Today's News,Tuesday,Mar.26

[denime]

Mornin'




TFC TV (http://www.torontofc.ca/video)






(http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/toronto-fc-acquires-defender-richter-from-usl/)TFC will catch break with Galaxy stars out (http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/25/tfc-will-catch-break-on-saturday-with-galaxy-stars-out)


Newcomer Richter gives TFC versatility


(http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/toronto-fc-acquires-defender-richter-from-usl/)Toronto FC acquires defender Ryan Richter from Charleston (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/toronto-fc-acquires-defender-ryan-richter-from-charleston/article10279488/)


(http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/toronto-fc-acquires-defender-richter-from-usl/)Men's soccer blanked by Belarus (http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/26/mens-soccer-blanked-by-belarus)


(http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/toronto-fc-acquires-defender-richter-from-usl/)Canada falls to Belarus in friendly

(http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/canada-falls-to-belarus-in-not-so-friendly-match/)
TFC Academy Preseason Update (http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/03/tfc-academy-preseason-update)





TFC Related Blogs !!


(http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?29582-TFC-MLS-blogs-thread)

SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshine-girl)

[ChrisFizik]

Mornin' D

[Fort York Redcoat]

Well, that's it for Canada Mens games till the Gold Cup. I'll keep my eyes open for friendlies.

[[NBF]]

Well, that's it for Canada Mens games till the Gold Cup. I'll keep my eyes open for friendlies.

We're in the group with Mexico, Panama, and Martinique. We'll be lucky to come in 3rd in our group, so we definitely need the 6 points available versus Martinique. The two best of the 3rd place teams advances to Quarterfinals.

[Super]

Imagine what a difference it would have made to beat Honduras and make the hex. The whole country would have been behind the team, big name players would have signed on, and the future would be ours. Now? No. Take the elevator back down to the basement.

[TOBOR !]

underestimate the Galaxy at your peril.

I was listening to a report on NASN radio t'other day. LA has all the appearances of being a deep and talented squad.

We shall see.

[Yohan]

http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/03/grounds-crew-became-us-soccer%E2%80%99s-12th-man-wcq-win

Crazy story of Dicks Sporting Park staff clearing snow on Fri night for USMNT match

[ensco]

^Give me a break. I mean it's funny, but only because of the crap visiting teams get in Central America. Check out the highlights in the USMNT thread - they couldn't even clearly see the lines they were supposedly clearing.

That game was a travesty. Neither the ref nor the FIFA match official should have allowed that game to be played.

[Oldtimer]

That game was a travesty. Neither the ref nor the FIFA match official should have allowed that game to be played.

Well, if that's the case, then games at altitude with smog and 40 degree heat should also be banned, and they are not.
Also teams in Eastern Europe and sometimes even in the UK play occasionally in the snow, it's not like you can't do it.

I don't blame the US either for playing -- they need to do what they can to win.

It's really hard for me to have any sympathy for the visitors. Good on the US for winning.

[Gazza]

I'm so glad they didn't decide to replay that US v. CR game. That would've been a true travesty.

Even with the snow, that pitch was far better and far less dangerous than ones Canada has had to play on in Central America/Caribbean.

I don't think we've had that kind of an advantage since '86.

[tfcleeds]

If they wanted to protest, they should have done it before the match/refused to play in those conditions. They went ahead and played anyway. No sympathy from me.

[Carts]

^ Exactly...

They aren't protesting playing the match - they're protesting LOSING the match...

[ensco]

I'm making a bigger point than about the game Friday. I think the whole culture of poor sportsmanship in Concacaf is out of control, regardless of who started it.

Panama should have been tossed from FIFA for 10 years for what happened to the CMNT there last year. It should be in our interest to seek the moral high ground.

But nobody will ever take the first step required to address the problem.

[Carts]

I'm making a bigger point than about the game Friday. I think the whole culture of poor sportsmanship in Concacaf is out of control, regardless of who started it.

Panama should have been tossed from FIFA for 10 years for what happened to the CMNT there last year. It should be in our interest to seek the moral high ground.

But nobody will ever take the first step required to address the problem.

In my opinion, climate is part of football...

If it's not, dome stadiums all around so playing conditions are identical...

Lightning - absolutely you need to stop play because someone can die - otherwise, play on lads and may the best team fight their way to a win...

[mdc 77]

Agree with Ensco...and really that game in Colorado should never have happened.

To add...football shouldn't be played in snowy conditions like we saw in Colorado. The postponment in N.Ireland was fair and the same should have happened for this match, the weather was worse in Colorado as well.

[ensco]

^ Exactly...

They aren't protesting playing the match - they're protesting LOSING the match...

They are claiming that they couldn't register their objection properly because the match official and ref wouldn't let them. FIFA rejected that claim. The whole thing devolved into a precedural snarl.

None of which has anything to do with the real argument.

[tfcleeds]

You can make the argument the match shouldn't have been played. But it was. If I had been CR's manager, I would have taken my players off the pitch, FIFA officials/ref be damned, and dealt with whatever repercussions afterwards. Maybe at first the match would have been forfeited, but if I'm CR, I have a valid basis to have it overturned, and the match replayed. But you can't if you decide to go ahead with it. As I understand it, BOTH team captains wanted to continue even after the brief suspension of play.

[Oldtimer]

You can make the argument the match shouldn't have been played. But it was. If I had been CR's manager, I would have taken my players off the pitch, FIFA officials/ref be damned, and dealt with whatever repercussions afterwards. Maybe at first the match would have been forfeited, but if I'm CR, I have a valid basis to have it overturned, and the match replayed. But you can't if you decide to go ahead with it. As I understand it, BOTH team captains wanted to continue even after the brief suspension of play.

That's the strongest argument. I believe in sportsmanship, it's part of how the game should be, but if you agree to play in adverse conditions, then that's how it goes.

Does anyone believe that if CR had won, they would have demanded that the game be replayed?

[Carts]

Agree with Ensco...and really that game in Colorado should never have happened.

To add...football shouldn't be played in snowy conditions like we saw in Colorado. The postponment in N.Ireland was fair and the same should have happened for this match, the weather was worse in Colorado as well.

Not really... The weather in Northern Ireland was "worse" for where it was...

My sister lives there and she said it's all hell & panic with people refusing to go to work, stores running low on stuff, and fans BEGGING the match to be postponed b/c they couldn't get there...

Let's be honest, 10cm of snow in Northern Ireland is like Colorado getting 110cm of snow... LOL... Funny but true!

[ensco]

As I understand it, BOTH team captains wanted to continue even after the brief suspension of play.

This is incorrect. That is what was reported on the first day, but nobody is saying this now. FIFA spiked this thing on a technicality. CR just didn't do the protest "correctly".

[ensco]

Not really... The weather in Northern Ireland was "worse" for where it was...

My sister lives there and she said it's all hell & panic with people refusing to go to work, stores running low on stuff, and fans BEGGING the match to be postponed b/c they couldn't get there...

Let's be honest, 10cm of snow in Northern Ireland is like Colorado getting 110cm of snow... LOL... Funny but true!

Have you seen the highlights?

The teams were unable to play soccer. That is the standard.

[tfcleeds]

I'm making a bigger point than about the game Friday. I think the whole culture of poor sportsmanship in Concacaf is out of control, regardless of who started it.Panama should have been tossed from FIFA for 10 years for what happened to the CMNT there last year. It should be in our interest to seek the moral high ground.But nobody will ever take the first step required to address the problem.It would be easier to take the moral high ground if perhaps we had qualified for a WC since 1986...I see what you're saying, but I don't see the C. American countries attitudes ever changing. They will continue to make it as difficult as possible for visiting teams. So turnabout is fair play, unfortunately. Scary to think we might still be talking about making our FIRST WC if we hadn't played that one qualifier in a rainy, cold, St. John's NFLD.

[SilverSamurai]

Imagine what a difference it would have made to beat Honduras and make the hex. The whole country would have been behind the team, big name players would have signed on, and the future would be ours. Now? No. Take the elevator back down to the basement.
+1
Although if the CMNT really take the Gold Cup seriously, it'll be a base with to work towards for the next world cup.

IMO, if we can't consistently have top 4 finishes in the GC on more or less neutral grounds, how the hell can anyone expect to make it to the hex, let alone for the playoff spot for the world cup vs. Oceania (likely New Zealand)
Actually New Zealand, Scotland or Northern Ireland would be a decent team to play for a friendly...

Not really... The weather in Northern Ireland was "worse" for where it was...

My sister lives there and she said it's all hell & panic with people refusing to go to work, stores running low on stuff, and fans BEGGING the match to be postponed b/c they couldn't get there...

Let's be honest, 10cm of snow in Northern Ireland is like Colorado getting 110cm of snow... LOL... Funny but true!
Funny cause it's true. The UK pretty much shuts down when there's more than a few cm of snow. lol

[Carts]

Have you seen the highlights?

The teams were unable to play soccer. That is the standard.

Watched the entire match actually - on backhaul with no commercials at halftime or breaks pre-game/post-game, directly from the stadium, including the post truck melt of all camera angles of key-plays (perks of the job)...

Also, saw cell phone pics and video from Northern Ireland - from family as they're going nuts with the snow... Also was sent the TV New Announcement made in Ireland asking fans to bring shovels to help clear the pitch (that was CLASSIC!)...

So ya, I've seen FAR MORE than the average fan...

[Carts]

Funny cause it's true. The UK pretty much shuts down when there's more than a few cm of snow. lol

They're going nuts right now! LOL...
But the real disaster - my sister's local started running dry of a some booze on Saturday (not all, just one tap & some types of hard stuff)...
That's when they really got pissed off! LOL

[tfcleeds]

^That's the only other scenario where cancelling a match would be acceptable.

[Yohan]

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/26/toronto-fcs-nelsen-talks-of-debt-owed-to-supporters

Nelsen

[mdc 77]

Not really... The weather in Northern Ireland was "worse" for where it was...

My sister lives there and she said it's all hell & panic with people refusing to go to work, stores running low on stuff, and fans BEGGING the match to be postponed b/c they couldn't get there...

Let's be honest, 10cm of snow in Northern Ireland is like Colorado getting 110cm of snow... LOL... Funny but true!

But we are talking about conditions on the pitch not outisde. The conditions in Colorado were ridiculous to be playing a match in, players said they could hardly see...and that was coming from Americans.