Daniel Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 You need to hand it to the Impact, they've rallied the entire soccer community in Québec. Something other A-League clubs seem to struggle with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarrek Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Who was the opponent ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid_ Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 1-0 win over Atlanta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Yes, Montreal also apparently rallied the referee as well, who actually took part in the play bu passing the ball to a Montreal player, while the game was on. I expect this should be that refs last A-League job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Robin Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 We had a teacher who would act as a referee in gym and couldn't resist hitting a few shots in basketball to help the team that was behind. With the average 10 year old being less than five feet tall, of course he could turn the tide of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Since we are talking about Canadian attendance numbers lets look at the lows of yesterday as well. Calgary drew just 357 against Minnesota yesterday. http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2004/1076909.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leekoo Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 bet the farm that calgary folds the tent at the end of the season ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Man Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 a photo of the big event... http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/article/4,723,0,082004,771262.shtml and the feild looks in much better shape than Swangards... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massimo Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 quote:Originally posted by G-Man a photo of the big event... http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/article/4,723,0,082004,771262.shtml and the feild looks in much better shape than Swangards... Maybe...just maybe some people at the CSA don't want to see games held in this part of the country, and give reasons like pitch quality, for us to say...ohhh that's right! My Cynical Moment. And about the distance between Sherbrooke and Mtl. It's about 150 km. Approx. 2hrs away when you calculate the traffic, etc. by car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 quote:Originally posted by G-Man a photo of the big event... http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/article/4,723,0,082004,771262.shtml and the feild looks in much better shape than Swangards... Swangards FIELD is in much better shape than Montreals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massimo Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead Swangards FIELD is in much better shape than Montreals. uhhh, dude! who said montreal, this game was in sherbrooke.[] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Yeah, but G-String is harping on playing a WCQ game in Montreal, and bad mouthing Swangard stadium in the process. I have no idea what the playing surface in Sherbrooke is like, nor does G-String. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 Sherbrooke is more accessible to East Coast Americans, but harder for Montréal "opposing fans". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 It hard to judge from those pictures what kind of shape the field is in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarrek Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Well, the stadium was just constructed last year so I assume the field is in very good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I'm not saying that the field is not in good shape, just that G-String can hardly compare the pitch conditions, he's only seen the same photos that the rest of us has seen here, and he's been to neither stadium. Is the pitch full international size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 In all logic, it is. The track is up to IAAF standards and the field is in the middle, in the same way that it is at Swangard, Commonwealth and CCR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Okay, just asking. I know nothing about the track and IAAF standards, so wasn't sure if we had another foothills deal going on there. By all means the CSA should put a game in that stadium then. You won't hear me whining about it (I'm not saying that you did). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torontosupport Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 I was at this game and here's my personal report. The Good: Wow. Nice to see 9000+ at an A-League game in Canada for once. I've never seen the Impact play at CCR, so I was impressed at the 400m stream of people walking into the stadium a good hour before the game. We arrived at about 3:15 (kick-off at 4:00pm) and had a hard time getting seats. People friggin' loved the Impact...it was like Guy Lafleur had just showed up and he was giving away free Mae West pastries. People were pushing and shoving to get in; running to seats; arguments abounding. Bizarre! Nice turnout and generally good-natured event. Stadium: Good pitch, great facility, nice location. Kicks Centennial's behind by 5000%. Bigger than Swangard with the temp seating (where I was). This would be a GREAT A-League stadium if the city could ever support it. The main stand is covered with nice seats. The only drawback is that much of the other seating is a ways off the pitch - but for smaller crowds it would be great. Good score screen, good-ish announcing and six-packs at your seat. Oh yeah, no football lines either. I was suprised, but discovered that the U de S men's and women's soccer teams play here too. Season tickets to the University Men's Soccer season: $15. The Impact had a little kiosk for selling shirts, etc...I saw a few people with new gear and the announcer reminded everyone they could buy stuff every 15 minutes. They did a gret job in the capitalist pig dept, I must say. Even the mascot was better than Toronto. Geez, the Lynxer looks like a costume that was bought used from a teenage crack shelter compared to the Youpi-esque Tac Tic. It's obvious that the Impact have cash. Saputo, HydroQuebec & the Province are all behind (read: bankrolling) them. The Lynx have who? Me, Oakville Nissan, GL and maybe the back-up 'Keeper's Mom if Coronation Street isn't on. The Bad: Holy ticketing chaos. Reserved tickets were available, apparently, for the nice stand. Seats were empty there during the game and I'm sure we could have bought them prior to kickoff if we'd only been told there was a more expensive option. We were only offered 1 price and 1 ticket...and me being used to Toronto, I never thought anything of it. Damn. Never mind this, but most of the UN-RESERVED seats were bought in blocks by local soccer clubs (read: small annoying kids). The so-called un-reserved seats were actually reserved by blocks...and guarded by Impact employees or Uni staff. I was bewildered. I tried to get a seat in the unreserved stands and was asked if I was a member of the club from Bromptonville. Not being 8 years old, I said no and was directed to some really sh**ty temporary seats that were available but still resevred by another club. Huh? Let me tell you this, chums, School Day doesn't only happen in Toronto. The only reason this game got 9128 attendees is because the club sold most of those in blocks of unreserved tickets to local youth "babysitting" clubs, afterwhich they denied access to actually anybody else. Impact staff explained to me that each section of the stadium had a club's name above it (which it did) to direct the kids and parents to their proper seating arrangements. This was not 9000 soccer people showing up to watch soccer, this was a bunch of youth teams showing up to have something to do on a Sunday afternoon. I still cannot believe that I was denied access to GA seats with a GA ticket by the Impact staff and am still considering writing a letter to the club to let them know what happened. Never mind this, many people were incorrectly issued children's tickets and were then turned away by gate staff. Security was hilarious, with Uni staff in Uni colours standing with backs to the game - watching intently to see if any 7 year olds were about to start some kind of killer machete riot, or perhaps smoke some smuggled-in crack that had not been purchased at the stadium Budweiser kiosk. The ref was a total idiot, and has been reported. I didn't see the now infamous incident in question, probably because I was trying to not get kicked in the balls by some serious ADD kids surrounding me (seriously). Anyway, he had to get rescued by the linesmen after the 1st half or a couple Atlanta players were justifiably gonna kill him. I had a hard time explaining some of the finer points of soccer regulations to my father because the ref would miss things so blindingly obvious that there became no point. The A-League had better do something about it's officiating or many people will never take it seriously. It's just plain abysmal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 The commentator mentioned that the crowd was not into the game. I really wonder, marketing to all these kids that don't pay attention if it ever pays off. Sure the team can brag about 9,000+ per game, but if they aren't paying attention or are behind the team whats the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torontosupport Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead The commentator mentioned that the crowd was not into the game. I really wonder, marketing to all these kids that don't pay attention if it ever pays off. Sure the team can brag about 9,000+ per game, but if they aren't paying attention or are behind the team whats the point? The mascot was really the only reason three was any noise in the stands. That guy/girl did a great job of getting some cheers and claps going. Some of the kids did sing some songs/cheers...but really, how much noise can 18 seven years olds make at a time? The make-up of the crowd is really the reason why an A-League franchise wouldn't work in Sherbrooke. The attendance is a little misleading. That being said, it's a great once-a-year event for city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
François Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 If you thought the referee was bad, we had some 10 times as bad as that one in Montreal this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 quote:Originally posted by François If you thought the referee was bad, we had some 10 times as bad as that one in Montreal this year. Yeah but I bet none of them ever forgot they were refereeing the game and joined in on the play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torontosupport Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 quote:Originally posted by François If you thought the referee was bad, we had some 10 times as bad as that one in Montreal this year. It happens everywhere, really. I shouldn't single out this game as being the worst, nor should I imply that it somehow reflects on the Impact. Can you imagine this amount of amazingly bad calls combined with the rampant tabloid sports journalism such as Britain's? Revolution! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.