Benedict Bradley?

Via TheStar.com

It's been known for about a week now that Michael Bradley will be suiting up for Toronto FC this coming season. After this morning's unveiling of himself and Jermain Defoe, Toronto's dream of fielding a team capable of competing for the Supporters' Shield has finally come true. However, whether they will actually compete for the shield or not, is another story. Toronto sports fans are quite familiar with high expectations followed by disappointment as the city's Major League Baseball team, the Blue Jays, had an abysmal season after being dubbed a World Series favorite by many. Toronto FC hope that their recent signees can learn to gel with one another in a way that Blue Jays players could not.

With that being said, what does the signing of Michael Bradley mean for USMNT fans? Sure, Bradley is leaving one of the better leagues in the world (Serie A) for the MLS, a league that still has some kinks to work out and whose competition is not nearly as skilled as Serie A. But the real issue isn't the league that Bradley chose, but the team that he decided to sign with. Bradley, who is certainly in line for the USMNT captaincy, chose to play for a Canadian team. One would think that if Bradley was going to transfer to an MLS team, it would at least be an American one. Think of it like this: Bradley going to Toronto at 26 years of age is like an English superstar like Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard playing at Swansea City or Cardiff City (both located in Wales, not England) in their prime instead of Chelsea and Liverpool, respectively. It just shouldn't happen! If a player of such importance to his national team is going to head to a less competitive league, he should at least be playing his home games in front his home country's fans (no offense, Canada.)

Is Bradley a traitor for choosing to play for a Canadian team? I'll let you be the judge. Let us know in the comments below.

- Jake Vasquez (@JakeVasquez49)