There were stars on the turf at BMO Field for the first MLS training session in preparation for Thursday night's MLS All-Star Game against West Ham United, including David Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Landon Donovan and Juan Toja.
But that's about it.
Only a handful of MLS all-stars were on hand, which led to some very light training. But, according to New England coach Steve Nicol, not a lot was scheduled for the hour-long session anyway.
"Guys have been traveling, all that tightness when you're sitting on a plane or a bus or a car or however you get here," he said. "So we don't want, No. 1, anyone injured pulling anything or straining anything. Nice and easy, but tomorrow we start focusing on what we have to do."
Among the missing were New York Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel, midfielders Pablo Mastroeni and Christian Gomez from the Colorado Rapids, Los Angeles Galaxy striker Edson Buddle and Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein.
"There's some guys traveling and other things going on," Nicol said. "But we'll get everybody here [Wednesday] and get a good day here and make sure everybody starts focusing tomorrow and get ready for the game."
Local boy Dwayne De Rosario and fellow Canadian international Pat Onstad were both scheduled to play for Houston Dynamo Tuesday night against D.C. United, but that match was postponed because of power outages throughout the D.C. area. The teams are hoping to play the league match Wednesday at RFK Stadium.
Should the game again be delayed, Nicol, who is coaching the MLS all-stars for a second consecutive year, might be without two potential starters. But he isn't very concerned.
"I think we're well covered if the worst case scenario is they don't get here, but I'm pretty sure they will," Nicol said. "Obviously for the guys involved hoping to be here it's not the greatest preparation but a game like this, the way the fans will be here and the atmosphere on Thursday, I think that will be enough to pull anybody who feels a wee bit tired."
Also participating in training Tuesday was FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper, goalkeeper Matt Reis and midfielder Steve Ralston from the New England Revolution and Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad, who said used the session to get familiar with some of his new teammates.
"Our guard comes down a little bit because it's more friendly, you're trying to get to know people and you're trying to jell in a short time and beat a team that's probably been together for a few years, the core of their guys," Conrad said. "We have to try and get that figured out and the best way I think is to have some fun and do some lighthearted games and some stuff that gets people laughing and having a good time."
And Conrad, who matched his single-season high with a team-high four goals, already has a goal set for Thursday night.
"I'm hoping to get on the end of Beckham's crosses on a set piece and hopefully we're celebrating in that corner where all the (TFC supporters clubs) sit."
Opposites attract?: Although there were more MLS All-Stars not at training than who were on the turf at BMO Field Tuesday afternoon, there was one rather curious sight -- Donovan and Blanco passing the ball to each other. And there was no bloodshed.
"He's been very nice," Donovan said. "I haven't had a lot of time to talk to him but he's very respectful. When he's on the field you can tell he's having fun like the rest of us playing with all these good players."
Wait, Donovan and Blanco are friends? Wasn't is just a few years ago the two No. 10s were both considered Public Enemy No. 1 by the other's country during some of those heated U.S.-Mexico matches?
"I remember all the games. There's been plenty of moments where I haven't liked him on the field," Donovan said. "Even at the end of last year when we played them in Chicago, he made a point of coming up and saying 'good game' at the end of the game and shaking my hand. I wasn't expecting that, but it was nice."
The two might not be getting together for afternoon tea in Toronto, but there appears to be at least a mutual respect between the two creative midfielders. The same was true when Nicol played at Liverpool.
"At the end of the day whoever they are, how tall we are, how short we are. We're all football players," he said. "When you get put on the same team, you play football together."
And Nicol likes the diversity on the MLS All-Stars.
"It's great. It's always fun to get a lot of good players together," Nicol said. "You have the quiet ones, the funny ones, the loud ones and the strange ones. There's all kinds in there. It's always a fun mix."
Dylan Butler and Mark Polishuk are contributors to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.