Several years ago, make that a lot of years ago we had just finished the morning shift and we were standing around telling our usual lies about what he had done the night before. One of the news guys blurted out "why the hell do you sports fans put up with mediocrity, why to the people in this city keep going to games when it's all a bunch of garbage",
That was the first time I ever heard this guy mention sports at any level. 'Course being the jocks that we were we ganged up on him, shut him up, and I never heard him mention sports again. But........he was right. The Blue Jays were playing lousey, the Aargonauts (they mattered back then) were in a funk and the Maple Leafs were owned by Harold Ballard (enough said). The Raptors hadn't been hatched yet.
He was right then and he'd be right now.
The sports muckey mucks in Toronto like to point out that the Big Smoke is the 5th largest metropolitan area in North America. If so then why don't they act like it. The Jays haven't even started the season and we already know they're not going to make the playoffs. You take that that for granted in Pittsburg and Kansas City. Small markets, small payrolls. If Toronto is the 5th biggest market the Jays don't act like it. We're closer to haning out with the Royals and Pirates than we are with Yankees and Red Sox,
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment finally figured out if you want be big time you have to act like it. They brought in Bryan Colangelo to rip things down and rebuild. Which he did. Then he ripped it up again and built it up again until he came up with this year's team. It's a pretty good team. How do we know? He told us. 2 months ago the Rappies were knocking on Boston's back side for 4th over all in the Eastern Conference. Today they're struggling to hang on to a playoff spot. They've won one more game than they've lost. That might be a passing grade at Whatsamatta U but not for the Raptors,
And then we have the Leafs. Our dear, beloved, sacred to many, Maple Leafs. Big Blue, Leaf Nation, The Buds. Yes I know the team is going through a rebuilding process. But it's a process that should have never been needed. The Leafs are one of, maybe the, richest teams in the NHL. But I don't think any team since the strike/lockout has been as mediocre. Certainly not as disappointing as any other team. How does this happen?
This isn't about Brian Burke. This is about an organization that puts profits ahead of winning. Here's a bulletin, the more you win the higher your profits. Check with the Blue Jays on that. Win a couple of World Series we can't get a ticket. Go in the tank we don't want a ticket.
How can a team in the self proclaimed Hockey Captial of The World be worse than teams in Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville and Miami where only friends and family show up to watch games? How can small makets like Ottawa and Buffalo be better than the Buds year in and year out? It's not lack of money. They tell us it's not for lack of trying. Then it's simple. Ownership just doesn't get it.
You know damn well if you went down to the Royal Alex once a month to see a different play and every time you went it was a bomb you'd stop going. You haven't had a decent meal at your favourite restaurant the last 4 or 5 times you find a new restaurant. First marriage doesn't work out, you try it again. Second marriage doesn't work out, you try it...wait...that may not be such a good idea. But you see what I mean. You go to game when you can afford to it should be special. You spend 3 hours on a Saturday night watching a game it should be special. But's like my old workmate asked years ago...'why do we put up with mediocrity?' I don't have the answer.
'Why do we put up with mediocrity?' - Creatives of habit my friend, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks...We are doomed to a life of failure in Toronto sports because that is all we know, and kids have already given up hope.
Rick, if it's cool with you, can I give this entry a title?
Mike, please do. This was my draft copy. As I was doing the edit I hit a key and everything disappeared. The one I wanted to post with a few changes vanished and this one showed up on the. The title should be something like "Why do we buy into Mediocrity?"
Rick,
I know this will never happen in N.American sports, but I am leaning more and more in favour of the English Football format, where the teams of the leagues (4?) can move up and or down (top 3/bottom 3 down). This would weed out the bottom feeders of the so called major league teams, and make it incumbent upon them to get their act together to move to the TOP league. Thoughts?
Army, I've thought about the same thing and in theory I like the idea. Here's the problem. If you drop teams to a lower division and you're all of a sudden playing lower level competition it's going to hurt at the gate and tv ratings. Over here it's all dollar driven. There's not a snowballs chance in hell Kansas City is going to give up games with the Yankees for games with Toledo Mud Hens.
Yep!
I am a huge fan of the Red Sox, even when they weren't doing well. It was insane seeing them win the World Series, I hope they can get there again soon!
Because of reading your blog, I decided to create my own. I had never been interested in keeping a blog until I saw how fun yours was, then I was inspired!
Annemarie: Good luck with it.