Ryan Doyle2013-05-24T15:12:29-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=ryan-doyleCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Ryan DoyleGood old fashioned elbow grease.The Two Words Armstrong Won't Saytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19743912012-10-17T13:42:02-04:002012-12-17T05:12:02-05:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/Lance Armstrong racing towards victory, or cycling away from the truth?
The truth caught him, for all the world to see, and now there is just one last hurdle for Lance. And it will no doubt be the toughest.
A week after the United States Anti-Doping Agency showed the world its evidence in the doping case against Armstrong, claiming he was at the centre of an organized doping program on his Tour de France winning teams, Armstrong stepped down on Wednesday as chairman of Livestrong, his cancer foundation.
Nike, the company that had his back for over ten year's worth of doping allegations, was quick behind. They decided to unceremoniously terminate his contract.
Neither of these decisions will keep me up at night, in fact they should have been done weeks ago.
However! what is sorely lacking from all of Wednesday's announcements are two words that should leave Armstrong's lips and echo around the cycling stratosphere.
"I cheated."
The time has come for the seven-time Tour De France winner to come clean and by doing so allow his sport the healing process that it needs if it is ever to restore a shred of credibility.
As part of their exit, Nike expressed doubts about Armstrong's credibility.
The company's statement reading like the words of a scorned woman that had finally woken up to her husband's infidelity:
"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," the statement said. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer."
And what of those people that have been affected by cancer? Are they not owed the truth in all of this? Should they not be made aware that their so-called hero doped in order to achieve notoriety?
All Armstrong could give them was a prepared statement that gave the illusion of nobility:
"I have had the great honor of serving as this foundation's chairman for the last five years and its mission and success are my top priorities," Armstrong said in a statement. "Today, therefore, to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship."
That was it. No confession. No admission of guilt.
Thomas Bach, a lawyer who heads the IOC's juridical commission and will be a possible IOC presidential candidate next year, also urged Armstrong to make a full confession.
"For this procedure to be comprehensive, it would be good for the sport and for himself if Lance Armstrong would stop burying his head in the sand and come clean with a complete and open testimony...It is late but not too late; it would be a cleansing process."
Bach is not alone in encouraging Armstrong to quit the ostrich routine and get with the program.
Disgraced cyclist Tyler Hamilton, one of 11 former Armstrong teammates who agreed to testify against him, thinks that the weight of his cover-up will finally break Armstrong down.
"I'd be surprised if he didn't confess in some way some day because to continue with the denial, it's a heavy, heavy weight," he told Reuters."If he [Armstrong] tells the truth there will be consequences but in the long term, he's gonna be better off. People will forgive. People don't wanna hold grudges forever. People will forgive the guy."
Hamilton is right, people will forgive. And because of the good work Armstrong did via his charity, people may even forget. In order to have that happen though, Armstrong must finally swallow his foolish pride.
It will be hard for a man who has only known how to win, who can only fathom adulation and global praise, but it has to be done. If LiveStrong is to indeed live on, if cycling is going to pedal on without public cynicism, Lance has to "Just Do It."
I cheated. I did it. And then we can all move on.]]>Baseball Is a Job, So Fire Escobartag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18951592012-09-19T07:45:12-04:002012-11-19T05:12:02-05:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
How do you think the boss would react?
Would you be able to get away with a simple apology? What if you told the boss that you didn't mean to be offensive, and that some of your friends are gay?
The answer in most sane, rationale workplaces would be simple: You would be canned, fired, terminated. However, the world of major league sports has none of the aforementioned qualities.
Enter Yunel Escobar, the 29-year-old shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays.
During Saturday's game against the Boston Redsox, Escobar took to the field with the words "TU ERE MARICON" -- Spanish for "You're a faggot" -- printed brazenly on the black tape below his eyes.
Two days passed, and pictures of Escobar's tasteless under-eye-wear hit media outlets, circulated throughout social media, and public outrage ensued.
Late Monday, the Jays realized that they had no choice but to react and called a press conference for Tuesday afternoon.
This is where I figured a swift and just punishment would be meted out on Escobar. Surely this was a team and a league that would speak out strongly against these deplorable words and ignorant actions.
I was wrong.
What the public got instead was a vague explanation from Escobar as to why he decided to wear the message on the field.
"I don't have anything against homosexuals," he explained, "I have friends who are gay." A common cliché that most homophobes and bigots cling to when they let their true feelings slip out.
But Escobar's words didn't "slip out." They were loud and proud (pardon the irony), and written all over his face. Not proverbially, quite literally.
So what meaning did these words, and one word in particular, have to him?
"It's just been said around amongst the Latinos. It's not something that's meant to be offensive. For us, it didn't have the significance in the way that's being interpreted...It's a word without meaning."
Let me get this straight, you took a word that means absolutely nothing to you, put it on your FACE, went in front of fans, and thousands of people watching on television?
Nonsense.
After their shortstop finished rambling off meaningless clichés and empty promises, the Jays brass announced that his punishment would be a three game suspension and a loss of pay for the games he would miss.
Three games? For offending every homosexual watching at home, for making the young person in the stands that is struggling with his or her sexuality sink deeper in their seat with shame? For telling every athlete out there that even in 2012 you shouldn't feel comfortable coming out of the closet?
They should be ashamed of themselves. This is a huge black eye for the team and the league as a whole.
With a slap on the wrist punishment like this, the four major sports leagues will continue to look like an old boys club, pushing homosexuality as far away from their teams as possible instead of understanding that many of their players are gay and want nothing more than to come out.
With that being said, I encourage every sports fan, Jays fan especially, to do something to fight back.
To do something unprecedented.
I encourage anyone holding a home game ticket for the Toronto Blue Jays from September 28th-September 30th to rip it up. Get rid of it. Burn it if it makes you feel better.
Why don't we serve this team a three-game-suspension from the fans? Let them know that bigotry, homophobia, racism and intolerance isn't a "cultural misunderstanding" and the fine print under Escobar's eyes has meaning and consequence.
Silence on such an important issue, should be met with silent, empty stands. Baseball is a game, but baseball is also a job and a responsibility, and a symbol for how far we have come.
Is this how far we've come? I'd like to aim higher.]]>CHANGE MY MIND: Is Hockey More Important to the Canadian Identity Than the Arts?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15255202012-05-17T16:35:24-04:002012-07-17T05:12:20-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/for more than most people's houses, here's a question we're tossing about the Huffpost newsroom: Which is more essential to our Canadian identity? Is it the black puck being whacked about the ice? Or is it the quill of Mordecai Richler and the paint-dipped brush of Jean-Paul Lemieux? When the world speaks of Canada and its identity, do they think about the arts first? Or the sport we claimed the gold for in the 2010 Olympics?
Doug Knight, president of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation, and Ryan Doyle, host of the popular daily radio show Friendly Fire on Newstalk 1010, go head to head on this decidedly Canadian topic. You decide who wins.
]]>Good Hockey Means Never Having to Say You're Sorrytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14177512012-04-11T11:27:12-04:002012-06-11T05:12:02-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
Love allows someone to err, say they are sorry over and over, reflexively, ad nauseam. You forgive, forget and repeat the pantomime. What does sorry even mean?
On Tuesday MLSE, the Leafs ownership group, took out a full page open letter in Toronto papers apologizing to fans.
They were regretful for "falling short of everyone's expectations." They claimed to "not take for granted" their "passionate and loyal fans."
What a bunch of nonsense.
There is a big difference between mouthing the word's "I'm sorry," and actual sincerity.
For years the Leafs organization has played its fans, and the media for that matter, like a finely-tuned Stradivarius.
Each year it is the same promise of success, and then subsequent vow of improvement.
What many fail to realize is that this is not about selling a winning hockey franchise at all. They are simply peddling hope.
This is a team that hasn't been to the playoffs in seven seasons. They haven't played in a Stanley Cup Final since the sixties. Yet they still find a way to sell out the Air Canada Centre, and dub themselves the "NHL's most valuable team," (worth $521 million in 2010).
They deserve credit for the snow job they have pulled on the general public to be sure. Constantly inflating fans' spirits in September with flowery language, talking about how they are a few pieces of the puzzle away. Later, in April, comes the inevitable explanation of what went wrong. They know you'll be back next season. You'll buy their jerseys and pay exorbitant amounts of money to watch them lose live and in person.
And like sheep, you don't disappoint with your need to follow, trusting that they wouldn't steer you wrong "this year."
They also prey on your love of tradition and nostalgia.
They know that doesn't matter to you though, because it is a feeling they are selling...not playoff hockey.
When asked about their post season drought, General Manager Brian Burke proclaimed that, "I'm not interested in making the playoffs unless it's part of a championship." He continued by telling the assembled media that his goal wasn't to "get in the eighth spot, get your ass kicked and then stand up here and say 'Yeah but we were in the playoffs.'"
Somehow I don't think many Toronto sports fans would mind getting a taste of the playoffs, even if it was short-lived.
But if you want playoff hockey, even championship hockey, it's time to breakup this one-sided, abusive relationship.
Walk away.
The Leafs franchise is not trying to hurt fans, but just know you are getting played. If you love the Leafs, it may be time to let them go.
Blind faith is an enabler and so are you. Maybe it's time the team spent a little time alone. Call it "a time out," call it penalty time, but in the end what Toronto fans deserve is some genuine repentance.
]]>Is it Time to Forgive Tiger Woods?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.13822262012-03-28T08:06:21-04:002012-05-28T05:12:02-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
The events following Tiger Woods' 2009 car accident are well-documented. Torrid affairs, stories of sexual addiction, a family in tatters; the world's best golfer without his major sponsors and unable to recapture the swing that made him a star.
Commentators and sports pundits jumped up and down on the grave of Tiger Woods' golf career, some reveling in the fact that someone so seemingly pristine and perfect was actually deeply flawed at his core.
I'm not sure those same "experts" were feeling so celebratory Sunday.
After years, finally, Woods did something that used to seem so commonplace.
Now it wasn't the world's biggest golf tournament to be sure. It wasn't a Major or a Ryder Cup. That, however, didn't change a thing for those of us who believe in redemption.
As Woods walked up the 18th fairway to the green at Bay Hill, you could spot a look in his eyes that indicated he was re-focused. His chest puffed out, an extra amount of determination in his stride.
The fans lined the fairway 10-deep to catch a glimpse of the man that made an old habit of walking to 18 with the lead on Sundays.
They weren't alone. The ratings were huge for NBC as well, as 4.8 per cent of households tuned in to see something that was once familiar.
They cheered. And when he putted to close out the victory, they roared, indicating they had forgiven and that it was time to start a new chapter.
The problem is, however, that with Tiger's new chapter, so too comes a new book. Tiger's former swing coach Hank Haney released his new tell-all about the golfer yesterday. In it, Haney describes Woods as cheap, petty, ruthless, and selfish.
Haney told CTV's Canada AM this week that Tiger is "so focused on what he is doing, trying to compete as a golfer, that he is self-centered" and that "his competitiveness is tied to his overall personality."
He claims that Tiger is obsessed with -- wait for it -- golf. That's right! Tiger has a golf obsession! Shocking stuff, huh?
Haney tells stories of how Tiger spends more than four hours looking at his swing in a mirror; that he replies to the doctor who has told him he has a broken leg and his anterior cruciate ligament is about to snap: "Just patch me up doc. I've got a U.S. Open to win. I can deal with the pain."
If you have followed Tiger's career, none of this should be surprising. He is a perfectionist, albeit not when it comes to mating and relating to others. But he is damn sure an unyielding stickler when it comes to his craft.
Many have described Woods' victory on Sunday, the first in 923 days and 27 tour events, as the beginning of phase two of his career.
Sure this is just one tournament. And with some of the nagging injuries Tiger has suffered, the end to his story may be closer than I'd like to believe it will be.
That being said, the Masters is two weeks away. In every year that Tiger Woods has won the Masters, he has headed to Augusta with a PGA Tour victory under his belt. Now that he has one, could the matching green jacket be far behind?
I think he's out of the proverbial woods, back on the prowl, and redemption is only a few strokes away.]]>Hockey's New Spectators Prefer Grey Goose to Brewskiestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.13224472012-03-07T14:24:36-05:002012-05-07T05:12:02-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
The smell of Toronto's old Exhibition stadium in late May, a mixture of peanuts, hot dogs, and Lake Ontario (when Lake Ontario still had a pleasant odor). My dad explaining the intricacies of my first game between the Jays and Bosox, the old ticket stubs.
The feeling of my dad putting me up on his shoulders in the cramped confines of Maple Leaf Gardens to watch Rick Vaive skate up the right wing and put the puck in the net. That year, from what I recall, the crowd roared extra loud because Vaive was on the way to scoring 50 goals, something no Toronto Maple Leaf had ever done.
Those buildings are gone now, and so is the chance for a lot of children to experience some of the magical moments that I once enjoyed.
The corporate suits have been game changers, and not for the betterment of sports.
We have come to a period in time where the Gordon Gecko types have used their greed to stomp on the chances of many families to create memories at our local ballparks and arenas.
NHL ticket prices are up 4.8 per cent, and Canadian fans pay the most.
Not shocking is the fact that a Toronto Maple Leafs ticket is the costliest in the league, an average non-premium seat is $123.77.
Not to be outdone the newly minted Winnipeg Jets are in second with an average seat for $98.27.
Back in the no so distant past, 1991, you could buy a seat in the Grey section at the old Maple Leaf Gardens for $16.
So what's changed?
Sure salaries are part of the equation.
In the 90s, salaries began to skyrocket in both the NHL and NBA. From 1990 to 1998, the average NHL salary more than quadrupled. Wayne Gretzky, without question the best hockey player of all time was paid $3 million to play for the LA Kings. Less than a decade later, Joe Sakic, was paid more than five times what "The Great One" had received.
That is a genie that will never be put back in the bottle. Athletes' salaries will only get higher.
There is, however, another reason that tickets are exorbitant and rare.
Currently companies across Canada are able to write off private boxes and sporting tickets as a cost of doing business. Meaning that companies can afford to snatch up tickets and entertain clients, leaving the average family with little disposable income to fight over the leftovers.
If you watch any Leafs game, look closely at the first few rows of the Air Canada Centre. A lot of the time while the game is in play, those seats are empty as the fat cats eat sushi behind the scenes, paying little attention to the on-ice action.
Good news: There are signs however that this practice may be in jeopardy. I can hear you cheering already!
Last week Ontario's Finance Minister Dwight Duncan wrote to his Federal counterpart asking him to work with the province to help get rid of the subsidies for business. "Hopefully, Leafs tickets will become affordable for families," Duncan said. "I know when a mom and dad take their kids out to a Leafs game, they don't get a tax break."
There were immediate objections to those that feel their Golden Goose is being slaughtered.
Ottawa Senators president, Cyril Leeder is upset. Leeder believes that if the province goes ahead with this proposal, his team will go out of business.
He may be right. His team offers the lowest average ticket price of all seven Canadian NHL teams.
That being said, almost 50 per cent of Senators season tickets are written off by business.
Which begs the question, if you need the business community to prop up your team, is it a team worth keeping?
As much as I would describe myself as a capitalist, that little boy I was telling you about earlier wants your kids to be able to enjoy sports the way that he did.
In the world of billionaire owners, millionaire players, and companies looking for breaks to get seats, it's still important to keep in mind the memories that sports can create for kids.
Making those experiences more affordable is priceless. Although MasterCard probably wouldn't approve of this message. ]]>Linmania: Racist?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12830922012-02-18T11:59:57-05:002012-04-19T05:12:02-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
Why we pretend this is a bad thing is completely beyond me.
Earlier this week, undefeated boxer and notorious big mouth Floyd Mayweather said the excitement over Lin is simply because of his Asian ethnicity, and that black players who accomplish the same feats, night after night, aren't praised as much.
You may not want to admit it, but Floyd Mayweather is right.
That, however, didn't stop outrage over his comments.
Knicks loyalist and super fan Spike Lee immediately hit back tweeting, "Floyd Mayweather I Hope You Watched Jeremy Hit the Game winning 3 Pointer With .5 Seconds Left. Our guy can ball plain and simple. Recognize."
It is about time we stopped being so defensive and started to be honest.
When a black man excels in hockey, people sit up and take notice.
When a white man wins the 100-metere dash, it is inherently a big story.
And when a Taiwanese-American man dominates the game of basketball, it captivates us all.
Not because we are prejudiced against the fact that it is happening, but because we have been hardwired to expect it not to.
Many will say that the story of Jeremy Lin is getting so much attention because it is a true underdog story.
They would only be half right.
Lin was, up until the past few weeks, an NBA journeyman. His story reads like many in the NBA: a skinny kid in high school with decent talent, passed over by all the big name basketball colleges.
He finally settled on Harvard University. Most people don't "settle" on Harvard, but it is not exactly known for basketball dominance.
Lin was not just athletic; he is also really smart. An economics student with a 3.1 GPA that also loved the game of basketball.
So it was no shock that he was passed over entirely in the NBA draft.
When he finally did crack through the walls of the NBA, he was waived by two teams (the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets) and played on four Development League teams, including his latest stop with the BayHawks in Erie, PA.
Not exactly basketball stardom.
Lin finally landed a spot on the New York Knicks roster, but that didn't mean automatic playing time. He rode the bench for quite a while.
Then, as the Knicks coach was facing the firing squad and the team found its roster depleted with injury, Lin got the call.
He proved everyone that ever passed him over wrong.
In his first four games he scored 109 points, the most by any player in NBA history since the 1976-77 season. He also became the first player in NBA history to log a minimum of 20 points and seven assists through his first four games as a starter.
Even President Barack Obama was compelled to weigh in. According to White House Spokesperson Jay Carney, "... we were speaking about Jeremy Lin on Marine One as we flew here to Andrews Air Force Base this morning. It's just a great story and the president was saying as much this morning."
Maybe the President can relate. Obama is of course is also known for not only what he has accomplished, but for breaking down a race barrier that many thought could never be accomplished.
On Tuesday night Lin was here in Toronto, leading the Knicks on another impressive comeback, this time over the struggling Raptors.
But even more compelling was the reaction: how Asian Canadians rallied around what is now being called "Lin-mania."
Tickets to the game were selling for double their face value.
I had a chance to talk with some Asian fans on the subway ride home. They told me that this was bigger than just basketball, this was a barrier that they were proud to break down.
Jeremy Lin was an icon to them. The one they had been waiting for.
My guess is that Lin was only too happy to please. Much of what Lin has overcome is rooted in race.
When he spent time in the Ivy league he constantly heard taunts and slurs, ranging from "Wonton Soup!" to "Keep your eyes open!"
I assume those so-called geniuses are eating their words now.
Which is why this story is just as much about race as it is the unlikely.
When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball in 1947, it wasn't just about baseball, and it wasn't just about one man playing the game.
It was about the hope and inspiration he provided to people that were told they would never be good enough.
Granted this isn't the 1940s and we have come a long way -- even in 2012 there are still people who will challenge expectations for a 23-year-old son of Taiwanese immigrants.
And yes, race has got something to do with it.
Of course it is possible, but was this probable? Many would say no, which makes it pretty Lin-credible, and a nice surprise.
An earlier version of this post stated incorrectly that Lin had a 4.2 GPA at Harvard. Lin's GPA was 3.1, according to a recent interview.]]>Zambia's Extra Sweet Wintag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12763802012-02-15T14:49:58-05:002012-04-16T05:12:01-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
That being said, have you ever heard the name Kalusha Bwalya?
If you aren't from Zambia, the name probably doesn't register. However it is a life that deserves recognition.
Especially after this week.
The game of soccer spans the globe. It is a ritual combat sport to some, and to others a way to break down borders and walls.
It has been described as the cheapest and simplest game to play, while simultaneously being the most difficult game to perfect.
Kalusha Bwalya never played the game of soccer perfectly.
He did, however, do something quite remarkable.
On April 27th, 1993, a Zambian Air Force plane took off from the capital of Lusaka. The passenger list that day was made up of players, coaches, and support staff of the Chipolopolo, a very promising Zambia national team.
The plane was taking them to a World Cup qualifier in Senegal and excitement filled the cabin.
They wanted desperately to make their nation proud by solidifying a spot at their first World Cup.
They would get no such chance.
Defects in the engine and pilot fatigue caused the plane to crash into the ocean near Libreville, Gabon. Thirty people died in total, including some of the most talented players on that country's national football team.
Kalusha Bwalya was supposed to be seated next to his teammates. By a rare stroke of opportunity he was not.
Bwalya happened to be playing for a Dutch team at the time, and decided to meet his fellow countrymen at their destination instead of traveling with the group.
For many, the weight of survivor's guilt would have crushed their soul. Instead Bwalya pushed forward with the goal of rebuilding the team.
Fast forward to 1994: A makeshift squad plays in the African Cup of Nations. Bwalya is on the pitch as they play with heavy hearts all the way to the final. Sadly, adding insult to injury, they came out on the losing end in the final minutes.
He would retire some years later without realizing the dream. His unfinished business and the ultimate tribute to the teammates lost.
The opportunity would not come again during his playing days.
But it doesn't end there.
This weekend Bwalya made good on his goal to honor his fallen friends.
Now the head of soccer in Zambia, he had managed to rebuild the squad to reputable status. A bunch of no-names for the most part, players with no official ties to major house league clubs in Europe, they managed to once again make the finals of the African Cup of Nations.
This time their opponent was the Ivory Coast, a team stacked with players from big time European clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal.
They didn't have a prayer according to most.
But if you ask Bwalya, the players that lost their lives in '93 were helping guide the team.
It happened just a few kilometres away from the exact location where the plane went down some 19 years ago.
As Bwalya hoisted the trophy, soccer added another descriptive to its list. It is a game of dedication. Not just to the sport, but to the team and sometimes country.
Kalusha Bwalya, I dedicate this to you.
]]>Can Super Bowl's Glitz Be Imported to Grey Cup?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12546092012-02-04T23:25:55-05:002012-04-05T05:12:01-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
It all comes down to a generation gap.
On one hand, you have the young, bold, brash 46-year-old Super Bowl. It has flashy commercials, red hot performers, and of course multi-million dollar athletes.
Its northern counterpart is a little more wrinkled and a lot more weathered.
The 99-year-old, soon to be 100-year-old, Grey Cup moves a little slower, is less ostentatious and features athletes that still need to hold second jobs in order to pay the bills.
Anyone attending the "youngster's" birthday party in Indianapolis this week will have been smacked in the face with an over-the-top extravaganza the moment they exit the plane.
Last year at this time, I got to experience this spectacle in Dallas, TX. I recall meeting former boxing champ Evander Holyfield, legendary football star Franco Harris (think the Immaculate Reception), and American Idol judge Randy Jackson. And that was just the first few hours in our hotel lobby.
In contrast, the last Grey Cup I attended I think I saw a guy who looked a hell of a lot like Martin Short.
The youthful Super Bowl is remembered for the racy and raunchy "wardrobe malfunction," where the world saw a woman's breast on live TV.
The Grey Cup's sexiest event happened in 1948, before the Super Bowl was even born. Fans rode horses into the lobby of Toronto's Royal York Hotel. At the very least they could have added a Lady Godiva.
Aside from the world of celebrity, the Super Bowl also uses its hipness to recreate the word "spectacle" every year.
The "NFL experience," as it is known, is a week-long exhibition of every amazing piece of football history that you can imagine. Not to mention nearly every one of your favourite players that aren't in the game are on hand to sign autographs.
There are concerts with big-name performers all throughout the week, complete with their own fireworks.
The more stuck-in-its-ways Grey Cup featured a parade, an appearance by Earl the Grey Cup mascot, and a fight between 73-year-old former BC Lions quarterback Joe Kapp and 74-year-old ex-Hamilton Ticats defensive lineman Angelo Mosca. Complete with walking sticks!
Now, before I get yelled at for railing against Canada's oldest annual cultural event, I have good news: The Grey Cup has taken a look in the mirror and is reaching for a box of "Just for Men."
It's time for a touch-up.
While I was busy quizzing Randy Jackson on why he calls people "dawg," there was one man on the streets of Dallas taking mental notes with ambitions of exporting this Super Bowl magic north of the border.
He isn't a million dollar quarterback or a politician looking to score points. His name is Chris Rudge and he has a dream to bottle up the electricity of America's biggest game and bring it to Toronto this November.
Rudge is the CEO of next fall's 100th Grey Cup Festival and he is no stranger to marquee events. He also served as the CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee during the Vancouver Winter Games.
His motto, albeit cliche, is "Go big or go home," which be may just be the attitude we need.
Today's fans want flash, they want interaction, and most importantly they want to take part in a unique experience.
Rudge seems to understand that.
He envisions Grey Cup festivities with military pomp and circumstance, and the Department of National Defence is already on board.
One of the more sensational plans includes an "Adrenaline Zone" with zip lines running down Toronto's City Hall towers. For the cost of $20, willing fans can fly high above the city, with the proceeds going to charity.
So will Madonna be our halftime show as well?
"It won't be Madonna," he tells me. However some of the musical names being kicked around are "pretty impressive."
Of course Rudge does tip the hat to history by wanting to tell the story of the league and the story of the country. Or, as he calls it, "An invitation to our nation."
In all, his attitude is refreshing.
For too long we have sat passively north of the border and watched our American counterparts redefine the word "spectacle" time and time again.
At the end of every NFL season, Canadians sit with quiet envy as the jets fly over the stadium, the fireworks roar and the popstar of the day mangles the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."
And although most will deny it if asked, we wish that spectacle could be ours.
Perhaps this year's Grey Cup will pop a few Viagra and join the 21st century.]]>Toronto Sports Fans Need Extreme Makeovertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12441812012-01-31T11:15:34-05:002012-04-01T05:12:01-04:00Ryan Doylehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-doyle/
It's about time Toronto sports fans picked up a copy of the popular dating book He's Just Not That Into You, because the constant rejection is getting embarrassing.
Last week, after missing out on Japanese pitching phenom Yu Darvish, the Toronto Bluejays went after fellow countrymen Koji Uehara, who currently plays for the Texas Rangers.
Only problem was Uehara didn't want to move his family from the States to Toronto. In fact, he was so against the idea that he actually added a "no-trade to Toronto" clause in his contract.
If this was an isolated incident, I would chalk it up to personal preference. But the scary part is that there seems to be a growing anti-Toronto sentiment in sports, and it's becoming more and more glaring.
During last year's NHL All-Star Game, players were asked, "What team would you least like to play on?" Toronto finished in the top five undesirables.
Back in 2010, NBA star Hedo Turkoglu was traded from the Raptors to the Phoenix Suns. He wasted no time bad-mouthing the "different fan base" and our city itself. He seemed thankful to be given his walking papers.
Turkoglu was one of many NBA stars that flirted with the city, then decided that there were compatibility issues. Vince Carter, Damon Stoudamire, Tracy McGrady, and most recently, Chris Bosh, also essentialy dumped us, in unceremonious fashion.
So the big question is one Toronto fans should be asking themselves: Is it them...or is it us?
Like any break up or spurned affection, fans will often look for excuses without taking a long hard look in the mirror.
They will blame tax structure. American athletes who play for Canadian teams are taxed 40 per cent. They also owe the U.S. 35 per cent on those earnings, but can't use foreign tax credits to reduce the tax.
Fans will also fault the cold weather, ignoring the fact that cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York experience similar temperatures and still reel in the biggest names in pro sports.
The truth is Toronto has been lying to itself for far too long.
It just isn't a sports city.
I have always felt the measure of a great sports metropolis is not how fans react to winning, but how they respond to losing.
God knows Toronto has had its share of that.
The problem is that fans don't seem to get pissed off. Toronto fans greet losing with a casual shrug and a "Hey, we'll get 'em next year" approach.
They seem to lack the fire in their belly and dedication that most great sports cities possess.
After the Blue Jays put together impressive World Series victories, Jays fans expected the same performance every year. When that didn't pan out, the fans headed for the exits, leaving the team struggling to sell seats. Last year the Jays ranked 25th in attendance.
How's that for loyalty?
In contrast the Chicago Cubs, baseball's "Lovable Losers," haven't won the World Series in 103 years. That's a longer championship drought than any other major North American sports team. The Cubs attendance for 2011 was in the top ten.
From a player perspective, it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to give up the spotlight of even the smallest American market and travel north of the border to play in front of Toronto's fickle fans.
Let's face facts, athletes today have a large amount of ego. If fans and the media aren't willing to satisfy that appetite, there are many markets that will.
A few years back, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo told the Wall Street Journal that Toronto's freedom from paparazzi madness made it more attractive. He said that "there are some markets where guys get singled out and that sure doesn't happen here."
Sure doesn't Bryan. In fact, most Toronto pro-athletes can walk up and down Yonge St. like they've joined the witness protection program. I am sure that does wonders for their ego.
So how can Toronto get it's fairy tale ending in sports? Well, if we're going to woo real talent, it's time for an extreme makeover.
We need to sex this city up a little, put on a little lipstick every now and then, perhaps even show a little leg.
In sports terms, that means showing genuine interest in a team, even when they aren't doing so well (and I don't just mean the bush-league support Leafs fans present).
How about having a little having a little fun? It is just a game after all.
And treating our athletes like superstars, instead of making them feel pedestrian or just one of the guys. The onus for this is on our media. These are highly-skilled mega-stars, with mega-egos. Just like you might laugh at a joke that's not funny on a first date, we need to stroke and massage their sense of importance until they never want to leave.
2013 may well be a very unlucky year if we don't turn things around. With the exception of a couple Grey Cups, it will mark 20 years since the city has won a championship in any sport.
It's time to take a hint, and try a little harder to turn "Toronto the wallfower" into the belle of the athletic ball.