Canadian Crossing

Super Bowl XLIX preview: CRTC to allow Super Bowl ads in 2017

A lot of Canadians care about the NFL but even more Canadians care about the Super Bowl ads. Thanks to the CRTC, at the latest by 2017, Canadians will be able to watch U.S. ads on Super Bowl Sunday, even on CTV.

If Bell agrees to do so in 2016, the ban could start earlier, but this will not affect the commercials this Sunday.

"The Super Bowl is something special," CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said in an interview. "The advertisement around the Super Bowl is part of the spectacle, there's hype and has been for decades before the event and during the event. It is very much a special case."

CTV will carry a major sporting event without the ability to make money from the deal. Sounds just like what the CBC does in carrying Rogers NHL games but unable to generate ad revenue. The difference is that CTV only does this once a year.

NBC is offering an online option to check out Super Bowl ads at NBCSports.com/ads during the game. The site will likely be limited to U.S. ISPs but Canadians should try and access the Web site.

• Canadian influence guides Seattle Seahawks to Super Bowl XLIX

• Super Bowl XLVIII Canadian notebook

• Super Bowl XLVIII from a Canada perspective

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Traditionally, Canadians have had 2 ways to watch U.S. Super Bowl commercials in real time.

• Have access to U.S. TV via antennas.
• Find a satellite feed that didn't block all the possible network feeds in SD or HD.

The commercials aren't the only concern with sim subbing. Canadians regularly complain about losing access to the programming where Canadian commercial breaks last too long.

Very few Canadians have direct access to U.S. TV signals without cable. The transition to digital signals reduced the range. Windsor, Toronto, and folks south of Montréal have the best shot at reaching U.S. signals via an antenna.

The Super Bowl airs on NBC in the United States this season, so start aiming your antennas or channel guides at your local NBC affiliate.

Those in Windsor and the surrounding area can watch on Channel 4 WDIV from Detroit. In Southern Ontario around Toronto and Hamilton, you can pull in Channel 2 WGRZ-TV Buffalo.

Those in Montréal and points south to the U.S. border will have to rely on Channel 5 WPTZ-TV, licensed to Burlington, VT but also serving Plattsburgh, NY.

If we missed a Canadian community that can pick up a NBC OTA signal, please let us know in the comments section below.

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As we've noted last year and earlier this season, the Seattle Seahawks have a strong Canadian presence with punter Jon Ryan and tight end Luke Willson. Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers wide receiver Chris Matthews is also on the Seahawks squad.

New England Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner won a Grey Cup with Calgary and Super Bowl with Seattle. Well, Browner has a ring with Seattle. Browner was suspended over missing drug tests and missed last year's Super Bowl.

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Lenny Kravitz will be part of the halftime show at Super Bowl XLIX. Kravitz was the halftime artist at the 2007 Grey Cup at Rogers Centre in Toronto. But Kravitz is only the 3rd music act to perform at halftime at both football championships.

Shania Twain completed the perfecta in slightly more than 2 months. Twain performed at the 2002 Grey Cup in Edmonton on November 24 and Super Bowl XXXVII on January 26, 2003. She performed "Up" at both events.

Given that Super Bowls are in February, no other artist can beat that quick turnaround time.

The Black Eyed Peas played the 2005 Grey Cup in Vancouver and Super Bowl XLV in 2011. The band played "Pump It" at both events.

Of the 3 music acts that have completed the feat, only Twain is Canadian.

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Canadians benefit from time shifting, so they can watch U.S. and Canadian stations in multiple markets, depending on their cable/satellite options. The four major U.S. markets for these stations are Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, and Seattle — 2 of those are playing in Super Bowl XLIX.

Win or lose, you can expect extended coverage from WHDH/Boston and KING/Seattle, the NBC stations in the teams' home cities.

The rivalry is also regional among Canadians. The Seattle Seahawks have quite a following in British Columbia and the New England Patriots are very popular in Eastern Canada, especially the Maritimes.

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Canadians do occasionally get a Super Bowl ad just for Canada. This year, Hyundai Canada will be one of those sponsors. (Full disclosure: my day job is involved in the world of cars.)

Canadian influence guides Seattle Seahawks to Super Bowl XLIX

Jon Ryan is now 3-for-3 as a NFL quarterback. His third completion is the story of legends.

Ryan, punter for the Seattle Seahawks, pulled off a fake FG attempt, rolled left, and completed a 19-yard TD pass to Garry Gilliam in the 3rd quarter of the NFC Championship to spark the Seahawks record-setting comeback on Sunday.

Seattle was down 16-0 in the 3rd quarter. The completion got the Seahawks on the board; the team later completed the comeback with a 28-22 win in overtime to go to Super Bowl XLIX to take on the New England Patriots.

Ryan, from Regina, Saskatchewan, became the first Canadian to throw a postseason TD pass since Mark Rypien, who last postseason TD pass came just over 22 years ago.

Rypien threw a 24 yd TD pass to Gary Clark in the 3rd quarter to give Washington a 24-7 lead over Minnesota at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on January 2, 1993.

Rypien is the only Canadian QB to win the MVP of the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl XXVI early in 1992.

• Super Bowl XLVIII Canadian notebook

• Super Bowl XLVIII from a Canada perspective

Ryan became the first punter to throw a postseason TD pass. But he wasn't the only Canadian connection in Sunday's win.

Luke Willson, from LaSalle, Ontario, caught the 2-point conversion that gave Seattle a 3-point lead. The throw from starting QB Russell Wilson came from the other side of the field and was seemingly in the air forever before Willson reached up to grab the ball and score crucial points. Green Bay tied the game in the final minute and would have won had it not been for Willson's grab.

Willson scored his first playoff touchdown in his two-year NFL career against Carolina in the previous week.

Chris Matthews isn't Canadian but he did catch the onside kick that led to the touchdown drive that gave Seattle its first lead late in the game that led to Willson's 2-point conversion reception.

Williams did spend time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. In his rookie year of 2012, Williams had 1,192 yards, 7 TDS, and won the CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Award.

Williams suffered a turf toe injury in 2013 and only played 4 games. He signed with Seattle this season, played on the practice squad for most of the season before making the roster on December 6.

You can see Ryan, Willson, and Matthews play for the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on February 1 on NBC and CTV.

photo credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Marc Trestman fired after 2 seasons with the Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears tried an unusual experiment in hiring Marc Trestman. That experiment didn't last very long.

Trestman was fired this morning after 2 seasons as Chicago Bears head coach. The Bears went 8-8 in his first season in 2013, but the team lost its last 2 games. This season, the team finished 5-11 for their worst record since 2004.

• Chicago Tribune editorial sings praises of Canada

• Marc Trestman leaves Montreal Alouettes for the NFL Chicago Bears

The play of Jay Cutler did factor into the decision, but Bears fans would circle December 1, 2013 as the beginning of the end. In overtime against the Minnesota Vikings, Trestman called for a 47-yard field-goal attempt on second-and-7. The field goal was missed and the Bears lost 23-20. The "smart" coach had been out-smarted.

The Bears started 3-0 in 2013, but with that loss to the Vikings and the last 2 losses, including the final game against the Green Bay Packers, didn't endear Trestman to Bears fans.

2014 has been about too many defeats, including some humiliating ones. The Chicago Bears gave up more than 50 points to the Green Bay Packers, the team's biggest rival, and the New England Patriots. The 2014 Bears joined the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons as the only teams to give up 50 or more in back-to-back games.

Jay Cutler, who can take some of the blame for the Bears woes, signed a 7-year, $126.7 million contract that included $54 million guaranteed early in 2014. Easier to fire the coach than the quarterback. Then again, the GM who gave Cutler that deal also got fired on Monday.

The view of Trestman in Chicago isn't as much about the record as the perception of Trestman. The bold experiment was picking a "nerdy" offensive-minded coach in a city where Mike Ditka is king. Bears fans love the idea of a 12-7 win where defense rules.

We compared Trestman to Marv Levy at the time of Trestman's hiring. Levy didn't make the playoffs in his 5 seasons in Kansas City. However, Levy's teams improved from 4-12 in his initial season to 7-9 in the sophomore year. The team finished 8-8 and 9-7 before a 3-6 record in the strike-shortened 1982 season that led to his dismissal.

Trestman didn't do well in Chicago, but that had a lot more to do with the Bears than his CFL experience. He wasn't well-suited for this franchise, and the expectations were too high given the talent.

I would point out to Bears fans that Trestman had the best ever quarterback (in terms of yards) in Anthony Calvillo. Makes a big difference.

Return to CFL?

Would the Montréal Alouettes be interested in bringing back Marc Trestman? Would another CFL team be interested?

The BC Lions just hired Jeff Tedford to replace Mike Benevides. We know Anthony Calvillo will be on the Alouettes coaching staff.

Tom Higgins had a horrible start and numerous issues on offense even when the Als played better. The team lost the final regular-season game to finish second. That lack of home field did play a role in the loss to Hamilton in the East final.

Montréal has Higgins, Calvillo, Jeff Garcia, Ryan Dinwiddie, and Turk Schonert into the mix. Trestman's name could bring some stability.

Trestman could also find a home in Toronto under his old offensive coordinator, Scott Milanovich.

Bills Toronto series is done

Buffalo Bills in Toronto (regular season)

Date	Winner	Loser	Attendance
December 7, 2008	Miami 16	Buffalo 3	52,134
December 3, 2009	NY Jets 19	Buffalo 13	51,567
November 7, 2010	Chicago 22	Buffalo 19	50,746
October 30, 2011	Buffalo 23	Washington 0	51,579
December 16, 2012	Seattle 50	Buffalo 17	40,770
December 1, 2013	Atlanta 34	Buffalo 31 (OT)	38,969

 

The end of the Bills Toronto series wasn't a surprise. The fact that the announcement was made around the time the game has been played lately is worth no more than an ironic look.

The Bills Toronto series had been suspended for 2014 after Rogers and the Buffalo Bills signed a second 5-year deal in January 2013.

The last straw was that Toronto was an afterthought when the Buffalo Bills were forced out of the city after a gigantic snowstorm last month. The Bills ended up at Detroit's Ford Field.

The argument at the time was that a Buffalo Bills game out of the hands of Rogers where the prices would not be obnoxious would show people that Toronto would support a NFL team under reasonable circumstances.

4 of the 6 games were in December, a time when casual fans aren't interested in a losing team. A game in November would have been a better opportunity for those NFL fans in Toronto.

• Bills Toronto series suspended for 2014

• Buffalo Bills back in Toronto for 5 more years

• CanadianCrossing.com NFL coverage

Having a preseason game in Toronto would be a way to give thanks to a considerable portion of the fan base without sacrificing a regular season game. There are several problems with that plan. Passports would be an issue for players of both teams who might not even make the squad. August is already a busy time for Rogers Centre with the Blue Jays and squeezing in some Argonauts games.

The Argonauts should have a home at BMO Field but that stadium wouldn't be able to help the Bills in future possibilities. Rogers Centre was the smallest NFL home even when the crowds were over 50,000. While many in Toronto have talked about a NFL team, nothing in reality points to that prospect.

Rogers Centre wants the Argonauts out as soon as possible to convert the playing surface to grass. The Bills could have fit into the new Rogers Centre since fewer dates would overlap between the seasons. But an ineffective Bills team and Rogers greed were a fatal combination to end the Bills Toronto series.

The city would be well-suited to host various NFL teams in the way London, England does. So would Montréal (depending on the status of Olympic Stadium) or Vancouver. Canada has a lot of NFL fans; hopefully, the country will get a better way to showcase the NFL fan base.

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In other Canadian football news, the Grey Cup drew 189,000 viewers on ESPN2. That number feels really low compared to some regular season numbers. Then again, the late Sunday slot has been a problem. 

Hopefully, ESPN will find a way for all the playoff games to be on TV, getting U.S. viewers in a rhythm for the Grey Cup.

2014 Grey Cup wrapup: Calgary Stampeders are the champs

The script was all set: Hamilton down by 4 with under a minute remaining. The Tiger-Cats had struggled in the red zone all night, settling for field goals in crucial second-half drives. But Hamilton had one offensive weapon left.

Calgary had dominated the game, but Rene Parades had to take off the punting due to an injury to regular punter Rob Maver. Paredes punted to Brandon Banks, who had 2 punt returns for TDs last week.

Banks runs the ball back for the Tiger-Cats, giving them their first lead of the game. Except.

Taylor Reed's push in the back of a Calgary defender negated the return. The subsequent drive fell fall short and the Calgary Stampeders won the 102nd Grey Cup 20-16 at BC Place in Vancouver.

• 2014 Grey Cup preview

• 2014 Grey Cup notebook: Hamilton, Calgary making their way to Vancouver

• CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

The apt comparison is Saskatchewan's 13th man controversy in the 2009 Grey Cup. Damon Duval missed a field-goal attempt that would have given the Montréal Alouettes the win.

The Roughriders were called for illegal substitution: 13 men in the huddle. Duval got a second chance and drove home the field goal, giving the Alouettes a 28-27 win.

Calgary didn't win and Hamilton didn't lose just on that play. If that block didn't happen, Banks likely still gets the TD and Calgary would have had the chance for a last-minute comeback.

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Calgary won its 7th Grey Cup, the previous title came in 2008. Hamilton has lost the last 2 Grey Cups, now 8-12 all time in Grey Cup games.

Hamilton, Winnipeg, and the old/new Ottawa franchise have not won a Grey Cup in the 21st century.

The Tiger-Cats go back to 198999, Winnipeg to 1990, and the old Ottawa Rough Riders to 1976.

The 103rd Grey Cup will be November 29, 2015 at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg. This was the first Grey Cup since 2010 where the home team didn't win. The Blue Bombers could start that streak up next season.

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The idea of a 9-9 team upsetting a 15-3 team didn't seem possible. The Tiger-Cats stayed in the game the whole time. Barring a penalty, we could have seen that upset in the making.

The game was a microcosm of the 2014 CFL season. Defense trumps offense. Settling for field goals. Penalties ultimately costing the game. And a close game at the end.

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Calgary had a QB dilemma at the end of last season. Kevin Glenn left for Ottawa and then BC. Drew Tate was the easy call, but the Stampeders went with Bo Levi Mitchell in his 3rd CFL season.

In a year where a lot of starting QBs went down, Mitchell didn't suffer a major injury. At 24, Mitchell won the Most Outstanding Player award of the Grey Cup.

At one point, Mitchell completed 10 straight passes, tied for 3rd longest streak in Grey Cup history. He finished the day with 25-34 for 334 passing yards.

Another great young CFL quarterback, Zach Collaros, went 25-33 for 342 yards. Both of these young QBs will make an impact on this game for a lot of years to come.

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There were a few no yards penalties, but the 2014 Grey Cup had no rouges or single points. The scoring was very straight forward.

You don't see too many 12-yard field goals, as Justin Medlock kicked for Hamilton. When your team is kicking 12 and 25 yard FGs, that team is struggling in the red zone. Converting one of those FG into a TD would have tied the game.

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Hamilton followed the hockey tradition and didn't touch the East Division trophy. Calgary wasn't as shy about the West Division trophy. Yet the Stampeders won. Sometimes, superstition isn't that super.

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While the U.S. ratings for the West semifinal were dismal, the East final on ESPN drew 263,000.

Tim Hortons Field, a better time slot for the U.S. audience, ESPN vs. ESPN2 — those are the more popular reasons.

We will get Grey Cup ratings when they're available.

ESPN learned a lot from the first year of a 5-year deal. We are intrigued to see where the TV coverage goes next season. More games on ESPNews would be good. Not forgetting about the CFL in August. All playoff games on TV, one way or another.

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Imagine Dragons played at the American Music Awards last Sunday. This Sunday, the band was in Vancouver to headline the 102nd Grey Cup.

Lead singer Dan Reynolds acknowledged that the band is a visitor in this country, but that Canada has always made them feel at home.

They sounded better than the YouTube videos I found. But the primary band/music act in the halftime of the Grey Cup needs to be Canadian.

Dallas Smith played during the pregame. He is Canadian.

Nikki Yanofsky led 102 singers in O Canada, a version that started later in French and finished later in French.

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Martin Short wasn't visible at the 2014 Grey Cup. Neither was Tom Hanks.

Russell Wilson did show up. His Seattle Seahawks played on U.S. Thanksgiving Day so Wilson had the day off. Seattle isn't that far from Vancouver.

Wilson would be an outstanding CFL quarterback. There would have been a time when the CFL might have been his best option. Fortunately, the NFL has become slightly more open to having a star quarterback with his talents.

The other major celebrity of note at the game was CBS NFL analyst Steve Tasker, father of Luke Tasker.

Unlike Wilson, Tasker had to ask his bosses for the week off, and the network approved the request.

Tasker was in Atlanta last Sunday for CBS but keeping track of his son's quest for the 2014 Grey Cup.

A nice gesture from a father with a fine NFL career to support his son in the CFL. Too bad for them that Tasker's team fell short.

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Chris Cuthbert and Glen Suitor called the 102nd Grey Cup in Vancouver. Rod Black and Giulio Caravatta called the game on TSN Radio. Black also handled the player introductions over the PA system.

Canadian notebook: 'Million Dollar Baby' shows pitfalls in traveling to U.S.

Some U.S. conservatives have complained about foreigners coming to the United States to have "anchor babies." Jennifer Huculak and partner Darren Kimmel weren't trying for an anchor baby, just a vacation while nearly 6 months pregnant. The price for them to pay: almost $1 million.

Huculak went into labour 2 days into their vacation in Hawaii in October 2013. Reece was born prematurely and spent 2 months in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The couple bought travel health insurance from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The insurance company said a recent bladder infection was a pre-existing condition, so the company would not pay for any expenses. The couple point out that there was no questionnaire from Blue Cross to disclose such ailments.

Even though Huculak's specialist confirmed that the bladder infection had nothing to do with her going into labour so early, the insurance company is refusing to pay.

"Ms. Huculak was diagnosed and treated for a high-risk pregnancy in the six months prior to departure. As Ms. Huculak is currently hospitalized and being treated for this high-risk pregnancy, any expenses incurred are not eligible under the terms of your policy."

Sadly, the reaction from Blue Cross/Blue Shield is considered "normal" in the for-profit U.S. health insurance world. The questionnaire is designed to force the insurance purchaser to list every single potential pitfall. Miss even one thing and insurance won't cover your bills, regardless of relevance.

A similar occurrence happened to a Calgary couple in 1997. The Alberta government, along with some generous donations, ended up paying the couple's bill.

The couple can't challenge the medical expenses after November 9, 2013 since the couple only bought insurance for the original travel plans plus an extra day of coverage at the end. The child had to spend 2 months in intensive care after her October birth. The mother spent 6 weeks on bed rest in a Hawaiian hospital. If the couple thought the insurance wouldn't cover the stay, the mother would have been better off in a hotel.

Also, if the coverage only pertained to the mother and partner, then the child's care, being a separate person, might not have been covered.

The couple has received some assistance from the Saskatchewan government, but the current debt is between $918,000-$950,000.

Canadians traveling to the United States should definitely buy travel health insurance. Assume that your insurance company will try and stiff you as in this example. If you or your partner is pregnant, consider your vacation destination very carefully.

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Explaining how 59 of 100 people isn't enough to pass a bill requires explaining something about U.S. politics that can be confusing, even if you studied U.S. politics … or covered U.S. politics as a journalist (c'est moi).

So the U.S. Senate didn't pass the Keystone XL pipeline bill last week since 60 votes is the magic number to end discussion on a bill that would pass. If you are in favor of approving the pipeline in this fashion, wait a bit longer and the new Senate will pass the bill early in 2015.

President Barack Obama would veto such a bill, even though he might approve the pipeline eventually, down the road, at some point.

We've written about false GOP deadlines before and this would be another false deadline. But a bill passed by Congress puts the Obama Administration in a bad position, and ironically, could push Obama to say "no" even if he might want to approve the pipeline.

• Election Day 2014: Finally word on Keystone XL pipeline?

• GOP forces President Obama to an artificial Keystone XL pipeline deadline

The Daily Show joked that the spectrum of permanent U.S. jobs from the pipeline would be 35 to millions. This doesn't count refining jobs in Texas. It's intriguing in both countries, where jobs are crucial, that the Keystone XL pipeline project in total wouldn't produce that many jobs in either country.

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Canadian hockey fans have plenty of opportunities to hear The Star Spangled Banner at NHL games. Given Toronto's U.S. friendly reputation, watching the Air Canada Centre crowd finish the U.S. anthem last week against Nashville was pretty cool, but not surprising.

The apt comparison has been made to the crowd in Pittsburgh singing O Canada after the tragic Ottawa shooting.

The Toronto Maple Leafs fans had two major disadvantages over the crowd in Pittsburgh. They didn't have the words and had no warning.

Most knowledgeable hockey fans know both anthems or most of the words to the other anthem, but maybe not well enough to sing them out loud in a NHL arena.

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The Buffalo Bills aren't scheduled to play in Toronto this year. With the snowstorm in Buffalo, Toronto was talked about as an option for hosting the Bills home game against the New York Jets.

Toronto was a very logical selection since Rogers Centre has hosted the Bills, is close by, has a domed stadium that was available, and not the snow issues.

The Bills host the Jets at Detroit's Ford Field tonight. While Ford Field has played host in such a circumstance (Vikings-Giants: Metrodome roof collapse 2010), Toronto likely wasn't picked since not all the NFL players would have passports.

The NFL plays games in London, England and sometimes in Toronto. Even the lowest-paid rookie makes enough money to afford a passport. If the NFL required passports, Toronto could have hosted this weekend's game.

• Bills Toronto series suspended for 2014

• Buffalo Bills back in Toronto for 5 more years

The Bills and Jets have played in Toronto as part of the Bills Toronto series. The Jets edged the Bills 19-13 on December 3, 2009 in front of 51,567 at Rogers Centre.

While the Bills Toronto series had suffered in recent years, this game could have been a better sign of what Toronto can do with the NFL since a) Rogers would not be involved in the tickets and pricing, and b) the patrons in Detroit aren't paying a cent (Ford Field drew 45,910 in 2010).

One legitimate criticism of Toronto sports fans is that too many seats go to people with a lot of money and aren't as enthusiastic. A last-minute grab of NFL tickets — even for the Bills and the Jets — could produce a huge and loud crowd at Rogers Centre.

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video credit: http://youtube.com/bagabus

Football notebook: Dream of seeing 4 CFL games in a week in jeopardy

When I saw the 2014 CFL schedule, I saw an opportunity to take in 4 CFL games in less than a week without stretching the travel budget.

The plan was so good that only one thing could go wrong. And that one thing went very wrong.

Watch the Argos host Winnipeg on Tuesday, then travel to Ottawa to see the Esks on Friday. Come back to the GTA to go to Hamilton Saturday afternoon as the Tiger-Cats host Calgary, followed by a Sunday night visit by BC at Rogers Centre.

So what went wrong? Tim Hortons Field won't be ready in time for the August 16 home game against the Stampeders.

Whether that game would be the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd game ever in the new stadium, getting a ticket was going to be difficult. The new stadium seats fewer people than Ivor Wynne Stadium. You have a pent up fan base eager to see the black and gold live in person. 22,000 is a heck of a lot more people than the 6,500 crammed into Ron Joyce Stadium.

Getting a ticket to the 2 Argos games isn't in doubt. I hustled to make sure I had a ticket in Canada's capital. But getting into Fort Knox might be easier than Ron Joyce Stadium.

Seats do open up since some patrons hang out in the end zone sections, since beer isn't allowed in the seating area. I would sacrifice a potential beer to be able to stay in the seating area.

Rogers Centre has been available for the dates of the first 3 Tiger-Cats home games. If the August 16 game had been placed there, all the Tiger-Cats fans would have fit in Rogers Centre with room even for me.

The concept was wonderful: be able to see 7 CFL teams live in person. The only 2 missed teams would be the Montréal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders. The feat would be even more significant since none of the games are televised back to the States.

5 of the 9 teams is still impressive, but not as cool as 7 teams. A chance to see the two newest stadiums; now only one.

I'm not alone in wanting to be at Ron Joyce Stadium on Saturday, enough people to fill the place 4 times.

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"The Hamilton Tiger-Cats were informed … that a plan is in place to allow the team to play the Labour Day Classic at Tim Hortons Field."

The team and league and fans sure want the stadium to be ready for the Labour Day Classic, especially since their options are limited.

The Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts can't play at Ron Joyce Stadium, since McMaster will host Guelph. Theoretically, this means Guelph is available, but that isn't a fun option for either team. Rogers Centre is technically available but the New York Yankees play on Sunday. However, the impression from the Tuesday night games is that turning around the stadium that quickly isn't viable.

There is great pressure to have the stadium safe enough to play on September 1. After that day, the pressure isn't as high.

Even if Tim Hortons Field is in good enough shape to play on Labour Day, the Tiger-Cats will likely go back to McMaster until the stadium is 100% ready.

The Tiger-Cats don't play again at home until September 14; McMaster plays September 13, but conversion isn't an issue.

We don't know if the ESPN family will carry the Labour Day games. We'll have to wait and see to find out if an incomplete Tim Hortons Field will be enough reason to not carry the early contest.

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The NFL is not coming to Toronto full-time. If Jon Bon Jovi and his group end up buying the NFL Buffalo Bills, the plan is to try and keep the team in Western New York. Yes, Bon Jovi specifically didn't guarantee the prospect of staying in Buffalo, but Toronto isn't a full-time option.

The Toronto Argonauts are being kicked out of Rogers Centre in part because of football seats. If the Bills can survive without those seats, then the Argos could too.

The Bills Toronto series was a chance to show what Toronto could do with a NFL franchise. We don't even know when or if the Bills are coming back to Toronto for the series.

The Argonauts need a deal to reconfigure BMO Field to accommodate the team. Hopefully, this will not come down to MLSE buying the team, but the only path to BMO might be MLSE. Regardless, the Argos need a good place to play, and soon.

The Bills can't play at BMO Field and they aren't getting a new NFL stadium in Toronto. Rogers Centre is the only option and that has drawbacks. The way Rogers has run the Bills Toronto series does not inspire confidence in making that work for 8 games a year.

The NFL doesn't benefit as much from a team in Canada. London (England, not Ontario) is where the league thinks of in terms of international growth.

Bills Toronto series suspended for 2014

Buffalo Bills in Toronto (regular season)

Date	Winner	Loser	Attendance
December 7, 2008	Miami 16	Buffalo 3	52,134
December 3, 2009	New York Jets 19	Buffalo 13	51,567
November 7, 2010	Chicago 22	Buffalo 19	50,746
October 30, 2011	Buffalo 23	Washington 0	51,579
December 16, 2012	Seattle 50	Buffalo 17	40,770
December 1, 2013	Atlanta 34	Buffalo 31 (OT)	38,969

 

So the rumours were true: the Buffalo Bills will not play in Canada in 2014.

The speculation had been building up since the last game at Rogers Centre, December 1 against Atlanta. Since the Bills delayed sending out information for season tickets, the speculation of dropping Toronto fired up even hotter. And now we have today's announcement.

"The Buffalo Bills and Rogers are committed to delivering a first-class NFL experience to Canadians. As such, we have postponed for one year the scheduled 2014 regular season game at Rogers Centre in Toronto, and that game will return to Ralph Wilson Stadium. We will use this time to collectively evaluate opportunities and build on the foundation to enhance future games.

"We are committed to continuing our partnership and have secured a robust sponsorship agreement for the 2014 season that will bring Canadian NFL fans visibility and access to the Bills. The sponsorship includes ticketing, merchandising, media exposure, and a newly created Canada House, near Ralph Wilson Stadium, that will serve as the official pre-game Canadian tailgate zone for all Bills home games.

"The NFL remains very popular in Canada and we are dedicated to enriching the experience for the fans."

The lone bright spot from that release is that Canadian fans who travel to Buffalo will get an enhanced experience with a Canada House. Hopefully that Canada House will also be stocked with a beer fridge that can only be opened by a Canadian passport.

Previous coverage:

Buffalo Bills suffer through Rob Ford, another loss at Rogers Centre

Even with the months of speculation, we don't have a specific reason why the Bills are pulling out. Rogers hasn't handled the series terribly well, but other factors are in the mix.

The games are late in the season for practical purposes. They have featured NFC opponents. Tailgating is difficult in downtown Toronto (you would think Rob Ford would work on that aspect). And the Bills have been one of the worst NFL teams, and 1-5 in Toronto.

The two sides just agreed on a 5-year extension that started last season. A 2015 pre-season game is supposed to be in the mix. The original 3 preseason games turned into 2 in the original 5-year deal.

Rogers Centre switching over to grass in 2018 could be a contributing factor, though if the series had run its 5-year course, the Bills Toronto series would have ended in 2017.

Following the recent pattern, if the game had been kept, we would have been looking at December 7 against Minnesota or Green Bay. They would have been slightly better opponents than Seattle or Atlanta. Unlike the previous Bills Toronto games on Rogers Sportsnet and Rogers-owned City TV, this year's game would have aired on sports rival TSN.

Toronto wasn't getting the best of the NFL, but also hadn't met the challenge. Bills fans south of the border have been furious with having a home game in Toronto.

We could see more Bills preseason games to ride out the contract, though that would make the Argonauts schedule that much more bizarre until they can get out (BMO Field?).

Rogers would likely be willing to trade better NFL games earlier in the season to get out of the Bills contract. October is usually a good time, except when the Blue Jays are in the playoffs. Like we said, October is a good time.

If Rogers gets its cut, we could contemplate Olympic Stadium in Montréal or B.C. Place in Vancouver. Both places should be able to sell out easier and easier to schedule conflict-wise.

The Bills Toronto contract calls for 4 regular season games and a preseason game before the end of the 2017 season. The NFL and Roger Goodell need to step up and give Toronto a good chance to show the NFL has some promise north of the border.

Ketchup flavored Doritos get some love on Balance of Food

Long-time readers are certainly aware of Canadians' fascination with ketchup chips and that look of surprise from "Americans" when they first hear of ketchup chips.

In my brief trip last month to Canada, I discovered Doritos was offering a limited time sampling of ketchup flavored Doritos.

While they don't stack up to ketchup chips made from potatoes, fans of Doritos should definitely check this out.

To think of ketchup Doritos in visual terms, you get orange fingers from eating the nacho cheese version. You get red fingers from the ketchup version.

Doritos is only offering the ketchup flavored variety for a limited time … and only in Canada.

The ketchup Doritos got some love from our sister blog, BalanceofFood.com, in its What's Tempting segment. Click here to read the full story and get a comprehensive review.

Super Bowl XLVIII Canadian notebook

The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA championship in 1979. Seattle now has two major sports championships with the Seahawks' blowout of the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Jon Ryan proved very useful as the placeholder for Seattle's many extra points and 2/2 in field goals. Ryan's only punt came with 7:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter, a 45-yard punt. The fact the Seattle only punted once reflected well on the team in the blowout.

Luke Willson caught 2 passes for 17 yards, a 12-yard reception was the longer of the two.

Even though Brandon Browner didn't play in the Super Bowl, Browner should get a Super Bowl ring. Browner would join a select group of football players to win the Grey Cup and Super Bowl in their careers.

I couldn't find a complete list of players who have won both trophies, but here are the confirmed players (FWIW, I found way more than Wikipedia had).

O.J. Brigance (Baltimore, Baltimore) is the only player to win them in the same city, though Brigance's CFL teammate, Alvin Walton, won with nearby Washington. The list also includes Harald Hasselbach (Calgary, Denver); Tyrone Williams (Toronto, Dallas); Bobby Singh (B.C., St. Louis Rams); Barry Wilburn (B.C. and Washington); Terry Greer (Toronto, San Francisco); Josh Miller (Baltimore Stallions, New England); and Andre Rison (Toronto, Green Bay).

The lovely and talented Sarah McLachlan poked a little fun at her image of saving animals in an Audi commercial. (Full disclosure: I work in the world of cars for my day job.) McLachlan is trying to save the fictional mixed breed doberhuahua, a cross between a doberman and a chihuahua.

Fox featured Jay (Onrait) and Dan (O'Toole) in a Fox Sports 1 promo. And Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer was featured in a promo for the latest chapter of "24."

We should also count Loverboy's "Workin' for the Weekend" playing in the background of the Radio Shack ad spotlighting the 1980s.

Previous coverage:

Super Bowl XLVIII from a Canada perspective

The Rob Ford jinx may not be real, but the after-effects continue. Once again, Ford wore a team's jersey for a big game, and that team lost the game. Ford wore an Argos jersey before Hamilton beat Toronto, a Bills jersey before the last Bills Toronto series game, and a Broncos jersey before Super Bowl XLVIII.

Ford wore the Orlando Franklin #74 jersey since Franklin was raised in Toronto. Franklin did get called for a personal foul in the game.

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Canadians with cable were able to watch the postgame celebration from the Seattle stations, especially Q13 KCPQ, the Fox affiliate in the Emerald City. And I know that B.C. has quite a few Seahawks fans, and hope they were able to celebrate in fine fashion.

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Forgot to mention in the Super Bowl preview that Pat Bowlen, majority owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos, has roots in Edmonton. His father became rich in the Canadian oil industry. Bowlen was a successful lawyer in Edmonton.

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Russell Wilson is the second black quarterback to win the Super Bowl (Doug Williams, Washington) and the first running quarterback of African descent to win the NFL crown. In the CFL, running quarterbacks who aren't white is fairly normal. Think Darian Durant (Grey Cup 2013) or Henry Burris (Grey Cup 2008, runner up 2013). 

We won't exhaust the list of non-white quarterbacks that have won Grey Cups in the CFL. Okay, one more name: 3-time champion Anthony Calvillo. But there have been a lot.

We are thrilled to see the NFL take these tiny steps, but also glad the CFL has been much more open all these years.

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As a special concession, I offer up my take on food ads from Super Bowl XLVIII. I know some Canadians get frustrated by not being able to watch the U.S. ads during the broadcast. Hope you enjoy my annual column on the ads.

Full disclosure: While my day job didn't run a Super Bowl ad this season, the company has run Super Bowl ads in the past.

picture credit: Audi