This Sunday will be marked on most Canadians’ calendars as the Grey Cup 102 from Vancouver, between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
It has been one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. The East Division picked themselves up off the mat for the second half of the season, and the West did what they do best, echoing that they are the superior division. So the two teams battling for this Grey Cup have major differences.
It’s Not How You Start, it’s How You Finish
For Hamilton, much like last season, the motto has been “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” The Ticats started the 2014 campaign losing games in the last dying minutes or not showing up at all. Plagued by major mental mistakes that led to turnovers and penalties, the team had fans wondering if Head Coach Kent Austin really was the coach everyone thought.
This questions were answered as the Ticats finally moved into their long-delayed new stadium. From there, the sky was the limit. The Ticats owned their opposition at home, winning every game at Tim Hortons Field, and looked to finish strong; that they did.
Their quest to make it back to the big game was not without its hiccups along the way; as Austin put it, “No team is without its issues.” The Ticats lost twice to the Argos down the stretch, putting them in a undesirable position; but they got the job done against Montreal, which won Hamilton the tie breaker to host the East final. There the Ticats again defeated the Alouettes to move on to the big stage.
Hamilton is back in the big game for the second time in as many years; the last team’s appearance in back-to-back Grey Cups was in 2009-2010 when both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes made it to the Grey Cup. So should we really be shocked as to how Hamilton got here? Are the questions of moving to one division going to die with a Tabbie Grey Cup win?
Looking to Silence Critics
On the other side of Canada, the west was won by the team that stood alone all season long, the Calgary Stampeders.
Finishing the year atop the west for the second year in a row, Calgary is looking to shove the critics’ words back down their throats with a Grey Cup win.
Head coach John Hufnagel has seen a lot of ups and downs during his time coaching the Stamps. After winning the Cup in 2008, his Stamps have been a showcase of spectacular ways to lose playoff games. The ’09, ’10, and ’11 West finals, the ’12 Grey Cup, and the ’13 West final, all losses.
Clearly the team in red will have all the pressure on them on Sunday. What would another playoff disappointment say about this great team, after they finished above everyone else in the league with a 15-3 record?
The Bottom Line
This year’s champion will have battled through the year and come out on top, regardless of what division they play in. If it’s Hamilton’s turn to hoist the trophy, many will say they had the easiest route to get there. Others will claim they beat the league’s hottest team in the East final and took down the league’s top dog for title; the latter point is something many will agree with.
So this is it, Canada. Let’s show everyone what a great game this league truly has, with a week-long party, some adult bevvys, and a pile of nachos and chicken wings, with the best game of the year served as the entrée.
Thank you for reading. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and@LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest in sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Main Photo:
