Argos-Suck.com

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Naylor: Jake’s not what he’s cut out to be

David Naylor, November 18, 2006 at 12:26 PM EDT

There are characters you run into at every Grey Cup game. And atop that list might be Jake O’Neill … aka Mr. Argos-suck.com.

By day, Jake is Jack, a professional engineer who lives in Calgary. But during Grey Cup week? Well, Jack becomes Jake … the leader of the argos-suck.com crew, decked out in Hamilton Tiger-Cat colours, handing out buttons, stickers and whatever else expresses his website’s mission statement.

A quick tour of the site will give you a good idea of what a typical Grey Cup week is like for Jake and his boys.

As we entered an Indian restaurant Friday night, there at a table seated near the front window was a collection of the argos-suck fellas, familiar faces all. But something was missing … no Jake. Well, at least not in the form in which we’re used to seeing him.

It seems that since Jake couldn’t be there in person, his pals brought a laminated cut-out of him, depicting Jake in a happy state … drink in hand.

So while Jake O’Neill isn’t at the Grey Cup, while he’s at home being Jack, responsible husband and father to a newborn child, he’s still very much here in image and spirit … making the rounds at Grey Cup just like old times.

It’s of course not the same … (no intelligent conversations to be shared with Jake at the Spirit of Edmonton party) but seeing him here in cut-out form is better than not seeing him at all.