Slightly Early For A “Wall of Honour” Isn’t It?

[bgnewf]

My take on the new "Wall Of Honour" and why it may be a little too early to start one.

http://www.tfcpics.com

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TFC Director of Business Operations, one Mr. Paul Bierne, has always said that from the start of Toronto FC the club has always tried to provide what they call an “authentic” soccer experience at BMO Field. And in many ways they have succeeded.

They have resisted going for the “Soccer Mom” crowd that other MLS franchises have marketed themselves. There are no cheerleaders or pizza giveaways. And finally this year we have a grass pitch in our soccer specific stadium. Toronto FC has been according to Don Garber the template that new clubs coming into the league should strive to emulate.
The game day experience for fans is a real one.

Last Thursday at the Home Opener Toronto FC unveiled its “Wall Of Honour” with the first member honoured being recently retired former TFC Captain Jim Brennan. Jimmy was our first player and our first captain and leads the club in minutes played. He is deserving of recognition from the club for his contributions. But a “Wall Of Honour”? Does it not feel a little early to be starting one?

This did not feel “authentic” to me.

I am not going to debate the merits of honouring or not honouring Jimmy Brennan as an individual. It’s not about that. What I do want to ask is if a club in its fourth season that has only won one thing in that time has enough of a history to warrant a “Wall Of Honour”? Ten years from now perhaps might be a good time to establish this kind of institution but at year four it feels forced. I see the merit of honouring Jimmy in the years ahead but at this point it feels like it was not much of an honour at all.

I understand the club wanting to perhaps establish tradition and culture, but it has to come from the fans and not the front office in order to be real. Or at the very least it has to take place after there is enough history to honour! Let me give you an example of what an honour from the fans actually looks like.

http://innervoiceoflove.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/thankyoudanny2.jpg

This banner was painted by fans, paid for by fans out of their own pockets, and unveiled at the last game of last season as a way to thank a great player for his contribution. We will be singing for Danny on the 24th minute in the Supporters Sections at BMO Field forever.

The singing is authentic tradition. It is real and is based on spontaneous action. It comes from the hearts of the fans. So did the banner.

This “Wall Of Honour” came from a Focus Group or the Marketing Department. One is certainly much more authentic than the other.

What do you think? Comments are always welcome.

[billyfly]

Next thing you're gonna say is that its too early for a Wrought Iron Supporters gate.

[billyfly]

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt93/billyfly21/IMG00062.jpg?t=1271858180

[Parkdale]

In Colorado, at their stadium, I noticed there were 4 names up on their 'wall of honour'.
They were formed in 1996, which means a 14 year history. I think in 14 years you can
have a few names up there. I'm just using them as a comparison, because it's the same league.


while I am all for Jimmy being at the top of the pile for the nominees list (or tied with Danny)
I just think it was a bit too soon. It doesn't have to be 10 years later (like in Newf's blog)
but it should be at least more than a week or two after announcing his retirement.

In short, I have no problem with the wall, or with Jim being on the wall first.
Just don't rush things like this. Let them build. By year 5 we'll all remember Jim
with a fresh coat of painted nostalgia for the good old days. that's when you announce it.

[Oldtimer]

It's to early to be in MLS. TFC should be competing in USL-2. :D

[__wowza]

i think putting jimmy up on the wall was trying the sugar coating the bitter pill that they were giving us to swallow. we lost our first player, our first captain and a class act. a huge part of me thinks that we'd be arguing that they didn't do enough to honour him if he wasn't up on that wall.

not to mention the fact that we only had what? a weeks notice of his retirement?

[nascarguy]

they should have put danny dichio on there

[Parkdale]

they should have put danny dichio on there


and you don't think they will?

[NORMAN KRATES]

I think Dichio should have been the first one up there. Jimmy B wasn't exactly a shining star. Meh.

[rocker]

i think it was a bit too early. i mean, he retires suddenly after just playing the week before and then a week later he's on a wall.

but it's not retiring numbers, so maybe the time standard is less?

i don't have a problem with the concept, but maybe wait a season or two... Jimmy B played in this 2010 season -- it wouldn't be a shame to wait until maybe the start of the 2011 season to do it.

[maninb]

WAY WAY too early...Like they said on the Footy Show, TFC is "MANUFACTURING HISTORY"....basically they're saying that if you were the 1st TFC Captain that you should AUTOMATICALLY go up on the wall...BS!!! Brennan was a decent player but IMO not deserving of such recognition...same goes for Dichio....

[H Bomb]

The problem with a young support base is a lack of perspective. No one on our team deserves a place of honour. We need to seperate loving players from ideas like this because at this pace itll be full in three years with no winning teams. I strongly hope danny doesnt go up there because it would look just as idle as having jimmy up there and theyd both look out of place next to our future champions.

[Suds]

Too soon in general for TFC to be recognizing it's young history. We haven't even had our 5 year anniversary as a team yet. After 5 years in the league I could see TFC starting to recognize contributions of players/staff

Jimmy deserves it and it's nice to see TFC do this. But I agree it felt like it was too soon.

[ensco]

Slightly late for this thread, no?

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=21751

[JDG]

I think Dichio should have been the first one up there. Jimmy B wasn't exactly a shining star. Meh.

Jimmy faded in year 3 to be sure, but there was a reason why he was chosen as Player of the Year after the first season.
Jimmy was the team's anchor. Jimmy was the ironman who wouldn't quit even though he was injured. He was the Captain for 3 seasons.
If Jimmy had of been traded after season 2 there would have been much outrage from the fans.

[DichioTFC]

FFS why are we still discussing this??? Theres a home game on Saturday and pre-sale tickets of the Montreal game on Wednesday are available. Is this Wall of Honour STILL news?

Jimmy. First captain. First signing. Canadian. Part of the promotion of the club. His ability (or lack thereof as some would argue) is irrelevant. He's a selling point for TFC. His name holds value for their brand so they have further entrenched that value. Essentially, thats IT.

FFS people!

[trane]

A-FUCKING-MEN BGNEWF, the team has received one minor "honour" qualifying for the CL, by default, and did shit all with it. Lets do something as a club deserving honour. And if you have a wall of honour this early, give it the player that has accutaly brought our few moments of honour of the pitch; Danny Dichio.

[bgnewf]

Great debate folks. Thank you.

[mmmikey]

brennan, dichio were all wonderful contributors during the first couple of years.. player's the fans could really get behind. a rare thing for our squad frankly.. but i gotta agree with ppl who don't find their contributions so amazingly timeless to be inaugurated so quickly into a wall of honor after 3 seasons. this was too soon..

imo i don't think brennan is good enough to be the kind of "timeless" icon of the club with a real legacy.. dichio always seemed more of a talisman, is noted every game, has that niche in history. brennan always seemed like the guy u had to have who worked hard and gave it everything, but didn't necessarily swing the game in one direction or the other. an important cog though for sure.

this is how i judge it: 15 years from now are there many specific stories u could tell about jimmy b? some general statements.. quality guy, worked hard, first canadian, first captain.. dichio on the other hand... u can remember those moments. a goal scorer is lucky that way, but that's the way of sport.

[s2cazz]

I have to say that we have done little to earn any honors at all. We are mediocre at best (thats being generous) and all we are doing s celebrating the best of the worst.

Danny will always be legend because he scored the first goal. I'm not saying he didn't deserve the thanks we gave him and he doesn't deserve the tradition of his song (which I hope lives forever in club history) but in all honesty I think that honoring him on the wall at BMO is ok but pushing it a little. And if that is the case Jimmy B doesn't deserve it at all.

I am thankful for their contributions to this team and wish them both the best. They both have a special place in my heart but I don't think we should be celebrating mediocrity. Lets reserve a wall of honor for someone that helps us achieve something or in the case of Dero someone who carries the team.

[trane]

^ Agreed. Again I am not against Brennan, but Dichio gave us most of our few joys over the first two seasons in particullar.


I do not disagree with s2cazz. As i said we simply have done very little as a club.

[TFCRegina]

We should have a wall of shame...

I can think of a few faces to go on there.

[Batman]

I agree that it ws too early.

Frankly, it felt like it was a bit of a negotiated "package deal" with Jim. Retire, new job, and put on wall. It may not have been, but due to it's proximity to his retirement and move upstairs it sure felt like it.

[FOGES]

Yes, too early for something like this.

this would be somewhat like the raptors raising a 'Stoudamire' banner at the ACC, no?

DD is the man, i can see him up there. but certainly DeRo one day possibly

[sidvan]

Is this the "taking a bullet for the FO Wall of Honour"?

[SilverSamurai]

Too early, but maybe in time...
Who knows, what role Brennan and Dichio will play though still. They could still serve TFC in great ways off the field. I don't think it should be limited to on the field play though.

[TFC Via Buffalo]

Is this the "taking a bullet for the FO Wall of Honour"?

Pretty much. It's actually more of an insult to do it in this fasion since most of us can look through it and see it as a semi-empty gesture.

[ilikemusic]

FFS why are we still discussing this??? Theres a home game on Saturday and pre-sale tickets of the Montreal game on Wednesday are available. Is this Wall of Honour STILL news?

Jimmy. First captain. First signing. Canadian. Part of the promotion of the club. His ability (or lack thereof as some would argue) is irrelevant. He's a selling point for TFC. His name holds value for their brand so they have further entrenched that value. Essentially, thats IT.

FFS people!

Well youve got one thing right there.

Ability does seem to be completely irellevant as far as TFC management is concerned.

This club is about one thing and one thing only. Brand promotion.

[Brooker]

lol another day... another depressing thread. keep it up, boys. :D

[NORMAN KRATES]

lol another day... another depressing thread. keep it up, boys. :D

These boards have the eb and flow of the TFC's on feild preformance.

[Brooker]

These boards have the eb and flow of the TFC's on feild preformance.

heh i realize tfc is shitty but it doesn't mean we gotta constantly shit on anything and everything that happens.

i've seen Exeter City fans with less to complain about. :P

[Suds]

heh i realize tfc is shitty but it doesn't mean we gotta constantly shit on anything and everything that happens.

i've seen Exeter City fans with less to complain about. :P



Wow. I've read the thread and don't get any sense people are "shitting" on anything. I think that is an overstatement. Sure, nobody is praising it but they are hardly shitting on it.

I think this has been one of the few threads with reasonable responses we've had on here in days. IMO (now, back to a thread on MO so I can take the piss out of something :D )

[Whoop]

I think TFC set a new record with the wall of honour for Jimmy.

Name me one other team that has honoured a member of the team, a week after they retired with a spot on a "wall of honour".

I've seen after a full season after retirement, but one week?

[Whoop]

I think Brooker works for MLSE. LOL

[Whoop]

The problem with a young support base is a lack of perspective. No one on our team deserves a place of honour. We need to seperate loving players from ideas like this because at this pace itll be full in three years with no winning teams. I strongly hope danny doesnt go up there because it would look just as idle as having jimmy up there and theyd both look out of place next to our future champions.

Agree with this.


FFS why are we still discussing this??? Theres a home game on Saturday and pre-sale tickets of the Montreal game on Wednesday are available. Is this Wall of Honour STILL news?

Jimmy. First captain. First signing. Canadian. Part of the promotion of the club. His ability (or lack thereof as some would argue) is irrelevant. He's a selling point for TFC. His name holds value for their brand so they have further entrenched that value. Essentially, thats IT.

FFS people!

Do not agree with this.

If rumours of Dichio going up next are true, in the next 5 years, there will be 20 names up there.

- DeRo - all time leading scorer, and for THAT game in Montreal
- Frei - the best keeper TFC has had
- Nana - the best defender TFC has had

etc. etc.

With Brennan (and Dichio)... I'm sorry you're setting the bar too low.

At the moment... the only guy close to deserving honours by the time he retires would be DeRo.

Fan favourites does not equal wall of honour.

[TFC OZZ]

I'd say 99% of the time that this is too early, but in the case of Jim Brennan, I'll make an exception. First guy ever signed by the club, and club captain that was nicknamed "the ironman" at times for his play through injury. I certainly won't complain about this.