Far Too Much Football On One Day

It's the morning after. Have to tell you that I got whacked with a pillow in the middle of the night by my wife — and, I would wager, because I was talking in my sleep about football and football and football.

Yes, watching five high school championship football games in one day can do that and even send a person crawling up a wall. Not my idea, that's the way the provincial sports organization planned it.

I still don't get it. Judging from people who stopped me at the Rogers Centre on Wednesday, or the many more who called me to wonder what the reasoning was, the location and times for certain games, it would seem that I am not alone.

The National Capital Bowl (Ottawa vs. Peterborough), the Western Bowl (London vs. Sarnia), the Northern Bowl (Thunder Bay vs. Sault Ste. Marie)  and even the Golden Horseshoe Bowl (Burlington vs. Port Colborne) — all played in Toronto? The Metro Bowl, well, I can see that for sure.

Attendance was very disappointing in each game, including the spectacle of the local gridiron season, which turned out to be a yawner. The Metro Bowl almost had as many penalties as points. If it wasn't for the touchdown in the closing minute of the game, with Markham in control 12-0, it would have been the second lowest scoring game in the 28-year history of the Metro Bowl.

Organizers will say that I don't understand and it was a thrilling defensive game. Yeah, right, with two explosive offensive teams. Maybe, the players were nervous by the raucous crowd, whose noise vibrated around an empty cavernous facility. I am surprised there was an admission charge when, just maybe, more people would have shown up if it was free.

Two of the games were blowouts, lots of scoring, and another almost put the handful of scribes (and lots of non-reporters cashing in on an opportunity to watch from the press box) to sleep. I have to feel sorry for the players who commuted from Thunder Bay and could only score seven points in their game. Well, it was an experience and there is no snow in T-O.

Maybe these games would have benefited from larger crowds if played closer to home, an idea that OFSAA did toss around, but sacked because they got the Rogers facility for free — a donation by the Buffalo Bills folks who are doing what they can to market the NFL game next week. Last I heard, lots of empty seats. Maybe some of the people last night got freebies.

Other than watching players try do their best in championship games, I did see a few odd things: Birchmount Park got a rare equipment penalty, the same team did a quadruple reverse trying to score — and fell short of the objective. 

And spectators backing Burlington's Notre Dame, a team that capped a perfect season winning the Golden Horseshoe Bowl, had one of their own male fans stir the crowd — and send organizers flipping — when he dramatically removed his attire to reveal a skimpy piece of cloth called a bathing suit.

Oh yes, the food in the press box was much better than previous years. Lots of coffee to keep us awake. But pizza for five games? Enough.

Comments

[Terry Butler]

Great piece. I laughed. The stupidity of OFSSAA and the lack of fans. I understand why you didn't mention the bathing suit being a Speedo. Look, it's great to see kids play in a championship but has anyone calculated the transportaion costs, hotel costs, miscellaneous costs to bring all those teams to Toronto. Costs that are absorbed somehow by taxpayers. And where does the gate receipts go if the facility is free. I was at the Golden Horsesahoe game and why were there people driving around with golf carts. Show off time?

[Mr. Blake]

I hear there were 16 penalties in the Metro Bowl and 11 to Markham. Watch out for those country boys.

[Mike]

Your story about the Golden Horseshoe game said the quarterback from Notre Dame returned for a fifth year to play football.
That's the problem with some coaches and schools. Four years of school and move on. If a student needs to return for grades, that I understand.
Why should another kid lose out because a better player returning for the "Victory Lap" gets the edge.
I know. It's called win at all costs. Lesson to be learned by all - including teachers who should be sending the right message.

[Martin Mezzabotta]

Hey Grossman , lighten up, This is a Opportunity is for the Boys that play the game in a Professional facility and experience that " next level of sports"
If you had wander out of the press box and talked to some of the boys and parents from SSM or T bay most were very happy to be there.

You press guys crack me up.

Another tough day at the Office , Watch football, eat free pizza, As one of many of the proud parents in attendance yesterday , I gladly paid my $15.00 at the door and $ 6.00 for a bag of Cold Popcorn.

[Dakota]

I think you missed the point - yes you sat there for 5 football games but most people where just there to see the one game they were interested in - they one most likely their sone was playing in! And as for having it at the Rogers Centre - what a great venue! For a high school kid to get to play on the same field as the professionals - what a feeling that must be for them. Also don't forget it's a great way to top off a winning season for these kids to get to go to the big city and play at the Rogers Centre - what an honour. Who wants to play on the same fields you play on all year long. This is something the kids playing the game will remember for a life time. You can't blame the spectators for low scores (the players were nervous by the raucous crowd) obviously you weren't paying attention (maybe eating too much pizza) but I saw the players waving their arms at the crowds to make more noise. That's what gets them pumped up and the adrenaline going. I think have all the Bowl games at the Roger's Centre is a great experience for these kids and you shouldn't try to take it away from them.

[AH]

The folks from Thunder Bay and Sault Ste Marie in Toronto...
Hey, yeah, sure is a nice trip to reality from those places.

[JM]

Some of you folks must be in la-la land.
Ya got it wrong, the Rogers Centre doesn't have professional teams, especially in football, play there.
And to call it an honour to play there. Wow, some people have the wrong standards in life.

[Pyper]

I really do believe Mr. Grossman is right on and I don't always agree with him either. One game, maybe, but all these games don't belong in that stadium.
I know Grossman and will assume that many people don't even know what he looks like. He's not the one to sit in a press box for 10 hours and gobble down pizza.
Give the guy some slack. You'd be all over him if he didn't cover this stuff.

[MA]

That person who called the experience "the next level of sports" must be an Argos Fan. Sure sounds like one - lost in space.

[ty]

Gotta love football in Canada.

[Nick]

I can understand how some athletes can get a jolt playing at the Rogers Centre but if this was one huge success than can someone explain was that thousands and thousands of spectators being very quiet and watching or do people not really give a hoot one way or another.
I always hear comparisons to what is in the United States, where was the the support for these 10 schools? You get my point. Just a handful of parents in some cases and one school that sent a few buses of fans.
Dreadful.

[Larry]

You play on those same fields for a reason. Home and away games. And stop complaining, we're in good shape because our field only has dog crap and no broken beer bottles.

[Ross]

Please don't give David a hard time. He is one of very few media voices in this city that says or writes anything about high school sports. I call on the two daily papers in this city that actually care a bit about high school sports to spend more time on the kids and less time on the pros. Preview the seasons and add a page, yes a page, a week about high school athletics. For the papers that are sent out of the GTA, remove the page.

How do we get more people in the stands? I ask the media of Toronto to promote youth and high school sports. (David you already are the leader.) Will it cause a decline in readership? I doubt it. More high school kids would read the paper.

[JJ]

Ross has a point. Grossman is entitled to his opinion and he also does a great job - whether you like him or not.
Just because he exposes the problems, doesn't give teachers and coaches the right to crap on him.
The people who can fix those problems and make sports better for students should be doing it rather than going after the only guy in this city who day in and day out covers school sports.
And, yes, I am a teacher.

[Peel Fan]

So JJ, Mr. Grossman has the right to his opinion but those who disagree with him don't have the right to do so?

I hear a lot of whining about this on the board but has anyone thought to ask the people who really matter: the players? Do they prefer playing close to home or do they prefer the chance to play in the Rogers centre. It seems to me that no one has asked them in any significant numbers. Until that happens, this is all just pointless whining.

[Cletus Ryan]

Way to go Buffalo and thank you to the Toronto Star & Grossman for your commitment to local sports in and around Toronto.

But Grossman you're wrong on the Big Bowl Day for the kids. For those that are moving on to CIS or NCAA what a great opportunity to play in a first class facility...for the majority that wont get another chance what a great experience no matter where you are from.

[FM]

I played at the SkyDome when it was called that and to tell you the truth - no big deal. There were no professional athletes watching me or the guys on the team or CFL scouts.
It's a field man that was indoors and a carpet.
Now there are several carpets and also outdoors and I think that's where are the fun is.
You guys don't get it. There are some who will pick inside and some outside. Just because someone is picking up the tab, so what. Who are we impressing here, eh?

[Pepper]

I am not so sure that the Rogers Centre is what you call a first class facility and what kind of a great experience is it to play in an empty building. As an athlete, I'd prefer playing where people would show up and not need binoculars to find them.

[Joe]

I like the idea of playing each Bowl game in its own region and then somehow picking the best two to play for a real Ontario championship.