Yes it's True...I've Jumped Ship

[TheHammer]

Go to Regina or Winnipeg for the LDC or Banjo Bowl, it's just as bad.

Exactly. Every team has its rivalries and every fan base gets riled up for it. It happens. When you go to a Ticat-Argo game at THF, expect chants, booing Argos players and some good-natured taunts coming your way if you're wearing double blue. I remember the September 11th game at BMO where the Argos beat the Cats, Argo fans were chanting at us as we were leaving, and this was with my 7-year old son. It kinda ticked me off a bit, but it would never stop me from attending another game at BMO.



As for the 'Argos Suck' chant, it's not something I encourage my child to say just because I hate the word (don't know why). That being said, it's not profane. A little on the rude side, but anyone who hangs around kids knows how often they say the word 'sucks'. So a child yelling it at a football game, I honestly don't find it to be THAT offensive. If they were yelling 'Nobody blows like the Argos'... now THAT I would have a problem with. I remember watching an Argo game on TV a couple years ago and the camera showed youngster yelling at the ref from his seat (and what appeared to be a profanity if you can read lips). The camera was on the kid for like 2 minutes and the TV guys were laughing at him. I never thought 'Oh, man all Argo fans are horrible parents because of that one kids action'.

That latest edition of Pig Skin Pete honestly creeps me out.

Why? Dan's a good guy. Very personable and down to earth if you ever talk to him. Kinda miss the older guy with the fur coat and bowler hat, but whatever.

My point is that you have received a good deal more than virtually all long(er) term Argonauts fans.



We haven't received two free trips to the Grey Cup.

We weren't invited to drink from the Grey Cup by Argonauts players.

We didn't have Argonauts players attend any personal functions.



Yet, you seem to expect new owners/managers to provide you with some type of insider's privileges that you had under previous owners.

Maybe they don't know you yet.

Maybe they have been too busy with other things associated with taking over a team, moving that team to a new venue, getting licenses/approvals for a new game day function (tailgating), planning the league's championship game and festival.

Hence my comment about the new owners try to retrofit a listing ship.



I believe if you were to stick around and influence the changes you seek, along with the rest of us dedicated Argonauts fans, you would possibly be satisfied.



Was it a bad year for the Argonauts organization?

Clearly yes. Both on the field and off.

But it is the first year of a new "admiralcy".

I believe they deserve more than one year to get everything right for us.



Did Bob Young get everything right in his first year as owner of the Tiger-Cats?

This ^^



It took Bob 5-10 years to figure out how to run a franchise. He tried to think too 'out of the box' when he got rid of the traditional sports chain-of-command and basically made everyone the same level for all intents and purposes (which of course, leaves no one accountable). He tried to get rid of the 'Argos Suck' chant (not understanding his fan base and team culture right away). Of course, there was the Stadium debacle, and while Bob was not the only guilty party in all that, he made mistakes there, too. He eventually got everything figured out. We have a decent (albeit no-frills) new stadium, sellouts, and (in most years) a competitive football team) and the Cats are now considered one of the more stable franchises in the league. I go to games now, look around, see the youth in Ticat apparel, see the sellouts, and I couldn't be happier and more proud of how far my favourite organization has come.



So just wait it out, Argomania. If Bob Young can figure it out, then your ownership (who already partly owns multiple franchises) will as well. I've been to BMO, and it is beautiful (better than THF in some areas), you have a passionate fanbase (very visible and loud at the game I was at), and a team that I believe was better than its record this year. I think a lot of people thought it would happen overnight like in Montreal (the U2 concert at the Dome changed things there). It won't. It took years for this freefall to happen and it will take years for it to get built back up again (hopefully not as many years, though).



They WILL figure this out. Don't give up on them. As for the Ticats, we'd love to have you, but we're good. The Argos, however...they need you.