Marcus Ball feeling right home with Argos soon to move into new practice digs
Frank Zicarelli The Toronto Sun May 30, 2018
When Marcus Ball joined the Argonauts in 2012, the environment was far from ideal, with the team practising in Mississauga and forced to use portables as a makeshift locker room.
Other than playing their home games in downtown Toronto, there was no connection with the city, its fans or corporate base.
That will soon change under MLSE’s ownership, with plans to finally provide the franchise with its long-overdue base and sporting complex to call home.
For players such as Ball, who either plan to, or currently reside in the downtown area, it means literally being able to walk or bike to work.
Once they return from a bye week following their home opener June 23 against Calgary in a Grey Cup rematch,
the plan calls for the Argos to be housed at BMO, use adjoining Ricoh Coliseum where office space and a weight room will be set up, while practising at nearby Lamport Stadium, easily accessible by foot given its proximity to BMO.
Back in the days when the Argos used CNE Stadium as their home, players would walk or ride their bicycle to the baseball diamond near Dufferin St., a stone’s throw from where the Raptors practice facility now sits, for workouts.
For a quarter century, the Argos have been searching, scouring, at times begging, for an ideal setup that did not involve lengthy bus rides to a practice site that may or may not be available.
With MLSE on board and Bill Manning serving as Argos president, it was fully apparent his primary mandate was to fix a problem, or at least address it as best possible, that has lingered and compromised the club for seemingly forever.
Technically, the Argos won’t be under one roof, but the setup in and around BMO is as good as it could get.
There’s a GO Train for the likes of star quarterback Ricky Ray to tap into, which he plans on doing, a subway system that now connects Vaughan to downtown, buses, streetcars.
As anyone who lives in the city can attest, it’s not cheap, but CFL players often have two, sometimes three, roommates to save on expenses.
For players such as Cleyon Laing, who lives in Liberty Village, he can walk to work every day. Ball plans on moving into a unit this weekend near the CNE grounds.
“We’ve come a long way,” said Ball. “It’s been wonderful seeing how the organization has grown and become successful. We all know Rome wasn’t built in one day and there have been some trials and tribulations, but it feels good for the city to open up and appreciate us, for MLSE to take over.”
Image visibility has nowhere to go but up.
“Guys can now explore, integrate with people, see the many sights, experience what this beautiful city has to offer,” said Ball. “It’s fun, but it’s really exciting knowing we’ll be moving into BMO and everything. We’ve come full circle.”
This couldn’t have happened without MLSE’s purchase.
Manning also oversees TFC as its club president and no one knew better the delicate game that needed to be played to ensure no sporting nose was bent out of shape.
“I’ll be able to walk every day,” said Ball, who is hopeful this weekend’s closing date will be finalized, allowing his family to settle in Toronto. “My wife knows me and she knows I’ll get my mountain bike out and probably ride it to work.
“This is a unique and exciting opportunity for us to have BMO. It’s great.”
When they moved into Don Bosco High School last season, guys such as Tyler Holmes and Sean McEwen, both downtown condo dwellers and among the best offensive linemen in the CFL, rode the subway to Islington Station and then hopped a TTC bus to report for duty.
CFL players, for the most part, are average guys living normal lives that involve taking public transit.
For far too long, it hasn’t been normal for the club, not knowing where to practise, not having a weight room or appropriate office space to hold meetings.
MLSE has changed that and kudos to Manning for making it happen.
Until the move is completely ironed out, the Argos will continue to practise at York University.
TYMS STILL SOUR OVER RELEASE
Bryan Tyms will be back at Tim’s for the first time since his release from Tiger Town last season, a departure that admittedly left a sour taste.
It is the pre-season, but for someone who needs to take advantage of every rep, Friday’s game at Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton has a different feel for Tyms.
He is a receiver, a pretty good one when he’s completely in sync with the offence, and he did join the Argos midway through 2017 when the Ticats showed him the door, an exposure to the Marc Trestman system that has served Tyms well in camp.
“Just the way I was released (by Hamilton), I didn’t have any respect for the league, period,” said Tyms, whose brother in law is Argos all-star slot S.J. Green. “Just off of what I witnessed there, the way I was treated, but coming over here and seeing that respect is what this team is all about. It’s been a blessing.”
Tyms has played in the NFL, been with various organizations, but it’s how the Argos go about their daily business tha’s given him a renewed sense of purpose.
“My passion for football came back,” said Tyms of his time as an Argo. “I’ve been cut numerous times and when you get cut, it’s never a hearty feeling.
“But I was pissed (when let go by Hamilton), I hated football. I didn’t even know if I would still want to do it (play) up here anymore. And then I came over here. It was tough at first because it was so different, it was discipline, everyone respects each other, no one uses curse words at each other, no one calls anyone the ‘N’ word, the ‘B’ word. We don’t disrespect anyone because we all hold each other accountable.”
The Argos have a need at receiver with Grey Cup MVP DeVier Posey signing with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Tyms has had a solid camp and on Friday night, he’ll get a better handle on where he stands.
“I’m ready for this,” said Tyms. “If this game had happened a year ago, I would have done something stupid. I appreciate Trestman for that. I’m just ready to show them (the Ticats) what they left.”
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