Playing for History

Interesting that MLSE has produced yet another team that successfully draws fans but can't win. What a remarkably inept sports organization, yet the footie faithful haven't hestitated even momentarily to jump aboard.

(Wow - 21-3 in shots. Those are like Leaf-Devil totals).

But now that the soccer screamers should be quieted, you have to believe, for at least a day, time to move on to other more meaningful topics.

Such as, isn't this Tiger Woods vs. Roger Federer as the greatest individual athlete in sports getting interesting?

Woods, with Canada's Stephen Ames doing an oh-so-predictable fade, cruised to his 13th major championship on Sunday with a victory at the PGA in sweltering Tulsa. That leaves him five short of Jack Nicklaus for the all-time wins total in the four biggees and 13-13 in majors won after going into Sunday leading.

Federer, meanwhile, took a bit of a step backwards after being upset in Montreal by surging Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Anyone who watches tennis, and in particular, watched Wimbledon, could see this one coming. Djokovic is a major talent, a more well-rounded player than either Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick, and he has a coolness under pressure that served him well in Sunday's final in Montreal.

Still, it wasn't a Grand Slam event for Federer. His next substantial test comes at the U.S. Open in two weeks, which is already shaping up as a fabulous competition between the Swiss master and a pack of challengers including Djokovic, Nadal and Roddick. Federer has 11 Grand Slam titles and is closing in on Pete Sampras' record of 14 in the same way Woods is chasing Nicklaus.

The added factor in the Woods vs. Federer comparison is that it would appear Federer has more meaningful challengers than Woods. Compare Woods' 13-for-13 record, for example, with the fact that Federer has lost French Open final to Nadal and fell to Djokovic in yesterday's Masters event in Montreal. The rest of the golfers, meanwhile, seem terrified of Woods, who continues to set a conditioning level that the rest of the sport can't match.

The Montreal event, meanwhile, was a spectacular success, particularly from an aesthetic viewpoint, with three of the top four seeds making it through to the semifinals. This week's tourney at the Rexall Centre has obviously been hurt by the withdrawal of several top female players, something the WTA continues to promise to fix but hasn't yet fixed.

If there's a silver lining, at least both cities can count on having the more consistent quality and depth of the men's event every second year. Right now, if either Toronto or Montreal was scheduled to host the women's tournament for, say, 10 straight years, it would be an extremely difficult task to promote successfully given the seemingly cavalier nature with which so many of the top female players withdraw in the final days before the tournament begins.

Comments

[Alexintoronto]

Dichio, Cunningham, O'Brien, Edu, Samuel are all starters who either didn't start or left the game (Samuel).

That was a tough game to watch. With all the injuries keeping players out, a suspension and our captain playing injured it was an uphill climb for sure. Our expansion team had a lot of trouble getting scoring chances and preventing scoring chances. A team that has 2 designated players, few injuries by comparison and no suspensions had the advantage going in. Nonetheless it was a disappointing effort.

You know what though? 300 Toronto FC fans were in New Jersey cheering on their team. In several bars across Ontario, fans gathered to watch the game and cheer. Winning matters - but when your team isn't winning you should still support them, otherwise you are nothing more than a fair-weather fan.

As has been said, you write out of ignorance - unless you've actually been to a game.

[Cashcleaner]

So this is sports journalism? You make a comment regarding Toronto FC's latest woes on the pitch despite the club's phenomenal support, basically blasting MLSE's management for taking us all for a ride, yet failing to mention that this is the club's FIRST SEASON.

I'm sorry Damien, you're right. How inappropriate for me to not demand we win the title our first year out of the gate. I must be setting the bar real low or something.

Seriously, I can't believe you get paid for this.

[chris]

You really are a gluton for punishment, aren't you Damien?

We, the faithful, knew going into Sunday's game that Toronto FC was going to struggle mightly on the road against one of the better teams in the MLS, RedBull New York. That's what injuries to key players on a first year expansion team will do to you. But why let reason get in your way when misplaced paranoid hysteria feels so good to you? Bob McCown taught you well, grasshopper!

But just remember this: Toronto FC will be the ones bringing MLSE a league championship before the Maple Leafs and the Raptors. And the whole town will rejoice in their triumph. Even YOU have to conceed that to be a reality.

No go on with your life and leave the soccer and TFC to people who actually CARE about the sport

[Roach]

Wow another award winning article comparing apples and oranges.... Did you really expect an expansion team to win the championship? Damien for most true fans of sport the beauty of the game is in how its played. Football fans watch the beautiful game for the artistry that is displayed by the players. For example in tennis, fans just want to see a great game. Its the same thing in football. If you believe that your assesment and comprison of the two teams are fair then so be it. However you dont' seem impartial when it comes to your assesment. I think secretly you enjoy the attention you recieve from the TFC fans.... more hits more money... you are a smart man...

[Ed]

As I have said before, sports support isn't supposed to come down to results - if it does those 'supporters' should be ashamed of themselves, they'd be glory hunters. You can whine and complain about the management but you always support the team. if you have any experience in sports journalism you should understand that.

That match was brutal and I have to say my living room isn't looking as it should with broken bits here and there - you get upset but its all part of the game. When that win comes, its euphoria, its worth it. That's what football is about - I am sorry if it doesn't fit into the North American consumerist mindset of paying for tickets and expecting to be entertained. It comes from the grassroots, its real. I'd strongly advise that you come see Toronto FC play Chivas next week, I think it might just covince you to change your mind.

[Ted]

No mention of Federer's 48 unforced errors or the recent tennis betting scandal, eh?

[Azerban]

Cox, I think you've been reporting on sports for so long you've forgotten what it's like to care about them.

We haven't.

[James D]

Im in full agreement Damien! Toronto FC is just another cash grab just like the Leafs.

How many more seasons of losing Soccer is this city supposed to put up with? It seems like Toronto FC hasnt made the playoffs in like FOREVER!

Really what is the point in taking shots at the soccer team? Why waste the first few lines of your article goading soccer fans? So you can complain about it again tomorrow?

[Julian]

So your editor told you that you "blog" isn't getting any traffic unless you write articles about the Leafs. Since it's August and there is no Leafs news you had to think of another way to get some traffic.

As much as people call you stupid you clearly are not. You saw a passionately followed team and followed the Bob McCown school of generating ratings and slammed soccer. Brilliant. If only you used that intellect for something other that putting out the same "MLSE is evil, Leafs suck, Leaf fans are idiots for loving a team that doesn't win a championship, why don't fans abandon losing teams" drivel out with every article...

[selvig]

Really, was anyone expecting a championship out of Toronto FC in the next 40 years?

They are owned by MLSE, who have proven that they care more about profits than winning (ex: Higher Leafs tickets after missing the playoffs).

[Stephen]

Come now Damien, enough with this FC vendetta. I'm not a soccer fan, don't even enjoy the World Cup, and would be just as happy to rip the stadium down again, but this is getting a bit much. An expansion team is always going to suck, and now is not the time to be telling fans to stop filling MLSE's coffers because they haven't delivered a winner in the first year. If they appreciate the game and are willing to support the existence of a MLS franchise in Toronto then leave them alone.

Oh, and writing about hockey would be nice, even if it is the offseason. If Doug Smith can keep up the commentary then so can you.

[Jordan]

An article about Federer vs. Woods and the first 9/10 comments are about Toronto FC. Great.

Anyways, I think Woods has to be considered the greatest individual athelete. Federer, even at Wimbeldon this year, just looks a lot more beatable. When I watch Woods it seems like there's a level of confidence that's just not there in Federer. Maybe the reason is Federer has better competition as you said Damien, but one could just as easily argue the reason Tiger doesn't have any real challangers is just another sign of his greatness. Federer is no doubt a great athlete and I love to watch him play but when he plays certain players, in particular Nadal (especially at the French Open), he looks like he believes he's going to lose. And that's something I've never seen in Woods. If Woods is even close to the lead in a tournament he looks like he's going to win it (any often he does).

I believe that Tiger is more dominant in a sport that's harder to dominate.