VOTE: Waking the Red Toronto FC Awards 2021

Every year, we plan to drop this earlier, and end up dropping it later. We are hilarious.

Maybe this year, we can chock it up to the malaise of having to revisit that woeful campaign, but alas, onward and upward! We landed Lorenzo! Sunshine and Rainbows forever!

Let’s try to enjoy the voting this year? Put a big bow on 2021 because all signs point to a much better 2022!

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The Danny Dichio Seat Cushion Award — Best Goal Scored

Jeffrey P. Nesker (JPN) - Josmer + L’impact = memes.

Derek Gagnon (DG) - Andrés Mosquera own goal at Club Leon.

Anthony Khoury (AK) - Altidore free kick v. Montreal. What a way to score your possible, final 401 derby goal for the club.

Mitchell Tierney (MT) - Yeah it is easy Jozy against Montreal. The goal that ultimately cost the Impact a place in the playoffs.

Jeyanth Yogaratnasingam (JY) - Jozy’s goal vs Orlando, first game back in Toronto with fans. Goosebumps hearing that crowd once again.

Corey Brady (CB) - Jozy’s injury time free kick against Montreal to secure the draw at home. It kinda helped to eliminate le Club de Foot from the playoffs as well. Sweet Sweet Schadenfreude.

Andre Schaffner (AS) - Shaffelburg’s game tying goal vs NYCFC. Beautiful finish and loved the sour grapes it left behind in New York.

Michael Singh (MS) - TFC did not score very many nice goals last season, so it’s probably the Jozy Altidore free kick against Montreal, with an honourable mention to Kemar Lawrence’s only goal of the season — roofing it into the top of the net.

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The Paul Mariner “Best Finish of the Modern Era” Award — Worst Goal Conceded

JPN - That early brain fart from either Q or Bones/All of them. We had two number ones that played like number 2.

DG - Makoun’s penalty goal for Inter Miami in the 95th minute at BMO to lose 1-0.

AK - The Zavaleta/Priso pinball own goal v. DC. I cry every-time...

CB - Bedoya’s goal for the Union 32 seconds into the match. It’s a perfect example of the shocking defending that plagued this team all year.

JY - Nani’s game-tying penalty kick in the official home opener. The missed header by Auro, the diving headbutt by Bono, just a complete shambles.

MT - Probably Romell Quioto’s chip in the Voyageurs Cup final just because it ended any hope of their being something to salvage from this tire fire of a season.

MS - So many to choose from ... but it’s probably Quentin Westberg’s giveaway in one of his first games back in goal

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The Victor Vazquez Flamenco Dancer Award — Best Play

CB - Eriq Zavaleta’s red card in the 78th minute against DC United, paving the way for 3 more goals and TFC getting “Brazilled” (Is that a verb?) 7-1. It effectively ended the Chris Armas Experiment (AKA - my new wave band name)

JY - Erickson Gallardo’s spectacular tackle and through ball to get TFC the precious away goal at Club Léon. Absolutely calculated if you ask me. This kid’s got a lot of potential.

AS - counterattack passing sequence culminating in Shaffelburg’s spectacular finish against Cincinnati FC

MT - Most of what Jacob Shaffelburg did this season

MS - Uh....

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The “Get Defoe Outta Here” Award — Worst Play

JPN - That goal we conceded within the first 15 minutes of every game ever.

CB - The opening kickoff on April 17th - should have packed the season after beating Club León

AS - there was no worst play, they were just unlucky

MT - Most of what everyone else did this season

MS - Uh....

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The #SebaThings Award — Best Sebastian Giovinco Thing

JPN - Pow-wows in the private box with two generations of Altidore.

CB - Barney Rubble’s temper tantrum yellow card(s)

AK - All the cryptic IG posts

JY - Being Yeferson Soteldo’s role model

MT - Still thinking he is a DP-level player in 2022

MS - His Toronto Star article! He still has an award named after himself here ... bring him back!

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The D-Ro’s John Hancock Award — Best Goal Celebration

JPN - TL;DR - It’s Jozy

DG - Jozy

CB - Jozy

AK - Jozy (badge kiss v. Orlando City SC)

JY - Jozy vs. Montréal (gives me flashbacks to DeRo’s contract signing celebration)

MT - This really should be the Jozy Altidore shoe phone award at this point.

MS - Jozy badge kiss, just for Sean Pollock’s photos

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The Steven Caldwell “Quality” Award — Favourite Player

JPN - He’s a complicated man, that nobody understands like his Barista, talking about Shaff (You’re damn right).

DG - Justin Morrow

AK - Jonathan Osorio

CB - Justin Morrow, followed closely by Chris Mavinga

JY - Toronto’s starboy, Jonathan Osorio

AS - Oso, just slightly ahead of Shaffelburg

MT - I don’t pick favourites

MS - Yef...er nevermind.

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The Danny Koeverman’s Award — Favourite Opposing Player

JPN - Tajon Buchanan

DG - Marco Bustos

AK - Alistair Johnston

Matthew Neugebauer (MN)-Lowell Wright (I somehow remember that game differently.)

CB - Tajon Buchanan

JY - Kamal Miller

AS - Tajon for sure

MT - I lied on the last question, it’s Sam Piette

MS - Everyone already picked all the good ones

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The Stefan Frei Award — Favourite Opposing GK

JPN - Quentin Westberg, Alexander Bono

DG - Josué Duverger

CB - James Pantemis (thanks for letting in Jozy’s free kick - P.S. - Come to TFC)

AK - Aston Villa legend Brad Guzan

JY - Canadian Gold Cup hero Maxime Crépeau

AS - Crépeau

MT - Big Max

MS -

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The Maxi Urruti Award — Most Underrated TFC Player

JPN - Liam Fraser

DG - Justin Morrow

AK - Ifunanyachi Achara

MN - “Wreck it” Ralph Priso

CB - Ralph Priso

JY - Noble Okello

AS - Liam Fraser

MT - Liam Fraser

MS - Auro Jr.

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The “All For Me” Award — Most Overrated TFC Player

JPN - Yeferson Soteldo, the people’s choice.

DG - All of them

MN - Marky “Mark” Delgado

CB - Marky Delgado (yes, I’m still calling him Marky)

JY - Yeferson Soteldo, he literally is the definition of “All For Me”

AS - Delgado hands down. How did he get the 2nd most minutes this season?

MS - I see Mitch didn’t answer this one ... but it’s Jozy Altidore

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The Torsten Frings Award — Best Player Playing in an Unnatural Position

JPN - Kemar Lawrence at CB

DG - Dom Dwyer at ST

MN - Chancellor Palpatine

CB - Justin Morrow at ST

RL (Ryan Lindsay) - JPN in FM22

AK - Liam Fraser on loan at Columbus Crew

JY - Eriq Zavaleta Vanney on a soccer pitch

AS - Auro at central midfield

MT - I tried to be more clever than Anthony but nah he hit this out of the park

MS - Michael Bradley playing higher up the pitch...

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The “Hey Mista Mista” Award — Newcomer of the Year

JPN - Brooklyn Fell, TFC Socials.

DG - Jordan Perruzza, I guess

MN- Javier Perez at the top job. I’m glad Bob is here, but all the best to Javier wherever he ends up. He’s earned another crack at full head coach somewhere.

CB - meh. (I can’t vote for any of the kids because they’ve played for the senior team before 2021)

AK - The A41 kit

JY - Matt Di Rosa (sign him please)

AS - Julian Dunn

MT - It is Yeferson Soteldo even if he didn’t turn out exactly as promised

MS - Soteldo on the pitch, but Javier Perez for what he was put through

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The Downsview to Downtown Award — Best Canadian Player

JPN - Oso

DG - Oso

MN - The Shaff

CB - Oso

AK - Richmond “Richie” Mamah Laryea

JY - Ayo Akinola

AS - heart says Priso but you know its Oso

MT - It’s Osorio, but Shaffelburg had a heck of a season

MS - Richie Laryea

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The Trillium Cup Award — Best Rivalry

JPN - 2021 TFC vs. 2017 TFC

DG - Chris Armas vs Success

MN - Reality vs. Nostalgia (see Nesker’s vote)

CB - Me vs. the overwhelming desire to turn off the TV during TFC matches

JY - Yeferson Soteldo vs. crossing the ball first-time

AS - Armas vs Altidore

MS - ‘West coast coverage’ vs. OneSoccer

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The “Meadowlands Massacre” Award — Worst Game

JPN - Getting eaten alive by DCU. with a close second to the entire season.

DG - Losing 7-1 is hard to beat

MN- Do I have to pick just one?

JY - Losing to FC Cincinnati, the worst team the league has ever seen, 0-2 at “home”

CB - 7-1. SEVEN - ONE!

AS - too many to choose, but if one needs to be picked, then that 7-1 embarrassment

MT - Yeah it is 7-1

MS - Next.

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The “Miracle in Montreal” Award — Best Game

JPN - Remember Club Leon?

DG - They beat Fort Lauderdale 3-0 in their first pre-season game.

MN - July 17. 497 days later. 7000 frontline workers and members. Free hot dogs and drinks. I’m not crying you’re crying.

AK - 4-0 CanChamp QF win over York United. Conditions: horrendous. Vibes: immaculate.

JY - Holding on for a 3-2 victory against eventual Supporters Shield winners New England Revolution. Javi really had me believing back then.

CB - TFC beat a Liga MX team with a cobbled together lineup. Plus, Mulldinho and Morrow scored!

AS - defeating Club Leon. Who figured the team would peak at 14 April?

MT - Probably Club Leon for those brief moments when we all thought ArmasBall was the future the season looked incredibly bright.

MS - I’m with MN - the day Toronto FC returned home.

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The Tom Anselmi Award — Best Front Office Achievement

JPN - Firing Armas

DG - :( 404 Page Not Found

MN- Giacometti and the comms team still on-point despite literally everything else.

JY - Accepting the fact that it’s time for an overhaul

CB - Getting rid of Chris Armas after finally realizing the roster is not built for the high press.

AS - Tie: firing Armas and showing Curtis the door

MT - Not wasting any time in their offseason overhaul and giving Bob Bradley a clean slate to build this team into its next phase

MS - Starting the Lorenzo Insigne negotiations

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The “All For One More Dollar” Award — Worst Front Office Achievement

JPN - Yeferson Solteldo, the people’s choice.

DG - Ali Curtis

MN - literally everything else

JY - Not hiding Greg Vanney’s passport

CB - the Armas/Josmer fiasco.

AS - signing Dom Dwyer for 2 years. Why?

MT - Not recognizing the need for help at centreback

MS - Hiring Chris Armas

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