Ang's Odds and Ends

Well, another season has come and gone. It's crazy to think that I started this site in 2003 and here we are, seven seasons later still going strong. I don't think I've ever committed to anything that long before. So it hurts me dearly to have to say that I will not renew my season tickets next year.

I am not a fair weather fan. I am not doing this because they have missed the playoffs for the third time in five years. I am not doing this because of the lack of organization from the top down that this team has had in those same five years. I am doing this, because of the decision the Esks Brass made when they hired Eric Tillman.

Let me tell you a story.

It was about 10 years ago now, maybe that's not right...but it was a long time ago anyway. This was before Eric Tillman was the General Manager of the Ottawa Renegades. He was a sports personality on TSN. I think it was him, Dunigan and Schultz at that time. And every week, all three of them would make picks on TSN.ca as to who would win the games that week. On Sportsnet.ca, Marty York (whatever happened to that douche) made his picks ATS (against the spread) where he would make his pick based on the Vegas betting line.

Well, at this time sports betting was a new concept to me and it fascinated me. I starting researching odds, collecting data, placing a bet here and there and was instantly hooked. So in my desire to learn about this new concept, I sent an email to Eric Tillman asking him why they didn't pick games ATS and just picked outright winners.

Now, I can't remember why I emailed just him or chose him in the first place. I honestly think it was because his email address was the only one I could find. I wish I still had his email, but I wasn't using web based email at the time so that email is long gone. But I remember the jist of it, and that is why I am posting right now and that is why I have decided I have no respect for this man or anything he represents.

His email response was long. Many paragraphs. He started by saying the reason they don't pick games ATS is because of him. He wouldn't allow it. He then went on for many sentences talking about how he was a Christian man and that sports betting was wrong and immoral and blah, blah, ****ing blah. At the time, I was fine with that. He has his morals and values, I don't have to agree with them, but I could respect them.

But now, I see that email in a whole different way. I have zero respect for him. He is a hypocrite and there is no way in hell he should be running this franchise. I stayed pretty quiet through the whole Tillman hiring fiasco, saying a few things here and there but I tried to lay low and not get into any pissing matches.

But now, the season is over. The Eskimos missed the playoffs again and have now lost me as a paying customer. Well done.