TMI: Getting to know the Commish

One year ago today, Randy Ambrosie took the job of Commissioner of the Canadian Football League so it only seemed fitting that I sit down down with Randy for my first-ever non (current) player TMI!

Not surprisingly, Randy was more than excited to chat with me – any opportunity to help connect him with YOU, the fans, he’s all in for.

For those who haven’t had the privilege of meeting the Commish before, you’re in for a real treat when you do. He’s genuine, personable and really funny. While I was waiting to chat with Randy today, he told me to sit in his chair in his office and be Commissioner for the day – hilarious and don’t worry, I didn’t do anything too drastic *wink wink*! Only joking!

I also gave him TSN CFL Fantasy advice today (I’m in first place in our CFL HQ league, by the way) which means, YES, the Commissioner plays fantasy so you should too! (Sign up here.)

Here’s my chat with Mr. Ambrosie where I asked him his favourite moment as Commissioner so far, what his pre-game superstitions and routines used to be when he was playing in the CFL and what his most embarrassing moment was!

Kristina Costabile: With today being your one year anniversary of becoming the Commissioner, what is one of your favourite moments so far?

Randy Ambrosie: There’s just so many things that just stand out. The Grey Cup day, standing on the sideline with General Vance. Standing next to him during the national anthem is something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. But the other is just when I went home and told (my family). When I knew I was going to be the Commissioner and telling my family, that’s a moment that I’ll never forget. Just how incredibly cool that was to tell the girls that it was all done and I was going to become the Commissioner. Those are two things that stand out.

KC: How did they react when you you told them?

RA: We had brought the girls in (and told them) that this was something that I was talking about doing. Because it had implications for a fair bit of travel. From day one, the girls were all amazingly supportive. They all thought that this was the perfect job for their old pops. And Barb as well. We’ve been friends since we were kids and she knows me incredibly well. Some would argue way better than I know myself. They were all so supportive. It was a pretty special time.

KC: Can you think of a fan moment that sticks out in your mind that you’ve had so far as commissioner?

RA: There hasn’t been one moment. It’s been the compilation of all of them. I just love having those conversations. I love stopping in a stadium or at an airport or this morning getting on the Go Train and somebody walked by me and said, ‘Hey Commish!’ In fact it just happened at the Aldershot Go station this morning. I could shoot my heart out like a cannon ball because I feel so proud that every time I have another conversation with a fan. It makes me realize how incredibly cool this job is.

KC: What do you like to do in your free time?

RA: Where ever we can we try to gather at the cottage. That really is, for us, such a great place. I’ve kind of taken to getting up there, even if it’s for a day, maybe a day and a bit, just to hang out down at the dock. That’s where we try to be as much as we can get. It’s been different since I’ve taken the job but it’s still an incredibly special space for Barb and I.

KC: If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would it be and why?

RA: Winston Churchill would definitely be one of them. I’d love to visit with him. I was a big Bobby Orr fan. As a kid, if I had one absolute hero, it would be Bobby Orr. That was my absolute favourite person. For the third one, so many names come to mind. I’ve had a chance to have lunch with Angelo Mosca and how incredible it was and how vibrant he is and how much he loves the game of football and loves the CFL. That’s a person who I grew up watching and so many alumnus.. I wish I could have lunch with Ron Lancaster. Ron has since passed away. I would love to have lunch and talk to Ron about how this all unfolded because as far as football and how it impacted my life, he was perhaps the most remarkable influence on me. I wish now that Ron was still here so I could sit and say, ‘hey coach, what do you think of this?’ Just to have that conversation. I’d put coach Ron on that list.

KC: Over your football career, what was your favourite memory that sticks with you?

RA: It’s simple because it was after the ’93 Grey Cup and I was on the field and my family all came down. Just to know that something that wasn’t that I won the Grey Cup, it was that we had. Barb was there and my brothers were there, my dad was there. My mom was at home but just standing together on that field after the game had ended and we had won was the greatest moment. That was like a family victory and that’s one of the memories that I cherish the most.

KC: Did you have any pre-game superstitions or routines that you had to do before a game while you were playing?

RA: I used to love to sleep. At home, in Edmonton, the doctors had an office and it had a couch in it. I just loved to get ready with my ankles taped and then I just loved to go have a sleep. It was so awesome. It was just like everything was ready and all your prep and just to go in there, the door was closed, the light was turned out and it would be about a half an hour. That was so cool. But perhaps the funniest story… I, of course, used to drive to the stadium from our home in Edmonton. My truck was in for service so Barb was driving me to our pre-game meal. We were on our way there and I yelled at Barb at one point. I yelled that she was driving in the wrong lane and she said, ‘what do you mean I’m driving in the wrong lane?!’ and I said, ‘I always drive in the other lane. What are you doing?!’ Now, Barb doesn’t tell that story in a flattering way, by the way. I think she had a few terms to describe me in that moment and she still does, by the way. You are certainly creatures of routine. I don’t know whether they are as much superstitions as routines that you feel very connected to that cause you to calm. I went to the stadium the same way every game but it’s one of many, many little habits that I had. That you protected because it made you feel good. It gave you the sense that all was good in the world. And when you varied them, you added a dimension of unpredictability to the mix that you didn’t like. But yes, driving to the stadium with Barb in the wrong lane was an example of.. let’s just say, getting your crazy on.

KC: What is your most embarrassing moment?

RA: I think I have a long list of embarrassing moments but in my first year of university, I was taking my Bachelors of Commerce degree at the University of Manitoba, and I was taking a course in public policy and in an essay question on a midterm exam I wrote that the Governor General ruled by divine right. And the professor circled that, big red circle and then he put an arrow in block letters, like big, serious block letters, HARDLY! So you can tell our current Governor General that I gave her quite the promotion that day. It still stands in my mind as one of those (embarrassing moments). I think I knew that that wasn’t true but it was one of the ultimate boneheaded answers so that one stands out.