Is Toronto FC's success or failure an accurate measure of the quality of the USL??

No more than any other team with the same amount of ex-USL players in their midst. The Dynamo would probably be just as good a measuring stick.

Any BTW - let's be honest about these last two - they didn't just come from these teams.

 

Toronto's success is not measured in their first few games, especially when the second home game was already showing signs of empty seats.

Success will be measured in year 2, or year 3, especially if they haven't had much success on the pitch by then.

If they are still as enthusiastic about their team under those circumstances, then it will be a success.

As impressive as the first few games have been, the true test of the success of the franchise is further down the road.

 

I think he means on the field.

All it says to me is that an expansion first division squad has a few players formed in the second division. Sounds about right.

 

There are many MLS players whose success started in the USL. I don't think Toronto has any more or less than any other team.

And Kevin Goldthwaite was only on loan to the Timbers for about 1/2 a season from then San Jose. So I'm not sure he'd really qualify.

 

Reda played for the Impact too. Reda, Braz and Sutton were part of one of the top teams in the USL. They know how to be successful in professional soccer. I wouldn't be surprised to see them have more success on the field.

With Sutton, people forget how bad Pat Onstad looked his first few MLS games. I think Sutton has had a better USL career than Onstad did.

 

Signs of empty seats? The first two games were sold out, the weather has been shite and last night it was about 10 degrees and rainy. So it was a miserable night. It was a sellout ticketwise and actual attendance was still about 17k. So I don't think you can call that a failure. Look at any other MLS city in a midweek game, in the rain and cold, we'll be lucky if there is 6k drawn to a match.

To be honest, the level of play between the Lynx and TFC is just tremendous. I think the only USL player playing significant time is Sutton, the others come off the bench now.

TFC and DCU have the best fans, and I'm glad to be a supporter of DCU and now have TFC in my backyard.

 

TFC fans have been great so far.

It's not just the numbers. It's the whole-hearted way in which they have embraced the club.

Frankly, it reminds me of the 'Camelot' period the Sounders enjoyed at Memorial Stadium between 1974-75 in the old NASL. Every kick brought a crowd response. Every move was followed. There was a...buzz in the air.

From afar TFC (fans) are actually getting me excited about MLS for the first time in its existence.



On the pitch? They will still struggle this season, I'd think. And I don't guess that it will be any USL-1 measuring stick at all. Off the pitch...well, it's all too clear. Toronto wanted division one soccer.

Sounders, NASL, 1974:

 

I wonder then if the Lynx had actually spent money like at least like Vancouver and Montreal (let alone Rochester) we might not be surprised by this level of support in Toronto...

 

It is astounding that people find every instance they can to complain about attendance. To say anything negative about TFC's fans is insane.

That said,let's keep this on a USL tip please because the MLS forum has plenty of chances to talk about TFC.

 

That's what i'm saying Monster! Sorry for ranting a little on someone complaining that TFC's numbers don't look great on the USL board.

 

the lynx can easily be supported in toronto, all the lynx need is a dedicated owner, who would move the games into the new varsity stadium in downtown toronto. The new stadium has 5000 seats, field turf, great sightlines, and a bubble roof in the winter for off-season training, if the lynx get a new owner they could still draw fans by having games on sunday afternoons @1pm, and maybe weekday games during lunchtime for local schools to attend. The lynx should get a smart businessman and sell tickets that are cheap.

 

Just what did the weekday games achieve for the Lynx in past seasons? You alienate any season ticket holder that have daytime jobs and in turn get 2500 disinterested kids who only care about having the day off school. It's one of the many reasons that franchise was run into the ground by their clueless owners.

 

fair enough, so then you can have sunday afternoons to appeal to the sunday family crowds and season ticket holders, and you can have games on friday evenings? sounds good to me, imagine watching a soccer game under the lights in downtown toronto on a friday night? The Lynx can be saved, they need solid ownership, and a decent home schedule.

 

Can't get any cheaper than free.

 

the lynx should sell $5 tickets, and have $1 hotdog, and $3 beer nights, they promotions, they have facilities in toronto.

 

He's crap

They're on the bench

Arguably the worst playing player on the team

passable, but nothing distinguishing

Why are these players on the list? They've both been in MLS for a couple seasons in Goldthwaite's case and for his professional career in Buddle's.

 

Tickets were cheaper than that before. I belive $4CAN was the price.

 

Commenting on Greg Sutton:

That's what people said about Onstad after 4 weeks in "The League". I don't buy it. Sutton is a very good GK. I really believe we'll see marked improvement over the course of the season.

 

He was also crap when he was run out of the league after surrendering back to back 4 baggers at the start of the 2000 season for a team that tied for the best record in the league that season. In 37 competitive games with Zach Thornton in the nets, they only gave up four goals twice more.

Having watched the first three (I missed Wednesday's game) Toronto games, and having watched them in spring training in Charleston, I am completely unimpressed.

I don't recall any similar disgust with Onstad.

He had a 1.04 GAA (29 goals in 27 games) in his debut season with San Jose.

His first six games:
4/12/03 - 1 goal allowed to Colorado in 2-1 win
4/19/03 - 1 goal allowed to KC in a 1-1 OT tie. The goal was the infamous Onstad own goal off of a Preki corner. Perhaps you're misremembering this one single play.
4/26/03 - shutout of Los Angeles in a 1-0 win
5/3/03 - shutout of New England in a 2-0 win
5/10/03 - shutout of Chicago in a 0-0 OT tie
5/17/03 - three goals (one a PK, another in the 90th minute) in a 4-3 win over Columbus.

If I recall, I thought Onstad was a bit of a sensation when he started.

After four weeks, Onstad was 3-0-1 with a 0.47 GAA and two shutouts. I'd love to see any reference to him being "crap" after that.

 

Your barely going to get enough revenue with prices like that to run a PDL team let alone a USL1 or USL2 team.

 

Onstad wasn't starting for an expansion team that was playing extremely horrible on the road nor facing nearly as many shots as Sutton has faced so far this season.

MLS must be suprisingly bad then if a keeper as crap as you claim Sutton is has just won 2 straight games.

 

I'm sure you'll remind me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Galaxy knock out the Quakes in the western semis enroute to winning their 2002 MLS Cup?

They had the 2nd best record in the regular season after winning the 2001 MLS Cup. Onstad certainly went into a better situation.

However, I still vividly remember defending Onstad against MLS and SJ fans who wanted to toss any USL1 accomplishments in the dumpster.

 

The Lynx tickets used to cost 15$ in the stand, 5$ on the grassy knowl (which was rarely in use).

 

the lynx need eye-candy cheerleaders, loud music, BBQ tailgate parties, and last but not least talented players, and attacking 3-forward formation that has a run and gun offensive brand of football.