The official 2009 CFL (Canadian Football League) thread

[KillDevilHill]

However last year Jackson shit the bed a lot more then buck did

[Kid-Wicked]

it'll be buck. wally said he's the starter for the season. you can't build a quarterback by starting the back up just because he had a great game.

[KillDevilHill]

Calgary JUST put scored their 3rd defensive touchdown, second pick 6 over all.

The 0-2 teams were not taking any shit this week

[WOLF]

Well, at this point do we start asking who the Alouettes will play in the Grey Cup? Three straight beat downs of Western opponents; two of them on the road. I'm thrilled, but pretty damn shocked. I knew with the return of Avon Coburne, and an improved defensive scheme, the team would be good, but NOT this good. They look darn near unstoppable.

Of course, now that I've said all this, they'll blow the game against Hamilton on Thursday...

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Montreal are hands down the best team in the league right now. 18 games is a long season and they'll likely hit a rough patch here and there, but if they stay healthy, they'll stay 'the beasts of the CFL' as Calvillo said in the Als pre-game team address.

Eskimos at Riders next week should be a good one.

And, as Jeff Spicolli says near the end of 'Fast Times...'...'Alright Hamilton!'

QUICK EDIT- to add that Montreals throwback uni's were awesome. The Riders...not so much.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Week 4

Thursday
Montreal over Hamilton - too bad for the Hammer that they won't get a chance to get on a roll. They'll get beaten down I think.

Friday
Toronto over Winnipeg - I like what I've seen for the most part from the Argos and the new coach, and I think leaving that dickhead Arland Bruce at home was the right thing to do.

Calgary over BC - Should be a good one. Just a hunch Burris has a good game this week.

Saskatchewan over Edmonton - I'm not quite sure what to expect from this one. Either of these teams could potentially get blown out by the other. I'll take the Riders and the home-field advantage.

[WOLF]

Montreal - but the Als better not spend too much time reading their press clippings

Toronto - in the battle of johnny-come-lately coaches who wish they were Mark Trestman

Calgary - this one can go either way, but I look for the defending champs to find their swagger again soon

Sask - Edmonton has no running game and as good as Ricky Ray is, when you have a one dimensional offence you lose. I look for the Green Riders to again create a lot of turnovers - they just need to hold onto the ball themselves

[WOLF]

I knew this would be an ugly game, with both teams playing on Saturday, traveling, and then playing again on Thursday. I'll take the win, but it was painful to watch. The Als offence sputtered a bit against an improving Hamilton D, but like many teams, the Ti-Cats couldn't put the ball in the end-zone against the suberb Als D.

Also, looks like there's now a full blown QB controversy in Hamilton. Kevin Glenn moved the ball well throughout the 4th quarter. He's probably merited a start next week. 2nd place is up for grabs in the East and Hamilton should try and seize the opportunity.

[Kid-Wicked]

that's one game i wish i'd missed. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

I can feel the Riders season going straight into the shitter after coughing up a 22 point lead at home. Our speedy but way-undersized front 7 are getting tossed around by even a crappy O-line like Edmonton's, Our O-line consists fo rookies and backups, (Get well and get back in there Geno) our Quarterback is the worst in the west, and our coaching has been mediocre at best so far.

I hope I'm wrong, but with road games in Calgary and BC, then home to the improved TiCats, we'll be damn lucky not to be 2-5 in a few weeks.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Week 5
(Which I'll see very little of thanks to my holidays)

Montreal over Edmonton - C'mon...The Eskimos are the luckest first place team in history. they are 2 plays away from being 0-4.

BC over Hamilton - The TiCats are improved and the Lions are as bad as they've been in years, but until the Cats get on a roll I'm gonna have a hard time picking them. Beat the Lions and I'll start to believe.

Toronto over Winnipeg - What a joke the Bombers have become.

Calgary over Saskatchewan - the Stamps have thier shit together now, and not even the 50/50 split of rider/stamp fans in MacMahon is going to help the Riders get a win.

[WOLF]

Week 5
(Which I'll see very little of thanks to my holidays)

Montreal over Edmonton - C'mon...The Eskimos are the luckest first place team in history. they are 2 plays away from being 0-4.

BC over Hamilton - The TiCats are improved and the Lions are as bad as they've been in years, but until the Cats get on a roll I'm gonna have a hard time picking them. Beat the Lions and I'll start to believe.

Toronto over Winnipeg - What a joke the Bombers have become.

Calgary over Saskatchewan - the Stamps have thier shit together now, and not even the 50/50 split of rider/stamp fans in MacMahon is going to help the Riders get a win.

Edmonton - just because last week's win may have given them life, they want to repay the Als for the whupping the Als gave them in Montreal, and because the Als just can't move to 4-0 vs Western teams, can they?

BC, Toronto, Calgary - see Fast Eddie's comments.

[WOLF]

Well, there goes the perfect season. Sadly, I called it. There's no way the Als were going to keep up that pace, especially not alternating games in the east and west every week. Seriously, who makes the CFL schedule? Als open in Calgary, come home to play Edmonton, travel to Regina, back home to play Hamilton 5 days later, and then back out west to play Edmonton. The Als were going to lose no matter who they played yesterday (OK, maybe not Winnipeg).

So, can we have two in a row in the same time zone please?!

[WOLF]

Week 6:

Montreal over Toronto: The rumors of the Als being "exposed" by Edmonton are greatly exaggerated.

BC over Sask: Wally Buono is trying everything to get his team going - including threats. It should work at home this week against the Green Riders.

Edmonton over Hamilton: The Ticats are much improved, but the Esks have found their confidence and they'll bring Hamilton back down to earth. I'm probably just over-hyping the Esks because they beat my Als....

Calgary over Winnipeg - Michael Bishop or no, this is the lock of the weak. Calgary got off to a slow start, but their defending champs for a reason. The Bombers have more holes than swiss cheese.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

It should be almost impossible to go 0-4 picking games in this league, but every year i manage to do it at least once.

Week 6:
Montreal over Toronto - Blowout, likely. Kerry Joseph need a big game here to keep the Argos close...not gonna happen.

Sask over BC - Riders play well in BC, and they really have their foot on the Lions neck...a win and they will be three games up with the tiebreaker on the lions, so really 4 games up. Things would really have to go to hell in a handbasket for the Lions to catch the Riders after a Rider win this week, so securing a playoff berth can be almost assured here.

Edmonton over Hamilton - The Eskimos can stop the run so far this season. Contain Cobb and force the Cats to win through the air. Maybe Arland Bruce can make an impact, but I'll take the Eskimos.

Calgary over Winnipeg - Might be closer than you'd think with Calgary's mounting injury problems, but they're pissed about last week and I think the Bombers will pay. if the Bombers find a way to win this I'd be thrilled, but I don't think it'll happen.

[WOLF]

Good god does the Argos offence suck!

I would have liked to see the Als offence put up a few more points, but then again they could have been tired from being on the field all night.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Is it just me, or does the quality of play overall seem really really shitty so far this season? Even Montreal have been uninspiring in a couple of their wins so far. Shitty football = shitty picks from your truly.

Week 7

Calgary over Edmonton - Hard to believe this is a first place battle. It could be the game of the week though. The Battle of Alberta has lacked a little flair the past couple of seasons, but Edmonton has been better than I expected, and Calgary has played down to the level of competition so far. I have to believe that Calgary will start putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the so-far mediocre West.

BC over Toronto - Cody Pickett?

Montreal over Winnipeg - If you think Bishop can keep Winnipeg close, check out the Sports Select odds on this one. There might be some money to be made. (But not fucking likely)

Hamilton over Saskatchewan - I said a couple of weeks ago that I would start to believe in Hamilton if they beat a couple of quality opponents. Well, they've beaten 2 western teams in a row, and they've got the second best record in the league. I believe. They're coming into Regina to play a team who cant stop the run and just lost their starting middle linebacker for 9 weeks or more.

Bonus Rider Rumours/Info:
-I'm starting to hear rumblings of dissatisfaction from some players on both D and O about the coaching staff. Rumour has it the REAL reason Scott Schultz retired mid season is because he had it out with D coordinator Etcheverry over his schemes. Etch told him 'if you don't like it, quit.' So Schultz quit. I hear this second hand, but it's original source is someone who's almost always right about this stuff, so I tend to believe it's truth. On offence, there are some players grumbling about a lack of communication from Coach Miller and O coordinator LaPolice when it comes to personel decisions. (Running backs and Quarterbacks)

[WOLF]

/\

It's not you. I've seen a lot of sloppy play this year and mistake riddled games. I have to say that outside of Trestman in Montreal, Bellefeuille in Hamilton, and maybe Hufnagel and Buono at times, I haven't been too impressed with the coaching either.

So anyways - here goes:

Calgary over Edmonton - Calgary's slowly finding their game, which makes them very dangerous. If their healthy, and execute, they're the best in the West.

BC over Toronto - Pickett couldn't be any worse than Joseph! I think Bart Andrus is lost. The Argos thought they could emulate the Als success with Trestman, but obviously going the route of bringing in an experienced NFL co-ordinator level guy hasn't worked for them.

Montreal over Winnipeg - The Als can only beat themselves in this game. No other way they lose to Winnipeg. They would have to play their worst game, the Bombers their best, and still some funky shit would need to happen.

Sask over Hamilton - C'mon Fast Eddie - I need your boys to pull it together and help the Als put some distance between themselves and Hamilton. You guys are due for a good game and the Ti-cats are due for a bad one. I got tickets for Als/Riders in Montreal, next Friday, by the way...

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Best game of the year so far tonight. Kudos to Edmonton for hanging with Calgary and going toe-to-toe offensively. GREAT game from Ricky Ray...the TD run was a beaut, and the TD toss to Stamps was perfect.

These guys play a home-and-home starting on labour day. Should be some slobberknocker football between these two teams.

[WOLF]

Als are now 2-0 in those sweet red, 60's unis, as they shut Fred Reid's trap up but good. I can't remember the last time the D surrendered a touchdown!

6-1 and the toughest part of the schedule down. Only two trips out of the Eastern time zone the rest of the way - one in BC, one in Winnipeg.

Could this be the year we finally don't choke in the Grey Cup? Or does this just mean we'll joke before the Grey Cup?!

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Winnipeg at BC - if the Lions can't win this one at home, Wally's head is going to explode. D-Jack has a real chance here to step into the starters role and not let it go...is he good enough? Winnipeg's coaching/QB situation is an embarrasment to the league. I normally like to watch Bomber fans suffer, but I'm starting to feel somewhat sorry for them.
Lions 35 Bombers 17

Riders at Montreal - Lets see...Riders on a short week, flying (through Calgary!?!) across the country to Montreal. (seriously, it's easier to fly into and out of Mogadishu than Regina) Playing the leagues best team, in the nightlife capitol of Canada, with a 9 day bye week ahead of them and Club Super Sex a few blocks away to party with hot strippers after the game. It's not fair, really. I've been told by a player that at least half of the team are flying home to wherever, USA, directly from Montreal on Saturday.
Still, maybe they don't completely embarrass themselves.
Als 36 Riders 22.

EDITED - to say enjoy the game WOLF. i hope it's a nice evening for football at McGill Stadium and the Riders actually give you a solid effort.

[WOLF]

BC over Winnipeg easily

Als should beat the Riders, but they too are looking ahead to a bye week and you never know. It should be interesting to see which coach, if any, lays the hammer down and says "if you're looking ahead to your time off, and don't deliver on Friday, we're watching film and practicing all next week - bye week or not".

It's been sunny and hot all week here, but we might be looking at some thunderstorms for the game. Great - hot, muggy, and wet - I'd rather watch a game in the snow!

Also, can CFL players afford the high end strip clubs in Montreal?

[WOLF]

BC over Winnipeg easily

Well, so much for that. I can't believe how far the Lions have fallen. Should the loss of Wake and Murphy hurt THIS much?

Als should beat the Riders, but they too are looking ahead to a bye week and you never know. It should be interesting to see which coach, if any, lays the hammer down and says "if you're looking ahead to your time off, and don't deliver on Friday, we're watching film and practicing all next week - bye week or not".

It's been sunny and hot all week here, but we might be looking at some thunderstorms for the game. Great - hot, muggy, and wet - I'd rather watch a game in the snow!

Also, can CFL players afford the high end strip clubs in Montreal?

Far from a good game from the Als, but the sign of a great team is if they can win when they don't play their best. The offence fizzled, and it didn't help that a key lineman got hurt early in the game, forcing everyone to play out of position - AC was scrambling all night after that. ON D, they gave up way too many big plays to the Riders, but they were a little gunshy after far too many bogus "illegal contact with receiver calls" - luckily they atoned for this with some picks at key times.

On a personal note, met a lot of cool Saskatchewan fans in the end zone where I was sitting. Best fans in the league hands down! Not at all rude or disrespectful, and there to have a good time with the locals and support their squad. Probably the most fun I've had a football game in a long time.

PLUS, my ticket was picked out of 20,202 and I was named the "fan of the game". I got to watch the last half of the 4th quarter from between the two benches, and player of the game Mathieu Proulx presented me with a signed Als helmet after the final whistle. Cool!

It was kind of funny listening to the on field conversations, post-game. Players from both sides were making plans to meet up and party together....

[KillDevilHill]

Fuck did BC shit the bed last night

[WOLF]

Fuck did BC shit the bed last night

Well, on the bright side, finishing 4th in the West would give the Lions a pretty good shot at playing in the Eastern final!

Only in the CFL, eh?

[Kid-Wicked]

i'm gonna stop going to games if this keeps up.

400 yards rushing for the bombers?

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

[WOLF]

Despite the Als bye this week, rumor has it the league will continue on. So, in that case, my picks are:

Calgary over Toronto
Edmonton over Hamilton

Rooting for the Western sweep so the Als can open a nice three game lead over Hamilton.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

Fan of the Game. Thats cool. I'm glad the Rider fans you met represented themselves and Rider Nation well...there are fans in Calgary and BC who would have a different story about some of our more boisterous fans.
I bet that signed Als helmet has found a nice place to be displayed to visitors at your place WOLF.

I'm going to agree with your picks for this week. Hamilton might put up a fight...Toronto will likely get spanked again.

[WOLF]

A sad day for Alouettes fans, as well as CFL fans - RIP Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry. A great player and coach, and even better man. The New Mexico native fell in love with Montreal/Quebec/Canada in his playing days, and eventually retired to Montreal's Eastern Townships where he was a stalwart in the community. Sleep well.

From TSN.ca:

MONTREAL -- Former Montreal Alouettes quarterback Sam Etcheverry has died at age 79 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

The team announced Etcheverry's death Saturday in a press release.

Etcheverry, who spent the majority of his career with the Alouettes, was one of the most dominant quarterbacks in the CFL during the 1950s.

Nicknamed "The Rifle," he led Montreal to three straight Grey Cup appearances and was named the league's top quarterback in 1954. Two years later, he became the first quarterback in league history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season.

Etcheverry set nearly every quarterback record in Alouettes history, finishing with 30,303 passing yards and 186 touchdowns while becoming one of the franchise's most revered players. He also holds league records for most passing yards in a Grey Cup game (508, in 1955) and most consecutive games with a passing touchdown (34, from 1954-56).

Following a short stint in the NFL, the six-time all-star returned to the Alouettes as a coach and led the team to the 1970 Grey Cup championship.

Etcheverry was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

"All of us in the Canadian Football League feel a pang of sorrow, and a debt of gratitude, upon hearing of the passing of one of our legends, Sam Etcheverry," CFL commissioner Mark Cohon said in a statement. "He not only led his team on the field and later from the sideline; he was one of the superstars who helped lead our league into a modern, new age.

"Sam Etcheverry will be sorely missed, fondly remembered, and forever listed among the greats who carried our league forward, with each and every pass. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Details of Etcheverry's funeral will be released shortly, the Alouettes said in the release.

[WOLF]

Labor Day weekend and the mid-point in the season (meaning the Als should wrap up the East Division any week now).

Montreal at BC: As well as the Als are playing, BC Place is a graveyard for us. We're on a 9 game losing streak there and I love how the games are ALWAYS on a Friday night to ensure the Eastern opponent is playing an 11:00 PM game (until 2:00 AM) according to their body clocks. A couple of key injuries to the Als O-line and Defense gives BC the home town edge in my book. BC, reluctantly.

Winnipeg/Saskatchewan: Liked what the Riders showed in Montreal a couple of weeks ago. Winnipeg is a freakin' circus these days. Riders easily in this one.

Toronto/Hamilton: Hamilton

Edmonton/Calgary: Calgary