So upon learning that the BC Lions will be playing the 2010 season in the hands of Mother Nature, it made the holiday season that much better for me. You see, I was brought up a die hard Leo's fan. I'm a member of the last generation of fans that will recall the "Looou" chant as being for arguably the best kicker in CFL history, not for every time the guy we hope is the starting goalie for Canada in the Olympics touches the puck.
But somewhere along the way, I faded from caring whatsoever about the Lions or even the CFL in general. It probably started the first time I saw a live Seahawks game in the ninth grade, escalated when I saw the Washington Huskies play eventual Heisman winner Sam Bradford and Oklahoma at historic Husky Stadium, and then capped off when I witnesses Washington play LSU under the lights in Seattle. Probably one of the greatest sporting spectacles my eyes have ever seen live.
All of a sudden, going to BC Place to sit in a sauna and watch punt after punt, a point awarded for failure, and the all-too-predictable second down pass after a stuffed run on first. Being able to see all of the Carolina Blue seats in the dome just kills the atmosphere. Then came the realization that possibly the most talented quarterback the Lions have ever dressed, Casey Printers, was so far down the depth chart in his stint with Kansas City that he could share greivances with Kordell Stewart. It really didn't help when Wally Buono decided not to start Casey in the Grey Cup after he won the MVP killed it. Probably the only time I've ever seen that happen in any sport.
Anyways, bringing Empire Stadium, the place that's played host to the Commonwealth Games, the Beatles, and the King himself, Elvis Presley, has got to be the biggest gust of fresh air a maligned fan such as myself can ask for.
What I'm really hoping for are sellout games. And some serious tailgating parties. If you've never experienced the tailgating at a college football game, it is probably one of the coolest sights you will ever see, and would make gameday for the Lions that much more enjoyable. It's understandable that it doesn't happen now, just because of the fact that half of the people that show up get there from the SkyTrain.
The summer crowd at the new outdoor building will hopefully be close to selling out the new joint, but what will be interesting to see is how much attendance drops when the games start to be played in the cold. Using my estimating of 38% of people at Lions games that are only there to get drunk, those people will most likely not want to do it in the rain, and just stay home. We'll find out just how big of football fans Vancouverites are after this season.
On the negative side, it's only a temporary venue. But why? Why waste a space that is pretty much just used for a softball diamond for a place that can host big time sporting events and concerts? How cool would it be to see Green Day rock and outdoor concert old school at Empire?
And think about this. SFU is going to be an NCAA Div II school in 2010. A 30,000 seat stadium would be the perfect addition to helping them build a program that can eventually, hopefully, end up in a FBS conference? Obviously all of the top high school kids in BC are going to start to flock to SFU instead of playing in the media starved CIS, but playing in a big stadium could hopefully lure in some secondary talent from Idaho, Washington, and even the hotbed of California where a good enough eye might be able to lure a sleeper up here.
This stadium, used properly, could easily become one of the best things to happen to the Vancouver Sports scene since BC Place opened in '83. This is old school, the way football should be.
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