Purring along

A record season debut crowd, a pumped up defence showing little mercy on Khari Jones and Danny Mac back in the saddle again. All factors for yet another win for the Hamilton Tiger Cats. The Cats returned home for game number two on the CFL schedule and gave the large crowd on hand their monies worth.

Danny McManus surrounded by the kind of receiving corps he could only dream about last year, has put some distance between himself and those he’s washed up stories. McManus was on fire once again, crisp direct passes through the game, lengthy bombs and short precision yardage tosses he mixed them all up. When it was all said and done three of his tosses had gone into the Bomber end zone as the Ti-Cats sunk their claws into the Bombers 32-22.

Two games into the 2004 campaign and the Ti Cats are already sporting a better record than they accumulated all last year. Now 2-0 the Ti Cats are tied with the Ottawa Renegades for first in the East. The turn around on the field has only been surpassed by the turnaround off of it. With a new spirit of accomplishment Hamiltonians seem to be flocking back to their Ti Cats. Whatever business plan Bob Young put together when he bought this franchise should be photo copied and sent to other would be sports owners.

Young seemingly has done everything right. His off field management team which he deals with, on a “hands off basis” have hit every note right in the re-branding and re-launching of the Cats. With 25,712 fans in the stands providing testimony to the renewed interest in the ages old football team. On the field Coach Greg Marshall has quickly won over his players, who have formed into a pretty homogenous unit out there between the lines. The intensity he seems to bring to the game without any histrionics is a professional attitude that has rubbed off on his players. Defence, Offence and special teams all seem ready to play this year. No doubt a main reason for that is the fact there are no off field distractions this year, the paycheques are rolling in, the fans are filling the stands and the team is winning and winning with style.

As long as the Tabbies keep giving the effort that they have in the last two weeks then the fans can’t ask for anything else. The wins on the stat sheets are just a bonus; this team has something that Hamilton fans will respect as much as the W’s, a solid work ethic. The two games so far show a team that just works its butts off to finish the game with a win.

No slackers on this train, everyone is carrying their weight, no one is letting their team mate down. Hard work has always been respected in Hamilton; this is one team that is earning its respect game by game.