(Again, “TSII” is my handy acronym for “this shit is important.”)
Yesterday, the Columbus Crew and Toronto FC (TFC) announced the creation of a formal “mini-rivalry” inspired by similar trophies Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs seem to love so much. No, this one doesn’t set the earth shaking, but – y’know – what the hell? Neither team has one of these mini-cup thingies and it’s certainly not as bad as some cat named Ben Knight (writes for Toronto’s Globe and Mail) makes it out to be.
The most priceless thing in all this are allusions that TFC fans seem to somehow feel like the Crew are beneath them. From Knight’s column:
“Columbus is the first team Toronto needs to pass to vacate last place in the East Division. TFC fans have felt all along, I think, that their team is superior. And even though the Crew got two wins and a draw in three meetings with the Redcoats last season, those feelings still persist.”
So, let me get this straight: In spite of performing worse than Columbus, both indirectly and, yes, directly, TFC fans feel their team is better. Uh huh. Does the sun always shine in Toronto?
Look, I doubt fans of either are thrilled, but this makes as much sense as any of MLS’s mini-rivalries. The hard reality is geography combined with the fact that both teams kinda, sorta suck makes a decent case. Yeah, Toronto has all those wound-up fans and Columbus doesn’t – at least not always – but the relevant measure takes place on the field. And I’m not talking about the number of seat cushions landing thereon.
So…just sit back and enjoy it. I just can’t wait to see what they name it. (Please let the name be awful, please let the name be awful, please let the name be awful…).
BONUS
- This should be neither surprising nor remarkable, but, for some reason, I can’t believe someone took the time to map out the Universe of Star Trek. Left up to my, I would just draw a picture of “space.”
Filed under: Columbus Crew, Major League Soccer, Toronto FC
