The 2011 Grey Cup

From the training camps of May we arrive at the final game of the 2011 season, a showdown between East and West, featuring the two teams that through the test of the 2011 season came out on top of their respective divisions.

The Bombers and Lions join in the battle Sunday afternoon, the 99th contest for Lord Earl Grey's Cup, a much anticipated showcase of two of the leagues top defensive squads, two teams that at times looked unbeatable, the Bombers at the start of the season, the Lions at the end of it.

Both have had slumps, the Lions in particular suffering a skid that by the end of July had many wondering if Wally Buono may finally have come to the end of his reign as one of the CFL's longest serving head coaches.

Buono's team turned around a horrible season starting in August and never looked back, rattling of win after win, introducing CFL fans to a fellow named Travis Lulay, who simply went on to shine brightly in this 2011 season.

The Bombers, led by Buck Pierce, made their stand for first in the East a number of times, all be it backing in to first on the final week of the season, but then claiming the Eastern title in a most convincing fashion against the Tiger Cats last week.

That victory brings them into the Lions Den, where Vancouver stands ready to celebrate a national championship should their Lions prove victorious by games' end.  The culmination of a pretty good little party over the last few days, with more than a few surprising events along the way to keep things interesting to say the least! (to name a few, a wild Vanier Cup and what seems like a WWE exhibition between Joe Kapp and Angela Mosca )

But today the focus is on the end of the CFL season, an entertaining five months that brought saw a bit of a change of the guard from perennial  champions and offers a few concerns for the league's largest market,  though for today all is put on the back burner to watch the Lions and the Bombers settle the question of who will be champion for 2011.

The CFL has always been thought of as a scoring game, highlight reel tosses, lengthy rambles, lots of points, for this Grey Cup, there may indeed be a bit of scoring, but in the end, as it has all season, it will depend on how the Lions and Bombers' defences stack up that will tell us the tale of this 99th Grey Cup.

Game Time 3:30 PT, 5:30 CT, 6:30 ET  BC Place Stadium, TSN

PRE GAME 

Vancouver Province-- Preparation time is over, time to play the game
Vancouver Sun-- Battle of the big boys will likely decide Sunday champion
Winnipeg Free Press-- The deck may be stacked but history says...
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers ready to make it happen
Globe and Mail-- Grey Cup quarterbacks have on shot at glory
National Post-- Lions, Blue Bombers comes down to defence

Quick Snaps BC Lions
Quick Snaps Winnipeg  Blue Bombers

Twelve Men Prognostication


British Columbia 30
Winnipeg 24


Playoff record 4 - 4
Overall Regular Season Record 40 -72


POST GAME


Winnipeg 23 at British Columbia 34
Attendance-- 54,313




Vancouver Province-- Lions defence set the table for Grey Cup feast
Vancouver Sun-- BC Lions post rare Grey Cup triumph in front of hometown fans
Winnipeg Free Press-- Worst to first, but still cursed
Winnipeg Sun-- Bombers close but so far away
Globe and Mail-- Bombers can't penetrate Lions Orange wall
National Post-- Less than perfect, but B. C. Lions good enough to win Grey Cup
Toronto Star-- Lulay, Lions roar to victory inn 99th Grey Cup
Canada.com-- Lions defeat Bombers to win Grey Cup at home