TFC fans given a break from suffering TFC 5 Orlando City 0

TFC supporters have suffered long, hard and deeply. There are too many times when I wouldn't have it any other way. My credentials as a suffering fool/fan are proudly worn. They give my the high ground when observing the bandwagon breezes that buffet our areas sports scene (media and "fans" alike).

If I could I would weave every blog post around my all time favourite Nick Hornby quote.

The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score.

It is a fair observation that the bitter disappointment of such summer escapades as those crushing losses in Los Angeles, Foxboro and New Jersey were not forgotten in the euphoria of yesterday's trouncing of Orlando City.

TFC's second half yesterday was terrific, exciting,  yet exploitive (c'mon, Orlando City had problems holding TFC down earlier in August with 11 men in purple and no Bradley or Altidore. OC reduced to ten, then nine AND Altidore coming on as a sub with his offensive slump the number 1 concern of fan and player alike?). The first half may not have been a fully equal battle, but it did stay 0-0 to the half and Orlando sure looked capable of tussling along. A game plan of negating TFC and hoping for a Kaka late flash of brilliance was not farfetched. TFC land was smiling at the end of the game, but at half time the game/season hung in the balance.

An Orlando aside, Kaka on Toronto's field did not look like a happy camper or a captain. His willingness to complain all afternoon to his team mates just looked too much like Jermain Defoe@TFC circa 2014. Yes, Mr. Kaka, you are 77 times more talented than your fellow players. Yet a large part of your job, as it is a team game, is to bring out the best in others while continuing your own top level contributions. Yapping and gesturing at your own team is just going to turn them off and make your own job harder. The easiest stance to take in soccer is to second guess. You can be a demanding brute in practice, but in games you have to spread around some butter if you want your team to make sandwiches. The thought I had, when he was substituted in the second half, was that part of the reason for the move might have been to protect him from the anger of his fellow players.

TFC next plays Montreal next Saturday. A fear of a competitive Impact team WITH the addition of Didier Drogba hangs in the air. I loved hearing that Drogba will make his Montreal debut this Wednesday night in Vancouver in the second and deciding leg of the Canadian Championship. Please tire him out Whitecaps. TFC needs to start against Montreal as if they were still trouncing Orlando. Full fire power required.

Until then, thinking every day about the Red and the Grey...

Last week TFC dominated by NYRB, this week TFC dominate Orlando (ten men, then nine), happy it happened, but perspective maintained...til next Saturday