If we could use some of that vanishing spray from Brazil 2014 to remove the 1999 A League Season which was spent in Raleigh, North Carolina as the Impact sat out an outdoor season - Saturday afternoons league match at home to arch rival Toronto FC will represent the first time in over two decades the Montreal Impact will take to a football pitch without Nick De Santis leading from the front. Who would have known that when he was signed by the club for its inaugural 1993 season, De Santis would go on to carve out for himself one of the most distinguished careers, on and off the pitch in North American soccer history. Ask yourself now, who else comes to mind? Exactly. Through his tenures as player, player/assistant coach, head coach, GM and Sporting Director - outside of an MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions League title, De Santis has been a winner. Seen it all too. Many tag De Santis as the Face of the Organization. He was much more than that. De Santis is both the face and force of the Impact. Driven, possessing of an unbridled competitive spirit -- like very few others ever to take to the pitch in North America -- and with an overriding passion, will and determination to succeed, De Santis was loved by many and loathed by others. Even the Dalia Lama has his detractors. De Santis left an impression, not always favourable with whomever he came into contact with. Like a few others that come to mind across world football, De Santis could spark a furious debate in a phone booth. The man cared. Like no other I have seen in all my years, from those early, Impact incubating days sitting in the empty stands over at Complexe Sportif Claude-Robillard right on through the clubs entire history. Relieved of his duties in midweek - a vast chasm and gap just like the abundance of pot holes and sink holes which define Montreal these days now exists over at Saputo Stadium. Everyone might be replaceable, as the old adage goes, but these are mighty big shoes to fill. Just as in 2006 when Mike Moretto left the club, it will take two people to fulfill the roles De Santis did. We got our first indication De Santis was on thinner ice during the clubs 2013 post-mortem last November when Joey Saputo announced that from now on, his Sporting Director and dear friend, would now solely focus on the senior team. As the winter turned to spring and now in the midst of deep summer with defeats forming like an iceberg, that thin ice De Santis was skating on slowly ebbed and flowed away. De Santis, as he has done throughout his entire career, went down fighting. From some ex-teammates and coaches through to certain sections of the supporter base and media, there will be those who will take a form of pleasure in his demise. Rivals and foes formed over two decades wont though. The very best definition I have of the Saputo/De Santis relationship comes from an old teammate who once described it to me in very simple terms. "Nick is Joeys confidence." Confidant, Counsel and Consciousness, not many football club owners are fortunate enough to have such a relationship and conduit. Saputo could always count on De Santis. Make no mistake; the De Santis DNA touched in some way, shape or form all aspects of the club on and off the pitch. These past few months could not have been easy for Saputo as he slowly realised De Santis time was up and the president had to face up to the inevitable. He had to let go of the man who he walked stride in stride with for nearly half of his entire life. Not only in the professional sense, but as crucially in the family, and personal sense as well. Anyone who has been fortunate, as I have over the years, to attend and witness the likes of pre-season team introduction events, post-season banquets through to the Saputo Stadium ground breaking ceremony and inaugural weekend, let alone the championship matches and other defining football moments, knows De Santis commands the love and respect of the extended Saputo family. Saputos apt choice of word Wednesday morning, "relieved when announcing De Santis had paid the price, likely also best describes how Saputo himself felt. The inner anguish, the personal and professional turmoil the Impacts president has suffered through these past few months especially, was finally at an end. De Santis time with the club though is not. Announced to become part of the clubs administration in as yet undefined role is only right and fitting. Two things immediately spring to mind. The first was in June 2008 when it was announced De Santis was let go as head coach but was appointed as GM - someone in the media questioned why he had been promoted. Saputo let it be known right there, De Santis would always be a part of the club. The other occasion was down on the pitch in October 2009 shortly after the Impact had clinched their third playoff title. Live on the radio I put it to De Santis – youve won it as a player, a coach and now as GM when will you win it as President? "Lets not talk about that, lets just enjoy this moment," was his deadpan response. A place in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame awaits. As a club tribute, a statue of De Santis should grace Saputo Stadium. To be placed just outside the players entrance. After two decades of football service the local lad from east end St Michel might be gone from the pitch, but he will not ever be forgotten. Je me souviens. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter Montreal Impact Vs Toronto FC live on TSN690 [TSN690.ca] Saturday. Kick Off 5:00pm – Brian Wilde [@BrianWilde] and Grant Needham [@GrantNeedham] with your call. Air Max 270 Off White For Sale . Rookie Marek Mazanec made 39 saves for his first NHL victory and the Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2 Saturday night. Nike Air Max 270 Flyknit Sale . He, the 25-year-old Toronto backup net-minder and Manitoba native, would be making just his fourth start in the past 16 games against the Jets the following evening. It was the word of opportunity for Reimer, who has fallen into the role of backup, outmatched in recent weeks by Jonathan Bernier, his Quebec counterpart. http://www.max270cheap.com/nike-men-s-ai...ao4971-001.html. Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday. Cheap Nike Air Max 270 .com) - Richard Shermans two interceptions highlighted a dominant defensive effort, as the Seattle Seahawks routed the San Francisco 49ers in a highly anticipated NFC West Thanksgiving clash. Air Max 270 Black And White Cheap . -- David Price didnt think he would be in Port Charlotte this spring.MONTREAL - The first part of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts went perfectly for defending champion Rachel Homan. The Canada skip from Ottawa led her squad to a perfect 11-0 round-robin record with a 7-3 victory over New Brunswicks Andrea Crawford (6-5) at the Maurice Richard Arena on Friday. Homan will face Chelsea Careys Manitoba rink (9-2) in the first-versus-second game Friday night. Carey clinched the No. 2 spot with a 6-4 victory over P.E.Is Kim Dolan (3-8). Homans rink is looking to become the first to go through the Scotties undefeated since Linda Moore in 1985. Homan was satisfied her team recovered from the disappointment of losing at the Olympic trials in December. "We played really well," the 24-year-old said. "Some people might have doubted how we were going to do after the trials and I think we regrouped and got over it." Carey said she struggled against P.E.I because she wasnt feeling well and hadnt slept much but will be fine for the showdown with Homan. She is 7-5 in her career against the Canada skip. "Its great to win but its not life and death," she said. "Were not looking at it as a do or die thing so we can just go play and see what happens. "Either way, you get another chance." Saskatchhewans Stefanie Lawton (8-3) finished third and will face Albertas Val Sweeting (8-3) in the three-versus-four game Saturday morning.dddddddddddd The winner advances to the semifinal Saturday afternoon against the 1-2 loser. Lawton ended the round robin on a downer — watching her last rock hit and roll just out of the rings to give Yukons Sarah Koltun (2-9) a steal for a 6-5 win. "We didnt quite finish it off," said Lawton. "Just a bad shot by myself, otherwise we would have won. "In the end it doesnt make a difference for us. It would have been nice to finish that game off, but well rest up and get ready for the playoffs." Koltun was a crowd favourite all week and the 2,061 spectators gave her a long ovation after her upset win. The 20-year-old from Whitehorse is the first player ever to skip at the Canadian junior championships and the Scotties in the same year. "Its been really cool," said Koltun. "Its so much bigger. "You feel like superstars here, where at juniors youre just another team. The crowd loved us and we loved them. Its been incredible." Nova Scotias Heather Smith (4-7) ended the round robin with a 7-6 win over Ontarios Allison Flaxey (3-8). The final is Sunday night. ' ' '