TED A Do aE A COUPLE of months ago in this prose slot, you were advised to take in next Sunday’s Grey Cup game under the teflon dome for the very good reason that it might be the last one ever played there. Or, for that matter, given the Canadian Football League’s current self-immolation, maybe the last one, period Jim Kearney — THE SPECTATOR - Now, there are additional reasons for attending. The B.C, Lions will be there, thanks to the miracle finish at Calgary the other day. Darren Flutie, a great little athlete with vel- cro-tipped fingers, was the star of - the show: Maybe the first time in his life he’s ever eclipsed brother Doug. And for yet another reason to watch the big game, their opponents are the Baltimore No-Names, the first ever American-based team with - a totally American roster ever to play for Earl Grey’s old silver-plat- ed mug. For the first time in Grey Cup history, ycu’ll be required to stand attention for the Star Spangled Banner as well as O Canada. ° Maybe even for a chorus of Maryland, My Maryland. But in one respect the game will be what it was always meant to be, a true East- ‘West final. Winnipeg Blue - Bembers representing the East, as .. has been the case lately. is a bit of a joke. Geographical fact says Thunder Bay i is exactly halfway between St. ' John’s and Victoria. The East starts at Lake Superior. And just think, the Lions-Baltimore. game will be the longest East-West stretch in CFL- history. Literally, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Nonetheless, the old Earl, who donated the trophy in 1909 for the “amateur rugby football champi- onship of Canada,” may be spinning just a little in the family vault back in Jolly Old. Not only did the pro- fessionals get their hands on his $50 ‘ cup, now there’s an even chance it will take a detour to the U.S. and stay down there. This will be the Lions’ sixth Grey Cup appearance and, if history repeats, the cup indeed will find a new home in Baltimore. B.C.’s two- for-five record includes wins at Toronto in 1964 and, in 1985, at Montreal. They lost at Empire Stadium in 1963 and under the B.C. Place Dome, in its first year of oper- ation, in 1983. Their one road loss was at Ottawa in 1988. The prognosis is not good. On the other hand, there is such a thing as the law of aver- ages. ' There’s also the theory that good things come in threes, A pair of last gasp wins at Edmonton and Calgary. Maybe the same thing at the Dome Sunday aftemoon. And, win or lose, probably another big night downtown. Let’s hope it's happier than the Stanley Cup riot night. And, looking beyond the eupho- ria of this week, let’s hope there’s still a modicum of Canadian content in the league when it reassernbles for the 1995 season. Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Rough Riders are broke. Hamilton has been given a league ultimatum to , sel] umpteen thousand season tick- ets by mid-December or forget about continuing. No such demand as yet on Ottawa, but things look pretty hopeless there, too. And now the word is about the kindly brewmeister, Labatt, wants to buy the hapless and up-for-sale Tampa Bay Buccaneers and move them to Toronto as a companion- piece for the baseball Blue Jays. The, way the story is told, the brewmeister, who also owns the CFL Argonauts through his TV subsidiary, TSN, plans to give a sea- son’s ticket for the Argos’ games to everyone who.buys a season sub- scription to the relocated NFL Buccaneers. In the West, the CFL still has a detectable pulse, although the Stampeders’ owner, stock promoter Larry Ryckman, seems to be doing — his best to make it grow fainter. He spent much of the season Let's talk personal. Singles from all over the Lower Mainland are talking and meeting each other through Talking Personals, every issue in their VAN community classifieds. Call 1-800-466-6856. SS Talking Personals are for single (Talking Personals fess mearmce we meee ae sammean ‘people over 18 loohing for a suncare relationship. Explicit or implicit seuat language will noi be accepted, ‘Thus, [ think it would be a per- fectly splendid idea for the Lions to win a Grey Cup for the first time on their home turt. That's the reason threatening Calgary supporters; telling them if they didn't start buy- ing more tickets, he might be forced to fly away to San Antonio with Doug, Flutie to start another team. Presumably, he would sell the rest of the Stamps to Calgary interests. His final act of hubris was to demand a new stadium rental con- tract, a huge scason ticket commit- ment for ‘95 by mid-December and a million dollars in Alberta lottery money. He’s been turned down on that last one. With Ralph Klein tearing the guts out of health and education budgets, did Ryckman really believe he could get a million bucks from the Alberta government? So, as well as Baltimore, a relo- cated Sacramento team, Shreveport and the just announced Federal Express team in Memphis, the CFL could also include San Antonio and Birmingham, Ala., by next season, The league could be more American than Canadian. Call it the Can-Am League. "DON TAYLOR Same owner high tech equipped shop ‘-) a EF en : e flies ‘ Tied he ihe i a ea ghee I'm picking Baltimore, 30-24. Those familiar with my track record will know this should guarantee a win for the home team, COLLISION SPECIALISTS. Our 36th Year ‘1.€.3.C. - B.C.A.A, ~ AR.A, APPROVED CENTRE FREE COURTESY CARS FOR COLLISION REPAIRS “LIFETIME GUARANTEE” AS LONG AS YOU OWN YOUR CAR xEstimates,Consultation* 985-7455 6.5% FINANCING ON CAMRYS | & 4 RUNNERS | : Juntrieducing the 1995 Aaclon Toyota's new generation . 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