STAMPEDERS WIN GREY CUP
VANCOUVER – A split-second decision. A fluttering penalty flag. Lives changed.
The Ticats had plenty of chances to win the 102nd Grey Cup on Sunday. But people will point to the illegal block by Hamilton linebacker Taylor Reed that negated a 90-yard Brandon Banks punt return with just 35 seconds remaining as the turning point.
The electric return would have put the Ticats ahead. Instead they lost 20-16 to the Calgary Stampeders, feeling the pain of a Grey Cup defeat for a second year in a row.
Asked about the key play, Hamilton coach Kent Austin stopped just short of pointing the finger at the officials.
Instead he managed to talk in pointed generalities, saying he was on record on what needs to be done “to improve a lot of areas in this league. And I will take it up behind the scenes.”
“`But it can get a lot better in a lot of different areas,” he added. “We can get better as a league. We can. And we should, we need to.
“It changes lives. It’s important”
Banks wasn’t talking. Wearing gold headphones around is neck, he stormed out of the Hamilton locker-room as the media waited to get in. Several reporters tried to get a comment, but he kept moving. He just looked back and said: “I ain’t talking to nobody.”
A free agent, the five-foot-seven 149-pounder’s future is up in the air.
It marked the second week in a row Banks had had a punt return for touchdown called back. The difference was that last week he ran two more in during a 40-24 win over the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern final.
Reed, to his credit, faced the music.
“I didn’t make my block,” he said. “I made it close enough that they called a penalty on it. That’s 100 per cent my fault.”
“I’ve got to be better than that,” he added.
The block came just feet from Banks at the Hamilton 20-yard line, although it seems unlikely Calgary linebacker Karl McCarthey would have laid a hand on the speedy kick returner. Reed appears to get one hand on the shoulder and the other on the back, sending the Stampeder flying.
McCarthey got up, his hands raised in the air looking for the flag.
There was sympathy from Stamps star running back Jon Cornish.
“Brandon Banks, an amazing returner, but you’re depending on your blockers, and when your blocker doesn’t block correctly it sucks,” he said. “It’s one of the worst feelings, because I know it firsthand.”
“It would have changed the game – won the game for them … but it didn’t,” he added.
Asked again about the play, Austin said he couldn’t comment.
“You know I can’t answer that. And quite frankly I’m not in a position right now to answer that. That’s the honest truth. I have to look at the play. I haven’t reviewed it. I haven’t looked at it on film.
“But I know a lot of things happen on special teams in this league. A lot of things. Some get called, some don’t get called. Almost every single play on special teams, a lot of stuff happen. I will say that.”
Austin also gave credit to Calgary and said his team didn’t make enough plays. It needed to get better. But he said the loss will haunt him.
“It will stay with me the rest of my life. For the rest of my life. Just like last year,” he said. “I hate losing. Just like everybody in that locker-room.”
The Hamilton dressing-room was like a funeral home. A feisty one. One player, his language blue, yelled at a cameraman to get his lens away, cursing. A teammate quickly told him to dial it down.
There was shock and pain. For a time, the Ticats had seemed like the team of destiny after rebounding from a 1-6 start to finish first in the East with a 9-9 record.
They outscored Calgary 9-3 in a second half that saw the Stamps defence bend but did not break.
“To lose like that after thinking we won was very tough. Shattering,” said Hamilton offensive lineman Peter Dyakowski.
“Knowing that all we needed was one play. And then not getting that one play was really tough,” he added.
Quarterback Zach Collaros got stronger as the game wore on, using his mobility to keep plays alive as Stampeders swarmed him.
“I don’t think we played a bad game,” he said. “We just didn’t score the touchdowns.”
Austin shared his players’ hurt. But he saw the bigger picture.
“Sometimes things don’t work out. Welcome to the game of life,” said Austin. “It’s not always going to go our way.”
(The Canadian Press)
Love it, nothing better than watching flaky Fantuz, bitchin’ Butler and ambiguous Austin choke in the Grey Cup.
The ti-cat nut ball that frequents this blog can go back to playing with his okie wee-wee, dreaming of his faux football god, Kent Austin, winning the Grey Cup in next year dreamland.
West is Best!
Well I guess Hamilton had to find out the hard way with that Banks touchdown called back. Sort of reminds me how we lost to Montreal with the 13th man on the field. But, that's football and it shows you anything can happen to any team. Great, Grey Cup game to watch .
So the year of the mulligan is finally over.
Oskee wee wee fella…
Now you know our pain.
Hurts don't it.
Wish you GUYS would have won.
No, it doesn't hurt, it's just a game, yesterday loss accepted as the Ti Cats just a penalty away from title. Calgary Stampeders organization far and above the class of the CFL 2014 and deserved of their Grey Cup Championship title. Just knowing the Tiger Cats are in great hands, the future looks good on a young team who carried 39 first/second year players. 2015 season will ring in the first full year in the new Tim Hortons Stadium with strong management/ownership going in the right direction, we're happy ecstatic, nothing you can do about yesterday, the end result speaks… Read more »
Well deserved.congrats to the stampeders organization.
Good thing the ref threw the flag at the end eh. ….otherwise it would have been another Calgary choke in the playoffs
Shades of 2009, congratulations 2014 CFL Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders.
Oskee Wee Wee.
Out !
PS,
Oskee Wee Wee,
Oskee Waa Waa,
Holy MAKINAW !
Hamilton Tiger Cats 2015 !
EAT'em RAW !
Go Cats Go ! Go Cats Go ! Go Cats Go !
I was hoping Calgary would have a 13th man moment and almost did but it ended up being Hamilton instead. Not the same if it had been Calgary.
Ti-cats got jobbed. There was probably 10 other infractions that were worse during the game and they go uncalled. The ref that threw the flag should be ashamed.
Good game at the end. Exactly how a championship should be.
It wasn't a very interesting or exciting game. Neither team was all that good. The Stamps once again nearly choked. It's doubtful the TCats should have even been there.
The more I see of this goofy CFL the more I'm convinced that this league has to go to a results based model. Perhaps have an eastern and western pennant winner. After that seed the teams according to their record. This system where 9-9 or 8-10 teams are in the Grey Cup is embarrassing at every level. It makes a total sham out of the League.
You should stop watching the CFL, now….please.
I wonder where mr oskee wee wee is? Awfully quiet I see. Hopefully he will shut up at least till next yr.
Oskee Wee Wee ?
Oskee Wee Wee ?
What kind of barbiturates did one have to be on to find that half-time show exciting?
Had calgary played the other two top teams in the league their choke would have cost them the grey cup. Since they were only playing a mediocre team their choke only made the game close.
Last Anon:: Don't like it don't watch it , it's that easy.
Whats with all the Rider coaches leaving – are the hens fighting in the hen house
Really disappointed in the Stamps fan base. Once the cup was handed out, there were only maybe 400 Stamps fans that hung out in the stands to celebrate with their team, in an enclosed, climate controlled stadium, no less! The last time the Riders won the grey Cup, there were 40,000 fans in the stands, celebrating with their team until the players hit the showers, all in the frigid conditions of an outdoor prairie stadium.
Come on Calgary, you have a pretty good team, support it! You guys don't hold a candle to Rider Nation.
Oskie Pee Pee to the fan(s) that polluted this blog all summer long. Ti-cats, the Buffalo Bills of the CFL.
I'll have you know that's "Oskee Wee Wee". Tiger Cats in good hands, nothing to worry about. Roughriders, now that's another story.
It's funny because the Oskee Wee Wee said last year that the cup will be theirs in 2014…how did that turn out for you Mr. Oskee??
For a brief moment that cup was Tiger Cats property, but penalty negated the celebration. Oh well, on to 2015.
Oskee Wee Wee,
Oskee Waa Waa,
Holy MAKINAW !
Saskatchewan Roughriders Eat'en RAW 2015, again !
What type of barbiturates are you on if you didn't like the halftime show?
Congrats to the stamps on winning the grey cup….as for the ticats…reminds me of the 13th man in 09 …..cant see the ticats returning to winnipeg next nov…..but an awesome game that i enjoyed…..Go Riders !!!!