It appears that IMFC has bought out adspace on the boards of the New York Islander’s Nassau Coliseum. The ads for tonight’s Habs-Islanders tilt will be about the Gulls 2012 transition to MLS. It seems that the Impact have figured out easier(and cheaper) ways to advertise during Canadiens games. They really were thinking outside the box on this one, my hat goes off to them.
A pretty creative move by IMFC, but a really sad and unfortunate for the Islanders…
This is the first reason to watch the Habs since they honoured the 2009 USL Champions before a game against the Atlanta Thrashers.
So, like I mentioned, it’s all over for this year. No more stadiums humming with the songs of the crowd(and the wail of their kids as they figure out it isn’t a Habs game). No more standing packed in the terrace, shoulder to shoulder with the same people from last week, and the faces of new friends. Not even one more Sunday afternoon game against Miami FC or NSC Minnesota.
Who would have ever thought I’d wish for even one more second of that special kind of hell, paying good money and eschewing homework/sleep/fun/anything to watch your team struggle to tie what may be some of the worst teams in the sport, in a bare standing section, just because there’s some sort of deep and at times, regrettable, connection to your city and your team.
I won’t even try to imitate a journalist this time. I can’t say anything that hasn’t already been covered by the news outlet vultures, coming for their usual once a season feast on the Impact, only to say they cover the team, and pass the clock until Anthony Calvillo gets a boo-boo, Kostistyn does something immoral or GSP farts. Anyone wishing for some decent coverage of the Gulls can look to CKAC for the soundbites of the players and staff, or 12eJoueur to see the hilarity that happens when people interview they’ve never seen before.
Instead, I’ll report on what happened during the time off the press conference, just outside and for just as long.
Many dedicated fans showed up early(hey, 9:00 am is early for me) that day, outside the stadium just for a glimpse of their beloved players. Sure, it wasn’t the best day to be standing around outside, but seeing those few privileged enough to represent the team was all it took to make the day worthwhile.
Every now and then a player would come or go from the stadium to their car(everything from VW Bugs to modified 300′s with tinted windows and vanity plates), and in between have a quick conversation that ranged from Rocco’s (ultimately and unfortunately true) “it doesn’t look good for next year” to a certain goaltender’s “dream of having the entire section filled with you guys. I dream of having the whole section on fire behind me, honest”.
That is what makes any time spent for the club worthwhile, that is a true fan experience. Not being given thundersticks or free face painting on entry, recognition we didn’t ask for, from people who don’t ask for our support. The symbiotic relationship between players of a team, and their fans, is what truly makes IMFC a real club. Through thick and thin, MLS or not, they will always be there for us, and we will always be there for them, as long as there exists one last breath in either person, they will give it their all for us, and we will likewise do the same.
That is what will make this offseason so tough, but that is also what gives us something to look forward to.
Well, it’s a bit delayed but forgive me for lacking enthusiasm in writing this post. This past weekend the Gulls’ 2010 season was ended by none other than our friends the Caramilks. Once again IMFC played the first leg of the series at home and once again they left Montreal victorious.
That’s pretty much where the similarities ended. Montreal’s first leg was not nearly as dominant as what people had come to expect from the defending champions as the game only finished 1-0, on a day where it should have finished differently. Many chances were left unfulfilled for the Blue Boys during the game, so much so that it left me feeling like luck was just something that was not on their side, except for one particular event where a Carolina goal was called(perhaps rightly?) offside. Keep that in mind.
Overall the match would be what I would characterize as disappointing, interspersed with scenes of good play. One of the few bright spots on the field that night, as well as one of the bright spots one the field, was captured once again by Franck, of Ballonrond/the Offside fame:
Beautiful goal, really.
In terms of what happened off the field, one can say it was a truly special night, as well as a possible hint at things to come…
(2:00 in)
Courtesy of Ballonrondmtl and F10MTL once again.
The away leg of the series was truly a different affair.
Not watched live in a modern stadium in front of many thousands of people, but instead on a buffering internet stream showing a disinterested crowd in Cary, North Carolina. A match where, once again, offsides would play a part in the game, though this time to an even greater extent.
The match was a very lethargic affair in which the Montreal side were not as dynamic and decisive as usual. Carolina played quite a good counter, effectively neutralising Marc Dos Santos’ game plan. The Railhawks took advantage of this, implementing their own tactics, and being paid off with a goal late in the match, tying up the aggregate score at 1-1. Just as many people started to accept the possibility of extra time in Carolina, the Caramilks scored what appeared to be quite an offside goal. Ultimately, no clear decision can be reached due to the characteristic NASL/USL terrible camerawork, but see for yourself:
He may or not be offside. It is very possible that there exists a man faster than Usain Bolt, who is toiling away in the USSF D-2. Possible but very improbable, is the consensus around these parts. If you want you can see it as justice for Heinemann, who’s goal was called offsides in the first leg. Or you can call it robbery, stating either that the goal was offsides, or that Heinemann should not have even started the match, due to card accumulation, as was pointed out by Dos Santos.
Near the end of the match, Montreal’s favourite trigger to the question “Who?”, Marco Terminesi came on to bolster the Gulls attack. As he walked onto the field I said that he would be the guy to score the goal for us. Merely a few minutes later, in the 92nd minute of 94 minutes of stoppage time, Terminesi picked up a rebounded ball in front of a gaping, empty Railhawks net, putting the aggregate score at 2-2, forcing extra time between the Caramilks and seemingly re-invigorated Impact.
As the overjoyed Terminesi ran to celebrate with his team, the raised flag of the linesman was noticed, much to his(and his city’s) dismay. People are torn on whether or not he was indeed offside, but the majority of people seem to be in the “goal-was-good/can’t-tell-a-thing-from-the-video” camp than in the “wasn’t-good/can’t-tell-a-thing-from-the-video” camp.
Once again, decide for yourselves:
Further discussion/visual breakdowns of the Terminesi goal can be found here on Impactsoccer.com
Now you can go the easy route and blame the referees for the loss, whereas I personally choose to focus squarely on the team itself. You cannot leave crucial points in your season to be decided by others. You must constantly do Whatever It Takes to ensure your own success on the field. If the referee gifts a team 4 goals, you must be able to score 5, that’s how it is. For a team widely regarded as the Kings of D2 and with only one year left in the “small pond”, I am quite shocked they only have 3 stars to their name.
A team can not be a dominant force since the early 90′s, and only have 3 league successes to show for it. Even if they left their D2 era with 5 stars, thats on the low side of the acceptable expectations for a team that is the team in the league. Now it is clear that 5 stars are not possible, but at least there can still be 4.
Look for a series of irregular (and most likely bitterly written) series of posts this off season, soft scoops, as well as hopefully another two interviews conducted by everyone’s favourite negative, know-nothing Gulls blogger!
And for my many millions of fans, try to keep from filling up my inboxes on various sites, I know you love my insight, but I’m far too popular and important to bother acknowledging your existence!
So, a lot of people are drawing parallels to the Gulls championship season of 2009. A bad start, followed by the team beginning to work well together as well as a striker finding his form and scoring at nearly a goal a game.
Well, it’s certainly something no one would criticize people for saying around these parts because frankly it’s all true. Gone is the shakiness that characterized our early games and lacklustre offense. That’s been replaced by (mostly) calm actions on the field and yet another striker in blue hitting the net nearly every time. Gerba has 13 goals in 15 games, almost bringing him to a goal a game on average. If you count just what has happened since his coming out party in Baltimore, he has started scoring at what nears out to a goal every hour on the field.
The timing for both the good run of play of Ali (Zherba) Gerba as well as the team as a whole can certainly not be beat. It seems that gone are the days where Montreal would start hot and fizzle out. I, and I would hope many others, prefer this style of season to one that Montreal was known for merely a few years ago. Gone are the days of total defense interspersed with the odd goal or two. I haven’t watched a game afraid of no goals being scored by the Gulls.
If you have any knowledge of IMFC, you know just how strange and alien a feeling that is for us here in Montreal.
But don’t mistake my praise of our offense as taking something away from those who toil away in the back and middle of the field, making sure our goal is protected. Our defence is as solid as it’s ever been historically, the big change in Montreal was just finally having a working offense to go along with our indomitable defence.
This past quarter-final series versus the top-ranked Austin Aztex(from Texas…get it?) was what I like to see as a tale of two teams. The first leg which took place Wednesday at Saputo Stadium was a game in which the Gulls demonstrated their newfound offense built on the back of Ali (Zherba) Gerba, where he scored yet another effortless brace against yet another helpless team. In an interview that took place weeks before the game Marc Dos Santos had gone on record saying how Ali (Zherba) Gerba was not playing as good as he could be. Notably the Maestro said Ali had to work on his aerial game.
It looks like he did. An effortless header early on in the game set the tone of the match, which ended with yet another 2-0 win over the poor saps from Austin.
In the second leg of the quarter-final, there was certainly some action. There was a total 5 goals in the match that I will surprisingly label as Jordan’s game. Now at first blush you might think I’m even crazier than usual. That might be, but to anyone who had the pleasure of watching the game was treated to by an amazing individual performance by our beloved Phantom of the Pitch(NEVER FORGET) punctuated by a confident and effortless save on an iffy penalty call early in the game. This stellar play by Jordan was backed up by yet another(shocking, really) set piece goal scored by (surprise) Ali once more. Yet another header and display of passion from Gerba. In his own words, Marc Dos Santos has made the game enjoyable for him once more, something that he had apparently lost. A goal and flamboyant celebration by Eduardo “Old Man River” Sebrango was the final nail in the coffin for Austin, extending the Gulls’ aggregate lead to 5-2.
All this sets up another, sure-to-be-spirited matchup between our Gulls and Carolina’s Caramilks, which begins this Thursday night at Stade Saputo.
Now onto more interesting things. Those of you attentive enough to watch the video of King Ali’s goal may have noticed that in front of CXIV, there was not banner at all. And those of you who were too lazy to click one of my many(2) hyperlinks, can go back and click the first one.
See? Nothing there.
That’s because not even 5 minutes into the game, BEST security once again came into the section to take it down, by any means necessary.
Surely they were in the right though? Surely they had a justifiable reason and surely the banner was so obscene it should be taken down.
Well, take a look for yourself, courtesy of BallonRondMTL:
Ghastly, isn’t it?
The justification for a planned charge of the section by BEST security, overseen by our friends from the SPVM, for the removal of the banner in question was that “it’s hiding the ads”. Golly, BEST security, I’m sure Metro Grocery is glad you came into section and pushed people with handicaps and ejected members. That’s really positive publicity for them. The reason for the forcible removal of the banner? They asked and no one complied. Well, BEST, it’s kind of hard to hear a guy field level asking politely to take it down, over the din of 300 people screaming.
Those astute viewers out there might have realised that all ads in front of section 114 are legible, and that one of the two affected companies have their ads plastered all across the section.
But it’s not like it’s named after Metro or anything. Oh wait, it totally is:
If only there was some sort of small indication of the sponsor...
Apparently BEST workers were under orders to uncover the ads “or else” but that hardly seems like a warrant to do whatever is necessary to whoever. Another highlight of the whole 15 minute scuffle was when one police officer was asked what she was doing in the middle of the section while shit was hitting the fan.
Her response? “I don’t know.”
I’m sure glad it was a well thought out and precisely executed idea.
Also, credit to the club for channelling MC Skat Cat and taking two steps back(sweet reference, right?) by moving the ads from a fence in front of 114, back to attaching them directly to 114 and the whole stand itself:
Yes I’ve been away for a while, and yes the world was briefly robbed of anglo Gulls coverage, what with Steve Beau and I both being gripped hard by the strong hands of apathy.
I was going to write up about the very well played Gulls-Raging Rhinos tilt, which saw IMFC win a very important match on the final night game of the regular season, in which Ali Gerba(Zherba) scored the fastest goal in club history, a mere 17 seconds into the game. He then potted his second later on in the game, to make his goal total over the last 2 games to a whopping 5, with two consecutive record setting games. People were certainly happy about that:
But then I was going to write about the Canada match, in which Canada won in front of a, for once, pro-Canadian crowd in Canada against their CONCACAF rivals Honduras, 2-1. The game was also characterised by the creation of an Ultras group for Canada, with the aims of fully supporting their nation in a way more familiar and comfortable to ultras all across the nation, as well as it being Paul Stalteri’s record setting game where he became Canada’s all time senior men’s cap leader:
Ultras banner, Courtesy RedNationOnline.ca
This win in Montreal broke our 427 day streak without a win. People were certainly happy about that:
But then I was going to write about Montreal’s come from behind win over the PR Islanders, 2-1. Yet another match where Ali Gerba(Zherba) showed his brilliance when focused, with two nice goals, including a ~30 yard golazo. People were certainly happy about that:
But then I decided to do a small writeup about this crucial upcoming game against The Rowdies, and how a win on sunday will lock us into the playoffs, and how well that looks, considering how positive the team has been playing of late. And by team I mean Ali Gerba(Zherba), and how he’s dragging us kicking and screaming into the post season with seven goals in his last three games.
Tous au Stade!
PS: Thanks to BallonRondMTL for the Rochester video, and Zed for the Canada match.
I had this big post ready to be shipped out, comparing the MLS preparations of Montreal and the Cascadians, as well as mentioning the effect that Joey’s Trash Kicking Tirade is a very poorly planned and immature move. But then I saw just how many people were lining up around the block to kiss his ass for it.
And then I questioned my sanity because surely I slipped into some bizarro world where Montreal fans are happy their asshole team owner blasts his team without first even attempting to talk to them. I decided it would be a better way to pass my time hitting my head against a wall, because it would cause less damage than hearing why people think Joey yelling about a problem he could have fixed himself privately is a good idea.
In order to save myself the excruciating pain that comes with even thinking about that, let’s switch topics to the hot off the presses coverage of the Montreal Mirror’s look at a game in Kop CXIV with the UM02:
And also get ready for this Friday Night, where our Gulls take on the Whinos from Rochester! It’s definitely something to keep your eye on, and hopefully the only Friday night crowd of the year will not leave disappointed. They’re coming into Montreal on a six game win streak, so hopefully we’ll send them home with that streak broken.
Here’s the part where I’d tell you all to get tickets and go to 114, but the game is sold out, so I’ll preface it by saying go deal with one of our beloved scalpers… and get your ass in 114! Hopefully this outbreak of insanity leads to a fired up Kop CXIV!
I was taught when there’s somethin’ you can change around
Keep quiet, you got nothin’ to complain about
You got work to do, I don’t know if that work for you
Fitting that I’m able to contrast my previous use of a Mos Def song with another. For those of you too busy reveling in FCE’s run of 21-1 in their past two games, or busy biting their nails in anticipation of the upcoming Cruz Azul-TFC game. Or, busy doing whatever’s happening in Vancouver, whatever that is. Pot Smoking? Anyways… For those of you too busy to notice, Joey dropped quite a bomb on Montreal recently, coming out of his hidey-hole to lambast almost everyone in his organisation, except for those that deserve it. Here is the english press release, which was followed up by a statement from the 2.77 Billion Dollar Baby on CKAC.
“Following the recent performances of the team, I wish to reiterate that Nick De Santis, Marc Dos Santos and the other members of the technical staff continue to have my vote of confidence and they will stay in their current functions. They have proved their skills in the last few years and we will continue to build the future of this club with them.”
“The players, veterans as well as newcomers, are the only people responsible for the position of the team in the standings. They have not lived up to expectations so far this season. They have to look at themselves in the mirror and ask if they could have done more. Certain players have yet to convince us that they should be part of this club in Major League Soccer in 2012; as well as in 2011, as we will focus on our MLS preparation.”
“With seven matches to play this season, making the playoffs is still possible, but to do so the players on this team will have to react and find solutions. I cannot accept the results thus far, as the standards set by the Montreal Impact are higher than simply just making the playoffs.”
What a crock of shit, right? Well, to be fair, there’s a few dead-on things in his press release, most notably that Joey will never fire his organisational staff, not even if our lives depended on it. They, coughcoughNickcoughcough will stay and build a future with us, yes. Notice how Joey Saputo shies away from saying a build a GOOD future. Guess we can’t hold Saputo to that one…
“They have not lived up to expectations so far this season”: Partly True. Some have been found wanting.
“The players, veterans as well as newcomers, are the only people responsible for the position of the team in the standings. “: Completely False. Absolute bullshit coming from the master of it himself. Teams don’t organise from the ground up. If many underperform as a whole team, while occasionally having individual flashes of brilliance, the problem is most likely coming from the actual organisation of the team itself, not every single player. And if there truly is a problem among every single player like Saputo says, shouldn’t his brother NDS be able to bring in people who can fit in the system? Shouldn’t MDS be able to try and reorganise to play to the strengths of what he has available?
After the release, Joey himself went on air saying he has not yet spoke to the players in private yet. But then he goes on to name individual players and their problems: It was a mistake to make Pizzolito captain, DeRoux doesn’t perform, Ali Gerba(Zherba) gets paid too much to do nothing, Placentino “thinks he’s the future of the team” but “a guy like Rocco Placentino is cheating the organisation, the club and our fans”.
After those player-centric diatribes, Joey comes close to skirting the issue by saying that the issues and philosophy needs to change, and that a change will come in 2011, but ignoring the fact a clubs “philosophy” is closely tied to the aura exuded from the front office, which right now is a large part of this complacency and stagnation that exists in Montreal. A technical director is in charge of the team, and should that team end up playing below their expectations, one most look towards the technical director for answers. Answers like why does he rely on player Philippe Billy to spearhead our search for talent, rather than earn his money by finding the players himself?
And has it never occurred to Joey that only talking to the Technical staff would paint a picture that is biased towards placing blame on the players? Maybe he should grow up and act like an adult, and hear both sides of the story before going about in public blindsiding his players? But then again, this is a man who calls us Ultras “pieces of shit” and “not real fans” one day, and “great fans” the next. The guy whose team is very totalitarian when it comes to criticism, and keeps his players from their fans when celebrating their championship?
Who can really expect a proper response to a situation from an entitled boy who’s acting not like an adult owner, but more like a boy who is having a problem with his toys? Even if he says there is a youth movement coming to Montreal in 2011, one must realise that our 2012 will look less like the start of a new era, but more of the same old shit. All this for a team that’s sitting out of a playoff spot, who haven’t won in near on a month, with seven games left. Perfect.
Look for some “pieces of shit” making the trip down to Baltimore, regardless of how badly you mismanage the team, Joey.
Next home game is the 27th vs. Rochester.
You got work to do, I don’t know if that work for you
But thats how Mos work it through
@SPVM @ChanelEm "run over". Acknowledge the fact your officers HIT a protestor, missing others, then fled the scene. 1 week ago
@SPVM @syldupo but was a protestor HIT? I know none were run over, but all you mention, is that no one was run over. Did they hit a citizen? 1 week ago
