TORONTO — Adriano Belli won’t be able to rely on Toronto owner David Braley’s influence to help secure the Argonauts a home win over the B.C. Lions.
The Argos and Lions will meet at Rogers Centre tonight (TSN, 5:30 p.m.) in a historic CFL contest. Braley owns both franchises and this will mark the first time in league history two teams with the same owner will meet.
Toronto (2-1) enters the contest — being dubbed the Braley Bowl — chasing a third straight win. The always colourful Belli suggested he tried unsuccessfully to sway Braley by offering the Hamilton businessman a bribe.
“I spoke with Mr. Braley after our last game (a 27-24 home win over Calgary on July 14) and tried to slip him a couple of hundred bucks to see if he could fix this game,” Belli said Thursday, tongue firmly in cheek. “But he wanted nothing to do with it.
“He passed up a couple of hundred bucks. I’m disappointed.”
Teammate Rob Murphy could only chuckle when told of how much Belli was offering Braley — who is a millionaire with numerous business ventures other than his CFL teams.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said the hulking offensive tackle, who spent three years in B.C. before signing with Toronto last season. “But that’s not good enough.”
The Argos seemed to take a fun-filled approach to the game and with good reason. Toronto has won its last two games and enters action tied with Montreal atop the East Division and needing just one more win to equal last year’s total.
And both Belli and Murphy had nothing but praise for Braley.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Belli said of Braley owning two CFL clubs. “Mr. Braley bleeds the CFL and if you can trust anybody with it, you can trust him.
“He certainly has the funds to support both teams and make them both healthy teams in the league.”
Added Murphy: “He’s an awesome guy. He’s a great ambassador to this league and has bailed us out. He bailed out B.C. back in the day and with Hamilton same thing. He’s a big proponent of this league and he wants a winner, just like in business and he’ll do anything for that. He’s a good owner to have.”
However, Murphy was also quick to point out that Friday’s contest, in the overall scheme of things, is just the fourth game of an 18-game schedule.
“Off the field you chalk it up as only in the CFL,” he said. “Other than that, you don’t really give it much thought.
“You’re out there for your teammates and you’re trying to win the game.”
Receiver Chad Lucas, who was Toronto’s leading receiver last season, makes his first start for the Argos. He replaces starter Jeffrey Webb (groin).
“When a guy gets hurt having a guy like Chad Lucas who has been a successful receiver in this league be ready to step in, that’s what we’re trying to build here,” Argos head coach Jim Barker said. “
We don’t miss a beat. If somebody misses, somebody’s ready to step in and that’s what happens.”
Much of the talk this week surrounding the Lions (1-2) was regarding the status of quarterback Casey Printers. The B.C. starter was ultimately relegated to third string due to a knee injury.
Backup Travis Lulay will make his first CFL start with Jarious Jackson moving up to No. 2 ahead of Printers.
“I just know I’ll be playing from the get-go,”Lulay said. “Every week as the backup it’s your job to prepare like you’re playing the whole game.
“My preparation wasn’t a whole lot different. I just have the knowledge I’m going to be in there and be ready to go on the first snap. The mindset is to be ready to roll.”
Lions coach/GM Wally Buono says he didn’t scale back the playbook this week knowing Printers wouldn’t play.
“I expect Travis to do what the quarterback position requires,” Buono said. “If everything else fails, be an athlete.”
The game will be a homecoming for Lions defensive line coach Rich Stubler and tailback Jamal Robertson.
Stubler spent eight seasons as a coach with Toronto from 2001-2008, being fired as head coach in September 2008. He spent last year coaching and teaching at a high school in Colorado before returning to the CFL.
Stubler said he’s not bent on redemption against the Argos.
“No, this is Game Four,” he said. “I’ve been in a lot of places a lot longer than I was in Toronto. Most of the coaches in the CFL have been everywhere. I think I’ve been to four so I’m ahead of most people.”