Monday, December 8, 2008

midwinter mutterings

Nothing much going on in the TFC world. I am hoping that it is the calm before the storm. It would be nice to get a present under the tree. A signing or a trade ? I suppose we will have to wait for the January MLS draft for some activity.

The top two newspapers in town, the Globe and Mail and the Star have removed their Toronto FC/Soccer bloggers. This is a tough time in the media. So offseason TFC coverage is a logical cut when you have larger budget concerns as advertising tumbles. it would be great to have both back at full coverage by next season.
I enjoyed Ben Knight's G +M blog from time to time (and will read continue to read him in his new location), but he was no Larry Millson, I guess Millson just covered the team and Knight was stuck with the lifestyle side, you know - the flavour of the crowd and what direction should Canadian soccer go in ? stuff.
Morgan Campbell of the Star was a different matter, you always felt that he came to the footy world reluctantly and he was passing time humouring us until something better came along. Well, he has moved to something different ( I won't describe an assignment that will involve watching 182 Blue Jay games as something better). The Star's first reporter on the TFC beat could have been a lot worse, so it won't be a stretch to hope for someone better. I guess as one of the converted, I want a writer who will preach to me. I am happy to follow the writings of someone who is both a pro and barely conceals a passion for the game. Dare I cross sports here, someone in the style of say Grange of the G+M and Doug Smith of the Star in the world of Raptors/basketball. Maybe one day ...

Sigi has left Columbus and appears to be heading for Seattle, is the latest MLS coaching news. Ah, the west coast lifestyle awaits..

1 comment:

Duane Rollins said...

It's 162 games, but I'm just being pedantic.

Campbell did a good job, I thought. The TFC beat was not one that many at the Star could have been prepared for. I suspect they intended to cover the team much in the same way that they cover the Rock or Marlies - with the interns.

That it ended up becoming a partial beat says a lot about how far the game has come.