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THIRD AND NINE

 www.fansofcanadianfootball.com                                                                                                           Aug/Sept 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


ABOUT THIRD AND NINE

 

Ty Reidy and Dale Weaver

Fans of Canadian Football

 

Welcome to Third and Nine, the exciting and interactive newsletter from www.fansofcanadianfootball.com. Just like the website this newsletter is made by the fans of Canadian football for the fans of Canadian football.  Inside you will find articles written by fans across the world expressing their thoughts and opinions on this great game and sharing many experiences they have had while following their favorite teams, players and games.  Also, you will find upcoming news and reports on related Canadian football events happening in your city.  Upcoming issues may also include interviews on players, management, and fan’s and maybe even the sausage and beer vendors where you have the chance to have your questions asked and answered. 

 

If you wish to participate in upcoming issues by submitting articles for other fans to enjoy please e-mail us at cflfans@hotmail.com for details. 

 

But for now sit back, relax and enjoy newsletter and if when you are done send it to some friends for them to enjoy.  Then come to fansofcanadianfootball.com and go to the fan forum where you can discuss articles you have read or share your own thoughts and opinions on this great game with fans across the world.

 

BLAST FROM THE PAST

 

Lee Knight was a fan favorite in both Ottawa and Hamilton in the 1980’s and early 90’s.  His bone crushing full back style made many fans happy and many defensive players shake in their shoes.  His contributions both on and off the field make him a true CFL legend.  Fans of Canadian Football had the distinct privilege of catching up with Lee Knight and discussing what he has been up to and his thoughts on the CFL now compared to his days.

 

Welcome back to Hamilton Lee.  What have you been up to the past few years after leaving the league?

 

I have been working with young offenders in a facility in Toronto called Sylapse.  I have worked my way up to manager and I am thoroughly enjoying my work.  I am also enjoying spending time with my family.  I have three little ones at home and I love spending time with them.  That is the most important thing right now is family and I try to make sure I spend as much time with them as I can.

 

Being a former Ottawa Roughrider, what are your thoughts of the team coming back into the league?

 

I think it is fantastic!  All they needed to do was to be competitive.  They should pack the house if they are.  Ottawa was a fun and great place to play.  The fans are great and supportive and with a competitive club the franchise will be successful.

 

Are you surprised at the start the Ottawa Renegade team has had and that they have been competitive since day one?

 

No not really.  Every franchise starts at the top and if you have good people at the top it will trickle down to success.  I experienced that here in Hamilton.  Ottawa made a great decision in hiring Joe Poppa.  He has been in the league for several years and is well respected by players and management in the league.  With the people running the franchise right now they should have no problems and continue to be successful on and off the field.  They had a great game against Hamilton the other week.  That should bring many fans back to the stadium.

 

Hamilton has been struggling at the gate for many years now.  They even experienced troubles when you were playing so it has been an ongoing issue.  Why do you think this is and do you have any ideas of improving attendance at Ivor Wynne Stadium?

 

I have no idea.  They seem to have a base of diehard fans and that is it.  I think the organization has tried everything but nothing seems to work.  When I was playing here we competed against the Toronto Blue Jays for fans but that has not been the case for a few years now.  I do not no what the solution is or why they draw so little.

 

The league has made some improvements in the past ten years and seems to be on an upswing once again.  Where do you see the league in ten years from now?

 

I see the league as being the same in the same spot in ten years.  The West will be strong in fan base and on the field while the East will still have its struggles.  It always seems to be the same each year where the West continues to strive and the East does what it takes to make it and has one or two successful teams a season.

 

We at Fansofcanadianfootball.com thank Lee Knight for spending some time with us and wish him and his family all the best in the future. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Memorable Game

 

                When I was very young, my Uncle Dennis took a job that moved him and his family away to Belgium. This was the first time that I had ever seen anybody in my family move away, and I think it gave me the courage to move away myself. When I turned twenty, I had decided to join the United States Military, but would return home from time to time, to visit family, and friends. My Cousin Steven had also moved away from home, taking a job in Pittsburgh. As chance would have it, we were all moving back to Montreal at the same time, and finally, after ten years apart, the family would be back together again. My other Cousin, Richard has season tickets to the Als, so a Man-outing was planned. I had not been out with my Dad in quite a long time, so this was going to be great, this is how it went…

 

                I picked my Dad up early, so as to get to the tailgate party. Now, McGill Stadium is downtown, so you have to kind of modify the traditional tailgate party etiquette. We ate steak, sausage, and ribs cooked on Richards grill, as we downed several Molson’s. After dinner was over, we began to make our way to the game. It was about a 10 block walk to the shuttle bus that would bring us straight to the Stadium. Now that’s a pretty long walk, so we felt the need to stop by a corner store, to pick up a few more beers to quench our thirsts after that long trek. At this point, we felt really nice. We then boarded our chariot, and felt the love of an overstuffed bus crammed with Als fans (more beer passed around), as we lumbered towards the promised land that is McGill Stadium.

 

                Ah, the smell of turf, the sounds of Rock Jocks #2 playing over the PA system, home at last. So, we make our way over to our seats. Let me tell you about these seats, the best seats in the house. The view…is not that great, it’s sort of on the corner of the end zone, and the bathrooms are…pretty far, but what makes these seats so great is…THE LEDGE. Ah yes, the ledge, that beautiful ledge. You see behind us is where the Stadium ends (we are on the short side don’t you know), and there is the ledge that is not big enough to sit on, but it is just the right size for …a beer. That’s right, a beer. You could line up several beers if you needed to, so that you would always have one on standby, which is what we did. And then the game began…

 

                I don’t even remember who was playing that day, but I do know that it was the first time in about twelve years that all the men in my family were together. I even bought my Dad a jersey that night, so that him, and I could share in the moment even more. I felt closer to him that night, then ever felt before.

 

                Now, I live about 2,000 KM from home, but anytime that I miss my Dad, my Cousins, or my Uncle, I just think of that game, and there with me still, cheering for our beloved Als.

 

                                                                                                                                                Doug Pfeffer

                                                                                      Go Als Go !!!!

 

 

                WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

 

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About Third and Nine (Dale and Ty)

 1

Blast from the past (Tydoggz)

 1

Most memorable game (Doug Pfeffer)

 2

CFL interview with Holly (The Redcoats)    GOTO

 2

The Red Coats  GOTO

 2

The Season that could have been (Argo Dave)  GOTO

 3

ARGOS month from Hell  (Argo Dave) GOTO

 3

Aaron Nagy Sask Rep  GOTO

 3

Views from True blue (True Blue) GOTO

 3

 The Redcoats  GOTO

 4

Veiws from the Penthouse GOTO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

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