Friday, September 25, 2009

Week Thirteen (September 25-27)

The arrival of fall heralds the drive stretch of the CFL season, the final jockying for playoff spots, teams keeping one eye on the standings of their conference while the other watches for the possibility of a cross over spot.

Friday, September 25--Montreal @ Hamilton (7 pm ET, 4 PT)
Friday, September 25-- BC @ Calgary (8 pm MT, 10 PM ET, 7 PT)
Saturday, September 26-- Saskatchewan @ Edmonton (4 pm MT, 6 pm ET, 3 PT)
Sunday, September 27-- Toronto @ Winnipeg (8 pm CT, 9 pm ET, 6 PT)

All games are on TSN

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Week Twelve (September 18-20)

The scramble for positioning and momentum begins as the CFL heads towards the Thanksgiving matches in a few weeks and then the race for the playoffs.

Friday, September 18-- Calgary 17 at Hamilton 24 (19,448)
Saturday, September 19-- Toronto 17 at BC 23 (27,515 )
Sunday, September 20-- Winnipeg 14 at Montreal 33 ( 20,202)
Sunday, September 20-- Edmonton 31 at Saskatchewan 27 (30,945)

All games on TSN

CFL Players of the Week-- Week Eleven

Almost a western sweep in week eleven, as western teams collected three of four awards and the majority of the runner up spots as well.

Video Replay of the players of the week.
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Among the best of the league this week were:
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jermaine Copeland-- R -- Calgary Stampeders
Runner Up-- Henry Burris, QB, Calgary

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jim Davis -- DL -- Calgary Stampeders
Runners Up-- Sean Lucas , LB, Saskatchewan

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Luca Congi -- K -- Saskatchewan Roughriders
Runners Up-- Jason Arakgi, S , BC; Tristan Jackson, KR, Edmonton

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shea Emery -- LB -- Montreal Alouettes
Runners Up-- Kevin Eiben, LB, Toronto, Ryan Thelwell, R, Calgary

Sunday, September 13, 2009

For Whom the Banjo picks... it picks for thee... (take your pick)


"That was just a good old-fashion whipping, I guess you could say"... Wes Cates, pretty well telling us all we need to know about the Banjo Bowl...
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Sunday's return engagement between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took on the aura of a slasher horror film, that as the Riders scoring at will it seemed, simply manhandled and outplayed their prairie cousin's posting one of the most embarrassing scores ever seen on Maroons road.

By the time the carnage was counted, and with the Riders using their second string QB as the clean up guy, the Big Blue were past feeling just a little blue as they prepared for the fan response to a 55-10 disaster at the hands of their most heated (and hated) rival.

There was nothing good to find in a Winnipeg uniform on Sunday, the only positive perhaps the sold out crowd showing that football still is a passion in Winnipeg, though one wonders how long the shelf life will be on passion after such a sour smell wafts across the city from CanadInn stadium.

Head coach Mike Kelly, who wisely now it seems, doesn't take phone calls (really what hasn't he already heard by now from the stands) must surely feel as though he's on a ship heading straight for that iceberg with not an idea as to how to avoid it.

The Blue look like a team that has just upped and quit on their coach, the most recent development of Barrin Simpson sitting out only goes to highlight the strange machinations inside the dressing room and executive offices. With 55 points against to contemplate, trading Simpson perhaps should be put on the back burner if for no other reason than he at least has played defense and might still have a few suggestions on how to slow down some of those increasing points on the scoreboard.

Part of the Bombers problems could also stem from the disconnected sense of ownership of the team at the moment, in this lost wilderness of the move from community ownership to the stewardship of David Asper, there seems to be little if any direction coming from anywhere beyond the coach, and at the moment that direction isn't finding much of an audience with the players.

If you were Asper, perhaps you might be asking yourself at this moment if maybe it might be wise to turn the keys back over to the community group and beg off, what with the economy as it is, it might be a ticket out of what appears to be a growing black hole. Who needs the headaches that seem to be mounting towards migraine status with this team.

The Bombers have been making headlines in the last few weeks for all the wrong reasons, the Pac Man Jones pursuit and abandonment, the Barrin Simpson trade request and now their back to back losses to those Banjo pickin Riders.

There's a serious dysfunction at the junction of Portage and Main, a team that once regularly was expected to be in the running for the Grey Cup, now just seems to be on the run, the wrong way and apparently with no particular directions on how to turn around.

Winnipeg Free Press-- Bombers lose 55-10
Winnipeg Sun-- What now?
National Post-- Riders romp over Bombers
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Photo above from Winnipeg Free Press website

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Week Eleven (September 11-13, 2009)

With fall on the way, the games grow in importance, a weekend of rematches from the Labour Day classic showdowns highlights week eleven.

Friday, Sept 11-- Hamilton 22 at Toronto 25 (26,421)
Friday, Sept 11-- Calgary 35 at Edmonton 34 (46,212)
Sunday, Sept 13-- BC 24 at Montreal 28 (20,202)
Sunday, Sept 13-- Saskatchewan 55 at Winnipeg 10 (29,553)

All Games on TSN

CFL Players of the Week-- Week Ten

The Lions roar with two selections in week ten.

Video Replay of the players of the week.
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Among the best of the league this week were:
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Martell Mallett-- RB -- BC Lions
Runner Up-- Unanimous Selection

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JoJuan Armour-- LB -- BC Lions
Runners Up-- Tad Kornegay, DB, Saskatchewan

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andre Durie-- KR/WR -- Toronto Argonauts
Runners Up-- Chris Thompson, DB , Hamilton; Jason Aragki, S, BC Lions

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dave Stala -- WR -- Hamilton Tiger Cats
Runners Up-- Paris Jackson, WR, BC Lions

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Week Ten (September 4-7, 2009)

Labour Day arrives and with it some of the most famous of CFL rivalries will be showcased in a weekend of action.

Friday, September 4-- Montreal 12 at BC 19 (27,199)
Sunday, September 6-- Winnipeg 14 at Saskatchewan 29 (30,945)
Monday, September 7-- Toronto 15 at Hamilton 34 (30,293)
Monday, September 7-- Edmonton 8 at Calgary 32 (40,729)

All games on TSN

CFL Players of the Week -- Week Nine

It was Mr. Prefontaine's week, with one award and a close second in another.
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Video Replay of the players of the week.
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Among the best of the league this week were:
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nik Lewis-- SB-- Calgary Stampeders
Runner Up-- Arkee Whitlock, RB, Edmonton

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jamall Johnson-- LB -- Hamilton Tiger Cats
Runners Up-- Shannon James, LB Calgary; Malik Jackson,DL, Calgary

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Titus Ryan-- KR/WR -- Calgary Stampeders
Runners Up-- Noel Prefontaine, K, Edmonton; Andre Durie, RB, Toronto

CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Noel Prefontaine -- K/P -- Edmonton Eskimos
Runners Up-- Dimitri Tsoumpas, OG, Calgary; Matt Kirk, DT, Hamilton

The Final Snap -- September 2009

We look for the one quote of the day from the CFL that defines an interesting event or personality.

Sept 21-- "I don’t preach to my teammates; I just try to be an example of a believer"
Sept 21-- "Our quarterbacks are Russell Stover's chocolates right now – you never know quite what you're going to get,"
Sept 20-- "But this will have nothing to do with his agent. If that's the situation then we'll move on"
Sept 19-- "But, yeah, it’ll be nice to hit those guys"
Sept 18-- "To me, he was Grandpa Digger"
Sept 17-- "I feel this is a .500 team that's really on the move"
Sept 16-- "I guess it blew up from there"
Sept 15-- "We’re trying to improve ourselves in a number of ways"
Sept 14-- "It really wasn't a revenge thing for me"
Sept 13-- "Like I said, it’s very, very embarrassing. I almost want to walk out of here with a bag on my head"
Sept 12-- "This is the CFL The last three minutes, anything can happen"
Sept 11-- "Hopefully we've got a fresh guy who can rush the passer"
Sept 10-- "Not being able to play the first nine (games) kind of broke my heart"
Sept 9-- "This is about giving back to the schools, to the communities and celebrating along with our fans"
Sept 8-- "We have no alternative but to protest"
Sept 7-- "I think that was probably the worst decision in football that's ever been made, CFL .. wherever football 's been played "
Sept 6-- "It was an unfortunate end to the game, and the officials became involved"
Sept 5-- "He just did not fit here, okay, put it that way"
Sept 4-- "We understand the meaning of this game, not just the rivalry but what it means to win right now"
Sept 3-- "Pacman Jones goes to Canada. Somebody must have convinced him the North Pole was a strip club"
Sept 2-- "I always told the Winnipeg people that if they wanted to experience something truly great, come to Labour Day"
Sept 1-- "This league isn’t complete until you get back into Ottawa with the right people"

The Opening Kickoff-- September 2009

With one full month of competition under its belt, the CFL continues the march towards Grey Cup Sunday in November. We'll track our three top stories of the day from this location, providing a snapshot of the CFL in September.

September 22-- Simpson told to stay away
September 22-- Alouettes trade QB Santos to Bombers
September 22-- Roughriders’ defence hoping to toss Eskimos’ Ricky Ray off his passing game
September 21-- Printers returns to Lions
September 21-- Despair begins to take its toll
September 21-- Swap for receivers gets Stamps approval
September 20-- Cobourne deepens hole for Blue Bombers
September 20-- Buono achieves milestone in B.C.
September 20-- Edmonton Eskimos beat Saskatchewan Roughriders 31-27
September 19-- Argo defence swears off costly 4th-quarter swoons
September 19-- Ticats let the good times roll
September 19-- Esks know ex-teammate Jones will be ready to play
September 18-- Change is in the air for Blue
September 18-- Saskatchewan Roughriders' John Chick is a well-rounded force
September 18-- B.C. Lion quarterback fears that next hit
September 17-- Lions QB Jarious Jackson sidelined three to five weeks; will Casey Printers be called back to the den?
September 17-- Lewis finds silver lining despite not finding endzone
September 17-- Simpson rejects Blue return
September 16-- The sorry state of Winnipeg
September 16-- Argonauts turn ship around
September 16-- Copeland shines in clutch in Calgary
September 15-- Roughriders preparing for back-to-back series against Edmonton Eskimos
September 15-- Speedy receiver Ware gets another shot with Eskimos
September 15-- Leos do the math — two in, two out
September 14-- Jim Davis a smash hit with Stampeders defence
September 14-- Bombers crushed
September 14-- Buono 'disgusted' with Lions' performance
September 13-- Alouettes exact revenge on Lions
September 13-- Riders romp over Bombers
September 13-- Eskimos need to recuperate after Stampeders sweep
September 12-- Stamps score satisfying sweep against Eskimos
September 12-- Barrin of beef
September 12-- Ticats lose squeaker 25-22
September 11-- Lions coach Wally Buono going home for record
September 11-- Hughes back for Banjo Bowl
September 11-- Expect trench warfare
September 10-- Quarterbacks and purse snatchers beware
September 10-- Als "disappointed" with CFL protest rejection
September 10--One-time B.C. Lion charged with sexual assault in Vancouver
September 9-- CFL denies Alouettes' protest
September 9-- Argo coach to fans: Stay patient
September 9-- Riders sign Kitwana Jones
September 8-- Stampeders' win gives Hughes warm welcome back to Calgary
September 8-- Classic case of anti-Americanism
September 8-- Bishop not the solution
September 7-- Ti Cats win Labour Day Classic
September 7-- Calgary cleans up on Labour Day
September 7-- Als to protest officiating error
September 6-- Riders pick on Bombers pivot
September 6-- Labour Day game often fulcrum of season
September 6-- Argos eye Ticats first, Dominique Dorsey next
September 5-- CFL admits error during Alouettes’ loss to Lions
September 5-- Kelly ready for some jeers
September 5-- Stamps lineman clued up on Classic
September 4-- Labour Day Classic means more than usual to Ticats
September 4-- Lions should hurry up and win, already
September 4-- Time for Eskimos pass defence to tighten up
September 3-- Riders grand at the gate
September 3-- Bruce set to square off with Argos
September 3-- Lancaster’s grandson takes over as Rams quarterback
September 2-- Blue Bombers end Pacman pursuit
September 2-- Fine is just fine with B.C. Lions
September 2-- Hughes may return to Stamps after being released by Eagles
September 1-- Pacman is Bomber-bound
September 1-- Alouettes look to break B.C. Place jinx
September 1-- Jason Armstead returns to — and for — the Roughriders