Toronto Argonauts: 2024 Grey Cup Champions

VANCOUVER — The Toronto Argonauts were the hottest team in the league going into the playoffs. That momentum took them all the way to a win in the 111th Grey Cup.

The Argos used a dominant defensive effort to top the favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-24. Nick Arbuckle, filling in for injured Argos’ starting quarterback Chad Kelly, threw for over 250 yards with a pair of touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

The win gives the Argos their 19th-ever Grey Cup and marks the second time in three years that they have taken one at the expense of the Bombers, who made their fifth consecutive appearance in the game.

Arbuckle connected with eight different receivers to lead a balanced offensive attack.

Zach Collaros dealt with an injured finger in the second half, but returned to play. He threw three of his four interceptions after the injury occurred. Collaros finished the night 15-30 for 202 yards.

Rookie Ontaria Wilson led the Bombers’ receivers with 99 yards on five catches.

The Duke of Sussex Prince Harry helped get things going with an appearance at the game at BC Place, while The Jonas Brothers rocked an enthralled crowd of 52,439 at BC Place in the Twisted Tea Grey Cup Halftime Show.

The Argos’ defence made quick work out of the Bombers’ first offensive drive, taming a crowd that was famished for a big Winnipeg play.

After a 23-yard return from Janarion Grant, Arbuckle showed a lot of poise in his first drive of the day. The peak of his 11-play, 51-yard drive came when he converted a second-and-17 to Deonta McMahon to get in scoring range. Lirim Hajrullahu converted a 16-yard field goal to open the scoring at 7:03 of the first quarter.

Collaros made just two of his first five passes for just three yards before he connected with Ontaria Wilson for a 49-yard pickup to move to Toronto’s 10-yard line. That drive also saw Oliveira get hist first touches of the day, before backup quarterback Terry Wilson came into the game and forced his way into the end zone from three yards out at 14:38. Sergio Castillo‘s convert put the Bombers up 7-3 with just a second left to play in the game’s opening quarter.

The Bombers appeared to be headed for a similar scoring play when Collaros found Kenny Lawler for a 22-yard gain to get to Toronto’s 35-yard line. With Collaros hungry for more, the Argos’ defence came up big at its eight-yard line. Jake Ceresna forced Collaros to throw the ball out of bounds and then d-lineman Robbie Smith sacked Collaros on second down, bringing Castillo out to hit a 19-yard field goal that gave the Bombers a 10-3 lead at 8:46 of the second quarter.

After Arbuckle found Damonte Coxie for a 39-yard gain to get to the Bombers’ 13-yard line, it was Winnipeg’s defence that made a key stop. Willie Jefferson sacked Arbuckle, turning what could have been a touchdown into a 34-yard Hajrullahu field goal to make it a 10-6 game at 12:47. The veteran kicker had a body make contact with him after the make, that left him limping on the sidelines as he watched his teammates.

The Argos got one more shot at a score, thanks to defensive back Benjie Franklin, who intercepted Collaros as he looked for Keric Wheatfall. Hajrullahu, visibly impacted by the earlier hit, coolly sent a 45-yard field goal through the uprights with 21 seconds left in the half. The Bombers went into the locker room at the break holding a 10-9 advantage.

The Argos’ first offensive drive of the third quarter fizzled midfield, but punter John Haggerty managed to tie the game at 10 aside with a 67-yard punt at 2:28.

The third quarter featured a pair of big defensive plays. With the Argos’ plodding their way up the field, Jefferson got to Arbuckle and forced a fumble and while the Argos recovered, they were forced to punt. Bombers’ returner Lucky Whitehead had the ball popped loose from him at his team’s 17-yard line and recovered by the Argos’ Jack Cassar, setting up the Argos’ offence in a prime scoring situation.

Arbuckle only needed one play to find rookie receiver Kevin Mital, who ran the ball in for the team’s first touchdown of the day. Hajrullahu’s extra point went through at 9:11, putting his team in front 17-10.

The Bombers tried to take any momentum earned on that touchdown away immediately. Arbuckle looked for Damonte Coxie on the sideline, but was picked off by Terrell Bonds, getting the Bombers’ fans in the building up on their feet and lively again. The energy stayed high as Oliveira broke through for a 35-yard gain to the Argos’ 35-yard line. Castillo finished off the quick drive with a 40-yard field goal to make it a 17-13 game at 12:42.

The third quarter closed with a frenetic sequence of events. Haggerty had his punt blocked by Michael Ayers at end of third quarter. Officials called Winnipeg’s Kyrie Wilson for a push in the melee which led to a loose ball interference call, giving Toronto a first down. Two plays later, Arbuckle was intercepted by Jefferson, which got the Bombers to the red zone. With Collaros out of the game momentarily to have a bleeding finger on his throwing hand attended to, Wilson came into the game but was unable to finish the drive. Castillo hit from 23-yards out at 2:23 of the fourth quarter, making it a one-point game, with the Argos up 17-16.

After those unsettling plays, Arbuckle settled in for a poised, eight-play, 68-yard that featured a gutsy seven-yard run, before he capped it with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dejon Brissett. Hajrullahu’s convert gave the Argos a 24-16 lead over the Bombers at 7:52.

Collaros returned to the game with his hand bandaged, but immediately looked deep on a pass, but was intercepted by DaShaun Amos, who ran the ball back deep into Winnipeg territory. A penalty moved the Argos to the eight-yard line. The Bombers’ defence held and forced Hajrullahu back onto the field, where he sent 14-yard field goal through to put his team up 27-16.

The Argos’ defence looked for the dagger in the game when Robert Priester intercepted Collaros and ran it 61 yards for the score. Hajrullahu’s convert pushed the score to 34-16 at 12:07, as the Argo fans in the building began to celebrate. Linebacker Wynton McManis added to the party as the clock ticked down, pulling in a tipped Collaros pass for the Argos’ fourth pick of the night.

Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie got an early Gatorade shower from the Argos’ sideline, with the party getting underway early.

For the Bombers, Brady Oliveira broke the plane with 47 seconds to play, but by that point many of their fans had filed out of the stadium. The Argos’ supporters cheered their team on as the final seconds ticked away, with the players rushing the field to begin a party that will last all week.

Toronto Argonauts: 2022 Grey Cup Champions

REGINA — All week long, the Toronto Argonauts heard about a team trying to make history. 

On Sunday at the 109th Grey Cup, they decided to take control of that narrative and stunned the two-time defending champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-23. 

McLeod Bethel-Thompson made 15 of 28 passes for 203 yards before dislocating his thumb in the fourth-quarter. He was replaced by backup QB Chad Kelly who made 4-6 passes for 43 yards and had a key scramble that helped set up a touchdown. Argos’ defensive lineman Robbie Smith made a game-saving field goal block to secure the dramatic win, giving the Boatmen their 18th Grey Cup.

Zach Collaros was 14-23 for 183 yards, a touchdown and an interception on an injured ankle, as the Bombers’ bid to become the CFL’s first three-peat champion in 42 years fell short.

Janarion Grant set a Grey Cup record with his 102-yard fourth-quarter punt return touchdown.

The Argos triumphed in front of a raucous, Winnipeg-friendly crowd at Mosaic Stadium, which saw the Twisted Tea Halftime Show that featured Jordan Davis, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line and Canada’s own Josh Ross keep fans entertained for the entirety of their Sunday night.

It was Bethel-Thompson and the Argos that opened the scoring. Stuck at Winnipeg’s 39-yard line, the Argos got a 46-yard field goal from Boris Bede at 4:44 to open the game’s scoring.

Winnipeg’s defence put its stamp on the game next, when Jackson Jeffcoat sacked Bethel-Thompson and linebacker Jesse Briggs recovered at the Bombers’ 49-yard line. The play snuffed out a drive that featured a Harris run that saw him hurdle the Bombers’ defence to get extra yards; a play that Harris let his former teammates on the Blue and Gold sideline hear about.

The Bombers came through the first quarter with their offence struggling. Collaros and his offensive teammates generated just one first down for 29 net yards of offence.

The Argos opened the second quarter with a promising drive that came to an end with a Bede 36-yard field goal attempt that sailed to his right and yielded a single. That pushed the score to 4-0 at 2:56.

Collaros’ first Collaros-like play of the game came on the drive that followed Bede’s miss. He worked from the pocket and connected with Dalton Schoen on a 39-yard play that got the Bombers to the Argos’ 31-yard line. Dakota Prukop came in to relieve Collaros on short yardage and eventually powered his way into the end zone, capping an eight-play, 70-yard drive. Marc Liegghio‘s convert went through at 7:31, putting the Bombers in front 7-4.

The Argos evened up the game on the ensuing drive. While they didn’t find the end zone, Bede got a second attempt from 36 yards and put it through the uprights to tie the game 7-7 at 11:13.

Collaros and the Bombers tried to close the half out with a bang. After failing to connect with Schoen on a play where he was thinking end zone, Collaros tested his ankle with a rush out of the pocket that set up Liegghio’s first field goal of the night. Liegghio’s 45-yarder made it 10-7 with 21 seconds left in the half.

The Argos were able to get Bede out for a 52-yard field goal attempt with four seconds left, but the kicker saw his second attempt of the night miss the mark. The Bombers took their three-point edge into the half.

Toronto tried to leave its offensive struggles in the first half. Bethel-Thompson led a four-play, 34-yard drive that finally got the team into the end zone, with running back A.J. Ouellette breaking through at 3:09 of the third quarter. Bede’s convert put the Argos up 14-10.

Collaros responded with a lengthy 13-play 7:12 drive that tested him as his team gradually made its way up the field. He showed elusiveness getting out of the pocket to complete a pass to Drew Wolitarsky. He took a sack from Shawn Oakman (that came back on an offside call) that saw him take weight on his right leg. On second-and-seven, he found Schoen again to get to Toronto’s 22-yard line. Once again, Prukop finished off the drive from a yard out. Liegghio’s convert put the Bombers up 17-14 at 11:31.

If the Argos sought to make a statement to open the third, the Bombers used the first play of the fourth quarter to make theirs.

Grant took John Haggerty‘s 51-yard punt back 102 yards for a key return touchdown to help open up a 23-14 Bombers’ lead. Grant’s return touchdown — his second of the post-season — set a Grey Cup record. Liegghio was unable to connect on the convert.

Toronto looked to respond but once again was stranded on Winnipeg’s side of the field. Bede made his third field goal of the night at 2:20 — another 36-yard shot — to get his team back within six, at 23-17.

If the increasingly loud fans decked out in blue behind the Bombers’ bench had started the celebration, they were slowed when Prukop was intercepted by Shaq Richardson, setting the Argos up on their own 20-yard line. With Bethel-Thompson holding his wrist on the Argos’ sideline, the team turned to backup Kelly.

Argos’ returner Javon Leake appeared to have a touchdown run in him himself, but was thwarted at Winnipeg’s 31-yard line by special teamer Shayne Gauthier. Kelly returned to lead the offence and had an impressive run from the pocket that got a penalty-addled drive back on track at Winnipeg’s 16-yard line. Ouellette took a handoff from the five-yard line and ran in for his second touchdown of the night, tying the game. Bede’s convert put the Argos back in front 24-23 with 3:24 left in the game.

Collaros took the field at his own 36, looking for a way to get his team back in front. His first pass of the drive was reeled in by Muamba, who’d narrowly missed out on a first-half pick. Kelly and the Argos went back on the field at the Bombers’ 43-yard line looking for the win.

Bede returned to the field to line up a 43-yarder and had it blocked by Nick Hallett, allowing the Bombers to get the ball back on their own 29 with under two minutes to play. On second-and-five, Argos’ d-lineman Robbie Smith snuck around the edge and sacked Collaros, forcing the Bombers into a must-have third down. Brought down again, an Argos’ facemask call gave Collaros life.

At his own 41-yard line, Collaros found Greg Ellingson for the first down he was looking for, moving the Bomers to the Toronto 45-yard line. A Chris Edwards knockdown sent the Bombers back into third down, forcing the team to turn to Liegghio for a 47-yard attempt that was blocked by Smith, making up for his earlier penalty.

The Argos closed out the final seconds of the game celebrating in victory formation, while their sideline celebrated their historic win in front of a stunned Mosaic Stadium crowd.

Toronto Argonauts: 2017 Grey Cup Champions

OTTAWA — Cassius Vaughn tied the game on a late 109-yard fumble return touchdown while Ricky Ray did the rest, leading the Toronto Argonauts to a stunning come-from-behind win in the 105th Grey Cup presented by Shaw.

Shania Twain rocked a sold out crowd of 36,154 at Ottawa’s TD Place at halftime, but in the end it was the underdog Argos stealing the thunder, erasing a late-game deficit and winning 27-24 thanks to a play that won’t soon be forgotten.

With the Stampeders up a touchdown and inside the Argo 10, Kamar Jorden fumbled the football and Vaughn returned it the distance, tying the game and leading to one of the most dramatic late-game turnarounds in CFL history.

Lirim Hajrullahu kicked the go-ahead points with 0:49 remaining, then, with the Stamps threatening, Matt Black hauled in the game-clinching interception in the end zone.

Ray threw for 297 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-32 passing, becoming the all-time leader in Grey Cup wins for a starting quarterback with four.

DeVier Posey was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after catching seven passes for 175 yards and a touchdown, including a Grey Cup record 100-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter.

Bo Levi Mitchell had an efficient game for the Stamps, completing 33 of 45 passes for 373 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Jerome Messam was named Most Valuable Canadian for the Stamps, scoring once each through the air and on the ground while adding 62 rushing yards on 12 carries.

The ball-handlers struggled to adapt to the slippery conditions their first time out on the field. The first passing attempt of the game by Mitchell slipped right through the hands of Marquay McDaniel, which was a sign of things to come, while on the next play Cleyon Laing made the Stamps pay with the game’s first sack.

Rob Maver‘s ensuing punt was mishandled by Armanti Edwards, but the Argos were able to avoid catastrophe by recovering the fumble and then punting after just two offensive plays.

It was midway through the first quarter when the Stamps’ offence finally got moving. DaVaris Daniels made an acrobatic grab over the middle to give the drive life, while the game would see its first big play on the game’s first gamble by Head Coach Dave Dickenson.

After a misstep saw Mitchell tackled in the backfield on second down, the Stamps went for third-and-three and off a play-action fake to Messam, Jorden caught the swing pass and beat the corner to the sideline, running 33 yards for the game’s first score.

The Stamps missed the two-point try after Mitchell’s pass struck the upright, but opened up a 6-0 lead nonetheless.

While the Argo offence struggled through the first quarter, lightning struck on the opening play of quarter No. 2. On second down, Ray dropped back and found Posey in single coverage, with the second-year burner going 100 yards on the game’s most electrifying play.

Posey’s touchdown was the longest in Grey Cup history, while Hajrullahu’s extra point missed the uprights, leaving the game six-apiece.

After two long scoring plays, the Stampeders answered with a methodical drive. Mitchell picked up two quick first downs with completions to Daniels and McDaniel, then it was time for the power running game.

Messam’s 15-yard gain put the Stamps deep inside scoring range before Rob Cote‘s 13-yard catch-and-run moved the sticks on second-and-three. On the very next play, the Stamps’ bell cow back in Messam powered his way towards the goal line and was able to stretch for the score, capping an eight-play, 70-yard drive.

Mitchell and Daniels connected on the two-point conversion, putting the Stamps back in the driver’s seat 14-6.

Calgary’s first mistake of the came soon after. The long snap to Maver went over the punter’s head, forcing him to retreat for the loose ball and safely kick it out of the back of the end zone.

The weather continued to get the best of both offences throughout the rest of the second quarter, with a game-changing play coming in half’s final moment. Rory Kohlert had the ball punched from his grasp, yet was able to out-race two Argos to the football to get the ball back and avoid a big play the other way.

That resulted in an eventual 39-yard field goal by Rene Paredes on the half’s last play, extending the Stamps’ lead to 17-8 at the half and marking a potential massive swing.

With the snowfall receding, the Argos’ offence came out of the gate with a jump in its step in the third. A little misdirection led to a 27-yard pickup by Declan Cross on first down, moving the Argos past their own 45 and into Calgary territory for the first time in the game.

Ray went to Posey twice more after that, including for a 27-yard pickup down to the Calgary two-yard-line. That set up a second-down touchdown plunge by Wilder and a two-point conversion from Cross, giving the Argos a quick eight points and cutting their deficit to 17-16.

Wilder’s first touchdown of the game capped off a nine-play, 74-yard drive over the span of 4:31.

The Stampeders’ offence picked up the momentum from there. Mitchell completed passes to Daniels, McDaniel and Juwan Brescacin to move into Argos territory, while a pass interference challenge by Dickenson was successful, moving the Stamps down to the Argo five.

One play later, Messam caught a swing pass from Mitchell and kept his balance along with his feet in bounds, scoring his second touchdown of the game to extend Calgary’s lead to eight points.

The 24-16 score carried into the fourth quarter, with the yards harder to come by against either of these two stingy defences.

In the fourth, a close call came for the Stampeders when Roy Finch mishandled Hajrullahu’s punt. Llevi Noel couldn’t pick it up while a scrum ensued, but the Stamps were able to recover at their own 25 with 8:30 remaining.

That proved to be a key play in the game, because on the very next play Mitchell found Marken Michel with a step on Argos corner Akwasi Owusu-Ansah for a 50-yard gain. A pass interference penalty moved the Stamps even closer, while Daniels’ 10th catch of the game converted another first down at the Argo eight.

Next came the play that would define the 105th Grey Cup. After catching a swing pass, Jorden looked for extra yards but had the ball knocked from his grasp. There to pick it up was Vaughn, who scooped up the fumble, eluded a defender along the sideline and sprinted 110 yards for the longest defensive touchdown in CFL history.

Ray rolled away from pressure and found Cross for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 24 apiece in a stunning turn of events.

The Stamps went two-and-out while a connection with Posey in space got the Argos across the 50. On an ensuing second down, Ray stayed in a rhythm, finding S.J. Green for a 10-yard pickup and another first down.

Another completion to Posey, the receiver’s sixth of the game, eventually set up a 32-yard field goal by Hajrullahu, putting the Argos ahead for the first time in the game, 27-24 with 0:49 remaining.

However, the Stampeders were not done there. After wearing the goat horns previously, Jorden found some redemption, getting open and making an acrobatic grab at the Argo 30.

Two plays later, however, on second-and-five, Mitchell went for the home run but was intercepted by Matt Black in the end zone, clinching a dramatic victory for the Argos.

Daniels had 11 catches for 113 yards to lead the Stamps, while Jorden hauled in six passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Argos dynamic running back Wilder was limited, at least outside of his touchdown, managing 13 yards on nine carries along with 18 receiving yards on two catches.

The Stampeders doubled the Argos in first downs, 24-12, while racking up 401 net yards to Toronto’s 299.

Yet at the end of the day, a clean pocket for Ray, who was sacked only once in the game, helped the Argos’ offence move the ball when it needed to, taking advantage of the two-score swing caused by Vaughn’s touchdown. The drive that set up Hajrullah’s field goal was the 43rd game-winning drive of Ray’s illustrious career.

Meanwhile, the eight-point deficit the Argos erased was the fourth-largest in the fourth quarter in Grey Cup history.

For Calgary, it’s a bitter defeat for the second straight season. Last year marked the single greatest upset in CFL history, when the 15-2-1 Stamps were taken down 39-33 in overtime by the 8-9-1 REDBLACKS.

While the Argos won the East with a 9-9 record, however, that’s not indicative of their play of late. With Sunday’s win, Trestman’s team has now won seven of its last nine games.

The victory caps off an impressive turnaround season for Trestman and Jim Popp, who took over late in the off-season and led the Boatmen from a five-win season to a Grey Cup Championship.

Grey Cup 2012...

 

Argos close out magical season in Toronto with Grey Cup victory

Bruce Arthur | Nov 25, 2012 10:35 PM ET | Last Updated: Nov 26, 2012 12:21 AM ET
More from Bruce Arthur | @bruce_arthur

At one end of what felt like a darkened airplane hanger, stretching for miles in the depths of the Toronto Convention Centre, they lined up former Argonauts from Nick Volpe to Terry Greer to Michael (Pinball) Clemons, who naturally drew the biggest cheer. The voluminous crowd was spread out, and the fans at that end of the hall were encouraged to bellow “Arrrr-gooooos,” but it was swallowed up by the expanse. Big room.

Usually, that’s the story when the Grey Cup comes to Toronto. The league is never smaller than it is in Canada’s biggest city; the 1992 Grey Cup week was a notorious flop, with thousands of unsold tickets; the big game didn’t come back until 2007, when it was a qualified success. As more than one person mentioned this week, 2007 was great if you had a ticket to the Maxim Party in the CN Tower, or to one of the concerts, or were in the Convention Centre. But it got swallowed up by the megacity. Again: Big room.

This time, the Grey Cup didn’t occupy this city, but it fit the city.

TORONTO — They broke the Grey Cup somewhere in the whirlwind of Champagne and beer and big men in close quarters, letting out all the joy and pain and pressure from a long and strange season. The handle snapped clean off, but then, it’s never been the sturdiest trophy. Which is fitting, since the Toronto Argonauts, for all the 139 years of their history, have never been the sturdiest franchise.
On Sunday night, though, in the 100th Grey Cup, they were immovable from beginning to end in a 35-22 victory over the imploding Calgary Stampeders. The game capped a smashing Grey Cup week, during which Toronto felt more like the rest of Canada than it has in a long time; the dusty old Rogers Centre came alive in a way that it simply never does. Usually, this place is half-empty or worse, and the games feel small. This time the sellout crowd of 53,208 turned the dusty old dome into a multicoloured, raucous, sold-out festival. And their team measured up.
“It’s something we can be proud of the rest of our lives — that when all the lights were brightest, and all the eyes were on us, we answered the call and made Toronto a city of champions,” said defensive back Jordan Younger, one of this team’s most enduring presences. “As an athlete, it’s a perfect moment. I mean, perfect.”
This town has become a black hole of despair when it comes to sports, but for the Argonauts it’s been Toronto’s week, and Toronto’s year. From the moment this last-place team traded for quarterback Ricky Ray the conspiracy theories bloomed, as if the Canadian Football League had somehow convinced the Edmonton Eskimos to torch their franchise for the good of the big picture. Speculation swirled around the job security of Toronto’s general manager, Jim Barker, despite the heist. Late in Grey Cup week, speculation swirled around their immediate future. This team has always been a little uncertain, and this version was no exception.
But on Sunday, they were the best team in the country, and not by a little. No conspiracy theory would have arranged a 9-9 record in the regular season, a climb over Edmonton and Montreal in the playoffs, and the demolition of a team that had won 13 of its previous 15 games. But here we are.
“I think this was as much as anyone could have hoped for,” said Argonauts CEO Chris Rudge, standing clear of the puddles of Champagne in the plastic-wrapped winning locker room.
It was, on the balance, a very Canadian evening. Burton Cummings botched the anthem in both languages, singing what appeared to be the old version before they changed the words, but then, he was doing in the jazz style, so maybe it was just improvisation. The halftime show was Gordon Lightfoot and the kids, with Justin Bieber — who has nearly as many Twitter followers as there are Canadians — saying it was an honour to appear, even after being booed.

Darren Calabrese/National PostChad Owens.

Yes, the turf was slippery, the officials were foggy, and the air was so murky from the fireworks that you felt like it was the world’s biggest restaurant in 1985. Non-smoking, please.
But the game was a coronation, to conclude a struggle. Ray, the franchise quarterback acquired from Edmonton for a bag of magic beans, chucked an interception on the game’s first play from scrimmage. But the Stampeders went two-and-out, and on Calgary’s next possession Jon Cornish, the league’s Outstanding Canadian and leading rusher, fumbled an exchange with Kevin Glenn that Toronto turned into a Chad Owens touchdown. After a Calgary field goal, Glenn — in his first Grey Cup after 12-star-crossed years — flopped a short, errant pass to his right that was picked off by Pacino Horne and returned 25 yards for a touchdown and a 14-3 Toronto lead.
The Stampeders, who had not lost a game since Sept. 23, were in trouble. Glenn just couldn’t keep a drive together. Cornish, who would be held to 57 yards on 15 carries, seemed lost in the pall of smoke.
It was 24-6 at halftime, and Calgary’s necessary miracles never came. A 105-yard kickoff return by Larry Taylor was called back for holding; receivers fell down, balls sailed, nothing worked. The Calgary Stampeders might well wake up Monday morning and wonder how, in the biggest game of what had become a remarkable season, everything fell apart.
Owens, the league’s Most Outstanding Player, caught just two passes, but running back Chad Kackert rolled up a combined 195 yards on 28 touches and was named the game’s MVP. Ray, the fulcrum, was rock solid. The defence, coached by former Calgary defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones, ate the Stampeders alive. Calgary had to negotiate its horse into the stadium; like its team, it didn’t have room to run.
And so, the end of a strange and compelling year. It’s easy to forget, but the Argonauts are a 9-9 team that struggled to mix in a sea of new faces and a first-time head coach, Scott Milanovich, in a season where the practice facility burned down. As Younger puts it in his gravel-soaked voice, “I told my teammates, man, we are blue-collar. We are not divas, we are not soft. We did this with no meeting rooms. We did this bouncing around a college campus, getting in where we fit in. We really pulled this off the hardest way we could, the most difficult and complicated way we could.”

Peter J. Thompson/National PostAs the Grey Cup was brought down to field level, the Calgary Stampeders mascot exited and Toronto fans new that the Argonauts, who went 9-9 in the regular season, had brought home the 100th Grey Cup.

They did, but they almost made it look easy at the end. As the Cup was carried in late in the fourth quarter, Calgary’s horse exited stage left, and the Stampeders committed 30 yards of penalties on one play. Next thing you know, Owens’ daughters were doing snow angels in the confetti.
Going forward, the Argonauts suddenly seem like a team that could be here again. Montreal is a dynasty in decline; Winnipeg is rubble; Hamilton will spend the next year as a refugee franchise, playing under bridges and in parking lots while a new stadium is built. Toronto could become the new Montreal, for a time.

Darren Calabrese/National PostRicky Ray has appeared in four Grey Cup games — three with the Edmonton Eskimos and one with the Toronto Argonauts — and has now won three of them after a 35-22 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday.

Maybe the Blue Jays will put natural grass in and evict their tenants, which is an idea that is suddenly swirling with some force; maybe a mess is right around the corner. But on the field, the future seems strangely bright.
Which, when you think about it, could be as unifying a force as the Grey Cup, in its own way. Toronto is a town that has been pitied of late; this will give the rest of the country something to cheer against again. It’s been too long.

Peter J. Thompson/National PostChad Owens left his mark for the Toronto Argonauts in a record-setting regular season, and has already had an impact with a touchdown in the first half of the 100th Grey Cup against the Calgary Stampeders.

Darren Calabrese/National PostToronto Argonauts receiver Andre Durie's, left, fourth quarter touchdown put the final exclamation mark on a dominant 35-22 victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the 100th Grey Cup.