Columnists
The Canadian Football League -2012
The Canadian Football League kicked off last weekend in the season openers.
This is the year that the league celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Grey Cup, culminating in the big game in Toronto in late November. There will not be frozen tundra, nor great billows of steam pouring off the players. There will be a roof, and pleasant conditions for the players and the fans.
I am certain that the league would appreciate an appearance of the Toronto Argonauts in the final game. After all, there is always something missing when the two qualifying teams play the big game in a foreign venue.
Teams went through a dizzying process in the off-season to prepare for last weekend’s home openers. There were more coaching changes and more readjustments at the quarterback position than you can shake a stick at.
Once the dust had settled, and once the referee signalled to start the games, we had football in Canada, the first since last November. Hundreds of players lined up on both sides of the field to strut their stuff. They have been scurrying around in the spring to get their bodies ready, and their brains focused for the 2012 season.
Apparently, the Western contingent in the league got the message. The teams from the west started four games, and won four games. The Eastern teams: Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Montreal Alouettes, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers all suffered the same fate.
The British Columbia Lions celebrated their victory over the Blue Bombers in Vancouver. Slotback Geroy Simon caught five passes for 105 yards. He surpassed the record held by CFL commentator Milt Stegall for the alltime receiving yards record. The game was held up, momentarily while his accomplishment was recognized by Commissioner Mark Cohon, Lions GM Wally Buono, and then Simon himself, who shared his thoughts. “I’m most proud of the legacy that I’m going to leave. I try to go out and play 100 per cent and give it my all. I’m proud to be from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a place nobody knows about, and to be honoured the way I have been honoured is a great feeling.”
In Edmonton, the Eskimos presented a stingy defence to the Toronto Argonauts, and defeated the Double Blue 19-15. There was a lot of chatter before the game, as Ricky Ray, now the Argo QB, had jumped ship from the Eskimos. The Argos had some momentum in a final drive, but came up just short as the gun sounded.
In a bit of a surprise in Calgary, the Stampeders were led by Nik Lewis with a dozen catches, and Jon Cornish who scored two touchdowns. The team laid an old-fashioned “whuppin’” on the Alouettes. Final score? 38-10! Future Hall of Famer Anthony Calvillo had a quiet night for the Alouettes, completing just 16 of 31 passes.
And finally, in Hamilton, the Ticats took it on the chin from the Sakatchewan Roughriders 43-16. Darian Durant connected for three touchdown passes to tiny Weston Dressler to lead the attack. The Ticats picked up Henry Burris and Andy Fatuz in the offseason to bolster their attack. Perhaps a little sweet for the Riders’ Head Coach Corey Chamblin, in his first year at the helm after coordinating Hamilton’s defence last year.
By the way, this is the Ticats’ last season at the Ivor Wynne Stadium. The old girl is tired, and the Tabbies will begin anew in 2014 in a new stadium. They are still looking for a home next year.
Sixty of us from the Belleville Minor Football League will be at the Rogers Centre for the Argos and the Stampeders next Saturday. Keep the watermelons in the cooler, thank you!
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