April 29, 2019   

My thoughts on the CPL after its opening weekend (by Rocket Robin) 

I have been thinking for quite awhile that I'd write about my thoughts about attending the first game 
of the new Canadian Premier League in Hamilton on Saturday.  Now flooding onto blogs and message boards 
are comments from other followers so here's mine.  

I have planning on this for the last two years if there was a team in the Greater Toronto area that 
I'd be a season ticket holder.  From what I'd heard the league would be all Canadian and the rosters 
would be heavily made up of Canadian players.  Since I have been following local soccer since the end 
of the 1980s, this would be just what I was looking for.  

When the league was first rumoured there was almost a year when there were only two confirmed teams, 
Winnipeg and Hamilton because of their ownership involving CFL (Canadian Football League--the tackle/rugby 
style variety) and the existing stadiums made those cities anchors of any league.  I had been warned 
that the league would dare not put a team in Toronto because of the existing MLS franchise team that 
was already here since 2007.  I was thinking that Hamilton was just outside my area so it would be years 
before I'd be able to attend but was happy when an ownership group came forward and announced that 
a team would play in the York region.  I live in North York which is actually part of the city of Toronto 
but is near the southern border of the area this team will be operating from.  I've found my CPL team!  

Later on I found out the team would play at York University to start and that was even better personal 
news for me as it meant I wouldn't have to drive and I began mentally planning two ways to get there.  
A one bus direct way or a short bus and subway ride combo as an alternative offering an escape route.  
One of my complaints about my 12 years of getting to downtown BMO Field to watch TFC was the number 
of subway cancellations effecting maybe 20% of weekends for track maintenance or crosstown streetcar 
route construction.  Shuttle buses to bridge the interruptions?  There's never enough of them.
Also for a whole season a few years back we were dumped six blocks from the stadium and had to walk 
the rest of the way.  

The schedule came out and while attending one of the pub nights we season ticket holders were offered 
a free ticket and complementary bus ride to Hamilton by one of the team sponsors that was 
a transportation company in the York Region.   I passed on the bus ride as I thought I might get 
press accreditation to the game in Hamilton and if I wanted to speak to the coaches and players after 
the game, the bus would leave without me.  

For the Hamilton game I would drive of course!  However that was put at risk when my car started 
rattling like actor Will Ferrell was under it playing a cowbell (from a Saturday Night Live sketch 
parodying Blue Oyster Cult).  I had just been to the dealership a week earlier to have a slow leak 
repaired and was sold four brand new tires.  This time I was told the problem was with my suspension 
and it could not be repaired for a reasonable price if at all.  Well this 1995 Dodge Spirit had been 
my first and only car since I got my licence in 1994 but it was time to move on.  I had been dreading 
getting a new car as being a passenger in modern ones they looked more like spaceships and video games.  
What was I going to do?  I walked into the showroom and soon realized that Chrysler doesn't make 'cars' 
(translation sedans) anymore and had SUVs, mini-vans, and jeeps.  I expressed my reserve that I didn't 
want those nor the spaceship operating features and a service rep suggested they had something in between.  
From their used-car inventory he brought up on their computer he'd already accessed something 
he thought I'd like.  They'd even brought it into the service dock while I was in the showroom.  This might 
work—my brain was in a cloud and the pressure was on as I felt I needed a replacement by the weekend.  
(Not lost on me on my two visits there that the radio just happened to play the song 'Happier' 
by Marshmello ft Bastille.  I watch the video a lot and actually consider it a very sad song as the 
family has to put down the family dog.  I've never owned a dog but my mind goes back to all my older 
relatives who aren't around any longer.  I think of all the rides I'd given my father and way back 
my mother, an old aunt and a neighbour who have all passed away).  An omen?  They're selling me on how 
'simple' the car was to operate.  OK sold!  Next day I'd go back with a bank draft and pick it up.  

I had passed up an offer from my bank a month earlier that this Saturday morning I could attend 
a complimentary screening of the new superhero movie 'Avengers: Endgame'.  I'm not really a movie 
attendee but I turned them down because I knew the CPL opener was on the same day.  Now wait for 
it—I pulled out of the dealership on Thursday with a 2013 Dodge Avenger!    
 
I spent Friday getting used to the car.  The button/handle for the wipers was reversed from my old car 
and the headlights button was where the wiper on/off button was.  The Thursday I couldn't get the key 
out of the ignition and panicked until I noticed I hadn't shifted to park.  The shift was on the floor 
not a handle behind the steering wheel like my old car.  I couldn't turn the headlights off that first 
night and couldn't read the manual in the dark but finally twisted the knob like a tap and that solved 
that.  Saturday morning I found the window blind to shut out the brightness from the small sun roof—not 
that there'd been more than two days of sun in the last month in my city.  Still finding new things!  

Needing a place to go on Friday I received an e-mail that the York 9 FC personalized scarfs were in.  
Wow let's drive to their office.  That's the day I found out how the wipers worked.  I received my scarf 
in a tote bag and two cans of LeveLution craft beer.  It had my name as 'Rocket Robin Glover'--(I'd 
forgotten I'd specifically asked for that) and my supporter number on a tag sewn onto my scarf.  
Ironically, as a child you wonder why your mother sews a name tag into your clothes when you go away 
to summer camp yet as adults that is now a source of pride.    

After I saw some supporters had already tweeted pics of their scarves I realized something about mine 
was special.  I thought everyone was given the same number until those pics then realized they'd run 
from 1 to maybe 2000 or however many scarves they end up making.  Mine had the #9.  Wow someone at the 
York 9 office had gone out of their way to match me up with that number.  I know at the team announcement 
they gave out membership #1 to the mayor for the photo-op opportunity.  I got #24 and made a comment 
as a joke.  “Wow two-four, they give that number to probably the only person here not drinking”.  

OK Saturday morning ready to go!  It's April 27th and it's snowing and so windy!  I'd been to 
Tim Horton's Field once before.  It was last year I attended the Canadian national women's team 
in a friendly against Germany so I knew the route and where to park.  I also drove to Hamilton last 
February to see the CPL formally launched at an event at McMaster University including the introduction 
of the league commissioner David Clanahan—a former executive of Tim Horton's, the well known 
coffee/donut restaurant conglomerate.  One more driving quirk.  The parking lot operator wanted 
me to back into a parking spot between two other cars even though I was only the eighth car in the 
lot that could hold 800.  I declined and apologized that I'd only had the car two days and wasn't 
used to it yet.  It does have a more restricted view looking out the back than my old car.  I knew 
I'd be one of the last to leave so didn't dread getting out of a by then almost empty lot to go home.      

My check-in time was available so I went to Gate 3 for press access. Wow was I glad I was going 
inside.  Even though I'd brought mittens and wore them for some of the ride here, I still write 
reports with pen and notebook (on paper kids, not a computer notebook!).  I also didn't have roster 
numbers for Forge FC (York 9 FC I had because the numbers were revealed on a poster at the kit 
unveiling so people could place their orders for a kit of their favourite player right away).     
 
I was going to make a big production of giving my fan ticket to the York rep at Gate 4 so he could 
give it to another maybe unexpected traveller but I was already through security and checked 
in (I didn't want the nightmare of them not having my name on the press list and me already giving 
away my ticket).  I was now 100 yards away and wasn't going out past security again so it will 
be a souvenir.  I was given a badge, hmm let's call it a sticker in the same vein as the 'Hello, 
my name is...' that you receive at trade shows.  Fine I'd only asked for a one-time pass from the 
Ticats/Forge FC office.  I had been sending an e-mail request to the wrong person weeks earlier 
and when I finally realized where it should be sent and sent my request as an almost mini-resume, 
I received a 'Yes' reply in under two hours!  Still I dreaded a check-in problem right until my name 
was found on the list.    

I will restrict my details of the game to my game report elsewhere on my site but will summarize 
a few opinions.  

I was glad today's game ended in a tie.  I have followed many of the players in both rosters from 
their days in League 1 Ontario Vaughan Azzurri/Aurora FC (for York 9 roster) and Sigma FC (for Forge).  
It wouldn't be good for the home team to lose in front of their fans.  It was important for York 9 
not to lose to feed into the Toronto equals 'losers' in the local media (or should it be centre 
of the universe?). Toronto FC ended up losing and the CPL game was given a story in the Toronto Star 
which no longer has a soccer reporter for even the MLS team.  

There was not a goaltending blooper by either side.  Earlier in the week Cory Cropper of New England 
had fumbled a catch on his goal line that led to a tap-in for the Montreal player.  Despite his 
stellar game earlier, this is what obviously makes the sportscasts and the Eurosnobs could unload 
on the lack of quality of MLS.  I watched the World Cup Final last summer (at a York 9 event!) and 
counted two goalie misplays leading to goals one each from France and Croatia.  Hey the best in the 
world right Eurosnobs?   

Many reports I've read complemented the standard of play and the game officials letting play carry 
on without a lot of whistles.  Forge FC Kyle Bekker bumped over York's Joey Di Chiara which was let 
go without even a Yellow card.  I thought that would be trouble because Di Chiara was by then out 
of bounds picking up the ball for a throw-in when knocked over.  After the game while waiting for 
interviews with York 9 players the officiating crew walked by me in the hallway and I got to say 
hello to assessor Tony Comacho, assistant referee Peter Pendli, and fourth Yusri Rudolf who all 
give me waves in response at all the League 1 Ontario and TFC II games I've attended over the years.  

I had just installed the 'OneSoccer' app the night before.  It had only been available earlier 
in the day but I was holding back for my access code so I could buy it for $50 instead of $75.  
After I had it on my laptop, I downloaded it on my phone and found I could sign on to it right 
away with name and password and not have to register nor pay a second time.  I had my phone at the 
game and reporters were watching replays of the goals but I was sitting in the front row near the 
window and the sun was too bright for my screen nor look over and see theirs from my angle.  

I was certainly glad the game was also carried on CBC television as my back up.  Great I can play 
the game back and pause it at any time rather than just seeing a replay on the app at just a preset 
time.  People are pretty sure the app will come with an 'on demand' feature.  I have the audio 
of the entire press conference!  The app also has York 9 FC head coach Jim Brennan comments after 
the game lasting about 8 minutes but they join him at about the four minute mark and look those 
last four minutes a second time.  They also completely miss Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis 
8 minutes presser altogether which was held five minutes before Brennan's.      

Sweetest moment playing the game back...Gareth Wheeler announcing the first goal as “...another 
through ball, Rollocks gets on the end of it, ball into the back of the net.  History has been made 
in here in Hamilton Ontario.  It is Cyrus Rollocks. Third minute. A name and minute that will never 
be forgotten. History made, forged right here in Hamilton but it's York 9 scoring first.  The first 
goal and what a goal scored here in the Canadian Premier League.”  Terry Dunfield then cut in to 
replay the goal on video and snuck in the correct name of Ryan Telfer as the goalscorer to let 
Wheeler recover.  That was a sweet moment for me to hear Wheeler fall on his face.  He was the 
guy calling me out at the Toronto FC fan forum last Fall as the MC when I posed the question 
complaining about the lack of Canadian starters on TFC in these days of rising TAM and GAM money 
bringing in even more foreign players.  “Do you want to win or do you want to watch Canadians?” 
he said before letting MLSE president Bill Manning and at the time TFC General Manager Tim 
Batchbechenko answer my question by pointing out the investment in their academy and future plans.  
Now there's Wheeler 'watching Canadians' and accepting a paycheque!   Actually I can understand 
why he was hired because as a broadcast team even I enjoy their TFC II (with a majority roster 
of Canadians) calls except they are too much 'homers'.   Just satisfied today that his voice will 
be dubbed out in his history making goal.  
  
The player interviews were fun.  The players have certainly seen me before.   After the coaches 
press conferences we were divided up into those wanting to speak to York players and those for 
Forge players.  After Ryan Telfer was the first to be interviewed, many of the 'mainstream' reporters 
left.  Telfer is on loan for the season from Toronto FC.  Interesting that those reporters were 
the same ones who were joking about “The press box at BMO Field will sure be empty as everyone's 
here” they laughed among themselves.  Also they were the same ones who tsked tsked who Forge's 
Kadell Thomas was just because they'd never heard of him.  They asked Smyrniotis for background 
on Thomas which the coach supplied by his progression though the Sigma FC youth system.  After 
they left after talking to Telfer in a sort of I felt as arrogant “Let's get out of here and watch 
the TFC game” I realized those guys wouldn't be coming back.  I expect I will see them very few 
times this season and they just came today to be part of this 'event'.       

I've decided on posting the entire interviews so there's no misquotes and it's actually easier 
to post than translate to squeeze into a story.  Also it's archived on my site and different than 
what you might hear elsewhere. 

So just to finish my day and looking towards the future.  I have been promised a pass to follow 
York 9 FC this season.  Micki Benedetti from the league office asked how I liked the game and said 
York 9 are just preparing the laminated passes yesterday and I was again reassured they'd have 
one for me.  

I did get a response to an e-mail I sent to a HFX blogger (still nothing from a west coast one) 
offering them my free audio interview content for their podcasts.  It was an actual on-air mention 
on the Northern 90 podcast.  The HFX Wanderers will make three trips to York this season.  
Same number as Pacific FC—just saying.  

Earlier in the week I was having a follow-up meeting with my financial planner at my bank and 
he was complimenting me on my website (I mentioned to him the week before) looking up my extensive 
archive of his time with North York Astros from years gone by.  I told him how a Google search 
“rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com” plus any player's name and it will jump to a game he or his 
teammates were in.  My most famous player is Diego Maradona who once came to Toronto well past 
his prime to play on his brother's team, Toronto Italia, against a CNSL All Star team.  Easy to 
confuse with his nephew also named Diego Maradona who played in the CPSL/CSL.  

Also I posted on Twitter a pic of the Forge fans tifo as I was on the other side of the field.  
Within two days it has had 67 'likes' and has been viewed by over 4500 people.  Even 279 views 
for my audio/pictures of the press conference/hallway interviews I just posted yesterday.  
Wow big difference from my 25-50 views of each of my game reports on League 1 Ontario games 
last season.  

I've already used the story of years of sitting in the stands in all kinds of weather to watch 
the local leagues before being accepted at Canadian National team games and how at one time 50% 
of the Canadian Women's team had played in Toronto and I could just say “Toronto Lady Lynx” 
to make them smile before starting an interview.   

Attending L1O games perhaps has helped me but this last year attending pub nights, CPL league 
announcements, nagging the team owner, and attending celebrity all-star games to get my name 
in with the league's Director of Media may have done their part.  

CPL press accreditation?  I think I've finally made the big time! 

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01  

I thought @ForgeFCHamilton and @BartonBattalion would like to see a picture of themselves
taken from the other side of the field.

The tweet that broke my record for most viewed!

A list of the press corps for the game. I take my spot at #19 in the front row.

back to York 9 FC index

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