How does the Bagsman travel?
asserted
Bagsman → travel → ?
For so much of the past four years, Cyle Larin has traversed the Atlantic with an excess of everything.
asserted
Larin → traverse → everything
The stuff you’d prefer not to be carrying at all, he’d pack up and haul home when his country called.
asserted
country → prefer → ?
If airline scales measured uncertainty, Larin would have been rinsed of thousands in overweight fees by now.
asserted
Larin → measure → fees
Rustiness piled up and had to be dragged along, too.
asserted
Rustiness → pile → ?
Negativity filled any remaining air pockets of suitcases.
asserted
Negativity → fill → suitcases
Last weekend’s continental crossing, though, was unlike those … unlike any that came before, actually.
asserted
that → come → any
Larin breezed past bag drop altogether, then floated featherlike aboard before turning left.
asserted
Larin → breeze → drop
His passenger status is so elite it wasn’t even listed.
asserted
it → list → ?
He left Europe as the continent’s most prolific scorer.
asserted
He → leave → scorer
Seven times already in this young club season, the social media accounts of Southampton FC have screamed out graphics of Larin with his nesh and now-viral nickname in all caps: The Brampton Bagsman.
asserted
accounts → scream → caps
This is the way to travel.
asserted
This → travel → ?
“I mean, it definitely feels good,” Larin smiles.
asserted
Larin → mean → ?
“I just want to carry it over here and keep that form going.
asserted
I → want → form
I have to keep doing the same things I’ve been doing in Southampton with Canada.
asserted
I → have → Canada
On the pitch, off the pitch, it’s important to carry that on here.
asserted
it → ’ → that
But coming into a (Canada) camp … it’s probably the best form I’ve been in.”
asserted
I → come → camp
Larin is six-foot-two and built to fill that frame vertically and horizontally.
asserted
Larin → build → frame
Yet his words have always come out of him narrow and lean, almost reluctantly.
asserted
words → come → him
On a hectic Wednesday evening in the loud lobby of Toronto’s Sheraton, you worry if the iPhone’s voice recorder will even catch them.
asserted
recorder → worry → them
Still, they’re striking.
asserted
they → strike → ?
He’s 31 now, six caps shy of a century and just 10 off Atiba Huthinson’s all-time men’s record.
asserted
He → ’ → record
Hell of a sample size to survey before declaring he’s never felt better.
asserted
he → survey → size
Coach Jesse Marsch and Canada’s men are back here to turn the page.
asserted
Marsch → turn → page
Having been written off enough times to fill a novella, Larin is not just with them but the one licking his thumb.
asserted
Larin → write → thumb
He gave this team (and indeed this country) liftoff for its historic World Cup summer in early June and, back at BMO Field Saturday night against Chile, helped signal the changing of the seasons — and World Cup cycles — by playing a big part in Jonathan David’s decisive goal for a 1-0 Canada win.
asserted
He → give → win
“For me, I’m just getting started,” Larin tells the Star.
asserted
Larin → start → Star
If I’m playing at the top level I’ll be scoring goals for a very, very long time.
asserted
I → play → time
You don’t have control over everything; I don’t.
asserted
I → have → everything
Sometimes players come, tactics change.
asserted
tactics → come → ?
But as long as I’m playing at the highest level and available, I’ll always be here.”
asserted
I → play → level
Tactics come up early and often.
asserted
Tactics → come → ?
As light as Larin’s words land, repetition rams home that he feels what works so well at Southampton is an emphasis and identity not shared by Marsch.
asserted
works → land → Marsch
Canada’s World Cup odyssey began with Larin’s unforgettable equalizer off the bench against Bosnia, quickly followed by the 6-0 hammering of Qatar when he scored again.
asserted
he → begin → Qatar
Doubters silenced.
asserted
Doubters → silence → ?
“Every team plays different,” Larin reckons.
asserted
Larin → play → ?
“Every coach has a different system.
asserted
coach → have → system
In the national team I don’t think we have a problem.
asserted
we → think → problem
The personnel we have — me, Johnny (David), Promise (David) — we can score goals.
asserted
we → have → goals
It’s getting the chances to score goals.
asserted
It → get → goals
…and 30 more, not listed.
The Aporia
