Good Day Everyone,
I look forward to contributing regularly and providing insight and depth in between the yard lines of the Canadian Football League. Over the past ten years, the CFL has made many smart off-field decisions to help grow the 3 down game and shed its past image of being the Comedy Football League or the Crisis Football League. I believe the CFL’s best decision was exclusively partnering with TSN and getting all league games exposed to people across North America on Canada’s largest cable sports channel. Yes even the NFL Network in the United States broadcasts the TSN feed south of the border. This deal has allowed the CFL and its 8 teams to gain a larger viewing audience and stronger additional revenue stream which allows the league to thrive.
But occasionally the CFL still blows it with a bad call. When the 2011 CFL Schedule was released in March, one glaring error was present. The Toronto Argonauts were not playing the Hamilton Tiger Cats on Labour Day. Apart from 1 year here or there, both of these teams have played against each other in Hamilton since 1950. The CFL stated the Argonauts have 3 home games in the first 9 weeks of the season, and have to play that weekend at home. Also, the CFL claims these two teams playing on Labour Day is a Hamilton tradition and not a CFL tradition.
In my humble opinion, that is of Bullshite!
What does it matter whether the Argos play 3 or 4 home dates within the first 9 weeks of the season. The Hamilton Tiger Cats played 4 home games, as did several of the other CFL teams. The Argos are only 1 home game behind. Plus it was the Argos, who back in 2005, decided to abandon their plans with the Canadian Soccer Association to build a smaller outdoor stadium at York University in favour of a rent-free lease at Skydome.
Well you get what you paid for, because now the Argos get treated like shite by Rogers Communications, the Skydome owners (yes, Skydome, not Rogers Centre), and pretty much get the last pick of available dates behind the Blue Jays, concerts, motor cross, NFL football, Wiggles and whatever event Rogers sticks in there.
As a result of a poor mistake made by the team I hate the most in professional sports, my Hamilton Tiger Cats and our fans have to suffer too, but not being able to host the stupid Toronto Argonauts this Labour Day. This game is huge in this city. Many Hamilton residents look at this game as an unofficial send off to summer and relish in the opportunity of kicking Toronto Argonaut ass.
What makes this worse is the CFL tried to justify the schedule decision by stating these two teams playing annually on Labour Day is a Hamilton tradition, not a CFL tradition.
What kind of crap is that?
The Calgary Stampeders play the Edmonton Eskimos in Calgary on Labour Day. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers travel to battle the Saskatchewan Rough Riders the Sunday of Labour Day weekend. These also are part of league traditions that the CFL promotes as the second half of the season begins.
From Labour Day on in the CFL, the contending teams are separated from the pretending teams as the temperature falls and the road to the Grey Cup intensifies.
My Tiger Cats will be hosting the Montreal Alouettes this Labour Day Monday. However it won’t be the same because I won’t have the opportunity to yell “Argos Suck!!!! like I have during Labour Days past.
The CFL really fumbled the ball on this 3rd down.
For the Last Word on Sports on the CFL, I’m CM.
