Bitter Sweet

This weekend the Argonauts make their second trip to the Atlantic Coast. The hope of expanding the CFL coast to coast is not far from a reality. For that I am quite excited, however many people in the Argonauts' front office made the trip out east while some of us stayed behind. This is what made me feel excluded. A feeling I can only compare to a time in the late 80's when our rebuilding team was heading out to BC to play in a Grey Cup against the Edmonton Eskimos. I stood around watching the team pack and even assisted in the packing but knew I wasn't going or so it seemed. I planned to work on my homework and while I was preparing to watch the team during the weekend, my family knew that the team had made a collection to get me out to BC for the weekend. My family couldn't keep it from me because they wanted me to finish my homework before Friday and pack my luggage. The cat was out of the bag but thanks to the Air Canada union, all flights out of Toronto were grounded due to a workers strike. The trip would never be.

This week as I watched everyone prepare for the trip and talk about the community events that would be happening in Moncton(a position that I manage, I couldn't help but feeling left out, especially hearing about a "team dinner" that I and some others would not attend.

As sad as that was there is a good reason that I'm not going. It's to be a part of a community occurrence just North of Toronto for an important program. This weekend Tim Hortons has arranged to have the three new football teams added through the teamwork of the Argonauts and Tim Hortons, to go to their camp in Parry Sound. It is here that we will be spending time with the players and coaches to develop teamwork and camaraderie between the players and the Argonauts. On Sunday we will all watch the Boatmen take on the Eskies on TV. So although I may have felt as though I wasn't part of the team going to Moncton, it is all for the greater good of helping youth share in an experience they will long remember for years to come.

Read the next blog to see just what went on this weekend in Parry Sound.

A Loss but AWin Evens Out

You might be thinking, what in the world does that mean. In the world of Jason Colero, Community Relations Manager yes the last game the team played was a loss, but today September 15th we brought a smile to about 150 students grades 9-12 and if you ask them if the team they met today are known as losers, right now they would tell you not in a million years. Today we brought joy to the students at Sir Robert l. Borden, Thistletown Collegiate and Downsview Secondary school by bringing their football team back after almost 30 years for a couple of the schools. As I scrambled around to make sure the microphone was working, the inflatables looked good and there were enough media that wanted to hear, I had to stop and realize why I was part of this. It came to me when one of the players that was dressed in clothing that would make some people believe he was up to nothing positive, or as some refer to it as a "gangsta" look, came up to me and simply shook my hand and said thanks. Who kows what went through his head when he saw me running frantically to make sure we had everyone ready for a jersey presentation. At the end of the day, whether its a 350 lb intimidating Defensive lineman from the Toronto Argonauts, or a tough looking grade 10 high school football player, the sport of football is one that has people from any walk of life playing on a team for a common goal. These kids surely get it and they know that our guys also get it. Today our one vision became one shared by many and now my fun begins at seeing the rewards of our labours.