J.R.
7-08-05, 3:40 PM
MONTREAL (CP) - Friday night will be special for Danny Maciocia.
The Montreal native returns to his home town for the first time since being named head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos in December. The Eskimos (2-0) will face the Montreal Alouettes (1-1) at Percival Molson Stadium.
You can watch the game live on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt.
But games between Edmonton and Montreal have always carried an extra edge, going back to their Grey Cup clashes in the 1950s and 1970s, as well as 2002 and 2003.
And it is perhaps even edgier now that both rosters are dotted with players that have suited up for each squad.
"It's special, but I'm four years removed from Montreal," said Maciocia, who left the Alouettes' coaching staff to become offensive co-ordinator in Edmonton in 2002.
Maciocia said he is enjoying the chance to visit his parents and grandparents in Montreal and to bring his wife and two daughters on a road trip. It's a chance to sip an expresso in St-Leonard, Que., the mostly Italian neighbourhood he is from.
But come game day, Maciocia promises to be all business.
"This team has approached every game the same way," said Maciocia. "We don't play second fiddle to anyone, whether it's at home or on the road, against the Alouettes or anyone else."
The Eskimos' lineup includes former Als Bruce Beaton and Kevin Lefsrud on the offensive line, Steve Charbonneau on defensive line and Davis Sanchez, William Loftus and Kelly Wiltshire in the secondary.
Long-time Eskimos receiver Terry Vaughn and defensive back Darren Crutchfield will play their first games against Edmonton since they joined the Alouettes in the off-season.
"It's just another game and I hope to come out on the winning end of it," said Vaughn, who had 11 catches for 160 yards in his Montreal debut last week, a 39-36 overtime loss to lowly Ottawa in which the Als blew a 23-point, second-half lead.
Charbonneau, who signed with Edmonton in 2002 after five years in Montreal, said playing one's old team won't be a factor.
"We're all professionals," he said. "If you need that to motivate yourself, you're doing something wrong."
Maybe so, but there should be a little extra intensity on the field just the same.
In 2002, the Alouettes beat the Eskimos 25-16 in the Grey Cup game in Edmonton. The following year in Regina, the Eskimos avenged that loss by downing Montreal 34-22 in a Grey Cup rematch.
Edmonton played in Montreal in the opening game of the 2004 campaign and was whacked 33-9, sending the club into an 0-3 spin to start the season. The Eskimos got the Alouettes back, though, 39-19 in Edmonton in October.
This year, the roles are reversed as the Eskimos have opened with two impressive wins. Quarterback Ricky Ray leads the league with 823 passing yards as has the CFL's three top receivers in Derrell Mitchell (17 catches, 273 yards, one TD), Jason Tucker (eight catches, 196 yards, three TDs) and Ed Hervey (16 catches for 190 yards). They're hardly missing Vaughn, who has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving plateau in each of his 10 CFL seasons.
Edmonton also has the league's stingiest defence, allowing only 24 points in two games, and leads the CFL with 13 sacks.
They'll be gunning for Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo, although he is protected by one of the CFL's best offensive lines.
More: http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story.asp?ID=129923&hubName=cfl
GDT = Game Day Thread.
Should be a great one. I've been looking forward to this matchup since the schedule was released. If I don't go out somewhere to watch the game, I should be here posting about it - LIVE. Join me. :) Game time is 7 pm eastern [5 pm mountain].
The Montreal native returns to his home town for the first time since being named head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos in December. The Eskimos (2-0) will face the Montreal Alouettes (1-1) at Percival Molson Stadium.
You can watch the game live on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt.
But games between Edmonton and Montreal have always carried an extra edge, going back to their Grey Cup clashes in the 1950s and 1970s, as well as 2002 and 2003.
And it is perhaps even edgier now that both rosters are dotted with players that have suited up for each squad.
"It's special, but I'm four years removed from Montreal," said Maciocia, who left the Alouettes' coaching staff to become offensive co-ordinator in Edmonton in 2002.
Maciocia said he is enjoying the chance to visit his parents and grandparents in Montreal and to bring his wife and two daughters on a road trip. It's a chance to sip an expresso in St-Leonard, Que., the mostly Italian neighbourhood he is from.
But come game day, Maciocia promises to be all business.
"This team has approached every game the same way," said Maciocia. "We don't play second fiddle to anyone, whether it's at home or on the road, against the Alouettes or anyone else."
The Eskimos' lineup includes former Als Bruce Beaton and Kevin Lefsrud on the offensive line, Steve Charbonneau on defensive line and Davis Sanchez, William Loftus and Kelly Wiltshire in the secondary.
Long-time Eskimos receiver Terry Vaughn and defensive back Darren Crutchfield will play their first games against Edmonton since they joined the Alouettes in the off-season.
"It's just another game and I hope to come out on the winning end of it," said Vaughn, who had 11 catches for 160 yards in his Montreal debut last week, a 39-36 overtime loss to lowly Ottawa in which the Als blew a 23-point, second-half lead.
Charbonneau, who signed with Edmonton in 2002 after five years in Montreal, said playing one's old team won't be a factor.
"We're all professionals," he said. "If you need that to motivate yourself, you're doing something wrong."
Maybe so, but there should be a little extra intensity on the field just the same.
In 2002, the Alouettes beat the Eskimos 25-16 in the Grey Cup game in Edmonton. The following year in Regina, the Eskimos avenged that loss by downing Montreal 34-22 in a Grey Cup rematch.
Edmonton played in Montreal in the opening game of the 2004 campaign and was whacked 33-9, sending the club into an 0-3 spin to start the season. The Eskimos got the Alouettes back, though, 39-19 in Edmonton in October.
This year, the roles are reversed as the Eskimos have opened with two impressive wins. Quarterback Ricky Ray leads the league with 823 passing yards as has the CFL's three top receivers in Derrell Mitchell (17 catches, 273 yards, one TD), Jason Tucker (eight catches, 196 yards, three TDs) and Ed Hervey (16 catches for 190 yards). They're hardly missing Vaughn, who has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving plateau in each of his 10 CFL seasons.
Edmonton also has the league's stingiest defence, allowing only 24 points in two games, and leads the CFL with 13 sacks.
They'll be gunning for Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo, although he is protected by one of the CFL's best offensive lines.
More: http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story.asp?ID=129923&hubName=cfl
GDT = Game Day Thread.
Should be a great one. I've been looking forward to this matchup since the schedule was released. If I don't go out somewhere to watch the game, I should be here posting about it - LIVE. Join me. :) Game time is 7 pm eastern [5 pm mountain].