As someone who watched his first Ticat game on a black-and-white TV next to his dad many, many, many moons ago, I want to salute our fanbase for the marathon it has had to endure to finally get to this special day where this team was renewed in a way. To be a Tiger-Cat fan has not been the easiest of journeys. Yet the essence -- quintessence -- of what my hometown is shone through today. Beyond the rancour of the stadium debate, beyond the gnashing of teeth that this board has often been drowned out with over the years, today represents a rebirth of sorts. Even how we got to get the inaugural game at Tim Hortons Field was not easy, but a palpable sense of optimism and exultation was clear in seeing those who witnessed the game firsthand. I salute every single one of you.
Oski Wee Wee,
Russ
P.S. And yes, that Caretaker guy deserves the Bakari Grant TD ball. And a Grey Cup for Michael. We are closer to that dream as well.
For many of us on this board, we've been through a lot with the ups and downs of this franchise. Finally there is a palpable change -- a sparkling new venue -- to bring the club into a new era if anything for the fan experience, IWS's charms notwithstanding. I can see Tim Hortons Field being a catalyst for a new generation of Ticat fans, whereas we seemed to have lost one in the early-to-mid 1990s because of organizational gaffes and failed marketing that really put the team behind the financial eight-ball.
Today has been a magical moment. Folks should savour it.