"What do you think you are doing wearing those shoes?" Le Toux said Nowak asked. "He told me to change them. But I told him, 'Coach, I don't have any other shoes to wear.' After a while, he gave in, but he told me, 'You can wear them today, but after this game, don't let me see you wearing those again.' "
That match was the Union's first home game, against D.C. United at Lincoln Financial Field.
And in those purple shoes, Le Toux scored a hat trick, not only giving the Union its first win but staked a claim in securing for himself what he would be called repeatedly leading up to yesterday's sale: the face of the franchise.
"After the game, [Nowak] came up to me and gave be a big hug," Le Toux recalled. "Then he joked, 'If you are going to score like that, you can wear those shoes anytime you want.' "
In cleats that spanned a variety of colors, Le Toux became the club's most prolific scorer in its short history, scoring 25 goals and adding 20 assists. He scored many big goals, perhaps none more important than one against Toronto FC at home last season that secured the Union its first playoff berth.
All good things. But we all know what they say about good things.
The exodus of Le Toux has caused Union fans to wonder - if not panic - about a team yet to play its first preseason match of 2012. I even saw one fan tweet that the team was "doomed."
Stop it.
This offseason, the team made a number of acquisitions, ones that cost money. And without having to ask ownership for more money how does an organization acquire funds?
By selling assets.
