Replacement players - would you support?

**SweetOwnGoal** · 12-23-2009, 10:07 AM

Although it is still early(ish) days in the CBA negotiations, one option that MLS may use is to lock-out the current players and start the season using replacement players. In many ways this could be easier to pull off in MLS because of the massive amount of footballers around the world – teams might even look at it as a cheap way to look at a bunch of new “talent” (and some would be bound to stick after – you do sometimes find diamonds in the rough).

I’m curious (and not trying to be reactionary). Would you support a team made up of replacement players by going to the games?

**Boris** · 12-23-2009, 10:10 AM

ha, this is interesting. I have had a convo with this witha few people and plain and simple NO

**Oldtimer** · 12-23-2009, 10:11 AM

No way.

**ArmenJBX** · 12-23-2009, 10:13 AM

A couple of factors would influence that decision, but overall, probably not.

a) Who the players are. If they're no name players from places like Qatar and Zimbabwe, probably not. If they're reserve players from teams like Arsenal, Real, Barca, etc, then possibly.

b) If we have the option to keep players we want.

c) If we have at least some young Canadians in the lineup.

d) If the tickets are cheaper

If all those conditions are met, yeah, probably, but I go to see my team, and it wouldn't feel like Toronto FC if we had 22 brand new guys who, let's face it, aren't really Toronto FC players. It would feel fake.

**Beach_Red** · 12-23-2009, 10:14 AM

Aren't these pretty much replacement players now?

**Daveisonfire** · 12-23-2009, 10:14 AM

Yes, it's about the badge, not the players who wear it.

**stugautz** · 12-23-2009, 10:25 AM

We might be more competitive if this were the case. I don't think anybody here would complain if we won the MLS cup with replacement players.

It will also keep Nick Garcia off the field.

**Yohan** · 12-23-2009, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by stugautz

We might be more competitive if this were the case. I don't think anybody here would complain if we won the MLS cup with replacement players.

you sure about that? there are many who thinks we really didn't win Voyageurs Cup legitimately in Mtl....

It will also keep Nick Garcia off the field.

lol

**ensco** · 12-23-2009, 10:35 AM

I will give away my seats if they use replacement players. Not because I'm a dyed-in-the-wool union guy (I'm not), but because I identify with the players and the strip. They are one and the same.

I'm not picking sides. Which means I'm not going if the play the games without our guys.

Even Nick Garcia!

**Afra** · 12-23-2009, 11:03 AM

I would support TFC Academy. And expect a credit on my ST's.

**drewski** · 12-23-2009, 11:31 AM

I'm against it, not because its scab labour (which I'm not keen on), but because I think no league would be better than a league with inferior product.

**swan** · 12-23-2009, 11:35 AM

if they were getting paid big bucks already and were wanting more then yeah i would watch support the replacements but since mls pay is crap i would support our players and not go...

**Beach_Red** · 12-23-2009, 11:36 AM

If the salary cap remains the same then "replacement" players will be of the same quality - the same kind of players the teams could buy for the same amount, wouldn't they?

This isn't like the NFL or NBA using replcement players, taking a step down from the best in the world.

But still, I'd stop going to games. This league is about the lowest level I'm willing to accept and I'm only willing to do that because of the potential. If the salary cap doesn't go up then the league has started to stagnate and I would be unwilling to"invest" in it any more - the same as any business that has peaked and started to drop back.

**H Bomb** · 12-23-2009, 11:58 AM

I'm against it because I think the league needs to take many of the steps Kasey Keller has stated the players are fighting for. You're right red, the quality would be the same. But i think what we all want is a higher quality league.

**Carefree** · 12-23-2009, 12:50 PM

If this was our first season it wouldn't matter to me since I probably wouldn't know any of the players anyway (I didn't follow MLS before TFC). But over the past three years I've come to know the players, and that makes the game a lot more enjoyable. The badge by itself is just a drawing; it's the players, coaches and supporters that make it into something meaningful. Take away the players and you take away a major part of my connection to the team.

**Brooker** · 12-23-2009, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Beach_Red

Aren't these pretty much replacement players now?

**Oblio2** · 12-23-2009, 01:31 PM

This league is not that talented to begin with so, would I stop watching English 2nd div equivalent footbal to watch Sunday league players? Sure...if MLSE gave us money back for the tripe we'd be subjected too

**TOBOR !** · 12-23-2009, 01:45 PM

Well the quality wouldn't be likely to suffer.

The badge by itself is just a drawing; it's the players, coaches and supporters that make it into something meaningful. Take away the players and you take away a major part of my connection to the team.

That's a bit odd. What if, over the next couple of years, all these people ended up being replaced by new personnel and coincidentally turned up on the same team elsewhere ? Who would you support then ? Would you be torn ?

I'd argue that it's partially about the players, as it's hard to cheer for your team if you dislike the players on it, but the only constant in the equation is the team, as the players will forever change.

I will support a team of scabs and have no qualms doing it.

**ManUtd4ever** · 12-23-2009, 01:54 PM

This is a difficult situation to contemplate. I'm in the minority but I'd have to say that yes, I'd reluctantly support TFC with replacement players because of the badge and the fact that it is not the fault of MLSE if both sides are stupid enough to let it get to that point. It definitely wouldn't be the same though...

**Carts** · 12-23-2009, 01:55 PM

I'm not going to vote, because my option is not there...

Its a simple NOPE.

Nothing to do with "scab labour", nothing to do with "the club is doing what it has to do", its just I won't pay to watch them play.

If the MLS players go on strike or players are locked out, I simply want the league to shutdown, and the money I have paid for tickets held until the league returns...

I have the same feelings if the NHL, NBA, MLB have labour problems - just shutdown and figure it out...

All parties involved MUST SEE that doing this MAY KILL THE LEAGUE. For those who don't agree, it took Major League Baseball, yes "America's Pasttime" almost a decade to erase the labour problems with the fans - and in some cities they still haven't fully recovered. If MLS owners and players think they can go through it and get back to 100% quicker once over - they're dilusional...

Carts...

**rocker** · 12-23-2009, 01:58 PM

bring back Andrea Lombardo!!!!

**Roogsy** · 12-23-2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by McCartney

I'm not going to vote, because my option is not there...

Its a simple NOPE.

Nothing to do with "scab labour", nothing to do with "the club is doing what it has to do", its just I won't pay to watch them play.

If the MLS players go on strike or players are locked out, I simply want the league to shutdown, and the money I have paid for tickets held until the league returns...

I have the same feelings if the NHL, NBA, MLB have labour problems - just shutdown and figure it out...

All parties involved MUST SEE that doing this MAY KILL THE LEAGUE. For those who don't agree, it took Major League Baseball, yes "America's Pasttime" almost a decade to erase the labour problems with the fans - and in some cities they still haven't fully recovered. If MLS owners and players think they can go through it and get back to 100% quicker once over - they're dilusional...

Carts...

Word

**Hitcho** · 12-23-2009, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by rocker

bring back Andrea Lombardo!!!!

Haha - that's the only way I would support this actually. Bring back former TFC players to fill the holes. Lombardo, Sutton, Pozniak, DICHIO - that's a replacement team I could get behind!!!

**jloome** · 12-23-2009, 02:51 PM

No, on principle I generally don't believe in interfering with a union's right to stirke or an owner's right to lockout, and that includes both scabs on the one side and picket interference on the other.

These things should be resolved civilly and neither of these is an extension of civility.

If they're on strike, as a general rule, I'll support whomever I think is making the most reasonable (public) demands.

Scab players are not our players and a scab team is not our team.

**jloome** · 12-23-2009, 02:53 PM

This poll, by the way, continues the somewhat dangerous social trend of seeing everything two extremes.

Where's the vote for "No, I Might Cross A Picket Line if it's deserved, but not in this case."

Why does it have to be "I NEVER cross picket lines?"

**wzhxvy** · 12-23-2009, 02:56 PM

I will go and cheer for them because I have zero time for unions...

**twistedchinaman** · 12-23-2009, 03:36 PM

In this case, I can't see myself supporting a team of people that after any strike is over, will never be seen again.

Badge and personalities go hand-in-hand.

**Toronto Ruffrider** · 12-23-2009, 05:23 PM

I'm not much of a union booster, but I wouldn't support replacement players simply because they would be a step or two down from what we've got right now, which isn't a whole lot anyway. It would make more sense to invest my money in CSL or PDL games.

**ensco** · 12-23-2009, 05:47 PM

Bill Shankly on boardroom meetings : "At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques".

**Pookie** · 12-23-2009, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by stugautz

It will also keep Nick Garcia off the field.

What if Nick Garcia is one of the replacement players?

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