Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca
Ottawa and Toronto is one of the best regional sports rivalries in Canada.
The nation’s capital against the city which everyone believes thinks it runs the country. The blue and white of the Marlies, Leafs and Argos against the red and black of the 67’s, Senators and REDBLACKS.
I grew up smack in the middle of it being from Kingston, so I know my perspective is skewed and those from Calgary to Edmonton or Montreal to Toronto will most likely quickly turn their nose up at the idea that anywhere else could match the passion and intensity of these two cities when they clash. That’s okay, to each their own, but my experience as a child cemented this cross-sport rivalry.
I grew up in a hockey-loving public school system in the hometown of Don Cherry, Doug Gilmour and Kirk Muller. Needless to say, kids wore hockey sweaters to school everyday.
One day my friend Brendan would wear a Mats Sundin jersey, the next Rebecca would show up in a Daniel Alfredsson Senators uniform. Mini stick hockey recess teams were divided based on your allegiance. That hockey rivalry became all that much more special when both teams not only made the playoffs but played each other time and time again in the early 2000’s.
In those battles of Ontario there were personalities, superstars, demons and team brands we all identified with.
» CFL INSIGHTS: A new chapter in the Battle of Ontario
The Argos and REDBLACKS will add a new chapter to their rivalry in Week 14 (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)
At the same time as we were breaking Curtis Joseph blue and white coloured KOHO goalie pads in, there was a team re-emerging in Ottawa. The Renegades.
Just two hours away from home, I became fascinated with the idea of a team appearing out of nowhere. I was just 11 years old when the Renegades came onto the scene. They intrigued me because as any pre-pubescent male would assume, they were the first CFL team to ever play in Ottawa. I knew nothing about the old Rough Riders other than the stories my dad told me about some old man named Russ Jackson who used to be his favourite player.
I read some books, googled some pictures and became a fan. I wanted to be a part of the rebirth of something my dad loved long before I was part of the picture. I went to the mall the next day and searched out a Renegades hat. I would proudly wear it during the Leafs – Sens battles on the pavement during recess.
I’d take questions about the hat. “What is that logo?”, “What team is that”?, “Why are you wearing that?”.
I loved it. I’d answer all the questions with stories about Kerry Joseph scrambling around like a mad man or players making touchdown catches and running into the stands to give high fives. I wanted to have games of touch football during recess with people in Argos Damon Allen jerseys chasing around my Renegades hat. I wanted my own football battle of ontario
Quite honestly, the only problem from a young fan’s perspective was that the team sucked. The Renegades went 0-3 against Toronto in their first season back from the dead in 2002, losing by a total of 72-44. The team and the game lacked interest from my friends, and I remember feeling like an outsider for wanting to play catch, not shoot pucks.
The Renegades disintegrated through the next four seasons for reasons well known. My fandom moved on to other teams and leagues and I never played organized football until 2006 when forced to do so by a high school basketball coach who told me “you need to get tougher.”
I played tight end and casually watched CFL greats like Anthony Calvillo, Henry Burris and Ricky Ray from afar with limited interest. Those Maple Leafs and Senators playoff rivalry games a distant cold memory.
So far, Trevor Harris has held the key to the Ottawa-Toronto football rivalry (The Canadian Press)
As I worked my way up from skinny pass catching tight end to CIS quarterback, something special happened.
The REDBLACKS.
Rumblings of an Ottawa franchise’s return had me dreaming of that Ottawa-Toronto rivalry again and the possibility that some kid from Kingston would once have his own team, his own hat, his own purpose and goals to be great at the Canadian game.
Those rumblings led to construction, then logos and jerseys. Finally a draft and a coaching staff. I couldn’t believe it was back almost as much as I couldn’t believe it ever left. Football and Ottawa, a match made in sports fan heaven. Add in a regional rivalry and a few spectacular plays – please see Chad Owens’ game winning touchdown last season in Ottawa – and you have yourself destination sports viewing.
But where were the personalities, superstars, demons and team brands we all identified with that I spoke about earlier from those Battles of Ontario? They have been found in both cities in the form of Drew Willy, Trevor Harris, Scott Milanovich, Rick Campbell, Ricky Foley, Connor Williams, Greg Ellingson, Kevin Elliot and many more.
The Argos’ move outside to BMO Field coupled with the REDBLACKS’ arrival to the CFL give me hope that a Battle of Ontario-type culture will grow and become a permanent part of CFL culture moving forward.
Friday night is another opportunity for this rivalry of great potential to come to fruition. Trevor Harris and co. worked over the Argonauts in their earlier meeting this season while Dan LeFevour remains the starter – for now – before Drew Willy can assume what many predict is permanent control. All of this with the East Division lead hanging perilously close in the distance.
Oh, and I still have the Renegades hat. I credit it as my first memory of what it felt like to care about the game of football. I wear it proudly as a reminder of when the game became mine. A unique passion that developed around a team with no hope of making it to the age when I could use my own money to buy tickets.
By the time the third edition of Ottawa CFL football emerged, I was already covering the league. No fandom here anymore. Now I just cheer for stories and people, not teams and logos. However, I remember the feeling I had when realizing a team, a logo and a rivalry could connect with me. I hope Ontario and Canadian football fans everywhere get to experience that rivalry’s emergence for a long time to come.
