Esks - Grey Cup Champs

[PDO]

.. in one of the best football games I've ever seen.

Stunning.

[Canucklehead]

That may have been the best football game I have ever watched. All I can say is wow.

[J.R.]

FANTASTIC!

From a 7-6 record, losing to Hamilton, being down and out all season to Grey Cup champions. I love the fact that they won in Calgary, won in Vancouver (twice) and beat the hated Alouettes to win their 13th Grey Cup.

I was shocked that Maciocia didn't bring in Jason Maas for that last drive in the fourth quarter. To be honest, I was preparing myself to rip into him for not making the move. That's why he's the coach and I'm not. Great throw by Ricky.

Overtime...what can I write to describe those two sessions? Brilliance from both Calvillo and Ray. Edmonton's defence was great in the first half and the second overtime. Love it!

My throat and hands hurt.

[Amoroq]

Was there a CFL game today?

[J.R.]

Was there a CFL game today?Don't tell me Chris Berman failed to show highlights during Sunday Night Football's "Fastest Two Minutes."

Few more points:
- This was the best football championship game since Super Bowl XXXVIII, maybe better.
- That 'BLITZ' Alouette, bubble bird character is exactly why mascots should be banned from sports.
- There is no doubt that without that kickoff returned by Tompkins for a touchdown, Edmonton would have lost.
- Mark Lee continues to suck.

[Amoroq]

I was shocked that Maciocia didn't bring in Jason Maas for that last drive in the fourth quarter. To be honest, I was preparing myself to rip into him for not making the move. That's why he's the coach and I'm not. Great throw by Ricky.You mean Jason 'Oh Great I'm now a Tiger Cat' Maas?

Only in the Campbell Football League ;)

[PDO]

Nik Lewis.. check this out.

VANCOUVER (CP) - Rookie Tony Tompkins was a man of his word.

On Saturday, the Edmonton Eskimos special-teams dynamo boldly predicted he'd return a kick for a touchdown in the Grey Cup. On Sunday, Tompkins made the game's key play, a record 96-yard kickoff return touchdown that led the Esks to a thrilling 38-35 overtime decision over the Montreal Alouettes.

"Confidence, just a lot of confidence," a beaming Tompkins said afterwards. "I have a lot of confidence in my guys and if we just get the opportunity we'll do a great job every time."

Edmonton was certainly in dire need of a boost at the time of Tompkins' play.

Montreal's Damon Duval had just connected on a 13-yard field goal at 13:44 of the third quarter as the Alouettes erased a 10-1 halftime deficit for an 18-13 lead.

But Tompkins settled under Duval's ensuing kickoff, took two steps to his left, then broke to his right and streaked upfield. He went the entire way untouched to put Edmonton back ahead 20-18.

"Once the ball was kicked I tried to influence the guys to the middle of the field and it worked. Then I made a move to the outside and the guys backed it up real well. Tuck (Eskimos receiver Jason Tucker) made a big block on the kicker, who was the last man I had to beat.

"That had to be the biggest touchdown of my career."

In the Eskimos' mind, the return was certainly the biggest play of the game.

"That was the turning point," Tucker said. "They had just scored and we needed something to get the momentum back and that kickoff return did the job.

"Special teams are a huge momentum changer. Anytime you do something like that on a punt or kickoff return, it sets the tone."

Head coach Danny Maciocia couldn't have agreed more.

"That was a huge momentum shift. They came out smoking in the second half. We did in the second half what Montreal did to itself in the first, that being turn the ball over and give them a short field to work with.

"They had kicked a field goal and I looked at our special-teams coach (Malvin Hunter) and asked if we should take the ball on the 35-yard line. He goes, 'I think I've got something, let me go with it.'

"So I told him to go ahead. I'm glad he called it, he obviously saw something there."

Montreal head coach Don Matthews conceded the kickoff return was detrimental to his squad.

But he said the kickoff team was minus three players - safety Richard Karikari, linebacker Jeremiah Garrison and fullback Mike Vilimek - and that forced the Alouettes to go with replacements who weren't familiar with the special teams format.

"Our special teams were hurting because of the three people injured, especially on that long kickoff," said Matthews, who was chasing a record sixth Grey Cup win as a head coach. "Guys who played full-time had to cover that kick and I'm certain that had an affect."

Tompkins was a special-teams standout this season. He led the CFL in punt returns (75 for 928 yards, three TDs) and was sixth in kickoff returns (30 for 824 yards and a touchdown).

His four special-teams TDs were a league high.

That's how you roll.

[slapshot™]

Ricky Ray's completions were solid..but you have to give credit to the Montreal defence. Who many times was Ray sacked? Too many.

Good game, tho'....right down to the second last play.

[charlio lemieux]

Nice Game. Black Eyed Peas for Half Time! Nothing like OT for the Championship.