Back to main episode

TORONTO: A SPORTS FAN’S PARADISE
By Mike Lummis

Okay, just by the title of this article you’re probably assuming I’m bananas. Isn’t Toronto the home of the dreaded Maple Leafs? And what of the Blue Jays? Sure, they won it all back to back in the early nineties, but that was a long time ago. The Argos have been fairly respectable, but are also known for “The Argo Bounce,” a term meant to emphasize the years of bad luck and futility suffered by the franchise. And finally, the Raptors. They’re young, talented and certainly on their way to greatness. On their way, but not quite there yet.

So what do I mean when I say this city is a “paradise’ for sports fans? Well, first of all, we have a team in all four major North American sports leagues. No other Canadian city can say the same. We’ve got a football team, a hockey team, a baseball team and a basketball team. We’re spoiled for variety when compared to Montreal (hockey, football), Vancouver (hockey, football) and all the other large cities across this great nation.

Vancouver had a basketball team, The Grizzlies, for a few years. Montreal had their beloved baseball team, the Expos, for many years. And Winnipeg? Well, they lost their hockey club, The Jets, to Phoenix of all places! Hamilton and Saskatchewan (Regina, officially) have only one team to cheer for, both in football. Calgary and Edmonton have two teams apiece, in hockey and football. Halifax and the entire East Coast, for that matter, have none.

So, here in Hogtown, we’re blessed with a wide variety of teams to choose to support. Personally, I’ve been a Leafs fan my entire life. When the Raptors came to town in the mid-nineties I became a supporter, and my enthusiasm for the team has grown. As for the Argos, I’m not an avid watcher and I have to admit to being a “bandwagon” fan of the Blue Jays. When they won their two World Series’ championships I was among the crazed crowd swarming the downtown streets.

But, back to my point about not being completely loco in regards to my feelings as a Toronto sports fan. Everywhere I go, I hear Leafs fans bemoan the team’s 41-year streak without winning it all. Now, no one’s going to argue that the organization itself, from an ownership standpoint, is in dire need of re-tooling. What I’m annoyed with is the apparent lack of understanding that, in sports, winning it all is a rarity, not a given.

There are 30 teams in the NHL. Every one of those teams wants to win the Cup. No one’s going to lie down for The Leafs and say, “Here, you guys can win this year. Enjoy!” Sports are, by their very nature, competitive. Every athlete loves to win and hates to lose. The notion that the Leafs didn’t try hard enough this year until it was too late, is ludicrous. If a player exhibits a lack of effort in professional sports, pretty soon they disappear. They have to play for their jobs on a daily basis. It is, as they say, a “what have you done for me lately” existence.

And let’s just imagine for a moment that The Leafs win the cup next year. It would be wonderful, no question. But, what if they won it the next year and the next and the next? What fun would that be? We’d become bored with our team’s success. We would expect it and yawn as they raised the Cup yet again. Indeed, what makes watching sports so exciting and dramatic in the first place is the struggle, the battle, the ups and downs. A real fan sticks with their team through the bad times, making the good times all the more sweet.

Personally, I learn a great deal from watching sports. I see human beings doing their very best. I witness the blood, sweat and tears of competition. I find it instructive and inspiring to see The Leafs fighting their hearts out down the stretch, regardless of whether they make the playoffs or not. I thrill to see a tennis player battle back from two sets down. Or a boxer climbing up from the canvas, refusing to quit. These moments make me realize that life is full of wins and losses. That we have to keep trying, no matter what the odds are.

Back to main episode