Here is the link to an article posted by Perry Lefko on sportsnet.ca following tonight's game:
[url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/blogs/2008/10/24/lefko_hard_times_in_hamilton/]http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/bl ... _hamilton/[/url]
8) An excellent article by Mr. Lefko. He hits the nail right on the head with his comments, which are all exactly true !!!
Couldn't have said it better myself !!!
Thanks for that link TCTD.Wow, I hope Bob and Scott take a peek......interesting take and the truth hurts.
:cowboy:Perry Lefko has found the perfect words to say a lot of what I've been thinking. Excellent article.
The Koolaid Brigade isn't going to like that and this ain't no Marty 
Not to sound confrontational, but what exactly is “The Koolaid Brigade”?
Is that a term of endearment for people who think positively and acknowledge the fact that the hired professionals on the football operations staff know more about football than fans on the internet? You can think critically and not be negative right?
In terms of the article, Perry Lefko does make some good points. In hindsight, blacking out the Hall of Fame game maybe wasn’t the best decision. And the ticket price thing has been beaten to death, so lets not revisit that. But I am wondering why Lefko and his hindsight decided to kick the team while it’s down? If the team had made the playoffs, would he still be blasting the team for raising ticket prices? I don’t know, and he conveniently forgets about the whole, discounted season ticket promotion of the previous seasons.
To me it seems this article should have been written about 2 or 3 months ago. Or even at the end of last season.
Oh well. At least he gives Obie some props for being smart enough to use his extra cash wisely.
- paul
"The Koolaid Brigade" is the term I use for those who say everything is fine, time will heal all, next year will be different and the reason the team is a mess is because of the fans calling out management and not being patient... Not at all directed at fans who are supportive and at the same time balanced like yourself, Ron and many others.
Just want to comment on one part of the article, that being the black out of the Hall of Fame Game. The league can tell the team that the game must be aired but, and it is a big but, if they don't tell TSN that they have to show the entire half time show and not cut to the studios and talk to "expert" panel, then it doesn't really mean "diddley squat".
I think the article should be posted not just the link as it states exactly what people are thinking.
[b]"The Hamilton Tiger-Cats concluded their 2008 home schedule on Friday night and it was nothing to write home about.
The team lost 28-17 to the Calgary Stampeders, who clinched first place in the competitive West Division. An announced crowd of 20,614 showed their loyal support to the Ticats, who finished with a 2-7 home record.
Another losing season in Steeltown. It's 3-14 with one game to go in the 2008 edition and likely another season in which the team posts the worst record in the Canadian Football League.
Throughout Friday's game, Ticat players personally thanked the Hamilton fans for their support with pre-taped messages displayed on the giant video scoreboard. Owner Bob Young and president Scott Mitchell should have also said something.
Remember how the Toronto Raptors started the tradition of thanking their fans after a losing season? The team's general manager at the time, Glen Grunwald, stood at centre court with microphone in hand after the final home game and thanked the fans for their support and promised to put a better team on the floor the following season. Many fans booed, but Grunwald showed some class by taking the abuse.
It's something Young and Mitchell should do, too, especially when the team doesn't reach expectations. So confident were Young and Mitchell that the team would make the playoffs this season that they offered a 25 per cent discount on season-ticket packages next year if the Ticats did not qualify for the post-season. What will next year's promotion be –50 per cent off in 2010 if the team doesn't make the playoffs in 2009?
The Ticats raised ticket prices this year and had the audacity to tell fans if they didn't want to pay for premium seats they could sit somewhere else for less. What a way to reward the loyal fans!
The Ticats keep testing the public trust. The team imposed a TV blackout for the annual Hall of Fame game this year for anybody living in the Golden Horseshoe. It was marketed as the Blackout Game. The players would were all-black uniforms and fans were encouraged to dress in black and black out the stadium.
Every year the inductees into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, which is located smack dab in the middle of Hamilton, are paraded at halftime of the Hall of Fame game and busts of their heads unveiled. The busts are later placed permanently in the Hall. The Ticats believed seeing the inductees in person would be reason to attend the game, so they imposed the blackout.
By blacking out the game, which teams are entitled to do at least two times per season, and using the all-black uniforms as a marketing pitch, the Ticats made a colossal business mistake.
Fans and media criticized the decision. One prominent broadcaster called it "silly." From what we understand the CFL brass talked internally about making sure such a move is never repeated.
Moreover, the game attracted a crowd of only 15,000, well short of the 28,000 maximum.
There is reason to be optimistic about the Ticats moving forward. Quarterback Quinton Porter has firmly established himself as the starter for next season, notwithstanding a knee injury he suffered in the Calgary loss. Underachieving pivot Casey Printers will almost certainly be gone in some way along with his $500,000 contract. Running back Jesse Lumsden, who played well when healthy, will undergo off-season surgery on his wonky left shoulder. If he's not back next season -- and he's rejected offers to re-sign with the team -- it's $100,000 or so off the books.
Ticat general manager Bob O'Billovich is good enough to use that cash wisely, either signing quality talent in the free-agent market or making trades.
It will be interesting to see if Young, the self-admitted caretaker of the team, and his president learn from some of their mistakes, too. It's never a good thing to peeve the people who pay for tickets, especially when the team doesn't deliver on the field.
And that's been the case the last four years in Hamilton. Ivor Wynne Stadium is a great place to watch football and Young and Mitchell should be thanking every single person who comes to the games."[/b]
I think it is time for Scott M. to makes next years guarantee now (if he is still the President as of the end of the season) and guarantee he will RESIGN, if the team does not win its first 5 home games.
So you are saying that the TV viewers weren’t shown much,
if any, of the ceremoney honouring the inductees, Matelot?
I didn’t see much either, Malelot, I left my seat
and waded through the mass of smokers
as usual to the washroom in the N.E. corner.
We used to get a final close-up look at
the Hall of Fame inductees waving at us fans
and we were able to cheer for them for one last time
as they were driven around past every section of the stadium
sitting up on top of the backseat of old classic convertibles.
I used to rush down to field level and stand
behind the frost fence in that N.E. corner
to try to catch their eye and cheer loudly
for each of them, especially the Ticats.
I really enjoyed getting the opportunity
to do that at every Hall of Fame game.
I can watch videos of these guys
in their playing days anytime.
That’s what theTicats showed
on the big screen at half-time,
while the inductees just
stood there and watched.
Lefko says
Every year the inductees into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame,
which is located smack dab in the middle of Hamilton,are paraded at halftime of the Hall of Fame game
and busts of their heads unveiled.
The busts are later placed permanently in the Hall.
The Ticats believed seeing the inductees in person
would be reason to attend the game, so they imposed the blackout.
Their busts have never been unveiled at the game.
They are usually unveiled in front of city hall
during the day of, or the day before the game.
The inductees say a few words to the fans
who are able to gather there that afternoon
and then go over to sign autographs in
front of the Hall of Fame building , Perry.
You didn’t have to be Hall of Fame game ticket purchasers
to experience this public event in downtown Hamilton
and time for autographs was not constrained.
but I like it that the busts were on display at the game
and fans at the game got a chance to get autographs.
I don’t recall the busts ever being shown at the game.
Ron, what I was saying was that if TSN doesn't show the ceremony at half time, who gives a rats ass if the game is blacked out. That just makes it another game if they do their usual thing, then the tv fans won't see the Hall of Famers anyway. If you are at the stadium, and go drain the lizard and miss everything then thats up to you.
hate to agree with Lefko but he 150% Right..
Great Read thanks for posting
Great thoughts from Lefko. Hmmmm, 50% for 2010 tickets? That means the tix will be FREE by 2012 !!
Perry is a wise man and has some great quotes. Here is one from August 2007:
"The world is really small indeed, connected by time, people, places ... and an Argos Suck button."