merchandise-rankings-dont-reflect-performance/

from that article: :)

The top teams in the league, in terms of merchandise sales, are, in order: the Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles Galaxy, Toronto F.C. , D.C. United, Chicago Fire , the Red Bulls, and Houston Dynamo. The top three teams, Crystal said, are well ahead of the others, selling close to double the merchandise of other clubs. Seattle and Toronto have notoriously enthusiastic fan bases

[DOMIN8R]

Crew: Postgame incident ramps up rivalry (http://dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/07/24/crew_7-24.ART_ART_07-24-09_C1_AAEILIA.html?sid=101)

Major League Soccer has been around only 14 seasons, not enough time for the Crew to develop storied rivalries on the level of Ohio State-Michigan or Yankees-Red Sox. But for most anyone associated with the club, there is agreement on which dates get circled on the schedule.


• General manager Mark McCullers: "Chicago is at the top of the list. Look at the Eastern Conference final last year. That was intense. They have always brought fans here, and that helps. We bring fans there now. D.C. United is 2A because of the history of competition. Toronto is right there at 2B."

More here: http://dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/07/24/crew_7-24.ART_ART_07-24-09

CORRECTION LINK BROKEN

http://dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/07/24/crew_7-24.ART_ART_07-24-09_C1_AAEILIA.html?sid=101

[111_DrummerBoy]

As for the damage that occurred, I was under the impression that most was to the aluminium benches with backs, and that similar problems happened in the Crew supporters end that caused that end to have some upgrades/reinforcement done. Damage to another stadium is unacceptable (unless accidental) just as it would be at BMO, but I'm not sure how taking away drums has any impact on that, because now people might bang on the seats more.


There was a rail that broke off in the end we were in. It actually broke because someone initially tripped and fell into it. Not an act of vandalism at all. Security was notified, some old woman came, looked at it, wiggled it a bit, then left. Over the course of the game it eventually broke completely off. The down side is someone thought it would be a good idea to toss it over the side. The point though is someone fell, their stadium broke and security didn't give two shits about it. It's just easier to blame us.

[Cashcleaner]

Reading all the crap about Columbus and what their FO is like towards away supporters makes me glad we're officially boycotting the trip this year. Like, as a group. I mean, sure there's a few people going and they can do whatever they want ('cause we're not all fucking robots, right?), but I'm glad we put the foot down this time and most of us are staying back in TO for the game. It's just not worth having the Crew hassle us for doing the same thing we do every home game here in town.

Fuck the Crew. Can't wait to get three points off them.

[greatwhitenorf]

Yeah, that Mark McCullers is Einstein In Cleats, ain't he?

You only get so many home games in a given season and he's found a way to minimize his take from a game where he should be raking it in. And it's not as if Clodumbus has leveraged their championship season into a year full of packed stands. Far, far, farrrrrrr from it.

11,929.

That's the PATHETIC! average attendance the clueless Crew have achieved(cough-hack!) as a result of winning the MLS title. Twice they've had crowds below 9,000.

Whoa, Dude, indeed. Imagine if they'd missed the playoffs?

This franchise isn't worth spending emotion or money on. Soccer just doesn't matter in this town. If it did, Einstein In Cleats would be looking for all kinds of ways to FACILITATE the growth of this rivalry, including smart ticket distribution, even discounting for away group sales, as well as proper crowd management, pre- and post-game.

He'd be saying and doing the right things and finding ways to encourage Toronto fans to come to his park, putting out the diplomatic tones about how they've improved overall game-day management, including proper attitudes from the local constabulary.

They don't need to love us. Just find a way to have a loud, rowdy, but ultimately good-natured game go off. It's just not in his skill set.

All he's got to gain is our money. For this game and games to come. As it stands, who in their right mind wants to make an effort to go to this totally bush-league operation and waste their money and energy when it clearly JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

And never will, in all likelihood. We'll properly hate them when they move to Ottawa. Howay, The Melnyk!

[DichioTFC]

Reading all the crap about Columbus and what their FO is like towards away supporters makes me glad we're officially boycotting the trip this year. Like, as a group. I mean sure there's a few people going and they can do whatever they want ('cause we're not all fucking robots, right?), but I'm glad we put the foot down this time and most of us are staying back in TO for the game. It's just not worth having the Crew hassle us for doing the same thing we do every home game here in town.

Fuck the Crew. Can't wait to get three points off them.

^10000% agree

its upsetting that the crew has no fucking sense, but could the TFC FO communicate our concerns as a liasion to the Crew FO? its disappointing that our closest rival can be this stupid

[Kevvv]

11,929.

That's the PATHETIC! average attendance the clueless Crew have achieved(cough-hack!) as a result of winning the MLS title. Twice they've had crowds below 9,000.


Columbus population - 760K, 1.8M in the metro area. With triple the population, TFC should draw 36,000 on average, right?



Just sayin.

[MartinUtd]

Columbus population - 760K, 1.8M in the metro area. With triple the population, TFC should draw 36,000 on average, right?



Just sayin.


You're shitting us, right?

[CoachGT]

There was a rail that broke off in the end we were in. It actually broke because someone initially tripped and fell into it. Not an act of vandalism at all. Security was notified, some old woman came, looked at it, wiggled it a bit, then left. Over the course of the game it eventually broke completely off. The down side is someone thought it would be a good idea to toss it over the side. The point though is someone fell, their stadium broke and security didn't give two shits about it. It's just easier to blame us.

Never heard this before, but I'm not surprised. Accidents happen - they should be grateful that the fan that tripped didn't sue. If they (stadium staff) were notified and didn't do anything about it, then that speaks of a diffedrent problem.

[olegunnar]

Y

This franchise isn't worth spending emotion or money on.

The franchise is only there until Lamar Hunt's body gets cold.

I've mentioned it before. Dallas, KC and KKKrew were his babies. He paid for them and made sure Dallas and KKKrew had soccer specific stadiums. Only problem is that as the typical American soccer fan, he thought saturday afternoon picnics and little kids leagues were the way to go.

Now you see us, philly, seattle etc slowly winning the game back from those that stole it.

I can't imagine the team will stay there very long after theyv'e respected Lamar Hunt's legacy for long enough.

[Beach_Red]

The franchise is only there until Lamar Hunt's body gets cold.

I've mentioned it before. Dallas, KC and KKKrew were his babies. He paid for them and made sure Dallas and KKKrew had soccer specific stadiums. Only problem is that as the typical American soccer fan, he thought saturday afternoon picnics and little kids leagues were the way to go.

Now you see us, philly, seattle etc slowly winning the game back from those that stole it.

I can't imagine the team will stay there very long after theyv'e respected Lamar Hunt's legacy for long enough.

Well, to be fair, he paid for it and gave it to them.

But you're right, it is geat to see people winning it back. New York will get it back and LA seems to be doing it.

[rocker]

Columbus population - 760K, 1.8M in the metro area. With triple the population, TFC should draw 36,000 on average, right?
.

that's a great argument for expansion of BMO Field right there... to prove the calculation correct. Right now we'll never know! ;)

[Yohan]

my god. I want to shred my balls into pieces after seeing that SSG