final one is the sports culture. He went on to say that the Sena

At a press scrum last Thursday, the day before the Redblacks were to play their season home opener and officially open the new TD Place Stadium, one of the owners, Roger Greenburg, was asked why he decided to become the co-owner of a football team. Adam Jones Authentic Jersey . His answer just may be the best example of why football will work this time, when it didnt on two previous occasions in Ottawa. Im paraphrasing, but the chairman/CEO of Minto Developments said that he believes there are four pillars that make up a strong community. The first is the medical system. Second, is the education system. The third is the arts and the final one is the sports culture. He went on to say that the Senators have contributed to the sports culture, but it was time to add to that with the return of professional football to the city and the addition of professional soccer. Greenburg and his partners John Ruddy, William Shenkman and Jeff Hunt wanted to be part of building and strengthening one of the pillars of a strong community. In other words, this ownership group has done all of this for the right reason - to strengthen the community that they live in and they were rewarded on Friday night for all their hard work and perseverance. Fridays home opener was an unforgettable experience and, hopefully, showed one of our other major cities in the country, that happens to be only about four hours away, just what is possible. The Redblacks didnt score a touchdown on the field, but they did in the stands and that is what mattered most. Jeff Hunt said the team could have sold another 15,000 tickets to the game and that will translate into demand. Based on the in-game experience on Friday night, nobody should be surprised to hear that the next home game will be sold out soon. The atmosphere was electric. It was a young energetic crowd, who partied like they were attending a rock concert. In fact, in what was an ingenious move, there was also a rock concert going on before the game to get people pumped up for kick-off at what was a Canadian-style tailgate party. TD Place Stadium is fantastic with great sightlines and a design that not only looks outstanding, but is designed to enhance the fan experience for soccer and football, specifically. It doesnt feel like an all-purpose facility that accommodates many, but pleases none. The game itself was not a masterpiece, but it had an exciting finish when, down by two, Redblacks QB Henry Burris hit Kerrie Johnson on a deep ball to set up the game winning field goal. It wasnt a walk-off winner by Brett Maher, but when Ricky Ray was intercepted in the dying seconds, it was game over and the crowd erupted. The games MVP was the crowd, that included Prime Minister Steven Harper, who sat beside CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon and Rough Rider great, Russ Jackson. In fact, one of the highlights of the night was when our TSN cameraa caught a fan walking by the PM and the commish to shake hands with Jackson. It was not a slight to our country leader or the leagues top man, but a show of respect for history of football in Ottawa. And speaking of the telecast, I owe the football fans in Ottawa an apology for mistakenly saying that the five Grey Cup teams in the 60s and 70s were all coached by Frank Clair. My intention was to say that all the Cup teams in the 60s were coached by Clair. Jack Gotta was the coach from 1970-1973 and George Brancato was the coach when the Rough Riders beat Saskatchewan to win in 1976. The telecast wasnt perfect and neither was the night - apparently, some of the concessions ran out of beer and the traffic was a bit tricky, which, of course, was pointed out by some sportswriters...I swear some people would complain that their ice cream is too cold. I recently went to a George Strait concert in Dallas at AT&T Field, one of the most elaborate and state-of-the-art stadiums in the world and it had traffic issues, as well. In fact, it was so jammed up, I ended up tailgating in the parking lot for almost two hours after the event waiting for it to clear. On Friday night, the small issue were just that - small - and didnt, in any way, take away from the success of the event. It was a look at what is possible, even in Ontario ,when it comes to CFL football. The capacity of TD Place Stadium is 24,000, which just may be the perfect number and a blueprint for a possible stadium in Toronto. Our country has great football fans, but just not the volume to consistently fill a 40-to-50,000-seat stadium and at 24,000 in the stands, owners are making money. For those who would say that, if the NFL were in Toronto, they would sell out the old SkyDome, I would remind those people that the NFL regular season games played in Toronto were not sell-outs and not even close. In fact, sources have said that upwards of 20,000 tickets to the games in the Buffalo Bills series were freebies, handed to people on the street. No, 25-30,000-seat stadiums are the perfect size for CFL football, professional soccer and summer concerts and, for proof of that, look no further than Friday night in Ottawa. It can work in Toronto, as well, with a stadium at a realistic capacity and one built for football and soccer, specifically. It worked in Montreal, it is working in a big way in Winnipeg and, after Game One in Ottawa, it looks like it will be a huge hit there, as well. The answer may be BMO Field, which seems to still be part of the plan for the Argos. On our TSN set in Ottawa, Commissioner Mark Cohon had this to say when asked what it would take to replicate the Ottawa plan in Toronto: "The answer is a smaller stadium like BMO," said Cohon. "We know that they have a four-year deal left with Rogers Centre. Were talking to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, were talking to the city of Toronto and were working to see if we can move [the Argos] into BMO Field and replicate what we have [in Ottawa.]"  The blueprint for the correct business model has now been created and now all that is needed in Toronto is for David Braley, or whomever buys the Argos, to start building the fourth pillar in that community. Congratulations again to the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group and, on behalf of the football fans in our country, thank you. At the end of the night in Ottawa, the scoreboard read Redblacks 18 - Argonauts 17, but the true winners were the fans and the community in our nations capital. Nick Markakis Orioles Jersey . Johnson spent the last five seasons with Pittsburgh after being taken in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. He played in 52 games with 26 starts, totalling 22 catches for 216 yards and a touchdown. Eddie Murray Jersey . After losing the first two games of this set in Arlington the Tigers showed some signs of life on Tuesday, as Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta all homered and Austin Jackson went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI for the AL Central champs in a 5-2 win. GLENDALE, Ariz. -- What a fitting way for the Arizona Cardinals to finish their season. They win, in overtime of course, with Larry Fitzgeralds spectacular plays making the difference. Fitzgerald had two such catches in the game-winning drive, leading to a 28-yard field goal by Jay Feely that gave the Cardinals a 23-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Arizonas fourth overtime victory -- all at home -- in the last nine weeks of the season. The four overtime wins in a season are an NFL record. "I wish we could play more games in overtime," Fitzgerald said. "If we play 16 games in overtime next year, we might go 16-0." Fitzgerald made a leaping grab against two defenders early in the drive for a 26-yard gain, but he saved the best for last, a diving, one-handed catch for eight yards that got the team within field goal range and eventually set up the winning score. "I actually thought it was too far," quarterback John Skelton said of his throw. "I just saw his arm stick out, stick it, and stick the landing. We come to expect that from Larry. Its almost like its not even a shocker anymore because he does it so often." Skelton didnt mention it, but he fainted in the locker-room before the game after getting fluid drained from a knee. "Pre-game he scared us all. He fell out and he had a little fainting issue in the locker-room," Fitzgerald said. "We were all nervous about him being able to play today and he fought through that and was able to go out there and perform and get our team a win. That shows the kind of toughness he has." Arizona (8-8) finished the season 7-2 after a six-game losing streak left it 1-6. "Were 1-0 in 2012," coach Ken Whisenhunt said, hoping that the strong second half of the season will propel the team into a successful 2012 campaign. Seattle (7-9) had rallied to tie the game after trailing 20-10 early in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 149 yards after one reception for two yards in the first half. It was his 32nd career 100-yard receiving game, sixth this season. "The performance of Larry Fitzgerald, he is an incredible football player," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "He is as good as you can get in this game and he showed it. I just marvel at the things he does. He has done it before and he did it again and it proves who he is." Fitzgerald joined Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison as the only players to top 1,400 yards receiving in four seasons. Skelton completed 22 of 40 for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception for Arizona. Tarvaris Jackson was 21 of 35 for 222 yards and a touchdown with one pick for the Seahawks. The Cardinals earlier had overtime victories over St. Louis, Dallas and Cleveland. The Seahawks finished with the same record as a year ago, when 7-9 was good enough to win the NFC West. "We know we have a better team this year," Seattle safety Earl Thomas said. "We are young but the experience that we got this year and all the plays we made we can build on that next year." Arizonas Patrick Peterson, who made the Pro Bowl on special teams as a rookie, returned a punt 42 yards to set up a field goal, then blocked Steven Hauschkas 24-yard field goal attempt. It was the NFL-leading fifth blocked field goal for the Cardinals, two of them by Peterson. Seatttle won the toss heading into overtime, and Leon Washingtons 47-yard kickoff return gave the Seahawks the ball at their own 40, but they failed to move it and had to punt. Orioles Jersey. Arizonas game-winning drive started at the 19. On third-and-3 at the 26, Skelton threw over the middle to Fitzgerald, who caught it between two defenders for a 26-yard gain to the Seahawks 48. Skeltons quarterback sneak on fourth and less than a yard gave Arizona a first down at the Seattle 37. Arizona had it second-and-9 at the 36 when Skelton threw toward but not particularly close to Fitzgerald, who somehow gathered in the ball with one hand and cradled it as he fell to the ground. A review confirmed that it was a catch. LaRod Stephens-Howling, filling in for the injured Beanie Wells, rushed three times to the Seattle nine, and Feelys third field goal of the game gave the Cardinals the win. Down 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, Seattle tied with a pair of big plays by two rookies, Richard Sherman and Lockette. First, Sherman stepped in front of intended receiver Andre Roberts for an interception that set up a chip shot field goal by Hauschka, then Jackson lofted the long pass to Lockette, who beat cornerback Marshay Green, and it was 20-20 with 7:47 remaining. Green had just been activated from the practice squad on Saturday. After Washingtons 48-yard touchdown run tied it at 10-10 with 10:56 to go in the third quarter, the Cardinals went 80 yards in eight plays. Skelton was 6 for 6 for 70 yards, capped by a 13-yard TD toss to Todd Heap, the tight ends first score in an injury-plagued first season with Arizona, putting the Cardinals up 17-10. Skeltons 42-yard pass to Fitzgerald led to Feelys 43-yard field goal that boosted the lead to 20-10 12:18 to play. Seattle responded, driving from its 20 to the Arizona 6. But the offence stalled, and Peterson rushed untouched from the end to block the short field goal try. Peterson, who had been slowed in practice all week by a strained Achilles tendon, nearly broke free for what would have been an NFL record fifth punt return for a touchdown. Instead, punter Jon Ryan tripped him up at the Seattle 31. Still, the 42-yard return set up Feelys 41-yard field goal that put Arizona up 10-3 with 3:28 left in the first half. Wells was a surprise inactive. He had been listed as questionable but had played through the pain in his left knee through the season. Skelton finished 5-2 as a starter, 6-2 if you count the San Francisco game. Quarterback Kevin Kolb missed the final three games of his frustrating first season with Arizona because of a concussion, the result of a knee to the head on the Cardinals third play of the game against San Francisco on Dec. 11. He missed four games earlier in the season with a right turf toe injury. Notes: Marshawn Lynchs string of 11 straight games with a touchdown came to an end. ... Peterson set an NFL rookie record for punt return yards (699), the second-most of any player in league history. ... Seattles Doug Baldwin became the first undrafted rookie free agent to lead his team in receptions and yards receiving since Bill Groman of did it for the Houston Oilers in 1960. ... The University of Phoenix Stadium roof was closed even though it was sunny and 28 C outside. ... The stadium already had extra seats installed for Monday nights Fiesta Bowl matchup between Oklahoma State and Stanford. cheap jerseys ' ' '