Montreal officially first canadian MLS team to reach 11 wins, on expansion year!

[RS]

the rankings for 2012 were :

TFC

VAN

EDM

MON

The reason why EDM was ranked ahead of MON was because it was based on league play. Whereby Montreal finished behind Edmonton in the NASL in 2011. They didnt factor in the fact that Montreal ow had an MLS roster. So it was TFC who actually got screwed because they didnt get to play the realistically lowest ranked team.

Your right, they didnt change and never had changed teh rules.

Ah yes, I should have had breakfast before I posted.

I reversed all of that info in my head. Either way, I knew TFC didn't benefit from any rule change. If anything, Toronto should have taken on FC Edmonton this year rather than an MLS-level IMFC.

Anyway, I'm not looking to turn this into a Voyageurs Cup thread. Congrats to Montreal on its first season success. Hopefully Bernier will bring that form over into the CanMNT games in two weeks.

[Mr.Impact]

Obviously wrote by Duane...The vast majority of Soccer writers including Ives Galarcep, Steven Goff and others all say the Impact is on paper the most experienced and possibly best expansion ever and all agree will have a Portland Timbers like 1st season. Only TFC fanboy Duane says they will be the worst expansion team ever..

Duane is the most biased and biggest fanboy ever...

http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2900-2010-MLS-preview

[SteveBeau]

We get it, dude. You don't like Duane.

You could post your preseason predictions so we can compare, if you'd like.

Don't like him? I don't even know him, he may be a nice guy..

I just enjoy pointing out how he was all over twitter before the season began chirping about how the Impact would be so horrible in 2012 and challenging people to remember his predictions and that IMFC would be lucky to get 20 points and would be the worst team ever in MLS and bla bla..

He called people out to remember his predictions, so I did that and now his little fanboy crew is defending him. Don't be smug and arrogant if you don't want people to call you out on it after..

[RS]

Don't like him? I don't even know him, he may be a nice guy..

I just enjoy pointing out how he was all over twitter before the season began chirping about how the Impact would be so horrible in 2012 and challenging people to remember his predictions and that IMFC would be lucky to get 20 points and would be the worst team ever in MLS and bla bla..

He called people out to remember his predictions, so I did that and now his little fanboy crew is defending him. Don't be smug and arrogant if you don't want people to call you out on it after..

LOL @ little fanboy crew.

If you're talking about me, I know Duane personally and I know he's grown up enough to fight his own battles. In fact, I give him grief quite often about fighting too many battles.

Unless you're talking about the dude from BC who chimed in before me. If so, well I have no idea if ThiKu's a "fanboy" or not, but I'm leaning on not.

As for calling Duane out, perhaps you should do so directly instead of posting repeatedly about it in here. Has he even posted in this thread?

[Mr.Impact]

I think there was a mix up between the number 11, and number 19 spots.

[phil7777]

Why wouldn't he be allowed to point Duane's predictions publicly here? After all, it is a subject related to the thread.

Duane asked for it.

[Free kick]

Why wouldn't he be allowed to point Duane's predictions publicly here? After all, it is a subject related to the thread.

Duane asked for it.

Because the insinuation is that the piece was tainted in bias. If someone in Montreal would have wrote something similar (ie.: saying the Impact will finish last), would you guys be rehashing it now? i am sure that you wouldn't. Not on this forum anyways. For what its worth, he had TFC picked as eleventh. Expansion teams struggle in year one, that's nothing new. All the pre season predictions do is take past information and project into the future and if someone accomplishes that by showing me a reasonably informed opinion (which that piece was in my opinion), than I am satisfied.

That piece is nothing more than a pre season write up. Crystal ball do not exist and there is no Nostradamus amongst us, not even amongst the Impact fans. I doubt that any of you guys realistically have such great grasp of the talent and pecking order of MLS talent, that you realistically could have done any better. No, the only reason you guys bash him is because of where he lives. And the perception is that because of where he lives he will be biased. Well he might be, but so are Montrealer's who write similar blogs columns. There was plenty of misinformed content that i was listening to in an online French podcast (link found on mlssoccer.com) involving Montreal media personalities who follow the Impact who were discussing league topics and issues.

[tmcmurph]

Ah the good old Montreal vs Toronto pissing match

As a Caps fan I can only say

1) Duane asked for it. Keep reminding him. Maybe he'll wear a dress again. That was funny.

2) Good on the Impact for learning from others mistakes. Might not be a Seattle first year but still a damn good show for an expansion team.

3) The Impact and Caps have gone opposite ways this last month. Hopefully we get our act together and quickly.

4) In a league without a full interlocking schedule it is rather meaningless but fun to discuss.

[El Hombre]

That piece is nothing more than a pre season write up. Crystal ball do not exist and there is no Nostradamus amongst us, not even amongst the Impact fans. I doubt that any of you guys realistically have such great grasp of the talent and pecking order of MLS talent, that you realistically could have done any better. No, the only reason you guys bash him is because of where he lives. And the perception is that because of where he lives he will be biased. Well he might be, but so are Montrealer's who write similar blogs columns. There was plenty of misinformed content that i was listening to in an online French podcast (link found on mlssoccer.com) involving Montreal media personalities who follow the Impact who were discussing league topics and issues.

He didn't just pick them to finish last. He picked them to potentially have one of the worst expansion seasons ever. I think that's where a lot of this may be coming from.

[SteveBeau]

He didn't just pick them to finish last. He picked them to potentially have one of the worst expansion seasons ever. I think that's where a lot of this may be coming from.

This. He predicted they would be lucky to get 20 points and contend to be the worst expansion team in MLS history, despite 99% of other MLS writers/bloggers predicting they would be a good expansion team and have a Portland Timbers like 1st season.

I am not "bashing" him because of where he lives but because he asked for it and his prediction was laughable at best..

[Free kick]

OK. Point taken. I was thinking in terms of the finishing last part mostly. For what its worth, if you were to ask me to make a preseason prediction, i would start things off with the expansion team and i would put them last and take it from there.

[Juby]

1) Duane asked for it. Keep reminding him.

I don't think so, as bad as preseason predicitions usually are, we all want to read them.

At the risk of sounding repeative, the Raptors are always about 5 ranks underrated, always, in every ranking or prediction. I don't take it to heart or fire off emails/comments even though it's glaringly obvious that every team in Toronto does a pointless streak when their on the verge of mathmatical elimination. Like if you don't like what he's saying, don't read him, that's what we all do to some american writers. You can all watch me predict a TFCA win against York Region Shooters and then watch York Region Shooter take the lead about 20 seconds later, am I 'asking for it'? It's fun to put yourself out there with a predictions till a few people take it too seriously (get a bit mean) but...

I'm too lazy to meme unless it's an album cover.

[Mr.Impact]

I don't think so, as bad as preseason predicitions usually are, we all want to read them.

At the risk of sounding repeative, the Raptors are always about 5 ranks underrated, always, in every ranking or prediction. I don't take it to heart or fire off emails/comments even though it's glaringly obvious that every team in Toronto does a pointless streak when their on the verge of mathmatical elimination. Like if you don't like what he's saying, don't read him, that's what we all do to some american writers. You can all watch me predict a TFCA win against York Region Shooters and then watch York Region Shooter take the lead about 20 seconds later, am I 'asking for it'? It's fun to put yourself out there with a predictions till a few people take it too seriously (get a bit mean) but...

I'm too lazy to meme unless it's an album cover.

Duane Rollins

@24thminute

The 2012 Montreal Impact will finish season with 10 points. Save this Tweet. #tictac

https://mobile.twitter.com/24thminute/status/125322018882195456

He asked people to save his tweet.

Predicting an expansion team to finish last, is one thing. Predicting an expansion team to finish with the worst record in league history, when most experts agree that they had a solid draft, and made some strong deals, is another.

[phil7777]

Because the insinuation is that the piece was tainted in bias. If someone in Montreal would have wrote something similar (ie.: saying the Impact will finish last), would you guys be rehashing it now? i am sure that you wouldn't. Not on this forum anyways. For what its worth, he had TFC picked as eleventh. Expansion teams struggle in year one, that's nothing new. All the pre season predictions do is take past information and project into the future and if someone accomplishes that by showing me a reasonably informed opinion (which that piece was in my opinion), than I am satisfied.

That piece is nothing more than a pre season write up. Crystal ball do not exist and there is no Nostradamus amongst us, not even amongst the Impact fans. I doubt that any of you guys realistically have such great grasp of the talent and pecking order of MLS talent, that you realistically could have done any better. No, the only reason you guys bash him is because of where he lives. And the perception is that because of where he lives he will be biased. Well he might be, but so are Montrealer's who write similar blogs columns. There was plenty of misinformed content that i was listening to in an online French podcast (link found on mlssoccer.com) involving Montreal media personalities who follow the Impact who were discussing league topics and issues.

Dude, if we bash him, it's because he predicted the IMFC to be "the worst expansion team ever" and he asked people to remember his prediction.

That's basically like wearing a large target in a shooting alley.

[phil7777]

https://mobile.twitter.com/24thminute/status/125322018882195456

He asked people to save his tweet.

Predicting an expansion team to finish last, is one thing. Predicting an expansion team to finish with the worst record in league history, when most experts agree that they had a solid draft, and made some strong deals, is another.

THIS.

It's not a Toronto thing, it's a Duane thing.

[phil7777]

Ah the good old Montreal vs Toronto pissing match

As a Caps fan I can only say

1) Duane asked for it. Keep reminding him. Maybe he'll wear a dress again. That was funny.

2) Good on the Impact for learning from others mistakes. Might not be a Seattle first year but still a damn good show for an expansion team.

3) The Impact and Caps have gone opposite ways this last month. Hopefully we get our act together and quickly.

4) In a league without a full interlocking schedule it is rather meaningless but fun to discuss.

As an Impact fan, I was wondering why the caps made so many key changes when they already had a solid an entertaining team. Hope your team gets better. It's always nice to have company when laughing at TFC.

[Juby]

https://mobile.twitter.com/24thminute/status/125322018882195456

He asked people to save his tweet.

Predicting an expansion team to finish last, is one thing. Predicting an expansion team to finish with the worst record in league history, when most experts agree that they had a solid draft, and made some strong deals, is another.

Who cares? People from other cities and countries are going to get it wrong till the end of time (GIVE THAT MAN A MEDAL), get nicer hobbies then I-told-you-sos to journalists so local it'd probably be easier to call them. "OHHH MY GOD, someone made a ****ty prediction!" "About What!?" "Sports" "....". Calling sports people on their predictions is like making fun of a child for spelling mistakes, or Maury for doing paternity tests.

People make these predictions all the time, the more dramatic the more people read, the more they read the more they talk, the more they talk the more seriously the writer became despite what your saying. If you really wanted to hate him for trying to entertain you guys with a fluffy article, then stop reading him. There's a couple CSN writers who struck me as phoney morons and I don't go around trying to embaress them here, I just don't read the articles. I think your all ignoring how many times the Raptors have been predicted to be dead last (ie it's a perfect parallel), should I really get upset because David Aldridge (a real expert) doesn't think much of my team?

[Mr.Impact]

Who cares? People from other cities and countries are going to get it wrong till the end of time (GIVE THAT MAN A MEDAL), get nicer hobbies then I-told-you-sos to journalists so local it'd probably be easier to call them. "OHHH MY GOD, someone made a ****ty prediction!" "About What!?" "Sports" "....". Calling sports people on their predictions is like making fun of a child for spelling mistakes, or Maury for doing paternity tests.

People make these predictions all the time, the more dramatic the more people read, the more they read the more they talk, the more they talk the more seriously the writer became despite what your saying. If you really wanted to hate him for trying to entertain you guys with a fluffy article, then stop reading him. There's a couple CSN writers who struck me as phoney morons and I don't go around trying to embaress them here, I just don't read the articles. I think your all ignoring how many times the Raptors have been predicted to be dead last (ie it's a perfect parallel), should I really get upset because David Aldridge (a real expert) doesn't think much of my team?

How many times has David Aldridge predicted the Raptors to finish with the worst record in league history? See the difference there? Furthermore, how many times has he posted on Twitter asking people to remember it?

[Grizzly]

Because the insinuation is that the piece was tainted in bias.

Are you seriously trying to claim Duane is not biased? When he used to post on the Voyageurs he was the most biased TFC poster on the forum by a long shot, indeed the most biased poster for any team. Even a lot of the TFC fans didn't agree with what he posted. Probably he does some of this on purpose just to draw people to his blog but his articles are certainly no more objective than his forum posts were. And yes he asked for the criticism on his Twitter post and probably purposely so because whether it is criticism or mockery, posting about him keeps his name prominent and leads to more views of his articles. There is probably going to be varying levels of bias among journalists in any city. Nevertheless there are many journalists and even bloggers in Toronto and other cities who write informative articles with intelligent analysis and some objectivity. Then there is Duane.

[Juby]

How many times has David Aldridge predicted the Raptors to finish with the worst record in league history? See the difference there? Furthermore, how many times has he posted on Twitter asking people to remember it?

Well not the 'remember this' bit (he's kinda a low key guy, but you don't have to do whatever a TFC reporter tells you), but really, isn't calling the raptors to be last like 3 or 4 times a decade about as bad (considering they haven't come last since the 90's)?

Once again, I don't think making bad predictions (even being humourously overconfident) is worth more then a short laugh. Sometimes it seems like this board won't be happy till they've chased every small time journalist or small time team or mediocre player out of trying to entertain them on too small a scale. I don't think it's jealousy because there is a blog section here, a very easy way to prove your all better/more expert writers, but instead of countering a lack of insight with insight, we have a pissing contest about who's the 'biggest loser' (don't even bother, it's clearly me).

Also, you guys are aware that you don't have to be unbiased depending on your goal? I get emails all the time from people complaining that a Canadian is making biased videos for Canada (apparently it's my job to do highlights for every country).How many 'Impact' articles does he write? He's never claimed to be an Impact expert (he just made a crappy prediction, wooppity-doo), I have however seen gobs of TFC articles (his goal is to cover TFC...). Most of the people complaining (although you can add me too) come across just as biased but lesser writers, Here's a crazy idea, put all this attention into supporting the actual Impact writers! Instead everyone is going to go archiving through old articles of a journalist they don't like...

[jpg75]

I really don't see why people are defending Duane Rollins in this thread. He made a really stupid prediction, challenged people to keep the tweet handy as reference and is now forced to eat crow because it was possibly one of the worst prognostications in the history of MLS. If I were an Impact fan i'd be laughing my ass off right now, heck, i'm a TFC fan and even i think it's kind of amusing.

[Juby]

I really don't see why people are defending Duane Rollins in this thread. He made a really stupid prediction, challenged people to keep the tweet handy as reference and is now forced to eat crow because it was possibly one of the worst prognostications in the history of MLS. If I were an Impact fan i'd be laughing my ass off right now, heck, i'm a TFC fan and even i think it's kind of amusing.

sorry for overposting, but I can put it very simply:

I can understand a bit of a laugh, but we've all heard hundreds of predictions, from people of varying degrees of expertise, from people of varying levels of confidence. But when this guy does it, this board acts like it's actually relevant? Like they'd rather cry over nonsense and have one less writer (open a paper, 8/10 NEWS articles are already tremendously stupid, why would I care if a sports writer messes up a team he doesn't support?), sometimes I swear this board is happiest when there complaining about what they don't have. This board though is never satisfied with a simple 'aha', it's always pages upon pages of posturing until were all poles apart defending equally stupid opinions.

[jpg75]

sorry for overposting, but I can put it very simply:

I can understand a bit of a laugh, but we've all heard hundreds of predictions, from people of varying degrees of expertise, from people of varying levels of confidence. But when this guy does it, this board acts like it's actually relevant? Like they'd rather cry over nonsense and have one less writer (open a paper, 8/10 NEWS articles are already tremendously stupid, why would I care if a sports writer messes up a team he doesn't support?), sometimes I swear this board is happiest when there complaining about what they don't have. This board though is never satisfied with a simple 'aha', it's always pages upon pages of posturing until were all poles apart defending equally stupid opinions.

Because his wasn't a predicition so much as it was an attempt to troll. It's pie in the face. If a douchey Montreal blogger did the same thing with the same type of history i'd let him know all about it for the next year.

[El Hombre]

sorry for overposting, but I can put it very simply:

I can understand a bit of a laugh, but we've all heard hundreds of predictions, from people of varying degress of expertise, from people of varying levels of confidence. But when this guy does it, this board acts like it's relevant, like they'd rather talk **** and have one less writer (open a paper, 8/10 NEWS articles are already tremendously stupid, why would I care if a sports writer messes up a team he doesn't support?), sometimes I swear this board is happiest when there complaining about what they don't have. This board though is never satisfied with a simple 'aha', it's always pages upon pages of posturing until were all poles apart defending equally stupid opinions.

If you think this is unique to this board then you are misinformed. Living in Ottawa, every second day between January and April of last year there was an article that would reference the fact that the "experts" picked the Senators to finish last in the conference. People generally have a problem with uninformed opinion being passed off as fact, especially when it is accompanied with hubris. This is compounded when the subject at hand is something dear to your heart. It shouldn't be surprising that people are acting the way they are. I would think that if Bob McCown used his considerable media exposure to inform his relatively large audience that the North York Astros were a waste of time and money, you would have a hard time laughing that off.

I'm not saying the two examples are the same, just that it shouldn't be surprising that people have reacted the way they have nor is it indicative of a more deeply rooted problem endemic in the population of this board in particular. When you put your opinion out there, you should be ready for it to be judged and judged harshly by some.

[Juby]

Because his wasn't a predicition so much as it was an attempt to troll. It's pie in the face. If a douchey Montreal blogger did the same thing with the same type of history i'd let him know all about it for the next year.

I won't keep going on this, but to be fair, you are describing like 90% of journalists, we all skip past a couple prominient sports writers in the paper becuase they clearly know even less then Duane Rollins and get paid a lot more, but we save our words for this guy (Probably mostly because we know him)?

And if a guy in Montreal posted the exact same thing, I probably wouldn't notice, I'm not an Impact fan, if fairly quickly he got proven wrong I might get a bit of laugh out of it but I should have better things to do then criticize people for being wrong (and I know your going to say 'sooo wrong' but it's a 'sports wrong', not an 'evil wrong'). Your basking over the embaressment of someone who already has to watch TFC play every week (I TOLD YOU SO, guy who writes articles for probably the worst overall franchise in MLS...).