SBNation.com User Blog: BrentSmith

TFC's newest member. Terry Dunfield!

BrentSmith — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:30:30 -0000

TFC's newest member. Terry Dunfield!

Top Ten Moments in TFC History (10): MLS Comes to Toronto.

BrentSmith — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:14:12 -0000

"Toronto FC officially became Major League Soccer's 13th franchise on May 11 2006 when the club's name and logo were presented for the first time.

The presentation was made by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the investor-operator of the club, at the site of the team's future stadium along Toronto's waterfront at Exhibition Place.

"This is an exciting day for soccer fans in Toronto who can now enjoy great quality soccer and have a team they can call their own," said Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of MLSE."

What a fitting way to start this top ten. The day the heartbreak and agony began may 11 2006. This is a day that I'm sure most supporters have forgotten, but it was the beginning of the countdown until Canada makes the world cup. I'll explain. The TFC Academy program sprawls all over Ontario and BMO sponsors youth players to come from their hometown clubs to play for TFC Academy's.

If we produce young home grown talent and give them first team experience, the CNMT will reap the rewards. Gone are the days that if you want to play professional soccer you need to leave Canada for Europe or the USA.
After next season we will have three MLS Academy's all looking for the best talent in their regions. I believe fairly strongly that if you discover a talent at a young age and keep them in your system they will be less inclined to go into the NCAA system, witch in itself is not a good way to develop soccer players. I think the Canadian system of bringing up players should be similar to that of the Mexican's. Yes our domestic leagues won't be the strongest but, if we give our younger players meaningful first team games professionally they will become regulars on the first team by the age of 24ish instead of rookies that need serious work out of College. We might even one day produce our own Chicharito.

The MLS coming to Toronto just proved that we do love Soccer in Canada. I guarantee that if TFC failed the MLS would be less inclined to add the Whitecaps and the Impact so quickly. So I guess you're welcome Mr.Massey.

We've been though alot of heartbreak in our five years, but this is one of the happy memories. Although I was not interested in MLS at the time of the announcement. I do remember seeing it on TSN and thinking it was good that Canada had gotten a team. Now I'm glad that we have three, I can't wait to stroll into Suckputo stadium in my red and white and cheer for the Reds.

If you have a good idea for #9 feel free to hit me up @brentsmith91 or just write it yourself!

Jesus, Walk with Me (Intro)

BrentSmith — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:34:17 -0000

Why Hello there!

My Name is Brent and before i start talking football, I'd like to tell you a little about myself. I'm 19 years old, I live in Pembroke, Ontario (west of ottawa) and TFC captured my heart one day two summers ago. I happen to enjoy the finer things life has to offer, such as ... ok lets start talking football. My favorite Football side in the EPL is Aston Villa my favorite players are Gabriel Agbonlahor, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil. I am a Team Canada fan first (shame on all everyone who wore Ecuador yellow last week) but when Euro comes around I side with my birth nation of Germany. I dislike most of the big sides except for Bayren Munich, and I'm guilty of owning a new york red bulls Henry jersey. Forgive me please.

So why am I writing this? Well have you ever heard of the saying, "Build it and they will come?" Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment sure has, because they've built one poor excuse for a soccer specific stadium and the fans have been paying to watch sub-par football for 5 years now. I understand that by just complaining, I'm not really helping in to create a solution, but why not make a list of things the guys over at BMO can do to improve their overall experience.

Why Hello there!

First things first. I'm not a season ticket holder, I only get to about one or two games a year (the 5 hour drive is a killer) but I watch all of the games on GolTV or firstrowsports.eu (great site). However when I do get to games I almost always get lost, I've been to stadiums all over north America and almost all of them have some sort of transit station dedicated to them. I dont understand the TTC bus routes so a Street Car would be ideal.

Second; Get the supporters, scratch that get us all a dammed roof. The entire atmosphere is ruined by not having one and when you have games at noon the fact that there is no roof leads to sunburns and just an overall not fun time. Plus how can you jump around and sing, when your on the brink of a serious heat stroke.

Third: Sign a name. This is pretty stupid and I'm sure you'll hate me but listen. MLSE has a bazillion dollars, you want to fill the house and really make some bucks? Spend some first, lets get one or two serious DP's in here. Not some Spanish guy who will never be fit. Ze Roberto? guy might be 36 but he'll put some serious fans in the seats and create a buzz around BMO.

Fourth: Throw the supporters a bone, TFC is blessed with one of the most loyal supporter groups this side of Timbers Army. But they cant even bring in custom signs that aren't screened prior to every game? Jeez. The overall treatment of the supporters should be better and this is coming from a dude who sits with them twice a season. (I know all the words to all the songs, side note: in the game day brochures that you can buy at the ground before the game they should include a song list, so whenever the boys burst into another chant you will know all of the words instead of looking around aimlessly.)

Fifth: Create a better overall fan experience, have you ever noticed at BMO (or any stadium) that the Ushers are always hard up old people? The Bell Center in Montreal recently hired all youngish ushers, and boy let me tell you it makes a world of difference. I don't know if the suit jacket and name tag makes them feel more important? Or if they want a relationship with the security guards or police but please. Hire some ushers that aren't as old as Nick Garcia!

Listen, I'm a nobody but BMO used to be a fortress and when i had to watch the games on ESPN America it was nice to hear the visiting commentators talk about how wild and crazy the supporters are. Now all I hear is "BMO Field not quite as loud as it was once upon a time"

Thread title is from: The College Dropout - Kanye West