Home Field Disadvantage

You know what's rewarding about finishing first overall in the OUA's regular football season? The first round bye. The easiest route to the Yates Cup. And the right to host the championship game if you run the post-season table.

Unless, of course, you're the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Then it becomes a home field disadvantage of sorts.

You see, four of the Gee-Gees, including rookie head coach Jean-Phillipe Asselin, have to head to Hamilton on Thursday for the OUA's major award winners luncheon.

And they aren't happy. And who can blame them?

Ottawa literally won the right to a home field advantage and it's being taken away from them two days before the biggest game of the year.

But why?

Because of the typical myopia of the OUA. That's why. Read for yourself:

University of Ottawa spokeswoman Julie Tam says efforts have been made for years to move the luncheon to the Yates Cup host city, but the OUA head office remains adamant of hosting it in its own backyard.

On the surface, it seems neither OUA executive director Ward Dilse, marketing coordinator Jessica Lounsbury or communications manager Laura Bridgman can be bothered to travel to Ottawa and host the festivties.

But who can blame them? It's an 11-hour, 56-minute, 1,046-kilometre round trip from the OUA offices in Hamilton to Ottawa's athletic department.

After all, they're only paid employees, working for the OUA, presumably to promote the game, the conference and its athletes. It's not like their some student-athlete preparing for what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest games of their lives; a game that will galvanize friendships for life; one they'll remember forever.

This is the same OUA executive director that refuses to play Thursday nigth Thanksgiving games because "there aren't enough schools with lights" and "it's too cold at night."

But it's A-OK to force the starting quarterback from the Yates Cup's host team to miss the second-to-last practice before the title game.

These are the forward, err, backward thinkers in charge of the OUA and its progress.

Why isn't the awards luncheon part and parcel of the Yates Cup experience? The league's best players should be recognized on the game's biggest stage. It seems a no-brainer.

Every school in the OUA has a banquet hall — perhaps a multiple number of them — on campus. and if not, there must be at least one restaurant, Legion, banquet hall in town that would gladly host an impromptu awards luncheon. It's not as if this event is an elaborate production.

The team that's earned the home field advantage should reap the benefits of having done so. The school, the program, the players and the game should be showcased not inconvenienced by participating in a sideshow half the province away.

Don't be fooled, Western has to travel to Hamilton on Thursday, too. But its nominees need only travel 270 kms; a three-hour, 26-minute round trip.

At least the Mustangs will be home in time for practice. Two days before the Yates Cup, that's a tangible advantage.

Comments

[Neatesager]

In Ward Dilse's world, if the Gee-Gees wanted full benefit of home-field advantage, they should have had the foresight to have their universities located in the 416/519/905, the only part of Ontario which matters!

Sign. Just another indicator the OUA should be called the SoUA -- Southern Ontario University Athletics.

Queen's, Carleton and Ottawa are outta sight, outta mind, most of the time. They deserve it, too, it's not like all three of those schools have won a national title in football or men's basketball since 2000.

[pistol pete]

If I were the coach, I'd just say "sorry, we're kinda busy right now but if we win something send it to us by UPS along with a box lunch...gotta go now."
There's no legal obligation for them to show up in person, right?
Like what are they gonna do, suspend them if they don't?

[EWatson]

Neatessager clearly hasn't be educated in any post secondary institution in this province - much less in one of those highly esteemed universities located in the eastern part of the province. Any one with half a brain would not make such an ignorant comment. I'm sure the writer is just bitter because he/she couldn't get accepted.

[pistol pete]

EWatson, do you even comprehend what Neatesager is saying?
Do you even know who the hell he is?
FYI, this "bitter writer" guy is Neate Sager, former proprietor of the CIS Blog and noted Queen's alum.
He wasn't dissing Queen's or any other eastern Ontario university or any other school anywhere, period.
It's called SARCASM. dude.
What Neate was taking dead aim at is the OUA's administrative executive's incredibly arrogant "let the mountain come to Mohammed" attitude.
That should have been obvious to everyone...everyone with "half a brain". that is.

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[DH]

Neatessager,

You're clearly from toronto or the GTA...do you ever wonder why Canada doesn't like you?

[pistol pete]

DH....
Do you not get it?
Did you think he was serious?
You and that EWatson guy...get a clue!

[DH]

Clearly pistol pete does not recognize sarcasm either

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If I were the coach, I'd just say "sorry, we're kinda busy right now but if we win something send it to us by UPS along with a box lunch...gotta go now."
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