The Cross town rivalry between the York Lions (formerly Yeomen) and the U of T Varsity Blues is something that both schools look forward to every year.

In every interuniversity sport, the game against the rivals from the “other side of town” is highlighted on the schedule. In football, the game between U of T and York, the Red and Blue Bowl, sees the winning team awarded a trophy which they keep until the next showdown.

Recently, the York Yeomen/Lions have beaten the Blues footballers on a steady basis. While the rest of the OUA teams would argue that this isn’t much of an accomplishment, the winner of this game is entitled to call themselves the “city champs” for an entire year. A title that is coveted for more reasons than one.

This game has an impact when it comes to recruiting. Former York coach Tom Arnott was always quick to point out to potential newcomers that the Yeomen dominated the Blues in head-to-head games. This was, and most likely still is, a common tactic in York recruiting.

And that goes for both teams. When York was mired in a record-setting winless streak in the 1980’s, it’s safe to assume that former Blues coach Bob Laycoe took advantage of the cross-town team’s misfortune to rope in the best Toronto had to offer. Laycoe, who was always a tactful and considerate speaker, would have been remiss not to point out to potential recruits the dominance of the Blues in these games. It is the oldest recruiting trick in a coach’s book.

With the program’s reputation, the city title, and a year’s worth of pub night bragging rights at stake, the Red and Blue Bowl games have always been highly competitive. Last season, the Blues didn’t win a game all year but still managed to lose by a slim margin (14-6) to a York team that would go on to make the playoffs. In the cyclical world of OUA football, the York Lions can currently lay claim to being better than the floundering Blues. While this might attract a higher calibre of player to the wrong side of town, there’s always hope that the tide will eventually change.

Russ Hoff is a former player for both the York Yeomen and the Varsity Blues football teams.