Varsity Blues make history

Loss No. 48 came emphatically in London, Ontario, on Saturday, as the University of Toronto's hapless football team predictably fell 44-1 to the Western Mustangs, setting the all-time CIS mark for most losses in a row.

I had an interesting and wide-ranging conversation with U of T president David Naylor earlier this week, and while it was a bit strange talking with a former Rhodes Scholar about his plans for the school's football team, it was enlightening nonetheless.

In short, the president said improving the team's on-field performance was a priority for the administration and that they would be more competitive in the near future. Naylor was absolutely right in pointing out that the Varsity Blues have done quite well in recent years in a wide variety of CIS sports, and it's really only in football that they've been a bottom feeder. (He said it was a source of personal frustration that the media focuses only on football when teams like women's volleyball have experienced so much success.)

I doubt the president's words are going to put upset alumni at ease, but at least someone from the school was willing to address the team's woeful record. It does sound like Naylor's committed to changes, so it'll be interesting to see in the off-season if that involves new personnel.