Canadian Football League 2010: Anyone care?

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, if the final score has the Argos within 10 points of the Als, they might be for real. If they get blown-out, I won't expect too much for the rest of the year.

 

[Canadave]

So I was in Montreal last night for the Saskatchewan\Montreal tilt. And even though the 'Riders lost, it was great fun. Those teams are a fantastic match for one another, and Percival Molson Stadium is incredibly beautiful. Here's a few photos I took during the game.

And a few more I took today, when a friend and I discovered that the field level was open, due to some sort of festival that was going on:

Yeah, needless to say, I was in love with that stadium. Absolutely brilliant, and I hope that with all the new construction planned in the league, other teams end up with similar facilities.

 

[Danny99]

The Argos can't go around giving up 20 points in the 3rd quarter and still have a comeback win every week!

 

[eastman23]

Yeah, needless to say, I was in love with that stadium. Absolutely brilliant, and I hope that with all the new construction planned in the league, other teams end up with similar facilities.

Well, we just started digging the hole for our new stadium at the UofM site... even though we don't know what it's going to end up looking like, how much it'll cost, or who's gonna pay for it...

Some nice pics there!

 

[Canadave]

Really? I thought the design up here was the one they were building?

And, to be fair, they could probably just dig a hole, stick a football field at the bottom, and you'd end up with a nicer facility than Canad Inns.

 

[eastman23]

Yeah, that was before Asper said that they would scale back the design to meet the original estimate instead of building the original design at a (possibly) higher price (which Creswin, his property management company would be responsible for apparently).

The city has said "no way" and maintain the design has to be maintained.

Free Press:

Here's the rub: Creswin believes its obligation is to build a stadium that costs in the neighbourhood of $115 million. Creswin believes it is contractually bound to pay for cost overruns that occur at that stage -- somewhere in the five to eight per cent area above the $115 million cost.

Creswin does not believe it must deliver the exact stadium specifics that were used when the partnership between the developer, City of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Football Club and the province was formed.

At that point, the estimate of $115 million was very rough, according to Creswin, and the dollar figure -- not the design --was the only fixed element of the deal.

Design choices must be made to reach that figure rather than adding cash to the deal to realize the design, Creswin contends.

The City of Winnipeg sees this in an entirely different manner and if major changes are made to the stadium design they won't go along.

A letter from the city's chief administrative officer, Glen Laubenstein, went out last week to Mayor Sam Katz and a number of project partners that clearly states the city's position.

The letter informs the mayor that Creswin potentially could change the design of the stadium and delete the overhead protection for 80 per cent of the seating. The CAO informs Katz in the letter that in the opinion of city lawyers a change of that magnitude would require approval from city council and that council is not scheduled to meet until September.

Funny thing... after this came out over the past week, backhoes suddenly appeared at the construction site...

 

[Canadave]

^ Sounds like fun.

I love how Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Hamilton all have proposals for lovely new stadiums which are getting well-mired by city council infighting. Le sigh.

 

[eastman23]

On this one, I'm with city council. Either Asper builds the stadium the way he proposed it, or he doesn't build it and doesn't get that nice prime real estate for virtually nothing (current stadium site).

Maybe he's just getting cold feet because his media company is falling apart at the seams. Or maybe no one is willing to commit to the shopping mall (sorry, "destination") that he wants to build at the current stadium site.

 

[Danny99]

Hamilton playing hardball over a new stadium's location is ridiculous. Is Hamilton really that big that it really makes a difference where the stadium is?

 

[Canadave]

^ Well, we are talking an urban area that they want to rejuvenate over the 'burbs. The last thing Hamilton wants is Ontario's second Scotiabank Place.

And while Hamilton City Council hasn't exactly handled this well, I think Bob Young is being a complete and utter jackass. He really wants to move the team because he can't have parking revenue? Please.

 

[Danny99]

Is moving them to Quebec City really going to be worth it? Don't the Al's have a monopoly out there?

 

[Canadave]

Is moving them to Quebec City really going to be worth it? Don't the Al's have a monopoly out there?

I doubt the Al's would have much effect on any team that decided to locate in QC. They're far enough apart that they could develop separate fanbases, probably even a good rivalry.

That said, I'd rather see a team expanded there, not see the Ti-Cats uprooted.

 

[Canadave]

Wow. So howabout them Argos?

 

[Danny99]

I still fear cheering for them that they'll break my heart.

 

[Canadave]

^ Oh, they probably will. But if nothing else, they're really fun to watch. That Lemon->Boyd->Lemon play, for instance, and the fake punt were both awesome to watch.

 

[eastman23]

Why am I wasting my time watching this Bombers-Alouettes game?

 

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, the game itself wasn't much, but that Calvillo injury could end up being big. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but I have to admit I wouldn't mind looking at an Als squad that's a little less superhuman...

 

[Jetfire]

Canadave Those pics are awesome!

I am an American & NFLer...fan of the Washington Redskins...I hope to one day see a game at FedEx Field.

 

[eastman23]

^ Yeah, the game itself wasn't much, but that Calvillo injury could end up being big. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but I have to admit I wouldn't mind looking at an Als squad that's a little less superhuman...

Yeah, that's about the only thing we accomplished last night. Obviously we can't catch the ball or keep the other team off our quarterback.

Now we've got a bye week followed by two straight games against the Riders (Labour Day weekend and the Banjo Bowl). Stay tuned, half the team will probably be new by then.

 

[Canadave]

^ Well speaking of terrible accomplishments, I guess it was about time someone made a fourth-quarter comeback against the Argos. Why-oh-why did it have to be the friggin' Ti-Cats, though?