Well my bloodshot eyes are finally coming down to an almost normal white. It's about time for a vacation from blogs/forums as the firestorm after Tuesday was a full time job keeping on top of everything in the aftermath. But there are some (for me anyways) hard facts or final conclusions that I'm seeing up to this point of the season.
Whatever happens before, during or after Saturday's game with the various supporters groups I back them 100%. I am willing to admit that one of the main reasons I am a season ticket holder and I love coming to BMO field is the atmosphere - which they've created (and some other areas as well which I'll get to) since day one. If they were not there, TFC/BMO would be just another boring Toronto franchise/outing that I'd probably go to a couple times a year or whenever I got free tickets. Why else would I dedicate so much to what is clearly a sub-par product? I can get my fix of football, the highest quality, in various mediums (for free!) ... I guess my point of this is how integral the supporters are to the success of the game day experience and this team in it's short existence. So when I compare to other clubs, bigger, better ones, at least I can say when I support Toronto FC there is a sense this is a legit football club - and it's because of the fans.
So what I'm leading into is a bit of surprise at the surprise, or reaction to the reaction from supporters by other supporters and some media (wow are you following that?) after Tuesday's loss to Vancouver. Many out there are saying, "wow chill out it was just one loss", or "This is about a loss and the Real Madrid friendly - get over it" and "are you real supporters? supporters stick through tough times!" etc., etc ... Which I think is such a load of horseshit.
Like I said above, there are some hard truths that are going on with TFC/MLSE this year. I've seen and heard enough this season to come to the conclusion that they don't know what they are doing in terms of running a football club properly, especially when it comes to dealing with their fans/supporters. I think the most important thing to remember in all this is we get charged premium prices for a non-premium product. I think that in itself gives supporters the right to demand respect and results, or at least maximum effort given to show value and appreciation. Has this been done? I say no. As I stated, this goes beyond one loss and a friendly. I truly do not think MLSE values it's die-hard supporters. I think they sit on their waiting list numbers to justify price increases and throwing out fans and charging for a friendly, betting on the fact we won't do anything and if we did it wouldn't matter because there's someone waiting in line to take our place AKA wallet.
If anything goes down tomorrow I say good. To me THAT is what it means to be a supporter. To keep blindly following your club (see the Maple Leafs) is the easy thing to do. Doing nothing is always the easy thing to do. It's not about complaining or being whiners, it's about expectations not being met on many different levels and making the point things need to change because we put hard earned money into this. There are alot of people who think this is all just complaining, you know, we should "just be happy we have a team, we're only a third year club, we need to be patient for results, it's only mid-season etc ..." basically accepting this state and our results, and I think Vince Lombardi wants you to know:
Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.
There should be no excuses. COME ON REDS.
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