More than 35,000 curious fans of the Canadian Football League are expected at the SkyDome tonight to see Canada's newest "Rocket."
The question is whether Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, the most talked-about CFLer in years, will be there to see the fans.Ismail is scheduled to make his pro football debut tonight when the Toronto Argonauts face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to open the CFL's exhibition schedule. But Ismail, the $18 million acquisition of new Argonaut owner Bruce McNall, is hobbled by a pulled quadricep muscle in his left leg and a decision on his status isn't expected until late this afternoon.
Ismail, who spurned the NFL after leaving Notre Dame University to sign with the Argos, on Tuesday said he doesn't want to take a chance on further injuring his leg for a mere exhibition game.
"It's an exhibition game, it's not the first game that counts," the 21-year-old wide receiver-kick returner said in a news conference Tuesday. "I don't think it's worth aggravating something now that we could take care of and then not have it hang around for a lot longer."
Argonaut coach Adam Rita, a career assistant who'll call the shots as the top man for the first time, will let Ismail make the call.
"He's the only guy who knows if he's going to play; it's his body," Rita said. "We're going into the game ready to play with or without him."
Ismail, who has been taking therapy sessions three times a day since injuring his leg at training camp at the University of Guelph, said if he can't go against Winnipeg, he'd definitely be ready for the season opener July 11 in Ottawa.
"I'll be ready for the real games when they count," he said. "This is just an exhibition game."
An exhibition game is normally nothing more than a test of raw rookies and a chance for veterans to work out the kinks. But tonight's meeting is becoming much more for the Argos.
The anticipation of Ismail's debut and the hype surrounding the team have created an aura of excitment despite the relative meaningless nature of the game. Add to the hype the fact that the defending Grey Cup champion Blue Bombers beat Toronto five times last season - including a last-second victory in the Eastern Division final - and some importance has been put on the game.
"The players all know who Winnipeg is," he said. "We want to play them hard and show them what we can do."
They also want to show any new fans in the stands what the regular season may hold. Team officials said approximately 35,000 tickets had been sold by Tuesday afternoon and a sizeable game-night walk-up crowd could bring attendance to its highest level in more than a year.
Last season, under former owner Harry Ornest, the biggest SkyDome audience was 40,429 for an October date with Saskatchewan. The team's 1990 home exhibition game drew a relative paltry attendance of 21,232. An Eastern Division playoff semifinal against Ottawa drew a dismal 24,427.
All three new Argo owners - McNall, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy - are expected to be on hand for the game.