THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE
1. BLUE BOMBERS HAVE TO BE FAVOURED: The great Wally Buono once said something to the effect of “If you finish first, you’re favored in the west final until the day after the west semi-final.” He was right then and would be today. The home team record of 15-17 in all western finals since 1987 would back that theory up, too. One week off is nice but two are too may. Cody Fajardo couldn’t play the regular season finale and you can’t turn it on and off like a faucet. The Blue Bombers have the momentum and the Roughriders are trying to re-establish their momentum.
2. COLLAROS-BURGESS COMPARISON IS VALID: Both left the Riders after being unseated by another quarterback and both had a chip on their shoulder, playing for Winnipeg with something to prove. Burgess immediately led the Blue Bombers to their last Grey Cup championship in 1990 and Zach has looked more confident in his 2 starts for the Blue Bombers than he ever did in his season-and-change with Saskatchewan. Some people just fit better in different situations. For whatever reason Zach didn’t fit in here, but somehow fits Winnipeg and their playoff run like a glove. Don’t ask me why, it just happens.
3. RIDERS CANNOT WIN WITHOUT FAJARDO: We’re getting every indication he will play and thank goodness for that. But don’t blame Rider fans for being skeptical after losing last year’s home playoff game to Winnipeg with a backup (Brandon Bridge) at quarterback. It all feels a bit too much like déjà vu all over again. For the Roughriders to have any shot on Sunday, they will need Cody Fajardo to be their knight in shining armor, as he has been all season long.
4. EDMONTON’S PLAYOFF VICTORY: The Eskimos are the 10th western team to cross over to the east division playoffs since the crossover became a thing in 1996 and just the 4th to actually win the eastern semi-final. Next weekend, I fully expect the Evil Empire to become the first crossover to actually make it to the Grey Cup. The Hamilton Ticats are the worst 15-3 team in the history of the CFL and the latest example of eastern teams getting fat off of easy opponents. The Eskimos are war-tested from winning in Montreal over the weekend and I fully expect them to steal another on the road against a backup quarterback in Steeltown next weekend. If I was a gambling man, which I’m not, I’d bet on a Grey Cup rematch at McMahon Stadium from 1993 when Edmonton QB Damon Allen perfected his Sally Rand naked bootleg in feasting on a Matt Dunigan-less (tore his achilles tendon during that season) Winnipeg squad quarterbacked that day by Sammy Garza in the very same stadium this year’s game will be played in, too.
5. STAMPEDERS NEED TO REMAKE ROSTER: There’s a reason western powerhouses (usually Calgary) have had so much trouble in the playoffs at home over the past 30 years. The Stamps have played in 4 of the last 5 Grey Cups and collected hardware in 2 of them with largely the same core they have now. It’s pretty hard to stay hungry after that. Playoff wins are all about who’s hungriest. The Blue Bombers looked a lot hungrier in the western semi-final and it cost the Stamps. GM John Hufnagel faces his biggest test yet in turning over the roster just enough to re-energize his crew while not destroying the system which has brought so many wins to Cowtown over the past decade.
6. DON CHERRY: His comments about immigrants needing to buy more poppies were all about grandstanding for his own brand and had nothing to do with actually getting more people to buy poppies or promoting our veterans. Just think, how often do you respond to being embarrassed or called out by giving the bigmouth exactly what they want? The truth is, society is collectively guilty (me included) of not wearing the poppy or talking about the sacrifice of our veterans more often. We should not only remember World War Veterans on Remembrance Day but all war veterans from all countries who have protected our freedom through the years. Don Cherry lost me about 8 years ago when he called retired NHL fighters Stu Grimson, Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson “gutless” for suggesting it was time to ban fighting in the sport. Don Cherry is one who is gutless for running his mouth at people who’ve suffered the consequences of fighting in the sport he never did. Good riddance.
7. GREY CUP TICKETS: In watching the Stamps-Bombers playoff game Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice they’re doing the temporary Grey Cup stands a little differently in Calgary this year. They appear to be filling the endzone with enclosed booths that will likely be heated, much like I saw a bit of at Grey Cup 2017 in Ottawa. This is a great idea as it creates less tickets to sell but can charge a higher price and create a better fan experience. I hope it works out for the Grey Cup 2019 crew and suspect the Grey Cup 2020 crew in Regina will take notice as to how this goes over.
8. CHRIS JONES A FIT FOR BC LIONS: So, Head Coach DeVone Claybrooks flamed out badly in BC and they are stuck with GM Ed Hervey for at least 2 more years. But consider this: Chris Jones craves control and has very little of it with a 3-6 Cleveland Browns squad in the NFL. Talk about a frustrating situation. If Jones and/or the Browns decide to part ways at the end of the season, could you imagine a more perfect fit for the Lions then the guy who won a Grey Cup with Mike Reilly in 2015? The Leos should consider trying to pull that off, even if it means a demotion for Ed Hervey.
9. WAYNE MANTYKA: This guy has been doing the CTV Regina thing for more than 40 years and never tries to make the story about him. There’s no-one else on the newsbeat I trust more. He truly is a living legend.
10. NOVEMBER PLAYOFF WEATHER: Seeing a high of +4 in the forecast for west final Sunday. If these playoff games had all been moved to October, the high would have been +10 so it definitely would have been nicer. However, could you imagine November in this country without the playoffs and Grey Cup to look forward to? I’m still good with leaving it the way it is.
(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)
Agree fully with all the comments but don’t see the Esks beating Hamilton. Harris owned the Cats last year but the Eskimo DB’s are without Orange, Colquhoun, Hightower & Hunter. Missed the 1st 2 all season. Very vulnerable there vs good Cat receivers. Jones might be good fit but he & Hervey were barely on speaking terms in 2015. My guess is Maas goes to BC after loss to Cats.
Re: point #4. I agree the Eskimos are playing well and have a great chance to win Sunday, I disagree that Hamilton got fat playing eastern teams. They play 16 games, perfectly balanced against the entire league, just like the west, with 2 extra games against the east. Max 2 extra wins, you could say they’d have been 13-5 if they had a western schedule. Still pretty good.
As an Eskimos fan I’m hoping you are right but I just think Hamilton is just to strong this year even with a back up QB,but going with your predictions your usually more wrong than right ,so with that being said your predictions will be worse .It will be a Riders-Hamilton Grey Cup
I have to disagree with you on Hamilton getting fat on a weak East division. They play 10 games vs the west and went 8 and 2 vs the west. that’s a pretty good record against a tough west division, I’m not saying Hamilton will win but just stating the fact that need to be mentioned.
The Hamilton Tiger Cats got fat off the the west division!
They were 8-2 in ten games against the west this year and perfect at home. Hamilton lost in Calgary and Sask and went into Winnipeg, Edmonton and BC for wins.
Kudos for your stand on Don Cherry! I’m with ya! The guy has been outa touch for years now.
2019 CFL West Division final game;
To make a long story short, here’s the scoop! Fajardo is hurt, he might attempt to play, but the Riders are done for the year.
Scoop Andrews
Don Cherry_ a “Elder Canadian Statesmen”. “A Canadian” television sports Icon with a vast audience. As a reminder to one and all who reside in this country “Canada” or abroad, he said what he said, It had to be said.
“Lest We Forget”
End of subject.
Its you people like this disrespectful clown Brendan McGuire who need be reminded of the sacrifices of our Canadian War Veterans past and present through the time honored patriotic poppy program. Don Cherry was not gutless in saying what he said, he just happened to be the person who said it. Nowhere in Mr. Cherry’s comment did he mention the word immigrants, get your facts straight McGuire before you spout off you hippocrate. Anyone with half a ounce of common sense who heard the broadcast on Saturday night Coaches Corner could read between the lines of what was said in… Read more »
Hippocrate?
“You people … that come here, whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey.”
Who are “you people that come here” and who does Cherry mean when he says “our” way of life? Who is “our?” Please clarify for the “hippocrates.”
The Wiz
You answered your own question within your first sentence.
The great American musician Frank Zappa had the definitive line on people like (and who like) Don Cherry: “Stupidity has a certain charm. Ignorance does not.”
Dan
Frank Zappa great American musician? Huh?
You drunk or high on something?
CORRECTION, should read hypocrite.
Brendan McGuire the hypocrite.