TORONTO (Sep. 21) — Toward the end of halftime at the Argos–Edmonton game on Saturday, I passed by Keith Pelley in the concourse of BMO Field. We shook hands and said hello. For some reason, I flashed back not to Pelley’s infamous moments as spokesperson for Ed the Conqueror at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, but to the lifelong respect I gained for the man when he ran the Argonauts for Howard Sokoloff and David Cynamon. Royally upsetting the Montreal Alouettes before a packed house at the Olympic Stadium in the 2004 Eastern final, then downing the B.C. Lions, in Ottawa, to win the Grey Cup with grandpa Damon Allen under center. There was no talk, at the time, about Pelley fumbling over words or making legendary remarks (“I’m not here to sell jerseys”).

Instead, he was fully in command of the best team in the city.

Today is different. Or, it seems that way. Steve Simmons wrote on Sunday that Keith will be replaced atop the MLSE pyramid by Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro. Pelley, in turn, will move to a broadcast/media role with the company. What we don’t know is whether this was a precondition of Pelley joining MLSE as Chief Executive Officer on Apr. 2, 2024. By then, Shapiro had become the apple of Ed the Conqueror’s eye for his rather splendid reinvention of Rogers Centre as a baseball–only facility. Then, Shapiro’s Blue Jays came out of absolute nowhere to dominate the American League in the second half of last season and nearly won the World Series. It resulted in capacity crowds during last year’s run… with a carryover effect throughout this entirely disappointing season.

Which, quite frankly, should remove a bit of the gloss from Shapiro, whose half–billion–dollar “superstar” has bellyflopped like perhaps none other in baseball history and whose club has returned to its middling posture. Does Shapiro leapfrog Pelley on the basis of one surprise season from the Blue Jays? For his remake of the stadium? Because he has a better smile? If, conversely, this is some form of demotion for Pelley, then why? Keith didn’t hire Brad Treliving or Craig Berube; they were Brendan Shanahan’s choices to replace Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe. Should Pelley have fired one or both to try and salvage the disastrous 2024–25 season? With a complete lack of leadership on the ice, it’s doubtful any such move would have succeeded. More questions: Did Keith not hire John Chayka and Jim Hiller… while undoubtedly on some form of executive budget from Rogers? Both may pan out in their roles — and I like that Chayka is thinking outside the usual MLSE box — but neither commanded a Mike Babcock–like gathering of the Board. Would it not be appropriate to wait and see if there’s noticeable improvement on the ice before any major executive shuffles occur atop the company? Or, has it been preordained?

Whatever the case, Pelley has taken most of the rap for the decline of the Leafs. Which isn’t entirely fair. I’ve occasionally wondered if Keith enjoyed his role as sort of a middle man between Ed the Conqueror and Leafs management. Given that Ed Rogers is a recluse, it was Keith that had to concoct alibies in front of reporters; take their jabs and trade verbal blows. I don’t believe he was ever comfortable in that role. He was mocked for saying what he believed… and perhaps what he was told to say about a given circumstance. At his core, Keith is a broadcasting executive. And, a damned distinguished one. He was the innovative president of both TSN and Rogers Media, helping to negotiate, in 2013, the first mega–rights deal with the National Hockey League: a 12–year, $5.232–billion arrangement. Keith was also president of the large and complex Canadian broadcast consortium for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which involved rivals Rogers (Sportsnet) and Bell (TSN). He knows his craft.

MLSE evidently thinks Pelley can be best–utilized in that capacity — with Shapiro elevating to CEO.

It should not, however, detract from Pelley’s achievements as a TV/radio executive.

We tend to eat our own in this country. Here’s another example.

A GREAT GAME NEARLY RUINED

Speaking of outstanding TV executives, Stewart Johnston, in my view, has done a superb job recognizing that the Canadian Football League — with all its uniqueness — was becoming stale to fans across the country. Johnston was criticized for his decision to “Americanize” the game, but I believe fans will enjoy the new rules and field dimentions. What the former TSN president absolutely needs to address (or continue addressing) is the willy nilly Command (or replay) Centre during games — a long–time source of embarrassment to the league. When it needn’t be. Another prime example occurred during the Argonauts–Edmonton game at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon. A better football game you will not see, as once–discarded Toronto quarterback Cody Fajardo marched the Elks up and down the pitch. Fajardo was ultimately subdued by the soft yet opportunistic Argo defence, which bailed out an average Chad Kelly for a 24–19 victory and assurance of at least second place in the CFL East (the Argonauts will host a crossover semifinal on Oct. 31 against any of B.C., Winnipeg, Saskatchewan or Calgary).

But, the game was temporarily derailed by confusion between (referee) Andre Proulx”s normally competent crew and the silly Command Centre, which seemed adamant on overruling anything it could. And, therein lies the problem. Since its creation, the Command Centre has possessed far too much leeway. It still does and it needs to be reined in by Johnston. Otherwise, the CFL should move to remote officiating. It can pay high school grads to move the chains up and down the sideline and to properly place the ball, based on a predetermined video spot.

ANDRE PROULX IS THE CFL’s BEST REFEREE. HE DIDN’T NEED THE INTERFERENCE ON SATURDAY.

No flags would be thrown to indicate an infraction of the rules because there’d be no live officials. Every penalty call would come from the eagle–eyed wonders that have chosen — it seems arbitrarily — to humiliate the current on–field crews. They want the full game in their collective hands. Either give it to them… or impose some unassailable restrictions. Such as not butting in on a call of offside (against an Edmonton receiver). How could a line judge without retinal issues screw that up? The ball was marched backward five yards, without protest, and Fajardo was about to move under center when an official sprinted in from the sideline, frantically waving his arms.

To say it looked ridiculous with the naked eye is an understatement.

That some shlemeel watching TV felt he should hold up the match to embarrass the line judge and reverse the call was simply inane. Such moments will unnecessarily continue if Johnston and the Board do not intervene.

Moments later, Kelly tossed an interception in the Elks’ end zone and immediately implored his coach to throw the red challenge flag. Which Mike Miller angrily did. Watching on the video board, it looked as if the call could go either way and it was not reversed, depriving Miller of a further challenge. When Kelly next had the ball, an Edmonton defender blatantly interfered with Damonte Coxie and no flag was thrown. Everyone in the stadium was waiting for the Command Centre to halt proceedings and review the play. The Argo bench was having kittens. Instead, and unsurprisingly, there was silence. Not allowed by the rules. Followed by more apparent confusion between the officials and the replay crew. An inexplicable delay ensued amid frustration from the crowd. The system just doesn’t work the way it is. Clearly, Johnston has to do something.

41 DAYS AND COUNTING…

That’s how long the Argonauts have to establish something that resembles a professional rushing attack.

Oct. 31 and the Eastern playoff semifinal at BMO Field against the fourth–place finisher in the West.

I’ve been watching the Boatmen since 1969 and I have never seen anything so utterly inept and overlooked. Defensive lineman are pinning back their ears and bolting for Kelly, recognizing he has nothing in the backfield to slow them. Miller doesn’t even attempt to establish a run game. While knowing it’s virtually impossible to win a football title, at any level, in the complete absence of such a weapon to balance the offence and support the quarterback. The most–dismal Argo teams through the years (which the current club is not among) were able to churn out respectable yardage along the ground. Not this group. It doesn’t even try — as if that crucial element of the sport is nonexistent. Ultimately, Kelly is going to pay the price. He cannot survive exclusively throwing the ball.

Once the final numbers from Saturday were totaled, the Argos were found to possess six fewer feet of attack than when the game began. Miller’s crew deked and rambled for minus–2 yards along the ground. Honestly. The Argos prevailed only because Fajardo also threw a pair of interceptions while attempting to score… and because defensive lineman Ralph Holley scooped up a high Edmonton snap and raced 55 yards for a touchdown without which the home team would have lost. Toronto has close to zero chance of making it to the Eastern final in Montreal unless Pinball Clemons and his staff can unearth someone to carry the mail. Among the worst moves in recent franchise history was letting A.J. Oullette escape to Saskatchewan after the 2023 season. Not only was Oullette ascending in the pantheon of great Argo rushers (alongside the likes of Dick Shatto, Bill Symons, Terry Metcalfe, Cedric Minter, Gil Fennerty, Robert Drummond and Pinball, himself), he was becoming a cult figure amid the fan base… which has rarely “adopted” and so–identified with an Argonaut player. Ka’Deem Carey did a good job in 2024 with 1,060 rushing yards and Toronto won the Grey Cup. Since then? Almost nothing. Sam Hicks led last season’s non–playoff team with a paltry 314 yards while 12 ball carriers totaled only 929 (compared to 1,903 by the opposition). This season, Hicks has 383 yards amid eight players totaling a measly 1,067 along the ground.

That cannot continue into the playoffs if the Argos are intent on challenging for the CFL title.

1971–72 TEAM ALBUMS FROM MAPLE LEAF GARDENS

FOR THREE SEASONS (1970–71, 1971–72 and 1972–73), FANS ATTENDING GAMES AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS PURCHASED A PROGRAM ENGULFED IN A COLORFUL ALBUM FOR EACH OF THE 14, THEN 16, NHL TEAMS. A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I HAD THESE MAGAZINES BOUND INTO BOOK FORM ACCORDING TO SEASON. THEY REMAIN AMONG THE MOST–TREASURED ITEMS IN MY HOCKEY COLLECTION. LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT IMAGES FROM THE SECOND YEAR, 1971–72:

 
COVERS (ABOVE AND BELOW) FROM THE 1971–72 SET OF NHL TEAM ALBUMS, SOLD AS PART OF THE PROGRAM AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS. THE LEAGUE WAS BETWEEN EXPANSION YEARS, HAVING ADDED SIX TEAMS (OAKLAND, LOS ANGELES, ST. LOUIS, MINNESOTA, PITTSBURGH, PHILADELPHIA) IN 1967–68 AND TWO MORE (BUFFALO, VANCOUVER) IN 1970–71. THE FOLLOWING YEAR (1972–73) WOULD BRING ABOARD THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS AND ATLANTA FLAMES.

 
IF NOT OBTAINED AT THE GARDENS, ALL 14 TEAM ALBUMS (TOP–LEFT) WERE AVAILABLE THROUGH MAIL ORDER AT THE FRONT OF EACH MAGAZINE. THE ALBUMS FEATURED EXCEPTIONAL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE ERA, SUCH AS AT TOP–RIGHT WITH JACQUES PLANTE (1) AND NORM ULLMAN (9) OF THE LEAFS EVIDENTLY WANTING NO PART OF BAD JOHN FERGUSON AT THE MONTREAL FORUM. FERGIE RETIRED AFTER THE 1970–71 CAMPAIGN. TO THE RELIEF OF MANY.

 
THE MAPLE LEAFS WERE BEGINNING THEIR THIRD SEASON UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF GM JIM GREGORY AND COACH JOHN McLELLAN, HAVING IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE TORONTO TEAM ALBUM FEATURED A LOOK AT THE ’72 LEAFS AND SEVERAL PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES (BELOW) AS THEY APPEARED THAT SEASON.

AS MENTIONED, THE COLOR PHOTO–REPRODUCTION WAS OUTSTANDING FOR THE EARLY 70’s (ABOVE AND BELOW), SHOWING VANCOUVER, PITTSBURGH, BOSTON, MONTREAL, CHICAGO AND THE LEAFS. LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PENGUINS AT CANADIENS PHOTO (BELOW AT RIGHT) AND YOU’LL NOTICE THE PITTSBURGH UNIFORM INCLUDED COLOR–COORDINATED SKATES. THESE WERE ALSO WORN, AT THE TIME, BY THE ST. LOUIS BLUES AND CALIFORNIA GOLDEN SEALS (TWO SETS: ONE PAINED WHITE; THE OTHER GREEN AND GOLD).

 


IN BLACK AND WHITE: THE LEAFS AND CANUCKS FROM 1971 AT THE GARDENS. VANCOUVER GOALIE WAS DUNC WILSON (TO BECOME A LEAF IN 1973–74, SHARING DUTIES WITH ED JOHNSTON AND DOUG FAVELL) AND FORMER MARLBOROS JUNIOR STAR DALE TALLON (19). THE TORONTO SKATERS WERE PAUL HENDERSON (HELMET) AND RON ELLIS.

YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN AND GOLD CALIFORNIA SEALS SKATES IN THE PHOTOS, ABOVE, FROM THE MONTREAL FORUM. COVERS OF THE NORTH STARS AND PENGUINS TEAM ALBUMS FROM THE GARDENS, BELOW.

 
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM