Tom Anselmi
Mo Johnston
Michelle Lissell
Paul Bierne
TORONTO FC
BMO Field
170 Princes' Blvd.
Toronto, ON
M6K 3C3
Dear Toronto FC:
I wanted to be the first to congratulate you on winning the First Annual "CLASSIEST ORGANIZATION IN MLS" award. The Awards committee looked at every nominee for 2009/2010 and we are pleased to report that your organization was judged far and away the classiest organization in the league.
A few events in particular over the past year stood out when the committee made it's decision.
- The handling of the rescheduled league game against Red Bull last season to accommodate the temporary grass pitch and the Galacticos from Real Madrid was handled with grace and aplomb. You did not let the fact that away fans had to cancel a long planned visit to BMO Field get in your way of rescheduling the match for a friendly. Nor did you let fan displeasure of delaying a league game for a friendly get in your way of doing what you wanted to do in the first place. Well done! Classy move.
- The Danny Dichio "retirement" was another example cited by the committee in their deliberations. You kept everybody guessing TFC by saying Danny could not travel on long flights anymore. You kept even more of us guessing when you then stated that Danny "decided" on his own accord to retire before the season ended when the club was fighting for its playoff life with a shortened bench. Giving Danny only a few seconds at the start of the last home game to say goodbye to his loyal fans was another great move. I am sure that this was the way he wanted to end his playing career.
- The efforts of your Public Relations department was perhaps the clincher in voting for the award this year. No other organization in MLS has done a better job of keeping player movement under the radar than Toronto FC has. No other club has done a better job of keeping the fanbase guessing about the future than yours has. The brilliance shown in not releasing any news in the way TFC has done it this past year is a shining light for other struggling non-playoff teams to emulate in years to come. Michelle, you and your staff need to take a bow. How Carl Robinson and Adrian Serioux were shipped out of Toronto without so much as a bye or leave from your club was another masterstroke of subtlety and professionalism. Kudos!
The committee realizes that as defending holders of the "CLASSIEST ORGANIZATION IN MLS" award, you will be a hard act to follow. Best of luck in next years competition.
The Award ceremony this year will be held outside of Gate 3 of BMO Field by the burning oil drum on April 1st 2010. See you all there!
Sincerely,
I.P. Freely
Committee Chair