CFL: The CFL Thread: Part V

[Kyle McMahon]

Biggest fluke winner in CFL history IMO was the 01 Stamps. Luckiest team I've ever seen.

I'd feel bad going forward for Esks fans if Maas does fluke out a GC win TBH. Because that likely buys Maas 5 years. And he will embarass them for those 5 years. Maas is a terrible coach, IMO. And Edmonton has enough talent, but they keep morons on the roster thanks to him. I will be very afraid that Edmonton could join Calgary to make the West impossible to crack if Edmonton ever got another coach. He's the only thing preventing a complete domination by Alberta in the West for the next 5 years. And yes I assume Calgary will recover and probably win the west again next year.

So in conclusion as a Winnipegger born and raised who spent 8 years living in Edmonton...I hope for 5 more years of Maas. Sorry @Kyle McMahon haha the arrogance I experienced dealing with Esks fans in Edmonton makes me want them to lose forever. Of course you personally is one of the most sensible and smart CFL fans I've had the priviledge of communicating with so I don't wish it on you personally. And luckily my worst case scenario for you guys is very unlikely. I'd love to have West Final eventually with the Esks, assuming the Riders are out of the playoffs with 2 wins haha.

Yeah the idea of Maas being back again is just nauseating, even if it came with a fluke Grey Cup win. There are definitely situations where you'd gladly burn the next two years for a championship. This is not one of them. If they pull it off I'll be happy in the moment, but as great as the two week ride in November is, the 20 week regular season is kind of a big deal too. Not sure 20 weeks of shaking my head in disgust next year is worth ending a three year Grey Cup "drought".

Actually winning the Grey Cup has a high degree of randomness attached to it in this league. Stuff like winning on Labour Day, or hosting a playoff game, two things that have happened about 5 times combined in the last 15 years outside of the two seasons with Chris Jones, actually mean something too. 15 years of going to the stadium wondering what sort of shitshow on the sidelines is going to ruin the evening wears on fans. Higgins, Maciocia, Reed, Maas....a lot of very good rosters flushed by coaching over the years. At least they've had the good fortune to cash in on their limited chances over the years. Edmonton basically has as many Grey Cup wins as home playoff games since 2005.

I'd be happy to see a Winnipeg-Hamilton Grey Cup though. Hard to believe two franchises can be riding 20+ year Cup droughts at the same time in a league this small, but as I said the CFL playoffs come down to dumb luck as much as anything else.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

more than the 2000 BC Lions? They were the first sub .500 CFL champs, a year before that Calgary team

As I remember BC, they had a really bad start to the season and fired their coach halfway through, but they were actually a pretty good team. They finished first in the west the year before with a pretty similar roster, and any team with Damon Allen at QB always had a chance in November. They were like Ottawa in 2016, good team that peaked late after early struggles.

Calgary 2001 is the weakest winner I remember. Ironic considering how many juggernauts that franchise has fielded over the years that fell short. Wally Buono basically took the leftover parts of the great late 90s teams, got the only dozen games of good football Marcus Crandell's career provided, and the West just happened to be the crappy division that year for the only time this century. That was the last year of decency in Calgary before a weird three-year period of ownership problems. I mean, that's probably about the 4th-worst Stampeder team of the last 30 years, that's nuts to think about. Of all the years to win a Grey Cup.

2017 Toronto would probably be my second pick. They've gone 8-28 since that game. Having Ricky Ray instead of Marcus Crandell gives them the edge over 01 Calgary. To be honest, 2012 Toronto was pretty weak too. Hard to believe that franchise has three largely unrelated championship teams inside the last 15 years. As many as Montreal won with Calvillo dominating the league for 15 years. Being a fan of the CFL is a unique experience, I'll say that.

 

[robertmac43]

15-3, undefeated at home, win and your in the Grey Cup. This almost seems to be too perfect are we sure this is the Ticats?

I'm nervous for today!

 

[These Are The Days]

Live look at Stampeders fans in a couple hours having to watch the Bombers play the Riders instead of them and especially if Fajardo is ineffective.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

15-3, undefeated at home, win and your in the Grey Cup. This almost seems to be too perfect are we sure this is the Ticats?

I'm nervous for today!

Ti Cats should have this, but Playoff Trev was in full force last week and torched Hamilton last year

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I think Hamilton is going to have a bit of rust and Evans will probably throw at least one pick. That might keep it close, but Hamilton is just too solid in all areas to lose this game unless Harris is invincible again and/or Evans really wilts under the pressure of a playoff game.

The Eskimos defense was terrible against the run in both games against Hamilton in the regular season, and I don't see that improving today. Larry Dean was getting faked out of his jock strap in the middle of the field last week. Don Unamba has been excellent all year when healthy at outside linebacker, but the secondary is going to need that extra help to try and contain Banks and Addison, so it's probably up to Dean and Vontae Diggs to stuff the run today. Advantage Hamilton in a key area.

The return game is also a huge plus in the Ti-Cats favour. With Christion Jones injured, Edmonton's return game has reverted back to being awful. The Ti-Cats have probably been the best in the league returning the ball along with Winnipeg. All those extra 10-15 yard swings on possession changes are going to add up.

33-25 Ti-Cats is my prediction. At the end of the day, the Eskimos needed a near-perfect game from their offense last week along with three Vernon Adams picks to beat a Montreal team that had their best receiver out and their two best cover guys playing injured. A red-hot Harris gives them a chance, but I just can't see them closing the deal on the road against the best team in the league.

 

[EpochLink]

Go Bombers, that is all

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Another wasted year is finally over, now please, please, please GTFO Maas.

Hamilton didn't play their A game today, but even their B game can probably beat anyone in the league. Just not a team that will be easily stopped.

I think Winnipeg blows out Sask. Fajardo can't throw the ball more than 20 yards if reports out of practice are to be trusted, Shaq Evans is a game-time decision. Things just fell apart health-wise in Riderville at the worst possible time, and the Bombers look to be peaking at the right time after a late-season rally.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

WPG hangs on.

A long drought will end next week.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Bombers hang on.

Battle of the longest droughts for the Grey Cup.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

That was a crazy ending. Unfortunate that the freaking goalpost ended the game like that lol.

Collaros vs Evans for the Grey Cup...how lame

 

[ORRFForever]

That was a crazy ending. Unfortunate that the freaking goalpost ended the game like that lol.

Collaros vs Evans for the Grey Cup...how lame

Crazy game. How many times did the SRR get in the Winnipeg 10 and NOT score? Just by fluke, you'd think they'd get in on occasion.

Heartbreaking!

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I can't believe Winnipeg just let them hang around like that. Felt the whole 4th quarter like they were gonna get burned for not putting it away, right to the final whistle.

Saskatchewan has to fire Steve McAdoo, no question. The play calling down on the goal line on all three of those final possessions was just awful. Inside the 5 yard line three times and you score 3 points. That's unbelievable, but Winnipeg's defense just didn't quite break. Wild game, despite the modest scoreline.

 

[ORRFForever]

I can't believe Winnipeg just let them hang around like that. Felt the whole 4th quarter like they were gonna get burned for not putting it away, right to the final whistle.

Saskatchewan has to fire Steve McAdoo, no question. The play calling down on the goal line on all three of those final possessions was just awful. Inside the 5 yard line three times and you score 3 points. That's unbelievable, but Winnipeg's defense just didn't quite break. Wild game, despite the modest scoreline.

Great post.

 

[ORRFForever]

A Hamilton (southern Ontario) / SRR Grey Cup would have been HUGE for the ratings. A Bummers / Ticat Grey Cup won't quite measure up.

 

[tacogeoff]

Ugh. Hopefully Winnipeg goes the full 30 year drought Decent game to watch though.

 

[c9777666]

First WPG/HAM GC since 1984!

 

[Kyle McMahon]

First WPG/HAM GC since 1984!

I just realized that this is the first time since 1984 that Winnipeg has played an Eastern Division team in the Grey Cup, period. They've been to 7 Grey Cups since, but all of them while representing the East.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Looks good on all the morons in the Bombers thread for outright rejecting the Collaros trade.

Dude's been lights out and he's got the Bombers within a game of the promised land.

 

[robertmac43]

Looks good on all the morons in the Bombers thread for outright rejecting the Collaros trade.

Dude's been lights out and he's got the Bombers within a game of the promised land.

Too lights out for my liking. Pessimist in me says he goes lights out against the Cats next weekend

 

[keonsbitterness]

Trevor Harris in a nutshell: Takes a sack on third down late in the game instead of throwing up a prayer, and can't resist throwing yet another three yard pass on the game's last drive. This guy cares more about his completion percentage than winning. No wonder Burris thinks he's trash.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Trevor Harris in a nutshell: Takes a sack on third down late in the game instead of throwing up a prayer, and can't resist throwing yet another three yard pass on the game's last drive. This guy cares more about his completion percentage than winning. No wonder Burris thinks he's trash.

Burris thinks he’s trash? Only recently in Ottawa media he said Harris was solid but didn’t have the same resume Henry had.

I get what you mean about Harris, but I don’t think his issue is worrying about incompletions. He threw a ton of interceptions in his breakout year in Toronto...I think that scarred him and he doesn’t have as much confidence at times. He does let his receivers make a lot of his plays at times, though.

 

[sabremike]

Me and the one and only Pigskin Pete!!!

OSKIE WEE WEE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[c9777666]

Burris thinks he’s trash? Only recently in Ottawa media he said Harris was solid but didn’t have the same resume Henry had.

I get what you mean about Harris, but I don’t think his issue is worrying about incompletions. He threw a ton of interceptions in his breakout year in Toronto...I think that scarred him and he doesn’t have as much confidence at times. He does let his receivers make a lot of his plays at times, though.

harris is not the problem. It’s his coach.

even Trestman could have gotten the Eskimos above .500

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Looks good on all the morons in the Bombers thread for outright rejecting the Collaros trade.

Dude's been lights out and he's got the Bombers within a game of the promised land.

The trade was good depth. But last time we saw Collaros it was a crappy 9td 14int season. Then before that it was an 0-8 start to a benching. And he missed a full season as well. Expecting this kind of performance from him when it's been 2 terrible seasons and a missed season...its impossible. He has vastly outperformed what any person could have expected.

The numbers arent as great but I think yesterday his best performance. It was the first time where he did have at 3 passes dropped that were easy INTs. He was reading the D better, making smarter decisions with the ball.