If anyone is interested...nutella of all companies/products has a great listing of the history of soccer in Canada written by Colin Jose
http://nutellasoccerclub.ca/history.php
If anyone is interested...nutella of all companies/products has a great listing of the history of soccer in Canada written by Colin Jose
http://nutellasoccerclub.ca/history.php
I remember the Blizzard as the renamed Metros-Croatia. The Blizzard didn't start play until 1978 or 1979.Originally Posted by olegunner
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
You're right. My mistake.
I think the point still stands though. IF one were to think wearing another team's kit was a good idea (a HUGE if) there is no logical reason to pay tribute to the Blizzard over all the other pro teams that played in Toronto and the GTA since 1870's.
Well, this isn't really the same as the Leafs wearing the St.Pats gear. The Leafs used to be the St.Pats...Same club.
So, can we slap down some astro turf as well? Just kidding... I'm cool with whatever.
Well there aren't that many. Until Toronto City in the early 60's, the teams were semi-pro and senior amateur. It was (and let's see if I get this right) the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League featuring Toronto City, Italia, Hamilton Stealers and somebody else, perhaps Croatia (???? help please) that the game went up a notch.
I would say that the clubs that should be honoured at some point in time by TFC are Toronto City, Toronto Metros-Croatia and Toronto Blizzard. There was of course the old National Soccer League that eventually morphed into the CPSL. Italia and Croatia were very successful and probably deserve recognition as well. The current Croatia still claims that they won the 1976 Soccer Bowl. I guess they sorta did as they were the ones who kept the Metros afloat.
You're right. It's not only the Blizzard but let's not lose the plot and start talking about a social club's team from 1892.
So a gold medal at an Olympics (Galt in 1904), a win over a touring Glasgow Celtic team (Toronto Ulster United 1931) The North American Club Championship (Toronto Scottish 1933) aren't as important as.....remind me again what the Blizzard ever won?
Why the Blizzard?
No one will give a good reason. It's can't be history because their history isn't as noteworthy as other Canadian/Toronto clubs.
This is the first ever competative match against a Canadian team at BMO, could we create our own history before bringing up the failures of the last generation please.
2 Words, NO CHANCE.
Not because I wouldn't want to see it, BUT
It takes Adidas 4 months from start to finish to get jersey's over here.
Keep in mind that Adidas would have to design their own "retro" version of the shirt, get the little kids to start sewing, and then ship them...it just isn't going to happen.
I do think it'd be cool to see this at some point in the future though.
My opinion, if anyone actually cares...This is TFC not the Blizzard, let's work on building TFC's history and tradition.
i'd be in for a commemorative TFC top, but not into the Blizzard thing...
Re the Blizzard, you're right they didn't win but they were our team for 15 years and that means a lot to a lot of people. They are the team that many of us cheered for as hard as we cheer for TFC today. No, there weren't as many of us but we bled with them when they were one of the worst teams in the league and we gloried in two appearances in the championship final in 83 and 84 and we bled again when we came out second best both times.
They were a damned fine soccer team and, as I said, they meant a great deal to a lot of people. Obviously there are differing opinions here but obviously a fair number of people feel the way I do. As some say, perhaps you had to be there.
Regarding recognition of the teams you mention, theoretically, that's what the CSA Soccer Hall Of Fame is all about but I fully support the concept of honouring Toronto Ulster United 1931 and Toronto Scottish 1933 and any other team that made an important contribution to soccer in this city.
Let's go for it!
Seriously! Let's organize a "Toronto Soccer Hall of Fame" even if it's only a web site! Let's honour the teams you mention and the teams I mention and any other team that deserves recognition.
Instead of bitching and whinging, instead of being negative, let's do something positive and give credit where credit is due!
BTW, you can write off the 1904 St. Louis Olympics gold medal.
Only three soccer teams took part in that tournament. Two were from the USA, the third was from Galt. No Great Britain (it's the Olympics of course), no Uruguay, no Argentina, no Germany, no France, not even Italy, just two teams from the USA and one team from Galt.
Galt defeated the Christian Brothers College, USA 2 nil in the gold medal game while the St. Rose Parish School, USA nabbed the bronze by, apparently, losing two games.
I was excited about the gold medal too but then I did my research.
http://www.hickoksports.com/history/ol1904.shtml#soccer
That's why FIFA doesn't recognize an Olympic champion until London in 1908, the first real Olympic soccer tournament.
Apparently, the St. Louis Olympics were a total mess beyond the soccer tournament.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Summer_Olympics
http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past...GT=1&OLGY=1904
http://www.einsteinsrefrigerator.com...ics/index.html
Some of these stories are hilarious. What is appalling is that visible minorities had to take part in separate competitions (Anthropological Games I think they called them). Ah, the good old USA. The civil war hadn't been over all that long I guess.
db
Last edited by Blizzard; 06-08-2008 at 11:40 PM. Reason: Spelling and added text.
I would love to see the history of the game in Toronto being honoured by the current club. There's a lot to work with. The Blizzard wore adidas playing kits, which would help streamline many retro shirt considerations.
Not sure if there's really enough time to properly implement all the good ideas being proposed in this thread in the current season. But, no rush. Take the time to do it right.
This is something that TFC should not be one bit insecure about exploring. Nor should those who are either too young or too new to Canada to recall what the Blizzard did for soccer in this city.
Some great players were brought to town because of the NASL and the demise of the club wasn't due to a lack of interest as much as the league not being able to sustain itself. There are a lot of fond memories here about great times at CNE Stadium and Varsity Stadium. Centennial, not so much.
A shame we've lost George Gross recently. He avidly covered the game in all its previous incarnations in this city and frequently returned to memory lane in his writing. Canada's great historian of the game, Colin Jose, would be very useful to consult in making appropriate plans.
Go for it. Really worthwhile idea.
what the hell?
why in gods name would we wear somebody elses kit during the Canada Cup? LOL.
I'm not knocking the Blizzard but christ they have absolutely nothing to do with us other than the fact that they were once a team based in Toronto?
why dont we wear Blue Jays jerseys when we play Vancouver? or Argo's?
Last edited by Brooker; 06-09-2008 at 12:44 AM.
Blue Jays? Argos? I didn't know either played soccer.what the hell?
why in gods name would we wear somebody elses kit during the Canada Cup? LOL.
I'm not knocking the Blizzard but christ they have absolutely nothing to do with us other than the fact that they were once a team based in Toronto?
why dont we wear Blue Jays jerseys when we play Vancouver? or Argo's?
Well, one reason might be to continue exposing the history and heritage of the game in Toronto to an audience obviously not aware of the value of the contributions made toward developing the game during past eras. The rivalries we'll be enjoying in the Canada Cup matches in years ahead are all rooted in past competitions.
Or it could just be about making an easy buck selling retro merchandise.
Works for me either way.
BBtB, i didn't realize the fact that the Blizzard and TFC played the same sport made them buddies.
keep the Blizzard crap away from TFC. not everybody cares about a defunct team.
why shouldnt we be afraid to honour the past when we (TFC) BARELY have one ourselves....
Last edited by Brooker; 06-09-2008 at 01:09 AM.
You are probably right about the timing issues but we could just consider this early foundational work.
My Blizzard shirts from the early days are Admiral. That probably isn't very helpful. Did they switch to Adidas at some point? In a pinch, I'd buy from Toffs and stick an Adidas sticker on them. LOL. Neither Toffs nor Adidas would appreciate that I'm sure.
You're right about the insecurity issue. It shouldn't exist. I get the feeling that it does but it really shouldn't. TFC is the present and is the future. They can't be afraid to honour the past.
I'm still amazed that we were able to convince Bettega to come over although it helped that ownership was friendly with Juve ownership. Even though he was near the end of his career, he was pure class out there with the genius of Ace Ntsolengoe, the best African soccer player of his day to my mind.
Yes, Colin Jose is the man who could be so helpful. He does know about this! I don't know what he thinks yet but he is in the loop!
cheers
B
Insecurity: Aahh, that's just pint culture talking out it's empty glass.
adidas: They certainly wore this brand at CNE Stadium.
Bettega: That pretty much got everyone's attention, didn't it? When you think back to those days, the players that formed the backbone of Canada's 1986 World Cup squad were a big part of the scene then - Bruce Wilson, Randy Ragan, Pasquale De Luca, Colin Miller and Paul James for Toronto, Bobby Lenarduzzi, Tino Lettieri, David Norman, Mike Sweeney, Ian Bridge, Carl Valentine and Gerry Gray for Vancouver.
So having a day to honour a past team would also serve to remind us of our only World Cup appearance. It needs to be done as part and parcel of immersing BMO Field completely in Canadian soccer culture.
Pst... user Blizzard, is not BBtB.
db, love the idea personally. I think the Canada Cup is the perfect time for it as the Whitecaps fans would be one of the few sets of fans that would actually appreciate the tribute IMO. Sure the Blizzard isn't the only pro team we've had in the city, but they are by far the most recognized and IMO had the greatest impact on the city in terms of pro football teams.
I hadn't even thought about that, even more reason!
While it's a nice idea, I think it's too soon to do a retro kit/throwback.
Maybe once TFC has been around a while it could be looked at again.
The Raptors dawned the old Toronto Huskies jersey's in their season opener of the NBA's 50th season, so I think it would be cool to see the Blizzard name out their again. On a side not i am really surprised the Blizzard have not been reborn in the form of say a CSL team or something along that line.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Ya I'm on the side of "I don't see the point".
It's not like TFC evolved from the Blizzard like - The Avalanche did from the Nordiques or the Leafs and the St Pats.
When I have spoken to people in this city about the Blizzard, alot of them laugh and shrug them off as a failure to bring the sport to light in this city. I'm sure you hardcores would say otherwise...
I didn't care about them back then and I don't care about them now.
^^ Hey guys,
I agree and feel that we should wear OUR jerseys on Canada Cup gameday. It is our first homegame in the Canada Cup and we have to show our tfc pride on our backs. However maybe some game in the future the team could walk out onto the pitch in retro jerseys then go throw on the real ones before the game starts. This way ppl wont forget the teams but we can still Play our game in our shirts. Who knows maybe we can do one large banner showing the old teams crests all together and a tfc one in the middle.
I would protest any decision that would allow brand marketers to believe that we are cool fucking with the teams colours for any reason whatsoever.
Its Canada Day, why don't they keep the red shirts but put a big fuck off maple leaf on the front instead of the BMO logo. The Jays do something similar on Canada Day
Agreed, keep TFC jerseys but have us and Vancouver do something to show the fact that it is Canada Day. Do like the Jays and have everyone's name on the back of their jerseys read "Canada"
see? something like this
Last edited by Cas87; 06-09-2008 at 09:45 AM. Reason: found a spelling mistake
Toronto FC,#CMNT & #CWNT, Scotland, Heart of Midlothian FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC
"The Harder the Struggle, The Greater the Reward" - @OsoJ92AWAY DAYS - CHICAGO August 2017, MONTREAL March 2018
Nice Jersey, but I'm not sure that it needs to be done.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Forget the jerseys ... I say all the players bring back the staches and hair cuts! Classic!
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