Braley sells the Argos to Bell and Kilmer

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WestCoastJoe
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http://www.bramptonguardian.com/sports- ... bmo-field/
Braley looks to secure lease at BMO Field

TORONTO - Toronto Argonauts owner David Braley has people kicking the tires of the franchise he hopes to sell, but his top priority is securing the team a lease at BMO Field.

The Argos and B.C. Lions — the CFL teams Braley owns — have been for sale since last September when the 73-year-old Hamilton businessman stated he'd sell one or both by his 75th birthday. Braley said Tuesday he has several potential suitors for the Lions but refuted a Toronto Star headline stating he had "multiple offers" for the Argos.

"I don't have multiple offers," Braley said in a telephone interview. "I've had multiple people approach me, that's the truth. It's now three but that's beside the point."

Braley wouldn't say if Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment — which owns the NHL's Maple Leafs, NBA's Raptors and Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and also operates BMO Field — was one of the parties interested in the Argos. But Braley was adamant his top priority is reaching a lease agreement with MLSE for BMO Field.

"That's the first step in the process," Braley said. "I would say that's not out of the question . . . I believe there's a very good chance we'll get this thing sorted out.

"Then the second step is are they (MLSE) interested in buying it? That's a separate issue."

Time is of the essence. The Argos' lease at Rogers Centre expires after the 2017 season.

MLSE has proposed a $120-million renovation of BMO Field, with the first phase expected to be completed in time for next summer's Pan-Am Games. The opening part of the project went ahead without $10-million funding commitments from both the provincial or federal governments, resulting in the third and final phase — which included the installation of a playing surface capable of accommodating a CFL franchise — being placed on the back burner.

CFL commissioner Mark Cohon expects the Argos and MLSE to resume talks in the coming weeks. Should either the provincial or federal governments not commit financially to the BMO Field expansion, Cohon said the league will look at how it could raise the $10-$20 million needed to ensure the third phase went ahead.

"I think what's most important is we come up with the right lease agreement that works for MLSE as the operator of BMO Field but also works for the future of the Argos and can make them a profitable franchise," Cohon said. "Then the next phase after that would be the discussion around other incremental areas we can support BMO Field.

"The important thing is for our fans and partners to know there's a solution at hand and we're trying to work through that. If we can get them in there it makes the team a lot more attractive for a future purchaser. That's what we're focused on."

A move to BMO Field would seem the most practical and logical for the Argos. The facility is outdoors, permanent seating would be increased to 30,000 — and could expand to 40,000 for special events — with parking and transit nearby. It would provide a more fan-friendly and intimate atmosphere than the cavernous Rogers Centre, which can hold over 50,000 spectators for football.

More than 53,000 fans watched Toronto beat Calgary 35-22 there for the 100th Grey Cup in November 2012. But the momentum from that event has never translated into bigger home crowds for the Argos, who are averaging 17,562 spectators per game this year.

After finishing first in the East Division last year, Toronto (3-8) has struggled yet remains tied with Hamilton (3-7) and Montreal (3-8) atop the conference standings.

Braley, who bought the Argos in 2010, has been criticized this year for being an absentee owner and running the Argos on a tight budget. Players anonymously expressed their frustration having to practise at multiple venues this summer before moving into a permanent facility at Downsview Park late last month in a multi-year partnership with MLSE.

In the front office, Toronto is currently without a head of ticket sales, director of corporate sales and a marketing director.

Braley admits he's been bothered by the criticism he's faced.

"I guess a little bit but I have to take the blame, I'm the owner," he said. "But I have no intention of throwing the keys on the table.

"I'm making sure it's supported properly, there's been no shortage of funds. It's an embarrassment we were almost three-to-four weeks late getting into our new quarters, that caused aggravation among people and I apologize. But we spent a considerable amount of money putting absolutely new facilities in place for the team to practise."

Braley still intends to sell one — or both — of his teams come his 75th birthday. He says he has "several buyers" in place for the Lions franchise, which he bought in '97.

"Those discussions will proceed after the end of the season," he said. "We'll see how real they are for sale now, one year from now or down the road.

"That's just the normal process. I have multiple people, the question is to pick the best one for the team and for the league. That's the tough part."

By Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
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WestCoastJoe
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Here's hoping.
A move to BMO Field would seem the most practical and logical for the Argos. The facility is outdoors, permanent seating would be increased to 30,000 — and could expand to 40,000 for special events — with parking and transit nearby. It would provide a more fan-friendly and intimate atmosphere than the cavernous Rogers Centre, which can hold over 50,000 spectators for football.
BMO Field upgrade to 30,000 would be very good.

I expect Braley to get it all "sorted out."

Fantastic owner. :thup:
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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The proposed BMO field would seat 25,000 for football and could not be expanded for CFL games. They plan to install hybrid-natural grass between the goal lines with Fieldturf in the endzones. Argo signage and banners would only be displayed on Argo game days. BMO is currently un-leaseable due to an onerous union contract which calls for a $100k payoff for each event hosted. So hopefully they can work out a reasonable lease deal for the Argos at BMO.
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MexicoLionFan
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Yes, if MLSE and Braley can get the BMO situation straightened out, then its a great situation for the Argos...with the ratings the CFL is getting and the TV money now in place, and assured to go up again, a CFL franchise a profitable venture without having to have your stadium full...this is very good news, because it opens doors for multiple suitors to become potential CFL owners. If MLSE buys the Argos and they end up at BMO, the franchise will be "safe and sound"...and with the Lions, who have actually been lucrative for Braley, he won't sell them to just anybody, he will make sure that the money AND the brains are there to keep the franchise strong...honestly, over the past few years, the decline the Lions have seen has come from Wally running the team, not from the ownership or off field operations making mistakes...
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Toppy Vann
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WestCoastJoe wrote:Here's hoping.
A move to BMO Field would seem the most practical and logical for the Argos. The facility is outdoors, permanent seating would be increased to 30,000 — and could expand to 40,000 for special events — with parking and transit nearby. It would provide a more fan-friendly and intimate atmosphere than the cavernous Rogers Centre, which can hold over 50,000 spectators for football.
BMO Field upgrade to 30,000 would be very good.

I expect Braley to get it all "sorted out."

Fantastic owner. :thup:
One could ask how come it is taking so long for this stuff to work out? My take.

Braley is one smart business man and he is not one to show any sign of desperation or even blink. This means he will like he did in BC just run the clock down and force the other side to capitulate as they blink first. In this case it is also the Prov and the Feds it seems.
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I think that Braley wanted to see how the sale of the Bills transpired because Rogers owns half of MLSE and the Rogers family (no NFL corp ownership allowed) was part of the Bon Jovi lead bid to buy the Bills. So it now looks like the potential Rogers NFL/CFL ownership conflict has been settled.

Mr. Braley you are now free to negotiate with MLSE.
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WestCoastJoe wrote:TORONTO - Toronto Argonauts owner David Braley has people kicking the tires of the franchise he hopes to sell, but his top priority is securing the team a lease at BMO Field.
Resolution of the stadium situation really is the key to the Argos continued existence in Hogtown. I think it's the first domino that must fall. If the Argos don't quickly come up with a concrete solution for their stadium dilemma they are virtually unsellable if not next best to worthless.
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Toppy Vann
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Hambone wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:TORONTO - Toronto Argonauts owner David Braley has people kicking the tires of the franchise he hopes to sell, but his top priority is securing the team a lease at BMO Field.
Resolution of the stadium situation really is the key to the Argos continued existence in Hogtown. I think it's the first domino that must fall. If the Argos don't quickly come up with a concrete solution for their stadium dilemma they are virtually unsellable if not next best to worthless.
The Argos lost a lot of generations of fans back in the 80s when all the frequent player moves in the CFL meant that fans could hardly name their team. I recall long time Argo season ticket holder and father of CFL star Paul Bennett making that point in the media. Completely frustrated at the lack of continuity in the teams with players moving constantly for dollars.

The smaller venue should help. CFL cannot afford not to have the Argos a decent franchise.
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From Yahoo Sports: Clock ticking on CFL conversion at BMO Field if Argos want to play there is 2016
Clock ticking on CFL conversion at BMO Field if Argos want to play there is 2016
By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press


TORONTO - The clock is ticking if the Toronto Argonauts want to negotiate a deal that will see them play at BMO Field in 2016.

Bob Hunter, chief project development officer for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, says they have a window of about a month if they want to prepare the stadium for CFL play next year.

"We need to get the green light. And if we don't get the green light soon, we might have to push it back a year," Hunter said Friday during a stadium tour.

The Argonauts will be homeless after the 2017 season when their lease at Rogers Centre expires. But they can leave earlier if they find a new venue.

BMO Field, a city-owned stadium that's home to Toronto FC, is undergoing a $120-million-plus renovation with MLSE footing most of the bill.

The first phase, to be completed by early May, involves adding some 8,000 seats, via a second tier to the east stand, and more premium club options. The second phase, to be completed by May 2016, involves putting on a canopy around three sides of the lakefront stadium as well as installing a new audio and lighting system.

To convert the field for CFL play, the 2,000 seats in the north stand will have to be removed while the first seven or eight rows in the south stand will have to be converted into retractable, removable seats.

"Because you've got a much longer field, not wider, but much longer field and that is really the biggest piece of the construction," Hunter explained

New, bigger dressing rooms would also have to be built to accommodate football.

Hunter pegged the cost of CFL conversion at anywhere from $20 million to $23 million.

MLSE, which owns Toronto FC and manages the stadium for the city, has already got $10 million from the city in the form of a loan to be paid back with interest over 20 years.

Similar contributions from the provincial and federal governments have yet to surface. An injection of money, originally pegged at $10 million, from the CFL or the Argos is to be determined.

MLSE is paying the rest, with president and CEO Tim Leiweke estimating the project is currently some $10 million over budget — mainly due to the tight time constraints of the project.

Mayor John Tory, a former CFL commissioner, says discussion are ongoing between the Argos and MLSE.

Leiweke seemed content to keep those talks behind closed doors.

"I think one of the good things and encouraging signs with the Argos is we've been able to keep the conversations quiet and I think we'll continue to do that," he said.

Tory, however, made a point of saying the CFL was not the reason the stadium was getting an overhaul.

"The purpose of this expansion was to make a first-class soccer and events stadium," he said. "And if it comes to pass that those discussions have the Argos ending up here, then obviously they'll do what they have to do to accommodate that.

"But those are discussions that are ongoing and that wasn't the main purpose of this renovation."

Tory acknowledged, however, there seemed to be few options for the Argos. He lamented the team had not been able to make Varsity Stadium its new home when the University of Toronto revamped its stadium.

The mayor did voice his support for the team.

"I only hope the CFL franchise is here for many years to come and can strengthen in this city because it's the oldest sports franchise we have and I'm obviously a great believer in the Canadian Football League," he said.
Also from Yahoo Sports: Why the Argonauts and the CFL need to make a BMO Field deal within a month
Why the Argonauts and the CFL need to make a BMO Field deal within a month
By Andrew Bucholtz, 55 Yard Line


Friday's news that there's only about a month to the deadline needed for the Argos to make a deal so that they can play at BMO Field from 2016 onwards should spark a further fire under the team and the league to get this done. As Neil Davidson of The Canadian Press writes, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment executives say time is running short:
Neil Davidson wrote:Bob Hunter, chief project development officer for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, says they have a window of about a month if they want to prepare the stadium for CFL play next year.

"We need to get the green light. And if we don't get the green light soon, we might have to push it back a year," Hunter said Friday during a stadium tour.
The temptation at first glance might be to tell the Argos not to panic. After all, their lease at the Rogers Centre doesn't expire until after the 2017 season, so a further one-year delay may not seem that crucial. However, the reality is quite different. For one thing, the current situation at the Rogers Centre is so poor in terms of scheduling, environment and more that the team is suffering both competitively and financially, and they'll continue to do so as long as they stay there. For another thing, the Argos and the CFL have next to no leverage in these negotiations, and that's not likely to improve any time soon. At the moment, a BMO Field deal really is their only hope. While the terms on the table at the moment may not seem that appealing, the team and the league need to strike a deal to ensure the Argos' survival as soon as possible. Given the construction delays with the current renovation, too, making a deal as quickly as possible is vital to get things in place for a 2016 move. This situation isn't likely to get better for the Argonauts, and it's quite possible that it could get worse.

From here, it really doesn't look like the Argos have much to negotiate over. BMO Field is the only halfway-feasible solution that's been proposed for them, and while there are still some concerns with it, it's miles and miles better than anything else they can come up with at this point. There's a next-to-zero chance of the team getting their own stadium in Toronto, and moving them out of town is highly undesirable for both the Argos and the CFL. BMO Field is their only hope, so they need to do everything they can to get in there, even if it's not on the terms they'd ideally prefer.

Much has been made of the supposed funding gap required to make the stadium compatible with Canadian football, which has generally been estimated to be about $10 million. Yes, the Argonauts would ideally prefer not to pay that. However, as stadium solutions go, that's a pretty good deal. Consider the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who are paying $85 million towards their stadium over half a century.The Bombers are believed to be in a much better financial position than the Argonauts, but their financial reports show how much better the whole league is doing under the new CBA. There's approximately a $2.2 million increase in revenue for each team from the new national TV deal, and corresponding cost increases (in player salaries) of just $200,000 to $600,000. Thus, if all else remained equal, the Argos would be at least $1.6 million better off annually under the new CBA than the old one; add that up, and $10 million goes away in just seven years.

The Argos may not want to or be able to pay that themselves right now, but if so, that's where the CFL should step in. The league has never been healthier financially or more stable across the board, and indeed, the Argos' situation looks like one of the few really pressing issues for new commissioner Jeffrey Orridge. Despite lots of reports, no deal has been worked out yet, and the league may need to play a substantial role in making one happen. Whether that's through funding the whole thing themselves, funding it against future revenue distributions to the Argos or some other means is yet to be determined, but the CFL is certainly capable of coming up with $10 million if it needs to. At the moment, it may need to.

The longer this situation sits, the worse it potentially gets for the Argos. First, there's the chance of them not making it into BMO Field at all; there's still substantial opposition to the move, especially from Toronto FC supporters worried about what this means for the soccer pitch. That opposition hasn't managed to nix this deal yet, but it's only going to grow with time, and the Argos have been left out of stadium projects at the last moment before.

Beyond that, letting the clock run towards their eviction from the Rogers Centre at the end of 2017 puts the Argos in a more and more precarious situation. It also makes it less and less likely owner David Braley will be able to sell the team at a reasonable price. Every single game they have to play in the Rogers Centre rather than in a superior venue like BMO Field is also a future loss for the team; it's far easier to imagine them being profitable at a new location than it is at the Rogers Centre, where they're an incredible afterthought with no scheduling consideration and a poor atmosphere. A BMO Field deal solves so much; it ensures the team's future, it makes it possible for them to potentially make a profit, and it paves the way for Braley to sell the team. Getting this done as quickly as possible is imperative for the Argos and the CFL.

Paying $10 million or so to make this deal happen may seem unpleasant, but it's really the least objectionable outcome for the Argos and the CFL. They have the resources to make it happen, and there's no reason not to make a deal as quickly as possible. It may be painful in the short term, but it's workable in the long term, and well worth it to help the Argos survive and thrive in Toronto.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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When SkyDome opened in 1989, before any Blue Jays or Argos games were ever played there, they had a grand opening event MC'ed by Alan Thicke and Andrea Martin (of SCTV), which was televised on the CBC.

Here, through the magic of youtube, is the opening ten minutes of this amazingly, wonderfully BAD production.

[video][/video]

If you're able to endure enough of this, you'll discover the following incredible insight: that even on its opening night, the braintrust at SkyDome were already treating the Argonauts as an afterthought.

But at least they get numbers on their uniforms. LOL

One of my favourite moments is around 3:40... "For many years to come, we can assure you, chum, we'll have some good times here."

Many years indeed. Four or five, to be more precise about it. LOL
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Toppy Vann
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I don't think when the indoor/outdoor stadiums were planned they contemplated climate change like we see now versus the old days of games in the mud and snow.

Thanks for posting that. It is an early 1980s period piece and should be viewed in that context.
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Braley has sold the Argonauts, with an official announcement to come tomorrow (Wed) and they could possibly play at BMO Field — as well as host the 2016 Grey Cup there — as early as 2016 according to this G&M report.

Great news if this comes through. Getting out of SkyDome has always been the first step in pulling the Argos out of their current off-field funk.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... e24491064/
Toronto Argonauts sold to Bell, MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum
Dan Ralph and Neil Davidson
TORONTO — The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, May. 19 2015, 3:33 PM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, May. 19 2015, 5:10 PM EDT


The Toronto Argonauts have found a new home and owner.

Two league sources confirmed Tuesday the CFL team has been sold to Bell and MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum. The official announcement will be made Wednesday.

The sources say the deal also includes a lease agreement for the Argos to begin play at BMO Field as early as next season. That’s pending renovations needed to accommodate the CFL field but they’re expected to be completed in time for the football franchise to play at the lakefront stadium in 2016.

The Argos will play this season at Rogers Centre. Their lease there is to expire after the 2017 campaign although they have the option of leaving earlier if they find a new venue.

The announcement will cap roughly a year of talks between Argos owner David Braley and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. It was generally accepted that the sale of the team and lease agreement at BMO would be announced together but the deal had to be completed by June 1 for the football team to have any chance of playing at Exhibition Place in 2016.

Absent from the deal is Rogers Communications, which is part of the MLSE ownership group with Bell and Tanenbaum. Rogers was reportedly not interested in acquiring the 142-year-old franchise, likely because it has no ties to the CFL while Bell has a vested interest in the league through its broadcast affiliate TSN.

Rogers, which owns the Rogers Centre and Toronto Blue Jays, prompted the Argo search for a new home by telling them the plan to install grass in the domed facility meant they had to leave.

Braley, who also owns the B.C. Lions, assumed assumed control of the Argos in February 2010 from Toronto businessmen David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski.

While Cynamon and Sokolowski tried to move the Argos from Rogers Centre, Braley remained committed to the CFL club playing there. However, Braley has said repeatedly in recent months that fan discontent with the dome prompted him to begin looking for an alternative home venue for the storied franchise.

Fans have long complained about the lack of atmosphere at Rogers Centre, where Toronto averaged under 20,000 spectators last year in a stadium that can hold over 50,000 fans for football. Also, the Argos have found it difficult to secure decent home dates because of stiff competition from baseball and special events.

BMO Field, a city-owned stadium that’s home to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, is undergoing a $120-million renovation with MLSE footing most of the bill. MLSE owns TFC and managed the stadium.

The first phase, completed earlier this month, added some 8,000 seats in the form of a second tier to the east stand, as well as more premium club options.

The second phase, to be completed by May 2016, involves putting on a canopy around three sides of the lakefront stadium as well as installing a new audio and lighting system.

To convert the field for CFL play, the seats in the north stand will have to be reconfigured while the first seven or eight rows in the south stand will have to be converted into retractable, removable seats.

New, bigger dressing rooms will also have to be built to accommodate football.

Bob Hunter, MLSE’s chief project development officer, estimated the cost of CFL conversion at anywhere from $20 million to $23 million.

Some soccer fans have opposed the idea of converting BMO Field for the Argos, contending that CFL play will impact the quality of the playing surface. A banner saying “No Argos BMO” was hung on the south stands at the last Toronto FC home game.

Outgoing MLSE CEO and president Tim Leiweke insists soccer fans will notice no difference if CFL football is played at the stadium.

Others hope that the move to a more intimate setting from the cavernous Rogers Centre will help revive football in Toronto, as it did in Montreal.

Neither source would confirm specific details of the sale, which reportedly includes two Grey Cup games being held at BMO Field. The first would be the 2016 CFL championship game.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Absent from the deal is Rogers Communications, which is part of the MLSE ownership group with Bell and Tanenbaum. Rogers was reportedly not interested in acquiring the 142-year-old franchise, likely because it has no ties to the CFL while Bell has a vested interest in the league through its broadcast affiliate TSN.
Is that a surprise to anyone ? They're probably still trying to lobby the NFL for a franchise.
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TheLionKing wrote:
Absent from the deal is Rogers Communications, which is part of the MLSE ownership group with Bell and Tanenbaum. Rogers was reportedly not interested in acquiring the 142-year-old franchise, likely because it has no ties to the CFL while Bell has a vested interest in the league through its broadcast affiliate TSN.
Is that a surprise to anyone ? They're probably still trying to lobby the NFL for a franchise.
The NFL wannabes can keep on dreaming.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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sj-roc wrote:Braley has sold the Argonauts, with an official announcement to come tomorrow (Wed) and they could possibly play at BMO Field — as well as host the 2016 Grey Cup there — as early as 2016 according to this G&M report.

Great news if this comes through. Getting out of SkyDome has always been the first step in pulling the Argos out of their current off-field funk.
Great news, sj. Thanks for posting.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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