The MLS playoffs kick off tonight with the sagging Dynamo taking on the expansion Seattle Sounders. But the real story of the day is up North, where the best-supported team in MLS crashed out of the playoffs, again… and gave their GM a two-year extension.

Huh?!

Let's recap: Toronto FC is part of an organization known for losing. MLSE, the team’s parent, also owns the worst-in-hockey Toronto Maple Leafs (they’ve won one game all year) yet makes money hand over fist thanks to the dogged loyalty of its fans. The Maple Leafs are Canada’s Team, an asset not even the late Harold Ballard could strangle.

TFC is a different animal: Hockey is Canada’s game, not soccer. And yet, since the day it opened the doors, it has been MLS’ best-supported team. Lose, lose, or even win, the fans show up in force each and every game. How much longer that will last is an open question. For, right now, the relationship between the club and its fans is near a breaking point.

TFC have never made the playoffs. This year, they plumbed a new low, by missmissing the post-season in shocking fashion. Who loses 5-0 to the gawdawful New York Red Bulls? Toronto. The disgust was palpable.

Shortly afterwards, the team canned interim coach Chris Cummins, who took over the job when John Carver — who had had it up to here with the lack of professionalism in MLS — abruptly decamped.

Cummins had some choice comments to the Canadian media about his departure, saying that the locker room had some “bad apples;” that GM Mo Johnston was firing him as a way to “deflect criticism” And noting tartly that: I've been here 18 months and they've been the same issues and I'm sure they've been the same issues for three years.”

After the collapse, star player Dwayne DeRosario also questioned his teammates’ heart and guts, without naming names. Cummins also said he told Johnston and looked to ship some guys out. In competing media scrums, Johnston said he was never made aware of the lockerroom problems. That’s a statement this reporter finds difficult to take at face value considering Carver was so up-front about the issue.

When teams lose, finger-pointing invariably follows, so this doesn’t come as any sort of shock. What is troubling about all this is how badly MLS needs Toronto to succeed.

Toronto and Seattle are the bright spots in a league that is still clawing for respect and credibility. And while MLS HQ is trying to be more hands-off, the folks there have to know the risks. Admittedly, this is a league that let mismanagement reign in New York, killing that team stone dead at the box office. It also flubbed the rollout of David Beckham. So, some might say that MLS HQ might not be the best place to loom for guidance.

That said, it’s clear that Johnston — who was terrible in New York as well —  isn’t the person to be in charge of such an important franchise. MLS and MLSE need to sit down and fix this mess. The last thing American soccer needs is another half-empty soccer stadium and a team with a legacy of alienated fans.

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TV TODAY:
U17WC:    
USA vs Malawi     1100 ESPN360/ESPNU
Italy v Korea        1100 ESPN360
UAE v Spain        1400 ESPN360
Uruguay v Algeria    1400 ESPN360

Boca vs Chacartia        1400    FSE
Inter v Palermo        1545    FSC/FSE
Dynamo v Sounders        2200    ESPN2