Sunday, November 25, 2007

24 participants in the 95th Grey Cup share a common bond


When the ball is kicked off for the Grey Cup this year, there will be a number of fans watching and wondering if only….

Across Eastern Ontario the long suffering fans of the capital region and the Ottawa Valley as well as across the river in Gatineau, will be rattling off the names, players that once began their journey to today’s Grey Cup match from Frank Clair Stadium.

Matthew Seekers of the National Post put together an interesting article for Saturday’s paper, examining the 24 players, coaches and managers that served in the early days of the Renegades experiment, a testimony to what could have been if only a few more dollars had been found in the cushions and if a league did not let a commitment to the capital blow away like a cold northern wind swooping across the Ottawa river.

The Renegades introduced Canadian football fans to Kerry Joseph, Josh Ranek and a host of other now veteran names on the CFL scene. They made mistakes in those early days, but were always exciting and provided hope for a long suffering football base that has been abused by successive owners over the years.

Eric Tilman and Kent Austin both were there to help launch the Renegades, but as the situation in Ottawa deteriorated they sought out other options, leaving behind a knowledgeable football town, disappointed and betrayed.

There’s talk again, as there always seems to be at Grey Cup time of yet another rebirth for the CFL in the nation’s capital, this time rumoured to be a little more locally based and with a solid marketing plan.

However, it now depends on the state of Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park, which recently had the Lower south side stands condemned of sorts due to problems with the south side seating.

It was home for the legendary south siders of Lansdowne Park a hearty band of followers who frequently mocked their more sophisticated (and drier) compatriots across the field.

The Southsiders would be justifiably proud of the 24 that take to the field on Sunday for the 95th Grey Cup; they have all the traits that Southsiders held dear, hard work, talent and a love of the Canadian game. They will cheer them on most likely from the comfort of their television rooms, hopeful of one day once again having a team of their own, but regretting the loss of the nucleus of what it would seem would have been a pretty good football team today.

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