Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
The Shaw road to the Grey Cup is down to four teams, all taking distinct and compelling paths to this point.
Four teams. Four legacies. Four storylines to follow in the final four of the CFL Playoffs.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
There is no doubt the Calgary Stampeders have the biggest cloud over their playoff run, which begins in the Western Final on Sunday. After back to back years of leading the CFL after the regular season and losing Grey Cup in heartbreaking fashion, they’re trying to avoid a third straight season of disappointment.
The Stampeders are the team Saskatchewan, Montreal and Toronto have all cited for what they are trying to build. There is a lot of respect in the CFL about the Stamps’ ability to be at the top of the league year in and year out. But it would be empty with no titles to show for three straight years being the best team after the regular season.
RELATED:
» X-Factors: Who will change Sunday’s division finals?
» Prediction Time: CFL.ca writers make their picks
» The Waggle, Ep. 133: And then there were four
The last time a team had the CFL’s best record three straight seasons and didn’t win a championship was the Wally Buono-led Stamps in the mid-90s, and before that the ’68, ’69, ’70 Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The two men that are front and centre in the Stampeders’ inability to win the last two years have been Head Coach Dave Dickenson and quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. It’s how the reputation of ‘can’t win the big one’ becomes a label on your career.
Also consider the noise building of NFL interest in Mitchell and you have to start to consider how many opportunities are left for Calgary to take advantage of the stretch of strong seasons they’ve had. Because as much as they are the template to sustained success, no professional team has been able to dominate forever and at some point Calgary is going to fall back to the pack.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
1990.
Being from Saskatchewan, I know it’s the first thing Rider fans throw at Bomber fans in the back and forth rivalry. The longest active Grey Cup drought in the CFL is getting closer and closer to 30 years and it’s been a long frustrating 28 years for Bomber fans.
They’ve seen greats like Milt Stegall, Doug Brown, Khari Jones, Charles Roberts and more come through the team to never get sized for a Grey Cup ring.
It would be a party like no other in Winnipeg if they were to end this drought this season and with the way the team played down the stretch there is no doubt that there are some excited, though likely cautiously optimistic, football fans who would like to storm Portage and Main in celebration on Nov. 25.
But for the Bombers, they have one of the strongest playmaking defences they’ve had in recent years and with Andrew Harris running the ball and the development of receivers Drew Wolitarsky, Darvin Adams with the veteran savvy of Weston Dressler, they have what it takes to beat anybody.
The most pressure lands on Matt Nichols, who is also trying to shed the ‘can’t get it done’ label as he edges into his 30s. This is either the time a quarterback wins a title or teams start to think about finding the next guy.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
The REDBLACKS can’t relate to Winnipeg or Calgary. They’ve won in 2016 and are looking to make it to their third Grey Cup in their first five seasons of existence.
But the story I’m following for the REDBLACKS is Trevor Harris. Like Matt Nichols, the ‘can’t get it done’ label could be attached to Harris if Ottawa is a one and done like they were last year in the playoffs.
For Harris, though, it’s about winning his own title. In 2016, he celebrated with teammates and wears his ring with pride, but talk to any quarterback who was a backup on a championship that got to win their own as a starter and they’ll tell you which is more special without hesitation.
This is Harris’ chance to stake claim to his own legacy in Ottawa. I don’t think Harris necessarily has the shadow of Burris over him, but winning a title would go a long way into establishing his career as one of the elite quarterbacks in the CFL.
Also, Rick Campbell could join a group of five CFL coaches to win multiple CFL titles in the last 30 years; Wally Buono, Marc Trestman, John Hufnagel, Ron Lancaster, and Don Matthews. That is some elite company.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
The Tiger-Cats’ story is similar to that of the Blue Bombers, less nine seasons. Hamilton and Winnipeg are the only teams to have no Grey Cup Championships in the 2000s.
The Tiger-Cats ended the 90s with a win but nothing since then. They’ve had back to back Grey Cup disappointments in 2013 and 2014. They also felt heartbreak in 2015 when Ottawa shocked them with a late touchdown in the Eastern Final.
But nothing like the 2014 Grey Cup when fans were jumping and celebrating when Brandon Banks took a punt return all the way to the end zone to take a late lead over Calgary only to see a flag and have their hearts ripped out by an illegal block penalty.
Within the team this year, Jeremiah Masoli can put an amazing exclamation point on a less than likely road to a Grey Cup Championship. Masoli has been in this league for a long time but only last season was given the reigns and the confidence to lead by Head Coach June Jones when he replaced Kent Austin.
Masoli didn’t let the Johnny Manziel saga rattle him and responded in the Eastern Semi-Final after the team’s season ended with losses in five of their last seven games.
A Grey Cup win would also mark the remarkable turnaround from an 0-8 start in 2017 and what seemed to be an organization in serious trouble to lifting a trophy above their heads 15 months later.
The calm, cool demeanour of June Jones doesn’t get enough credit for the team’s turnaround and return to a Grey Cup contender.
