Hamilton ? Bob Young had an unusual way of expressing his enthusiasm during his first Canadian Football League game as the owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
While waiting in line to use the men's room during the first half of yesterday's preseason contest with the Toronto Argonauts, Young overheard a conversation between a father and his young son.
"The boy said 'Geez dad, it's clean in here,'." a grinning Young recalled. "It's the attention to detail that we're concerned about. When I walked into here, I could tell someone cared about the stadium."
The signs of a new Tiger-Cat era were evident throughout Ivor Wynne Stadium yesterday. An enthusiastic end zone fan festival quickly swelled with early arriving fans. A new scoreboard and overhauled sound system were unveiled. Even a new mascot was born.
And the biggest reason for high spirits was the crowd of 22,342 that showed up. That number eclipsed the club's high from the 2003 season ? 21,323 for the annual Labour Day game against the Argos.
Unfortunately, the Ticats' on-field rebirth did not occur, as the team lost 33-10 to the Argonauts in a sloppy, mistake-filled preseason opener for both teams.
Off the field, an aggressive marketing campaign has rejuvenated interest in the team. But new head coach Greg Marshall, hired from nearby McMaster University, inherits a familiar list of concerns to those that haunted his predecessor, Ron Lancaster, now the club's general manager, throughout a 1-17 season in 2003.
And the biggest questions surround the team's best-known players: quarterback Danny McManus and kicker Paul Osbaldiston. Both face the biggest challenges of their lengthy careers to keep starting jobs.
Coming off a second consecutive sub-par season, McManus was four-of-six for 17 yards in a single quarter of work, igniting widespread jeers from the home crowd.
He also handed the Argonauts the game's first touchdown when he fumbled in the end zone after a hit by defensive tackle Noah Cantor early in the first quarter. Eric England fell on the ball for the touchdown.
Backup quarterback Ben Sankey was much more effective, throwing a first down and running for another to start his first series. He finished five of nine for 55 yards in his quarter-long appearance.
Though McManus will likely start the season at the helm, Marshall indicates a change is a strong possibility.
"[Ben] pulled down the ball and made some plays," Marshall said. "He created some things. He's a good change-up within the game. We've talked about mixing some things up."
Similarly, Osbaldiston's claim on a job remains tenuous after another shaky showing. The 40-year-old, who has struggled with his accuracy and health in recent seasons, shanked a pair of 24-yard punts into a stiff breeze on consecutive first-half drives. He was also forced to kick a ball out of bounds for a safety after a punt snap flew over his head.
In their on-field rebuilding efforts, several holes remain. The receiving corps needs to be overhauled, the defensive secondary has job openings and the offensive line needs more depth.
Marshall, however, discounted yesterday's result, emphasizing the fact that regulars were played sparingly. And the second half ? in which the Ticats were outscored 21-9 and burned for two lengthy touchdown passes by Toronto fourth-string quarterback Scott Krause in the fourth quarter ? was a time for newcomers to battle for jobs. He billed yesterday's contest a "video game" after which the coaching staff quickly began analyzing tape for the first round of player cuts.
"We said we'd play everybody," Marshall said. "We stuck with the guys and you have to live and die by it."
"We would have liked to play better in the fourth quarter and make a game of it. There's a fine line between sticking to the game plan and trying to win."
The Ticats face some difficult immediate decisions in their quest to upgrade their talent level. CFL rosters must be cut to 50 by Friday, excluding draft choices and unsigned players drafted from a previous year.
The two teams meet again this Saturday at SkyDome in their second and final preseason game.
While waiting in line to use the men's room during the first half of yesterday's preseason contest with the Toronto Argonauts, Young overheard a conversation between a father and his young son.
"The boy said 'Geez dad, it's clean in here,'." a grinning Young recalled. "It's the attention to detail that we're concerned about. When I walked into here, I could tell someone cared about the stadium."
The signs of a new Tiger-Cat era were evident throughout Ivor Wynne Stadium yesterday. An enthusiastic end zone fan festival quickly swelled with early arriving fans. A new scoreboard and overhauled sound system were unveiled. Even a new mascot was born.
And the biggest reason for high spirits was the crowd of 22,342 that showed up. That number eclipsed the club's high from the 2003 season ? 21,323 for the annual Labour Day game against the Argos.
Unfortunately, the Ticats' on-field rebirth did not occur, as the team lost 33-10 to the Argonauts in a sloppy, mistake-filled preseason opener for both teams.
Off the field, an aggressive marketing campaign has rejuvenated interest in the team. But new head coach Greg Marshall, hired from nearby McMaster University, inherits a familiar list of concerns to those that haunted his predecessor, Ron Lancaster, now the club's general manager, throughout a 1-17 season in 2003.
And the biggest questions surround the team's best-known players: quarterback Danny McManus and kicker Paul Osbaldiston. Both face the biggest challenges of their lengthy careers to keep starting jobs.
Coming off a second consecutive sub-par season, McManus was four-of-six for 17 yards in a single quarter of work, igniting widespread jeers from the home crowd.
He also handed the Argonauts the game's first touchdown when he fumbled in the end zone after a hit by defensive tackle Noah Cantor early in the first quarter. Eric England fell on the ball for the touchdown.
Backup quarterback Ben Sankey was much more effective, throwing a first down and running for another to start his first series. He finished five of nine for 55 yards in his quarter-long appearance.
Though McManus will likely start the season at the helm, Marshall indicates a change is a strong possibility.
"[Ben] pulled down the ball and made some plays," Marshall said. "He created some things. He's a good change-up within the game. We've talked about mixing some things up."
Similarly, Osbaldiston's claim on a job remains tenuous after another shaky showing. The 40-year-old, who has struggled with his accuracy and health in recent seasons, shanked a pair of 24-yard punts into a stiff breeze on consecutive first-half drives. He was also forced to kick a ball out of bounds for a safety after a punt snap flew over his head.
In their on-field rebuilding efforts, several holes remain. The receiving corps needs to be overhauled, the defensive secondary has job openings and the offensive line needs more depth.
Marshall, however, discounted yesterday's result, emphasizing the fact that regulars were played sparingly. And the second half ? in which the Ticats were outscored 21-9 and burned for two lengthy touchdown passes by Toronto fourth-string quarterback Scott Krause in the fourth quarter ? was a time for newcomers to battle for jobs. He billed yesterday's contest a "video game" after which the coaching staff quickly began analyzing tape for the first round of player cuts.
"We said we'd play everybody," Marshall said. "We stuck with the guys and you have to live and die by it."
"We would have liked to play better in the fourth quarter and make a game of it. There's a fine line between sticking to the game plan and trying to win."
The Ticats face some difficult immediate decisions in their quest to upgrade their talent level. CFL rosters must be cut to 50 by Friday, excluding draft choices and unsigned players drafted from a previous year.
The two teams meet again this Saturday at SkyDome in their second and final preseason game.
