2008 Season Week 14

I like riding my bike so much that I went for a ride yesterday at noon from my place at Queens Quay and Lower Simcoe to High Park and back. It was sunny, about minus 8 and the winds were gusting to about 70km I think. Tough ride westbound then a gift eastbound. I realized early on the westbound leg that trying to light the bar-b-que in the parking lot at Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday would have been quite a challenge, not to mention the challenge of staying warm for 6 hours in those conditions. I've been to plenty of cold weather games in Orchard Park over the years but I was happy to walk into the Rogers Centre around 3.15pm to soak up the "atmosphere" leading up to the first ever real NFL game in Canada.

I am surprised that we were able to breathe at all because there was no atmosphere. None. About 5 minutes before kick-off, I looked around from my $255 seats in the 500 level (I paid $215 but the "face" value on the ticket was $255 - I presume this was to point out that I actually could have paid more than I did) and the place was only two thirds full and most certainly did not feel like anyone's "home" game. The introduction of the Bills offence was met with only half hearted applause. The Dolphin fans weren't any better either. It just felt dead. Dead, but warm.

The Bills season is now officially over. JP Losman played the way we want to remember him after he leaves, mercifully, at the conclusion of this now lost season. Indecision, sacks and fumbles - just the way we like them. The defence was OK but gave up some key third down passes. But the offence was pathetic once again. Forget the quarterbacking, the line broke down numerous times, Lynch couldn't break out and generally, it was crap. The most promising moment came right before the most disappointing moment- so at least we got a couple of important plays close together which held off the overall boredom for a while. Josh Reed made a nice one-handed catch and broke down deep into Miami territory but, on first and goal from the 3, they tried a corner fade to Lee Evans which was intercepted for a touchback. The Bills never threatened to score again as they continued their virtual free-fall through the sub 500 barrier to 6-7.

The SkyDome (with no dis-respect intended to the recently departed Ted Rogers), with the roof closed, has always been and continues to be a facility whose vast steel and concrete ceiling just seems to suck the life from the crowd inside the comfortable, anti-septic pod. Even with the stands approaching full in the second quarter (no matter how much Toronto sports fans pay, they still show up late), the mood seemed quiet and disinterested - even on Miami's third downs. I had hoped for more from the crowd - a buzz of any kind - but the game offered nothing and the crowd offered nothing in return. It just seemed like a gathering of casual NFL fans sitting in the warm dome and chatting with each-other as the ugly game played itself out - kind of like a bad baseball game where the home team just can't generate any offence. This league, despite producing some of the most compelling sports entertainment every season, can sometimes offer a brand of football, as we saw in Toronto today, which is almost unwatchable.

And so the first real NFL game in Canada is history. Was it a success? For Ralph Wilson's bottom line, yes it was a success but, apart from the Miami Dolphins (who, after finishing 1-15 last year have turned their fortunes around dramatically), I can't think of anyone who was happy with this day, for a long list of reasons. It was warm in there though. That was nice.