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The Rog's Rant

Grey Cup a hit in Toronto – at least for once

If only the Canadian Football League was as popular for the entire season as it is on Grey Cup Sunday.

Everybody seems to love the CFL at the Grey Cup, and there were 52,230 fans at the Rogers Centre on Sunday who certainly loved the league and the game an awful lot for at least one day.

A sold-out Grey Cup game in Toronto - I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d see that in my lifetime. I have been to five Grey Cups, including the 95th edition on Sunday – and although nothing beats a Grey Cup Game in Regina, I must admit I was pretty impressed.

And the 2007 Grey Cup in Toronto being such a success shows just how far the CFL has come in Toronto – and regrettably also shows just how far it still has to go.

The Grey Cup was a resounding success, a passionate sell-out crowd, an electric atmosphere in the building – all good. But let’s not forget that the Toronto Argonauts attracted just 26,000 fans for their last regular season game and only 33,000 for the East Final.

The game itself, and the week long festival of events, were terrific thanks to the work of the Argo ownership and Grey Cup Chairman Brad Watters. But the weeks leading up to it, when the hometown Argos had a chance to play in the big game, were certainly disappointing.

So Toronto has at least come far enough to accept the Grey Cup as a legitimate sporting event for the city. In 1989 – another Grey Cup I attended – there were a lot of empty seats, as was the case in 1992 (even worse actually), the last time the game was played here.

That’s positive. But the fact that the Argos couldn’t draw decent crowds for their two biggest games of the season will leave a lingering damper on that organization for quite some time as well.

Now – where does the league and the Argos go from here? That is hard to say.

The Buffalo Bills are coming to Toronto for a few games a year and there isn’t much doubt that the NFL appears to be looking at Toronto as a place to be. I think that’s great for football fans, great for the NFL – but could be terrible for the CFL.

I’m a fan of all football, so I’ve never understood why the CFL and the Argos in particular have to defend themselves over and over again every year. And even after a successful Grey Cup, the questions will always be asked – is the CFL ever going to be 100 percent solidified in Toronto?

I wish I could say yes..but history says otherwise. The Argos and the CFL will always face a battle – and why they have to I have never understood. The NFL would be great, but fans should appreciate the CFL with or without the NFL in town.

Oh well, perhaps they never will. But on November 25, 2007, for one day at least, the CFL was loved in Toronto.

It was very nice for a football fan like me to see, regardless what the future may hold.

Comments The Rant of November 8 on Eric Lindros:

“Good point Rog – before we debate Lindros for the Hall of Fame we should define what the Hall of Fame is. If Cam Neely is in, then Lindros has to be there. His fame sure was short lived though.” – Steve in Oshawa.

“In my opionion Lindros is not hockey hall of fame material. Just like Two Violins (in horse racing), Lindros had so much potential but injury prevented immortality.” – Joe in Toronto

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