Well I've read worse from his poison pen ... and I like all three of his suggested ads. Howorth shrieking "gooooooal!" would be hysterical.

Yeah, it wasn't an objectionable column. (I did laugh out loud at the 'constructive rather than destructive' line.) A negative column doesn't bother me as long as it's negative in a fair way, and I think this one was. Certainly it's fair not to care for the ad campaign; I'm more or less neutral on it myself. I don't even mind that he doesn't like Toronto emulating Oakland - wouldn't we all prefer that Toronto's success be their own and not just a duplicate of some West Coast team that can't fill their stadium? This will fade as the Ricciardi draft picks start to surface in the majors, and as differences between the Jays and the A's reveal themselves.

Having failed Comprehension in every standardized test he's written thus far, Griffin shows us that he is unable or unwilling to understand the whole premise behind Baseball North...2 of his 3 ideas have little or nothing to do with Canada. Either that or he's willing to stay off topic if it means a cheap laugh and damn that silly journalistic integrity thing!

I have a feeling that if one were in a boxing match with Griffin, he'd give that person nothing but crotch shots.

Spicol, the two proposed adds that have "nothing to do with Canada" are meant to reflect Toronto's multicultural diversity. In other words, they have a lot to do with Canada. Anyone who lives downtown knows how hugely popular soccer is given that every World Cup victory last year by almost any team was celebrated with a huge party in the streets.

Canada: it's not just for white ex-Europeans anymore.

Spicol, Griffin's two proposed adds that have "nothing to do with Canada" indeed reflect Toronto's multicultural diversity. In other words, they have a lot to do with Canada. I remember one night during the World Cup when Turkey won and a long parade of cars honking and waving Turkish flags filled the downtown Toronto streets.

Canada: it's not just for white British expats anymore.

I like the second one more. The language is a little more precise.

I agree with Coach generally, although I do wish Bloom hadn't expressed his view along the lines of "Oh, you don't understand -- in Oakland, there are *other things to do* besides baseball."

Jurgen...true enough, Griffin's proposed ads work on that level. But do they fit in with what Jim Bloom is trying to do is the real question? And the answer to that is clearly no. Bloom is trying to capture "Canada", the hockey-crazy, maple syrup, Bob and Doug-ish, Greg White North, Molson Canadian, lumberjack and black flies hyperbole sort of "Canada". Line up Griffin's 3 ideas with the subject matter involved in the 9 commercials that are to be presented and soccer and sushi don't fit.

Bloom's presentation is far from the true Canada you and I know (I prefer soccer to hockey, love sushi and have never worn a plaid jacket in my life) but it's funny and clearly "Baseball North".

I'm not a white ex-European and am part of the many cultures that make up downtown Toronto so I have a clear understanding of what Toronto is and what really makes up Canada. But that's not the question here. The question is, do Griffin's ideas jive with Bloom's creative vision? I'd say no, except for the curling one.

Not that we need to overanalyze it or anything (too late)...I was just trying to get in another shot at Griffin.

Hey Richard!

You're a little late on the "I have my own Baseball North marketing ideas" bandwagon.

That subject was covered in detail here several weeks ago.

Try to come up with some fresh ideas, wouldya!

jc