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By English Paul…
Edmonton and Vancouver have recently been picked to host the Grey Cup in 2010 and 2011 respectively. As such, this once again raises the question of where the 100th Grey Cup will be played.
If you believe what you read, then apparently Toronto was already awarded the rights as long as three years ago. I’m not sure I agree with this, purely because, before 2007, Toronto had not held a Grey Cup since 1992.
Why would the CFL have already taken the risk of giving the main event to a city which, when it last hosted the game, proved to be a disaster with 16,000 empty seats. It would make more sense to see how the 2007 finale played out before making any such decision.
In the end, the 95th Grey Cup was a success, with Ontario generating $80 million, including over $50 million in Toronto alone. If we look at this matter objectively, it does appear that T.O. has the inside track on hosting the big game in 2012.
Consider that the Argonauts are the oldest professional sports team in North America, having won more Grey Cups than any other team in CFL history. Added to this, Toronto is home to the head quarters of the CFL.
Also, despite being a fan of having the games played outdoors, Rogers Centre offers perfect playing conditions if (when) the weather takes a turn for the worse. The CFL doesn’t want Mother Nature affecting the festivities for what will be one of the biggest sporting events to ever take place in Canada.
I should stress that I have absolutely no problem with another city being awarded the game. For example, Saskatchewan and Calgary would possibly appreciate the honour of hosting the main event more than the people of Toronto.
Both cities have more loyal fan-bases than the one in Southern Ontario. This is backed up by the fact that both teams regularly beat the Double Blue for average attendance per game.
Ultimately though, the smaller stadium capacities will probably cost the Roughriders and Stampeders. The same rationale applies to Winnipeg and Hamilton.
And you can take Edmonton and Vancouver out of the equation. Despite both cities easily beating Toronto for seating capacity in their respective stadiums, the fact that they are hosting the two Grey Cups’ that proceed the 2012 event goes against them.
Also, bear in mind that the next three Grey Cups are all being hosted in cities, which have teams in the West Division. My take is that the CFL will not want a fourth consecutive game played in the Pacific/Mountain time zones.
I’m sure this has some Montreal fans thinking ‘Hold on, what about us?’ True, they play in the East Division and have the Olympic stadium, which can hold more people than the Argonauts home ground. You could go even further and say that Montreal has the top four attendances in Grey Cup history.
However, and I hate to bring politics into a sporting column, I personally don’t think it’s right for a province, which has held referendums as recently as 1980 and 1995 to decide on if they will become a separate county, to host what is in effect a celebration of part of Canada’s history and culture.
So, does this mean Toronto is ‘home and dry’ in securing the 100th Grey Cup? In the interest of playing devils advocate, I do have one suggestion to make to commissioner Mark Cohon.
Why not consider provisionally offering the game to Ottawa? As I wrote in my last column, there is currently a battle going on in the nations’ capital to decide which of the conditional franchise offers for a CFL and MLS team to support.
I still believe there’s a place for both teams. However, if Ottawa’s civic officials are determined to only support one team, having the rights to the biggest all-Canadian sporting event in the country’s history could help swing the decision in favour of the CFL.
Ottawa would make a killing financially. It could also give the city the chance to showcase their new stadium and prove that they are both capable and serious about maintaining a CFL team.
Don’t get me wrong though. I’m not saying that this is necessarily the right move to make. I still believe that no matter what perspective you judge this situation from we still keep coming back to Toronto.
The first ever Grey Cup was played in Toronto, so it would offer a perfect symmetry, going full circle and having the game returning to where it all began.
Will I prove to be right? Who knows? I am confident though that whoever has the privilege of hosting the 100th anniversary of this great occasion will do a sterling job and make everyone connected proud to be a CFL fan.
Paul Taylor can be contacted at [email protected]
by Dorothy Willis… The very last thing that the sport of MMA needs is to have a death in the octagon.
Of course, since Roy Jones is a boxer, it is possible that the March 21 fights he is promoting, will take place in a ring.
Well, a death in the ring would kill the sport of MMA off just as quickly, so I think that Ken Shamrock has finally lost his mind, or any common sense he has left after years of fighting.
Even if he did recently beat a younger and stronger fighter, whose name I can not recall and whom I have never seen, that fighter was not an equal of Bobby Lashley.
And what is even more important, in spite of them both being 45 years old, Ken Shamrock is not a Randy Couture either.
What on earth makes Ken believe that he should even stand in the same space as fearsome to behold Bobby Lashley?
One strong flex of his muscles could set off a concussion that would knock Ken completely off his feet.
Why tempt fate by getting into a fight with a real force of extinction the very likes of Bobby Lashley if the thought of facing Kimbo Slice caused Ken to cut himself shaving before that fight?
There just is no sense to it. Ken Shamrock needs a legal proceeding to appoint himself a keeper.
How else can he be protected from himself and his overblown egotistical opinion of his own strength and ability?
I personally adore Bobby and want to see him brought into the UFC, but I don’t want him to cause the death of an over the hill legend before he gets the chance at a big career.
In my opinion, Bobby Lashley is every bit as talented as Dana’s drawing card Brock Lesnar and has a much more pleasant personality.
It would be refreshing to see how Bobby would do if given the opportunities that Brock has had.
Dana has sworn that no one could accomplish what Brock Lesnar has, but refuses to let Bobby Lashley into the UFC to either prove or disprove his statement.
Well I want Bobby in the UFC, But by God and all that is Holy, I do not want him to have to step over Ken Shamrock’s dead or dying body to get there!
Quick! Somebody hold Ken back before he gets himself killed!
by Stoker Dafire… During the late 60s and early 70s—which now seems like eons—one of my favorite childhood TV shows was Batman and Robin.
Barely out of infancy, my tender young eyes and ears would be riveted to the old RCA black and white television set on Saturday mornings as the words “BAM”.. “ZOWIE” and “ZAP” flashed across the screen.
Back-to-back, these two caped crusaders would engage in dramatic “hand to hand” pugilistic battles and take on the worlds most dangerous criminals like the Riddler and the Penguin.
They also owned and protected Wayne Enterprises.
Irony sometimes is a wonderful gift, for today my favorite dynamic duo seems to be two men once deemed old, out of shape, and past their prime.
They have proven to the world however, that not only are they not past their prime, they are also—pound for pound—championship caliber boxers.
The famous two-some of whom I speak, is none other than Bernard “the executioner” Hopkins and “Sugar” Shane Mosley; two thirds of the promotional enterprise known as Golden Boy Promotions.
It’s an extremely hard job to find one without the other these days, and its no wonder.
Mosley, from Pomona, California, is coming off an incredible upset win over Antonio Margarito where he was crowned world champion of boxing’s stacked welterweight division.
Hopkins, from Philadelphia Pennsylvania, recently put on a career defining boxing clinic against the current middleweight champion of the world Kelly Pavlik.
So it seems in this case anyhow, that East and West have come together; not for the job of ridding the world of fictional criminals, but for the greater interest of Combat Sports everywhere.
Golden Boy’s latest endeavors—which is also partnered by another superhero named Oscar de la Hoya—has also included interest in promoting mixed martial arts.
So next time you see the “Bat” insignia spotlight looming brightly in the midnight sky, don’t think of Batman and Robin, think of the Golden Boy team, and how they are fighting to conquer the promotional bad guys like Don King, Bob Arum, and Gary Shaw.
Drive sports cars, date movie stars, buy things that are not for sale… who knows, Master Wayne? You start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident.- Alfred Pennyworth (Batman Begins)
by Thomas Moreland… On Thursday March 5th, play will commence in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at the Honda Classic. Ernie Els, the well traveled player form South Africa, will defend his title from last season.
This tournament will be played on the PGA National Resort-Champion Course. Tiger will skip this tournament, but we should see him later in the month at Doral, on the Blue Monster Course, at the WGC-CA Championship.
Geoff Ogilvy won the match play in Tucson, for the second time of his career, and will look to win a major championship this season, to perhaps make a run at PGA player of the year.
In the Mayacopa Classic Played in Mexico this week, your winner is Mark Wilson. This will open a lot of doors for him.
Congratulations Mr. Wilson.
My fantasy team of Kevin Na, David Toms, Bo Van Pelt, and Scott Verplank all put up nice point totals for me this week, and I moved up once again to challenge the listed experts.
Next week in the Honda Classic I will field the team of Camilo Villegas, Scott Piercy, Woody Austin, and George McNeil.
On the bench in reserve will be Stewart Cink, Chad Campbell,Briny Baird, and Nick O’ Hern.
It’s been a great week of golf with Tiger’s return and the fact he did play well despite a second round loss in match play. Remember, he was six under par after only 34 holes.
I think you will see him in contention in a couple of weeks playing in Florida.
Make some putts and have a great week.
By Louis “King of Roncesvalles” Pisano… 
The Toronto Argonauts look to rebound from last year’s terrible season, where they were last in the league in both offensive and defensive categories. They’ve been making changes on both sides of the ball to ensure that this year isn’t a repeat performance of the previous season.
Three mainstays of the Argos franchise have handed in their double blues for a seat on the couch, or so it was thought. Linebacker Michael O’Shea was expected to retire, holding the second spot for all time tackles in the CFL, and tops for Canadian born players, having spent 12 of the last 16 years in the league with the Argos, but at the news conference he decided to seek employment elsewhere to everyone’s surprise. Chad Folk, another 12 year man who spent his whole career with Toronto called it quits, leaving with two Grey Cup rings. Chris Hardy rounds out the three players exiting the Argo organization, having played the last half of his 12 year career with the double blue. The versatile Hardy played in the secondary, special teams and doubled as an emergency kicker/punter.
Immediate impact should be felt by the infusion of the recent signings. Bolstering the O-line will be, known as one of the toughest line men in the league, Rob Murphy, and the “Angry Frenchman” Dominic Picard. On defence the Argos picked up LB Nick Hannah, CB Alphonso Hodge and CB Reggie Lewis which should fill a few holes. Zeke Moreno all star linebacker from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, acquired recently, should also be a force on the defensive side of the ball for the Boatmen.
The Argos also re-signed their 2008 Outstanding Defensive player of the year, who led the team with 72 tackles, “Ill Will” LB Willie Pile, and on the QB front Kerry Joseph extended his contract with the team through the 2010 season.
With all the moves the Argonauts have made, Torontonians can be assured of the commitment by at least one team in the city to improve in the upcoming year. I am looking forward to being down at the games this summer, perusing the snack bars, hallways, and dressing rooms of the Rogers Centre, while watching, what I believe will be a winning product.
ARrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrGOooooooooooooooooooo’s!
by Derek Harmsworth… Oh yes. It’s almost here. Canada’s newest unofficial holiday, the NHL Trade Deadline is nearly upon us. In fact, as of this writing, there is approximately 22 hours to go until the 3 PM Deadline hits.
What does all this mean?
Well, in essence, it’s feeding time. Start the frenzy.
And while the frenzy has been reduced to, at this point anyway, a dull roar, there are plenty of intriguing story lines to follow as we inch closer to 3 o’clock Wednesday afternoon.
Particularly where the Maple Leafs are concerned.
Start with Dominic Moore, where things have officially reached the eleventh hour. Brian Burke spoke with Darren Dreger yesterday, and among his topics of discussion was Dominic Moore, an impending unrestricted free agent with the club. Burke said he would be meeting with Moore and his agent yesterday, and would likely have an idea by the end of the night whether Moore was going to re-sign in Toronto, or be put on the block.
They missed the deadline slightly. I got an email from Darren Dreger last night at around 10 PM that said they would sleep on it, and start again tomorrow. This has since been confirmed by TSN through their official website.
Moore is looking for something in the area of $2.5 to $3 million per year. It is believed he is seeking a two-year deal. Moore and his agent feel they are giving the Leafs a hometown discount with their demands, while Brian Burke balked at the number. Burke submitted his own counter-offer, which is believed to be “considerably lower” than $2.5 million.
