This past Labour Day Weekend in the Canadian Football League featured four Crazy games, with surprising results.
First on Friday Night Football the BC Lions beat the Toronto Argonauts 29 to 16 in front of just over 19,000 at Skydome. What overshadowed the argo loss were easily catchable dropped balls by receivers, and Dalton Bell’s stat at one point of throwing 4 interceptions and 4 complete passes. Yes you read it correctly, Dalton Bell. Argo Coach Jim Barker pulled starting quarterback Cleo Lemon for Dalton Bell to begin the second half. Lemon, clearly upset with the change, did not act very professionally and in jest reacted while Bell struggled. At one point, he sarcastically pretended to slit his neck. I believe this lack of support Lemon showed Bell was one of the many reasons Lemon was released by the Argos this past Tuesday. Jim Barker did not want to start another quarterback controversy or have a divided locker room. So the easiest thing to do was get rid of the cause of the problem. Plus quarterback Steven Jyles is coming off the nine game injured list for the Argos rematch in Vancouver. So Barker is expecting better results from their prized off season move.
Also in this game, offensive lineman and hated dirty opponent Rob Murphy tore his ACL and is out for the season. Currently the situation for the boatmen is looking very bleak and I LOVE IT! ARGOS SUCK!!!!!!!!
Sunday afternoon 1-7 Saskatchewan under new old coach Ken Miller beat up 7-1 Winnipeg, 27-7. This game was very surprising as the Roughriders looked like the team with the winning record and the Blue Bombers, being the better team just stunk. But this goes to show the importance of Labour Day and the team that is better prepared and more hungry will win, despite their record. Dariant Durant was lights out as the Green Riders dominated this game. One will ask if the new found spark from the coaching change will last? Ken Miller was a looser coach than his predecessor Greg Marshall, who was more business and authoratative. Miller’s paternal demeanour and willingness to let loose and dance in-front of his players was more respected and as a result his players responded well to it. I feel Ken Miller has a stronger pulse on this team and will get a few more wins out of them. However I don’t see the Rough Riders making the playoffs because this team is too far behind the eight ball, and many of these players simply are too old.
On Labour Day Monday my Hamilton Tiger Cats hammered the Montreal Alouettes 44 to 21. Ticat receiver Maurice Mann fumbled early deep in Hamilton territory which resulted in spotting Montreal a 7 point lead. But Alouette Quarterback Anthony Cavillo couldn’t do anything right and showed his frustration as the Ticat defense truly ate them raw. The game’s key turning point came at the end of the first half when the Hamilton defence stopped Montreal from scoring three times on the one yard line. Hamilton went into the half up 14 points rather than 7. Throw in two Quinton Porter TDs, a Maurice Mann TD,
And that is the last word.
