2024 @CFL hot stove league

[GA Russell]

DGS, I can think of college teams like Nebraska, but I can't think of a pro football team. Maybe the Red Sox in baseball.

*****

The Als extended Jim Popp's contract through 2014. IMO, they need him a lot more than he needs them.

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4332103

*****

Matt Flowers West report:

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4332190

[GA Russell]

Matt Flowers East report

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4331916.htm

*****

Gregg Xenakes Week 6 picks

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4331914.htm

*****

David Naylor Week 6 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cfl-week-6-picks/article1663655/

[GA Russell]

I'll get to this past weekend's games soon, but first this bulletin:

It looks like the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will move to Quebec City.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/ticats-pull-out-of-stadium-debate/article1667147/

[GA Russell]

Here are this past weekend's games:

Montreal Alouettes 30.... Saskatchewan Roughriders 26

http://scoreboards.c...cap.aspx?id=852

I find that the Als have provided the greatest number of boring games over the past several years. They got off to a big lead and I thought the game was over. But Sask spent the entire game clawing back, closing to within two late in the game.

*****

Toronto Argonauts 29....Edmonton Eskimos 28

http://scoreboards.c...cap.aspx?id=853

Another game in which one team got a big lead, and the other clawed its way back. In this case, the Eskimos scored a TD to take the lead, but the Argos took it back.

On the last play of the game, Ricky Ray threw a 49-yard bomb, and the Eskimos then started lateralling the ball. Apparently no one had the presence of mind to realize that, being down on the Toronto 25, he should punt the ball through the end zone and tie the game, thus sending it into overtime.

*****

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 29....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22

http://scoreboards.c...cap.aspx?id=854

Good game between two bad teams.

Alexis Serna missed to makeable FGs and was cut today. The Bombers have signed ex-Rider Louie Sakoda.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=330080

*****

Calgary Stampeders 27....British Columbia Lions 22

http://scoreboards.c...cap.aspx?id=855

Travis Lulay shows a lot of promise, but IMO he's just to green to be expected to lead the Lions to victory. Jarious Jackson played the fourth quarter and proved that he is healthy, so he will start this week.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=329994

The Lions today cut Derick Armstrong.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=330132

*****

Matt Flowers West report

http://www.sportsnet.../AJN4333011.htm

*****

Matt Flowers East report

http://64.246.64.33/...aspx?id=4333384

Edited August 11, 2010 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

Gregg Xenakes Week 7 picks

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4333636.htm

*****

David Naylor Week 7 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/week-7-cfl-picks/article1669957/

[GA Russell]

Jeff Garcia has signed to play with the new Omaha UFL team. (I see that Daunte Culpepper will play for the Sacramento team.)

http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/jeff-garcia-joins-ufls-omaha-nighthawks/

[GA Russell]

Saskatchewan Roughriders 37....British Columbia Lions 13

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=CFL/scores/final/W856.htm

No surprise with this score.

*****

Remember OJ Santiago with Atlanta? After being out of pro football since 2007, he is making a comeback with the Als.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/als-santiago-excited-to-play-in-toronto/article1671564/

*****

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 39....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4334350.htm

The Ticats dominated throughout, with the Bombers scoring a meaningless TD at the end to make the score look decent.

Buck Pierce came back from injury to start for the Bombers, but he left because of another injury.

Marcus Thigpen scored the Ticats' first TD on a rushing play, and thus became the first player in league history (They started keeping stats in '52 in the West and '54 in the East.) to score a TD five different ways in one season.

*****

As a result of the Hamilton City Council this week voting to situate the proposed stadium in a location unacceptable to Bob Young, the police are now investigating a death threat against the mayor!

http://www.900chml.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocalGeneral/Story.aspx?ID=1264881

[GA Russell]

It appears that the Argos have put bios of every player on Wikipedia! Here's the page for Alex Buzbee:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Buzbee

[GA Russell]

Toronto Argonauts 37....Montreal Alouettes 22

http://64.246.64.33/...aspx?id=4334524

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/young-argos-stun-als/article1673343/

Great game if you were rooting for the Argos. They never trailed. I would have to say that this is the biggest upset of the season so far.

Both teams are now tied for first in the East at 5-2. Both teams are 5-0 when they score first, and 0-2 when they don't.

Ben Cahoon passed Darren Flutie into second place on the career passes caught list.

The Als won the stats battle, gaining over 500 yards. But the Als defense gave up a lot of big plays. Cleo Lemons almost scored a TD on a flea flicker!

Ryan Christian set an Argo team record by returning a kickoff 110 yards for a TD. Terry Greer had the old record at 109 yards.

Edited August 15, 2010 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

As I was listening to the game last night, an idea occurred to me. This is not a prediction, just a thought.

We are almost halfway through the season, and it is possible that for the first time ever an Eastern team will cross over and play in the Western playoffs.

[GA Russell]

Calgary Stampeders 56....Edmonton Eskimos 15

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4334735.htm

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/stamps-trounce-struggling-esks/article1673909/

The Eskimos were unusually inept, with enough unforced errors to lose the game against anybody.

The Eskimos have a bye this coming week, so they will have time to decide whom to fire next.

[GA Russell]

The Eskimos have a bye this coming week, so they will have time to decide whom to fire next.

Danny Kepley resigned as Eskimos linebacker coach today. A real shame. I met him at the '78 Grey Cup.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=330850

[GA Russell]

The Eskimos fired their OL coach, Jeff Bleamer, today.

When a CFL coach is sacked in mid-season, I wonder if the paychecks stop. I remember a few years ago, I think when he was coaching the Als at the Grey Cup game, Don Matthews made the point at a press conference that he felt something needed to be done regarding the payment of coaches.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/eskimos-woes-continue/article1677224/

[GA Russell]

Gregg Xenakes Week 8 picks

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4335355.htm

*****

David Naylor Week 8 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cfl-week-8-preview/article1677904/

[GA Russell]

We have reached the bye weeks part of the schedule. This gives everyone a chance to let his body heal while visiting the family back home. Last weekend saw the four Eastern teams play, and this weekend will see the four Western teams play.

Montreal 39....Winnipeg 17

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=860

The Als were walloping the Bombers as expected, leading 24-0 in the second quarter, when Anthony Calvillo went down with a bruised sternum. Adrian McPherson is on the injured list, so that left third-string QB Chris Leak (remember him from Florida?) to lead the team the rest of the way.

That rejuvenated the Bombers, and the score was 24-17 at the end of three, but the Als salted the game away in the fourth.

Calvillo is now out of the hospital, and will benefit from having this week off.

*****

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 16....Toronto Argonauts 12

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=861

Defensive struggle. The Ticats scored the game's only TD with three minutes left to play.

*****

Gregg Xenakes Week 9 picks

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4337055.htm

*****

Globe & Mail (Matthew Sekeres) Week 9 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cfl-week-9-preview/article1686868/

*****

Matt Flowers West report

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4337071

[GA Russell]

Anthony Calvillo has already been ruled out of the Als' next game, Sept. 3 against BC.

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4337457

[GA Russell]

I expected both games this weekend to be blowouts. But (surprise!) it didn't happen.

Calgary Stampeders 48....British Columbia Lions 35

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=CFL/scores/final/W862.htm

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/burris-stars-as-stamps-beat-lions/article1688707/

Casey Printers is back off the injured list.

As you can see from the score: 1) The Lions looked like a good team offensively with Printers in control. and 2) Even with three interceptions, the Lions' defense couldn't stop the Stampeders.

*****

Edmonton Eskimos 17....Saskatchewan Roughriders 14

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=CFL/scores/final/W863.htm

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/eskimos-fend-off-riders/article1689021/

The Eskimos looked pretty dismal. Trailing 14-0 in the second, Richie Hall pulled Ricky Ray and put in Jared Zabransky for most of the rest of the game.

The Eskimos did all of the scoring for the rest of the game, as Darian Durant had a mediocre game. Noel Prefontaine gave Edmonton its first lead of the night with a FG with only 37 seconds left in the game

[GA Russell]

Remember OJ Santiago with Atlanta? After being out of pro football since 2007, he is making a comeback with the Als.

http://www.theglobea...article1671564/

The Als have released Stanford Samuels and OJ Santiago.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=332073

[GA Russell]

It's Labor Day Weekend with its traditional schedule!

Matt Flowers West report

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4338203.htm

*****

Matt Flowers East report

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4338783

*****

Gregg Xenakes Week 10 picks

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4338519

*****

Globe & Mail Week 10 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cfl-week-10-preview/article1694799/

[GA Russell]

British Columbia Lions 38....Montreal Alouettes 17

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=864

Former Florida star Chris Leak started his first pro game for the Als, and didn't fare very well. However, it wasn't his fault that the Lions were able to score 38 points.

Ricky Santos played the fourth quarter, and led the Als to two TDs. Leak injured his hip, and will not play this week. Adrian McPherson is coming off the injured list, so he will start, and Santos will back him up.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=333005

*****

Saskatchewan Roughriders 27....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=865

The Bombers hung tough the whole game. Buck Pierce was injured again.

*****

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28....Toronto Argonauts 13

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=866

The Ticats took a two-TD lead, but it looked like the Argos would come back. However, the Ticats defense stymied them in the fourth.

*****

Calgary Stampeders 52....Edmonton Eskimos 5

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=867

The Eskimos were just brutal. The 47 point margin sets the record for games between these two arch-rivals.

[GA Russell]

This is the time of year when last place teams make lots of changes.

Two Blue Bomber speculations:

1) Buck Pierce dislocated his throwing arm elbow against the Riders, and may be lost for the season.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/elbow-injury-could-end-pierces-season/article1699872/

2) The Bombers would like to sign Jesse Lumsden!

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=333084

[GA Russell]

Gregg Xenakes Week 11 picks

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfl/news/AJN4340446.htm

[GA Russell]

David Naylor Week 11 picks

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/week-11/article1702118/

*****

Matt Flowers West report

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4340822

*****

Matt Flowers East report

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4340827

[GA Russell]

Calgary Stampeders 36....Edmonton Eskimos 20

http://scoreboards.c.../final/W868.htm

Surprisingly, the Eskimos made it interesting in the first half. They even led much of the second quarter.

Joffrey Reynolds passed Kelvin Anderson to become the Stampeders' all-time rushing leader.

Arkee Whitlock got hurt on Labor Day, and this week he was placed on the nine-game injured list. So that should mean he is done for the season.

*****

Montreal Alouettes 27....Hamilton Tiger-Cats 6

http://scoreboards.c.../final/W869.htm

The Ticats were one game behind the Als, playing at home, with Calvillo hurt. They were dreaming of winning the game and being tied for first place with a five-game winning streak. Unfortunately, those four consecutive wins came against the Bombers and the Argos, and thus the Ticats are suspect as well.

Kevin Glenn had a bad day. He was replaced in the third by Quinton Porter who was even worse. On the other hand, Adrian McPherson is back from the injured list and started for the Als, and had a good game. McPherson is tired of playing behind Calvillo, and he is playing out his option.

*****

British Columbia Lions 37....Toronto Argonauts 16

http://scoreboards.c.../final/W870.htm

Geroy Simon passed Ray Elgaard for fifth place on the league's all-time pass reception list.

Edited September 14, 2010 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31....Saskatchewan Roughriders 2

http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=canoe&page=cfl/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=871

During the pre-game show, Carm Carteri said that the Riders had a terrible flight to Winnipeg the night before. A trip that should have taken one hour took over four hours, and they didn't check into their hotel until 2:00 am. Then they had a 6:00 am wake up call. So the Roughriders were playing on four hours sleep.

That was never mentioned again during the broadcast, but you have to think that that explains why the lowly Bombers were able to get off to a 24-1 halftime lead playing their second string QB Stephen Jyles.