JUMPING ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN

Everyone likes a winner.

It didn’t take long for Toronto FC’s bandwagon to fill up.

Heck, Mercedes-Benz Canada even produced a GregVANney after the Reds won MLS Cup — a Metris van painted in images of TFC’s coach’s face.

Heck, it seemed like everyone hopped aboard the Toronto FC hype train.

Toronto FC GM Tim Bezbatchenko told Postmedia he received calls and emails and notes from Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Raptors’ top boss Masai Ujiri.

Blue Jays executive Mark Shapiro sent Toronto FC brass well-wishes along with Argonauts GM Jim Popp.

Bezbatchenko said Brian Burke was a supporter, and offered a story about how he first bumped into the ex-Leafs GM.

“He was back picking up some things at the Air Canada Centre,” Bezbatchenko recalled.

“One of the first things he told me was how much he hated soccer. But he said his daughters love it, so he watches it.

“But he’s always occasionally dropped me a line. He’s just been a big supporter over the last few years.”

Asked if there was a commonality between the hat-tips he received, Bezbatchenko said there was a common thread.

“You don’t get a lot of praise all the time from colleagues across the league because we’re all so competitive, but so many people came out and told us it was well deserved — and that we were a team on a mission this year,” he said.

“It wasn’t just about the win but how we went about our business in (the final) game and how that game looked. A lot of people just said how dominant we were — a credit to our players and Greg.”