Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs

[paulwoods13]

Hello, friends. Many of you already know that I am writing a book about the Toronto Argonauts winning the Grey Cup in 1983 after 31 years of failure. The book, Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs, will be published later this year (2013 being the 30th anniversary of that victory). The book will actually look at a tumultuous and eventful three years: 1981 (the worst season in team history), 1982 (the most exciting season in team history) and 1983 (when the championship drought finally ended).

The book will be self-published, in print and as an e-book. Most sales will be online although I am hoping to persuade some independent booksellers to stock it. To help support and promote the book, and because I have access to a lot of cool related content (including video, audio and pictures), I have launched a blog about the book:

http://bouncingbackbook.ca

My plan is to update the blog frequently over the coming weeks with excerpts from the book, video and audio highlights, photos and other stuff that fits with the project. I want this to give anyone interested in the book a sense of being part of the journey to the finished product (which is some distance off – I have tons of writing still ahead of me).

If you have any interest in the project, I’d be grateful if checked out the blog, and I encourage you to send any comments, suggestions or criticisms. It is very much a work in progress and I’m happy to consider any and all ideas. I have set up a dedicated email account: bouncingbackbook(at)gmail.com. If you want to get future emails about the project, or at least to be notified when the book is for sale, please drop me a line.

Thanks for your support and encouragement.

[AaronInToronto]

I very much have interest. Our past stories need to get out their. New Torontonians don't hear often enough of our team's rich history.

[Will]

I very much look forward to reading the final product Paul.

Is the team aware you are writing the book?

Interesting to see that you have a radio clip from the 1982 Eastern Final. How many Argo games has CFRB preserved or did you get it through a different source?

I was also curious, I don't mean to minimize the victory over Edmonton, but wasn't the prior weeks win in Saskatchewan also considered significant because it was the first game where the "run & shoot" worked successfully?

[1argoholic]

Paul just reading about that game in 82 at the CNE gave me chills. That game ranks number one for me as far as football memories. I still remember every Argonaut fan standing and chanting Terry...Terry!!!! Then we all chanting Edmonton Sucks!!! They got us back later that year in the toilet bowl. To think that being born in 62 and that the Argos didn't win a championship until I was 21 still boggles my mind. Now I know how younger Leaf fans feel.

My second best football moment was being at the 91 Grey Cup. My third was being at Michigan Stadium for Anthony Carters last game as a senior. As they announced the senior players during the game one by one during plays they came to the final guy. The whole crowl of over 107 thou back then got up and yelled AC..AC..AC.. That was right there with those Terry..Terry chants.

Paul i'll be passing your link along and following. Great job!!!!

[jerrym]

You've probably already thought of this, but have you thought about marketing it to libraries so that casual fans or even non-fans might find it and find out more about the Argos? You might even have a few Argo players or coaches who still live in the region from the 1983 team come to a celebration of the book launching.

[ArgoGabe22]

Paul, if you need help contacting former players and coaches to ask them something relating to the book or to promote it to them just let me know. It's no guarantee but I a database of where these guys are now. (Collecting autographs of alumni are hard these days given the fact they're not present at games or events but I have managed to successfully track a few down)

[ArgoRavi]

I was also curious, I don't mean to minimize the victory over Edmonton, but wasn't the prior weeks win in Saskatchewan also considered significant because it was the first game where the "run & shoot" worked successfully?

The Saskatchewan win was significant but was easy to dismiss until the Argos beat the best team in the game over the last four years. The Argos had not beaten the Esks in something like 8 or 9 years IIRC. Furthermore, I can remember the Argos getting off to good starts in 1978, 1979 and 1980 before facing the Esks who were considered to be the measuring stick as to where the team really was at. In 1978, the Argos lost 40-3 before over 49k at Exhibition Stadium and the entire season went downhill from there. They lost a closer game in Edmonton the next year after starting the season 4-2 but the season again went downhill from there. In 1980, the Argos started at 3-1 and played the Esks in Toronto before almost 49k but lost 23-3 which started them on another long losing streak and towards another non-playoff season so the only way that the Argos were going to start making believers out of anyone is if they could beat the Esks which they finally did on that glorious night in August of 1982. I don't think that they have ever had a more significant regular season victory and I am not sure that they ever will.

[Rich]

Hey Paul, after this book becomes a success for you, you should consider continuing the story in subsequent volumes. You could become the Chronicler of the Modern Argonauts. It would go something like this:

Volume II: Bouncing Back with McNall, Candy and Dunigan
Volume II: Bouncing Back with Flutie and the Donald.
Volume IV: Bouncing Back with Cynamon and Sokolowski
Volume V: Bouncing Back with Braley, Barker and Ricky Ray

Each one would be also fascinating, no? Anyway, good luck, Argo friend.

[bluto]

Hey Paul, after this book becomes a success for you, you should consider continuing the story in subsequent volumes. You could become the Chronicler of the Modern Argonauts. It would go something like this:

Volume II: Bouncing Back with McNall, Candy and Dunigan
Volume II: Bouncing Back with Flutie and the Donald.
Volume IV: Bouncing Back with Cynamon and Sokolowski
Volume V: Bouncing Back with Braley, Barker and Ricky Ray

Each one would be also fascinating, no? Anyway, good luck, Argo friend.

i'd purchase 2 copies of each. (one for me, one for pops).

[Johno27]

Argos 1983 Training Camp, Guelph Ontario (1).jpgArgos 1983 Training Camp, Guelph, Ontario (2).jpg

Paul,

Congratulations on your marvelous project and website.Thought you might be interested in these photos I took in June 1983 at Argos' training camp facility at the University of Guelph. In the first photo, Bob O'Billovich (far right) is putting the offense through its paces. In the second photo, I recognize Holloway, Bronk and Ferrone, as well as Terry Greer, who is curiously looking in the direction of the photographer!

I may have one or two more tucked away somewhere, if you think they will be of any use.

[argolio]

In 1980, the Argos started at 3-1 and played the Esks in Toronto before almost 49k but lost 23-3 which started them on another long losing streak and towards another non-playoff season

Memory's a bit hazy, but wasn't the turning point of that game an Argo receiver dropping a long pass at midfield?

[paulwoods13]

Thanks, everyone for the kind words and suggestions. To answer a few specific points that were raised:

argofan87: The CFRB clips were taped off the radio at the time -- actually off a 1982 season highlights show that aired on the morning of the '82 Grey Cup. The Sask game the week before the Edm game in 1982 was a huge win (44-22 final score, 41-8 lead in the third quarter) but the main factors in the victory were defence and special teams, not offence. The R&S was still not all that effective in that game -- and of course stunningly effective a week later against Edmonton. Still, it was a surprisingly easy win on a Friday night that seemed to bode well for what was to come. I have a poor-quality copy of that game and may try to post a few clips at some point, including Steve Ackroyd's fumble recovery for a touchdown.

jerrym: I appreciate your suggestions about marketing. At this point, everything is under consideration as far as getting the book into as many hands as possible.

argogabe: I may take you up on that offer -- I've tracked down most guys I want to talk to, but there may be some you could help me with. Are you the Gabriel who emailed to get put on the mailing list?

Rich, thanks for your confidence in this project -- the thought of undertaking something similar for the other Grey Cup years has definitely occurred to me. At this point I'll just be happy to get this book done! But assuming it goes over well, similar histories of 1991, 1996-97, 2004 and 2012 might be worth tackling later. Although I don't know if I would find as many interesting angles and storylines as I've found from 1981 to '83. The best potential as far as it being a "good yarn" with lots of ups and downs and angles would be '89-90-91, I'd say, with the ownership and logo changes, Obie's departure, Pinball's MOP, the Rocket, the Hollywood stuff, etc. So if I were to try this again, that would no doubt be next on the list story-wise as well as chronologically. But again, we're getting just a bit ahead of ourselves -- a huge chunk of Bouncing Back still has to be written.

Johno27, thanks very much for the pix -- I might be able to use them (and any others you have) on the blog, at least. If you have higher-res versions available, PM me or email me at bouncingbackbook(at)gmail.com so we can figure out how to transfer them.

Thanks again, everyone - and keep those comments coming.

[paulwoods13]

Memory's a bit hazy, but wasn't the turning point of that game an Argo receiver dropping a long pass at midfield?

I could be wrong, but you may be remembering Jerry Compton's drop against Edmonton in 1981. He was wide open, and his drop was captured in a series of embarrassing photos in the Star. Compton was later memorialized by Earl McRae as "the only receiver in the CFL who plays with his glasses on." (A line I plan to quote in the book.)

[294life]

Interesting that brunt chose 1983 to headline the chapter on the toronto argonauts in his book. I have another toronto argonauts book with its entire history from 2007 but it would be nice to get something more in depth.

[ArgoGabe22]

argogabe: I may take you up on that offer -- I've tracked down most guys I want to talk to, but there may be some you could help me with. Are you the Gabriel who emailed to get put on the mailing list?

Yup that was me. Not a very popular name, Tony Gabriel was surprised when I asked him to sign something to "Gabriel"

[argos1873]

BTW, that 1982 win over Edmonton can be found on youtube starting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTQGaBYbfFE

I've watched it many times, and its still thrilling. On an unrelated note, its posted by a fellow going by the handle pxw13....I wonder who that could be?

[294life]

Eskimos had a bad start at 3-5 then rebounded after Hugh Campbell's infamous 'cross the line' speech.

[OV Argo]

Great stuff Paul; i hope your book can be every bit as enjoyable as "The Argo Bounce" (by Jay Teitel) was to me, and can add richly to Argo history and lore. I also have a copy of "Goodbye Leo" - by Cahill with Scott Young (Neil's dad) - that was given to me by an old Argo fan who I met by chance while i was working on a job dealing with the public (guy made the effort to return to my job and give me the book after seeing me wearing an Argo cap).

Arrrrrrrgoooooooos !!!

[gilthethrill]

I could be wrong, but you may be remembering Jerry Compton's drop against Edmonton in 1981. He was wide open, and his drop was captured in a series of embarrassing photos in the Star. Compton was later memorialized by Earl McRae as "the only receiver in the CFL who plays with his glasses on." (A line I plan to quote in the book.)

Paul I recall the "Compton Drop" vividly, including the Star's photo, but I am not sure if that is what argolio is referring to. Compton, I believe joined the Argos after NFL cutdown a year later, which would mean he played his 3 games in Double Blue late in the 81 season.

Had he caught that ball, I also think it was a sure TD.

[paulwoods13]

Paul I recall the "Compton Drop" vividly, including the Star's photo, but I am not sure if that is what argolio is referring to. Compton, I believe joined the Argos after NFL cutdown a year later, which would mean he played his 3 games in Double Blue late in the 81 season.

Had he caught that ball, I also think it was a sure TD.

This is still only a draft, and subject to change, but here's what I have written for the book about the Compton play, which I can confirm was in Week 6 of 1981, a home game against Edmonton:

Then another relatively narrow loss at home, this time 22-12 to Edmonton, a game in which the Boatmen appeared to give a determined effort but were simply outclassed by the three-time defending champions. That game featured a play that was indicative of how things were going for the Argos in 1981: trailing by seven points in the fourth quarter, Condredge Holloway sent a pass towards new receiver Jerry Compton, who had nothing but open field between himself and the end zone. The ball hit him right in the hands, then bounced to the turf, and Compton’s desperate, pathetic stumble was captured by photographers from both the Star and the Sun. (Compton was later memorialized by Earl McRae in Today magazine as “the only receiver in the CFL who plays with his glasses on.”)