All-Star notebook: Long day's end
MLS All-Stars finish lengthy day with victory
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Onstad and Dwayne De Rosario walked off the field at RFK Stadium at about 12:25 a.m. following the Houston Dynamo's 2-1 win against D.C. United in a game that started at 7:30 p.m., but was delayed for nearly three hours because of severe thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms were also the reason why the match was postponed in early June and also played a part in delaying it from Tuesday to Wednesday.
It was back to the team hotel in Washington D.C. at about 1:15 a.m. and back on the road at 4:30 a.m. for a 6 a.m. scheduled flight. However when that flight was delayed, De Rosario said he started thinking of alternative means of getting to Toronto.
All-Star Highlights, part 1: "I was thinking if I drive to Toronto from D.C., how long would that take? If I fly to Montreal and drive?" he said. "I really wanted to be here and be a part of this."
The flight was delayed for about 90 minutes, leaving the Canadian internationals little time to rest before Thursday night's MLS All-Star Game.
"I had about two and a half hours (sleep)," Onstad said. "I've got to thank Stevie (Nicol), he didn't throw me in there for 45 (minutes) today. I might have just passed out. I'm exhausted. I'm looking for a bed."
Onstad came on for Matt Reis in the 70th minute, moments after De Rosario scored what proved to be the game-winning penalty kick.
"I didn't get any rest really," Onstad said. "I just saw my family for a couple of hours and had the pregame meal. ... It was a lot of fun, though."
After playing 90 minutes against D.C. United less than 24 hours earlier, De Rosario came on in the 59th minute.
"I'm doubly exhausted! He's in net and I'm running around getting kicked," De Rosario joked. "But he's got age on me. It balances it out. I'm tired, there's no doubt about it, but I'm looking forward to my party tonight. It's going to be a lot of fun."
De Rosario booked a downtown Toronto club to host a party to benefit Nothing But Nets, a grassroots campaign to prevent malaria by providing insecticide-treated bed nets.
While players from both teams were scheduled to attend, you can count Onstad out.
"I don't think so," he said. "Besides, I think my wife would kill me."
Loud and proud: Perhaps it was in protest of Nicol's decision to leave all three Canadians out of the starting lineup or just their passionate support of all things TFC, but the sellout crowd had some boos for almost the entire MLS starting XI with the loudest mixed ovation, of course, for David Beckham.
Chants of "We want Brennan," for Toronto FC captain Jim Brennan, rang out among the fans throughout the course of the first half. Finally the fans were rewarded in the 59th minute when both Brennan and hometown boy De Rosario came on to a standing ovation, followed by chants of "TFC, TFC."
"It was funny, the guys were giving me a bit of stick and they kept on saying it was my buddies behind the goal who were yelling," Brennan said. "It was amazing. It's hard to describe it, sitting on the bench and everyone screaming for you to come on. It will be something I'll always remember."
Conrad uses his head: All-Star captain Jimmy Conrad has shown a penchant for scoring goals for Kansas City. Conrad continued that streak in the All-Star Game. Unfortunately for Conrad, he provided the deflection that led to Dean Ashton's second goal.
"I tried to put my face in the way and it hit me right in the ear," Conrad said. "Of course, they didn't credit me with an own goal. Once I realized they didn't give me an own goal, I had to get a yellow card to get on the score sheet."
Revs 'keeper Matt Reis has seen his fair share of own goals this season. He said he liked Conrad's finish, a thumping deflection into the far corner of the goal.
"That's the way it's going for me lately," Reis said. "If my own team doesn't score on me, no one does."
Happy for the honor: If you ask Jimmy Conrad how he earned the role as captain of the MLS All-Stars, he'll say that there wasn't much pomp and circumstances about his coronation from All-Star Game head coach Steve Nicol.
"Steve just announced that I would be captain," Conrad said.
It's not like Nicol had a shortage of choices. Multiple players captain their own teams and some moonlight as captains from time to time. There were plenty of leaders from which to choose and the affable Kansas City captain earned the nod.
"There are eight or nine guys who are captains of their team on the roster," Conrad said. "For them to single me out is something I'll always remember."
With Conrad, there's usually a joke involved somewhere. The prey this time was Revs stand-in captain Shalrie Joseph. Joseph captains the Revs when Steve Ralston isn't around and Conrad jokingly noted that Joseph wasn't expecting someone else to get the nod.
"Shalrie was more surprised than anyone else," Conrad said. "He was gracious enough to let me have the armband."
A few lockers down, Joseph heard what Conrad had to say and just gave him a big smile and a snarky comment in response.
Going, going, gone? There were no extended goodbyes or plans to keep in touch with Juan Toja in the MLS locker room at BMO Field. Despite a published report that said the FC Dallas midfielder had agreed to terms with Romanian first division side Steaua Bucharest, the Colombian said that nothing has been finalized yet.
"This opportunity in Romania, I think it's a great opportunity for me, but I didn't sign a contract yet and I don't know if I'm going to yet," Toja said. "They made an offer and we are in negotiation but I don't know if I'm going or not."
Dylan Butler and Kyle McCarthy are contributors to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
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