The Montreal Impact will take their Major League Soccer bow in just 33 short weeks. With the club providing critical analysis and a detailed backdrop to their MLS technical footprint earlier this week a delegation led by President Joey Saputo then travelled to New York for a series of meetings. Taking time out yesterday before attending the MLS All-Star game Saputo responded to a series of wide ranging queries as the club transitions over to a league that finally has even intrigued the highly skeptic UK media. An economics graduate Saputo was at the helm when the Montreal Impact was founded in 1993. Amassing three playoff championships, a number of regular season titles and of course that fabled CONCACAF Champions League run the organization has also stared down serious adversity including sitting out the 1999 season in a dispute with the league and a mid season bankruptcy in July 2001 which occurred after Saputo had relinquished his holding. Asked by the then A-League to bring professional soccer back to Montreal for 2002 Saputo headed up a non profit organization that oversees the club today. Reflecting on this almost 2 decade period Saputo looks on it fondly, "A championship team, an organization that raised the bar both on and off the field. An overall solid organization that constantly wanted to improve the quality of the league that we played in." With both Portland and Vancouver having made the transition this season Saputo is well aware of the football challenges theyve faced. "This is where we see the difference between MLS and Division 2. On any given day, any team can beat any team, but doing it over the course of a grueling season is tougher. When we talk about limiting our mistakes, it includes not underestimating our competitors. We look at the difficulties that they are currently having on the pitch and we realize the amount of work that lies ahead of us." Adding praise for what theyve accomplished with fan bases and the atmosphere generated at their stadiums, "Both teams have done a great job, the Portland Timbers have been able to successfully increase the Timbers Army to a point where they are part of the ambiance that today is part of the Timbers success." The Impact will shortly be activating initiatives to grow their existing fan base paying a particular attention to the volume of soccer fans across Montreal who cheer for the likes of a Manchester United or a Barcelona but are not necessarily regular attendees of Saputo Stadium, "We will be launching an aggressive supporters program. Two hundred and fifty dollar season tickets, in which $15 will go back to the fan club, exclusive fan design (through contest) supporters scarf, an annual meet and greet with front office staff and technical team and an annual BBQ to test menu items. We will begin a series of pub crawls in the fall with technical staff. Our main objective is to promote the new league." Carving out an identity that these fans can immediately connect with is at the fulcrum of these plans, "Its of uppermost importance. If you think about MLS, you instantly think fans and ambiance. We want to use the ambiance to make every game an event. This will be central to our marketing and selling strategies. Montreal is a city of festival and events, a Montreal Impact game will be something youll not want to miss". Olympic Stadium back in February 2009 is testament to that ethos. Away from match attendance no better way for a fan to display an emotional connection to their favourite football club than be a consumer of club branded merchandise. Impact fans will not have much longer to wait for Impact MLS merchandise. Saputo disclosing, "Merchandise would become available at Saputo stadium in mid August and at retailers by early November." Having recently announced significant long term partnerships with BMO and Quebecor Media the Impacts front office continues with the task of growing the business of football for the franchise, Saputo commenting, "The corporate response has been excellent. This is a sector that the Impact always has done well with. The corporate community in Montreal understands the importance of MLS. Now that we are the third Canadian MLS team, there is interest from existing Canadian MLS partners that are committed to developing the sport and want to be associated with the Montreal Impact." Of great value their MLS partner group will include current partners, "We are also in the process of converting most of our existing partners. We can expect more announcements within the following months." As the Impact continue through this relationship building phase with both the league and their fellow franchises Saputo welcomes the open discourse that exists, "Both the MLS and various teams have been very generous and patient with the new franchises. All teams understand that it is in the best interest from the sport and the league to work together. Strength through unity, although we are competitors on the field, we are partners off the field." With the appointment of the head coach likely just weeks away, the expansion of Saputo Stadium scheduled to commence in September another priority Saputo indicated was, "Selling the MLS for what it is, the highest level of soccer in North America." Pragmatically admitting during the clubs technical presentation earlier in the week that they will make mistakes Saputo expanded on this admission with the ones they hope to avoid. Stating, "Those often made by expansion franchises (not only in soccer). Over promising and under delivering. We need to make sure that we follow the plan that will be put in place at the technical, administrative and marketing level." In doing so setting the scene for a successful MLS debut that the organization Saputo leads defines as, "Results on the field, a strong season ticket base, a strong partnership base, and the love that the city of Montreal would have for their club." Raising the bar he concluded, "It is important to be relevant in your city and the rest of the province and thats what we strive to be." Noel Butler is analyst for TSNs soccer coverage and his blog can be read on TSN.ca. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/TheSoccerNoel and listen to his radio program oranges@halftime on Montreals Team 990. . The all-star pitcher keeps the $550,000 salary for this year that was in the one-year deal he agreed to last month. His new contract, which adds $29,945,000, gives him a $1 million signing bonus and calls for salaries of $3. 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Nova struck out a career-high 10 and the Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2 on Thursday night, completing a four-game sweep and winning their seventh in a row overall. "That might be as good as weve seen him all year," Girardi said. "This start and Cincinnati. He was excellent tonight. His slider, again, made a huge difference for him." The Yankees moved into a tie with Boston for the AL East lead. The teams begin a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night. Nova (10-4) pitched 7 2-3 innings and won his sixth consecutive decision. He held Chicago to one run and six hits and didnt walk a batter. His approach was simple. "Be aggressive, try to get ahead of the hitter," Nova said. "Slider today was unbelievable. Command was there. Everything was working good." The Yankees are using a six-man starting staff on their current turn through the rotation and its been assumed that the rookie Nova would be the odd man out, especially after Phil Hughes threw six shutout innings on Tuesday. "I dont know," Girardi said. "Well continue to talk about it. Weve got a good problem. Weve got a lot of people throwing the ball well and Id like to keep it that way." Girardi already announced that Hughes would start for New York on Tuesday against the Angels. In light of Novas performance, hes not sure whats next. "I dont have an answer for that yet," Girardi said. "We dont have to rush and make a decision what were going to do. Eventually well have to." Nova has a 2.92 earned-run average over his last eight starts. Hes already been sent to triple-A once this season despite his lofty totals. He insists hell be ready no matter where his next start comes. "Again in five days," Nova said. "Have a game in five days, no matter if its here or anywhere else. "Im happy right now because I won today. Im not frustrated. Ill keep waiting and hopefully Ill stay here." Russell Martin of Chelsea, Que., hit a three-run homer in the ninth to break open the game and send Chicago to its sixth straight loss. He drove in four runs. Robinson Cano homered, singled, walked and scored a pair of runs as the Yankees won their sixth straight over Chicago, a streak during which theyve outscored the White Sox 49-14. "That was a good pitch, that guys out of this world, especially right now," said White Sox starter Phil Humber. "Hes so locked in, so balanced, the swings he took this series, pretty impressive. "That pitch right there was on the corner, maybe an inch or two above the knees and just to flick it out of the park like that is pretty impressive. Their whole lineup right now is hot, its definitely a tough one to go through." The White Sox have lost six straight games after getting to the .500 mark and drawing within three games of the lead in the AL Central last Friday. Chicago absorbed its first four-game sweep at home since dropping four in a row to Boston from Aug 23-26, 2007. The last time the White Sox were swept at home in a four-game set against New York was June 17-20, 1976. "We just run into a pretty hot ballclub and we not playing well against them," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. Paul Konerko had two singles for a quiet White Sox offence in his first start since Sunday. He missed the three previous games with bruised left leg. "Hitting-wise I felt not bad," Konerko said. "I felt maybe 80 or 90 per cent. Definitely, for the most part, could do what I wanted to do." Adam Duunn homered in the ninth, a possible good sign for the struggling slugger, though it came with his club six runs down.dddddddddddd "Yeah, I mean they feel good, its just meaningless," Dunn said. "Personally it felt good, but it meant nothing, had no impact on the game." Humber (8-8) lost his fourth straight start. He went 6 1-3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs. Entering the game, the players currently on the Yankees were a combined 0 for 18 lifetime against Humber. He retired the first four batters on Thursday before Cano came up in the second. With one out in the inning, Cano lined the first pitch he saw from Humber into the left-field bullpen for the first run of the game. It was Canos 18th homer of the season and second in as many games after hed gone 14 games without a longball. Nova had good stuff early, retiring the first seven White Sox in order, the last three on strikeouts. The streak was broken when Alejandro De Aza beat out an infield grounder to shortstop Derek Jeter. That gave De Aza, who was 4 for 4 in Wednesdays 18-7 loss to New York, five straight hits. De Aza then stole second, went to third on Brent Morels single to right and scored on Juan Pierres sacrifice fly for a one-all tie. The Yankees regained the lead in the sixth thanks to the speed of Brett Gardner, who started the inning with a double to right and went to third on Jeters sacrifice bunt. Curtis Granderson hit a hard grounder to Dunn at first base and Gardner broke for the plate. Dunn stepped on the bag to retire Granderson and threw home, but Gardner slid home safely just ahead of the tag by catcher A.J. Pierzynski. "I thought after Robbies home run, we manufactured runs well," Girardi said. "Gardy starts with a double, Chief moves him over. Great baserunning by Gardy, the speed to score. I thought we manufactured well tonight." Humber seemed to tire in the Yankees two-run seventh. Cano led off with a single, Nick Swisher walked and Jorge Posada hit an RBI single for a 3-1 lead. That was it for Humber, who was replaced by Jesse Crain after throwing 94 pitches. Swisher scored on Martins sacrifice fly to deep centre. Next up is the Yankees biggest rival, Boston, in a park New York has struggled in this season. Girardi says its gratifying to enter the series in a dead heat. "I think it says that weve been playing well," Girardi said. "Weve been chasing them for awhile now. It just says a lot about this club and what weve been through. Weve overcome some things. It is significant." NOTES: Konerko had been out since being hit in the left knee by a pitch against Boston last Sunday. Manager Ozzie Guillen said Konerko would be limited to designated hitter duty for a few days. Bartolo Colon will start for the Yankees in the series opener against Jon Lester. New York is 454-458 all-time at Fenway. However, the Yankees are 1-8 vs. Boston this season and have lost seven straight at Fenway. Colon has lost both of his starts against the Red Sox this season, once each at Boston and New York. Mark Buehrle gets the call for the White Sox in their opener at Minnesota in a key series for two teams scrambling to stay in the AL Central race. The Twins have beaten the White Sox in seven of eight meetings this season and have won 29 of their last 36 against Chicago. Buehrle has posted a 2.03 ERA over his last eight starts but is just 2-1 over that stretch. Hes allowed three runs or less in 16 straight starts. ... White Sox speedster Juan Pierre was thrown out stealing in the sixth. Hes just 16 for 29 on the basepaths this season. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyssafe.com/]cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '