CFL 2012 Regular Season: Week 1

The CFL kicks off the quest for the 100th Grey Cup on the Canada Day weekend, providing  a number of changes that could see some shifting of power in both the East and West Divisions.

The season offers up a farewell to an ancient yard of memories in Hamilton and a return to one in Winnipeg, where delays have resulted in the Bombers retiring to Maroons Road for one more year after all.

The rivalry of Alberta seemingly has shifted to Southern Ontario, where Ricky Ray and Henry Burris hope to transplant the success of the marquee franchises of Edmonton and Calgary into the football success starved locales of Toronto and Hamilton.  The Tiger Cats dipping into a variety of western fields to gobble up what could be the CFL's most impressive offence on paper heading into 2012/

The Als, Bombers and Riders seek to reverse their fall back year of 2011, the Stamps and Esks look to rebuild and rejuvenate taking the challenge to the BC Lions, who heading into the 2012 season still would be the team to beat, a solid lineup, a Grey Cup champion and looking just as dangerous for this season as they did in the last half of the last one.

In Ottawa, another season arrives without a team to cheer on in the national capital, but there too progress is being made, with movement forward on the rebuild of Lansdowne Park and the prospect of the CFL's return in two years, fingers crossed and all of that.

While perfect symmetry might have seen the 100th anniversary celebrations as the logical return season for Ottawa, the occasionally meandering ways of official approval and bureaucracy in the home town, didn't quite coincide with the local ownership groups ambitions.

Still with a shovel to come to the ground shortly one hopes, the plans for a CFL return is in place, for now however, CFL fans in Ottawa will have to find another team to cheer on in 2012.

They can start the audition process this weekend.

Friday, June 29-- Saskatchewan 43 at Hamilton 16 (25,682)
Friday, June 29-- Winnipeg 16 at British Columbia 33  (29,351)
Saturday, June 30-- Toronto 15 at Edmonton 19  (35,538)
Sunday, July 1-- Montreal 10 at Calgary 38    (26.387)

Twelve Men Prognostications: Predicted Winners

Hamilton
British Columbia
Edmonton
Calgary



Weekly Record

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