The 100th celebration of Canadian Football kicks off this weekend, 100 years of the rouge, three downs and Grey Cup celebrations, to name a few of the fond remembrances of the game.
With the road to the Grey Cup leading to Toronto in November, this centennial offers much off the field as well as on it to grab the interest of football fans everywhere.
But in the end it's the product on the field that will hold the most interest and to that, the various previews and prognostications as season 100 gets set to get under way...
Twelve Men Season Preview
East
A changing of the guard in the CFL East may be in the works with the western migration of the Alberta gunslingers Henry Burris and Ricky Ray. Both Hamilton and Toronto made great strides in the off season, the Tiger Cats seeking to send out Ivor Wynne in style with a potentially Grey Cup roster. The Cats in particular seem to have imported the best of the West, returning Andy Fantuz to his home province and adding Sam Giguere to what could be the league's best receiving corps. Add into the mix one of the best minds in football in George Cortez and the Cats faithful will be singing Oskie Wee Wee in full throat for most of the year.
The Argos are hoping that Ricky Ray can do for the Argonauts what he did for the Eskimos provide consistency and style at the quarterback position, with a new coach in Scott Milanovich on the sidelines steeped in Montreal's winning tradition the Argos are looking to celebrate their Grey Cup hosting duties with a home date in the last week of November.
Winnipeg, which last was seen in the 2011 Grey Cup game finds itself looking eastward with concern as their division rivals retool, the Bombers found success in the late stages of the 2011 season, their opposition in the East has made significant changes that most likely will make the East much more competitive, not perhaps the best omen for head coach Paul LaPolice and Big Blue in 2012.
One suspects we should never underestimate where an Anthony Calvillo led team may finish, but there seems very much a shifting of the sands of time in Montreal this year. With the roster aging yet another year and a few key changes in the coaching ranks, the prospect of decline seems possible for the first time in a long time in the Alouettes camp. Marc Trestman probably knows that every dynasty eventually fades from view, 2012 could be the year that the mighty Als finally return to the pack, a pack that has made enough changes to their own line up to send notice that the Als days of domination may be done.
West
Their the defending CFL champions and by all accounts the league favourite to repeat in that title for 2012. The BC Lions who from Labour Day on in 2011 dominated the CFL, have simply reloaded for 2012, all be it with a few changes along the way.
Wally Buono moved himself into the GM's role with no doubt a plan in place for other management duties to come, shifting Defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides into the big chair at the Surrey training facility. The Lions always known for their defensive strengths, made offence a key for the last half of 2011, Travis Lulay stepping into his starring role with style, his receiving group led by Geroy Simon always dangerous and by November of championship timbre.
In a division still in the midst of change, the Lions surely must be the favourite to not only move on to the Grey Cup, but still the favourite to repeat their feat of 2011.
The Eskimos are still in a rebuilding frame of mind, moving Ricky Ray east in one of the most interesting and perhaps surprising moves in a off season in recent years. Perhaps aware that the three prairie based teams are all in the midst of change, the Esks found the time right to change the dynamic of their squad, though not without more than a few raised eyebrows in Northern Alberta. Kavis Reed will have a challenge on his hands to regroup the Esks, success as always will depend on how they fare agains the cousins in the south.
The Esks provincial rivals in Calgary, have also moved in a different direction, the foundation of that shift laid in last season's waning months. John Hufnagel, steeped in CFL quarterbacking lore as he is felt that a change was needed so Henry Burris, gave way to a new starter Drew Tate and as always in those old west thrillers, the old gunslinger had to leave town to ply his trade, heading to Hamilton.
The Stamps are now fully in the hands of Tate, with changes in the backfield and receiving team, the Stampeders offence will evolve with Tate, whether that comes together enough to take on the Lions remains to be seen.
Saskatchewan as well is in the midst of a major shift, the disappointments of the last few years starting to settle in over the ever faithful in the province. Darian Durant saddled with the responsibility of reviving a Rider offence that last year struggled to say the least. Corey Chamblin takes the reins of the Riders in his first posting as a head coach with the Riders, it will be his battle plan that dictates if the Riders can return to dominance in the CFL West, first place may be a stretch, but with change in the wind in Alberta a quick start could very well give Rider fans hope for an enjoyable summer and fall.
Twelve men Prognostications
EAST
Hamilton
Toronto
Winnipeg
Montreal
WEST
British Columbia
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Edmonton
Grey Cup Prediction-- British Columbia Lions and Hamilton Tiger Cats
Reviews and Prognostications from across the country
TSN Reviews
Montreal
Toronto
Hamilton
Winnipeg
Saskatchewan
Calgary
Edmonton
British Columbia
Globe and Mail Reviews
West
East
National Post Reviews
National Post Panel preview
Five shades of Grey
Canada.com Reviews
East
West
CBC Sports Reviews
East
West
10 things to watch
Sportsnet Reviews
West Division breakdown
East Division breakdown
CFL Kickoff
Players to watch in 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment