Mario Sturino – Former Blues quarterback, 1993 Vanier Cup champion
The Varsity: Do you still follow the Blues?
Mario Sturino: Yeah, well obviously online with the Internet now, you can follow them on a daily basis. I came to every home game last year. I wasn’t able to come to the first game because of [having a new child], but I’ve been following them for the last three or four years.
TV: How did you react when you found out that they won their first game in seven years?
MS: I was a little upset I wasn’t there. I was very happy for them and I really wanted to be there. It’s good that the streak finally came to an end, especially for fifth-year guys who’ve put in four years and a bit, and finally got the victory they deserved. They stuck with it and worked hard, and it was nice to see.
TV: What do you think the Blues are doing right this year?
MS: I think they have a number of fifth-year guys returning, and that was important for them. I think once you get a taste of victory, once you have that first win, that can really change your attitude. They had a good game against Windsor last week, and now a great game against York, so I think that first taste of victory for these guys was huge.
Glenn McCausland – 1993 Vanier Cup MVP
The Varsity: Do you still follow the Blues?
Glenn McCausland: I had season tickets last year and I was on the coaching staff in 2001 when they won the game before two weeks ago, so I still follow them, definitely.
TV: Did you see them win on Sept. 1?
GM: I didn’t see them win, but I was watching the headline sports and I saw that they won the game, and [that] they pulled it off in the fourth quarter.
TV: How did you react when you found out?
GM: I was really happy for them because I know that they’d been working hard to try and win that game. They probably deserved to win a few games prior to that.
TV: What are the Blues doing right this year?
GM: I think that probably just the commitment to get that win and try to build U of T from the ground up, and get them back up to a level that they’re accustomed to. The alumni are definitely supporting them harder than ever, so hopefully it all works out.
Bob Laycoe – Blues head coach from 1988-2001 and 1992 OUA Coach of the Year
The Varsity: Do you still follow the Blues?
Bob Laycoe: Oh sure. [I’m] living out in Vancouver now—a little further away—but with the Internet, you can keep track of a surprising amount of information about the OUA.
TV: Where were you when you found out that the Blues had won their first game in seven years?
BL: I saw it on the Internet. I was surfing the Internet for college scores and I found [out about the win] at that time.
TV: How did you react when you found out they had won?
BL: I was happy for the players—it was good for them.
TV: What are the Blues doing right this year?
BL: I think they’re all trying their best. The coaches and players have a great attitude and things are starting to go their way.
David Naylor – U of T President
The Varsity: How does having a winning football team affect U of T?
David Naylor: First off, you look at the stands, you see a lot of students out here having a good time and feeling great about how the team’s doing—I think that’s a very positive thing for school spirit. The other thing I have to say is a lot of these fans have been here during the lean years. A lot of the players on the field were here for a number of very tough years, so I really want to take my hat off to all the friends of football—the students, the faculty, the staff, and especially, the players to be there when things weren’t quite as positive as they are right now. That’s a group I feel real gratitude to.
TV: What are the Blues doing right this year?
DN: I think a number of things have changed. First, we’ve got a lot of terrific young players. Secondly, changes in the terms of the whole playing field arrangement, settling into a new field, getting comfortable with better facilities, that’s been a positive thing because there’s been so much uncertainty about the facilities. Thirdly, we’ve had great coaches through the years, but sometimes a change is good even if you’ve got a great coach. Changing over gives people a fresh start even if you had a terrific coach before. I think all of these things have come together in a positive way and it’s nice to see. In fact, I find myself looking at the score and the sense of putting yourself in York’s shoes, and having watched it from our side for a few years, [I] sort of wince a little bit and feel some empathy.
