Last night, the Varsity Blues football team crouched on bended knee to accept an apology from the men’s soccer team. In a Toronto Star article published on Friday, Sept. 12, the U of T men’s soccer team was quoted making a series of nasty comments about the Blues football squad. Calling the team “a joke,” and claiming that “they should cancel the whole program,” were only some of the desparaging remarks pinned on unknown members of the soccer team–last year’s OUA champions, and the third ranked team in the nation.
But according to Jim Lefkos, director of U of T’s soccer program, the comments captured by Star sports columnist Dave Feschuk are far from the truth. “It’s a very emotional situation,” says Lefkos, who’s been training athletes at this school for 23 years. “This reporter led us into it. He came in looking for a negative article.”
The article, entitled “U of T sings the blues,” focused on the dismal record of the so far scoreless Varsity football team. Feschuk spoke to the soccer players while they warmed up and waited to take the field after football pratice.
Robert Rupf, captain of the soccer team, remembers that he “was a bit shocked” when he first read the article last week. “This doesn’t reflect how the soccer team feels about the other Varsity teams. We respect the football team. They show a lot of heart.”
Ringed by the helmet-clad football players and backed by his own teammates and coaches, Rupf delivered an apology to the beleaguered Blues, as well as a letter. The letter, which was signed by every member of the team, expressed a formal apology on behalf of the men’s soccer program.
The letter was accepted by quarterback Carter Livingstone and defensive lineman Bob Vranich. After the apology was delivered, there was a round of applause, and the two teams went their separate ways. The soccer team hit the pavement to pound out a pre-practice jog. The football team launched into a series of crunches, the cooldown to a two hour practice.
The rift that threatened to drive the two outfits apart is now apparently smoothed over. But Lefkos is obviously disturbed. “We’re all together. It’s not football-not soccer. This is U of T athletics. I’ve seen a lot of football coaches come and go. I know Steve Howlett is going in the right direction. I want to show them that we’re behind them.”
The Toronto Star stands by the article. Yesterday Feschuk stated that “we don’t make a point of manipulating situations. It was clear to me and to them [the soccer team]. They knew exactly what they were saying.”
