__wowza
05-18-2011, 04:30 PM
- WEEKLY TOP FIVE -
On 2007 on April 7th, Toronto FC played it's first game in Major League Soccer. The home matches were a spectacle the likes of which the MLS had never seen, the fan culture was manic, and the roller-coaster was just beginning. Now, they say that a picture's worth a thousand words, and going into the clubs fifth season, it's a lot of words.. which is unfortunate because I don't feel like writing that much. Enjoy this installment of the WTF.
THE TOP FIVE DEFINING IMAGES OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Part I)
http://i.imm.io/5K4q.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4w.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4F.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4H.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4J.jpeg
5. CHEQUE PLEASE (CLICK HERE (http://totalfootballmadness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Dwayne-De-Rosario.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
He'd done it again, Dwayne DeRosario had netted us another goal. Number 14 dashed over to the side of the pitch as if to treat the fans to a sight they'd come to love; the patented bird strut goal celebration. But he didn't. With his left hand, he mimed a pencil, with his right, a contract, and in one fell swoop turned a goal celebration into a pantomime that almost undid absolutely everything the midfielder accomplished in red. Memories of every dribble, every assist had suddenly been supplanted by thoughts of the Ali Gerba's and Carl Robinson's of the club. Had he been the victim of a bate and switch? Was his contract mishandled by the club? The debate raged on, but sadly, it's this image of the hometown boy, the club's former captain, that will be etched into the memory of supporters for years to come.
4. CHAMPIONES (CLICK HERE (http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/d6/51/54e64b1b42299009287f6d793bb2.jpeg) FOR THE IMAGE)
It was impossible. The Reds had never beaten a team by a 4 goal margin, let alone net more than 5 in a game. Traveling into Montreal on that dreary Thursday in June fans expected the worst, even with the possibility of a win. Montreal took first blood scoring a penalty in the 23rd minute, but then something happened. Toronto had woken up. No one can pinpoint exactly when the tide had shifted, but with each passing moment, the Toronto faithful didn't just hope, they actually believed that their team could take the cup. A goal in the 90th minute had cemented the impossible, and the clubs first piece of hardware had finally come.
3. TOPLESS (CLICK HERE (http://blog.firstbasesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/bmo_field_dec_2009.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
They built the house on Lakeshore for the reds but they'd built it with an oversight. Neither the reds, nor the fans were happy with the field turf, but management had echoed that it was here to stay despite injury concerns. The venue had survived an all-star game, an alcohol suspension, the U20 World Cup and a countless number of steamers, but in late 2009, it was official. Toronto had finally gotten grass. When news first broke the fans took note, and when the ancient internet adage of “pics or it didn’t happen” rang out. Pics soon surfaced. It was happening.
2. MILLER TIME (CLICK HERE (http://media.eyeweekly.topscms.com/images/ed/52/cf23b7044fd5b0d6662439a26999.png) FOR THE IMAGE)
“It was a battle at city council,” he recalls. That was the first line of an EyeWeekly article that had the former Toronto Mayor discussing the war that lead to Toronto being the first Canadian city awarded an MLS franchise. For many, it came as a shock, but it nevertheless introduced Torontonians something that most of us had long known, David Miller was one of us. Many city officials attend sporting events, June Rowlands had been seen in Blue Jays garb during the back-to-back era, much the same as William Dennison freshly clad in a brand new Leafs Jersey in ‘66, but this was different. This wasn’t a photo-op because it wasn't being publicized. It was on twitter. We weren’t winning. In fact, we were losing. Despite the excessive tweets about the clubs performance, and season’s seats, it’s this self-portrait of Miller that would impact Torontonians the same as seeing Rob Ford clad in a Rock jersey.
1. THE 24TH (CLICK HERE (http://www.dichio24.com/images/gallery/photos/picture10.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
The 24th minute will live on as long as the red heart keeps beating, and the supporters remind us every game of why. With all due respect to Danny Dichio... he may have scored our first goal but, goals were to be expected in this franchise. When you ask those who saw the game what had happened shortly afterwards, they'll tell you the story of seeing a single seat cushion on the field, then another, and then another. You can look at any goal in the clubs short history and immediately be able to identify the first goal ever scored. Management had forgotten the first rule of promotional giveaways; never hand out anything that could be easily thrown and Toronto sports fans got their first look at what support for Toronto FC would look like in years to come.
that's this weeks installment of the weekly top five. check back next week for part two, as well as a spiffy new format. if you'd like to contribute, or have any ideas for future articles, shoot me an email at etsd{at}hotmail.com
On 2007 on April 7th, Toronto FC played it's first game in Major League Soccer. The home matches were a spectacle the likes of which the MLS had never seen, the fan culture was manic, and the roller-coaster was just beginning. Now, they say that a picture's worth a thousand words, and going into the clubs fifth season, it's a lot of words.. which is unfortunate because I don't feel like writing that much. Enjoy this installment of the WTF.
THE TOP FIVE DEFINING IMAGES OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Part I)
http://i.imm.io/5K4q.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4w.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4F.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4H.jpeg http://i.imm.io/5K4J.jpeg
5. CHEQUE PLEASE (CLICK HERE (http://totalfootballmadness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Dwayne-De-Rosario.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
He'd done it again, Dwayne DeRosario had netted us another goal. Number 14 dashed over to the side of the pitch as if to treat the fans to a sight they'd come to love; the patented bird strut goal celebration. But he didn't. With his left hand, he mimed a pencil, with his right, a contract, and in one fell swoop turned a goal celebration into a pantomime that almost undid absolutely everything the midfielder accomplished in red. Memories of every dribble, every assist had suddenly been supplanted by thoughts of the Ali Gerba's and Carl Robinson's of the club. Had he been the victim of a bate and switch? Was his contract mishandled by the club? The debate raged on, but sadly, it's this image of the hometown boy, the club's former captain, that will be etched into the memory of supporters for years to come.
4. CHAMPIONES (CLICK HERE (http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/d6/51/54e64b1b42299009287f6d793bb2.jpeg) FOR THE IMAGE)
It was impossible. The Reds had never beaten a team by a 4 goal margin, let alone net more than 5 in a game. Traveling into Montreal on that dreary Thursday in June fans expected the worst, even with the possibility of a win. Montreal took first blood scoring a penalty in the 23rd minute, but then something happened. Toronto had woken up. No one can pinpoint exactly when the tide had shifted, but with each passing moment, the Toronto faithful didn't just hope, they actually believed that their team could take the cup. A goal in the 90th minute had cemented the impossible, and the clubs first piece of hardware had finally come.
3. TOPLESS (CLICK HERE (http://blog.firstbasesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/bmo_field_dec_2009.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
They built the house on Lakeshore for the reds but they'd built it with an oversight. Neither the reds, nor the fans were happy with the field turf, but management had echoed that it was here to stay despite injury concerns. The venue had survived an all-star game, an alcohol suspension, the U20 World Cup and a countless number of steamers, but in late 2009, it was official. Toronto had finally gotten grass. When news first broke the fans took note, and when the ancient internet adage of “pics or it didn’t happen” rang out. Pics soon surfaced. It was happening.
2. MILLER TIME (CLICK HERE (http://media.eyeweekly.topscms.com/images/ed/52/cf23b7044fd5b0d6662439a26999.png) FOR THE IMAGE)
“It was a battle at city council,” he recalls. That was the first line of an EyeWeekly article that had the former Toronto Mayor discussing the war that lead to Toronto being the first Canadian city awarded an MLS franchise. For many, it came as a shock, but it nevertheless introduced Torontonians something that most of us had long known, David Miller was one of us. Many city officials attend sporting events, June Rowlands had been seen in Blue Jays garb during the back-to-back era, much the same as William Dennison freshly clad in a brand new Leafs Jersey in ‘66, but this was different. This wasn’t a photo-op because it wasn't being publicized. It was on twitter. We weren’t winning. In fact, we were losing. Despite the excessive tweets about the clubs performance, and season’s seats, it’s this self-portrait of Miller that would impact Torontonians the same as seeing Rob Ford clad in a Rock jersey.
1. THE 24TH (CLICK HERE (http://www.dichio24.com/images/gallery/photos/picture10.jpg) FOR THE IMAGE)
The 24th minute will live on as long as the red heart keeps beating, and the supporters remind us every game of why. With all due respect to Danny Dichio... he may have scored our first goal but, goals were to be expected in this franchise. When you ask those who saw the game what had happened shortly afterwards, they'll tell you the story of seeing a single seat cushion on the field, then another, and then another. You can look at any goal in the clubs short history and immediately be able to identify the first goal ever scored. Management had forgotten the first rule of promotional giveaways; never hand out anything that could be easily thrown and Toronto sports fans got their first look at what support for Toronto FC would look like in years to come.
that's this weeks installment of the weekly top five. check back next week for part two, as well as a spiffy new format. if you'd like to contribute, or have any ideas for future articles, shoot me an email at etsd{at}hotmail.com