GA Russell

Happy Birthday 2015 John!

Happy Birthday 2015 crisp!

Happy Birthday 2015 Brooks!

There has been some news in the past 48 hours while we get ready for the game. First, here are some brief articles about the various CFL Award winners which you might enjoy. http://cfl.ca/article/best-in-class-players-collect-2015-shaw-cfl-awards http://3downnation.com/2015/11/26/banks-named-top-special-teams-player-custis-honoured/#comments http://3downnation.com/2015/11/26/sinopoli-can-thanks-stamps-for-helping-him-become-cfls-top-canadian/#comments http://3downnation.com/2015/11/26/burris-leads-redblack-domination-of-cfl-player-awards/#comments ***** Calgary Dinos quarterback Andrew Buckley won the Hec Creighton Award for the second consecutive year. http://cfl.ca/article/calgarys-buckley-repeats-as-hec-crighton-trophy-winner ***** I was surprised to see that the league has changed its logo again. (I always thought that there was nothing wrong with the one with the helmet and the maple leaf.) There will also be a new marketing slogan, "What we're made of." http://3downnation.com/2015/11/27/cfl-unveils-new-logo-slogan/#comments http://3downnation.com/2015/11/27/orridge-keen-to-rebrand-cfl-but-solutions-hard-to-come-by/#comments http://cfl.ca/article/orridge-unveils-new-brand-positioning http://www.tsn.ca/cfl-commissioner-orridge-unveils-new-logo-branding-for-league-1.400585 ***** The Hall of fame announced the Class of 2016. Doug Brown Rodney Harding Mookie Mitchell James West Don McDonald (Builder) http://cfl.ca/article/cfhof-reveals-hall-of-fame-class-of-2016 http://www.tsn.ca/mitchell-brown-among-selections-for-canadian-football-hof-induction-1.400645 ***** For some years now, Canadians have referred to the Eskimo people as "Inuits" at their request. "Inuit" is the word of their language for "Eskimo," which I believe is an English derivation of the French word "Eskimaux." So now along comes an Inuit group which seeks for the Edmonton Eskimos to change the team name. http://3downnation.com/2015/11/28/inuit-group-wants-cfls-eskimos-to-change-name/#comments http://www.tsn.ca/inuit-group-wants-eskimos-to-change-team-name-1.400664 ***** Grey Cup preview http://cfl.ca/article/cflca-game-notes-a-look-at-the-103rd-grey-cup ***** Six of the seven contributors to the league's website pick the Eskimos. http://cfl.ca/article/prediction-time-cflca-writers-make-grey-cup-picks ***** UBC beat defending champion U Montreal 26-23 this afternoon to win the Vanier Cup. http://www.tsn.ca/ubc-tops-montreal-to-win-vanier-cup-1.401216

Only 19 hours to go until kickoff! Again, unless I am mistaken, the numbers still available are... Ottawa - 30 and everything below - 75 and everything above Edmonton - 15 and everything below - 25 - 80 and everything above

I'm pretty sure that my first Mosaic catalogue had the Chet Baker Studio box on the cover, but I don't remember what number the catalogue was. I think it was in 1988.

Al! Another long lost brother! Great to see you again.

And the winners are... http://www.tsn.ca/watch-live-shaw-cfl-awards-on-tsn-ca-1.400433 Burris Bighill Sinopoli Rogers Banks Walker I saw Derel Walker receive his award wearing a suit. Back in the day, they all wore tuxedos. They gave out three other awards tonight: Coach of the Year - Rick Campbell Jake Gaudaur - Jeff Perrett Tom Pate - Henry Burris

11/25 Checking Down http://cfl.ca/article/checking-down-collaros-could-miss-start-of-next-season ***** Hank was unusually candid about his dislike of Kent Austin in his press conference yesterday. http://3downnation.com/2015/11/25/henry-burris-unloads-on-ticats-austin/#comments http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/120391 http://www.tsn.ca/burris-wants-to-prove-doubters-wrong-1.399726 ***** The league announced today that Al Bradbury will be the ref of the game this year. http://cfl.ca/article/officials-named-for-103rd-grey-cup-presented-by-shaw

Evan! Great to see you again! It's been a long time.

Thanks for this, Jim! Griffith Stadium was the site of the first game my dad took me to. May, 1959, the Senators against the Kansas City Athletics; Camilo Pascual and Harmon Killebrew against Ralph Terry and Roger Maris,. And those Briggs hot dogs were the best!!!

Ken Johnson has died. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Ken+Johnson+baseball&filters=tnTID%3a%22EA2465E5-A9CC-4957-986E-8D7C442B24F2%22+tnVersion%3a%221173293%22+segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%222%22+tnOrder%3a%22f73ec9af-da82-46ca-afc4-ed99ddfe378e%22&FORM=HPNN01

Finals Plays of the Week http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/120327/autostart/true ***** The league will collect interesting articles it finds this week here. http://cfl.ca/article/103gc ***** The league announced today that it will stream the CFL Awards ceremony (Thursday, 8:20 pm eastern). http://cfl.ca/article/GCLive ***** TSN recalls the first Grey Cup game played in Winnipeg, the '91 game. That's the one that is famous because it was brutally cold. http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/party-in-the-peg~756723 ***** Mark Fulton analyzes Hank's pass to Ellingson. http://3downnation.com/2015/11/23/putting-the-pass-into-perspective-the-burris-bomb-by-the-numbers/#comments

Unless I am mistaken, the numbers still available are... Ottawa - everything 35 and below - 60 - everything 75 and above ***** Edmonton - everything 40 and below - everything 75 and above

Thanks everyone!

Guys, I see that you're aiming high. The Grey Cup is often a high-scoring affair, but Noj won once by picking a low score because it was the only thing left available to him!

I saw Herbie's acoustic sextet in 1969 or maybe 1970. Is anyone aware of a CD of a live performance of that band? And, I suppose, do you recommend it? Thanks!

Jeff Tedford may return to the US college ranks next year. http://www.tsn.ca/report-ncaa-teams-contacting-tedford-1.398521 ***** This week the league will stream seven press conferences, the commissioner's State of the League address and a post-game players' press conference for you to enjoy. http://cfl.ca/article/GCLive

Thanks Jeff!

HBJ, that what I picked! You'll have to pick something else. Anything else! I'm reminded of the story that in 1896 there were two cars in the state of Ohio, and they hit each other!

It's that time of year again! It's time for the annual Grey Cup contest. Past winners have included Noj (twice), indestructible, Bright Moments, brownie, paul secor, Soulstation1, danasgoodstuff and B. Clugston. Here are the rules: 1) Pick the winning team. 2) Pick the number of total points scored by both teams (aka the tiebreaker). Since approximately half of us will pick the winning team, picking the total points is necessary to win the contest. Your total points prediction must be a number which is a multiple of five (5). The winning tiebreaker will be the one closest to the correct answer. If two are equally close, the winner will be the lower pick. If two people pick the same thing, the first to make the pick will be the winner. THE PRIZE: A $17.00 Mosaic Records Gift Card. The $17.00 represents one CD of a Mosaic box set. Deadline: Sunday Nov. 29, 6:00 pm eastern ***** The Grey Cup game: The Grey Cup is awarded to the world champion of what I think is the greatest game in the world, Canadian rules football. That is to say, the champion of the Canadian Football League. The Grey Cup was first awarded in 1909. They have played for it every year since then except three years during World War One. Therefore, this year's will be the 103rd Grey Cup game. Fans from throughout Canada will attend the game. This year's game will see the Western champion Edmonton Eskimos face the Eastern champion Ottawa Redblacks. The Eskimos have won the most Grey Cups in my lifetime. Warren Moon played for them his first six years as a pro, winning five Grey Cups. The Ottawa Redblacks were an expansion team last year!!! This will be Ottawa's first trip to the Grey Cup game since 1981. Ottawa last won the Grey Cup in 1976 when their team was the Rough Riders. The location of the game is chosen years in advance. This year's game will be played in Winnipeg. Eastern fans always root for the Eastern champion, and Western fans always root for the Western champion. Winnipeg is a Western city, so normally I would expect the majority in attendance to root for the western team (Edmonton). However, Ottawa will certainly be Canada's sentimental favorite because Ottawa's teams have stunk for so many decades. Throughout the year, the league's two best teams were the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders. Both teams finished the season with 14-4 records. Edmonton soundly defeated Calgary in the Western Final Sunday 45-31. The Eskimos have now won nine straight games. The Redblacks won only 2 games last year, and surprised everyone by finishing first in the East with a 12-6 record. The Eskimos' quarterback is 30-year old Mike Reilly, who played his college ball at Central Washington. The past two years, he has been voted by the players as the toughest player in the league! The Redblacks' quarterback is 40-year old Henry Burris, who played his college ball at Temple.. Burris is the Eastern nominee for Most Outstanding Player. That award will be given out Thursday. The game will be carried live in the US on ESPN2. You can listen to the game here: http://www.tsn.ca/radio (To listen to the game, you will need Windows Media Player which you can download for free. So you might want to plan ahead if you don't already have it.) You can study articles analyzing the upcoming game as well as articles about the season as it unfolded in the CFL thread, which I will be updating during the course of this week. Good luck everyone! ***** Here's my pick: Ottawa - 50 The fact is, I don't think the Redblacks have a chance. The Eskimos are a far better team. But because the Redblacks are the sentimental favorite, I will be pulling for them, and I will pick them.

Maverick - Season 3 - $29.16 + $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FNRA0KA ***** Maverick - Season 4 - $33.99 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CCYNYBO

Here are a few more items about today's games. Eastern Final http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/120223 http://3downnation.com/2015/11/22/ticats-lose-last-minute-heartbreaker-fall-35-28-to-redblacks/#comments http://3downnation.com/2015/11/22/ticats-season-comes-to-an-end-there-are-no-words-just-disappointment/#comments Western Final http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/120261 http://3downnation.com/2015/11/22/stamps-finish-hufnagel-coaching-era-with-loss-to-edmonton-in-west-final/#comments

Ottawa 35....Hamilton 28 http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/game/hamilton-tiger-cats-ottawa-redblacks-20151122/Stats http://cfl.ca/article/r-nation-rising-redblacks-stun-ticats-late http://www.tsn.ca/redblacks-advance-to-grey-cup-with-miraculous-td-1.398024 Greg Ellingson caught a pass on second and 25 with about a minute to go in the fourth quarter, and took it 93 yards to the house to win the game. http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/120167 This will be an Ottawa team's first trip to the Grey Cup game since 1981. Ottawa last won the Grey Cup in 1976. ***** Edmonton 45....Calgary 31 http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/game/calgary-stampeders-edmonton-eskimos-20151122/Stats http://www.cfl.ca/article/power-shift-esks-grey-cup-bound-with-win-over-stamps http://www.tsn.ca/eskimos-hold-off-stampeders-advance-to-grey-cup-1.398159 The Eskimos led 45-15 with eleven minutes to go in the game. The Stampeders then showed some spunk for a while, but the Eskimos didn't let them get close. ***** Next weekend is also the Vanier Cup - Saturday in Quebec City. The U of Montreal Carabines will play the U of British Columbia Thunderbirds. http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/6130231-thunderbirds-down-x-men-in-uteck-bowl-to-advance-to-vanier-cup/ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/carabins-guelph-gryphons-vanier-cup-1.3329696