LOOKING FOR A WINNER? THE TORONTO ROCK ARE YOUR TEAM

Pointing out how awful the pro sports teams in this city are is getting old. A loss to the Boston Celtics at home has all but guaranteed another year outside of the playoffs for the Raptors. The Leafs are .500 through ten games — not a bad record at all, but you can forgive fans of the Blue and White for expecting the worst. As King West and the rest of the city wait for the TFC and the Blue Jays to get going, there’s another team worth checking out.

The Toronto Rock are a forgotten entity in the city these days. Outside of a group die hard of supporters who travel in from outside the city you would be hard pressed to find people rocking–forgive the awful pun–their Rock jerseys on the TTC. This wasn’t always the case. Not so long ago the team was selling out the Air Canada Centre with ease. Here’s why:

• From 1999 to 2005, the Rock finished either first overall or first in their division every year, winning five championships.
• In 2000, the Rock became the first team to win back-to-back championships since 1994-95.
• That 2000 championship game was the last professional sporting event held at Maple Leaf Gardens, an event marked by an exhilarating last second game-winning goal by Kaleb Toth.

They won at will. But hard times eventually came. From 2005 to 2009 the team struggled, barely making the playoffs and finishing below .500 twice. Their fortunes changed when Oakville businessman Jamie Dawick bought the team in 2009. The team re-acquired talisman Colin Doyle, who was jettisoned three years earlier. The team made it back to the championship in 2010, falling to Washington 15-11. One year later they got vengeance defeating the very same team from Pacific Northwest for their first championship since the halcyon days of ’05.

Winning? Check. But what about the game atmosphere. That’s the best part.

When the Leafs go down 3-0 in the first period it’s safe to assume the game is pretty much done. That isn’t the case with indoor lacrosse. A 10-5 lead in the first quarter is the most dangerous lead in sports. Wild momentum shifts, hitting –yes hitting– and unbelievable individual skill are just some of the components that make lacrosse exciting to watch.

Toronto newcomer and King West newcomer Michael Anthony is intrigued. “I want to see what top tier lacrosse is all about, and watching sports on television is no substitute for being there.” He’s right.

When watching a Leafs game on television a few things stand out. It’s not very loud.  Like not at all. That’s the product of ticket prices that make watching a game in person impossible for the majority of families. The lowest ticket available is $40, and those seats are usually the first to sellout. Contrast that with $15 for Rock games along with the ability to buy group packages for as low as $32 and we’re talking the epitome of affordable.

Rock fan and King West resident Colin Vaillancourt outlined the biggest difference between watching the Rock and Toronto’s other teams. ” It’s very high paced, rough and entertaining. What other sport has music playing during gameplay?  More importantly,  it’s the one Toronto team that has consistently been good and actually won championships in recent years.”

Colin’s remarks beg the question. Why doesn’t Toronto’s most successful team get more exposure. The answer isn’t paradigm shattering. Their presence on television is almost non-existent. Aside from a weekly show on TSN1050, they don’t get much coverage on the radio either. That’s OK. The National Lacrosse League will never rival the NHL or NBA. For the sports fan in search of a great experience in King West, that’s fine. Affordable, exciting and a winner? Don’t miss out.