The 2016 MLS Cup Final

I remember a time, as late as three years ago, where winning a championship, let alone making an MLS Cup Final, was an unattainable goal for Toronto FC.

To understand where Toronto FC is now, you need to understand where TFC was before. Profit-driven executives who had no idea what soccer was, or how to operate a soccer club ran TFC. Toronto FC fans were being charged premium prices for a ghastly standard of football. Add to that, the coaching and managerial merry-go-round, as well as the infighting between TFC supporters led to a general feeling of apathy. The relationship between the organization and the supporters laid in ruin.

Toronto FC were the laughingstock of Major League Soccer, and of North American sport. This is not a hyperbole.

The club needed a reset button. Out went Tom Anselmi, Richard Peddie, Earl Cochrane, and Paul Beirne. In came Tim Leiweke, Tim Bezbatchenko, and Bill Manning as they tried to make Toronto FC a proud club and an organization with class. They also needed to repair the relationship between the club and the supporters. The big difference between this group of executives and the last group was that this group actually had some soccer knowledge in addition to their business acumen. They understood that in order to keep the supporters coming back, they had to build a squad capable of not only competing for a championship, but sustaining it as well. There was some was rocky times in this new relationship (the signing of Jermain Defoe, the Argos to BMO Field, continued ticket price increases), but I can safely say that the club is in a much better shape now than it was three years ago. It almost feels like a new club.

The signings of Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore (along with many others) helped to rejuvenate the club, and bring in a new set of TFC fans. TFC head coach Greg Vanney, who in the past has faced some deserved criticism, deserves some credit for TFC's recent success. The newly formed raucous atmosphere you hear at BMO Field from supporters groups such as the Inebriatti have once again made this place a fortress for away teams. It is all these factors and many more that have brought this team to their first MLS Cup Final in their history.

As I was walking around Liberty Village a few hours before kickoff, there was both an aura of jubilation and nervousness. Fans were obviously happy that TFC were even in the MLS Cup Final, and playing at home, no less. However, I did notice a lot of caution and anxiety in the faces of supporters. You could almost tell that supporters were thinking about what would happen if TFC were to lose the match. Many other fans just continued to drink their beers and simply enjoy the moment.

Toronto FC were coming up against the Seattle Sounders, a club who were among the worst teams of Major League Soccer for the first two-thirds of the season, until a coaching change and the arrivals of Lodeiro and Fernandez turned the club's fortunes for the better and the club rode the wave of success all the way to the final. About 1500 away fans made the trip to BMO Field, and some brave Seattle fans were not afraid to sing their chants right in front of the TFC supporters.

After walking past the double-decker bus that was the failed "Bloody Big Deal" TFC marketing campaign, I joined the massive crowd of supporters on the march to the stadium. A lot of the nervousness went away for a bit when the chants started going. Flares and smoke bombs were being set off, and everyone was jumping around trying to pump himself or herself up to be a part of history. When I emerged from the tunnel and the stadium was in sight right in front of me, the anxiety came back in droves. Nevertheless, a realization dawned on me. Whatever the result of the match was going to be, I knew that this was going to be a night I will never forget and that I was going to be a part of something special.

The match itself was not very special, however. Both Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders played a patient, almost cagey style of football (as how it usually is in a cup final). Seattle tried to play for extra time and penalties from the first whistle while TFC was a bit more adventurous with the ball. Michael Bradley was TFC's best player, as his passing was top-notch and his defensive work was admirable. In fact, the only bad thing about Bradley this game was his diabolically awful penalty in the shootout. Jozy Altidore had a few chances to score, including a header in the second half of extra time, which produced a fine save from Stefan Frei. Giovinco did not have a good match and was largely invisible. He had to come off during extra-time, which had me thinking if he was playing while carrying a known injury. With TFC's chances on goal, to see them not finish one was surprising, but if you could not finish your chances, you only have yourself to blame.

BMO Field was packed to the rafters. Seriously, I have never seen so much people packed into a stadium like this, but the atmosphere did not match the MLS Eastern Conference Final second leg. It may have been the occasion or the game itself, but the crowd felt hushed for most of the match, with only the singing of a few chants across the entire south end. The anxiety increased drastically when it was time for penalties and when Justin Morrow cracked the crossbar in the first sudden death penalty, it felt like a kick to the gut. There was this audible exhale from TFC supporters in the stadium, and when Roman Torres scored the winning penalty for Seattle to give them the MLS championship, it confirmed the dread. There was an immediate "TFC" chant right after the penalty to save face, but it did not make the feeling any better.

The Seattle Sounders win their first MLS Cup in their history, but it felt like TFC lost the trophy rather than Seattle winning it. A part of me is happy for the Seattle organization and their large base of support, as they seem like a well-run club with a squad of players who are good but not quite great (TFC between 2007-2014 was the opposite). As for TFC, it feels like "peak Toronto sports" referencing the recent playoff runs of the Blue Jays and the Raptors.

I have said before in a previous tweet that in order for Toronto FC to release itself from its "laughingstock" status, it needed to win this MLS Cup Final, but now I do not really think that anymore. I think they have already shed it. TFC now have a core set of players with a stable coaching staff and management rarely seen in this club. I can see them making another run like this next year and the year after, and that is the important thing, to not only get to this stage, but also to constantly keep getting to this stage. That is what builds dynasties in sport.

I consider myself lucky to witness something like this in person. I have never been to a proper cup final before, and this was an experience I will treasure for a long time. Something like this would not have been possible without all the supporters that pressured the organization for a change, whether in person or on social media. The supporters are what makes this club possible and what makes this club a success.

Toronto FC reached the unattainable goal. Now, actually winning the MLS Cup seems attainable.

Resort Review: Be Live Collection Marien

It is about time I do another one of these hotel/resort reviews. I recently came back from my vacation in the Dominican Republic and stayed at the Be Live Collection Marien, which is a 5-star resort in the Costa Dorada area of Puerto Plata. Here is the review:

Check-In

Because there were a lot of us (around 40 people) coming in at once, the check-in process was a bit slow with a lot of waiting. While we were waiting, staff would bring us welcome drinks, which was nice and made the check-in experience a bit more bearable. After we were done, the bellhops handled our luggage and we took a golf cart to our rooms.

Rating: 6.5/10

Rooms

The room was quite big and spacious, which was a surprise for me. The beds were okay to sleep on, as well. The room came with standard amenities such as a TV, phone, iron, bottle opener, and a coffee machine. In addition, regularly stocked water, soft drinks, and beer were inside our mini fridge. There was also a safe in the closet, but you had to pay to use it, which was disappointing. All rooms had an air conditioner, which was great, but there was always a lot of moisture in the air, which created condensation and made everything a bit wet, including the bed sheets. Some guests had to change the bed sheets because of it.

Rating: 6.5/10

Random Note: There was no bible in the nightstand drawer, which I thought was weird.

Bathroom

Bathroom was also quite spacious along with the standard sink, shower, and toilet. Turning on the shower was a pain, and I needed help from the staff for trying to get the water to come from the showerhead. When it did, there was hardly any water pressure, and the water would randomly fluctuate between hot and cold constantly. Room service would constantly forget to exchange used towels for new towels in the bathroom.

Rating: 5.5/10

Food

Note: I am a vegetarian. My review of the food may not reflect those who are not vegetarians.

There are three places to get food at this resort. The main place to get food was the large dining room, which was a buffet-style restaurant that served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is a wide range of food for people of all dietary needs to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was not terrible, but it was not outstanding either. It was simply edible, nothing more.

In addition, there is a snack bar that serves fast-food grub on the times when the main buffet restaurant is closed. It is also the late-night spot to get food as well. The food tastes the same as the buffet restaurant. The good thing is that there is also a drinks bar as well, where you can get drinks well into the night. There is also a TV so you can watch soccer and baseball games there as well.

The other place to get food is to book a reservation to one of the three "a la carte" restaurants (Mexican, Brazilian, and Mediterranean). I went to the Mediterranean restaurant and it was marginally better than the food in the buffet/snack bar. It was the best food I had in the resort, but that is not saying much. To get the best food in the Dominican Republic, you need to travel outside the resort.

One more thing to mention. In the buffet and the snack bar, there are birds that fly around the tables where people are eating. I cannot confirm that they would pick at the food, but be careful.

Ratings:

Main Buffet, Snack Bar: 5/10

A la carte: 6/10

Shops/Vendors

There are some duty free shops on the resort, as well as some other shops, which sell souvenirs and other things for your stay. You will always get better deals outside the resort for souvenirs, as the things on the resort are a bit expensive.

Beach

The beach was nice and big. Staff would clean the beach every morning of trash and seaweed from the water. There are volleyball and soccer nets on the beach premises where people can play volleyball and soccer. There are many cabanas and beach chairs where guests can soak up the sun or get some shade. The water itself was a bit rough, as the undercurrent kept pulling me away from the shore. It would have been nice if there was a bar on the beach premises, but since all beaches are considered public in the Dominican Republic, that would not have been possible.

Rating: 7/10

Pool

There is one big pool at the center of the resort where a lot of the entertainment would take place. There are basketball nets, water polo nets, and a volleyball net in the pool, so you can play a number of sports in the water. There is no swim-up bar, but there is a pool bar on the premises where you can get your drinks and enter the pool with them. The pool was undoubtedly the best thing about the resort.

Rating: 7.5/10

Entertainment

There are theater shows that occur a few times a week after dinner at the theater next to the buffet restaurant. I did not watch a whole lot of the shows, but they seemed okay. The African show was entertaining; everything else ranged from okay to mediocre.

There are also some competitions that happen at the pool. Such events include mini golf, darts, and ping-pong. The staff try their best to energize the guests for the events, but I still thought it was a bit boring. I was bored of all the entertainment by the fourth day staying in the resort.

Rating: 3.5/10

Nightlife

There is a small disco in the lobby that mostly plays Spanish music. It starts playing around 9 pm and continues until 1 am. The good thing about the disco room is that the room is air conditioned, so that you do not sweat a lot while you dance. There is a bar in the room for drinks, as well as an outdoor patio if you need some fresh air. I wish there was more variety in the music, as all they really played was Spanish music. They played a little bit of hip-hop and reggae, but those tracks were rare.

Rating: 6/10

Note: There is a casino and another club just outside the resort that plays both Spanish and English music that caters to both locals and guests. Just remember to be careful when venturing outside the resort. Going with a big group helps with safety.

Internet

You are allowed 1 hour of free WiFi a day, and the WiFi is very slow. If you can handle going days without connecting to the internet, then it is best that you do so. If you really need to connect, then be prepared for major slowdowns.

Rating: 4/10

Activities Center

There are a couple of pool, ping-pong, and foosball tables just outside the pool. The pool table was missing pool balls and the cues were cracked. The ping-pong and foosball tables were okay though.

Rating: 5/10

Other Notes

- There is a gym on the resort. It looked clean and nice when I looked inside.

- There is a tennis court on the resort as well. It looked poorly maintained.

- There is a spa on the premises. You have to pay to use it, but from what I have heard, the services and experience is very relaxing. If you have some money left over before you leave, I would look into getting a massage. Apparently, you can also request a receipt and submit a claim to your insurance provider.

- Locals stay at the resort on the weekend, which can be a bit overwhelming and can make the resort a bit packed. I would recommend booking an excursion on the Friday or Saturday if you do not like the busyness of the resort on the weekend.

- Vendors would sometimes set up booths and desks full of souvenirs just outside the main buffet restaurant. They are very aggressive, so if you are not looking for souvenirs, it is best to just avoid the area altogether. There are also people walking around selling time-shares as well (unless you like talking to them).

Final Verdict

The Be Live Collection Marien has a nice beach and pool, and the rooms are not too bad, but you get bored of things to do inside the resort very quickly. The entertainment is lackluster. The locals that come here on the weekend, as well as the vendors make the experience a bit uncomfortable. I would not recommend this resort, as I believe there are better resort options in the Puerto Plata area. The only scenario where you may consider going here is if you are booking many excursions, so you can limit your time inside the resort.

Final Rating: 5/10

Toronto FC 0-1 Montreal Impact: Welcome to the Circus

Note: I am breaking my hiatus from this blog to talk about the Toronto FC vs Montreal Impact match that happened yesterday. I need to address some important things.

Even though I was taking a break from supporting Toronto FC this year, I felt like I should be at the match against the Montreal Impact, simply because it was a high-profile match. Therefore, that was my plan last Saturday night. I experienced the match inside the stadium and I am ready to give my thoughts on the overall experience.

First, the pre-match tifo was fantastic. Big credit to all the supporters groups for creating the most visually appealing tifo I have ever seen at BMO Field. It was also ironically funny that TFC supporters embraced the "circus" label that Montreal fans always give them. 

Now, the match. It may have been TFC's fun house, but it was the Impact that escaped the fun house with a 1-0 victory, giving them their first ever victory against TFC at BMO Field. The Impact were disciplined and hard to break down, even when they were down a man before halftime. They only really attacked when they were on the counter, and it proved to be successful when Piatti scored. TFC's offensive play was predictable. All they did was switch the ball to the wing and then crossed the ball into the 18-yard box, which the Impact back-line dealt with ease. TFC also did not test the Impact keeper with many shots. They passed when they should have shot the ball and tested the keeper. I cannot think of any TFC player that played a good game, while the Impact put in a great team performance. This match also highlights that Greg Vanney and TFC struggle to break down teams that play a defensive style of football, no matter what advantage they have. There will be fans and journalists that will say that there is nothing to worry about and that TFC are still first in the Eastern Conference. However, this is an issue that Greg Vanney and the TFC coaching staff will need to fix if they want any shot at winning any playoff matches this season.

I have noticed a lot of Twitter chatter surrounding a certain two-stick banner in the south end of BMO Field. Here it is:

.@torontofc A big banner of a woman on her knees implying fellatio and the phrase "Montreal you suck" is a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/KuXDbEbhi9

— blackbetty07 (@blackbetty07) August 28, 2016

If the image did not look clear to you, it is a woman wearing blue, representing Montreal, "going down" on a man wearing red, representing a TFC supporter, while the banner reads "Montreal Vous Sucez". There are some people, particularly women, who were offended of the portrayal of a woman in that way. That is perfectly valid and it is something I agree with. I understand the hatred that TFC fans have for Montreal and vice-versa, but the person or people who made that banner could have easily expressed that hatred in a better way than a woman going down on a man. In a way, that banner was tasteless, unnecessary, and (dare I say) threatening to women who regularly go to TFC matches. However, if two sets of fans hate each other, and want to express that hate to each other, you simply can't expect them to be politically correct at the same time. In Chris Rock's comedy special "Kill the Messenger", If Chris Rock's car was hit by another car driven by a one-legged man, he'll talk about the leg (better hope he has some two-legged insurance).

Toronto vs. Montreal is a high-profile rivalry, and I expected people to be rowdier than usual, but I noticed a large amount of people who were ridiculously drunk and wanting to start fights with others who simply wanted to watch the match. Where I was in the north patio, there was an altercation behind us between a young, drunk man, and an older man. The larger man, evidently annoyed at his conduct, punched him. Other fans separated the two men. BMO Field security showed up quite late in the first half and took away the two men, and Toronto police arrested the one who threw the punch. From what I have heard, there were a number of incidents similar to what I have experienced in and around BMO Field, with lackluster responses from BMO Field security. Add in the fact that security shepherded thousands of fans through one gate in the north end (creating a safety hazard), and it was evident that security really dropped the ball in creating a safe atmosphere for the fans.

Hey @BMOField why are you funneling about 8000 people through a 15 ft wide gate? pic.twitter.com/pTilRYa3vq

— Steve Billinton (@SchteveTown) August 28, 2016

For the TFC matches I went to these past two years, there has been a large increase in casual spectators, and with that, a large amount of "bros" who go to TFC matches who simply want to drink alcohol, start trouble with others, and have no interest in the team itself. I have been noticing more trouble at the TFC matches I have been to, and this is not something TFC should be okay with (obviously, this is only my opinion, and it will differ from others). Sadly, I do not think TFC and MLSE will do anything about it because they buy the stadium beer and contribute to TFC’s profits. TFC are developing a reputation similar to going to Jays games when they used to have the $2 Tuesday tickets in the 500-level, where you would see a lot of fighting there as well. In a perfect world, actual supporters are the ones who fill the stands, but TFC and MLSE need to fill seats by marketing heavily to casual/fair-weather fans and people who simply want to drink alcohol, because that is where the money is. They are the ones who will buy the merchandise, buy concessions, and buy alcohol. 

I found it ironic that TFC supporters groups created a tifo labeling BMO Field as a circus, because that is exactly what BMO Field is now! It has become more of a sponsorship showcase than a stadium where a match takes place. The main attractions of this circus are Giovinco, Bradley, and Altidore, and now you have an influx of people who go to matches to experience the TFC atmosphere, but refuse to contribute to it. I have been having a growing disconnect with Toronto FC, and this is only one of the reasons why this is happening with me.

Overall, I had an okay time, but by going to the match, I realized why I keep telling myself I should not be going to the match anymore. However, I still do it, so what does that say about me?