Greatest Series Ever, That’s What I’m saying, Guy…

Bernard Hopkins Wants Next Crack at Carl Froch

Toronto FC lead the way heading into Columbus Crew clash

By English Paul…

North American sports leagues do their best to promote parity within the game by way of salary caps (with the exception of the MLB) and the draft, with the best players theoretically going to the less successful teams.

The MLS is no different in this respect.  And yet, it still seems strange to see the worst team in the East during 2008, Toronto FC, in first place while last years MLS champions, the Columbus Crew, are last, having yet to win a single game in 2009.

This turn of events pretty much sums up what has been an eventful season to this point for TFC.  If you had told Chris Cummins before the season that he would be in charge of the team by the end of April and leading the Eastern standings, he wouldn’t have believed it (much like the rest of us.)

To be fair though, the man does not lack for confidence.  He has already declared himself to be better looking than departed coach John Carver.  Cummins comes across as intelligent and witty in interviews, although he appears to be trying to set some sort of record by seeing how many times he can say ‘the lads’ in his press conferences.

They say if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.  This would appear to be the mentality to apply for today’s game at home to the faltering champions.  As such, look for a similar line-up and formation to the last couple of games.  Playing three strikers up front has caused a myriad of problems for opposing defences’, with Danny Dichio featuring as the target man.

Defensively, the team has been more solid than ever, helped out by Carl Robinson and Sam Cronin sitting just in front of the back-line.  Stefan Frei is looking more comfortable in goal with every passing game and, barring injury, Greg Sutton better get used to sitting on the bench.

The Reds almost boast a clean bill of health, with only O’Brian White still definitely out and Dwayne De Rosario questionable.  The good news is that first round draft pick White is ahead of schedule in his recovery and De Rosario may play some part after resuming full training on Thursday.

Columbus has not been quite so lucky with injuries.  Five players are definitely out, with the biggest loss being regular starting goalkeeper, Will Hesmer.  Defender Frankie Hejduk is questionable with a tight hamstring, while Gino Padula, who has started every game this year at the back, is suspended.

This is the second of three clashes the teams will have in 2009, as they battle for the Trillium Cup.  We can only hope that both sets of fans are better behaved than last time the two clubs met.  The 1-1 draw in Ohio was marred by trouble outside the stadium, leading to police involvement.

The key, as always against the Crew, will be to keep 2008 MLS player of the year Guillermo Barros Schelotto quiet.  Schelotto may not be quite up to last season’s standard yet, but is capable of bringing out a vintage performance at any time if given the chance.

Toronto has not defeated Columbus in seven previous meetings, but they will never have a better chance to reverse this trend.  Take the Reds to win a close game as they continue to show people they are serious contenders for a playoff spot.

Paul Taylor can be contacted at: [email protected]

Just What the Doctor Ordered for Toronto Raptors

By Robert Seagal… Fresh off of being named the recipient of the 2009 Euroleague Rising Star award, which current Raptor Andrea Bargnani swept up in 2006 prior to being picked first in the NBA draft by the Raptors, Novica Velickovic is turning heads in Europe this year.

At just 22 years old, he’s the heart and soul of his club, Partizan Belgrade, and the gritty forward is quickly turning into a very well-rounded player.

While at 6′9″, some may say he’s a tweener as an NBA prospect, and a sub-par athlete, you can’t teach the kind of skills Velickovic possesses.

He’s the glue that holds a team together. He does everything well enough to help a team win. He can defend, rebound, pass, shoot, score, and most importantly, he’s a leader.

When Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo talks about how much he misses Garbajosa, one has to wonder if he even realizes that a player who’s every bit like a young Jorge Garbajosa is currently eligible for this year’s draft.

One has to wonder why a player like Jason Kapono is currently making nearly $6 million  a year, while someone like Velickovic is likely to end up undrafted this coming June. If we’re comparing athletic ability, Velickovic is actually superior.

He’s the better passer, defender, creator, finisher, and scorer, and five years younger to boot. He’s great off the ball, smart in crucial moments, and like Jorge Garbajosa, he enhances the performance of everyone around him.

He’s a facilitator, and as tough as nails. His nickname “Ubica” literally translates to “killer”. If he goes undrafted because he’s one inch too short to play as a big, and a step slow to play as a wing, there is something seriously wrong with NBA scouting.

If the Raptors are looking at former draft pick George Printezis as a guy who can help them in the toughness department, a player like Velickovic would likely have a greater immediate impact in the same role because he’s as NBA ready as any 22-year-old in the world.

The Euroleague is not kind to players as young as Novica, and for him to emerge as the leader of one of the top seven or eight teams in Europe shows that he’s got the maturity of a vet, and at his age, that’s truly rare.

While he may not hear his name this June, Novica Velickovic is in the hearts of the Partizan faithful, and I’m sure they’ll be happy to cheer him on for the next decade while Jason Kapono sits at the end of the Raptor bench collecting enough money to feed a small country.

Has the NBA learned nothing from players like Nikola Vujcic, Luis Scola, and Jorge Garbajosa? Athletic ability doesn’t mean you can play basketball. Just ask Gerald Green how many minutes his vertical leap is getting him this year.

The Day the Blue Jays Were Born

by Mike Allder… Thursday, April 7, 1977, started out a very sunny, mild, beautiful spring day. I remember this because I was starting my first job that day and I had to miss school. I had walked about a mile from my apartment over to Dufferin Street. I then took the Dufferin bus southbound as far as it went, to the Exhibition grounds on the shores of Lake Ontario.

I then walked another mile through Exhibition Park to the Stadium. I was not at all familiar with this stadium; I literally walked around the whole building before I finally arrived at gate 10 on the south side. There were a lot of teenagers like myself hanging around with a few much older men.

It seemed like everyone but me was smoking. I knew nobody and I felt like I was the only one there without a friend or someone I knew. A large overweight man came to the door and explained that only people with passes would get in to work today.

I did not have this pass and did not know how to get one, but I was damn sure I would be getting in to work today.

“You have to go to the Versa Foods office, and I don’t think they will be able to help you, we have enough people already,” I was told by the fat man.  The office was at the north end of the stadium, another long walk.

I walked into the office and excused myself.  “I need a pass to work,” I said.

Because I had come all the way and had made the extra effort, they made me a pass. Boy was I lucky. I got my own plastic, white credit card-like pass with my name on it. This pass was like my very own season ticket, because today was the first ever game of the Toronto Blue Jays.

I would now be a part of history.

By the time I arrived back at gate 10, almost everyone had disappeared. I walked up the stairs and was handed an orange smock and a numbered badge. I’ve come to forget what my number was that day, but I know I was ready and eager to sell whatever they wanted me to sell.

On this day, opening day, it would be hot dogs.

They say you never forget your first time, and I had never been to a baseball stadium before.

I followed the rays of sunlight flooding up the gray concrete walkway from the vendors room. It was the brand new green artificial turf that I remember most. It was so green, so new, like a big fake grass carpet.

There were Chicago White Sox baseball players just milling about, some players were tossing soft, others throwing hard. A player was inside a large-fenced, domed cage hitting balls pitched to him from a pot-bellied coach standing behind a fence partition. Outfielders that were three hundred feet away would trot over and snag the balls before they hit the new turf.

I remember the sound of the ball hitting the bat; it was a different sound, a unique sound. My first impression of baseball was it seemed to be a very non-strenuous sport, a sweatless sport, more of a pastime.

Could it ever be Canada’s favorite pastime, like the United States?

Back to the vendor’s room, and within the hour I was in the stands selling foil-wrapped hot dogs out of my big orange Coleman cooler. I was exchanging money and handing out packets of mustard, relish, and ketchup, like I had been doing it all my life.

Then, without warning, like some great Armageddon was approaching, the skies got black, the temperature got colder, and it started to snow.

Hot dog sales were now very brisk, and the tips were plenty. I was trolling the expensive seats right behind home plate and around the dugouts.

There was so much excitement in the air. We were allowed to sell anywhere we wanted, but that first game I stayed as close to the action as possible—and very close to those big-money seats.

Anne Murray sang the national anthems, and I remembered to take my hat off, but I forgot that two anthems would be sung.

In between songs, I began barking attention to my overpriced hot dogs. “Hot dogs, hot dogs, who needs a hot dog?”

Ooop’s, error on the vendor right under the announcer’s booth behind home plate. Talk about embarrassing.

The umpires were introduced, and the Blue Jays took to the field. The Blue Jay’s PA announcer introduced the players:

“Ladies and gentlemen, here are your Toronto Blue Jays, at first base…and pitching for your Toronto Blue Jay’s, Bill Singer.”

A Chicago White Sox player walked up to home plate. “Play ball,” I heard the umpire shout. The first pitch by Singer was a strike; even if it had been a ball, I think the ump still would have called it a strike.

It was right down the middle—fastball, for sure.

Now back to the kitchen for another cooler of hot dogs and another commission ticket for me.

The snow eventually stopped, and the skies cleared up, but the temperature remained cold. I worked until about the eighth inning. I could not even estimate the miles of stairs I had climbed that day. The Blue Jays won and I was dog tired (nice pun, eh?).

The best thing about being a vendor was the fact you made money while exercising, and you worked in a big league sports atmosphere.

I stuck with that job for the first two seasons. Some games I ate all my profits or blew my money at the Exhibition midway trying to double my earnings betting on the crown and anchor wheel before the long bus ride home.

That first game was very memorable, and will always be remembered by everyone that was lucky enough to attend.

I had a devastating experience leaving the stadium that day.

A young guy was killed right at my feet outside the park when he slipped on the slippery surface and broke his neck on a concrete planter.

I was at the first Blue Jay game that day.

I had witnessed history in the making.

But what I looked forward to most that day was watching my Toronto Maple Leafs in a first-round playoff game against the hated Montreal Canadiens later that night on television. The Leafs lost that game and the series.

Some things just never seem to change.