Mark Masters
CFL.ca
We are a third of the way through the 2009 Canadian Football League season and that means it’s time for the first annual Masters-on-the-Mark Third-of-the-Year Awards.
That’s right, there are still two-thirds of the schedule left and the playoffs as well, but it’s never too early to do a state-of-the-league column.
So six games in here are my picks for…
UNNECESSARY FASHION STATEMENT
Someone has got to tell first year head coaches Richie Hall of the Edmonton Eskimos and Marcel Bellefeuille of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that they can relax.
Both bench bosses were styling their team polos on Saturday with the top button done up. But, neither coach should feel like their collars are getting tight. Very much the opposite as both teams are on the upswing this season.
As the rain fell in buckets on Saturday at Ivor Wynne Stadium the two teams put on a great show with a number of exciting plays to go along with a gripping ending. Classic CFL.
The Ticats are quickly emerging as the feel-good story of the 2009 season. And most followers of the league should be happy. Although, maybe not in Toronto, where the Ticats remain as popular as Mayor David Miller.
MOST UNLIKELY COMEBACK
He may have only played two games, but I think it’s pretty clear Michael Bishop makes the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a significantly more effective offence. When the SOS went out after the Bombers lacklustre offensive display at home to Toronto in Week #4 things looked pretty bleak in the ‘Peg.
Bishop entered the fold and with only a handful of practices under his belt was able to help lead Winnipeg to a crucial road win at Toronto. He may not have been sharp, but he kept the mistakes to a minimum while the Argos self destructed.
Last week in Calgary he brushed off a terrible first half to lead the Bombers back into the game. In fact, if he had not run into blocker Yvenson Bernard and fumbled the ball in the third quarter leading to a Calgary touchdown the Bombers may well have completed an astonishing comeback against the reigning Grey Cup champions.
ONE IS NOT THE LONELIEST NUMBER AWARD
One is not the loneliest number in the CFL … zero is. After the horn sounded in Montreal on Friday night someone close to me, only half-kidding, stated, “I didn’t even know they allowed shutouts in the CFL.”
But sure enough there was a goose egg on the scoreboard and it wasn’t the time clock. The Argos got thumped 25-0.
Not even honorary Argo and Entourage star Jeremy Piven can put a good spin on this stinker.
It was ugly no doubt about it. Argos fans are angry and looking to lay blame.
It’s easy to point the finger at Kerry Joseph, who has not been able to generate much of anything for the beleaguered Argos offence. But certainly it’s not all on Joseph. He’s not getting the protection he needs on a lot of plays and his receivers – for a variety of reasons – are not tested and have not been able to get into a rhythm.
If Toronto doesn’t get better this week at home to BC on Friday night then it could be a very interesting bye week in the Big Smoke.
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY LINE
The whole Montreal Alouettes quest for a perfect season story line died ingloriously in Week #5 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Okay, so Montreal looked good, very good, Megan Fox good, in jumping out of the gate 4-0. But, come on, this league is so unpredictable that it is inconceivable that a team is going to run the table. There are injuries and illness and bad weather and Michael Jackson touchdown-celebration tributes … so many things can throw a team off.
Heck, the New England Patriots went 16-0 a couple years back in the National Football League and still lost in the Super Bowl. Believe me: the Alouettes did not want to enter the playoffs 18-0. The pressure would have been immense.
Yes, Montreal is good and may even go 17-1 … but I never for a moment thought they’d end up 18-0.
MOST BIZARRE TWITTER ACCOUNT
There is no contest on this one. Give the prize to Arland Bruce III. This should be no surprise, because the embattled wide receiver was at the heart of the biggest off-the-field soap opera of the season (apologies to Spy Gate).
At last check Bruce had only a little more than 100 followers, which is a crime because whatever you want to say about the former Argonaut, his Twitter account (@mrmature1), which is all Caps locks all the time, is entertaining.
A recent sample taken just hours before kickoff against the Eskimos: “HAVING PANCAKES, TO START MY BEAUTIFUL MORNING, ITS GAMEDAY BABE! ON THE SIXTH DAY, HOW YOU LOVE THAT.”
That’s it for this impromptu and absolutely unnecessary edition of Masters-on-the-Mark Third-of-the-Year Awards. And a perfect way to segue into…
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
Just hours before suiting up against Winnipeg on Saturday Calgary Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris shows he knows how tight things are in the CFL West …
@HenryBurris Just goes to show u how the parity is in the league!!! I’m focused for this one!! (Aug. 7)
Toronto Argonauts quarterback Kerry Joseph turns philosophical in the wake of his team’s 25-0 shutout loss in Montreal.
@kerryjoseph4 Riding on the train gives u a lot of time to think about life. I realize how blessed I am to be doing what I do. GOD is good. (Aug. 8 – 11:44 p.m.)
Edmonton Eskimos receiver Kamau Peterson laments his team’s loss against the Tiger-Cats. Edmonton led 12-0 and 21-14 before falling victim to a Hamilton comeback.
@Gr8Grab Missed opportunities leave such a foul taste … (Aug. 9)
The great thing is the Eskimos won’t have to wait long to get back on track as Calgary is in town on Thursday. I believe those two teams share a bit of a rivalry. Should be fun.
