The final wrap to the Labour Day Classics comes from the West, the Stampeders providing the venue for the annual Alberta rivalry, the cousins from the north trekking down the highway in full bluster living off the success of a CFL season thus far that has been surprising and rewarding for the Green and Gold.
The same can not be said for the Stamps who have had some struggles in this 2012 campaign through the summer months, bringing their record to 4 and 4 heading into the Labour Day tilt.
When the season began, the conventional thinking was that the Stamps would be on the rise while the Esks rebuilt, half way through the CFL season, the Esks appear to be the team on the rise, a surprising situation for sure, but one no doubt welcomed to the north.
Injuries put an early dent into the Stampeder game plan, with Drew Tate gone for the year, the controls of the Stampeder offence were taken up by Kevin Glenn, who for the most part has done well in his duties, a few miscues along the way the margin of error for the Stamps between challenging for first in the West or trailing the leaders in BC and Edmonton.
The Eskimos will send Kerry Joseph into the starters role on Labour Day, Stephen Jyles has been told to rest his injured leg, though he will be available to the Eskimos should need cause to make a change at the quarterback position today.
It's a wise move for Kavis Reed, for the obvious that a healthy Jyles will be needed for the run toward the playoffs and with a game as highly amped as the Labour Day Classic it offers Joseph the chance to recapture some of his past success on the McMahon field from years gone by.
Reed also added some more bad news for the Stamps, with the announcement that Jerome Messam has returned to the Eskimos from his NFL adventure, yet another running threat for a team that is already overfilling with skilled players at a key position.
At any rate, there's no need to worry about the motivation factor for this one, if anyone on either roster can't get pumped up for this one and next weeks return engagement in Edmonton, then they probably won't have much of a shelf life in the CFL, it's quickly learned that the rivalry between North and South is one of the key elements of the CFL in Alberta, something we imagine is learned from Day one in training camp in June, played out over the space of six days in September.
Game Time 2:30 MT, 4:30 ET, 1:30 PT, McMahon Stadium, TSN
Edmonton 30 at Calgary 31 (32,102)
Pre Game
CFL Video Preview
Globe and Mail-- With QB Steven Jyles injured, Eskimos look to Kerry Joseph against Stamps
National Post-- Eskimos grant Kerry Joseph a Labour Day opportunity
Calgary Herald-- High stakes for Stampeder Corey Mace in Battle of Alberta
Calgary Sun-- The Main event: Glenn vs. Joseph
Edmonton Journal-- Labour Day has never been Stamps' finest hour
Edmonton Sun-- Eskimos' Jyles focuses on getting healthy
Team Backgrounders
Edmonton Eskimos
Calgary Stampeders
Post Game
CFL.ca-- Game Review
CFL.ca-- Video Review
Globe and Mail-- Stampeders beat Eskimos on late touchdown in CFL Battle of Alberta
National Post-- Stampeders prevail to beat Eskimos in nail-biter
Calgary Sun-- Stamps win classic Labour Day tilt
Calgary Herald-- Stamps prevail in back and forth Labour Day contest
Edmonton Sun-- Stampeders beat Eskimos 31-30
Edmonton Journal-- Eskimos' Joseph turns in big-time performance in losing cause
No comments:
Post a Comment