Argos, what it used to be like

[rdavies]

I love watching old 60s and early 70s footage of the Argos when they still had a turf field at the Ex. It's not all that common and colour video is somewhat rare which is why the Argos doc "The Greatest Team That Never Won" was so great.

Any way here is some retro Argos stuff circa 1976 BJ (before Jays)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfR5gXT2q1A
Start at 18:00 for Argos story
Celebrity look alikes: AD looks like OJ and Jim Hunt looks like Dief : )

Keep watching after the Chuvalo story for a commentary by Jim Hunt on Argo ownership

[paulwoods13]

Wow, what a find. Coincidentally, this is almost precisely the point in time when I decided to become a truly serious Argo fan. And oddly enough, Bill Hodgson seems to have taken Hunt's advice by re-signing Leo Cahill shortly afterwards. Hunt, BTW, mispronounced AV's favourite QB as Tom Cluh-MENT rather than CLEMM-ints, even though he had just finished his second season in the CFL.

[OV Argo]

Cool; brings back some memories.

Host there - Mike Anscombe (?) was in radio in Ottawa (CFRA) before then, and I remember him having a gig reporting on Ottawa Rough Rider training camp where he actually got to put on pads and participate as wide-receiver; pretty sure he even caught a pass in an exhibition game.

The CFL got so much more respect and attention from the sports media back in those days; and then a decline started leading to years of weak, negative or mocking coverage of the CFL from the typical wannabes who decided the CFL wasn't "world class" or "major league" enough for them. Global - with the likes of Tatti, Hebscher and Martin - got in on the snickering at the CFL bandwagon back then. Good thing Global had Susan Hay as a reporter to make me want to watch some. ;o)

[DoubleBlue_Red]

And yet an hour down the QEW the TiCats are still considered a 'major league' team by the local media. You can can better Argos coverage from TSN 1150 than you can from Toronto stations.

[rdavies]

Maybe I'm wrong but I've noticed that since the Grey Cup and along with the MLSE purchase, media and trolls may have finally tired of kicking the Argos. There just seems to be a different perception that they are what they are and that's pretty good or good enough.

Interviews don't seem to have that backhanded comment or insidious shot that they always used to have. Heard Jeff Blair and Trash Madani doing fair interviews on Sportsnet (or that could be their new corporate reality) : )

[rdavies]

Have some fun and bring back some old memories with this
Stats Crew Canadian Football League Team Rosters and Statistics (https://www.statscrew.com/football/l-CFL)

[OV Argo]

Have some fun and bring back some old memories with this
Stats Crew Canadian Football League Team Rosters and Statistics (https://www.statscrew.com/football/l-CFL)

Thanks - that is a fine site - goes way back with CFL stats and rosters.

[Argo57]

Maybe I'm wrong but I've noticed that since the Grey Cup and along with the MLSE purchase, media and trolls may have finally tired of kicking the Argos. There just seems to be a different perception that they are what they are and that's pretty good or good enough.

Interviews don't seem to have that backhanded comment or insidious shot that they always used to have. Heard Jeff Blair and Trash Madani doing fair interviews on Sportsnet (or that could be their new corporate reality) : )

You’re not wrong, the tone has definitely changed in regards to the Argos.

[rdavies]

You’re not wrong, the tone has definitely changed in regards to the Argos.And I was the guy who said maybe it would be better if they didn't win this year. In my mind, and I guess yours as well, something has changed in the landscape since the Grey Cup and it seems different than before.

[Argo57]

And I was the guy who said maybe it would be better if they didn't win this year. In my mind, and I guess yours as well, something has changed in the landscape since the Grey Cup and it seems different than before.

I understood where you were coming from.
The Argo fortunes slowly started to turn when they hired Popp and Trestman who provided drastically improved on field product and entertainment value.
The attendance, atmosphere and dramatic finish of the Eastern Final seemed to give the Argonauts some much needed traction, add the Grey Cup win and ownership announcement to the mix and I think they may have turned the corner.
Still a lot of work to do but what a contrast from a year ago!!

[rdavies]

The Argo fortunes slowly started to turn when they hired Popp and Trestman who provided drastically improved on field product and entertainment value.And maybe the organization has some long sought stability, and with Trestman and Popp a little class to go with it.

[Argo57]

And maybe the organization has some long sought stability, and with Trestman and Popp a little class to go with it.

Well said, better days ahead!

[rdavies]

Well said, better days ahead!Having said what I said, I surely didn't mean to disparage Barker and Milo who truly showed grace under pressure during the debacle of the Braley administration. They deserved better.

[rdavies]

Hunt, BTW, mispronounced AV's favourite QB as Tom Cluh-MENT rather than CLEMM-ints, even though he had just finished his second season in the CFL.Maybe after watching that Schultz/Flyer interview, Shaky was thinking of Bill Cluh-MENT : ) Clement might have been in Atlanta by that time.

[rdavies]

Could this be a sign : ) Just ran across this.

Recalling the life and fun times of Jim Hunt (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/recalling-the-life-and-fun-times-of-jim-hunt/article728365/)
Stephen Brunt theglobeandmail.com March 27, 2017

His great abiding passion was the Canadian Football League, for which he stumped in Toronto even in the darkest times, even when public interest in the big city seemed to have all but evaporated. He'd seen plenty of National Football League games in his time, and covered enough Super Bowls, but Hunt stood steadfast in his belief that the Canadian game was superior entertainment, and that eventually, the larger audience would again share his view.

[ArgoRavi]

Wow, what a find. Coincidentally, this is almost precisely the point in time when I decided to become a truly serious Argo fan. And oddly enough, Bill Hodgson seems to have taken Hunt's advice by re-signing Leo Cahill shortly afterwards. Hunt, BTW, mispronounced AV's favourite QB as Tom Cluh-MENT rather than CLEMM-ints, even though he had just finished his second season in the CFL.

The Argos, interestingly enough, were 7-8-1 in 1976 with Russ Jackson and Anthony Davis; however, they failed to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Leo would come back in 1977 but their record actually dropped to 6-10. They did make the playoffs that season though.

This is a great find but also a reminder that local sportscasts in Toronto are now all but dead, which is very sad IMO.

[Argo57]

Could this be a sign : ) Just ran across this.

Recalling the life and fun times of Jim Hunt (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/recalling-the-life-and-fun-times-of-jim-hunt/article728365/)
Stephen Brunt theglobeandmail.com March 27, 2017

His great abiding passion was the Canadian Football League, for which he stumped in Toronto even in the darkest times, even when public interest in the big city seemed to have all but evaporated. He'd seen plenty of National Football League games in his time, and covered enough Super Bowls, but Hunt stood steadfast in his belief that the Canadian game was superior entertainment, and that eventually, the larger audience would again share his view.

Jim Hunt was a beauty!

[rdavies]

Have some fun and bring back some old memories with this
Stats Crew Canadian Football League Team Rosters and Statistics (https://www.statscrew.com/football/l-CFL)Have to say, I wrote to the developers of this site asking them to remove the gawd awful Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest bar that kept popping up and blocking you from reading part of the site. And to my surprise it looks like they did, I will definitely publicize them and be a frequent flyer at that site now.