2020 CPL Island Games

[dyslexic nam]

41 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Nam?? Are you there?  Please give the Valour boys some go juice for the second half.  

For the record, I already delivered them some juice yesterday morning.  Literally.  

[Ams1984]

Bye everybody! I’m signing off. The politicization of this league has become unbearable. I’m going to cancel my season tickets and find something else to spend my money and time on. I genuinely wish you all nothing but the best. 

[toontownman]

Interesting regarding the fans. Wonder what screening was involved and how far ahead this was planned. Sure is strange seeing Montreal with fans but in a good way I think. 

[SpursFlu]

The level of play, the caliber of goals is just phenomenal. This league has a bright future

[toontownman]

8 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

The level of play, the caliber of goals is just phenomenal. This league has a bright future

I wasn't watching at the start if the MLS but I am interested to see how comparable the standard is. I imagine MLS was still higher due to marquee players but there is certainly unison and organization in these teams.

I also think this year, this is a league with better defenders than strikers. So to be getting the goals we have is great.

[jonovision]

13 minutes ago, toontownman said:

I wasn't watching at the start if the MLS but I am interested to see how comparable the standard is. I imagine MLS was still higher due to marquee players but there is certainly unison and organization in these teams.

I also think this year, this is a league with better defenders than strikers. So to be getting the goals we have is great.

I was pretty pleased with the level of play in season one, and we've seen hints that it is improved in season two, though the short season doesn't afford the best opportunity to prove it. That said, I think the gap is still pretty large to the MLS sides (well, maybe not the Whitecaps). When MLS reject guys like Dunn and AJB can be thrown together and instantly become one of the best central defense pairings in the league, it says something, though it also highlights your point about defenders being ahead of the attackers.

If things continue to progress in season three, maybe the gap will start to close.

[Macksam]

On 8/16/2020 at 4:49 PM, red card said:

I think this is the full version you're looking for..

 

I love my club Y9 and all the players who represent it, and while I didn't think too much of the support for BLM since every sports league is doing that, I still have put in my two cents...and I am trying to be as respectful as I can. This is me being serious, forget the goofy shit about "ascending to another level" or how truth is poison to most people and red pilling this and that. Forget about all that.

There will be no agitating in this post.

The problem with all mainstream media talking points right now of how systemic racism exists are arrived at with a certain kind of selective deductive reasoning that leads to a conclusion, which can easily be argued as a false conclusion. Not saying it is a false conclusion but the argument can be made that it is one. I am also going to tell you why that is a bad thing.

I want to look at a few parts of this video (not the German incidents) to illustrate my point:

• 0:45 - not being allowed into an establishment
  • He states they told him its because of their shoes but believes it was because of skin colour
  • I need more here, did he see people of other racial backgrounds get in who were wearing similar footwear? 
  • To me, this is selective deductive reasoning leading to a possible false conclusion.
  • I have been prevented from entering a club based on a T-shirt before. It happens
• 1:00 - Pulled over by the police
  • Did the cop actually say "you look like a drug dealer?"
  • What were the various reasons cops gave for pulling him over numerous times?
  • Could profiling have occurred here? It's possible but I need more details.
• 3:30 - Friend's Dad got in the way of his friendship
  • Yeah, this is pretty clear cut but this isn't a systemic issue
  • There is no policy in the world that can eliminate racism on a micro level like this short of going full police state where everyone's speech and behavior is monitored at all times, but that would be a terrible society to live in
  • It's unfortunate his friend's dad harbored those views but there is not much you can do here
  • Move on, make new friends, there are a lot of kids who don't have parents that are full of prejudice
• 4:00 - Getting followed around a store and then looking into the bag after
  • Could this be because of his skin colour? It's probable
  • Again, did he see other kids of different background get treated the same? Different?
  • When I was 14 to 18 years old, I recall similar occurrences with myself at the bookstore or Wal-Mart
  • It's usually the teenage factor that drives this behavior rather than race
  • Security sees a young kid with a backpack on his school's lunchbreak and they get antsy
  • When it comes to this being systemic issue, I doubt the minimum wage security guard is being given a directive to scrutinize black customers more than anybody else
  • If he is, it should be thwarted obviously but I doubt it's in his job profile
  • If he feels he was treated differently than somebody else, the Human Rights Court can take his case since I believe they do look into situations where businesses discriminate when it comes to customers
• 4:33 - Neighbour of his friend thinking he witnessed a drug deal
  • Again, micro-level, can't do much here
  • If a jerk on the street prejudges you, just move on with your day
  • Not going to comment on the police as they just responded to the call
• 4:57 - Being called derogatory names at school
  • Again, mirco-level issue, can't do much here if some jerks call you that, move on with your day
  • School board policies are pretty strict across the board and suspensions would be handed out to the guilty parties if he stepped forward or had witnesses who vouched for his story so the systemic angle is already covered
  • Granted, school bullying is pretty bad and a lot of stuff goes unpunished in general mind you
• 7:00 - Being from a different neighborhood and having people look out there window along with growing up and having parents of others kids call you names at a soccer match
  • First one is another micro issue that is never going to be eliminated
  • As for the parents, you can try removing them from the sidelines but who is really going to police and enforce that?
  • Anybody that is saying or doing openly racist things is just socially stigmatizing himself, probably some low life who has nothing going for himself so let him act a fool and destroy his own reputation
• 8:18 - Have to look over your shoulder when you leave your house
  • Why? Who are you looking out for?
• 8:50 - Lady clutching her purse and crossing the street
  • Another micro-level case of prejudice that is never going to be eliminated
  • Move on with your day,
  • You, Kyle Porter have good things going for you, you have places to be and things to do while that old lady probably has nothing going for her
  • Who cares about her

And at the end of the video, what they want, which has been stated before is change.

Corporations, some levels of government have been quick to get on board with the BLM movement and push the overall message but when you are given the platform and you cite the above mentioned items? Big Corporations and big government are going to ask you this, how do you want us to fix it? And the answer unfortunately is going to be "I don't know...." because like I said before, a lot of those issues cannot be remedied by policy. You all must have noticed in the video how nobody had a tangible thing about what they wanted done except for this vague word called "change". 

This is bad because the moment you say I don't know, big government is going to say "well, I'm not going to do anything then."

So, if you want to talk about racism and systemic discrimination, talk about something of merit. 

Do not talk about someone looking out their window and giving you a funny look.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Macksam

[toontownman]

17 minutes ago, jonovision said:

I was pretty pleased with the level of play in season one, and we've seen hints that it is improved in season two, though the short season doesn't afford the best opportunity to prove it. That said, I think the gap is still pretty large to the MLS sides (well, maybe not the Whitecaps). When MLS reject guys like Dunn and AJB can be thrown together and instantly become one of the best central defense pairings in the league, it says something, though it also highlights your point about defenders being ahead of the attackers.

If things continue to progress in season three, maybe the gap will start to close.

Sorry I wasn't very clear! Yeah still big gap now but I meant when MLS started in their inaugural season or so in comparison to CPL season 1 or 2. 

While cap space and roster size is so small there is a ceiling for bridging the gap. I am sure they will grow as the league does and through more and more sponsorship, teams and fanbase.

[dyslexic nam]

3 hours ago, Ams1984 said:

Bye everybody! I’m signing off. The politicization of this league has become unbearable. I’m going to cancel my season tickets and find something else to spend my money and time on. I genuinely wish you all nothing but the best. 

Considering MLS, NBA, and NHL are also taking similar (or analogous) actions with respect to BLM, I assume you are basically giving up on most sports.  
 

Enjoy.  

[Aird25]

8 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I assume you are basically giving up on most sports.

And everything else in life. Trying to find an escape from the humdrum in this day and age is a fool’s errand. With sports, at least, there are other storylines to focus on. 

[Macksam]

5 hours ago, Ams1984 said:

Bye everybody! I’m signing off. The politicization of this league has become unbearable. I’m going to cancel my season tickets and find something else to spend my money and time on. I genuinely wish you all nothing but the best. 

Don't leave just yet. 

All the events of 2020 is going to lead to something big.

The great rapture is about to occur brother.

Let's see this thing through to the end.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Macksam

[BuzzAndSting]

18 minutes ago, Macksam said:

Don't leave just yet. 

All the events of 2020 is going to lead to something big.

The great rapture is about to occur brother.

Let's see this thing through to the end.

This is the time in the movie where all storylines come together.

[narduch]

6 hours ago, Ams1984 said:

Bye everybody! I’m signing off. The politicization of this league has become unbearable. I’m going to cancel my season tickets and find something else to spend my money and time on. I genuinely wish you all nothing but the best. 

Sorry. But this post makes me think of this.

 

[Kent]

14 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

Considering MLS, NBA, and NHL are also taking similar (or analogous) actions with respect to BLM, I assume you are basically giving up on most sports.  
 

Enjoy.  

I have taken up playing chess during the pandemic, maybe he can do that. No wait, kings and queens, too political. Monopoly? No that won’t work either obviously. Movies would be tough, there is usually some sort of political message in there somewhere. I’ve got it! Connect 4! And jigsaw puzzles... depending on the puzzle I suppose.

[Bison44]

Puzzles are dicey...there is a schism between those that start with the picture and those that do the edge pieces first.  Its more political than you think.  

[narduch]

1 minute ago, Bison44 said:

Puzzles are dicey...there is a schism between those that start with the picture and those that do the edge pieces first.  Its more political than you think.  

Sounds more like an argument between my todler and me.

[narduch]

Going to be a crazy final week ahead. 

 

[jonovision]

Possible shenanigans regarding Forge and their inability to meet the Canadian U21 minutes quota.

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by jonovision

[Big_M]

lol punishment is a fine?? some wont care much then..anyway they won today so they should play him next game

[jonovision]

Obviously the best thing to happen is that Mohsen and the backup GK start the final match against Valour, but it's pretty ridiculous that it will take until the 7th match to clear such a ridiculously low bar. IMO the quota should work out to an average of 90 minutes per game over the length of the season.

[jonovision]

For those who haven't been following this issue closely, here's a quick rundown:

Just like in 2019, when league rules required 1000 minutes of play in the CPL season to be played by Canadian national team eligible U21 players, CPL teams have a quota to fill in 2020. Due to the reduced schedule, the minimum is also reduced to 250 minutes. All of the CPL teams except for Forge have already easily met this quota with matches remaining.

Forge, like Pacific and Cavalry, chose to bring only 3 such eligible players to the island tournament. One of these players, however, is a backup goalkeeper who was never likely to play as long as Forge's matches were important to their place in the table. Another player, Klaidi Cela, played 3 minutes over 2 matches but is now out with an ACL injury. The third, Mohsen, has only featured in the last two matches. As of right now, Forge are 115 minutes short of the mark, which would be easily attainable by giving minutes to Mohsen and Baj Maan, the backup goalkeeper, in the final round robin match against Valour. However Forge are claiming that Maan has picked up a hamstring injury and may not be able to play.

The reporting has been all over the map today, but initially word was that Forge was requesting an extension in order to fill their quota by allowing matches in the second round robin to count toward their total. That request, apparently, didn't get anywhere. So barring a return to fitness for Maan, we're dealing instead with punishment. It seems it was never clear in the rules what punishment would be in place for a violation, but Oliver Platt and others are reporting that in that case they would pay a fine.

It's hard to have too much sympathy for Forge here. Injuries always affect a team's competitiveness. Edmonton's undoing is at least partially down to losing Didic. Valour would have at least one or two more points had they not had injuries to both of their left back options. Other teams have had their issues too.

Issues for me:

• The league not providing clarity, before the fact, about what the punishment would be if teams can't clear the low bar of 250 U21 Canadian minutes
• If in fact a fine is a punishment, is that fair? Is it a problem that the team with the wealthiest owner can pay a small fine and gain a competitive advantage of not having to play younger, inexperienced players? I personally think the punishment should be a points deduction, in this year's table or next.

Depending on your point of view you might have more time for Forge's arguments, but given how easily other teams met the quota it's disappointing this has come up.

A further question for me is will teams advancing to the second round robin no longer be required to feature the U21 Canadians at all? The U21s are important parts of all of the top teams except Forge, so I expect they'll still play, but it's a problem if there is no requirement, and that there is no clarity on this.

Edited August 31, 2020 by jonovision

[Stouffvillain]

The punishment needs to be more than a fine, it should be an disqualification from advancing.  If giving 250 minutes to U21 players is a requirement of the first round and a team fails to meet that they didn't play by the same rules as everyone else. 

Forge is a club that understands the rules and while they play by them they have flirted with that line.  Last season they chose not to go for the fall title because they didn't need to in order to get to the final.  That was a calculated risk as was this.  They had the opportunity to give more minute to Cela and Mohsen before the injury and chose not to do that in order to give them a competitive advantage in those matches. 

The league is about developing Canadians and has been from the start, the first offense against that mandate should be faced with a harsh penalty to prevent that from continuing. 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Stouffvillain

[Unnamed Trialist]

15 hours ago, jonovision said:

Possible shenanigans regarding Forge and their inability to meet the Canadian U21 minutes quota.

 

That is garbage and an insult to the league. Other teams have to risk those minutes and Forge doesn't? 

I'd deny them the final four if they can't comply with an even playing field. 

 

[Stouffvillain]

22 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

That is garbage and an insult to the league. Other teams have to risk those minutes and Forge doesn't? 

I'd deny them the final four if they can't comply with an even playing field. 

 

+1

Many of us here have bought into the league because it is committed to the development of Canadians.  The whole for us by us thing.  That has been the differentiation from the Canadian MLS clubs, the commitment to Canadians. If that is all a facade then I think they will find that the support they have been given will start to dwindle.  

[narduch]

If the rule doesn't have any teeth they should just get rid of it.