October 20, 2017

Cauz: Plenty to watch for from these 11 players on Sunday

The Canadian Press

Let’s all be honest for a moment and admit that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Montreal Alouettes game is not going to change any playoff scenarios in the East Division. Unless you are a diehard fan (good on ya), a family member or you have serious fantasy implications, this will not be the CFL’s marquee matchup in Week 18.

Well, don’t worry Commissioner Ambrosie, I’ve got this, because you can always sell the players. So for anyone on the fence about how to spend their Sunday afternoon, here are 11 players that everyone should be rooting for:

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

RB Alex Green

This is his full-time audition for a meaningful role in 2018, especially with the trade of C.J. Gable. This is a guy who was preparing for life after football with his family in Portland, Oregon when he got the call from the Tiger-Cats. After being cut multiple times in the NFL and CFL this could be Green’s last shot.

QB Jeremiah Masoli

The man works with CASEProject, which is a charity program set up to help improve the lives of American Samoan youth through greater exposure to literacy and mentoring. How can you not cheer for Masoli, who is looking to prove that he belongs as a starter? Oh, fun fact that I found out, did you know that Samoan men are 40 times more likely to be employed in the NFL than all other Americans?

Jeremiah Masoli has guided the Ticats to a 4-3 record since taking over at QB (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

WR Andy Fantuz

Can we get this man a touchdown? Come on Masoli, Fantuz worked his ass off to get back on the field after last season’s devastating knee injury. After not recording a catch last week, I’m hoping for a big finish to 2017 for Fantuz.

DE Adrian Tracy

How can you not support a player whose college bio reads: “Enjoys church, family time, golf and tennis.” So root for Tracy to lay havoc in Montreal’s backfield while remembering just how much this man enjoys being with his family.

LB Simoni Lawrence

From his trash talking (According to Don Landry he once spent 25 minutes trash talking the team’s automated tackling dummy), to his hilarious personality, to this old CFL video where he’s playing Battleship with Chad Owens and debating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lawrence is the sort of player we can all get behind.

Finally, for fans who love loyalty from their players, just read this January 2017 quote from a Drew Edwards article: “I want to build a legacy. I see how fans treat Angelo Mosca, like he’s some kind of living superhero, which he is. Football comes to an end for all of us, eventually, and at a certain point you start to realize that what you leave behind matters.”

WR Luke Tasker

You have to appreciate any player who will try anything to get back on the football field. For Tasker it was an off-season that included Pilates to get back in shape. Pilates is confusing and sneaky hard, so good on Tasker. Also, at Cornell, the man majored at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, again something a wee bit different from the typical collegiate football player.

Luke Tasker has enjoyed a healthy season for the Ticats after months of overcoming injury (The Canadian Press)

Montreal Alouettes

RB Tyrell Sutton

All right, the background music is horrible, but if you want to have some fun, watch Sutton just dominate at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron.

WR Ernest Jackson

Did you know that before joining the CFL, Jackson, as a member of the Erie Explosion, scored a not-so-critical touchdown in a 138-0 win over the Fayetteville Force while playing in the Ultimate Indoor Football League? I have so many questions! How late in the game was this touchdown? Who scored the final touchdown and did they celebrate those final points?

DE John Bowman

John has spent so many years in Montreal after the holidays mentoring grade school children. I’m always going to cheer for anyone who came from such a difficult childhood. Bowman’s house burned down when he was around six and spent many of his early years having to eat at shelters while dealing with the realities of poverty.

Also, you don’t mess with the Bowman! In 2015, Coach Tom Higgins made him a healthy scratch for two games in August. Higgins was dismissed after that second game.

Alouettes defensive end John Bowman is the CFL’s active sack leader (CFL.ca)

RB Stefan Logan

Logan is the definition of toughness. In his debut season with the Alouettes, Logan suffered cracked ribs on the opening kickoff in the opening week against Ottawa. He would not miss a game as he amassed over 2,500 total yards.

Whomever starts at QB

Just try and send whoever it is some love… it’s been a tough year for everyone involved at that position.