Argonauts score big with fans in Oshawa
Fan Day huge success as team returns after 24 years
The city of Oshawa fell back in love with the Argonauts on Saturday.
Hundreds turned out for Fan Day, eating $7 Hawkeye burgers, posing with the cheerleaders and watching the team scrimmage.
The Double Blue hadn’t been here since 1991, when John Candy and Rocket Ismail electrified these grounds at the Oshawa Civic Fields.
The stands brimmed with youngsters from the Oshawa Hawkeyes football program, who might one day follow in the footsteps of Jason Pottinger, the recently retired CFL star who was introduced to loud applause, or Argo defensive lineman Ricky Foley.
It was on these grounds Pottinger used to play on the swings as a kid. Foley used to come here in Grade 4 with dreams of playing football someday. And it was with the Hawkeyes where defensive back Shane Herbert played junior football.
The idea for this reunion was hatched by Hawkeye executive Bill Howe, an ardent Argo season ticket holder, who approached the CFL team in the fall.
Howe then engaged people like Jenn Meredith and Nancy Spafford, who did the scheduling, to make this happen. Oshawa Mayor John Henry was there on Saturday to crown the moment.
“We’re really trying to push him to be great, not settling for pretty good.” ARGOS COACH SCOTT MILANOVICH ON QB TREVOR HARRIS
It wasn’t easy lugging 85 players and all their equipment to Oshawa but there was a spirit of renewal, which seems to be theme of late with new owners taking over the team next season.
Lori Bursey, president of the Argonauts fan club, reported that interest in new memberships was high at her booth.
Meanwhile, the scrimmage provided the coaching staff with an important evaluation tool heading into Tuesday’s pre-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Varsity Stadium (7:30 p.m.).
One thing’s clear: Trevor Harris is sitting head-and-shoulders above the other quarterbacks.
“We’re really trying to push him to be great, not settling for pretty good,” head coach Scott Milanovich said post-scrimmage.
The backup role seems to be a neckand-neck battle between Mitchell Gale and Logan Kilgore, while Blake Sims didn’t help his cause by throwing an interception. One of the stars of the day was newly signed wide receiver Tori Gurley, who looks like a sure-fire deep threat.
Ricky Ray didn’t play, and that’s no surprise as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery.
“I’m not expecting Ricky to be ready for the opener (on June 27),” Milanovich said. “I’m not discouraged that it might be sometime in July. I think we’re in good hands for the time being.”
The scrimmage didn’t allow for tackling, but at least one Argo had trouble holding himself back. In the press box, GM Jim Barker provided colour commentary, announcing that players weren’t allowed to tackle.
But on the opening kickoff, one defender took down kick returner Diontae Spencer near the sidelines.
“Whoops,” Barker said. “I’m not sure why that happened, since we said we weren’t going to do that.”
The message got through, because it didn’t happen again.