TSN poll: best Canadian receiver of all-time

[argolio]

1. Ben Cahoon 32%
2. Ray Elgaard 19%
3. Tony Gabriel 10%
4. Terry Evanshen 9%
5. Joe Poplawski 8%
6. Andy Fantuz 7%

Poplawski is #1 for me from this list. Criminally underrated.

No Masotti, Sapunjis or Clermont?

[OV Argo]

Cahoon - "Canadian" or not, IMO had the best set of hands - all-time - for receivers in football (NFL included).

Gabriel (started as a tight end, when the position mattered in the CFL, but morphed into a slotback) and Elgaard were all-time great reliable hands, big targets - both almost unstoppable in their primes.

Poplawski & Fantuz were fantastic all-around receivers - great hands and could get open deep.

Masotti is more like criminally under-rated IMO; solid all-around, great hands with sneaky speed and big play ability.

Whit Tucker could have been on this list with Evanshen IMO - blazing speed deep threat and one of the all-time best yards/catch averages.

I believe that vote reflects more the average age of voters = Cahoon had tons of great seasons in more recent history (plus played for years with an all-time veteran accurate passer in Calvillo).


IF you had to build a CFL offence with just one of those guys in the receiving corps? = tough call, but I might go with Gabriel or Elgaard or maybe Poplawski too, over Cahoon.

[paulwoods13]

It is ridiculous that someone who was NEVER CANADIAN is being ranked as the greatest Canadian receiver of all time. Cahoon was great, but he was a non-import, not a Canadian.

[Foxhound]

It is ridiculous that someone who was NEVER CANADIAN is being ranked as the greatest Canadian receiver of all time. Cahoon was great, but he was a non-import, not a Canadian.

Well....

​Cahoon was born in Utah but qualified as a Canadian in the CFL because his parents were Canadian and he spent ... part of his childhood in Cardston, Alberta and is therefore considered a non-import under the CFL's import/non-import ratio rule.

Cahoon played his high school sports at Mountain View High School in Orem, Utah where he earned All-Region and All-State honors in football, basketball, and soccer.Throughout his career Cahoon steadfastly maintained he felt he was Canadian despite being born in the U.S. and attending both high school and college in Utah.

Hmmmmm. He would have had to attend a Canadian university to firmly establish Canadian credentials in my book.

[OV Argo]

It is ridiculous that someone who was NEVER CANADIAN is being ranked as the greatest Canadian receiver of all time. Cahoon was great, but he was a non-import, not a Canadian.

And yet - some Canadians were all over celebrating Jamaican born Canadian sprinters who won medals as great Canadian athletes?; or Lennox Lewis as a boxer?; that Greg Joy guy (American born high jumper who completed for Canada and won a silver medal (whoop de do) in the Olympics) was featured in an old TV station sign-off clip celebrating great things about Canada (Joy's moment selected for that was an embarassing joke IMO) ???



Ben Cahoon is IMO as Canadian as any of those examples; and his top football accomplishments - that got him recognized as an all-time great receiver - were all done in Canada, in the CANADIAN Football League.



It was an outstanding thing IMO for Jon Cornish to be recognized as the top Canadian athlete in winning that award/trophy (Lou Marsh ?) a few years back - Canadian football players have been dis-respected, shunned or ignored as outstanding, top athletes in their own country for a long time IMO. Maybe Cornish should have been disqualified though for playing US college ball ?

[halifaxguy]

And yet - some Canadians were all over celebrating Jamaican born Canadian sprinters who won medals as great Canadian athletes?; or Lennox Lewis as a boxer?; that Greg Joy guy (American born high jumper who completed for Canada and won a silver medal (whoop de do) in the Olympics) was featured in an old TV station sign-off clip celebrating great things about Canada (Joy's moment selected for that was an embarassing joke IMO) ???



Ben Cahoon is IMO as Canadian as any of those examples; and his top football accomplishments - that got him recognized as an all-time great receiver - were all done in Canada, in the CANADIAN Football League.



It was an outstanding thing IMO for Jon Cornish to be recognized as the top Canadian athlete in winning that award/trophy (Lou Marsh ?) a few years back - Canadian football players have been dis-respected, shunned or ignored as outstanding, top athletes in their own country for a long time IMO. Maybe Cornish should have been disqualified though for playing US college ball ?

Greg Joy? that is really unfair. He was born in the US to CANADIAN parents, his dad was working in Portland at the time. He went to high school in Vancouver.
He lives in Ottawa and has run the Ottawa food bank for many years, he's an adjudicator for the landlord and tenant board in Ottawa. Back in 96 he ran for the Ontario PCs in Ottawa west.

[Foxhound]

Greg Joy? that is really unfair. He was born in the US to CANADIAN parents, his dad was working in Portland at the time. He went to high school in Vancouver.
He lives in Ottawa and has run the Ottawa food bank for many years, he's an adjudicator for the landlord and tenant board in Ottawa. Back in 96 he ran for the Ontario PCs in Ottawa west.

I agree.

[OV Argo]

Greg Joy? that is really unfair. He was born in the US to CANADIAN parents, his dad was working in Portland at the time. He went to high school in Vancouver.
He lives in Ottawa and has run the Ottawa food bank for many years, he's an adjudicator for the landlord and tenant board in Ottawa. Back in 96 he ran for the Ontario PCs in Ottawa west.

Greg Joy might be a great guy and all, but the point is he was American born (to Canadian parents = same as Cahoon), and his big accomplishment was winning a silver medal for Canada in an ultra limited sports discipline (high-jump); sorry, but IMO he is not even in the same area code as Ben Cahoon in terms
of sport accomplishment.

Football is a Canadian game (invented and played here for over a century) - and Cahoon proved to be one of the best all-time in a Canadian sport, playing for over a decade in a league that is exclusively in Canada. No disrespect intended for track& field and the high-jump.

[ArgoRavi]

Greg Joy might be a great guy and all, but the point is he was American born (to Canadian parents = same as Cahoon), and his big accomplishment was winning a silver medal for Canada in an ultra limited sports discipline (high-jump); sorry, but IMO he is not even in the same area code as Ben Cahoon in terms
of sport accomplishment.

Football is a Canadian game (invented and played here for over a century) - and Cahoon proved to be one of the best all-time in a Canadian sport, playing for over a decade in a league that is exclusively in Canada. No disrespect intended for track& field and the high-jump.

I get what you are saying, OV, but the reason why Joy gets acclaim is because he had, arguably, the most memorable moment for a Canadian athlete during the Montreal Olympics. I was a wee lad of 6 at the time and I still remember watching him in the high jump live on TV.

[paulwoods13]

Greg Joy might be a great guy and all, but the point is he was American born (to Canadian parents = same as Cahoon), and his big accomplishment was winning a silver medal for Canada in an ultra limited sports discipline (high-jump); sorry, but IMO he is not even in the same area code as Ben Cahoon in terms
of sport accomplishment.

Football is a Canadian game (invented and played here for over a century) - and Cahoon proved to be one of the best all-time in a Canadian sport, playing for over a decade in a league that is exclusively in Canada. No disrespect intended for track& field and the high-jump.

I don't disagree with any of that. But there is still a difference. One guy chose to be Canadian, one didn't.

[Argo]

And yet - some Canadians were all over celebrating Jamaican born Canadian sprinters who won medals as great Canadian athletes?; or Lennox Lewis as a boxer?; that Greg Joy guy (American born high jumper who completed for Canada and won a silver medal (whoop de do) in the Olympics) was featured in an old TV station sign-off clip celebrating great things about Canada (Joy's moment selected for that was an embarassing joke IMO) ???



Ben Cahoon is IMO as Canadian as any of those examples; and his top football accomplishments - that got him recognized as an all-time great receiver - were all done in Canada, in the CANADIAN Football League.



It was an outstanding thing IMO for Jon Cornish to be recognized as the top Canadian athlete in winning that award/trophy (Lou Marsh ?) a few years back - Canadian football players have been dis-respected, shunned or ignored as outstanding, top athletes in their own country for a long time IMO. Maybe Cornish should have been disqualified though for playing US college ball ?

As a huge Lennox "The Last Man Standing" Lewis fan, I would note that Lennox did grow up in KW (and has a street named after him).

I see that Lennox will be back in KW this month and doing good work: http://locfoundation.org/news-events

[jerrym]

It is ridiculous that someone who was NEVER CANADIAN is being ranked as the greatest Canadian receiver of all time. Cahoon was great, but he was a non-import, not a Canadian.

I think OV is right: the poll reflects the age of those voting to a significant extent. Fantuz is the only one who played more recently than Cahoon, so Cahoon benefits enormously from that. I would put Tony Gabriel first not only for his pass catching ability but because he revolutionized the tight end position, helping to bring about the creation of the modern slotback. Ray Elgaard, who not only accumulated more than 13,000 yards but was a beast to bring down, was next IMO. I would rank Terry Evanshen third because he was a dominant receiver at the peak of his career. Sapunjis and Sinopoli should be added to the list IMO.

[halifaxguy]

What about Brad Sinopoli? the converted QB has 3 seasons in a row of 1,000 yards. Is the poll only for "retired" receivers?

[halifaxguy]

What about Brad Sinopoli? the converted QB has 3 seasons in a row of 1,000 yards. Is the poll only for "retired" receivers?

I will say it again "Brad Sinopoli" - last night he catches 12 passes for 170 yards. None of the other guys listed ever had a 170 yard game.
Right now he's the number one receiver in the league with 36 catches and after only 5 games.

[Foxhound]

Poplawski is #1 for me from this list. Criminally underrated.

No Masotti, Sapunjis or Clermont?

Poplawski & Fantuz were fantastic all-around receivers - great hands and could get open deep.

Masotti is more like criminally under-rated IMO; solid all-around, great hands with sneaky speed and big play ability.

Whit Tucker could have been on this list with Evanshen IMO - blazing speed deep threat and one of the all-time best yards/catch averages.

What about Brad Sinopoli? the converted QB has 3 seasons in a row of 1,000 yards. Is the poll only for "retired" receivers?

I agree. The omission of all the fellows mentioned above is truly shameful. Another incredible oversight is the omission of Rocky Dipietro who I believe retired as the leading pass catcher of all-time in the CFL:

I believe that vote reflects more the average age of voters....

Precisely! Always a problem.

[paulwoods13]

He felt so Canadian that he made Canada his permanent home after retiring. Oh wait ...

That was a convenient thing to say when was winning all those MOCs tho.

Unrelated, DiPietro was good but I'd take Paul Pearson over him when both were in their prime.

[AngeloV]

My top 5: (quickly of the top of my head)
Sapunjis
Poplawski
Gabriel
Evanshin
Elgaard

I too would not count Cahoon. Hell, Pinball is more Canadian than him. Bring back the naturalization rule dammit.

[R.J]

I wouldn't have Cahoon on my Canadian list either, but he's in my top 5 all time receivers though. Cahoon and Fantuz were the most sure handed receivers in the last decade or so IMO.

I still think the League needs to tweak the Canadian definition again - IMO Canadian birth certificate or CDN Citizenship are the only two ways someone should be able to be a designated "National". I wouldn't mind seeing the names for National and International changed to Domestic and Import either - makes sense for Beer lol.

[ArgoGabe22]

Isn’t Cahoon a duel citizen though?

[paulwoods13]

As far as I know, Donovan Bailey (to name one sprinter born elsewhere) chose to both live in Canada and become a Canadian citizen. As far as I know, Cahoon never lived in Canada year round and did not take out citizenship. And yet he won the Most Outstanding Canadian award. Go figure. (Bailey and everyone else in ov's list of "equally as Canadian" athletes were not competing for awards presented to the best Canadian -- they were seeking international awards on behalf (proudly) of a country they chose to call home. Somewhat different than anything Cahoon did imo.