Toronto Argonauts' Ricky Foley (95) is shown during first quarter CFL action in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct 6, 2015. Five years ago, the thought of having to play upwards of four home games on the road would've been enough to send Ricky Foley over the edge.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Five years ago, the thought of having to play home games on the road would've sent Ricky Foley around the bend.
The 33-year-old defensive end wears his emotions on his sleeve and always plays the game on the edge. But experience has taught the 10-year veteran from Courtice, Ont., to use adversity to his advantage and not allow it to wreak havoc from within.
The Argos have already lost two home dates and face having to relocate two more from Rogers Centre amid potential scheduling conflicts with the baseball playoffs. But Foley said those challenges have only served to bring the team closer together.
"It is what it is but it has galvanized us," Foley said. "I have to fight my own emotions because I want to get pissed off.
"I'm a pretty emotional guy . . . but this year I have to keep it to myself. You want the locker-room to be level, to be on an even keel, no lulls in games. I think the last few games we've done a really good job."
The Pan Am Games and scheduling issues at Rogers Centre forced the Argos to play their first five games of the season on the road, including the so-called home opener against Edmonton in Fort McMurray, Alta. The Argos won that game 26-11 but didn't play their first game at Rogers Centre until Aug. 8, a 30-26 victory over Saskatchewan.
Then the Toronto Blue Jays reaching the baseball playoffs forced the Argos to play Tuesday's regularly scheduled home game against Ottawa at TD Place, which the Argos won 38-35.
The Jays' divisional series with the Texas Rangers could result in the Argos relocating their Oct. 17 home game against Calgary to Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. The Oct. 23 contest versus Montreal might also have to be played there.
Despite that, Toronto (8-5) is tied with Hamilton (8-5) and Ottawa (8-6) atop the East. The Argos should be used to adversity as last season they spent most of the year practising at numerous different venues before settling into their new practice facility at Downsview Park.
"I think playing on the road so much early in the season with so many young players (14 new starters), staying in a hotel and having nothing to do but hang out with your buddies did really set the foundation for this team," head coach Scott Milanovich said. "I'm proud of how they've reacted and responded to all the adversity."
Foley believes Toronto's youth has served it well this season.
"I think there's something to be said for being young because I honestly don't think the guys know any better," Foley said with a smile. "Far be it from me to let them know we're supposed to have nine home games and I think they probably don't even know we're supposed to have nine home games.
"It just seems every week it's a short week, we're playing on a Tuesday or Wednesday, we have one or two days of practice and we're flying somewhere. We never seem to know where we're playing the next week. I guess they think that's the norm. I won't spill the beans. Next year maybe they'll feel they're in heaven if we get some stability."
Toronto is in its final season at Rogers Centre and is scheduled to move into a reconfigured BMO Field in 2016.
Centre Jeff Keeping, an 11-year veteran and the longest tenured Argo, said the organization has gone to great lengths to ensure players can maintain their weekly routines.
"Football players are bound to routine," he said. "The front office and coaches have done a great job of making sure players have the ability to stick to their routines.
"We've rallied around it and made it a point of strength instead of a point of weakness. It has brought us together as a group and I think we're starting to peak at the right time."
In fact, Foley and some teammates have been wearing T-shirts this season featuring the slogan "Toronto vs Everybody" as a rallying point.
"It says it all, really," Foley said. "We have a lot of young guys with energy . . . and they kind of feed off that, I know I always did when I was young.
"It's a good little vibe we've got here. We've got a chip on our shoulders and it's good for us."