Ryan ready for some football

REDBLACKS pick up high-profile fan

The Ottawa REDBLACKS have recruited Ottawa Senators star right winger Bobby Ryan as a fan.

With Grey Cup talk in the air, Ryan went to Twitter Thursday, looking for suggestions on which Canadian Football League team to call his own.

The REDBLACKS were quick on the draw — or at least quick on the keyboard — getting Ryan on board.

“The coverage is pretty good for it, on TSN and everything, so I figured I had to adopt a team in the CFL,” said Ryan. “It’s going to have to be the REDBLACKS. They were the first response.”

Ryan grew up in New Jersey and California and is a big NFL fan — the Minnesota Vikings are his favourite due to his friendship with Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph — and he acknowledges he’s a newcomer to the CFL game.

“Truthfully, I don’t know much about (the CFL). I like the amount that they throw the ball. That will be interesting.”

Yet he’s intrigued enough that he’s willing to fork out a few dollars to see Ottawa’s expansion team in action next year.

“I’m looking forward to watching quarterbacks air it out, that should be fun,” he said. “I will be a season-ticket holder next year ... as long as they put me on the 50 yard line.”

Ryan already had a minor connection to the league from his time with the Anaheim Ducks. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf ’s brother Chris plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“I forgot about that, too,” Ryan said. “It wasn’t until they mentioned his name on TV yesterday that I remembered him.

“I don’t mind rooting against him. I’ve got to root for the team in the town I’m playing in, right?”