Jaime Stein
CFL.ca
Cinderella’s night came to an end when the clock struck 12; unfortunately for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, their stroke of midnight was the start of overtime on Sunday afternoon at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
There is no doubt that the Ticats were the feel-good story of 2009. They drew the love and adoration of fans across the country who cheered for the little club that could. That may also explain why it was so heartbreaking to watch the boys in black and gold fall to the BC Lions in the Eastern Division Semi-Final on Sunday afternoon.
Nothing should be taken anything away from Casey Printers and the Lions who earned their way to the Eastern Final and may be peaking at the right time.
But what a game it was. If there was ever a right way to go out, this may have been it.
The Ticats refused to quit and pushed the Lions to the brink with a fierce charge in the latter half of the fourth quarter. Kevin Glenn was masterful, engineering a 91-yard drive to tie the game in the final minute.
And how about Dave Stala?
The Saint Mary’s product was on the receiving end of Glenn’s game-tying touchdown toss, but it was his touchdown in the third quarter that stole the show.
Stala seemed to hang in mid-air as he laid out for a diving, jaw-dropping reception.
Comeback player of the year? No doubt in my mind.
Of course, big catches in big games are nothing new for Stala. He made what is referred to as “The Catch” in the 2001 Vanier Cup when he stretched out for a leaping one-handed snag on a momentum changing play to propel the Huskies to a 42-16 win over the Manitoba Bisons.
And then there was 2005 Grey Cup, arguably one of the greatest championship games of all-time. Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo hit Stala in the corner of the endzone on a 30-yard bomb to ignite a seesaw overtime battle that left everyone in BC Place Stadium shaking their head in astonishment.
There is more to Stala than his big play capabilities. On Thursday, I was in Hamilton taking in the Ticats’ practice. Often players relax on the sideline when they are not required on the field for a drill; however Stala was engaged in conversation with DeAndra’ Cobb. They were discussing various protection schemes for the Eastern Semi-Final and developing signals to indicate each others’ specific responsibilities. In a game of inches it is often the little things that matter and this was a great example of Stala’s level of preparation.
But let’s get back to the Ticats’ 2009 season.
General Manager Bob O’Billovich assembled a cast of castoffs, creating a team that has the potential to compete for a Grey Cup in the near future. Otis Floyd, Kevin Glenn and Arland Bruce III were all unwanted commodities at some point this year, but in Hamilton they have become an important part of the team’s leadership.
Speaking of leadership, several members of this year’s team spent endless hours in the community supporting the people of Hamilton and the surrounding area through local charities. This is another reason why there was so much love directed towards the Cats on Sunday afternoon. Ivor Wynne was rocking.
Guys like Marwan Hage, Floyd, Glenn, Nick Setta, Alex Gauthier, Dan Goodspeed and countless others have immersed themselves in the community and built a bond that is unique to the CFL.
There are many positives from which to draw upon with the Hamilton club between the lines, as well.
The strength of a team rests with its linemen. Hamilton shored up its offensive line with the additions of Goodspeed (via trade) and Gauthier (through free agency). They built depth by drafting rookies Simeon Rottier and Zac Carlson. Peter Dyakowski, a second round draft pick in 2006, is developing into one of the better guards in the CFL.
On the defensive line, newcomers Justin Hickman and Khari Long have emerged into legit starters at the defensive end spots while freshman Garrett McIntyre has proved to be a tireless worker at defensive tackle. Former BC Lion Matt Kirk was a free agent steal this past offseason, providing the Ticats with Canadian talent up the middle. Kirk had been a special teams star for three seasons in BC before O’Billovich brought him to Hamilton and provided him with the chance to rotate into regular action along the defensive line.
A second area of importance in the CFL game is the strength of a team’s Canadian talent and this is another area that O’Billovich addressed. Former first overall draft pick Dylan Barker had an outstanding rookie campaign in 2009. Ray Mariuz (acquired before O’Billovich’s time) and Yannick Carter provide solid depth at linebacker, behind arguably the best line backing corps in the CFL.
On the offensive line, the Cats were able to start four non-imports this season including Hage, Gauthier, Dyakowski and George Hudson. And O’Billovich bolstered the receiving corps with guys like Stala and 2009 draft pick Matt Carter. Add in the potential of the first pick in the 2007 draft, Chris Bauman, and there is reason to see why the future will burn bright in Steeltown.
The seeds of greatness are sewn in the fields of failure. Often, you have to knock something down before you build it back up. The loss to the BC Lions on Sunday is just another brick in the foundation of a Ticats franchise heading in the right direction.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Comments have been enabled for this article. Please click here for the CFL’s commenting policy guidelines.
