Perry Lefko

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.

They came, they saw, they heard and then they stood up and applauded.

Some 200 Canadian Football League fans, many of them dressed in the jerseys and literally the colours of their favourite team, attended a town hall forum on Friday to hear Commissioner Mark Cohon talk about league business, but more importantly to thank the people for their support. Never had a CFL Commissioner done this -- and likely for good reason given all the issues that have occurred by previous leaders, some of whom felt the sting of the Board of Governors and were, in so many ways, to be seen and not heard.

But Cohon wanted to do this, knowing full well he could face criticism. He told his advisors that if the CFL is to claim it is accessible to the fans, then this type of thing has to be done to prove it.

It took place in the same room that an hour or so earlier Cohon addressed the media for his state-of-the-league speech. He was repeatedly asked about some hot-button issues, notably the possibility that there may be a reduction in the quota from seven starting Canadians to four as part of a new collective bargaining agreement that is being negotiated by the CFL and the CFLPA. Cohon refused to budge on details or provide an update on the talks because of an agreement with the CFL to negotiate at the table and not in the media, but that "we understand the importance of Canadians."

It would become a mantra that he repeated over and over, to the point of becoming a catchphrase. It had all the elements of a company leader staying on point, even if came across as sounding and appearing too stiff, too corporate.

But it would be a totally different crowd and a different feel when Cohon talked to the fans. He entered the room among blaring music and many in the crowd stood up and saluted him. As he moved from the back of the room to the front, it was, in a very CFL kind of way, like the pomp and circumstance of President of the United States walking into the Senate en route to making his address to the country. Cohon stood up in front of a podium rather than sit down at a table as he did with the media and you could see the tension clearly lifted.

"I'm here to talk about the league, what you'd like to see, what are your concerns," he said.

He looked out in the audience and addressed some personally, notably Flame, the guy dressed up in the Saskatchewan Roughriders' jersey and with a helmet that included a green flashing light that makes noise. In anywhere else but a room such as this or in the stadium where the Riders' play, this guy would be considered quite odd - especially with makeup on his face. But he's among friends in this type of environment, including the CFL Commissioner.

"Flame, you didn't bring the propane," Cohon said to the delight of the crowd and the Big Green Guy, who has been known to shoot flames from his helmet.

And then came the key line.

"I report to the Board of Governors, but at the end of the day I report to you," Cohon added.

That was his catchphrase, the scripted words that put the fans in the palm of his hand. Like a comedian on stage, he had them right where he wanted. He owned the room.

Talking to the media, he basically said the same thing, but without the same response. He faced a grilling unlike anything so far in his three-year term, but the man of the people felt nothing but love from the fans. He gushed enthusiasm and did everything he could in his words and actions to make them know of their importance. While he talked about some of the bullet points he addressed with the media, he did so in a cursory way.

"That's it, the business is over, let's talk about the game," he said and then gushed about the product on the field.

Eventually he addressed the speculation in the media of the reduction of Canadian starters. He reiterated that "out of respect to the process" with the CFLPA, he could not comment on it, but that he completed understands that it is a "critically important issue."

And with that, he concluded his speech.

"Now the fun begins. Now I'm on the hotseat," he said with a beaming smile, directly opposite the look he had when he opened up questions to the media. But the grill session never happened. How could it? He had created a love-in.

"The focus, everything we do, is for the fans," he said. "If I don't do a good job, I'm going to be out of here."

If it were up to the fans, he'd be commissioner for life.

He doesn't have to cozy up to the media, which may be asking questions on behalf of the people, but to the people who buy tickets to games and provide a key revenue stream for the teams and the CFL as a whole, he can't be anything but friendly.

It's the reason why after he concluded his address to the fans, they stood up and saluted him.

You had to see it to believe it.

SPEAKING OF THE FANS: Two fans interviewed by sportsnet.ca offered some opinions on the pressing issues of the CFL, notably the importance of Canadian content.

Jamie Hjalte, a season-ticket holder of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, said the CFL has to protect the Canadian quota of starters, currently at seven but rumoured to be dropping to four.

"I think it’s an important part of the league," Hjalte said. "I’d actually like to see it back up to 10. If we don’t have more of a Canadian league, the NFL will look at it as second league. The players that want to play in the NFL and don’t get drafted will come to the CFL and go on from there. As long as we keep Canadian content, we’ll have players playing here for their full career. It’s important for minor-league football in Canada to have higher Canadian content."

Khalid Mohammed, a Toronto Argonauts season-ticket holder for 18 years, agreed that Canadian content is paramount.

"We would like to see more Canadian content and more Canadian coaches," he said. "We say the right thing (as a Canadian league), but we don’t do the right thing."

He also said the CFL needs to ensure Toronto is a strong franchise.

"The current owners have been saying they want some special teams from the CFL, such as revenue sharing," he said. "Whatever it takes, we need to have Toronto strong. Our feeling is not just because we’re from Toronto. If Toronto isn’t strong, the CFL isn’t strong."