CONTEST: 2007 Grey Cup game

[Van Basten II]

Organissimo says

[GARussell]

Here's an article with a few facts about the two teams:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Gre...4671573-cp.html

[GARussell]

Note: USA Today this morning lists the kickoff time as 6:00 pm, which it has been for a number of years now. But the (Toronto) Globe & Mail and Sirius (which is carrying the game on ch. 130) list the kickoff time to be 5:30 pm.

So just to be fair to everyone and to remove any doubt, I have changed the deadline to 5:30 pm eastern Sunday.

[GA Russell]

It may interest you to learn that the Roughriders' home field is called Mosaic Stadium! This changed a couple of years ago when a corporation called Mosaic bought the rights. I don't know what business they are in.

Before that it was called Taylor Field, named after "Piffles" Taylor. I read once who Piffles was, but I can't remember. I think he had something to do with the formation of the team years ago.

Love those Canadian nicknames! I think Piffles lived in an era when every third Canadian was named Percival.

*****

Here's an article reminiscing about John Candy, who was a part-owner of the Toronto Argonauts. It was then that the Argos signed Rocket Ismail ahead of the NFL draft.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

[GA Russell]

Less than 24 hours till kickoff.

Here are the picks of the Globe & Mail staff:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...ory/GlobeSports

Globe's Grey Cup predictions

Globe and Mail Update

November 24, 2007 at 2:30 PM EST

TORONTO — The Globe makes its Grey Cup predictions:

ALLAN MAKI

Here are the Saskatchewan Roughriders' strengths: they have the hottest receiver in the CFL postseason (Andy Fantuz); a defence that forces interceptions and fumbles aplenty; and the league's best player who happens to play the game's most important position, quarterback.

Here's what the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offer: an amazing set of receivers; a running back (Charles Roberts) who is harder to stop than hiccups and a quarterback who has never started a pro football game in his life.

Sunday's 95th Grey Cup is likely to come down to a battle of the quarterbacks, and that's a mismatch — Saskatchewan's Kerry Joseph will out-perform Winnipeg's Ryan Dinwiddie.

Joseph has it all — a live arm, great running ability and the football savvy needed to rally his teammates and make them believe in him. That's more than enough for the 'Riders to emerge victorious and win their third Grey Cup in franchise history.

The Bombers only hope is that they get an earlier and Roberts runs wild but don't count on it. In fact, Dinwiddie may not finish the game.

'Rider fans, go hog wild.

Final score: Saskatchewan 28, Winnipeg 21

STEPHEN BRUNT

Lots of brave talk from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this week about the talents of their back up quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie, who because of an injury to Kevin Glenn will be the starter in the Grey Cup.

One question: if he's that terrific, that ready to play, how come they didn't use him at all when Glenn struggled during the second half of the season and the Bombers dropped out of first place in the East?

It would be quite a story if Dinwiddie somehow plays the hero. But minus Glenn and probably minus cornerback Juran Bolden, Winnipeg looks like easy picking for the high flying 'Riders.

The third Grey Cup in franchise history sends the green nation home happy.

Final score: Saskatchewan 28, Winnipeg 14

DAVID NAYLOR

In a league where so much of the game revolves around quarterbacks, it's awfully hard not to like the team with the recently-named CFL Most Outstanding Player (Saskatchewan's Kerry Joseph) over the team pinning its hopes on a guy who's never started a CFL game (Ryan Dinwiddie).

The Bombers have a shot in the 95th Grey Cup game but only if Dinwiddie plays error-free football and Winnipeg gets a huge game out of Charles Roberts on the ground. That won't be easy since the Roughriders are a tough team to run against. So too are the Bombers which is why the result of this game rests in the hands of the men who will be putting the ball in the air.

On that basis, Saskatchewan is the pick.

Final score: Roughriders 24, Blue Bombers 19.

[GA Russell]

Halftime score: Saskatchewan Roughriders 10....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7

Winnipeg scored on a field goal and two safety touches conceded by Sask. Late in the second quarter, Sask scored on an interception return and a field goal.

Winnipeg's defense has kept the Bombers in the game. Bomber QB Ryan Dinwiddie hasn't done much, but he hasn't embarrassed himself either.

[Van Basten II]

Come on you bunch of wimps score some goals or whatever you score over there. I need 72 points.

[GA Russell]

After three: Sask 16....Winnipeg 14

[GA Russell]

2007 Grey Cup final score:

Saskatchewan Roughriders 23....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19

[GA Russell]

Total points: 42

Congatulations brownie! You nailed it!

Please PM me your address and I'll order your Mosaic gift certificate tomorrow.

And do tell us what you spend it on!

Thanks for playing everybody!

[brownie]

It could not have happened to a less deserving person.

Have absolutely no idea how I did it or what happened

But I am delighted with a totally unexpected win!

The gift certificate will most surely be used to help acquire the recent Lionel Hampton box!

Edited November 26, 2007 by brownie

[sidewinder]

Congrats !

[Niko]

[Van Basten II]

All you need to know about the CFL is that you don't need to know anything, congrats Brownie au contraire you deserve it.

[GA Russell]

Your Mosaic gift certificate is on its way, brownie!

Now I understand why you guys have been commenting on the international postage rates!