For all the talk we’ve all heard and the numbers that have been cited, pertaining to the Canadian Football League and it’s popularity in the Toronto area, Sunday afternoon was an acid test for the Toronto Argonauts and their home game at the Rogers Centre against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Double Blue broke off a three - game losing streak with their 35-31 victory, however the crowd of only 19,662, as detailed by the Star.com., paints the picture in terms of how the Boatmen stand, in comparison with the National Football League, in southern Ontario.
It is quite clear, that in spite of the glowing numbers that are reported for television viewership of the C.F.L., the Argos are not a very good sell, when competing with the N.F.L. Considering that it is still early in the N.F.L. season, you would think that Toronto would have a much better turn out than just under 20,000. I’m sure that somewhere or another, I will hear or read about some lame excuse or rationalization for the poor turnout, but there really is none. The three game losing streak is one of those reasons that would come under the heading of weak,if that is the most popular explanation as to why the game was sparsely attended. Overall, the Argonauts are playing at a much better level than most fans and analysts thought they would, and their 6-5 record is certainly respectable, considering the team’s struggles the last few seasons.
When you consider the population of the greater Toronto area, somewhere around 4.5 million, this attendance for a Sunday afternoon, is an embarrassment and should be a major concern to the C.F.L. The television viewership alone would be great to have, if the league didn’t need to sell tickets. The Toronto Argonauts don’t have that luxury. Obviously, when it comes to professional football, and unfortunately for the Argos, the National Football League seems to own the hearts and minds, of a very large number of fans. The Buffalo Bills games in Toronto would be a much better draw, if the tickets were priced more reasonably. Those games should not be used as a measuring stick of the popularity of the league in southern Ontario, especially considering the mediocre level of talent that the Bills have on their roster,and their overall performance over the last several years. There is not a whole lot to be excited about with that team, and especially when it comes to paying comparatively high prices for tickets.
Also pertaining to the Canadian game, it was great to watch the Hamilton Tiger-Cats execute their inspiring comeback, a 35-31 win against the B.C. Lions on Saturday night. Hamilton was down by 28-16 in the third quarter,but scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, while also playing before a small crowd of 21,481 at Empire Field, as reported by TSN.ca. Their improved play this season, (6-5) is vital for the league, and inspiring for the hard working folks in the “Hammer”. The Cats should benefit tremendously from their recent signing of former Saskatchewan Roughrider defensive end, Stevie Baggs, who was released by the N.F.L.’s Arizona Cardinals.
Speaking of the National Football League, there have been some surprising results, early in the season. Minnesota and Dallas have been very disappointing, especially Tony Romo and Brett Favre, while Houston and Tampa Bay have been much better than expected. For a quarterback who was thought by some to be washed up, including his former employers and many of their fans in Philadelphia, Donovan McNabb has looked very effective, and that was certainly the case in Sunday afternoon’s match at FedEx Field, as both he (426 yards) and the Texans Matt Schaub (497 yards), engaged in a rarely seen 400 plus yards passing duel for their respective sides. The last time a shootout of this kind took place, was in September of 1994,when Drew Bledsoe was quarterbacking the Patriots against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins, as noted by the Associated Press. Washington’s defence failed to hold onto the 17 point lead that was on the board, as the score was 27-10, with 3:51 remaining in the third quarter. A blocked 3 point try, (with 6:36 left in regulation) and a missed field goal by Washington in overtime, also proved to be decisive in the Redskins 30-27 overtime loss to the Texans.
As I mentioned in my season preview, keep an eye on Tampa Bay’s rookie wide receiver, Mike Williams, who I have predicted will win Offensive Rookie Of The Year honors. He caught a touchdown pass for the second game in succession, and seems to be developing a solid chemistry with quarterback Josh Freeman. The Buccaneers defence is also playing with tenacity, and most analysts agree, that one of the top safety’s in the league, is Tanard Jackson, who is lacking in recognition,primarily because he plays in Tampa Bay. The 6’, 200 pound Syracuse alumnus, is regarded by former Buccaneer strong safety,and 9 time Pro Bowl selection John Lynch, as the toughest tackler on the team. Lynch was also ranked at #10, as the most feared tackler in NFL history, on the NFL Films production “ Top 10 Most Feared Tacklers”, for the NFL Network, according to Wikipedia.