‘Blasphemy’: Montrealers put rivalry with Toronto aside to cheer for Blue Jays

The Montreal-Toronto rivalry is as old as time itself.

No Montrealer would be caught dead cheering for the Maple Leafs or Argonauts.

But when it comes to “Canada’s team” – the Blue Jays? Well, that’s a different story.

“You have to give compliments when it’s due,” said Montrealer Gaelle Noel. “They did an awesome job and they deserve it. I will be cheering up for them.”

“We have no choice but to support them. They represent Canada,” added Santana Enrique, the manager at Sports Crescent.

“I mean, as long as it’s not the Leafs, I’m happy to see a Canadian team succeed, said Montreal’s Emmanuel Borja.

“I just love this team in Toronto,” added Bromont resident Jean-Paul Marchand. “They’re playing for their country, not only for the city of Toronto, but they’re playing for the city also of Montreal.”

The Blue Jays are off to the World Series after a come-from-behind Game 7 victory against the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS on Monday night. Standing in their way from winning it all: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“They are the champs from last year. And it’s going to be a tough series,” said Marchand.

“I would have said not a chance, but after seeing last night, maybe it’s a Cinderella story if they can do it. It’s like David vs. Goliath,” added Toronto-area resident Corry Kuipers.

There is a strong connection between the Blue Jays and Montreal, as Vladimir Guerrero, the father of Toronto’s star player Vladimir Guerrero Jr., played for the Expos. Guerrero Jr. was born in Montreal and even made an appearance as a young child next to his dad on the field at Olympic Stadium.

“Yeah, it’s hard to root for a team from Toronto. Yeah, yeah, blasphemy,” said Perry Giannias, the president of Expos Fest. “But Junior makes it a lot easier. So, you know, with their huge win last night, get on the bandwagon because it’s going to be fun.”

Another connection: this year’s Blue Jays team has some similarities with the dominant 1994 Expos team – especially their ability to exceed expectations.

“They got a lot of guys that we haven’t even heard of in a while,” said former Expos player Marquis Grissom. “And those guys got (George) Springer and they got Vladimir Jr., two power guys who hit the ball out of the ballpark and maybe one or two other guys. But they’re very similar to the team that we had in that pitching, guys come out of nowhere.”

Game 1 of the World Series goes Friday at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Here is the full schedule:

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27, Blue Jays at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28, Blue Jays at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• *Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 29, Blue Jays at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• *Game 6: Friday, Oct. 31, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• *Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 1, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT