We interrupt my regular non-posting with this post.
After watching a bit of the Grey Cup last night and the highlights this morning I just had to come here and get some things off my chest...
The city of Toronto does NOT deserve an NFL franchise, period. It hasn't been any clearer to me than it is right now. In fact, I'll go as far as saying that before Toronto even be considered for a franchise, the NFL should take a good hard look at Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg and yes, even Vancouver.
Of course the only reason Toronto is even IN the conversation is money. It certainly isn't because there are many football fans here. Sure there are NFL fans but no football fans. Because of this, an NFL franchise in Toronto would be certainly doomed to failure.
Sure in the beginning, people would come out. Especially if there was a new stadium involved. If the team somehow became successful, people would continue to come out. But as soon as that team faltered, you'd see the true colour of Toronto's so-called football fans.
This city has already shown what it will support only one team in mediocrity and that is one team and one team only...I'll leave it to you to figure out who...but let me say this, despite what you might think as conventional wisdom, this city isn't much of a hockey city either. Toronto may support that one horrible franchise, but it doesn't do much for any of the other pro and minor hockey franchises in the area. But I digress..back to football...
Why would the NFL even WANT to come to Toronto, even with all of its riches? Toronto doesn't even support it's OWN professional football team. In a country where people turn out in droves for college, university, even high school football, they must look down their noses at Toronto and wonder why we would even care. At least in Quebec, Saskatchewan and Alberta, football of all levels is supported.
What kills me is that most Canadians would look down their noses at most American NHL franchises and say that they're not deserving because they're not REAL hockey fans and then in the same breath say that Toronto deserves and NFL team. It's Laughable!
For those that argue that Canadian Football just isn't as good, it's not a valid argument. As I've stated, Americans will watch ANY kind of football, even High school football. Even Canadian Football!
During the CFL's short-lived and ill-advised American experiment, the American teams did very well attendance-wise. The Americans gobbled up the Canadian game, they loved it! Why? Because Americans LOVE football and therefore support it at every level regardless of the rules. Heck they even supported football played in arenas for a good while there.
Say what you will about the CFL and the Argos. What I witnessed last night at the Grey Cup was NOT a minor league. Last night was a true football experience. 60k+ loud fans. The crowd was into it, the players were into and for the most part the country was into it...well...that is...except people in Toronto. So why not give them the NFL franchise? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense...
One last thing. Of the few sporting events I attended live this year, the two I enjoyed the most were Cito's last home game as manager of the Blue Jays and the Argo's last homegame of the season. They were both amazing experiences and I'll take one of each of those over 10 boring Leaf games.
It's just sad really, in a city that has gotten used to so many bad sports teams, we seem to completely ignore two of there better success stories.
The only professional Toronto team to make the post-season this year was the Argonauts. Yet they can't draw the crowds they deserve and the CFL can't get any traction in their most important market despite being very healthy everywhere else in the country.
And it's all because the so-called sport fans in this city will settle at nothing less than the best teams from the best leagues. The irony of course is that if they supported their Argonauts with anywhere near the passion and fervor that they support their beloved Maple Laughs. They probably would have already gotten an NFL franchise. Instead, they expect to be given one without actually deserving one.
Will they get it? Probably, but it will be one of the worse moves made by the NFL. Regina, Calgary, Edmonton or Montreal would be better choices. MUCH better choices football-wise anyway. And I bet they would even stop supporting their CFL teams. They'd support both.
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