The Northend Elite

The Northend Elite will not be choosing a most valuable player this year from Toronto FC. As well, the group's annual Pink Streamer Award, presented to the opposing player that NEE most loves to hate, has been renamed the Mo Johnston Excellence in Douchebaggery Memorial Award.

Jim Brennan was the NEE's MVP in 2007, and was presented with a framed commemorative tribute at the club's celebration dinner that year. Last year the award went to goalkeeper Greg Sutton.

NEE members felt it would be inappropriate to honour an MVP for 2009 given the team's generally poor performances and also given the disgracefully fainthearted effort in the 5-0 season-ending loss to New York last weekend. It still defies the belief of NEE members that a team on the cusp of its first playoff berth, in the most important game of its existence, could lose 5-0 to one of the worst teams in MLS history.

Landon Donovan was the NEE's first villain and the award was named after the colour choice of streamers tossed at the effeminate Los Angeles forward.

Last year's winner was Toronto FC general manager Mo Johnston. The award was renamed this year because of the utter contempt NEE members feel towards Johnston. It's difficult to imagine, the group says, any opposing player invoking the same feeling of rage that Johnston does.