Week Sixteen

With the Thanksgiving weekend upon us, the CFL's stage is almost set for the rush for positioning for the playoffs in November.

Week sixteen offers up some interesting match ups which could go a long way to deciding first from fourth in both divisions.

Friday, October 10-- Toronto @ Winnipeg (7:30 ET, 6:30 CT, 4:30 PT)
Friday, October 10-- Edmonton @ BC (7:30 PT, 8:30 MT, 10:30 ET)
Monday, October 13-- Hamilton @ Montreal (1:00 ET, 10:00 AM PT)
Monday, October 14-- Saskatchewan @ Calgary (2:30 MT, 1:30 PT, 4:30 ET)

All Games on TSN

Week Fifteen

The beer won't flow as fast in Saskatchewan and the games don't get any easier for Toronto, just a few of the sub plots to week fifteen of the CFL schedule.

Friday,October 3-- BC 24 @ Toronto 20 (28,273)
Friday, October 3-- Calgary 34 @ Saskatchewan 37 (30,945)
Saturday, October 4-- Montreal 38 @ Hamilton 44 (20,423)
Saturday, October 4-- Winnipeg 22 @ Edmonton 36 (40,453)

ALL GAMES ON TSN

The Finals snaps of October 2008

October 3-- ''I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people getting knocked around"
October 2-- "I believe the responsibility of protecting our players is one of the most important responsibilities I have"
October 1-- "It's up to me, based on how I feel"

The Opening kickoffs of October

The weather begins to change in October and so do the fortunes of more than one CFL team, with the final weeks of the 2008 season getting closer, the playoff positioning becomes all important.

We'll keep track of October's main events here.

October 3-- Roughriders tame Stamps
October 3-- Lions hold off Argos
October 3-- Als seeking sacks
October 2-- Joseph wary of Lions defence
October 2-- Buono succeeds on own terms
October 2-- Argos' Dorsey confident he will return
October 1-- Powerless to protect
October 1-- Cobourne, Wake CFL's best of week
October 1-- CFL: Labour of love?

Players of the Week for week Thirteen

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Anthony Calvillo-- QB -- Montreal Alouettes
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jermaine McElveen-- DE-- Montreal Alouettes
Runners up-- Unanimous Selection

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Paul McCallum-- K/P-- BC Lions
Runners up-- Dominique Dorsey, Toronto

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Stu Foord-- RB -- Saskatchewan Roughriders
Runner up-- Ben Cahoon, Montreal; Javier Glatt, BC Lions

Week Fourteen

While they search out suppliers for plastic cups in Saskatchewan and Don Matthews plays spin the Quarterback, the divisions between east and west get greater and greater. Week fourteen provides tests for three of the Easts more desperate teams.

Friday, Sept. 26-- Edmonton 23 @ Winnipeg 30 (29.794)
Saturday, Sept. 27-- Calgary 44 @ Toronto 16 (28,672)
Saturday, Sept. 27-- Hamilton 10 @ B. C. 40 (31,161)
Sunday, Sept. 28-- Saskatchewan 12 @ Montreal 37 (20,202)

ALL GAMES ON TSN

Players of the Week for week Twelve

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Henry Burris-- QB -- Calgary Stampeders
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Goss-- DB -- Edmonton Eskimos
Runners up-- Unanimous Selection

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Stefan Logan-- KR/PR -- British Columbia
Runners up-- Dominique Dorsey, Toronto

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Calvin McCarty-- RB -- Edmonton Eskimos
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

Players of the Week for week Eleven

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Michael Bishop-- QB -- Saskatchewan
Runner up-- Anthony Calvillo, Montreal

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cam Wake-- DE -- British Columbia
Runners up-- Unanimous Selection

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Larry Taylor-- KR/PR -- Montreal
Runners up-- Luca Congi, Saskatchewan, Dominique Dorsey, Toronto

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Clermont-- SB -- British Columbia
Runner up-- Mike Labinjo, Calgary Stampeders; Ben Cahoon, Montreal Alouettes

The Little General leaves the battlefield for the final time

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."Our league has lost its 'little general'. And our country has lost a giant of a man," -- CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, on the passig of Ron Lancaster.

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Thursday marked another day for memories and a time for another a celebration of life, as the news quickly spread of the passing of one of the league’s most iconic figures.

Ron Lancaster, the Little General, who became a folk legend in Saskatchewan and a Canadian football treasure across the nation died at the age of 69 suddenly overnight, leaving a family and a legion of football fans to mourn his passing.

His name gets added to a rather remarkable roll call this season, as he joins Bob Ackles, Earl Lunsford and Leif Pettersen, to name a few, who all made major contributions to this game that still resonates across the land despite the many challenges that try to bring it down.

His time in the CFL has been one of the key elements of league building. Perhaps the most respected figure in Canadian Football to ever take to a CFL field, arriving in Ottawa in 1960 where he and Russ Jackson battled for the starter’s job in the nation’s capital.

While we think of quarterback controversies as big things now, in 1962 Ottawa fans took sides like few have since. Making for as close as a civil war as you might find in the stands, they were spilt in their allegiances.

A good portion feeling that the smallish import from Pennsylvania was the most likely candidate to lead a very talented Ottawa team to numerous Grey Cups, the other side just as determined to voice their support for the homegrown pivot, tenacious in their defence for Russ Jackson.

Back in a time when the CFL was the driving sports obsession of Ottawa’s, the Lancaster/Jackson era provided for some of the most heated passions that the CFL might ever hope to see stirred.

In the end, and as history has since accounted for, Lancaster was shipped west to Regina, where three years later, with a trio of now legendary Rider names in Reed, Campbell and Aldag, the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first Grey Cup.

The 1966 watershed moment for the Green Riders, as Lancaster led his squad to a remarkable victory over those same Ottawa Roughriders that he once suited up for, a Grey Cup win that forever carved Lancaster’s name into the history books of Saskatchewan.

His place on the honour roll of the prairie province will never be replaced, and while his time as a head coach with the Riders provided for one of the few disappointments in his professional football career, there were never any lasting hard feelings from Rider fans, his iconic status forever planted in the soil.

In a province where football is a religion, Lancaster was always their Bishop, parish priest and slightly cocky altar boy all rolled up into one small but dynamic package.

His lifelong love for the Canadian game would continue through the years, from his time as one of the best colour commentators on TV, providing that encyclopedic knowledge of the game and delivering some of the best analysis that would ever come through the television.

He returned to coaching with Edmonton where the Grey Cup would once again come into his possession and again with the Hamilton Tiger Cats, turning a woeful franchise into a Grey Cup champion in short order.

As the years passed by he remained with the Cats, in a variety of management positions, his frustrations apparent as the Cats struggled to regain their once terrifying and championship form.

He had suffered a couple of medical setbacks over the last few years, a bout with bladder cancer which he successfully conquered and most recently a diagnosis of a return of the scourge for Canadians, though in the end it would appear that he would pass on from a heart attack, leaving us behind to share our heavy hearts with a lifelong extended CFL family.

The tributes have been flowing through the day, all of them fitting for a football player who redefined the way our game was played and became the template for the scrambling, inventive game that it is.

The passing of eras in Canadian sport have their timelines outlined by the players that dominated them, for Canadian football, Ron Lancaster’s timeline coincided with many of the greatest moments of the game, a highlight reel of lengthy proportions and of much great emotional connection to the history of the game.

From the days of Jackson, Parker, Etcheverry and Faloney, through the Theismann, Flutie, Allen and Moon eras, the CFL has been fortunate to see some legendary performances at the Quarterback position.

But for longevity, records and importance to the league, none has had the long term impact that the Little General has had; his passing leaves another large hole in our game, a gap that probably will never be filled, but leaving us with memories of Number 23 that will also never be forgotten.

Regina Leader Post-- CFL legend Ron Lancaster dies at 69

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster leaves memories to last lifetime

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster truly one of the game's greatest

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster was 'a players' coach'

Regina Leader Post-- Fans haven't forgotten Lancaster's contributions

Regina Leader Post-- CFL legend Lancaster remembered for 'unmatched' commitment to league

Regina Leader Post-- Fellow CFLers remember Lancaster fondly

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster's comeback victories

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster through the years

Regina Leader Post-- Loss felt in Riders' front office

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster will always be a Rider

Regina Leader Post-- Mueller following in footsteps

Regina Leader Post-- Lancaster's impact felt in RIFL

Regina Leader Post-- Photo gallery

Regina Leader Post-- Jim Hopson on the loss of Ron Lancaster

Hamilton Spectator-- Ron Lancaster's death felt across the CFL

Hamilton Spectator-- Legendary CFL coach and player Ron Lancaster dead at the age of 69

Hamilton Spectator-- Fans, players mourn loss of Ron Lancaster, one of the 'greatest' in the CFL

Edmonton Journal-- Eskimos mourn loss of Ron Lancaster

Ottawa Citizen-- CFL legend dies at age 69

Ottawa Sun-- Goodbye to a legend

Vancouver Sun-- Lancaster a legendary gentleman

Vancouver Sun-- Lancaster truly one of the game's greatest

Vancouver Province-- CFL legend Lancaster remembered for 'unmatched' commitment to league

Vancouver Province-- Riders remember Ron

Winnipeg Free Press-- Legendary CFL player, coach Lancaster dies of cancer

Toronto Star-- Tributes pour in for 'Mr. CFL,' legendary Ron Lancaster
Montreal Gazette-- Alouettes remember Lancaster

National Post-- Tributes pour in for CFL great Lancaster

National Post-- Lancaster truly one of the game’s greatest

National Post-- Time to carve another face into Mount CFL

Globe and Mail-- Remembering 'The Little General'

Globe and Mail-- Lancaster was one of us

CBC Sports-- CFL fans remember Ron Lancaster

Sportsnet-- Legendary Lancaster dead at 69

TSN-- CFL Mourns Passing of Ron Lancaster

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CFL Website-- CFL loses its 'Little General'

CFL Website-- Commissioner's statement on the passing or Ron Lancaster

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You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part One

You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part Two

You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part Three

You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part Four

You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part Five

You Tube-- Life and Times of Ron Lancaster Part Six

Week Thirteen

Desperate teams, try desperate measures to try and kick start their playoff aspirations as the CFL heads into week thirteen of the schedule.

Friday, Sept. 19-- Winnipeg 25 @ Hamilton 23 (19,102 )
Saturday, Sept. 20-- Toronto 4 @ Calgary 34 (33,135)
Saturday, Sept. 20-- BC 27 @ Saskatchewan 21 (30,945)
Sunday, Sept. 21-- Edmonton 4 @ Montreal 40 (20,202 )

ALL GAMES ON TSN

Location, Location, Location, Location, Location

They’ve been trying since 2004 to find a place to stick a shovel in the ground on behalf of the Winnipeg blue Bombers, and once again before the first stake goes into the ground the location has changed again.

Gone is the fancy South Point Location with its potential marina and wondrous looking foot bridge to the city.

Instead it’s off to the lands of academe, where the smart people and smart money suggests the new field of football dreams for Manitoba will be located. Today the Bombers announced that attempt number five to build a stadium, will be focusing on the University of Manitoba lands.

With the cost of assembling all the properties of the most recent option in South Douglas (not to mention the prospect of moving folks out of their homes) seemingl out of reach, David Asper and his investors decided that the much discusses site of the summer wasn’t to be considered feasible anymore.

Enter the University of Manitoba, a site which will offer up land and more importantly perhaps pave the way for federal and provincial involvement in the development of the stadium and its accessories.

The Winnipeg Free Press provided a handy reference list (see below) for those of us who have followed the many tries to provide a replacement for the Polo Park football stadium, some more exotic than others, none of which however ever came to fruition.

With option number five now up on the drawing board, one hopes that they finally get a shovel in the ground and provide some hope for the dedicated but no doubt a little cynical Blue Bomber football fans…

University will benefit from stadium partnership
Updated: September 13, 2008 at 04:12 PM CDT

The new stadium for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will benefit both the University of Manitoba and the community.

Stadium finds home at U of M

U of M president David Barnard said the stadium to be built on the grounds of the university will increase public access to the main campus.

"It will also allow us to maximize potential synergies between our football, sport, active living and other related programs," he said.

Barnard said the university has offered David Asper's Creswin Properties a long-term lease.
The new stadium will not cost the university a dime to construct.

David Asper said the stadium will have year-round facilities for young people.
Asper said he is hoping construction can start soon.

"To play in 2010, shovels must go in the ground this fall which means we've all got a lot of work to do," he said.

Asper said the stadium proposal also includes having a permanent Blue Bomber Hall of Fame and Exhibition, an alumni-supported heritage retail store, team offices and Bomber retail operation, and a media centre.

Stadium finds home at U of M
Blue Bombers head south as Asper picks campus field
bylineParse('By Bartley Kives')
By: Bartley Kives
Updated: September 13, 2008 at 05:37 PM CDT

After starting at Polo Park and rushing past South Point Douglas, David Asper will announce today that he will build his field of dreams at the University of Manitoba.

Asper's Creswin Properties has signed a letter of intent to build a new home for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers near the existing home of the U of M Bisons -- a vacant field at the northwest corner of Chancellor Matheson Drive and University Crescent.

Asper wants to build a partly covered bowl at the U of M, using the same design previously proposed for Polo Park and South Point Douglas, according to sources familiar with the negotiations between Creswin and the university.

The deal is not complete, as the provincial and federal governments have yet to sign on. But sources say the U of M has agreed to provide the land, Asper will contribute more than the $40 million he pledged for the Polo Park site and the city is prepared to allow Creswin to develop commercial property at the existing site of Canad Inns Stadium -- and use that development to fund the stadium and franchise.

No price tag has been floated, but earlier estimates for the Creswin stadium design -- which includes a bubble to cover the playing surface during the winter -- have ranged from $125 million to $150 million.

Unlike the Polo Park plan, the U of M stadium would include what sources are describing as "a significant amateur sports component," which would make the proposal more palatable to the federal government.

Conservative cabinet ministers have ruled out funding a facility that would be used solely for CFL games.

A new stadium at the U of M would also provide a new home for the Vanier Cup-champion Bisons, whose younger players are salivating about the prospects about playing at a new building.

"I was speechless when I heard this. I thought it was a joke," said Bison running back Matt Henry, who hopes the stadium could be built in time for his final year of eligibility in 2010.
"It couldn't be better for our university. It's exactly what we need. It's an awesome, perfect location."

While Asper's Polo Park plan died due to disinterest from Ottawa, city hall sources say the South Point Douglas alternative floated by Katz proved impossible due to the difficulty of assembling land in the neighbourhood, the cost of building new roads and infrastructure and proposal's close proximity to the banks of the Red River.

The city still plans to pursue a redevelopment in South Point Douglas, which developers and residents hope to see rezoned as a mixed-use neighbourhood capable of supporting housing.
"We hope we can get that done as soon as possible," said Curtis Street resident Jeff Monk, whose house would have been demolished to make way for a parking lot if the South Point Douglas stadium proposal went ahead.

According to speculation at city hall, the city and provincial plan to build a $327-million bus corridor from downtown to the U of M -- which Katz and Premier Gary Doer announced on Monday -- had to be in place before Asper could pursue plans to build a south Winnipeg stadium.
The mayor and premier have both said they preferred to see a new Winnipeg football stadium grace downtown Winnipeg, but a bus corridor makes a suburban facility more politically palatable.

An announcement by Asper is planned for halftime during the U of M Bisons' homecoming game this afternoon against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.
Asper could not be reached for comment Friday. A spokesman for Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz declined to comment, while a spokesman for Doer said the province will wait to see what Asper proposes today.

Winnipeg South MP Rod Bruinooge said he would support a new football stadium at the U of M, noting senior Manitoba Conservative MP Vic Toews has promised to look for $15 million for the project if it includes a significant amateur-sport component.

John Loewen, the Liberal candidate for Winnipeg South, said he, too, likes the idea but said he was not in position to make a specific funding pledge.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Four years, five stadium locations

As David Asper prepares to announce he's settled on a new stadium at the University of Manitoba, here's a look at the locations touted as the new home for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

1. RED RIVER EXHIBITION

First proposed: November 2004
Location: West of the Perimeter Highway, on the existing Red River Ex grounds.
Proponents: The Winnipeg Football Club, the Red River Exhibition and the Canad Inns hotel chain.
Proposal died: After Manitoba Premier Gary Doer and Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz made it clear they had no interest in funding a stadium so far from most of the city's population.

2. POLO PARK

First proposed: January 2007
Location: On the existing site of Canad Inns Stadium.
Proponent: David Asper's Creswin Properties.
Proposal died: When Ottawa made it clear it was not prepared to spend money on a facility that would primarily be used for professional football.

3. PUBLIC MARKETS

First proposed: March 2007
Location: At the former Canada Packers site in St. Boniface.
Proponent: The Canad Inns hotel chain.
Proposal died: When the Winnipeg Football Club ended a formal selection process by choosing to work with Creswin Properties to develop a new stadium.

4. SOUTH POINT DOUGLAS

First proposed: June 2008
Location: Northeast of downtown, just east of the Disraeli Freeway and south of the CPR Keewatin line.
Proponent: Creswin Properties.
Proposal died: Today, as Asper is slated to announce he's signed a letter of intent to build a stadium at the U of M.

5. UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

First proposed: Today.
Location: The northwest corner of Chancellor Matheson Drive and University Crescent.
Proponents: Creswin and the U of M.
Proposal died: This is Winnipeg. Let's hope it makes it past Halloween.
- Bartley Kives

Week Twelve

With school back in session for just over a week now, it's not surprising that some of the CFL teams find that they too have to hit the books and start all over.

Half of the Eastern Division changed its on field management this week (and many are still wondering why Winnipeg didn't follow the template), so this weeks games will make for an interesting examination as to whether the players are ready to knuckle down for their new teachers.

This weeks schedule provides a fast test for the Argos and Ticats who head into weekend play with new head coaches (well everything old is new again for Toronto).

Friday, September 12-- Winnipeg 39 @ Toronto 9 (28,453)
Friday, September 12-- Montreal 30 @ Calgary 41 (30,960)
Saturday, September 13-- Hamilton 33 @ Edmonton 38 (37, 500)
Saturday, September 13-- Saskatchewan 23 @ BC 28 (38,608)

ALL GAMES ON TSN

Anything Hamilton can do, we can do better!

Not to be left behind by their neighbours to the west, the Toronto Argonauts stole some of the headlines away from the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

The Argos pushed the Cats off to the sides of the sports pages with their announcement of the departure of head coach Rich Stubler, and the arrival of one of the most famous names in Canadian Football, Don Matthews as the new head coach of the double blue.

The Don, who has been in semi retirement for close to two years now, takes over an Argo team that has struggled to find itself all season long, from the inability to really decide on a starting quarterback until the departure of Michael Bishop a few weeks ago to the complete collapse of a once fearful defence, this years Argonauts have been a bit of a disaster.

Stubler who was promoted after Pinball Clemons stepped up into the management offices in the off season, was supposed to be the tie that bound these Argos from one era to a new one.

Instead, from the early going, it seemed that there were too many off field generals and the perceived undercutting of the trench warfare boss in Stubler. His Argonauts never seemed to grasp the concepts that he was trying to get them to execute on the field, game after game of frustration saw the Argos show a remarkable inability to produce points or stop the other team from scoring theirs.

David Naylor outlines a rather dysfunctional Argonaut middle management corps, with more than a few clashes between Stubler and his coaches and questions of confidence that seemed to sprout from the upper reaches of Argoland as the season continued on along its troublesome path.

Last Sunday’s evisceration at the hands of the Montreal Alouettes apparently became too much to bear for Adam Rita, who was left to make the final call on the fate of Stubler, a decision that was made on Monday apparently, with the introduction of the Don made Tuesday to the Toronto media, considering his past experiences with the media, we would imagine that must have been an interesting press conference.

The return of Matthews will raise a number of questions, one if his health is up to the rigors of a CFL playoff drive and two, if he still has that ability to gain the most from his players, or if it’s a moment from the past, best left to the record books.

As if on cue as well, the return of the Argo Airlift has begun, with nine new Argonauts reporting for duty as the team picks and chooses from those that were removed off of the rosters of the NFL teams now into their regular season. Much like years of the past, in Argoland everything old is new again.

This is retro weekend this weekend in Toronto, as the Blue Bombers, the third of the three basket cases of the CFL East will be in town wearing retro jerseys, with retro prices at the ball park of 19.50 for 67 dollar tickets, providing they are purchased by last Friday.

When you think about it, there is surely no better time to bring in a retro coach!

Globe and Mail-- Too little, too late for Stubler

Globe and Mail-- Only in Canada, eh?

National Post-- Matthews returning to coach Argos

National Post-- Stubler doomed from the start

National Post-- Matthews’ comeback surprises Alouettes

Toronto Star-- Don Matthews, at 69, replaces Stubler as Argo coach

Toronto Star-- So much for stability

Toronto Sun-- Argos dump Stubler for Don Matthews

Too many gaffes, spell the end for Charlie Taaffe

With another woeful season winding down in the Hammer, the Ti-Cats removed Charlie Taaffe from his position, after a weekend of play which saw the Cats fall to 2-8 and show no inclination to grab a playoff spot in the East.

The Tiger Cats, who have tied up a sizable amount of payroll in the wallets of Casey Printers and Jesse Lumsden to name a few, must be wondering what it’s going to take to turn around a franchise that had many in Hamilton excited for football again for the first time in a long time.

Taaffe, who was well regarded by Ti Cat officials never, seemed to be able to connect with his players and the downward slide of the Cats this year has been one of great disappointment to both the team and their fans.

He was saddled with a rather light on talent line up after the big names and never seemed to be able to get everyone on the same page it seemed, far too often a TSN broadcast would show a rather distant looking Taaffe on the sidelines, disengaged it seemed from the carnage on the field. Then again, who could really blame him judging how the Cats managed to let the one or two near victories slip away.

The firing of the coach (though he still is set to receive a pay cheque next year) was the first of a couple of moves designed to try and get the team back into contention in the CFL east, while still developing their young roster.

The Cats were busy trying to finish off a trade with Winnipeg made this week, a player swap that was supposed to see Zeek Moreno pack his long underwear, while Tom Canada would make the trip to the Hammer. The only problem in the deal was that Canada never seemed particularly keen on the trip to Steeltown and reported back from hospital later in the day with an enlarged spleen, a concerns over his health that would serve to scupper his participation in the deal.

By the end of the day Tuesday, the Cats were destined to be a little short on the help us now file, but stronger in the ever popular futures, with draft picks and NFL possibilities in the final details.

Good news for the years to come, but for the ever loyal faithful that make the trek to Ivor Wynne Stadium, a little progress in the present might be a nice gesture as well. They are hoping that interim head coach and now former offensive co-ordinator Marcel Bellefeuille can at least deliver them to a playoff position.

With the rest of the east, (with the exception of Montreal) a bit of a basket case this year, making the playoffs might be all that it takes to show the fans that Hamilton is indeed a town of more than hope.

Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats fire Charlie Taaffe
Hamilton Spectator-- Cat-land just got a lot louder
Toronto Star-- Ticats coach Charlie Taaffe fired after 2-8 start
Globe and Mail-- A disaster of the Ticats' own making

Players of the Week for week Ten

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ricky Ray- QB - Edmonton
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mark Estelle- CB- Montreal
Runners up-- Maurice Lloyd, Saskatchewan

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dominique Dorsey--KR/PR--Toronto Argonauts
Runners up-- Unanimous Selection

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kamau Peterson - WR - Edmonton Eskimos
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

Week Eleven

With Labour Day now in the rear view mirror, the next benchmark for CFL teams will be the run up to the Thanksgiving Day Weekend of October.
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By then, it may be a little clearer which teams are set to fade from view heading towards the playoffs and which teams are set to run away from the pack.

Friday, September 5-- Calgary 38 @ Edmonton 33 (46,014)
Saturday, September 6-- BC 35 @ Hamilton 12 (18,723)
Sunday, September 7-- Toronto 19 @ Montreal 45 (20,202)
Sunday, September 7-- Saskatchewan 34 @ Winnipeg 31 (29,770)

The Final snaps of September 2008

The quotable quotes for September.

September 30-- "The police have also assured us if anyone is caught throwing objects there will be charges - and serious ones, too."
September 29-- "I figure if we win our remaining home games, we're in the playoffs"
September 28-- "You can't sugar-coat it, we have to play better across line, all of us included"
September 25-- "I think he's one of the main reasons why we are playing so much better as a football team"
September 24-- "I disagreed with it. And I just think with the death of Ron Lancaster, we should name it Lancaster Stadium"
September 23-- "It's frustrating, but at the same time, he's the coach."
September 22-- "B.C. wasn't innocent, but nothing justifies that behaviour, especially on a night when we were honouring a great"
September 21-- "Even (teammate) Jason (Clermont) said to me he's embarrassed to say he lives here and he's born, raised, (played) university here, high school, everything"
September 20-- "I've known the name Lancaster ever since I've heard about the Riders just because of how great he is and what he meant to the province"
September 19-- "Somebody would have to send me a plane ticket to Hawaii instead of Regina"
September 18-- "I can think of no other athlete in the history of professional sports anywhere who affected as many people in as many wonderful ways as Ron Lancaster did in as many capacities"
September 17-- "Most likely the whitewater stuff's out but I'm sure I can paddle around a little bit and catch a couple of waves "
September 16-- "Pro sports, you don't know what's going to happen"
September 15-- "But the thing is, it's a performance-dedicated job"
September 14-- "That was a real dogfight, scratch, fight, kick, the way it's supposed to be"
September 13-- "It was like sandlot out there, and it gave us some momentum going into the second half," "
September 12-- "I was blessed to get a second chance"
September 11-- "Zeke was the face of this defence"
September 10-- "It's like spring is here"
September 9-- "The reason I'm here is, for whatever reason, the players aren't playing up to their potential"
September 8-- "Charlie was very professional about it, he knows the business. What he did here was not for lack of effort"
September 7-- "We have a great leadership on this team and that is a determining factor"
September 6-- "It could have sparked something in us"
September 5-- "Edmonton and Calgary, any time those two teams play it's going to be a big game no matter what"
September 4-- "I have no doubt in my mind that I can come back and play again, because I've done it before"
September 3-- "My take on the situation (in B.C.), I have no clue, no clue whatsoever"
September 2-- "I feel like the weight of the world has come off my shoulders."
September 1-- "And I'm not being facetious when I say if I drop dead tomorrow, our team's going to come out and play!"

The Opening kickoffs of September

September brings the Labour Day classics and the run for the playoff positions of November. Here's a snapshot of some of the key moments for the month.

September 30-- Bombers QB Glenn will suit against Eskimos
September 30-- Matthews goes back to Joseph
September 30-- Johnson cut as Argos continue reworking roster
September 29-- CFL fines six players after altercation
September 29-- Argos' free-fall coming at a terrible time
September 29-- Champion excited to get some game time
September 28-- Montreal rolls to second lopsided win in a row
September 28-- Winning the West no easy task
September 28-- Season slipping away for Argos
September 25-- Calvillo named offensive player of the week
September 25-- Printers returning to BC Place as a backup
September 25-- CFL boss tackles the NFL
September 24-- Boden’s prayers answered with new CFL life as Ticat
September 24-- Bombers’ Samuels pumped for match against ex-teammates
September 24-- Dorsey piling up yardage, but Matthews concerned
September 23-- Lumsden's uncertain future led Ticats to Keith
September 23-- Bombers sweep would be blight on Eskimos season
September 23-- Argos sign DB and release linbackers
September 22-- Keith officially joins Ticats
September 22-- Bishop downplays talk of QB controversy in Regina
September 22-- Riders tighten security after fans pelt Lions with beer cans
September 21-- Aerial attack decimates Edmonton
September 21-- Matthews has no magic potion
September 21-- CFL on alert over hostile fans
September 20-- Stamps romp over Argos
September 20-- League's top offences collide in Montreal
September 20-- Lions edge Roughriders
September 19-- Ticats woes continue
September 19-- Hall of Fame beckons Flutie, Clemons, Pringle
September 19-- Calvillo-to-Cahoon is the challenge
September 18-- Remembering 'The Little General'
September 18-- Lancaster was one of us
September 18-- Tributes pour in for CFL great Lancaster
September 17-- Banged-up Eskimos on the mend
September 17-- Riders coach’s wife lending hand to hurricane victims
September 17-- Big week for Burris
September 16-- MLS pitch or CFL park?
September 16-- Riders refuse to get into war of words with Lions
September 16-- Same old Matthews
September 15-- Manitoba considers $20M for new stadium
September 15-- Joseph out, Pickett in
September 15-- Lions expected to continue running back shuffle
September 14-- East is least
September 14-- Varsity Blues play new winning tune
September 14-- Wake one ferocious Lion
September 13-- Pierce leads B.C. to crucial win
September 13-- Ticats drop another close game
September 13-- Stadium finds home at U of M
September 12-- Stamps roll over Als
September 12-- Stegall shines on retro night
September 12-- Lions, 'Riders have respect for one another
September 11-- Alouettes get stiff test in Calgary
September 11-- Argos on notice
September 11-- Options multiply with Roberts
September 10-- Matthews to Argos: Changes coming
September 10-- Lumsden wants more action, Ticats coach not sure
September 10-- Foord enjoying the ride with Saskatchewan
September 9-- Argos name Matthews as coach
September 9-- Rejigged Bombers-Ticats deal a go
September 9-- Cat-land just got a lot louder
September 8-- Ticats fire Charlie Taaffe
September 8-- Tom Canada trade on hold
September 8-- In Lions' eyes, first-place on line in home-and-home with Riders
September 7-- Montreal Alouettes defeat Toronto Argonauts 45-19 fifth consecutive victory
September 7-- Argos make bid for Keith: Report
September 7-- A gutsy victory for Riders
September 6-- B.C. Lions romp over Ticats with 35-12 win in Hamilton
September 6-- Argos throw a new look defence at Alouettes
September 6-- Making the most of second chances
September 5-- Stamps avenge Labour Day loss
September 5-- Lions' Buono doesn't regret releasing Dickenson
September 5-- Bombers' biggest problem is Glenn
September 4-- QB and coach: Two sides of a coin
September 4-- CFL legend Earl Lunsford dies
September 4-- Argos making push for former Colts back Keith
September 3-- Dave Dickenson shelved for rest of season
September 3-- Ottawa to give Laval $37.5-million for sports complex
September 3-- First-half frustration boils over at practice
September 2-- Winnipeg drops bomb, sending Roberts to B.C.
September 2-- Taaffe latest coach to find himself on the hot seat
September 2-- Horsemen 'not as good as we think we are'
September 1-- Argonauts survive a Steeltown thriller
September 1-- Revamped and revived Eskimos trample Stampeders
September 1-- Buono admits Lions have disappointed

Players of the Week for week Nine

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
AJ Harris - RB - Edmonton Eskimos
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dario Romero - DB - Edmonton Eskimos
Runners up-- Mike Labinjo – Calgary Stampeders

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sandro DeAngelis- K – Calgary Stampeders
Runners up-- Noel Prefontaine, Edmonton

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mike Labinjo– DE - Calgary Stampeders
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

Week Ten

All the breaks are over and the CFL prepares for the Labour Day showdowns, the half way mark of the season and when the serious football starts to kick in.

Friday, August 29-- BC 25 @ Montreal 30 (20,202)
Sunday, August 31-- Winnipeg 6 @ Saskatchewan 19 (30,985)
Monday, September 1-- Edmonton 37 @ Calgary 16 (35,650 )
Monday, September 1-- Toronto 34 @ Hamilton 31 (25,911)

ALL GAMES ON TSN

All he's asking for is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T

If there's one song on Michael Bishop's iPod that would tell the tale it might be the above classic from Aretha Franklin.

Day one of the rest of Michael Bishop's CFL journey turned out to be a pretty enjoyable experience, as the newest quarterback for the Grey Cup Champion Roughriders took on his new duties for the Green and White.

As the Globe and Mail reports in a story published on Monday, Bishop is finding the atmosphere around Taylor Field to be much more to his liking, leaving no doubt for anyone that the Argo environment was not the most enjoyable place that one might have wanted to work at it seems.

While he leaves all that angst and disappointment from Toronto behind, it would appear that for now anyways, Saskatchewan and Bishop are going to be a pretty happy mix.

Happiness may give way to an unbridled love affair, should Bishop lead the Riders to repeat win of Lord Grey's Mug in November.

Bishop soaks up Saskatchewan hospitality
DAVID NAYLOR
Globe and Mail Update
August 25, 2008 at 10:58 PM EDT

Michael Bishop's first day in green and white couldn't have gone any better.

He got to run the first-string offence. He had a good day of practice. And, best of all, he says the atmosphere around his new CFL team is nothing like the one he left behind.

“With the success they've had, there's no selfish guys on this team,” the veteran quarterback, who was dealt from the Toronto Argonauts to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, said yesterday. “I was welcomed real good.

“It's different than Toronto. Everyone talks to everyone, and when you come into a situation like that, you have to feel good about it. From the first time I walked into the locker room, I was greeted. It's a different team and a different atmosphere.”

Bishop, 32, appears to be getting all the respect he feels he was not afforded in Toronto, where, after going 11-1 as the starter last season, he was demoted to backup duty during the first eight games of 2008.

The first-string job appears his to lose in Saskatchewan as the team prepares for its game on Sunday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in front of what will be a packed house in Regina.

“My first day went good,” Bishop said. “I had the opportunity to work with the first group on offence, completed some throws and threw three touchdown passes. It's a good situation to be in, but I know I have to go out and not press too much. But getting this opportunity says a lot about the coaching staff and my new teammates.”

The ‘Riders are taking what would appear to be a big gamble, bringing a new quarterback to a team that opened defence of its Grey Cup title with six consecutive wins before losing two in a row.

But general manager Eric Tillman insists the change isn't as much an indictment of former starter Marcus Crandell, who is expected to be released as early as today, as an admission the slew of injuries to the Roughriders' offence means the team requires a different kind of quarterback.

Specifically, it requires a pivot with a strong arm and nimble feet, someone who can throw deep or to the wide side of the field and also roll out of the pocket.

“Because of the injury situation, we had to alter our offence,” Tillman said. “When we traded Kerry Joseph [to Toronto in March], we felt we'd have a good offensive line and a receiving corps equal to the better groups in the league. But who could've predicted losing half our offence to injury?

“So we've had to change our strategy and need an athletic quarterback to give us pass, rush options and open things up for [running back] Wes Cates.”

Tillman said the coaching staff knew Crandell's departure would be disappointing to the players, but couldn't resist making the move on that basis alone. And he believes the healing process had already come along way by the end of Bishop's first practice.

“Any time you make a change of this magnitude, with a person as highly respected as Marcus, there's going to be emotion,” Tillman said. “In the big picture, you understand that players are people who wear jerseys for a living. They have strong relationships and there's going to be a reaction.

“But we have a strong group and they'll bounce back and you could see that [yesterday].”
The Argonauts, meanwhile, moved on, not just without Bishop, but also veteran safety Orlondo Steinauer.

Steinauer, 35, had been a mainstay on Toronto's defence since 2000. But the unit has been a disappointment so far this year, and there were rumbles last week that changes were in the offing.

Steinauer's release may also be partly a cost-cutting move because the salaries of six-year CFL veterans are guaranteed for the year after league games this week.

“Sometimes in football, you are faced with having to make difficult decisions involving good people,” Argos GM Adam Rita said in a statement. “Today is one of those times. We believe this move will help us improve our secondary and ultimately win games. We have some young talent on our roster and we are looking forward to seeing them on the field.”

The congregation at Canada’s football cathedral awaits their Bishop

Developments over the weekend out of Toronto heralded a move that was long expected and for many probably expected as far back as in the off season when Saskatchewan first sent Kerry Joseph to Toronto.

But now, as the Labour Day yardstick grows closer, Michael Bishop has moved on from the Toronto Argonauts, or to be more correct he’s been moved on.

Bishop was traded to Canada’s hotbed of football this weekend, as he learned the details of his transfer to the Saskatchewan branch of the CFL, in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2011 selection derby .

It’s probably a change that should have happened back when the Argos acquired Joseph from the Grey Cup champion Riders, and indeed the fact that Bishop remained on the training camp roster surprised more than a few CFL fans as the pre-season and then regular season got underway.

While the Argos found themselves flush with quarterbacks, as the year progressed there appeared to be no way to satisfy both Joseph and Bishop in the Argo camp, in fact as the Argos have struggled, the rifts between both QB’s and the coaching staff have appeared to become more pronounced.

Neither QB really secure in the confidence of their coaches, neither really excelling when the need was there the most. In short something clearly had to give, and this weekend it was Bishop that was moved out of the east with a westward destination.

He had previously been placed on waivers, a testing of the waters by the Argos which was made public much to the organizations embarrassment and much to the chagrin of Bishop who found less and less to trust about his bosses as the season progressed.

With the trade he is reunited with his former offensive coach from the Toronto days in Ken Miller, a comfortable fit that should benefit both Bishop and the Riders as they begin the second half of the season and the key Labour Day Classic to come this weekend.

Where all of this leaves Marcus Crandell, Stephen Jyles, Darian Durant and the rest of the QB's that have been floating around in Regina these days remains to be seen, but it would appear that somebody(or two) is soon to be moved off the depth charts in Riderland with Crandell expected to be the first to leave.

As for Bishop, there will be no longing glances back at his old Toronto squad, while he may miss a few of the Argonauts individually, his quite angry sounding comments in Sunday’s Toronto Star, certainly paint the picture of a guy that has had more than enough of the way he believes he was treated by Argo management and ownership.

He now has a chance to work with a clean slate in Saskatchewan, perhaps finally reaching the potential that he has shown glimpses of over the last few seasons but never fully developed on a consistent basis.

Rider fans, who regularly fill Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, will certainly be hoping that a newly freed and now very motivated Bishop will help to keep the Rider atop the west and on track for a defence of their Grey Cup championship come this November in Montreal.

Players of the Week for week eight

Among the best of the league this week were:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Avon Cobourne--RB--Montreal Alouettes
Runner up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Keron Williams-DT-Montreal Alouettes
Runners up-- Gavin Walls, Winnipeg

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dominique Dorsey--KR/PR--Toronto Argonauts
Runners up-- Graeme Bell, Winnipeg, Larry Taylor, Montreal

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Davis Sanchez--CB--Montreal Alouettes
Runner up-- Arjei Franklin, Winnipeg, Doug Brown, Winnipeg

The Final snaps of August 2008

We return to chronicling the quotable thoughts each day of the CFL universe.

August 31-- "We weren't on the same page but we came in and got the first win and that was important"
August 30-- "If it's not going well, we won't hesitate to play Richie"
August 29-- "I'm so excited about Monday. It's killing me"
August 28-- "Whenever they give you a chance to make plays, or an opportunity to change the game, I enjoy it"
August 27-- "I think it's a real sign that the league is doing well, that Canadians are rallying to our league and showing great support"
August 26-- "It's an honour to learn more about the history of the game and be a part of it"
August 25-- "That's football, and you have to deal with it. I have to be in better position so it doesn't happen"
August 24-- "Everything that was said in training camp was a lie"
August 23-- "We didn't do this to send a message, we did it to make our team better"
August 22-- "There are some things that you can learn in losses"
August 21-- "Penalties have killed us in the past, and they've hurt us this year"
August 20-- "That's good because half of the fans will be ours"
August 19-- "The way I'm looking at it right now is the time I'm not in there I'm not getting any bruises"
August 18-- "I think he's highly motivated. I don't think he gets a lot of credit for what he's done"
August 17-- "Before I wanted to be an Olympian, I used want to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers."