PLAYER #76 - PETER GABRIEL (1977-79)

What's in a name, you say? Ask Peter Gabriel, he'll tell you.

Growing up in the 1970's, he was blessed (or cursed, depending on your outlook) with having the same name as two of the people who were famous in his chosen hobbies.

As an aspiring musician, he probably endured inevitable comparisons to the lead singer of Genesis at the time, named Peter Gabriel as well, who went on to have a very successful solo career in the 1980's and beyond.

As an aspiring football player, Gabriel was also inevitably compared to his famous brother Tony, a tight end with Hamilton and Ottawa and one of the best receivers ever to play the game.

"Later on, both Leo Cahill and J.I. Albrecht said it was a detriment," recalled Gabriel, using the story of Wayne and Keith Gretzky as an example. "I didn't have Tony's size or height."

At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the graduate of McMaster University played slotback instead of tight end, and got a tryout with his brother's team in Ottawa in 1977, who were fresh off a Grey Cup win in 1976 when Tony caught the memorable last-minute touchdown pass. Unfortunately, Peter was cut by the Rough Riders, which didn't sit well with Tony.

"He was really upset when I didn't make it," said Peter. "Tony thought it would be great to have two Gabriels on the same team."

However, the Argos saw something they liked and picked him up, and in a regular season game against Ottawa, Peter had more receptions than his brother and the Argos won 17-1. However, he pulled a hamstring and couldn't play the next week in Ottawa, and the Argos ended up losing 41-11.

They played many back-to-back games against the 'Riders back then, just like the Argos will this weekend when they host Ottawa on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. During that game, the team will honour the 1971 Argo squad, and while that team was known for its stability and great personnel, the teams Gabriel played on in the latter part of the decade were known for their chaos.

"When Forrest Gregg coached (1979), there were rumours that his wife controlled the team," said Gabriel, who was approached by Gregg's wife to perform on guitar at various team functions. "Guys used to chat that if she didn't like you, you didn't play."

While she did like Gabriel, he didn't play as much as he would have liked, a victim of the numerous roster shuffling that was emblematic of that team. "You're not privy with what goes on behind closed doors," said Gabriel. "I know myself I was told I'd be a starter, but they tell you one thing, and then it becomes something else."

Away from football, Gabriel was a supply teacher and worked with Ontario Hydro, and then got into chemical sales, first with the Kert chemical company and then with Ecolab, where he has spent the past eight years. The youngest of 12 children himself, Gabriel lives in Brampton with his wife Nancy (a former Canadian Olympic gymnast in Munich and Montreal) and kids John-Ross, Jessica and Peter Jr.