nobodybeatsthewiz
08-19-2008, 09:50 AM
Canada/Jamaica – the other game
This is going to be a challenging match. A lot of preparation and many years of dreams are on the line.
Jamaica is going to be … tough. The drums, the songs, the ecstasy. They come in green and yellow, black and red, bringing the pride and passion of an exultant people from a small island in a hurricane zone. Their culture is rich – so rich.
They speak with pride and love when they call reggae music legend Bob Marley their own. They neatly embody the mysterious mix of fight and freedom he so generously – and brilliantly – turned loose on the world.
The last time Jamaica hit Toronto for a soccer game, they utterly conquered Varsity Stadium. The corner of Bloor and Devonshire, usually a sleepy, windswept afterthought at the far north end of the University of Toronto campus, became a giddy one-day Caribbean jump-up jamboree. The Canadians, loyal in their red scarves but so outnumbered – so helplessly dominated – simply had no answer.
Home field was ringingly lost that day. It's time to get it back.
BMO Field didn't exist then. There was no division-one pro side in town for Canada fans to rally around. But as Toronto FC fans have loudly and consistently proved these last 17 months or so, this is not your father's Toronto.
We all got one warm-up shot a year ago. Costa Rica wandered in for a 1-1 draw on a chilly fall evening.
The park was only half full. The Costa Ricans sang all night. The turf, the fans, this amazing multi-cultural wonder of a town … all got ripped for it.
Meet the challenge, and exceed it. Be ye Voyaguer, U-Sector, Red Patch, North End Elite, Red Brigade, Ultra 114, South Side Jumper, Tribal Rhythm Nation, this is show time. This is go time.
The players are listening. Yeah, it was all off-the-record at practice yesterday, but they clearly want loud, pounding, thumping, percussive support.
Read more (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080819.WBsoccerblog20080819093038/WBStory/WBsoccerblog)
This is going to be a challenging match. A lot of preparation and many years of dreams are on the line.
Jamaica is going to be … tough. The drums, the songs, the ecstasy. They come in green and yellow, black and red, bringing the pride and passion of an exultant people from a small island in a hurricane zone. Their culture is rich – so rich.
They speak with pride and love when they call reggae music legend Bob Marley their own. They neatly embody the mysterious mix of fight and freedom he so generously – and brilliantly – turned loose on the world.
The last time Jamaica hit Toronto for a soccer game, they utterly conquered Varsity Stadium. The corner of Bloor and Devonshire, usually a sleepy, windswept afterthought at the far north end of the University of Toronto campus, became a giddy one-day Caribbean jump-up jamboree. The Canadians, loyal in their red scarves but so outnumbered – so helplessly dominated – simply had no answer.
Home field was ringingly lost that day. It's time to get it back.
BMO Field didn't exist then. There was no division-one pro side in town for Canada fans to rally around. But as Toronto FC fans have loudly and consistently proved these last 17 months or so, this is not your father's Toronto.
We all got one warm-up shot a year ago. Costa Rica wandered in for a 1-1 draw on a chilly fall evening.
The park was only half full. The Costa Ricans sang all night. The turf, the fans, this amazing multi-cultural wonder of a town … all got ripped for it.
Meet the challenge, and exceed it. Be ye Voyaguer, U-Sector, Red Patch, North End Elite, Red Brigade, Ultra 114, South Side Jumper, Tribal Rhythm Nation, this is show time. This is go time.
The players are listening. Yeah, it was all off-the-record at practice yesterday, but they clearly want loud, pounding, thumping, percussive support.
Read more (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080819.WBsoccerblog20080819093038/WBStory/WBsoccerblog)