CFL Thread

[Madferret]

Anyone see the Cats / Boatmen game tonight?

[leaferfan87]

I watched a good portion of tonights game. Danny McManus looked absolutely awful for the Tiger-Cats tonight. He threw three interceptions in the first quarter. But, the Ti-Cats have a backup who is pretty good, but then again was up against the B version Argo defense.

I think that Halifax made a strong case that they should get an expansion team. However, other locations should still be allowed to make their pitch.

[J.R.]

Meh. I ignore all meaningless, exhibition sports games, with the exception of spring training baseball and international English football matches, so to answer the Q, I didn't watch and I don't know what happened. I'm more concerned about how Chris Cuthbert sounds. Does he still have it?

Anyways on to significant talk:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/jrthesportsczar/e2.jpg

:nod:

[Madferret]

QB Kennedy returns to Renegades
Canadian Press

OTTAWA (CP) - Quarterback Darnell Kennedy has rejoined the Ottawa Renegades.

Kennedy was at the Calgary controls during the third quarter of the Stampeders' 18-14 exhibition win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders last Wednesday. The 26-year-old native of Mobile, Ala., was released Thursday. He was with the Stampeders in 2002 and 2003.

The Renegades announced Sunday that they've added Kennedy, who started four games for them last season, to their training camp roster.

Among players released was running back Les Mullings, 23, a native of Hamilton who was the 20th overall pick in the CFL draft out of St. Mary's University in Halifax.

Daily workouts continue at Kemptville College.

I liked DK last year. He brough his best last year when Joseph went down and left it all on the field. Welcome back...

[Madferret]

Who's watching this mad Als / 'Gades game?

[Madferret]

Don't f#$% this up Kellet...and it's good!

33-33, heading to OT. What a comeback by the Gades'!!

[Madferret]

...sorry, forgot the game day thread.

30-18 Ottawa at the start of the 4th. Expect the recap to be a little more insightfull...

http://www.skunksworks.net/ubb/drug.gif

[KB in Kelowna]

do you think they regret broadcasting the Edmonton -Winnepeg game over the Lions vs Argos last night?

[PDO]

do you think they regret broadcasting the Edmonton -Winnepeg game over the Lions vs Argos last night?

Not sure why they did, TBH.. espeacilly when Edmonton blacks out games (satelite users non-withstanding).

The last 3 minutes were exciting football, but it was a head scratcher.

[leaferfan87]

I gotta hand it to the Renegades. They're turning some heads at a time where nobody expected them to do anything.

[J.R.]

Montr?al Alouettes 46 - 51 Winnepeg Blue Bombers (Final).

No doubt, that was the game of the year so far, edging out the Als/Rens game. What's with the Alouettes? :laughing:

The Perfectly Dark One nailed that pick. Wow B, nice! :thumb: It'll hurt some us in both the pick'em and survivor pools though.

*Takes deep breath.* I'm exhausted after that back and forth thriller.

:wave:

[PDO]

Can I call it or what?

I missed the game, but the hilights say it all.

Not only is Montreal as bad as I said, but Winnipeg could quite easily be the surprise of the league... as I've said, they'll crossover and win the East.

[J.R.]

Winnipeg could quite easily be the surprise of the league... as I've said, they'll crossover and win the East.As I was watching this game, I was thanking the schedule makers that the Eskimos won't have to face Winnipeg or Ottawa again - the two dark horses that just seem to keep getting stronger with each week.

[PDO]

It might hurt my winnineg percent in the pick 'em pool, but I can live with it to watch BC struggle against the Ti-Cats!

[J.R.]

Stampeders 40 - 37 Alouettes.

Tonight I registered my first incorrect Canadian Football Survivor pick by selecting the Montr?al Alouettes who lost to the Calgary Stampeders. :curse:

It was a good back and forth quarterback infested game with a lot of fun plays. With the Als' loss, Ottawa continues to extend their lead in the eastern division.

[Iced Tea]

Who saw the Lions vs the Tiger-Cats last night? Having two great quarterbacks sure helps BC, even the third string guy went in for a few plays. The Tiger-Cats showed that they weren't going to quit no matter what and I think they will soon rebound, get the first win and get back on track.

BC can't get lazy, need to stay sharp, and they could go all the way this year. :D

[Iced Tea]

That was a close one. I was thinking that BC was going to suffer their first loss to the Riders of all teams. But then BC's third string quarterback got things done.

The offensive line sucked bad this game, Printers was turned into a practice dummy by the Riders defensive line. With so many sacks against BC this season, maybe the coaches need to change tactics, juggle around some of the players.

I was outside talking to a cop about the punks in the park when Printers got hurt, of course CBC guys are on strike so I have no clue how the injury occurred. Printers was rubbing his shoulder on the sidelines late in the game so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to think it's a shoulder injury.

Glad to see the defense stepping up yet again.

This had to be the lowest scoring game this season but it was still exciting.

[Iced Tea]

Anyone watch the Lions slaughter/wipe the floor/school the Renegades? :laughing:

Dickenson was great, Buck Pierce (the Lions 3rd string quarterback) was great, the offense turned it on in the 2nd half and the defense was great all game. Even kick returning was awesome; too bad a penalty nullified the one TD.

The Lions 4th string quarterback is in the game. :laughing: Oops, a fumble. Oh well, the score is 61 - 20 for BC with 2:12 left.

For all those HS members who think that BC won't win the Grey Cup, I say "hah".

[KB in Kelowna]

Anyone watch the Lions slaughter/wipe the floor/school the Renegades? :laughing:

Dickenson was great, Buck Pierce (the Lions 3rd string quarterback) was great, the offense turned it on in the 2nd half and the defense was great all game. Even kick returning was awesome; too bad a penalty nullified the one TD.

The Lions 4th string quarterback is in the game. :laughing: Oops, a fumble. Oh well, the score is 61 - 20 for BC with 2:12 left.

For all those HS members who think that BC won't win the Grey Cup, I say "hah".

the last team to go 10-0 to start the season was the Stamps in 94 under coach Wally Buono. They didn't even make the Grey Cup game that year despite their 15-3 record. Save te "hah"'s for November ;)

[Iced Tea]

the last team to go 10-0 to start the season was the Stamps in 94 under coach Wally Buono. They didn't even make the Grey Cup game that year despite their 15-3 record. Save the "hah"'s for November ;)My "hah" was more about early season predictions by some HS members. :D

[J.R.]

My "hah" was more about early season predictions by some HS members. :D Okay, how about a mid-season prediction?

The British Columbia Lions will not win the Grey Cup.

[leaferfan87]

61-27. Ouch! Let's see what the paper has to say tommorrow about the disaster. What makes it worse is that without two call backs the score would have been 75-27.

[PDO]

Okay, how about a mid-season prediction?

The British Columbia Lions will not win the Grey Cup.

Amen.

Tea, you're only a handful of games up on the Esks, and you have to come to Commonwealth twice. Lose both of those, and suddenly your big lead isn't so comfortable.

Winning in Commonwealth after labour day? Good luck.

[leaferfan87]

Amen.

Tea, you're only a handful of games up on the Esks, and you have to come to Commonwealth twice. Lose both of those, and suddenly your big lead isn't so comfortable.

Winning in Commonwealth after labour day? Good luck.

The Argos did it last year.

[PDO]

The Argos did it last year.

1 team.

The argo's tend to have our number as well over the past 2-3 seasons. BC.. not the same :]. Not to mention, Hervey will be back for BC.. and ask any Lions fan, Hervey has a habbit of destroying BC's secondary.

[leaferfan87]

People are really tearing a strip into Jim Daley in Winnipeg. I understand their frustration, but he doesn't have much of a QB to work with because Kevin Glenn is oft-injured.

Throughout the history of the CFL we have seen that having a good QB is your first key to success. Case in point, the Ottawa Rough Riders: In 1969 the legend Russ Jackson retired after leading Ottawa to yet another Grey Cup win at the expense of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Rough Riders had some solid QB's from 1970-1996 including Rick Cassata, Tom Clements, Condredge Holloway, J.C Watts, Damon Allen and David Archer, but never could get that particular player entrenched for a number of years and eventually the team suffered after winning it's last Grey Cup in 1976 over Saskatchewan. They went through solid guys like Watts and Allen, but also had some terrible QB's in Todd Dillon and Chris Isaac. The Rough Riders went into the pits and are folded in 1996.

The Toronto Argonauts won the Grey Cup with Matt Dunigan in 1991 featuring an all-star lineup that included Darrell K. Smith, Raghib Ismail, Mike Clemons and Paul Masotti, however Dunigan signed with the Blue Bombers for the 1992 season and the Argonauts went into a tailspin. Rickey Foggie, while talented, could never quite attain a 50% completion percentage in a game, Tracy Ham was just a disaster, stuck in the Run n' Shoot system that wasn't suited to his talents. Marvin Graves flashed talent, but never entrenched himself, Mike Kerrigan was a journeyman by '94 and Kent Austin was a disaster. Then Doug Flutie signed at the start of the 96 season and you had argubaly two of the best CFL teams ever for 96 and 97. But, Flutie left the Argos after the 1997 season for Buffalo and the Argos couldn't quite find a guy out of Nealon Greene, Jimmy Kemp, Jimmy Ballard and Kerwin Bell and the team struggled until Damon Allen joined them in 2003 and led them to the Grey Cup last year.

The Montreal Alouettes after Sonny Wade left in the late 70's never could find a new starter leading to their folding on the eve of the 1986 season.

I will use the Edmonton Eskimos as an example as they have made the playoffs for 30-straight odd years. Look at the sequence of QB's.

Lemmerman-->Wilkinson-->Moon-->Dunigan-->Ham-->Allen-->McManus-->Archer-->Maas-->Ray

They've always been able to have a solid starter in there leading to their success and that shows how important the position is in the CFL.

Winnipeg fans have every reason to be upset at Daley, but think about these reasons before you spew your anger out in the wrong way.

[Madferret]

The Gades...the Gades.
*sigh*
http://www.sparkimg.com/emoticons/disbelief.gif

[The Insider]

The Gades...the Gades.
*sigh*
http://www.sparkimg.com/emoticons/disbelief.gif

I knew it was a dumb idea to pick the Gades' but I listen to Chris Schultz rather than my gut :doh:

I don't know what has happened in Ottawa, but they've completely crashed and burnt and are in a huge tailspin. Maybe it's time to get the bachelor in at QB :wave:

[Madferret]

I knew it was a dumb idea to pick the Gades' but I listen to Chris Schultz rather than my gut :doh:

I don't know what has happened in Ottawa, but they've completely crashed and burnt and are in a huge tailspin. Maybe it's time to get the bachelor in at QB :wave:

Ryan's botched kick that turned into a Bombers 1st down was quiet symbolic of the way things are going in Ottawa at the moment. My neck is sore from shaking my head for the past 3 hours. Anyways...

[leaferfan87]

It was definitely a brave night to head out to Lansdowne tonight. It's been crappy weather here for the last day and yesterday night was no different. It looked promising for the 'Gades as they were driving, but then Joseph coughed up the ball and it was all over.

[leaferfan87]

Toronto wins 29-18 over Ottawa tonight at the Argo Dome. The Argonauts finally started making use of their running back tandem with Avery and Millington getting alot of carries.

[J.R.]

the Argo Dome.Not a bad name. Surprisingly I haven't heard that one before.

I caught most of the second half tonight and from what I saw the offences were rolling. Both Kerry Joseph and Damon Allen hooked up with their respective receivers for some nice gains and long yardages.

I'm really feeling bad for the Renegades who can't seem to catch a break anywhere in their six game losing streak. They had a huge touchdown taken away from them when the officials overturned the call. For sure that would have been a TSN Turning Point if it had counted.

Like last season, Ottawa is unfortunately stuck at five wins. Looks like the Argonauts will be running away and winning the east.

[J.R.]

From beating the team with the best record in the CFL to losing to the team with the worst record in one week.

That's what the Eskimos have done in just six days. They failed to score a second half point in Hamilton and fell 14-40 to the mediocre Tiger-Cats. The entire game things didn't look right for Edmonton and I must have said 'WTF' about a dozen times. I really don't know how to sum this one up, but with the loss, I believe it hands B.C. the Western Division title.

:curse:

Hang your heads in shame, boys.

Fortunately I didn't make the trip to Hamilton tonight. I definitely was considering it.

[The Insider]

Wow, and I thought Toronto's loss to Hamilton was bad :eek:

Like J.R. said, this looks like the clincher for BC, but I guess you never know... anything can happen, anyone can win right :thumb:

This also gives Calgary and Saskatchewan a chance to jump into it as well since home field advantage will be at stake, for Edmonton's sake, they'd better bounce back cause with the Green Riders and Stamps right on their heels, two losses could put them into that hope for a crossover spot which looks likely since Ottawa has completely crashed and burnt :burning:

[PDO]

I'm going to be sick.

I'm just happy I didn't see anything after 10-6 because of hockey.. I may have broken something.

[Madferret]

Renegades scuffle under investigation
TSN.ca Staff

Hamilton police say they are investigating a scuffle that sources say involved two members of the Ottawa Renegades coaching staff, Defensive Coordinator Greg Marshall and Defensive Line Coach Richard Harris.

The incident happened early Saturday morning in a restaurant in Hamilton following the team's loss to the Ticats. One of the alleged Tiger Cat fans involved, Zach Anderson, told TSN "We were attacked for no reason other than stating, "Ottawa sucks" in our conversation that they were clearly not a part of."

While the Renegades won't comment, witnesses say several rowdy fans provoked the coaches inside a Hamilton restaurant. A scuffle ensued. Police confirmed there were minor injuries. No one has been charged.

lol

[Canucklehead]

Someone neads to inform the refs that a hit to the head does not mean putting your hands on the shoulder pads of a falling QB, but does incude putting your helmet into the QB's jaw after he's let go of the ball. Oh well, It is the CFL.

[PDO]

Someone neads to inform the refs that a hit to the head does not mean putting your hands on the shoulder pads of a falling QB, but does incude putting your helmet into the QB's jaw after he's let go of the ball. Oh well, It is the CFL.

You either call both or neither...I do agree not just one. Glasses are on just a tad, because both are the same play ;)

[The Insider]

For those of you who don't know already, the Argos clinched 1st place in the East, and will play host to the Eastern final against either Montreal or Saskatchewan. Just a little side note, 40,000+ showed up to the game vs the TiCats and it appears like CFL football has made it's return in Toronto and we will more then likely see the Skydome completely filled for the Eastern Semi which is great to see since us Argo fans were hard to find over the last 7 years, and now they're almost the talk of the town... that spot is kinda reserved for another team that wears Blue in Toronto, and I ain't talkin' bout the Blue Jays :thumb:

[Madferret]

Report: Some trying to oust Gliebermans
TSN.ca Staff

At least two CFL governors are trying to get commissioner Tom Wright to force the sale of the Ottawa Renegades and force out the controversial Glieberman family, according to a report in the Ottawa Citizen.

The newspaper claims "high-ranking league sources" are patriclarly upset with Renegades president Lonie Glieberman and worry about the damage his leadership is causing in the capital city.

The Citizen says the plan is to have majority owner Bernie Glieberman to sell at least part of his 51 percent stake in the team to minority owner Bill Smith. This would be a precursor to the removal of Lonie Glieberman as team president.

Bernie Glieberman is scheduled to meet with Wright this week, but strongly denied that he has been asked to sell out and told the Citizen he would not consider the move.

"I've talked to the board of governors and nobody has a problem with what is going on," Glieberman said. "Nobody has said that to me. The only way things ever change is with change. Ottawa has not had a winning team, or a profitable team, in 25 years."

Smith has reportedly not returned messages left by the Citizen over the past week.

The CFL has a commissioner?
:conspire:

[Madferret]

CFL saviour?
Jeff Hunt worked his magic with 67's; he's the right man to help revive football
By CHRIS STEVENSON

Finally. Finally, it looks like somebody gets it when it comes to what would make a Canadian Football League team work in this community.

A chief executive or president from this community, who knows this community, who works and lives in this community, who knows the people, the businesses, the values and the fabric of this community.

A guy like Jeff Hunt.

The Ottawa 67's successful owner says nothing is signed yet, but judging by the excitement and the passion in his voice yesterday, it sure sounds like sometime today he will tell Golden Gate Capital he will be willing to be the face of its CFL operation here in Ottawa if it acquires the defunct Renegades franchise.

"Why would I do it?" he wondered yesterday on the Team 1200 as he stared in the face the years of futility which have have sacked every attempt to run a CFL team here in the last 20 years.

"The easiest way to never fail is to never try anything."

It's expected Golden Gate Capital will be one of three groups to submit bona fide bids tomorrow to own a revived CFL franchise here as early as next season.

TWO OTHER BIDS

The other bidders are expected to be embarrassing beer huckster Frank D'Angelo and another group of 8-10 U.S. investors fronted by Bill Palmer -- the ex-CFLer and Jesse's dad -- who has his own credibility in terms of knowing this market.

One of the critical failings in former CFL business plans here have been an almost total lack of a local presence in either the ownership group or in senior management.

"Carpetbaggers," has been a popular term to describe previous owners of CFL teams here, though that is a bit harsh.

Bernie Glieberman, for all his shortcomings as an owner, was at least willing to put his money where his son's mouth was when nobody from Ottawa was willing to step up.

But Lonie Glieberman, as well-intentioned as he might have been, always seemed to be out of touch with what was acceptable in this marketplace.

His Mardi Gras promotion was far from a failure in terms of getting people into the stands, but the adverse publicity generated when at least one young lady bared her charms for beads and a $1,000 prize, damaged the team's already tattered image in the minds of many in the community.

Hunt is already enthusiastically talking about how the focus of a new CFL team has to be on kids and families.

He remembered when he took over the 67's and faced a focus group of kids. They didn't even know what a 67's sweater was, he said.

Hunt made kids and families the focus of the 67's marketing and, despite the presence of the NHL's Senators, he has almost quadrupled attendance at 67's games.

A CFL team under Hunt's guidance would make tickets cheap for kids, recognizing they are your fans of tomorrow.

"We need 5,000-10,000 kids a game," he said yesterday, "and their moms. We have to get away from the stereotype of going to a football game for a few beers and having a guys night out. There aren't enough guys like that (in the National Capital Region) to fill a stadium eight times a year."

The fact the folks at Golden Gate Capital recognize the importance of having somebody like Hunt involved in their bid is a reason to be at least guardedly optimistic they know what they are doing.

SHARED OPERATIONS

It didn't sound yesterday like Hunt would have an ownership position, but could be contracted to be the president of the team and use an expanded 67's infrastructure to run both the hockey and football operations.

Talk has been the 40-ish Anthony Primerano, a former chief of staff in Veterans Affairs, is the driving force behind the Ottawa CFL bid in his current capacity as the president of Toronto-based Golden Gate Funds (II) Inc. It's part of a bigger company that provides financial services with offices in Southern Ontario, Montreal and here in Ottawa.

In his approximately 15 years here in federal government, it's a good bet Primerano would have become quite knowledgable about how things work in Ottawa, both on The Hill and in the community.

Convincing Hunt to be the everyday face of the CFL franchise here would be a wonderful coup and a positive and most important step in bridging the credibility gap between new owners and this city's long-suffering and skeptical football fans.

For the sake of those long-suffering fans: Do it, Jeff.

Source (http://ottawasun.ca/Sports/Football/2006/08/10/1731581-sun.html)

Hunt or Melnyk are the only two people in Ottawa who people will trust to bring back the 'Gades / Riders. I hope it happens..

[Madferret]

Rough Riders returning?
August 11, 2006

Sportsnet.ca - At least three groups are expected to file their intention to land a CFL franchise in Ottawa by Friday's deadline, and there is now the possibility that it will be named the Rough Riders.

According to a report in the Ottawa Citizen, a group of U.S. investors, including former CFL player Bill Palmer (father of NFLer Jesse), have conditionally secured the name Ottawa Rough Riders from Phil Rimer, the Ottawa lawyer who represents former Riders owner Horn Chen.

In Friday's Citizen, it was reported that the sides recently reached an agreement that if Palmer's group obtains franchise rights from the league, they would purchase the name and logo for $100,000.

Palmer did confirm with the paper that the group would resurrect the Rough Riders' name if their bid was a success.

"As an advisor, I recommended to them that it would be worthwhile to secure the intellectual property," Palmer said. "It has sentimental value, it is well-branded, and it has been around a long time."

That recommendation seemingly beat another group to the punch and offers strong evidence that the name "Renegades" will go down with the team that the CFL officially "suspended" in April.

"Rough Riders" had been associated with Ottawa's football team since 1867, but was first used in an official capacity in 1898. It remained the property of Chen, a Chicago businessman who bought the franchise in 1995, when the team was folded following the 1996 season.

The CFL suspended operations of the Ottawa Renegades in the spring after owners Bernie Glieberman and Bill Smith stopped paying the bills of the four-year old franchise.

The other bidders for the franchise right are Golden Gate Capital Corp., which is expected to name Ottawa 67's owner Jeff Hunt as part of it's bid group; and Steelback brewery chairman and entrepreneur Frank D'Angelo.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/cfl/misc/riders_ottawa_helmet_hor.jpg

[leaferfan87]

Well I tell you Ferret, I hope that D'Angelo won't take it over because after seeing him singing (or something) yesterday duringg the Argo game I can't take the man seriously anymore.