The latest of the cotillion balls for Travis Lulay continues on at BC Place today, the Lions starting quarterback who has seen his star rise through the season can take another step towards the upper reaches of the CFL's players lists today with a Lions victory and berth in next weeks Grey Cup.
Lulay who has had a meteoric rise in the last half of the CFL regular season has been receiving the praise and accolades as the Lions reversed a woeful start to enter the Finals as the CFL's hottest team, in from the cold reaches of Northern Alberta however is a cold front desiring to bring an end to the party on the west coast as the Edmonton Eskimos, themselves a pretty good story this CFL season seek to gain the Western berth for next week's grand national finale.
The Eskimos have made believers of many this year, Kavis Reed's stellar handling of a team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding phase, has been a thing to watch. He clearly has the respect and attention of his squad and with it has built a cohesive group that have Edmontonians once again reflecting back on the days when it was just natural that an Eskimo team would be deep into the playoffs.
He goes up against one of the legends of CFL football today in Wally Buono, who never lost faith in his team in the early going when the losses rolled along one after the other until August when the Lions finally clicked and began their remarkable march to the playoffs.
That success coincided with the arrival of Lualy as a CFL quarterback, a confident leader that just seems to make things happen, add on a string of all star calibre receivers, hard running backs and a strong defensive squad that doesn't seem to like to give up points and Buono's team today probably is the one he planned to put together in the spring.
Still, there is one spot where the Lions failed and the Esks excelled and that was coaxing out a season long performance from running back Jerome Messam, he left the Lions under a cloud deemed not one to be part of the team picture, under the guidance of Reed, Messam became one to the major stories of the past regular season. Gathering up yardage at a record clip, scoring highlight reel touchdowns and announcing his arrival as one of the league's most exciting players.
That was all Reed, who found the right combination to spur Messam on to more, normally that would set up a pretty good sub plot today's game, the spurned running back coming back to show his old team what a mistake they made, however, this year that's a storyline that won't develop, Messam, injured in last weeks semi final with Calgary won't be in the line up today, his season done with injury.
Still, he most likely will factor into the game somehow, the Eskimos in a final for the first time since 2005 will be feeding off his energy and adding in their own in the quest to become the representatives of the West next week, taking over the Lions locker room as home team at BC Place for the Grey Cup.
The Western Final will also provide us with a look at Ricky Ray's encore performance, lost in the Eskimo slide of the last few years, Ray, now surrounded with hard working and motivated team mates has once again been among one of the key leaders on a very confident Eskimo team.
The quiet, studious quarterback led his team through the early season to victory after victory, weathered the rough patches mid season and now with a championship shot but one win away seems more than focused on taking his team on to the final game of November.
Eskimo - Lions games of the past have provided for much in the way of entertainment, a study in coaching strategy and outstanding player performance, you have a feeling we won't be disappointed by the end of the game today.
Game Time 1 PM PT ( 2MT, 4 ET) TSN
Pre Game
Vancouver Province-- First win over Eskimos turned season around
Vancouver Sun-- CFL West final on Lions players' backs, not Buono's
Edmonton Journal-- Now it's down to Eskimos, Lions players
Edmonton Sun-- 'I hate Edmonton': Buono
Globe and Mail-- Kavis Reed: The Eskimos' gridiron doctor
National Post-- Lions veterans can leave legacy by turning success into ring
Quick Snaps BC Lions
Quick Snaps Edmonton Eskimos
Post Game
Edmotnon 23 at British Columbia 40
Attendance-- 41,313
Vancouver Province-- Lulay, Harris carry Lions to home Grey Cup
Vancouver Sun-- BC Lions roll to 40-23 win in CFL West Final
Edmonton Journal-- Reed proud of what his young team accomplished this season
Edmonton Sun-- Leos crush Eskimos 40-23
Globe and Mail-- Lions crush Eskimos in West final
National Post-- Lions Stomp Eskimos, will host Winnipeg in Grey Cup
Sunday, November 20, 2011
CFL Gameday: Hamilton at Winnipeg (November 20)
The opening act of our Divisional finals, provides more than a few bad feelings and a dash of intrigue as the Hamilton Tiger Cats take on the Eastern Division champs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the final game to be played at Canad Inn Stadium.
The Cats arrived in the Eastern Final after last weeks thriller in Montreal, where they eliminated the Grey Cup Champions and put out the final word on that long running CFL dynasty.
And while the game already had more than a few sub plots to make things interesting, the Cats added some more fuel for a CFL fire, when they added former Blue Bomber Terrence Jeffers-Harris their squad, even if he can't play in the Eastern Final.
Jeffers-Harris became available after a number of Blue Bomber code of conduct violations, a situation that seemingly left the Bombers with little recourse but to cut him adrift, only to watch him be picked up by their Sunday competition.
The Bombers see the Ticats behaviour as treacherous, the Cats just say they outsmarted their genial hosts for the weekend.
It's a strange little rule that perhaps the CFL should investigate a little further for future years, leaving the league open to a bit of embarrassment over the prospect of a player leaving one team for another just prior to the biggest game of the year for both, maybe bring a peek at the playbook or maybe not.
At any rate, it's made for an interesting distraction over the week and sets up a fascinating sub plot to Sunday's game.
As for the actual product on the field, the Cats with their explosion on offence of last week clearly remember how to score now, though their defence perhaps could use a bit of work on stopping the other team's efforts a little more diligently.
They bring their offensive display led by former Blue Bomber Quarterback Kevin Glenn into the home of one of the toughest of defences in the CFL.
The Bomber on the other hand will once again have Buck Pierce back in the lineup, looking for a chance to move on to the Grey Cup and the chance to return to Vancouver and show his former team his skill set is still strong as field leader of the Bombers.
Sub plots, duplicity and some good old fashion life and death football it all sets the stage for what could be a fairly entertaining Eastern Final
Game Time Noon MT ( 10 AM PT, 1 PM ET) TSN
Pre Game
Winnipeg Free Press-- Buck's heart Blue - Bomber Blue, that is
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers aren't worried about T. J.
Hamilton Spectator-- Playoff savvy Thigpen a real danger for Blue Bombers
Globe and Mail-- Bombers' Pierce ready to step up in CFL East final
National Post-- Bombers' Brown has one more chance to get it right
Quick Snaps Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Quick Snaps Hamilton Tiger Cats
Post Game
Hamilton 3 at Winnipeg 19
Attendance-- 30,051
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers all-out blitz: A fine stadium send off
Winnipeg Free Press-- Garrett lifts Blue Bombers to 19-3 win over Hamilton in East Division Final
Hamilton Spectator-- Bombers freeze out Ticats, 19-3
Globe and Mail-- Blue Bombers bound for Grey Cup
National Post-- Defensive battle sends Blue Bombers to Grey Cup over Ticats
The Cats arrived in the Eastern Final after last weeks thriller in Montreal, where they eliminated the Grey Cup Champions and put out the final word on that long running CFL dynasty.
And while the game already had more than a few sub plots to make things interesting, the Cats added some more fuel for a CFL fire, when they added former Blue Bomber Terrence Jeffers-Harris their squad, even if he can't play in the Eastern Final.
Jeffers-Harris became available after a number of Blue Bomber code of conduct violations, a situation that seemingly left the Bombers with little recourse but to cut him adrift, only to watch him be picked up by their Sunday competition.
The Bombers see the Ticats behaviour as treacherous, the Cats just say they outsmarted their genial hosts for the weekend.
It's a strange little rule that perhaps the CFL should investigate a little further for future years, leaving the league open to a bit of embarrassment over the prospect of a player leaving one team for another just prior to the biggest game of the year for both, maybe bring a peek at the playbook or maybe not.
At any rate, it's made for an interesting distraction over the week and sets up a fascinating sub plot to Sunday's game.
As for the actual product on the field, the Cats with their explosion on offence of last week clearly remember how to score now, though their defence perhaps could use a bit of work on stopping the other team's efforts a little more diligently.
They bring their offensive display led by former Blue Bomber Quarterback Kevin Glenn into the home of one of the toughest of defences in the CFL.
The Bomber on the other hand will once again have Buck Pierce back in the lineup, looking for a chance to move on to the Grey Cup and the chance to return to Vancouver and show his former team his skill set is still strong as field leader of the Bombers.
Sub plots, duplicity and some good old fashion life and death football it all sets the stage for what could be a fairly entertaining Eastern Final
Game Time Noon MT ( 10 AM PT, 1 PM ET) TSN
Pre Game
Winnipeg Free Press-- Buck's heart Blue - Bomber Blue, that is
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers aren't worried about T. J.
Hamilton Spectator-- Playoff savvy Thigpen a real danger for Blue Bombers
Globe and Mail-- Bombers' Pierce ready to step up in CFL East final
National Post-- Bombers' Brown has one more chance to get it right
Quick Snaps Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Quick Snaps Hamilton Tiger Cats
Post Game
Hamilton 3 at Winnipeg 19
Attendance-- 30,051
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers all-out blitz: A fine stadium send off
Winnipeg Free Press-- Garrett lifts Blue Bombers to 19-3 win over Hamilton in East Division Final
Hamilton Spectator-- Bombers freeze out Ticats, 19-3
Globe and Mail-- Blue Bombers bound for Grey Cup
National Post-- Defensive battle sends Blue Bombers to Grey Cup over Ticats
Saturday, November 19, 2011
The Divisional Finals (November 20)
Four teams remain in the hunt for the Grey Cup, setting the stage for a Sunday of football that will determine who moves on and who packs up in this 2011 season.
In the east, the surprise of the playoffs thus far will be the arrival of the Hamilton Tiger Cats at Canad Inn Stadium, the farewell game at the old stadium will feature the battered and bruised Blue Bombers hosting the team the dethroned the Grey Cup champion Alouettes.
Hamilton which has been hot and cold all year, is hoping that they're on full boil as they try to knock those Grey Cup dreams from Swaggerville.
In Vancouver, the Lions will be home to what they hope will be a large and boisterous crowd, ready to celebrate the remarkable surge of the final half of the season, on the other side of the ball will be the Eskimos, a team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding year, but instead looked for a good portion of the regular season as a polished squad ready to reclaim Edmonton's traditional role as champions in the CFL.
The Eskimos always play the Lions tough, coming in after last weeks semi final victory over the Stamps the Eskies have the benefit of a full contact showcase last weekend to build on, the Lions on the other hand have had the opportunity to rest, sometimes a good thing, sometimes not.
We'll find out which of the four teams is best prepared and which two of the four will still have some football to play by the end of Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, Nov 20-- Hamilton 3 at Winnipeg 19 (A-30,051)
Sunday, Nov 20-- Edmonton 23 at British Columbia 40 (A-- 41,313)
Twelve men Prognostications: Predicted Winners
Winnipeg
British Columbia
Weekly Record 2 - 2
Playoff record 4 - 4
Overal Regular Season Record 40 -- 72
Winners advance to the Grey Cup in Vancouver November 27
Globe and Mail-- CFL Playoff picks
National Post-- Road to the Grey Cup: Breaking down the CFL Divisional finals
Vancouver Sun-- This Grey Cup final four highlights a unique CFL season
In the east, the surprise of the playoffs thus far will be the arrival of the Hamilton Tiger Cats at Canad Inn Stadium, the farewell game at the old stadium will feature the battered and bruised Blue Bombers hosting the team the dethroned the Grey Cup champion Alouettes.
Hamilton which has been hot and cold all year, is hoping that they're on full boil as they try to knock those Grey Cup dreams from Swaggerville.
In Vancouver, the Lions will be home to what they hope will be a large and boisterous crowd, ready to celebrate the remarkable surge of the final half of the season, on the other side of the ball will be the Eskimos, a team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding year, but instead looked for a good portion of the regular season as a polished squad ready to reclaim Edmonton's traditional role as champions in the CFL.
The Eskimos always play the Lions tough, coming in after last weeks semi final victory over the Stamps the Eskies have the benefit of a full contact showcase last weekend to build on, the Lions on the other hand have had the opportunity to rest, sometimes a good thing, sometimes not.
We'll find out which of the four teams is best prepared and which two of the four will still have some football to play by the end of Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, Nov 20-- Hamilton 3 at Winnipeg 19 (A-30,051)
Sunday, Nov 20-- Edmonton 23 at British Columbia 40 (A-- 41,313)
Twelve men Prognostications: Predicted Winners
Winnipeg
British Columbia
Weekly Record 2 - 2
Playoff record 4 - 4
Overal Regular Season Record 40 -- 72
Winners advance to the Grey Cup in Vancouver November 27
Globe and Mail-- CFL Playoff picks
National Post-- Road to the Grey Cup: Breaking down the CFL Divisional finals
Vancouver Sun-- This Grey Cup final four highlights a unique CFL season
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Stars that were shining brightly in 2011
As we head into the Divisional Finals this weekend, the CFL celebrated those players that impressed throughout the year, making it to the ultimate in recognition as CFL All Stars for 2011.
League balloting, head coach reviews and input from the Football Reporters of Canada were combined to tally up the list, a preamble for the league's Most Outstanding Player Awards which will be revealed during Grey Cup week in Vancouver.
Not surprising, considering their last season surge, the BC Lions led the All Star parade with 9 spots claimed on the 24 all star listings this year. With their outstanding work all season long, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive corps were next on the list with 4 of the 5 Winnipeg all star spots.
The remaining six teams split up the rest of the all star spots on this years all star roster.
Of the 27 All Stars named to the CFL All Star listings this year, eight were Canadian, 19 were imports.
This years All Stars include:
( I - denotes import, C- Canadian)
OFFENCE
Quarterback-- Travis Lulay - BC Lions (I)
Running Back-- Jerome Messam -- Edmonton Eskimos (C)
Running Back-- Brandon Whitaker -- Montreal Alouettes (I)
Receiver-- Nik Lewis - Calgary Stampeders (I)
Receiver -- Jamel Richardson-- Montreal Alouettes (I)
Receiver-- Geroy Simon -- BC Lions (I)
Receiver-- Fred Stamps -- Edmonton Eskimos (I)
Tackle-- Josh Bourke -- Montreal Alouettes (C)
Tackle-- Jovan Olafloye -- BC Lions (I)
Guard-- Brendan LaBatte-- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (C)
Guard-- Dimitri Tsoumpas -- Calgary Stampeders (C)
Centre-- Angus Reid -- BC Lions (C)
DEFENCE
Defensive Tackle-- Aaron Hunt -- BC Lions (I)
Defensive Tackle-- Khalif Mitchell -- BC Lions (I)
Defensive End-- Justin Hickman -- Hamilton Tiger Cats (I)
Defensive End-- Odell Willis -- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (I)
Linebacker-- Chip Cox-- Montreal Alouettes (I)
Linebacker-- Solomoan Elimimian -- BC Lions (I)
Linebacker-- Jerrell Freeman -- Saskatchewan Roughriders (I)
Corner Back-- Jovon Johnson -- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (I)
Corner Back-- Byron Parker -- Toronto Argonauts (I)
Defensive Back-- Korey Banks -- BC Lions (I)
Defensive Back-- Jonathon Hefney-- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (I)
Safety-- Ian Logan -- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (C)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker-- Paul McCallum -- BC Lions (C)
Punter-- Burke Dales -- Calgary Stampeders (C)
Special Teams -- Chad Owens -- Toronto Argonauts (I)
2011 Division All Star listings
Globe and Mail-- Lulay one of nine Lions named to all-star squad
Vancouver Sun-- CFL All Stars represent youth, longevity
Vancouver Sun-- Lions CFL all stars separated by 17 years
Toronto Star-- Two Argos named CFL all-stars
Edmonton Journal-- Stamps, Messam named stars
TSN-- Lions centre Reid's pain pays off with First All Star nod
Straight.com-- BC Lions lead CFL with nine all-star selections
Monday, November 14, 2011
CFL Semi-Finals
The CFL's playoff rounds are underway and the first round offered up some high scoring action from the East and a family feud in the West that sees a familiar team back in the forefront of playoff football.
One game, one of those matches that CFL fans will talk about for more than a few years, the other perhaps a forgettable game for all those except for the hometown fans, who got the desired result against a rival, but with little in the way of a competitive battle along the way.
Hamilton at Montreal
The Alouettes, defending Grey Cup champions that they are, won't be heading to Vancouver to defend their title this year, coming out on the wrong end of the highest scoring playoff game in CFL history, as the Tiger Cats (despite their best efforts at times) persevered to claim a 52-44 Overtime victory and a berth in next week's Eastern Final in Winnipeg.
It's a rare occasion when your starting quarterback can amass more than 500 yards in offence and still end up losing the game, but such was the case on Sunday as Anthony Calvillo filled the Olympic Stadium's airspace with footballs all in a cause for naught as the Tiger Cats answered each and every drive with a successful one of their own.
Defense it was clear was not the strong point in Sunday's playoff opener, which saw both teams unleash their offences, a collection of players that hadn't particularly sparkled in the last few weeks of the regular season.
The sixty minutes of regular time and the overtime session featured incredible passes, remarkable catches and hard driving runs, lighting up the Olympic Stadium scoreboard to the point that perhaps the Fire Marshall may have been concerned about overloaded circuits.
While Montreal didn't go down without a fight, the end of the dynasty seemed to be nigh last week in Vancouver when the Alouettes looked terrible, they rebounded to a degree on Sunday but the problems that plagued them through the year seemed to be on display once again, mainly defensive this time around, though to be fair, the Als secondary in particular bore little resemblance to the one that hoisted the Grey Cup last year.
The Cats, who have been a team that seemed on the cusp of success for the last few years, finally found a way to close out the deal, though not without a few tense moments for head coach Marcel Bellefeuille, who watched as they stumbled through the final seconds of regulation and then mishandled the clock to deny them a game winning field goal, leaving it to Kevin Glenn to construct the game winning drive in overtime complete with the two point conversion.
Montreal now moves on to rebuilding, the dynasty officially at an end, the areas of concern clear for all to review. Hamilton, flush with victory now moves on to the Eastern Final and a showdown against the Bombers in Winnipeg on Sunday.
Winnipeg has had no shortage of injuries to deal with in the last few weeks, stumbling to the finish of the regular season, for Hamilton who are coming off such an exciting victory, the prospect of another upset would seem more than within reach.
Globe and Mail-- Tiger-Cats upset Alouettes
National Post-- Ticats reach East final with wild overtime win over Alouettes
Toronto Star-- Ticats stun Alouettes in OT
Toronto Sun-- Ticats defeat Als in 'game for the ages'
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats win east semi 52 -33 over Als
Canada.com-- Death of Alouettes dynasty wasn't pretty
Calgary at Edmonton
The Calgary Stampeders may very well be Drew Tate's team now, but the Stamps quarterback will have to wait until the spring now to put more of a stamp on his squad.
The Stampeders couldn't match the intensity and production of the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday afternoon, losing the Western semi-final at a cold, windswept Commonwealth Stadium by a score of 33-19.
The undoing of the Stampeders quest to make it a road trip roll to the Grey Cup came in the second quarter, when the Eskimos took advantage of Calgary miscues and turnovers to put their stamp on the CFL semi final.
Edmonton made good on those opportunities, including a key fumble by Drew Tate which turned into an Eskimo defensive touchdown, part of the second quarter flurry of scoring that set the Eskimos up for their victory by half time.
The Eskimos defence, which has been strong all season long, once again rose to the occasion, putting the finishing touches on the Stamps exit from their duties this CFL season.
Tate, who took a nasty tumble in the latter stages of the second quarter never came back into the game, replaced at the half by Henry Burris, who perhaps in his swan song as a Stampeder quarterback, could not deliver the victory that would have made for a rather interesting side story to the game.
Instead, he was sacked a number of times, chased around the field more often than not and skipped balls to receivers off the turf, not quite the Burris we remembered of sharp crisp passes and dangerous options for the running game.
Still, he didn't receive much help from his team mates, a theme on the year as a matter of fact and so, the Burris era most likely has come to an end in Calgary, while the Stamps will have to review where they go from here in a most disappointing season.
Disappointment isn't the word around Edmonton these days, in fact confidence and a renewed sense of place seems to be the way the winds are blowing from Northern Alberta. The Eskimos who were supposed to be in a rebuilding phase this year, instead looked very much like those dominating Green and Gold teams of the past, stumbling a bit at mid season, they regrouped and never seemed to fall too far off the pace in the CFL West, but one win from hosting the CFL Western Final.
Ricky Ray while not as spectacular as his counterparts of the east on this day, still had a fairly successful day of it, finding his receivers at key times, keeping the Stampeder defence guessing as to what was ahead and once again providing that steady hand on the tiller that Eskimo fans have seen all season long.
On another day of positives, the only negative for Kavis Reed may be the status of Jerome Messam, who having had a remarkable season with Edmonton was injured in the latter stages of the game, limping off the field in visible pain, perhaps not to be seen again until the CFL Awards at the Grey Cup.
If that indeed is his scenario, the Eskimos will have to dig in a little deeper next week against the Lions if they hope to make that trip with him to the Grey Cup in two weeks.
Edmonton Sun-- Esks dump Stamps 33-19
Edmonton Journal-- Eskimos defence shuts down Stamps
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' season over
Calgary Herald-- Stampeders find ways to beat themselves in CFL West ...
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos eliminate Stampeders
National Post-- Eskimos off to West final with win over Stampeders
Canada.com-- Second quarter stinker ends Stamps' season
One game, one of those matches that CFL fans will talk about for more than a few years, the other perhaps a forgettable game for all those except for the hometown fans, who got the desired result against a rival, but with little in the way of a competitive battle along the way.
Hamilton at Montreal
The Alouettes, defending Grey Cup champions that they are, won't be heading to Vancouver to defend their title this year, coming out on the wrong end of the highest scoring playoff game in CFL history, as the Tiger Cats (despite their best efforts at times) persevered to claim a 52-44 Overtime victory and a berth in next week's Eastern Final in Winnipeg.
It's a rare occasion when your starting quarterback can amass more than 500 yards in offence and still end up losing the game, but such was the case on Sunday as Anthony Calvillo filled the Olympic Stadium's airspace with footballs all in a cause for naught as the Tiger Cats answered each and every drive with a successful one of their own.
Defense it was clear was not the strong point in Sunday's playoff opener, which saw both teams unleash their offences, a collection of players that hadn't particularly sparkled in the last few weeks of the regular season.
The sixty minutes of regular time and the overtime session featured incredible passes, remarkable catches and hard driving runs, lighting up the Olympic Stadium scoreboard to the point that perhaps the Fire Marshall may have been concerned about overloaded circuits.
While Montreal didn't go down without a fight, the end of the dynasty seemed to be nigh last week in Vancouver when the Alouettes looked terrible, they rebounded to a degree on Sunday but the problems that plagued them through the year seemed to be on display once again, mainly defensive this time around, though to be fair, the Als secondary in particular bore little resemblance to the one that hoisted the Grey Cup last year.
The Cats, who have been a team that seemed on the cusp of success for the last few years, finally found a way to close out the deal, though not without a few tense moments for head coach Marcel Bellefeuille, who watched as they stumbled through the final seconds of regulation and then mishandled the clock to deny them a game winning field goal, leaving it to Kevin Glenn to construct the game winning drive in overtime complete with the two point conversion.
Montreal now moves on to rebuilding, the dynasty officially at an end, the areas of concern clear for all to review. Hamilton, flush with victory now moves on to the Eastern Final and a showdown against the Bombers in Winnipeg on Sunday.
Winnipeg has had no shortage of injuries to deal with in the last few weeks, stumbling to the finish of the regular season, for Hamilton who are coming off such an exciting victory, the prospect of another upset would seem more than within reach.
Globe and Mail-- Tiger-Cats upset Alouettes
National Post-- Ticats reach East final with wild overtime win over Alouettes
Toronto Star-- Ticats stun Alouettes in OT
Toronto Sun-- Ticats defeat Als in 'game for the ages'
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats win east semi 52 -33 over Als
Canada.com-- Death of Alouettes dynasty wasn't pretty
Calgary at Edmonton
The Calgary Stampeders may very well be Drew Tate's team now, but the Stamps quarterback will have to wait until the spring now to put more of a stamp on his squad.
The Stampeders couldn't match the intensity and production of the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday afternoon, losing the Western semi-final at a cold, windswept Commonwealth Stadium by a score of 33-19.
The undoing of the Stampeders quest to make it a road trip roll to the Grey Cup came in the second quarter, when the Eskimos took advantage of Calgary miscues and turnovers to put their stamp on the CFL semi final.
Edmonton made good on those opportunities, including a key fumble by Drew Tate which turned into an Eskimo defensive touchdown, part of the second quarter flurry of scoring that set the Eskimos up for their victory by half time.
The Eskimos defence, which has been strong all season long, once again rose to the occasion, putting the finishing touches on the Stamps exit from their duties this CFL season.
Tate, who took a nasty tumble in the latter stages of the second quarter never came back into the game, replaced at the half by Henry Burris, who perhaps in his swan song as a Stampeder quarterback, could not deliver the victory that would have made for a rather interesting side story to the game.
Instead, he was sacked a number of times, chased around the field more often than not and skipped balls to receivers off the turf, not quite the Burris we remembered of sharp crisp passes and dangerous options for the running game.
Still, he didn't receive much help from his team mates, a theme on the year as a matter of fact and so, the Burris era most likely has come to an end in Calgary, while the Stamps will have to review where they go from here in a most disappointing season.
Disappointment isn't the word around Edmonton these days, in fact confidence and a renewed sense of place seems to be the way the winds are blowing from Northern Alberta. The Eskimos who were supposed to be in a rebuilding phase this year, instead looked very much like those dominating Green and Gold teams of the past, stumbling a bit at mid season, they regrouped and never seemed to fall too far off the pace in the CFL West, but one win from hosting the CFL Western Final.
Ricky Ray while not as spectacular as his counterparts of the east on this day, still had a fairly successful day of it, finding his receivers at key times, keeping the Stampeder defence guessing as to what was ahead and once again providing that steady hand on the tiller that Eskimo fans have seen all season long.
On another day of positives, the only negative for Kavis Reed may be the status of Jerome Messam, who having had a remarkable season with Edmonton was injured in the latter stages of the game, limping off the field in visible pain, perhaps not to be seen again until the CFL Awards at the Grey Cup.
If that indeed is his scenario, the Eskimos will have to dig in a little deeper next week against the Lions if they hope to make that trip with him to the Grey Cup in two weeks.
Edmonton Sun-- Esks dump Stamps 33-19
Edmonton Journal-- Eskimos defence shuts down Stamps
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' season over
Calgary Herald-- Stampeders find ways to beat themselves in CFL West ...
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos eliminate Stampeders
National Post-- Eskimos off to West final with win over Stampeders
Canada.com-- Second quarter stinker ends Stamps' season
Sunday, November 13, 2011
CFL Gameday: Calgary at Edmonton (November 13)
It's a familiar scene set to unfold on the field at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday, two long time rivals battling it out for provincial bragging rights and as an added bonus a chance to move one step closer to a Grey Cup berth and a CFL championship
The Edmonton Eskimos play host to the southern cousins on Sunday as the Calgary Stampeders make the trek north to try and bring to an end the Eskimos pretty remarkable rebuilding year.
Calgary, as inconsistent as they have been this year were still in the hunt last week for hosting duties for the playoffs, holding up their end of the deal with a victory over Winnipeg and then settling in for some television viewing last Saturday only to watch the stars come out of alignment, sending them on what could be a three game road trip for a Grey Cup.
The Eskimos earned their semi final host status with a hard earned victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week, as good a live time practice session as Kavis Reed could have hoped for, though injuries from that game could have a huge impact on the Eskimos plans to move on to the Western final next week.
While the injury list will most likely be a closely guarded secret up until game time, Reed is still pulling out all the stops to motivate his squad onwards, keeping the focus of a championship season in full view through a number of options including bringing in past Eskimos to talk about the rich history of the Green and Gold and those playoff games of the past against the Stamps.
It's of those past experiences that the Eskimos hope to draw from, the history of their past charting a new course for their present and future.
The Stamps come into what should be a very loud Commonwealth Stadium with but one thing on their minds, crashing the party and moving on towards a goal that many thought was theirs for the taking this year a Grey Cup berth.
The Stamps however are featuring a different look from that which started the season, having turned to Drew Tate to move them out of their season long funk, a task which he seems to have taken to with relish and with the full confidence of his coach John Hufnagel.
While we here at Twelve Men originally thought that Hufnagel was perhaps playing his final motivation card on former starter Henry Burris, it's pretty clear now that there has been a changing of the guard in Calgary, the future it seems belongs to Tate and the future has a good chance to move on this Sunday.
An old fashioned Calgary - Edmonton show down in front of what will no doubt be the Eskimos largest crowd of the year and perhaps the largest crowd in the last few years, it all makes for a pretty good weekend of football for the CFL.
Game Time 2 PM MT (1 PT, 4 ET) Commonwealth Stadium, TSN
Pre Game
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos lean on rich history
Edmonton Journal-- Building successful team began in locker-room for Eskimos
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' Forzani growing into game
Calgary Herald-- Stamps have history on side
Globe and Mail-- Passing of the Stamps' torch to Tate?
National Post-- Reed, Tillman have Eskimos back on track
Quick Snaps Edmonton Eskimos
Quick Snaps Calgary Stampeders
Post Game
Calgary 19 at Edmonton 33
Attendance-- 30, 183
Edmonton advances to CFL West Final in Vancouver
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos defence gets it done
Edmonton Journal-- Esks back where they belong in West final
Calgary Herald-- Stampeders lose CFLWest semifinal to Eskimos
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' season over
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos eliminate Stampeders
National Post-- Eskimos off to West final with win over Stampeders
Canada.com-- Eskimos can thank defence for West semifinal win
The Edmonton Eskimos play host to the southern cousins on Sunday as the Calgary Stampeders make the trek north to try and bring to an end the Eskimos pretty remarkable rebuilding year.
Calgary, as inconsistent as they have been this year were still in the hunt last week for hosting duties for the playoffs, holding up their end of the deal with a victory over Winnipeg and then settling in for some television viewing last Saturday only to watch the stars come out of alignment, sending them on what could be a three game road trip for a Grey Cup.
The Eskimos earned their semi final host status with a hard earned victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week, as good a live time practice session as Kavis Reed could have hoped for, though injuries from that game could have a huge impact on the Eskimos plans to move on to the Western final next week.
While the injury list will most likely be a closely guarded secret up until game time, Reed is still pulling out all the stops to motivate his squad onwards, keeping the focus of a championship season in full view through a number of options including bringing in past Eskimos to talk about the rich history of the Green and Gold and those playoff games of the past against the Stamps.
It's of those past experiences that the Eskimos hope to draw from, the history of their past charting a new course for their present and future.
The Stamps come into what should be a very loud Commonwealth Stadium with but one thing on their minds, crashing the party and moving on towards a goal that many thought was theirs for the taking this year a Grey Cup berth.
The Stamps however are featuring a different look from that which started the season, having turned to Drew Tate to move them out of their season long funk, a task which he seems to have taken to with relish and with the full confidence of his coach John Hufnagel.
While we here at Twelve Men originally thought that Hufnagel was perhaps playing his final motivation card on former starter Henry Burris, it's pretty clear now that there has been a changing of the guard in Calgary, the future it seems belongs to Tate and the future has a good chance to move on this Sunday.
An old fashioned Calgary - Edmonton show down in front of what will no doubt be the Eskimos largest crowd of the year and perhaps the largest crowd in the last few years, it all makes for a pretty good weekend of football for the CFL.
Game Time 2 PM MT (1 PT, 4 ET) Commonwealth Stadium, TSN
Pre Game
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos lean on rich history
Edmonton Journal-- Building successful team began in locker-room for Eskimos
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' Forzani growing into game
Calgary Herald-- Stamps have history on side
Globe and Mail-- Passing of the Stamps' torch to Tate?
National Post-- Reed, Tillman have Eskimos back on track
Quick Snaps Edmonton Eskimos
Quick Snaps Calgary Stampeders
Post Game
Calgary 19 at Edmonton 33
Attendance-- 30, 183
Edmonton advances to CFL West Final in Vancouver
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos defence gets it done
Edmonton Journal-- Esks back where they belong in West final
Calgary Herald-- Stampeders lose CFLWest semifinal to Eskimos
Calgary Sun-- Stamps' season over
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos eliminate Stampeders
National Post-- Eskimos off to West final with win over Stampeders
Canada.com-- Eskimos can thank defence for West semifinal win
CFL Gameday: Hamilton at Montreal (November 13)
The Eastern division's semi final destination is Olympic Stadium, the Als home filed advantage usually boosted by tens of thousands of extra Alouette fans in the stands, sometimes doubling the normal attendance at McGill.
Whether that happens this year will be one of the subplots of Sunday's game, Alouette fans perhaps in shock over the complete disaster of last week's season finale in Vancouver, where with the opportunity to host the Eastern Final, the Als instead went into the witness protection program, disappearing on the field and on the scoreboard.
With but a week to try and reverse all that went wrong, it will be interesting to see how much focus the Als can bring to the Big O on Sunday, a season in which Als fans probably had their usual serving of confidence suddenly offering up some serious things to consider.
Was that game in Vancouver a one off, a team that just didn't have the right focus when it counted most or was it indicative of a team that finally has run its course of CFL domination, an aging roster that will need a retooling without on last hurrah at a Grey Cup game, much to think about with a pivotal win or stay home game on the line.
The Alouettes came completely unglued last week, as poor a performance as we can remember ever seeing them deliver, whether that carries over into this semi final or is dismissed with a renewed deception by the Als remains to be seen and clearly will provide some clues as to where the Als are heading both for this season and into the next.
Hamilton no doubt made note of that game last week and surely must be heading into this semi final with some renewed confidence that this 2011 season could still provide for some positive moments for the inconsistent Cats.
Hamilton which has been in a neutral zone for about three weeks now, with nothing much to play out the season for other than practice reps, suddenly has to ramp it up to a whole new level, a chance to move on in this CFL season by taking down the Grey Cup champs and perhaps bringing a final punctuation mark to a dynasties run.
The momentum could very well be on the side of the Cats, who with this chance to claw their way back into the mix of Grey Cup possibilities, could salvage what has been a pretty disappointing season in steel town.
Sunday's eastern final is much more than just another football game, it could herald a change in the CFL's usual championship suspects for a few years to come.
Game Time 1 PM ET (10 AM PT) Olympic Stadium TSN
Pre Game
Hamilton Spectator-- Glenn focused on winning
Toronto Sun-- Cobourne aiming for big things
Globe and Mail-- Anthony Calvillo signals he's ready to do his part
National Post-- Tiger Cats put in overtime to perfect playoff plan
Canada.com-- Als still have confidence they can get the job done
Quick Snaps Montreal Alouettes
Quick Snaps Hamilton Tiger Cats
Post Game
Hamilton 52 at Montreal 44 (OT)
Attendance-- 33,051
Hamilton advances to CFL Eastern Final in Winnipeg
Globe and Mail-- Tiger Cats upset Alouettes
National Post-- Ticats reach East final with wild overtime win over Alouettes
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats win East semi 52-44 over Als
Toronto Sun-- Bombers hosting Ti-Cats in East Final
Toronto Star-- Ticats stun Alouettes in OT
Canada.com-- Ticats oust Als in OT to advance to East final
Whether that happens this year will be one of the subplots of Sunday's game, Alouette fans perhaps in shock over the complete disaster of last week's season finale in Vancouver, where with the opportunity to host the Eastern Final, the Als instead went into the witness protection program, disappearing on the field and on the scoreboard.
With but a week to try and reverse all that went wrong, it will be interesting to see how much focus the Als can bring to the Big O on Sunday, a season in which Als fans probably had their usual serving of confidence suddenly offering up some serious things to consider.
Was that game in Vancouver a one off, a team that just didn't have the right focus when it counted most or was it indicative of a team that finally has run its course of CFL domination, an aging roster that will need a retooling without on last hurrah at a Grey Cup game, much to think about with a pivotal win or stay home game on the line.
The Alouettes came completely unglued last week, as poor a performance as we can remember ever seeing them deliver, whether that carries over into this semi final or is dismissed with a renewed deception by the Als remains to be seen and clearly will provide some clues as to where the Als are heading both for this season and into the next.
Hamilton no doubt made note of that game last week and surely must be heading into this semi final with some renewed confidence that this 2011 season could still provide for some positive moments for the inconsistent Cats.
Hamilton which has been in a neutral zone for about three weeks now, with nothing much to play out the season for other than practice reps, suddenly has to ramp it up to a whole new level, a chance to move on in this CFL season by taking down the Grey Cup champs and perhaps bringing a final punctuation mark to a dynasties run.
The momentum could very well be on the side of the Cats, who with this chance to claw their way back into the mix of Grey Cup possibilities, could salvage what has been a pretty disappointing season in steel town.
Sunday's eastern final is much more than just another football game, it could herald a change in the CFL's usual championship suspects for a few years to come.
Game Time 1 PM ET (10 AM PT) Olympic Stadium TSN
Pre Game
Hamilton Spectator-- Glenn focused on winning
Toronto Sun-- Cobourne aiming for big things
Globe and Mail-- Anthony Calvillo signals he's ready to do his part
National Post-- Tiger Cats put in overtime to perfect playoff plan
Canada.com-- Als still have confidence they can get the job done
Quick Snaps Montreal Alouettes
Quick Snaps Hamilton Tiger Cats
Post Game
Hamilton 52 at Montreal 44 (OT)
Attendance-- 33,051
Hamilton advances to CFL Eastern Final in Winnipeg
Globe and Mail-- Tiger Cats upset Alouettes
National Post-- Ticats reach East final with wild overtime win over Alouettes
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats win East semi 52-44 over Als
Toronto Sun-- Bombers hosting Ti-Cats in East Final
Toronto Star-- Ticats stun Alouettes in OT
Canada.com-- Ticats oust Als in OT to advance to East final
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Sem Final Sunday (November 13)
The CFL's road to the Grey Cup begins its post season run through Montreal and Edmonton this weekend, as the Eskimos and Alouettes play host to the CFL Semi Finals.
Montreal hoping to regroup from what surely was their worst effort in the Trestman era last week in Vancouver, where the Als were thoroughly embarrassed with but one point to show on their day. The Tiger Cats who were no great shakes of their own in Toronto, at least come into Sunday's semi final with the knowledge that the Als can be taken down. Montreal of course, will be looking to reverse whatever bad karma travelled back east from their loss in Vancouver, setting the scene for what could be a very entertaining game.
In Edmonton, it's another Battle of Alberta to entertain is on Semi Final Sunday, both the Stamps and the Esks had designs on first in the West last weekend, the Stamps holding up their end of the quest by holding on against a late charging Bombers team. Likewise the Esks, withstood Saskatchewan's final charge of the season, securing the hosting rights for the Western semi final. Setting the scene for what should be an intense afternoon of football.
Sunday, Nov 13-- Hamilton 52 at Montreal 44 (OT) (A-- 33,051)
Sunday, Nov 13-- Calgary 19 at Edmonton 33 (A-- 30, 183)
Twelve Men Prognostications: Predicted Winners
Hamilton
Edmonton
Weekly Record 2- 2
Overall Regular Season Record 40 -- 72
Hamilton advances to the CFL Eastern Final in Winnipeg November 20
Edmonton advances to the CFL Western Final in Vancouver November 20
Montreal hoping to regroup from what surely was their worst effort in the Trestman era last week in Vancouver, where the Als were thoroughly embarrassed with but one point to show on their day. The Tiger Cats who were no great shakes of their own in Toronto, at least come into Sunday's semi final with the knowledge that the Als can be taken down. Montreal of course, will be looking to reverse whatever bad karma travelled back east from their loss in Vancouver, setting the scene for what could be a very entertaining game.
In Edmonton, it's another Battle of Alberta to entertain is on Semi Final Sunday, both the Stamps and the Esks had designs on first in the West last weekend, the Stamps holding up their end of the quest by holding on against a late charging Bombers team. Likewise the Esks, withstood Saskatchewan's final charge of the season, securing the hosting rights for the Western semi final. Setting the scene for what should be an intense afternoon of football.
Sunday, Nov 13-- Hamilton 52 at Montreal 44 (OT) (A-- 33,051)
Sunday, Nov 13-- Calgary 19 at Edmonton 33 (A-- 30, 183)
Twelve Men Prognostications: Predicted Winners
Hamilton
Edmonton
Weekly Record 2- 2
Overall Regular Season Record 40 -- 72
Hamilton advances to the CFL Eastern Final in Winnipeg November 20
Edmonton advances to the CFL Western Final in Vancouver November 20
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Gibson's Players of the Month for October 2011
As the CFL's 2011 season was winding down, the Gibson's panel was going over their options for the final month of the season.
The final four selections for the regular season brought forward some familiar names from the CFL statistics book this year, Quarterback Travis Lulay who has had a remarkable run in the final half of the 2011 season claimed the Offensive Player of the Month accolades for October.
He was joined by fellow BC Lion Paul McCallum, who was recognized once again for his special teams work in October, marking his second consecutive Player of the Month award, matching his September efforts quite nicely.
The Argos who struggled quite a bit this season found some glimmers of good news for October, with Byron Parker's selection as the Defensive Player of the Month.
And it's another award winning month of Jerome Messam, the Edmonton Eskimo running back put the cap on a pretty impressive break out year with yet another nod as the Canadian of the Month, with his selection Messam bookends the CFL season, having first won the Player of the Month award in July.
Official website for the Players of the Month Awards
Video replay of the Players of the Month
Offensive Player of the Month
Travis Lulay
British Columbia Lions - Quarterback
Defensive Player of the Month
Byron Parker
Toronto Argonauts -- Defensive Back
Special Teams Player of the Month
Paul McCallum
British Columbia Lions - Punter/Kicker
Canadian Player of the Month
Jerome Messam
Edmonton Eskimos - Running back
Player of the Month Archives for 2011
Player of the Week Archives for 2011
The final four selections for the regular season brought forward some familiar names from the CFL statistics book this year, Quarterback Travis Lulay who has had a remarkable run in the final half of the 2011 season claimed the Offensive Player of the Month accolades for October.
He was joined by fellow BC Lion Paul McCallum, who was recognized once again for his special teams work in October, marking his second consecutive Player of the Month award, matching his September efforts quite nicely.
The Argos who struggled quite a bit this season found some glimmers of good news for October, with Byron Parker's selection as the Defensive Player of the Month.
And it's another award winning month of Jerome Messam, the Edmonton Eskimo running back put the cap on a pretty impressive break out year with yet another nod as the Canadian of the Month, with his selection Messam bookends the CFL season, having first won the Player of the Month award in July.
Official website for the Players of the Month Awards
Video replay of the Players of the Month
Offensive Player of the Month
Travis Lulay
British Columbia Lions - Quarterback
Defensive Player of the Month
Byron Parker
Toronto Argonauts -- Defensive Back
Special Teams Player of the Month
Paul McCallum
British Columbia Lions - Punter/Kicker
Canadian Player of the Month
Jerome Messam
Edmonton Eskimos - Running back
Player of the Month Archives for 2011
Player of the Week Archives for 2011
CFL Players of the Week - Week 19
The Eskimos remarkable drive into the playoffs was highlighted by the work of Adarius Bowman, this weeks Gibson's Offensive Player of the week. Bowman's tally on Friday included 10 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns, a good portion of the Eskimos attack on their way to a close fought victory over Saskatchewan.
Other award winners for the week were Juwan Simpson, who made earned defensive honours after a career high 10 tackles in the Stampeders victory over Winnipeg on Saturday.
Mr. Automatic, Paul McCallum connected on all five of his field goal attempts on Saturday, an eye catching performance that earned him the Special Teams player of the week.
Andre Durie brought the Argos regular season to a close with some positive vibes, making eight receptions for a career best 144 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that earns him the Canadian player of the week award.
Other award winners for the week were Juwan Simpson, who made earned defensive honours after a career high 10 tackles in the Stampeders victory over Winnipeg on Saturday.
Mr. Automatic, Paul McCallum connected on all five of his field goal attempts on Saturday, an eye catching performance that earned him the Special Teams player of the week.
Andre Durie brought the Argos regular season to a close with some positive vibes, making eight receptions for a career best 144 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that earns him the Canadian player of the week award.
The full review of the awards for week Nineteen can be found below.
Offensive Player of the Week
Edmonton Eskimos - Slotback
Defensive Player of the Week
Calgary Stampeders - Linebacker
Special Teams Player of the Week
British Columbia Lions - Kicker
Canadian Player of the Week
Toronto Argonauts - Slot Back
Items of Note
CFL Regular Season Week 19
The CFL's 2011 season wrap provided for no shortage of potential excitement, the final week offering up a variety of key games that would have the final say on where teams placed and where their playoff path would take them.
In the end, a few of those games lived up to billing, another, well it wasn't even close, the final week's review is as follows.
Montreal at British Columbia
A marquee match up that never, ever came close to the anticipation, that sums up Saturday night's showdown between the Als and the Lions.
With both teams in the hunt for a first place finish in their respective divisions, it should have been one of the epic battles of recent CFL history, instead it was a washout in favour of the Lions who completely dominated the Als in every single football category.
The Lions roared out of the opening kick off and never looked back, Travis Lulay leading his team to touchdown after touchdown in the first half, seemingly securing first place for the Leos by the time the first quarter had come to an end.
The end result on the night a 43-1 Lions victory, was one of the most impressive exclamation points to a performance we've seen in a number of years.
It was as complete a game that the Lions have put on the field all year, the early days of their horrible start long forgotten, the final months of the 2011 season a march of remarkable effort.
It must have been a most rewarding feeling for Wally Buono, who by the end of July was the subject of much speculation as to his football acumen, regaining his status as one of the legends of CFL football.
Not that he seems to keep much of an inventory on the archives of the pros and cons of his football smarts, for the most part he's been a pretty level barometer of football in BC, not letting the low pressure fronts affect him any more than he over celebrates the high pressure days.
With the victory, as convincing as it was, the Lions must surely be the favourite to hoist a Grey Cup at centre field at BC Place at the end of this month.
Over in Montreal, Marc Trestman most likely left the game film back in BC, there really is nothing of value from a review of that particular effort, each and every Alouette must know what part of the debacle they played.
The Als, with a chance to claim the Eastern title instead offered up as poor an effort as they have in the last few years, the once dominant team in the CFL looking very very ordinary, something that must be providing the Tiger Cats with more than a bit of hope heading into this weekends semi final with the Als in Montreal.
British Columbia, with the victory, capped a remarkable second half of the season, reversing a horrendous start with a finish for the ages, a well deserved one week break is ahead for them and then the chance to win the CFL West at home in one week's time.
One more win and they host the Grey Cup in their own house, somehow we don't think that Wally Buono is going to need a very stirring pre game speech, the Lions have worked hard in the last two months to get to where they are today, we have a feeling their focus remains strong with the prize now in sight.
Vancouver Province-- Decisive Lions win gives two weeks for rest, repair
Vancouver Sun-- Buono's stick-to-it-iveness just part of explanation
Globe and Mail-- Can the Lions roar all the way to the Grey Cup?
National Post-- Buono proves he's still got it
Canada.com-- Montreal Alouettes were 'out-coached,' Diamond Ferri says
Winnipeg at Calgary
For the first half of Saturday's opening act to the season finales, the Bombers appeared to be content to play the role of butt to a good old fashioned butt whuppin, the Stampeders seemingly still of the belief that the stars were set to align for a remarkable finish to their season, rolled over Winnipeg in the majority of the first thirty minutes.
Calgary played with purpose, something you would have thought Winnipeg would have brought to the game, what with the chance to claim first place in the East theirs for the taking.
But in those first thirty minutes, it looked very much like the Stampeders should be the Grey Cup favourites not the Bombers, Winnipeg surrendered a 24 point deficit before launching a comeback, the early points coming in the late stages of that first half, the majority of points reversal coming in the final 30.
In the end, the Stampeders held on, weathering the frantic Bomber charge in the second half, securing a 30-24 win over the Blue, keeping alive their hopes for a playoff home date until the nightcap match between Montreal and BC.
While Paul LaPolice was watching that game, he most likely was also reviewing the events of the afternoon in his head, a string of miscues by his team that left them in the role of BC Lions cheer leaders for a night.
Indicative of the string of losing efforts that made up the back end of the Bombers season, the opposite trend of that of the Bombers season start, a trend that LaPolice will seek to change leading up to the Bombers playoff match in two weeks.
For Calgary's fans who arrived at McMahon, what turned out to be the final game of the year at the Northeast stadium offered up some hope that the Stamps have regained a bit of their balance heading into the playoffs.
The rising star of Drew Tate was a key part of the Stampeder victory, though Henry Burris did see some playing time, mostly as seems the case these days with back ups, in the short yardage game.
The downside of course for John Hufnagel on the day (besides the final result out of Vancouver later in the day) was the way his defence allowed the Bombers back into the game.
The Stamps as has been the case a few times this year were unable it seems to finish off a team early and cruise to a victory.
The way the CFL standings would shake out by the midnight hour of Saturday would see the Stamps destined for a potential road trek to the Grey Cup, the first stage has them going north to Edmonton for the Western Semi Final on Sunday.
The Bombers in the end lost the game, but won their division regardless, thanks to Montreal's crash and burn in Vancouver, backing into a playoff spot is never a good thing, but in this case the Bombers will take it, with a one week break before the Eastern final, the Bombers can rest up and recuperate, with the injured Buck Pierce key to that concept.
Calgary Sun-- Stamps hang on to beat Bombers
Calgary Herald-- Stamps roll into playoffs with third straight win
Winnipeg Free Press-- Bombers crash in Cowtown, finish first
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers lose, back into 1st
Globe and Mail-- Stampeders hang on to beat Bombers
Saskatchewan at Edmonton
It's always a big event when the Riders cross the border to play the Eskimos at Commonwealth, the convoy of melon head clad Rider fans a boost to gas stations, restaurants and bars that is for the most part welcome.
Normally the game is one of key importance to the CFL West, and while that was the case on Friday night, only one team really had much to win or lose from the end result of the game.
Friday night's game provided Edmonton with the chance to temporarily claim first place in the West and the prospect of a home date for the Western Final. Something that perhaps seemed a little improbable heading into the 2011 season.
Eighteen games later and on the strength of a hard earned 23-20 victory on their final game of the regular season, the Eskimos would lay claim to first (short lived as events would play out over the weekend) an impressive result for a team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding year.
The Riders (and their fans) who have had a miserable year, gave one of their better performances in a year of miscues, trying their best to send off Ken Miller with a win over their long time rivals, Miller who took over the team in August, had success is reversing the losing skid that the early season brought, but time was not on his side for a playoff berth and truth be told, this Riders team wouldn't have deserved a post season anyways.
After a plodding first quarter that suggested a long night for CFL fans, the Riders put a scare into the Eskimos post season dreams with three quarters of entertaining and hard hitting football.
Ryan Dinwiddie had the Rider start at QB, in what may have been his final audition for a spot with the 2012 version of the Riders, putting together some impressive drives to move the Riders down field, including a fourth quarter drive that resulted in a field goal that had the Riders pulling even with the Esks at 20-20 with minutes to go.
The Eskimos however kept focused on their goal of a first place finish and returned the favour, Ricky Ray showcasing his poise and skills to march Edmonton into field goal position for the winning kick with 47 seconds to go in the game.
With a victory secured the Esks would become television viewers for the remainder of the weekend, watching the results out of Calgary and more importantly British Columbia to learn of their playoff plans.
Edmonton Journal-- Esks eke out victory over Riders, secure home playoff game
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos beat Roughriders
Regina Leader Post-- Riders ordeal is finally over
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos clinch home playoff game
National Post-- Getzlaf shines in Roughriders' tough year
Hamilton at Toronto
It was fan appreciation day in Toronto, the Argonauts saluting their fans (small volume as they may have been this year) for stopping by to see them run out the schedule.
As any good guest at a party, the Tiger Cats brought a present, they didn't show up their hosts with anything resembling an effort to win, rather, like a practice defence they played the role of shadow to the Argo attack, giving up enough points to guarantee an Argo victory, but not enough to totally embarrass themselves.
Now, one can't really blame the Cats, the game meant nothing to them, they knew they were going to be on the road for however long their playoff run will be starting on Sunday, so why risk injury to a key player that will be required for the semi finals.
As far as tune up games go though, the Cats didn't show much in the way of effort and probably left their coach with more things to worry about for the weekend to come.
So the weekend opener wasn't much of a contest, some of the Cats who might not normally find regular playing time got more playing time, valuable we guess should they be forced into service in the semi final.
Toronto collected another win to pad the stats, 33-16 for those that keep track of such things of no consequence in a disappointing year, not enough to claim a playoff spot obviously, but at least offering hope that next year might bring a more focused group for the CFL's 100th season and Toronto's Grey Cup year.
Hamilton, safely through the sixty minutes without major malady can now turn it's attention to next week and the CFL playoffs, ever hopeful that they can push their third place finish into a three game road trip ending in Vancouver and the Grey Cup.
Toronto? Well, the planning for next year begins now!
Toronto Sun-- Argos finish on a high
Toronto Star-- Stiff challenges ahead for Argos, says Bob Nicholson
Globe and Mail-- Argos sign off with a win
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats put in lousy effort, lose finale to hapless Argos
National Post-- The Argos reflect on their disappointing season
In the end, a few of those games lived up to billing, another, well it wasn't even close, the final week's review is as follows.
Montreal at British Columbia
A marquee match up that never, ever came close to the anticipation, that sums up Saturday night's showdown between the Als and the Lions.
With both teams in the hunt for a first place finish in their respective divisions, it should have been one of the epic battles of recent CFL history, instead it was a washout in favour of the Lions who completely dominated the Als in every single football category.
The Lions roared out of the opening kick off and never looked back, Travis Lulay leading his team to touchdown after touchdown in the first half, seemingly securing first place for the Leos by the time the first quarter had come to an end.
The end result on the night a 43-1 Lions victory, was one of the most impressive exclamation points to a performance we've seen in a number of years.
It was as complete a game that the Lions have put on the field all year, the early days of their horrible start long forgotten, the final months of the 2011 season a march of remarkable effort.
It must have been a most rewarding feeling for Wally Buono, who by the end of July was the subject of much speculation as to his football acumen, regaining his status as one of the legends of CFL football.
Not that he seems to keep much of an inventory on the archives of the pros and cons of his football smarts, for the most part he's been a pretty level barometer of football in BC, not letting the low pressure fronts affect him any more than he over celebrates the high pressure days.
With the victory, as convincing as it was, the Lions must surely be the favourite to hoist a Grey Cup at centre field at BC Place at the end of this month.
Over in Montreal, Marc Trestman most likely left the game film back in BC, there really is nothing of value from a review of that particular effort, each and every Alouette must know what part of the debacle they played.
The Als, with a chance to claim the Eastern title instead offered up as poor an effort as they have in the last few years, the once dominant team in the CFL looking very very ordinary, something that must be providing the Tiger Cats with more than a bit of hope heading into this weekends semi final with the Als in Montreal.
British Columbia, with the victory, capped a remarkable second half of the season, reversing a horrendous start with a finish for the ages, a well deserved one week break is ahead for them and then the chance to win the CFL West at home in one week's time.
One more win and they host the Grey Cup in their own house, somehow we don't think that Wally Buono is going to need a very stirring pre game speech, the Lions have worked hard in the last two months to get to where they are today, we have a feeling their focus remains strong with the prize now in sight.
Vancouver Province-- Decisive Lions win gives two weeks for rest, repair
Vancouver Sun-- Buono's stick-to-it-iveness just part of explanation
Globe and Mail-- Can the Lions roar all the way to the Grey Cup?
National Post-- Buono proves he's still got it
Canada.com-- Montreal Alouettes were 'out-coached,' Diamond Ferri says
Winnipeg at Calgary
For the first half of Saturday's opening act to the season finales, the Bombers appeared to be content to play the role of butt to a good old fashioned butt whuppin, the Stampeders seemingly still of the belief that the stars were set to align for a remarkable finish to their season, rolled over Winnipeg in the majority of the first thirty minutes.
Calgary played with purpose, something you would have thought Winnipeg would have brought to the game, what with the chance to claim first place in the East theirs for the taking.
But in those first thirty minutes, it looked very much like the Stampeders should be the Grey Cup favourites not the Bombers, Winnipeg surrendered a 24 point deficit before launching a comeback, the early points coming in the late stages of that first half, the majority of points reversal coming in the final 30.
In the end, the Stampeders held on, weathering the frantic Bomber charge in the second half, securing a 30-24 win over the Blue, keeping alive their hopes for a playoff home date until the nightcap match between Montreal and BC.
While Paul LaPolice was watching that game, he most likely was also reviewing the events of the afternoon in his head, a string of miscues by his team that left them in the role of BC Lions cheer leaders for a night.
Indicative of the string of losing efforts that made up the back end of the Bombers season, the opposite trend of that of the Bombers season start, a trend that LaPolice will seek to change leading up to the Bombers playoff match in two weeks.
For Calgary's fans who arrived at McMahon, what turned out to be the final game of the year at the Northeast stadium offered up some hope that the Stamps have regained a bit of their balance heading into the playoffs.
The rising star of Drew Tate was a key part of the Stampeder victory, though Henry Burris did see some playing time, mostly as seems the case these days with back ups, in the short yardage game.
The downside of course for John Hufnagel on the day (besides the final result out of Vancouver later in the day) was the way his defence allowed the Bombers back into the game.
The Stamps as has been the case a few times this year were unable it seems to finish off a team early and cruise to a victory.
The way the CFL standings would shake out by the midnight hour of Saturday would see the Stamps destined for a potential road trek to the Grey Cup, the first stage has them going north to Edmonton for the Western Semi Final on Sunday.
The Bombers in the end lost the game, but won their division regardless, thanks to Montreal's crash and burn in Vancouver, backing into a playoff spot is never a good thing, but in this case the Bombers will take it, with a one week break before the Eastern final, the Bombers can rest up and recuperate, with the injured Buck Pierce key to that concept.
Calgary Sun-- Stamps hang on to beat Bombers
Calgary Herald-- Stamps roll into playoffs with third straight win
Winnipeg Free Press-- Bombers crash in Cowtown, finish first
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers lose, back into 1st
Globe and Mail-- Stampeders hang on to beat Bombers
Saskatchewan at Edmonton
It's always a big event when the Riders cross the border to play the Eskimos at Commonwealth, the convoy of melon head clad Rider fans a boost to gas stations, restaurants and bars that is for the most part welcome.
Normally the game is one of key importance to the CFL West, and while that was the case on Friday night, only one team really had much to win or lose from the end result of the game.
Friday night's game provided Edmonton with the chance to temporarily claim first place in the West and the prospect of a home date for the Western Final. Something that perhaps seemed a little improbable heading into the 2011 season.
Eighteen games later and on the strength of a hard earned 23-20 victory on their final game of the regular season, the Eskimos would lay claim to first (short lived as events would play out over the weekend) an impressive result for a team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding year.
The Riders (and their fans) who have had a miserable year, gave one of their better performances in a year of miscues, trying their best to send off Ken Miller with a win over their long time rivals, Miller who took over the team in August, had success is reversing the losing skid that the early season brought, but time was not on his side for a playoff berth and truth be told, this Riders team wouldn't have deserved a post season anyways.
After a plodding first quarter that suggested a long night for CFL fans, the Riders put a scare into the Eskimos post season dreams with three quarters of entertaining and hard hitting football.
Ryan Dinwiddie had the Rider start at QB, in what may have been his final audition for a spot with the 2012 version of the Riders, putting together some impressive drives to move the Riders down field, including a fourth quarter drive that resulted in a field goal that had the Riders pulling even with the Esks at 20-20 with minutes to go.
The Eskimos however kept focused on their goal of a first place finish and returned the favour, Ricky Ray showcasing his poise and skills to march Edmonton into field goal position for the winning kick with 47 seconds to go in the game.
With a victory secured the Esks would become television viewers for the remainder of the weekend, watching the results out of Calgary and more importantly British Columbia to learn of their playoff plans.
Edmonton Journal-- Esks eke out victory over Riders, secure home playoff game
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos beat Roughriders
Regina Leader Post-- Riders ordeal is finally over
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos clinch home playoff game
National Post-- Getzlaf shines in Roughriders' tough year
Hamilton at Toronto
It was fan appreciation day in Toronto, the Argonauts saluting their fans (small volume as they may have been this year) for stopping by to see them run out the schedule.
As any good guest at a party, the Tiger Cats brought a present, they didn't show up their hosts with anything resembling an effort to win, rather, like a practice defence they played the role of shadow to the Argo attack, giving up enough points to guarantee an Argo victory, but not enough to totally embarrass themselves.
Now, one can't really blame the Cats, the game meant nothing to them, they knew they were going to be on the road for however long their playoff run will be starting on Sunday, so why risk injury to a key player that will be required for the semi finals.
As far as tune up games go though, the Cats didn't show much in the way of effort and probably left their coach with more things to worry about for the weekend to come.
So the weekend opener wasn't much of a contest, some of the Cats who might not normally find regular playing time got more playing time, valuable we guess should they be forced into service in the semi final.
Toronto collected another win to pad the stats, 33-16 for those that keep track of such things of no consequence in a disappointing year, not enough to claim a playoff spot obviously, but at least offering hope that next year might bring a more focused group for the CFL's 100th season and Toronto's Grey Cup year.
Hamilton, safely through the sixty minutes without major malady can now turn it's attention to next week and the CFL playoffs, ever hopeful that they can push their third place finish into a three game road trip ending in Vancouver and the Grey Cup.
Toronto? Well, the planning for next year begins now!
Toronto Sun-- Argos finish on a high
Toronto Star-- Stiff challenges ahead for Argos, says Bob Nicholson
Globe and Mail-- Argos sign off with a win
Hamilton Spectator-- Ticats put in lousy effort, lose finale to hapless Argos
National Post-- The Argos reflect on their disappointing season
Saturday, November 05, 2011
CFL Gameday: Montreal at British Columbia (November 5)
The curtain closes on the 2011 regular season at BC Place tonight and with the kind of drama that Commissioner Cohen perhaps could only dream of, the CFL Standings perhaps won't be finalized until the final snap of the final game.
Montreal will be watching with interest the developments in Calgary over the afternoon, should the Stamps prevail over their guests from Winnipeg then the CFL East will still be up for grabs as the kick off to the season finale approaches.
Whether the Als quest for first will still be a valid one could dictate the kind of game plan that head coach Marc Trestman throws at the Lions tonight, should the Bonbers defeat Calgary first would be theirs, probably sending Trestman into more of a prevent game plan, as in prevent any injuries that may detract from next weeks semi final.
For the Lions the task is pretty simple, win and they host the Western Final in two weeks, lose and depending on how the Stamps fare they could be on the road to Calgary next week for the Western semi final.
Clearly the best path for the Lions both on the field and at the box office is for them to gain victory tonight in front of what should be a pretty pumped up BC Place crowd.
Should the game still be of consequence for the Als, we imagine we'll see much of Anthony Calvillo, one of the most dangerous weapons in the CFL these days. BC once again will be relying on Travis Lulay, hot off his offensive player of the week award, the Lions QB has grown in confidence with just about every outing this year.
Considering the horrendous start that the Lions endured at the beginning of this season, the fact they are in the hunt for first place is a remarkable turn around, all that is left is to close the deal tonight.
Game Time 7 PM PT (10 ET) BC Place TSN
Pre Game
Vancouver Province-- Lions' Elimimian a hit among CFL players
Vancouver Sun-- What's new pussycats? Lions find their roar in 2011
Globe and Mail-- Beating Als is personal for Lions
National Post-- Whyte wants to spoil Lions' finale
Canada.com-- Buono never stopped believing in Lions
Quick Snaps British Columbia Lions
Quick Snaps Montreal Alouettes
Post Game
Montreal 1 at British Columbia 43
Attendance-- 35,454
Vancouver Province-- Decisive Lions win gives two weeks for rest, repair
Vancouver Sun-- Buono's stick-to-itiveness just part of explanation
Globe and Mail-- Can the Lions roar all the way to the Grey Cup?
National Post-- Buono proves he's still got it
Canada.com-- Alouettes were "out-coached" Diamond Ferri says
Montreal will be watching with interest the developments in Calgary over the afternoon, should the Stamps prevail over their guests from Winnipeg then the CFL East will still be up for grabs as the kick off to the season finale approaches.
Whether the Als quest for first will still be a valid one could dictate the kind of game plan that head coach Marc Trestman throws at the Lions tonight, should the Bonbers defeat Calgary first would be theirs, probably sending Trestman into more of a prevent game plan, as in prevent any injuries that may detract from next weeks semi final.
For the Lions the task is pretty simple, win and they host the Western Final in two weeks, lose and depending on how the Stamps fare they could be on the road to Calgary next week for the Western semi final.
Clearly the best path for the Lions both on the field and at the box office is for them to gain victory tonight in front of what should be a pretty pumped up BC Place crowd.
Should the game still be of consequence for the Als, we imagine we'll see much of Anthony Calvillo, one of the most dangerous weapons in the CFL these days. BC once again will be relying on Travis Lulay, hot off his offensive player of the week award, the Lions QB has grown in confidence with just about every outing this year.
Considering the horrendous start that the Lions endured at the beginning of this season, the fact they are in the hunt for first place is a remarkable turn around, all that is left is to close the deal tonight.
Game Time 7 PM PT (10 ET) BC Place TSN
Pre Game
Vancouver Province-- Lions' Elimimian a hit among CFL players
Vancouver Sun-- What's new pussycats? Lions find their roar in 2011
Globe and Mail-- Beating Als is personal for Lions
National Post-- Whyte wants to spoil Lions' finale
Canada.com-- Buono never stopped believing in Lions
Quick Snaps British Columbia Lions
Quick Snaps Montreal Alouettes
Post Game
Montreal 1 at British Columbia 43
Attendance-- 35,454
Vancouver Province-- Decisive Lions win gives two weeks for rest, repair
Vancouver Sun-- Buono's stick-to-itiveness just part of explanation
Globe and Mail-- Can the Lions roar all the way to the Grey Cup?
National Post-- Buono proves he's still got it
Canada.com-- Alouettes were "out-coached" Diamond Ferri says
CFL Gameday: Winnipeg at Calgary (November 5)
Saturday's McMahon Stadium showdown between the Bombers and Stamps will add one more piece to the final product of the CFL playoff picture, with the top spots in both the Eastern and Western Conference still unresolved, this afternoons contest provides the opportunity for one or the other team to keep the quest for First alive.
As the two teams take to the field, the names of the starting quarterbacks on the day are certainly different than what many would have imagined at the start of the season.
Winnipeg is taking to the field with Alex Brink at the helm, taking the place of the injured Buck Pierce for this pivotal final game of the regular season, across the field Drew Tate will be at the helm of the Stampders offence, Tate has supplanted long time Stampeder Henry Burris as the top signal caller now.
The game could highlight some of the key aspects of both teams over the last few weeks, a tough Winnipeg Defence seeking to shut down a Stampeder offence that has rediscovered a bit of spark under Tate.
For Brink, the learning curve continues, today's game perhaps a confidence builder heading into the playoffs, the Bombers have already adviser that they believe Pierce will return to the QB duties for those playoffs, but the experience gained this afternoon could be more than beneficial moving forward into the post season.
For the moment however both Brink and Tate will be hoping to secure a higher seeding for their team as the league schedule comes to a wrap later tonight, for Calgary the road only leads to second now and even that requires a bit of help. Calgary will finish second to the Eskimos if they beat the Bombers and the BC Lions lose to Montreal tonight, should the Lions win, the Stamps tumble to third and a semi final date with the Eskimos next weekend.
Winnipeg will claim first place with a victory over the Stamps, should they lose they could still gain top spot with an Alouette loss tonight.
Game Time 2 PM MT (4 ET, 1 PT) McMahon Stadium TSN
Pre Game
Calgary Sun-- Winter wonderland
Calgary Herald-- Stamps' focus is solely on Bombers
Winnipeg Free Press-- Things looking very bad for Blue
Winnipeg Sun-- Blue's big chance
Globe and Mail-- Bombers-Stamps clash key to CFL Playoff picture
Quick Snaps Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Quick Snaps Calgary Stampeders
Post Game
Winnipeg 24 at Calgary 30
Attendance-- 30,845
Calgary Sun-- Stamps hang on to beat Bombers
Calgary Herald-- Stamps roll into playoffs with third straight win
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers lose, back into 1st
Winnipeg Free Press-- Bombers crash in Cowtown, finish first
Globe and Mail-- Stampeders hang on to beat Bombers
National Post-- Stampeders stay hot to end season with third straight win
As the two teams take to the field, the names of the starting quarterbacks on the day are certainly different than what many would have imagined at the start of the season.
Winnipeg is taking to the field with Alex Brink at the helm, taking the place of the injured Buck Pierce for this pivotal final game of the regular season, across the field Drew Tate will be at the helm of the Stampders offence, Tate has supplanted long time Stampeder Henry Burris as the top signal caller now.
The game could highlight some of the key aspects of both teams over the last few weeks, a tough Winnipeg Defence seeking to shut down a Stampeder offence that has rediscovered a bit of spark under Tate.
For Brink, the learning curve continues, today's game perhaps a confidence builder heading into the playoffs, the Bombers have already adviser that they believe Pierce will return to the QB duties for those playoffs, but the experience gained this afternoon could be more than beneficial moving forward into the post season.
For the moment however both Brink and Tate will be hoping to secure a higher seeding for their team as the league schedule comes to a wrap later tonight, for Calgary the road only leads to second now and even that requires a bit of help. Calgary will finish second to the Eskimos if they beat the Bombers and the BC Lions lose to Montreal tonight, should the Lions win, the Stamps tumble to third and a semi final date with the Eskimos next weekend.
Winnipeg will claim first place with a victory over the Stamps, should they lose they could still gain top spot with an Alouette loss tonight.
Game Time 2 PM MT (4 ET, 1 PT) McMahon Stadium TSN
Pre Game
Calgary Sun-- Winter wonderland
Calgary Herald-- Stamps' focus is solely on Bombers
Winnipeg Free Press-- Things looking very bad for Blue
Winnipeg Sun-- Blue's big chance
Globe and Mail-- Bombers-Stamps clash key to CFL Playoff picture
Quick Snaps Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Quick Snaps Calgary Stampeders
Post Game
Winnipeg 24 at Calgary 30
Attendance-- 30,845
Calgary Sun-- Stamps hang on to beat Bombers
Calgary Herald-- Stamps roll into playoffs with third straight win
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers lose, back into 1st
Winnipeg Free Press-- Bombers crash in Cowtown, finish first
Globe and Mail-- Stampeders hang on to beat Bombers
National Post-- Stampeders stay hot to end season with third straight win
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