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Toronto Sun: TFC fans under fire


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Guest Jeffery S.

It is very difficult for supporters not to look canned and even manipulated by the club. Because over time at many clubs that is what happens with certain supporter groups. Usually starts with freebies and favours, away trips at low cost, and it makes sense, since the club is sort of nervous about its supposed radicals but also knows it needs them. So it buys them off, but only part-way.

You can criticize the type of cheers the TFC fans do all you want, but if you look carefully almost every supporter's group has its character and its flaws. I got a lot of heat on a Liverpool thread at BigSoccer once because I complained about how Anfield, even Anfield, was a bit orchestrated, with singing by rote by the majority, and "tradition" an excuse for just going along with the crowd; and when things were quiet, atrocious and terribly loud canned music. Was a great atmosphere, memorable, probably one of the finest I have seen, but you can't tell me that is authentically spontaneous, not any more. Maybe the 20-40 guys who actually make up the good chants in the pub, but the rest?

Just so you don't think I am referring to TFC only, or comparing with Liverpool, if you had to criticize the Southside as gametime supporters you would have to ask why Southsider chants are never intended to be picked up by the main stand, as happens in probably the majority of stadiums in the world. The behind-the-goal fans start up something that the rest pick up, and that is part of the hardcore fans' pride. Instead there is a kind of scorn for the mainstand, which is too bad (even though the main stand is rather stunned, slow to react and emotionally flat) with no sense that what the Southside could be doing is waking them up. But for that to happen you'd have to think about how to do it, and the Southside is usually having too much fun and too busy laughing to worry about that.

Now that I have offended pretty well everyone, who gives a crap if someone throws a beer or if there is a fight? It is unimportant. As long as the stands are full they can go screw themselves. We fought after high school basketball games regularly and I never remember anything ever being said by anyone about it, for years. Meaning depending where it happens and with whom, the press does not give a damn either, never did and still doesn't.

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Geez, you learn something new everyday. I had one grandfather and 2 or 3 uncles with that Cdn brigade. Were there from the landing in Sicily right through the end of the Italian campaign. And, I've seen too many Ortona street signs growing up on Cdn bases. Thank you TFC07.

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quote:Originally posted by TFC07

And from the moment Major League Soccer announced the awarding of a new franchise to Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment in 2005, the many life long football fans hibernating in the Toronto soccer “underground" came to the surface and the buzz began.

It wasn’t long after the team was officially named, and the new logo presented for the first time in May of 2006, that a gentleman in England known only as “Simon”, started a discussion group on-line to talk up the new team.

From those humble beginnings the seeds of our club were formed, and a meeting was called amongst the local members of that discussion group, with the specific purpose of forming a proper supporters club.

The first ever meeting was held on September 29, 2006 at Toronto’s “Overdraft” pub with representatives from TFC on hand.

Prior to that historic meeting the group had decided to use the name “Red Patch Boys”, in homage to the veterans of the “1st Canadian Infantry Division” of the Second World War. This unit was referred to as the “Red Patch Devils” by axis troops in recognition of their bravery and perseverance in the face of heavy combat.

The founding members felt that a name honouring this illustrious fighting unit could be worn as a symbol of pride for our country, our city, and our newfound team. As well the new group hoped to emulate the camaraderie and fellowship exhibited by our soldiers in arms.

The name was modified to its current incarnation so as not to be mistaken with the popular nickname of the Manchester United supporters group, “The Red Devils”.

Source: http://www.redpatchboys.ca/rpbhistory.htm

Sounds like a warm and fuzzy MLSE press release to me!!

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quote:Originally posted by TFC07

And from the moment Major League Soccer announced the awarding of a new franchise to Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment in 2005, the many life long football fans hibernating in the Toronto soccer “underground" came to the surface and the buzz began.

It wasn’t long after the team was officially named, and the new logo presented for the first time in May of 2006, that a gentleman in England known only as “Simon”, started a discussion group on-line to talk up the new team.

From those humble beginnings the seeds of our club were formed, and a meeting was called amongst the local members of that discussion group, with the specific purpose of forming a proper supporters club.

The first ever meeting was held on September 29, 2006 at Toronto’s “Overdraft” pub with representatives from TFC on hand.

Prior to that historic meeting the group had decided to use the name “Red Patch Boys”, in homage to the veterans of the “1st Canadian Infantry Division” of the Second World War. This unit was referred to as the “Red Patch Devils” by axis troops in recognition of their bravery and perseverance in the face of heavy combat.

The founding members felt that a name honouring this illustrious fighting unit could be worn as a symbol of pride for our country, our city, and our newfound team. As well the new group hoped to emulate the camaraderie and fellowship exhibited by our soldiers in arms.

The name was modified to its current incarnation so as not to be mistaken with the popular nickname of the Manchester United supporters group, “The Red Devils”.

Source: http://www.redpatchboys.ca/rpbhistory.htm

Sounds like a warm and fuzzy MLSE press release to me!!

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quote:Originally posted by Johnnie Monster

Well nobody's saying all TFC fans are like these particular tools in question, but in the minds of others they are indeed "representing" your fan base by virtue of the fact they are at an away game.

Ya but Johnnie, for all any of us know, they could be from Vancouver!

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quote:Originally posted by dbailey62

Ya but Johnnie, for all any of us know, they could be from Vancouver!

how does that matter?

when you go to a leafs v nucks game all the leafs fans live here... they're still leafs fans. its the same with soccer, even if they are from vancouver, they have a TFC shirt on, that makes them a TFC fan...

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quote:Originally posted by morbital

how does that matter?

when you go to a leafs v nucks game all the leafs fans live here... they're still leafs fans. its the same with soccer, even if they are from vancouver, they have a TFC shirt on, that makes them a TFC fan...

[?] Of course it matters.

Two morons in TFC shirts doing something reprehensible while attending a Vancouver match certainly doesn't represent me.

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Guest Jeffery S.

Gentlemen, there were quite a few TFC fans at that game. I would guess they were Torontonians on holiday in Vancouver who decided to take in the game. I saw a mom with her kids in TFC shirts, and I saw a few reggae boyz also with kids beforehand with TFC shirts on, then when they scored you could see quite a few jump up in the main stand. Maybe a few hundred in total. Some time after the match about 15-25 marched behind the mainstand chanting the usual ditties, celebrating the fact that they'd lost two points to us. All duly attired. At that point in time there were few people left in the stadium, so something could have happened then with them, but I do not know. They did not look aggressive, they looked like your typical overwashed, little dick prep school Torontians enjoying the few months of their year their complexions don't go to shot. Normal TFC fans.

Seriously though, I think you folks in Toronto underestimate the degree of hype around the team, there are a lot of people who know about TFC and are even interested but maybe have yet to go to a game. Believe me, I took my niece from TO to a Caps game this summer and she was dying to see a TFC game but "couldn't get tickets", and she told me a lot of her high school friends were in the same situation. And some had TFC shirts even though they had either never been or only been once. So even someone from Toronto a bit hyped about TFC and not a regular fan could have turned up to the match in Vancouver. That is what it felt like to me, and all power to you.

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I never saw Lynx or Blizzard fans at Swangard, but in the CSL days, there were two Supra fans at one match, a couple of Nova Scotia (Schooners?)supporters (or maybe a couple of Blue Noses that lived in Vancouver and heard about the game)about 30 North York supporters once, and about 200 Victoria supporters at one match.

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Guest speedmonk42

The fact that we are even arguing about fans being dicks in other cities in Canada at games is.. well amazing enough.

Nothing excusable mind you, but I hope you can see the context of how amazing that is to some degree...

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quote:Originally posted by Rudi

Once again, you've proven yourself to be a valuable contributor to these forums.

Well, I think that throwing anything is a shit thing to do, and you guys have made no effort to stop it.

Throwing ANYTHING is interference with the game.

Now I will sit back and wait for the usual "is chanting interference" defense I've seen used heavily in the past by people who come from Toronto.

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I agree, throwing stuff on any playing surface is idiotic. I couldn't believe it when, during the Canada vs. Honduras match, waterbottles and other objects were being thrown on the field, apparently from section 114 (it went over my head, and i was 3rd row so I'm figuring). Those things went... right into the crease of our freaking goalie!

Way to try to help the cause people.

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quote:Originally posted by speedmonk42

The fact that we are even arguing about fans being dicks in other cities in Canada at games is.. well amazing enough.

Nothing excusable mind you, but I hope you can see the context of how amazing that is to some degree...

Where were you today? We missed you!

db

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Hey Monkey you are so extremely right.It is a dream for me to even see this rhetoric.I guess almost everybody takes it for granted,the RPB,Ultras,U section and guys like me,ordinary and very quite fans.What we are witnessing is moments of history in Canadian sports.

OK year 2050.Here we go,eleaborate articles how the face of sports changed because of TFC and their supporters groups RPB,the Ultras,U section and others in particular.Yes all the names will be there and all the sentiments will be there and yes they changed the profile of a sports fan in Canada.We will be looked upon as pioneers,totally committed fans and fans that not only supported TFC but also became the ultimate fans for Canada's teams.

Welcome to a new and very exciting and very creative world.

Hey speedy,was it a 22 or 24 screen you were recommending.BTW you are amazing as well and your efforts are not going unnoticed.You already made tremendous contributions with your training manual.

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quote:Originally posted by Trident

Well, I think that throwing anything is a shit thing to do, and you guys have made no effort to stop it.

Throwing ANYTHING is interference with the game.

How do you know that we've made no effort to stop it?

Oh yeah that's right, you're an all-seeing troll from the bush who can read minds from thousands of kilometres away.

Carry on, then. [8)]

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Soccer is well known for fans who get out of hand.It is what makes that game so famous and revered.Once we really know what is this real thing about being human beings and that drive that we can't explain but we can celebrate we will know.Last night I was at my tennis club yearly party and I could not help again witnessing all the girls getting on the dance floor and having a great time.The ratio was 5 to one.What was I looking at tribal stuff,girls celebrating their world whatever that is. To me it was again an other confirming eye opener. Is that the same stuff or magic we have among the soccer fans.

All I know that this although accepted as normal it ain't, this needs some explanation and I believe brings us into areas of humanity that is all about our beginnings and our principal differences as well as our future.

Soccer maybe tribal stuff and we know it feel it and cheerish it.

Anyway back to the dancing fans ,yes there is something very special in life and we still don't understand it but it is so amazingly real.

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I hate as hell to tell you but this was a party for the seniors of our club and I guess most of them were over 30 or so. but hey this music and magic changed them and as i said it all goes back to day one,whenever that was.Girls seem to like dancing a lot more than guys and as i said this is tribal stuff.

Maybe somebody has written a book about this or some article about what I saw which I have seen for many years.Nothing new.

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