Eric Lamaze was riding his horse Hickstead in Italy when the

TORONTO -- Toronto FC is making progress on its hunt for a new general manager, according to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke. "This wont be a long search. Were already down to two (candidates)," Leiweke told season ticket-holders at the MLS teams annual barbecue Sunday. "Ive been focused on this the last two weeks." The struggling 5-13-10 club fired president and GM Kevin Payne on Thursday, with Leiweke saying the two were not on the same page. Reports have linked Real Salt Lakes Garth Lagerwey to the Toronto job although Real Salt Lake has noted he is under contract to the club through 2014 -- a fact that might not mean a move is out of the question. Leiweke also told his audience at the teams training centre Sunday that the MLSE board had authorized $26 million to spend on two major player acquisitions in the transfer window that just closed. The team was unable to close those deals, a failure that was seemingly part of the reason behind Paynes departure and Leiweke hitching his wagon to rookie manager Ryan Nelsen. "I also believe that the coach and the front office have to have the same view of the kind of DP (designated player) and the position youre trying to fill," Leiweke said. "One thing Nellie (Nelsen) and I agree on is we need strikers. "If you watched the game last night (a 4-0 loss in Portland on Saturday), we need finishers and we need strikers. It is so clear what we need here. Were not chasing defenders or midfielders. If were going to find a midfielder, itll be an attacking midfielder. And we do believe weve got to solve our striker situation once and for all by (spending) significant money." "Moneys not the issue," he added. "We have the money. But we have to find the right players." That means finding a player who wants to be here and wants to make a difference. "It cant just be a payday or a holiday or else thats going to backfire." Leiweke reiterated that the GM search is not about hiring "a dynamo or world-class personality that is a great spinner." "I think the future of this league is about the (salary) cap, about trades, about player evaluation and about development. I think what we need to do is take a page out of the NBAs book and find someone thats analytical, a capologist that understands how to handle our cap and make sure we do not enter into bad deals, that gets along and knows every GM in the league and knows how to make trades." His comments seemed to suggest a growing role for Nelsen in player personnel. Leiweke has pushed back the deadline to renew season tickets to January, telling fans that he will come back to them then. "We dont want you to make that decision now and, by the way, we dont have the right to ask that decision now," he said. "Well be back in January. "We know where were going and were going to get there quickly." Toronto, on its eight manager in seven seasons, has a history of failure on the field that includes never having made the playoffs. Leiweke also pointed to some of the teams past mistakes, said TFC will stop trading away its draft picks. "Those days are over, that I promise." He also said the franchise has also done a poor job of trading within the league. The MLSE boss paid tribute to the fans, saying he was "shocked" by the turnout Sunday and their loyalty in the face of the teams performance. "We dont deserve this," he said. Leiweke promised to talk to the ticket-holders in January "and lets see how weve done." "Between now and then Im tired of the BS and you aint going to get any from me. This is about rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. And thats what were going to do between now and January." Before then, Leiweke said he given his staff specific instructions. "No more promises, no more spin, no more assessment. Im tired of that. That doesnt solve a damn thing. What weve got to do is go work hard. Thats what were going to do." That seemed to be an unspoken reference to Payne, who often talked up the talent on the way. Leiweke also addressed speculation that the CFL Argonauts might join the MLS team at BMO Field, with the stadium being retrofitted to accommodate football. "Nothings going to happen until we have another conversation and you have input, I promise," he said. "This hasnt even been a subject or a discussion with our board. And when youre talking about $60 (million) or a $100 million, believe me the boards not only going to have an involvement, its not going to be a quick decision. "So lets not worry about that yet." Nike Air Jordan Cheap Wholesale . Sweeting scored two in the first and three in the second before Strong (4-4) got two back in the fourth. Sweeting then scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to grab a commanding 9-2 lead. Cheap Jordans Wholesale China . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. http://www.airjordancheapsale.com/ . Both sides came closest to scoring in the first half, when Roma had a goal from Mattia Destro waved off for offside and Inters Rodrigo Palacio headed high. "A draw was a fair result. Neither squad had many chances," Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic said. Cheapest Jordans Online . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. Nike Air Jordan Sale Cheap . Among the teams moves was trading one of the teams two third round picks, no. 83 overall, to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Bollig, a six-foot-two, 223-pound left-winger who had seven goals, seven assists, and 92 penalty minutes in 82 games last season. TORONTO -- An exercise rider died Tuesday after being crushed by a thoroughbred at Torontos Woodbine Racetrack in what officials described as a "freak accident." Police said the rider was in the saddle around 6 a.m., when the horse went into an "unexplained wild gallop," showing signs of medical distress. The rider, who was identified as Mourad Boudraa, 40, was crushed into the track railing and then by the weight of the horse as it collapsed. Jamie Martin, vice-president of Woodbine Entertainment Group, said Boudraa was originally from Morocco and had three to four years of experience as an exercise rider. "He was a freelance so he worked for a number of trainers," Martin said. "I would say its a freak accident." The horse, Tawneys Wish, died of what Woodbine Racetrack officials said was believed to be a heart attack. The three-year-old dark filly had one start this year and $368 in winnings. Mike Pownall, an equine veterinarian, said the horses cause of death wont be known until a necropsy is performed. "Its like when you find those athletes that suddenly die and you find theres a heart defect, that would be the human equivalency," Pownall said. "You have no idea it was existing, or you could prevent it, or you could do anything to allter the course.dddddddddddd" In 2011, Canadian Olympic champion Eric Lamaze was riding his horse Hickstead in Italy when the animal suddenly collapsed and died of an acute aortic rupture. The horse had carried Lamaze to gold and silver at the Beijing Olympics in show jumping. The Ontario Racing Commission, which requires a necropsy whenever a racehorse dies, collects information for a database on common racehorse injuries in the hopes of minimizing future problems, Pownall said. Pownall said working with horses carries inherent risk and those involved in the industry are all too aware of what can go wrong. "They know the potential for unexplained, sudden things to happen," he said. "Its a hazard of the job." But in the tight-knit horseracing community in Canada, word travels fast when there is an injury or fatality, he said. "I was sad for the horse, sad for the rider. Nobody wants that. Im proud of the riders that go out there every day and proud of the horses that go out there," he said, adding that Woodbine Racetrack is a "well-regarded track" in terms of safety standards. Officials from the provincial Ministry of Labour are investigating the accident. A necropsy on the horse is set to be performed at the University of Guelph. ' ' '