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The inevitable became a reality for the Argonauts last night.
The Canadian Football League playoffs again won't include the Argos, who lost 22-19 to the Edmonton Eskimos before 26,515 masochistic fans at the Rogers Centre and were eliminated from post-season contention.
Toronto, with three games remaining, is 3-12 and can't catch the Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats or Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the race for a playoff spot.
Two years in a row without a playoff appearance for the first time since 2000 and 2001? Quarterback Kerry Joseph didn't envision that when he was acquired in March of 2008.
"No, not at all," Joseph said. "Never would have thought that. It's life, it's pro football.
"All we can do is finish the season on a good note. Playoffs are gone and that's the frustrating part about it."
And there's no telling what the Argos will look like when they next suit up for a post-season match.
With the on-field drama in its final act, the off-field plot for the Argos is starting to thicken. Co-owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski, watching from their usual spot beside the bench last night, seriously are considering selling the team. The only suitor at this point appears to be David Braley, who owns the B.C. Lions.
The swan song for general manager Adam Rita and assistant GM Greg Mohns probably has begun. Rita has been the GM for six years, but with three head coaches combining to lead the Argos to a 7-26 record since the start of last season, an opportunity to turn the organization around has been spent.
Head coach Bart Andrus, if he returns next year, has to hire an offensive co-ordinator with CFL experience. The Toronto offence is a full-blown disaster. If the CFL is supposed to be a passing league, the Argos have ignored that unwritten rule. When Jeff Johnson caught a two-yard pass from Joseph with under three minutes to play, it was the Argos' first TD in the air in six games. That's almost too bizarre to comprehend.
One frustrated guy has to be defensive co-ordinator Pete Kuharchek, who has made the Argos defence a force again even if it can't be counted on for the odd touchdown.
Many miscues could have served well this season to sum up the Argos' brutal performances, but none better than a few in rapid order in the third quarter.
Joseph, looking for receiver Jason Carter, was intercepted by the Eskimos' Jason Goss and Edmonton took over at its own 38. But Toronto's defence bailed out the offence again, and forced Edmonton to punt.
COUGH-UP
Carter fielded the ball and it looked as if he had a step on a group of Eskimos defenders when the ball was knocked out of his hands by Mathieu Bertrand. The Esks recovered the fumble and Andrew Nowacki returned it to the four-yard line. On the next play, Arkee Whitlock waltzed into the end zone for a touchdown and a 15-9 Edmonton lead.
Whitlock later scampered 53 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter after defensive end Ronald Flemons got caught flat-footed.
Andrus doesn't plan to go into training camp mode -- for example, trying to determine what kind of talent he might have for next year -- in the final three games.
"We're going to continue to try to win," Andrus said. "I've not thought about (missing the playoffs). What I'm thinking about is, we just lost a football game and our guys played pretty dog-gone hard. We're not good enough to be a playoff team, but we certainly will be."
Just not this year.
TERRY.KOSHAN@SUNMEDIA.CA