Orridge stepping down as CFL Commissioner today; TSN

[OV Argo]

I think its foolish to assume that if Toronto had their own Jeff Hunt, that the Argos would be booming like the Redblacks are booming in Ottawa. It would be good, but it wouldn't be the magic bullet. Its not that the Jays or the Raptors took sales away from the Argos. Its that their presence in the city, made a lot of people believe that ONLY the big four major leagues were good enough for Toronto. Anything else, including the CFL was just minor league nonsense not worthy of this big league city. I lived in Toronto for 42 years, and the number of NFL fans I met, who would openly ridicule me about liking the CFL, is too many to count. I'm not sure what it would take to convert these people. I lived in Ottawa for almost 1 year, and I've met a few NFL only fans, but not ONE ridiculed me for my liking the CFL. That's not Jeff Hunt, and it wasn't ALL the fault of failed Argo ownership in Toronto. Its a completely different mindset. There's not just one problem in Toronto. There's many. Ownership is or was one of them. Marketing or lack thereof is or was too. But Toronto is not Ottawa. If you listen to TSN 1200 in Ottawa, there's lots of Redblack talk, especially during the season. How much effort was it to get the media to buy into that, when you have no competition during the summer? Would it have been as easy a buy in if Ottawa had an MLB team? My point is, what works in Ottawa, doesn't directly translate to what will work in Toronto. There's definitely many take-aways, and if no one is doing that in Toronto, they are failing, but there are a helluva a lot more challenges in Toronto to make the CFL work, than there is in Ottawa. And that's not taking a single thing away from Jeff Hunt and his group. They read the situation as best as anyone could, and ran with it. This isn't also an excuse for Argo ownership. In my opinion they so far haven't read the situation correctly. They have a huge uphill battle in front of them, and ONLY a series of correct moves will allow the Argos to be successful again in Toronto. Not just one move.

Bang-on post IMO.

The wannabeness that exists to such a degree in the GTA - that has joe average sports fan looking down their nose at the "inferior" CFL for not being "major league" is a huge obstacle to overcome for the Argos & the CFL; and it is still promoted by all the dorks in the sports media - and going way back (a moron like Simmons putting down the CFL forever with his pulpit; dweebs like Hebscher, Tatti & Martin constantly snickering at the CFL on the old Global Sportsline; dullards like sports "expert" McClown and his wannabe guests ignoring the CFL or else focusing on negativity, etc.) YEARS or even decades of the CFL being dissed or mocked in it's own country = institutionalized negativity & apathy - for a historic great league = sad & pathetic.

Aside from much improved marketing by the Argos & CFL in the area - how to combat this garbage ? Tough call. One thing I recommend - when an NFL hero worshipping wannabe bad mouths the CFL or you for being a CFL fan - tell them to F.O. and threaten a punch in their big moron yap. It`s something anyways. Staying a quiet little sheep to those types just encourages them, and helps the attitude thrive.

[Gill The Thrill]

Bang-on post IMO.

The wannabeness that exists to such a degree in the GTA - that has joe average sports fan looking down their nose at the "inferior" CFL for not being "major league" is a huge obstacle to overcome for the Argos & the CFL; and it is still promoted by all the dorks in the sports media - and going way back (a moron like Simmons putting down the CFL forever with his pulpit; dweebs like Hebscher, Tatti & Martin constantly snickering at the CFL on the old Global Sportsline; dullards like sports "expert" McClown and his wannabe guests ignoring the CFL or else focusing on negativity, etc.) YEARS or even decades of the CFL being dissed or mocked in it's own country = institutionalized negativity & apathy - for a historic great league = sad & pathetic.

Aside from much improved marketing by the Argos & CFL in the area - how to combat this garbage ? Tough call. One thing I recommend - when an NFL hero worshipping wannabe bad mouths the CFL or you for being a CFL fan - tell them to F.O. and threaten a punch in their big moron yap. It`s something anyways. Staying a quiet little sheep to those types just encourages them, and helps the attitude thrive.

Are you in any position, economically or physically to punch someone in the mouth for disrespecting the CFL??? Get a grip. I know I'm not, maybe physically I'm still capable of popping someone in the mouth, but I would not want to face the economic and legal consequences. The point being, people are free to believe what they want, and it's the CFL and the Argos job to promote their product to them, not ours to threaten them.

I'm also a little tired of this term "wannabeism". You're beating a dead horse and it's been dead a long time. It can't be just the "Major League" mentality because how could you explain the decent attendance and near sellouts at TFC games. TFC does not get the coverage of the Blue Jays, Raptors and Leafs, and the guys who talk about them on the radio will flat out tell you, the MLS is not the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy or the Bundesliga in Germany...and that's just the top leagues in Europe, even the Mexican top league has a far superior talent level than the MLS, yet Toronto FC is still capable of selling their product to an enthusiastic market. There's absolutely no reason the Argos can't do the same for football fans in the Greater Toronto Area.

[OV Argo]

Are you in any position, economically or physically to punch someone in the mouth for disrespecting the CFL??? Get a grip. I know I'm not, maybe physically I'm still capable of popping someone in the mouth, but I would not want to face the economic and legal consequences. The point being, people are free to believe what they want, and it's the CFL and the Argos job to promote their product to them, not ours to threaten them.

I'm also a little tired of this term "wannabeism". You're beating a dead horse and it's been dead a long time. It can't be just the "Major League" mentality because how could you explain the decent attendance and near sellouts at TFC games. TFC does not get the coverage of the Blue Jays, Raptors and Leafs, and the guys who talk about them on the radio will flat out tell you, the MLS is not the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy or the Bundesliga in Germany...and that's just the top leagues in Europe, even the Mexican top league has a far superior talent level than the MLS, yet Toronto FC is still capable of selling their product to an enthusiastic market. There's absolutely no reason the Argos can't do the same for football fans in the Greater Toronto Area.

I said (jokingly) "threaten" to punch a pompous wannabe in the yap - no go out and actually assault somebody. What's your response, as a CFL fan, to all the snide little dweebs in that part of the map who like to put down the CFL? - "oh well, whatever" - maybe that's been a part of the problem for decades now - letting mouthy little "wannabes" get away with running their ignorant, big mouths to foster a CFL is so 3rd rate or not cool mentality/culture.

Wannabes exist - tough titty if you're tired of the term - it's a big part of the problem, IMO, that the Argos and the CFL face in the GTA and/or Southern Ontario and it ha been led by wannabe dupes in the media. It's great that soccer fans in the area are supporting the FC and realize they are not the Premier League or other huge soccer leagues but that is not an issue to theme - they are not part of the problem : wannabes who bad mouth, mock or spew garbage about the CFL are - and IMO they need to be called on it. If you're good with living amongst so many pathetic little "world class" pukes and accepting their mentality - hey, that's swell /good for you.

Agreed though that the Argos should be able to sell their product to more sports/football fans in the GTA; but not with a quiet little sheep mentality.