Past and Present: Heroes and villains of Mark’s LD Weekend

TORONTO — From Henry Burris and Joe Montford to Dave Ridgway and Angelo Mosca, Mark’s Labour Day Weekend has never lacked personality.

The first weekend in September is when the stars come out to shine, and this year will be no different as the CFL’s three most storied rivalries take centre stage.

With another chapter about to be added to the Labour Day lore, we asked a few of CFL.ca’s columnists to write about their top villains and heroes, past or present.

BOMBERS VS. RIDERS

Heroes

Cody Fajardo, QB, SSK

“He was there — in the league, at least — all along, a backup/third-stringer that bounced between Toronto and BC before landing in Saskatchewan to presumably play backup to Zach Collaros. One play on the first offensive drive of the season changed everything for Cody Fajardo. Suddenly, the Riders have the QB that they’d yearned for since Darian Durant’s departure. The fans at Mosaic can rally behind their on-field leader for the first time in five years. It’ll be fun.”  – Chris O’Leary

Willie Jefferson, DL, WPG

“I know it may be lazy to steal something from my own column but I’m going with Willie Jefferson because of this remarkable statistic: Coming into this past week the Edmonton Eskimos had only surrendered three sacks. Willie Jefferson matched that total on Friday night!” – Matthew Cauz

The Waggle, Ep. 173: The countdown to Mark’s LD Weekend is on!

EPISODE OVERVIEW: Davis is joined by Milt Stegall for a special Mark’s Labour Day Weekend edition of the Waggle, plus an interview with Eskimos receiver DaVaris Daniels.

Dave Ridgway, K, SSK

“The clutchiest of all the clutch place kickers who ever did make a clutch kick, Dave Ridgway was money in rain, in snow or in howling gale. Late in the game, the matter on the line? Here comes Robokicker to make green the happiest colour of them all, once again.” – Don Landry

Nic Demski, REC, WPG

“The smile, the speed, the touchdown celebrations where he played in university. Demski is the easiest of heroes to like.” – Marshall Ferguson

Joe Paopao, QB, SSK

“One Rider hero still talked about is quarterback Joe Paopao, who on Aug. 31, 1986, threw a 56-yard touchdown to Ray Elgaard with just 22 seconds left in the game to give Saskatchewan a 34-30 victory.” – Jim Morris

Tom Clements, QB, WPG

“Tom Clements. As smart a quarterback as there ever was in the CFL. To this day, I wonder if he might not be the guy I’d pick – over everyone else –  to lead a do-or-die drive for my team.” – Landry

Manny Arceneaux’s Big Play Chain

“I was going to go with Solomon Elimimian but instead I’m going with the veteran wide receiver’s unusual contribution to team bonding. Oh sure it is an absolute rip off of the Miami Hurricanes Turnover Chain but the team loved it, coach Craig Dickenson embraced it and the Roughriders did score 24 points off of five Ottawa REDBLACKS turnovers last week. Coincidence???” – Cauz

Marcus Thigpen, RB, SSK

Rarely called upon, criminally under appreciated but always there to swoop in and save the day in the biggest of moments.

Villains

Troy Westwood, K, WPG

“It’s true his “banjo-pickin inbreds” comment was made before a 2003 West Division playoff game with the Riders. And it’s also true what has become known as the Banjo Bowl is played the week after the Labour Day game. Still, Westwood’s words added extra fire to an already heated rivalry.” – Morris

Chris Jones, HC, SSK

“He liked to get under the opposition’s skin. Respected by his peers but not necessarily liked by them due to what appeared to be a prickly, smirking conceit, backed by a “giving zero you-know-whats” attitude. Heck, the guy even wore black all the time.” – Landry

Micah Johnson, DL, SSK

“That’s a baaaaaaad man. Leave him alone in a 1-on-1 and he’ll make you pay every time.” – Ferguson

Willie Jefferson, DL, WPG

“In just 2.5 seasons with the Riders, Willie Jefferson established himself as one of the league’s top defensive players, capable of swinging a game for his offensively-anemic team with a sack, a forced fumble, a pick-six. Whatever was needed. After signing with arch-rival Winnipeg, Jefferson will make his return to Mosaic, somehow even better and more dangerous than he was last year. The booing will only represent the loss that Riders fans feel.” – O’Leary

“He’s a Monstar worthy of Space Jam 2.. Villain.” – Ferguson

Tyrone Jones, LB, WPG

“Tyrone Jones. Chris Schultz once told me he was one of the meanest hombres he’d ever faced. And Schultzie also lined up against Lawrence Taylor and Howie Long.” – Landry

ARGOS VS. TICATS

Heroes

Rocky DiPietro, WR, HAM

“He was one of the first to really perfect the slotback position, mixing sure hands and downfield blocking ability perfectly in a time when teams began to really transition away from the tight end formation. A gifted receiver with a lunchbox mentality, he just did the job. And he was always open.” – Landry

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, QB, TOR

“If he can manage the upset, Toronto quarterback Mcleod Bethel-Thompson has the potential to be a hero.” – Morris

“One look at McLeod soaring through the air in a heroic win over Winnipeg should suffice reasoning. If the Argos are going to pull off the upset he’ll have to be the ultimate hero.” – Ferguson

Brandon Banks, WR, HAM

“Nothing gets Tim Hortons Field going like a Brandon Banks touchdown. He’s relatable to the kids thanks to his size but plays with a grown man mentality that makes everyone in Hamilton get fired up in the biggest moments. Oh and those heroic returns don’t hurt.” – Ferguson

Condredge Holloway, QB, TOR

“Athletically gifted, but tough as nails, too. For those who never saw him play, let’s just say he was the era’s Mike Reilly. And always, always, always blaming no one else but himself for losses.” – Landry

Simoni Lawrence, LB, HAM

“No one in the CFL understands the hero-villain dynamic more than Simoni Lawrence. He thrived in the negativity that swirled around him early in the season and at 30 is on track for a career year. If there’s a way for him to impact a game, especially at home in Hamilton, Lawrence will find it.”

Villains

Micah Awe, LB, TOR

“Hard-hitting Argo linebacker Micah Awe could emerge the villain if he takes a Tiger-Cat out of the game with one of his bone-jarring tackles.” – Morris

“I mean.. C’mon. He hits harder than anyone in the league and doesn’t apologize for it, ever.” – Ferguson

Simoni Lawrence, LB, HAM

“Well, Angelo Mosca gets this by acclamation most of the time, but he was a little before my day. In my time, I can’t think of a Hamilton player who’s fit those villain’s shoes more completely than Simoni Lawrence. Ticat fan? You probably love him. Not a Ticat fan? You probably loathe him.” – Landry

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, QB, TOR

“If we’re going to call someone MacBeth, they should be a natural villain on a big stage, right? He had a rough go of it out of the gate, but MBT has gone three games now without throwing an interception while throwing for 1,047 yards and seven touchdowns. There likely won’t be a bigger stage for the Argos this season than Labour Day in Hamilton. MacBeth would love nothing more than to make 25,000 people hate him.” – O’Leary

Dylan Wynn, DL, HAM

“A near unstoppable force in the middle who was named amongst the players of the week leading into Labour Day. Wynn is always ready to go but against his old team he’ll be flying off the ball and making a mess.” – Ferguson

Mike O’Shea, LB, TOR

“For Toronto fans, he gets a halo for his dominating career as a smart and dominant middle linebacker. For all else, he gets horns because he was a you-know-what to the opposition, happy to mix it up. And most often, he was the instigator.” – Landry

Non-contact injuries

“It’s bad enough to lose one of the most exciting football players for the season with a torn ACL, but for some odd reason it hurts just that much more when it was the result of Jeremiah Masoli innocently dropping back to avoid the Blue Bombers’ pass rush in a 23-15 late July Tiger-Cats win. That injury has hobbled the ceiling for Hamilton and is just a general bummer for most CFL fans.” – Cauz

Joe Montford, LB, HAM

“Joe Montford will always be remembered as a Hamilton Tiger-Cat. Nothing short of a menacing rush end, Montford terrorized quarterbacks throughout, specifically ones in Double Blue. No player exemplified how one should play in the annual Labour Day Classic more than Montford.” – CFL.ca

ESKS VS. STAMPS

Heroes

Jeff Garcia, QB, CGY

“Quarterback Jeff Garcia earned himself a place in Stampeder history in 1995. In just his second start after Doug Flutie was sidelined with an elbow injury, Garcia threw for 546 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Stampeders to a 51-26 win over the Eskimos.” – Morris

Willie Pless, LB, EDM

“It feels odd to not make a linebacker a villain, as they’re all supposed to be nasty individuals. And many are. But Pless, as dominating as he was, just exuded a calm, cool classiness. And if there was a big play? Willie Pless was on the scene, you just knew it.” – Landry

Bo Levi Mitchell, QB, CGY

“If you’re a fan of drama, the Stamps getting their star QB back in the lineup for the biggest regular season game of the year is the surefire way to go. Save for the 2015 season, Bo Levi Mitchell hasn’t had much trouble with the Esks. As well as Nick Arbuckle has played in his absence, Mitchell’s return would take the intensity of Monday’s game up a few notches.” – O’Leary

Greg Ellingson, WR, EDM

“Diving catches, breakaway speed and a playground mentality that makes you want to go throw the ball around with your best friend because he makes it look so fun.” – Ferguson

Willie Burden, RB, CGY

“An unstoppable force out of the backfield. One of the greatest running backs, not just in Stampeders’ history, but in CFL history. Smooth and powerful and oh so hard to stop. There was a sense of inevitability when he got the ball.” – Landry

Nick Arbuckle, QB, CGY

“Bo Levi Mitchell’s understudy came into 2019 with just 25 career pass attempts. He’s currently second in quarterback efficiency. Overshadowed by Montreal’s crazy last second comeback is Arbuckle, who threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions in the team’s loss.” – Cauz

“He’s been the saviour I’m not sure Dave Dickenson ever knew he had in house and answered the call the first time these two teams played.”

Villains

Alex Singleton, LB, CGY

“In recent years Calgary middle linebacker Alex Singleton was the villain in the eyes of Eskimo fans. In 2018 Singleton had 11 tackles against the Eskimos. In 2017 he had 13.” – Morris

Dave Fennell, DL, EDM

“They called him Dr. Death. I probably don’t need to tell you more than that. But if I did, I’d say relentless, hard-hitting, and not at all sympathetic to your weaknesses.” – Landry

Rene Paredes, K, CGY

“Kicker a villain? How many times has Rene broken opposing fan bases hearts as time expired in the cruelest of ways..” – Ferguson

DaVaris Daniels, WR, EDM

“A young, rising star in Calgary’s receiving corps for the last three seasons, Daniels was part of a Grey Cup-winning team in 2018 and then did the unthinkable in the mind of Stamps’ fans, signing with Edmonton as a free agent this winter. He’s coming off a career-best 207-yard game and will go back into McMahon Stadium, determined to help his new team find a win in a building that hasn’t been kind to them.” – O’Leary

“Time for Daniels to put the batman mask on one more time and be the dark knight against his old team.” – Ferguson

Derek Dennis, OL, CGY

“Offensive lineman Derek Dennis fits the bill and would probably insist on the title anyway. Likes to chirp, likes to get under his opponent’s skin. Likes to be called ‘Bone Crusher’. That’s pretty villainly, right?”

Eskimos’ red zone offence

“The Eskimos’ red zone offence. For the second time against Winnipeg, Trevor Harris and company were unable to generate any touchdowns once getting within 20 yards of the goal line. Between the 20s the Eskimos are dominating, generating 70 more offensive yards than their closest competitor, yet they’re fifth in touchdowns scored.” – Cauz