I have avoided one name all year while covering the 2023 CFL season: Doug Flutie.
The greatest Toronto Argonauts teams I ever witnessed up close were those magical two years of absolute football dominance in 1996 and 1997 that saw the Argos go 15-3 in the back-to-back seasons while winning both Grey Cups and scoring a combined 90 points in the two championship games.
When we’re talking “teams” & the greatest single team in one season, they will be rated tops with the 16-2 EE club. Despite Flutie’s greatness, IMO you can’t define “team” accomplishments by one player. But, yeah, if they win the last 2 they’ve done what only 1 other club has accomplished. It’ll be in the record book so that’s that.
The one little problem with that 16-2 Eskimo team is that they ended up watching the Grey Cup on the couch at home . A subpar 9-9 Riders team gave them loss number 3 on the season in the WF that year . So hopefully history can repeat itself this year and the Anchors will be like those ‘89’ Eskimos , watching the game on their couch .
…that’s what I need…more reminders of that season. Saskatchewan gets credit for two wins vs. the Elks that season, one regular season one playoff, and the other regular season loss was to the Argos…
I’m talking about regular season. You are quite correct in noting that you don’t get to be the best in the league w/o the GC. The record the Argos would match would be for regular season wins. Thanks for pointing that out. Should have been a bit more clear on that.
At this point, can we all agree to just cheer against Toronto and their propagandists? As a Bomber fan, I would have no problem putting my allegiance behind BC, Montreal, Hamilton or even Calgary/Saskatchewan (cough, cough, on that last one), just so long as TO didn’t take home a second ring.
Also, while I recognize the circumstances of the one game they played my Bombers, how can we open up a conversation that this is the ‘greatest Argo team in CFL history’ when they haven’t even beaten every team in the league this year?
Yup ,there is no doubt about it or disputing it . It was a 16 game schedule back then and they finished up at 14-1-1 but with their wins in the WF and GC their record that year for 18 games was 16-1-1 . End of discussion right there .
The 16-2 Eskimos weren’t even the greatest team in Edmonton history – the 14-1-1 team from 1981 had a better record (29 points out of a possible 32 for a .906 winning percentage vs 1989’s 32 points out of a possible 36 for a .889 winning percentage).
People can talk about them being down 20-1 at half time to lowly Ottawa, but the Black Riders switched to JC Watts later in the season and were a different team going into the playoffs. Also, it’s a testament to how good the 1981 EE were that they were able to come back and win that one.
For all those who cry “double pass interference” I’ll respond with “It was a fumble!”, so if they don’t count, neither do the 1996 Argos.
Yup . Like I said already above .By the way also might I add that yes I was at that ‘96’ game and yes it was a fumble . So for here and ever more , final time …end of discussion in my lifetime and forever more the ‘81’ Eskimos are the greatest team of all time . Full stop . Period .
Thanks for pointing that out. Should have been a bit more clear on that.
