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But there’s another issue confronting the Lions. For the vast majority of their fan base, there is little familiarity or connection with the team because there is little familiarity or connection with the players, the coaches or the front office.

This is also a problem for the CFL, which we’ll get to in a moment, but if the Lions want to begin rebuilding their relationship with their fans, they should take a long, hard look at how they’re constructed.

Photo by Ric Ernst / PNG files

“This is one of the rare times I’ll talk about my playing days,” said Hervey, who spent seven years with the Edmonton Eskimos as a receiver. “We wanted to stay in one place and we signed long-term deals to stay in that one place. It was almost a pride thing.

“We joke about it now, but I don’t think it’s a joking matter when we say those days are over. You don’t have those six, seven, eight guys you know are going to be around and who want to be around who form the core of your team. This has become somewhat of a journeyman league, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for fan interest.”

Which, unfortunately, describes the Lions’ problem perfectly.

While the Lions’ record stands out like a big, red zit in the middle of their forehead, they haven’t done themselves any favours with the composition of their team.

Lions fans know Mike Reilly, the free-agent quarterback and former league MOP who signed a ground-breaking contract this off-season. They know Bryan Burnham, the talented receiver who’s in his sixth season with the team. They might know defensive back T.J. Lee, another six-year vet who made the CFL All-Star team last season.