CFL Central Columns

Lucky week 13 Musings

September 25th, 2011

Good luck picking the CFL this year.
Edmonton kicks the crap out of the Tiger Cats in Hamilton, and the Alouettes are outplayed and shut down by Winnipeg in Montreal… so of course Montreal will win easily in Edmonton, right?!
BC is now officially the beast of the CFL… as the Lions walk into Mosaic in Regina and stomp the guts out of an equally hot (to that point) Roughriders team, and even up their potential disaster season at 6-6.
Both Edmonton and Calgary who are sputtering along had best be very worried about BC roaring up in their rear-view mirrors.
And speaking of the Stamps – Hamilton hanging 55 points on Calgary? Really?!

Now… Winnipeg and Toronto.
I guess when you are the lowly Argos, a win by a point on a missed field goal is a big victory.
As for the Bombers – I hate to say “I told you so”, but I certainly did.
Sure they have one of the best QB’s in the league in Buck Pierce, and yes the fragile Pierce has stayed relatively healthy… BUT, it appears that is all now catching up to Winnipeg – who have been skating through very fortunate to this point in the year.
With the porous poor pass protection the Bombers have given Pierce this season, including a couple devastating highlight reel unblocked KO’s… Buck is now game to game with bruised/cracked ribs.
And behind Pierce – Joey Elliott (out for the season), Alex Brink (injured), Justin Goltz (who?), and Brandon Summers (huh?)… all 4 “household names” combined couldn’t carry Buck Pierce’s equipment bag.
Excuse me if I don’t get too excited about the long TD pass Goltz threw in Toronto – because in reality, that was all about Clarence Denmark making a ridiculous circus catch on an overthrown football.
After that… Goltz and the offence was nothing against a team prone to coughing up games in the last 5 minutes.
Depending on how severe the injuries are to Pierce and Brink (if Pierce is out and Brink is ok, the Bombers are still in a bad way) – perhaps now Winnipeg might get off their butts and bring in a veteran QB.
In a pass-happy league that is all about the QB… lack of depth will kill a promising season in a big hurry.
As I said a few different times at the start of the 2011 season – I would hate to see Winnipeg’s promising year derailed due to management’s shortsightedness in the most important position.
Editor’s Note: Michael Bishop was signed by Winnipeg on Sept. 28.

My annual Maritimes rant – on the heels of another successful Touchdown Atlantic in Moncton, NB:
Both Moncton and Halifax talk a good game about trying to land the 10th CFL franchise… but neither have progressed much with a viable stadium plan.
Having said that, Halifax is actually working on a stadium concept… but it is hard to generate much enthusiasm yet, because they have been this far before.
Moncton seems to be content to host the annual Touchdown Atlantic game, and may talk to the CFL about hosting a few Tiger Cats games in 2013 when Hamilton go to work on replacing Ivor Wynne.
With Ottawa coming back in 2014 (barring any further court battles over the Lansdowne Park development), the time is right for either Nova Scotia or New Brunswick to take the ball and run with it.
Make no mistake – whichever location actually begins to build… they will have the 10th CFL team in place by the time the project is completed.
The safe bet is, and has always been in actuality – Halifax, with the bigger population base.
After wisely passing on a monumentally expensive bid for the Commonwealth Games which included a stadium, next on the radar is the FIFA Women’s Soccer Event in 2015.
The feasibility study is underway, and decisions have to be made by December 2011 – for Halifax to remain in contention for the FIFA tournament. CBC STORY
Any hope of multi-level government funding for a stadium must include a world sporting event as well.
If Halifax whiffs on the FIFA bid, it is anyone’s guess when the next opportunity may present itself.
2016… a 10 team CFL? Dare to dream!

dave@cflcentral.net

Entry Filed under: CFL Football