Bert Faibish
CFL.ca
Most teams with nothing to gain in the standings treat the last game of the regular season much like a preseason tilt — give the vets the day off and just relax, as the real games are yet to come.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the Ticats have found themselves in slightly different circumstances.
As the frost that heralds the arrival of the CFL’s postseason begins making its first appearance on windshields and football fields alike, the Ticats have some unfinished business to attend to.
“We obviously aren’t happy with the way we played last week and need to get back into a rhythm against B.C. on Saturday to get some of our momentum back,” said Ticats offensive lineman Peter Dyakowski.
After winning in impressive fashion three weeks in a row, the Cats suffered a lopsided defeat last weekend in Calgary, leaving the Ticats with more questions than answers.
If they want to regain that dominant swagger, then handling their business against the Lions is going to be the key.
Luckily for Hamilton, some extra motivation hangs in the balance when the two clubs meet this weekend.
Hamilton not only can take this game as an opportunity to work the kinks out that popped up in Calgary, they can play spoiler to a team that walked into their house last November for the East Semi-Final and left with a heart-breaking overtime victory.
“We’ve got to get back on a winning track and as a plus it would feel good to send these guys home,” said Hamilton’s always frank middle linebacker, Otis Floyd.
Floyd makes no exceptions for friends or ex-teammates when he straps his helmet on and hits the field, in fact he prefers to play against his pals.
“The better friends we are, the harder I want to hit you so that I can talk smack all during the off-season,” he said.
It’s obvious that everyone who was present for that heart-breaking loss will have a little extra incentive when game time rolls around, they may just not be as vocal about it.
“No this is really just like any other game to us,” said a furiously winking Pete Dyakowski.
“We’re going through our usual week of preparation, but we know that they’ll be coming in here jacked up because it’s a must-win game for them,” he added.
A win would not only help the team regain the confidence that had practically oozed from it during the previous three wins, it would give the team ten wins, the first time the Ticats have hit double-digit wins since 2001 when team went 11-7 and lost to Winnipeg in the East Final.
