Players Awards

[KnowItAll]

what about Rainey for MOP?

[David]

Much has changed with the Lions' fortunes since the half-way point in the season but the leading contenders for the Lions' player awards have stayed pretty much the same. Ballots are out for the Lions' candidates in the 2018 CFL player awards, and Farhan Lalji weighs in with his thoughts:



The Most Outstanding Player category seems wide open. Jeremiah Johnson has fallen out of favour with the coaches and fallen off the game-day roster three times in recent weeks.

My leading contender for MOP is Bryan Burnham. In a generally slow year for the offence, Burnham has been their one consistent weapon and the key to many of their victories. He is the Lions' clutch receiver and is on pace for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. HIs performance in the overtime game against Hamilton was classic, with two fourth-quarter TDs and a game-tying two-point conversion on the last play of regulation. Through 16 games, here are his totals:

REC: 64
YDS: 934
TDS: 8
AVG: 15.3

He is in the top 10 in the league in all receiving categories, and ranks third in catches of more than 20 yards (14) and fourth in catches of more than 30 yards.

I agree with most of Farhan's other suggestions, which are largely the same as those made by David and others at midseason. I'm not sure about top rookie. This is a team made up largely of veterans, many of them recruited from other organizations. Claudell Lewis is probably as good a choice as any. He has 20 tackles in nine games and has really solidified the Lions' front four. I'd give honourable mention to Andrew Peirson. He's only played three games so far but he seamlessly stepped into one of the toughest positions on the O-line. The Lions won all three games he started at centre, and have rushed for 187, 123 and 136 yards in those three games.

I released a list to Twitter last Saturday. My selections align with Farhan's except he has TJ Lee III as Defensive Player (who, coincidentally, I had as my 9-game leader). But now it's Davon Coleman. The guy has really anchored the middle of our defence and allowed Lemon and Willis to do their thing. Plus 2 INTs in one half?!? He's been a beast.


MOP: Ty Long (runner-up: Bryan Burnham)
Defence: Davon Coleman (runner-up: Otha Foster III)
Lineman: Joel Figueroa (runner-up: Hunter Steward)
Rookie: Claudell Louis (runner-up: Andrew Peirson)
Canadian: Bo Lokombo (runner-up: Anthony Thompson)
Special Teams: Ty Long (runner-up: Chris Rainey)

Unsung Hero: Winston Rose (runner-up: Ivan McLennan)


DH

[Toppy Vann]

Good picks.

The oddity is how Jerimiah J went from the Messiah to the Pariah.

[David]

Good picks.

The oddity is how Jerimiah J went from the Messiah to the Pariah.

Not sure either Toppy. Jeremiah never saw the ball much at the best of times but when he turned an ankle part way through, seemed to fall out of favour a bit.

He's the consummate pro. Great leader, gets you close to five yards, can catch out of the backfield, and blocks. What's not to like? He's just not quite the smash-mouth, north-south runner that Ed and Wally seem to favour.

Don't get me wrong, I like what Sutton adds, but I feel badly for how JJ has been relegated, yet he hasn't complained.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

No surprises at the list of Lions' nominees, as selected locally by the Football Reporters of Canada:

Outstanding Player: Ty Long
Outstanding Defensive Player: Davon Coleman
Outstanding Lineman: Joel Figueroa
Outstanding Canadian: Bo Lokombo
Outstanding Special Teams Player: Ty Long
Outstanding Rookie: Claudell Louis

More on the selections from Matt Baker:
LIONS ANNOUNCE NOMINEES FOR CFL PLAYER AWARDS

No offence to Long, but it's an embarrassment to the Lions' offence when a kicker is selected most outstanding player. I still think Bryan Burnham would have been a better selection. He's been the Lions' only consistent offensive threat all year. They wouldn't be in the playoffs without him.

[DanoT]

I think it is a well deserved slap in the face to the OC that the O was unable to produce a MOP candidate. At the start of the year I was willing to give rookie OC Jarious Jackson a mulligan, but not in the second half of the season. His play calling is predictable, boring, and rarely creative or innovating (other than the moronic Super I which is a failed attempt at creativity). Can you tell that I hate RPO?

[B.C.FAN]

Team-by-team nominees

*Indicates a unanimous selection

WEST DIVISION

BC LIONS
Player: Ty Long
Defensive: Davon Coleman
Canadian: Bo Lokombo*
Offensive Lineman: Joel Figueroa*
Special Teams: Ty Long*
Rookie: Claudell Louis*

EDMONTON ESKIMOS
Player: Mike Reilly*
Defensive: J.C. Sherritt
Canadian: Kwaku Boateng
Offensive Lineman: Matt O’Donnell
Special Teams: Sean Whyte
Rookie: Monshadrik Hunter

CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Player: Bo Levi Mitchell*
Defensive: Micah Johnson*
Canadian: Alex Singleton*
Offensive Lineman: Derek Dennis*
Special Teams: Jameer Thurman
Rookie: Tre Roberson*

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Player: Willie Jefferson
Defensive: Willie Jefferson
Canadian: Brett Lauther
Offensive Lineman: Brendon LaBatte*
Special Teams: Brett Lauther*
Rookie: Jordan Williams-Lambert*

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Player: Adam Bighill
Defensive: Adam Bighill*
Canadian: Andrew Harris*
Offensive Lineman: Stanley Bryant
Special Teams: Justin Medlock
Rookie: Marcus Sayles

EAST DIVISION

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Player: Jeremiah Masoli
Defensive: Larry Dean*
Canadian: Ted Laurent
Offensive Lineman: Brandon Revenberg
Special Teams: Courtney Stephen*
Rookie: Darius Ciraco*

TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Player: S.J. Green
Defensive: Cleyon Laing
Canadian: Sean McEwen
Offensive Lineman: Sean McEwen
Special Teams: Justin Herdman
Rookie: Trumaine Washington*

OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Player: Trevor Harris
Defensive: Derico Murray
Canadian: Brad Sinopoli
Offensive Lineman: Alex Mateas
Special Teams: Lewis Ward*
Rookie: Lewis Ward*

MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Player: Henoc Muamba*
Defensive: Henoc Muamba*
Canadian: Henoc Muamba*
Offensive Lineman: Kristian Matte*
Special Teams: William Stanback
Rookie: William Stanback

----------------------------------------------------

The only Lion who has a realistic chance of being the West Division nominee is Ty Long as special teams player. Brett Lauther has better stats as a field goal kicker but he doesn't punt. Long's field goal success rate of 87.8% is right around the league average of 88% but he leads the league in punting average (48.7 yards) and net punting average (38.3 yards). Whoever comes out of the West as special teams nominee will lose to Ottawa's Lewis Ward in the final.

[Figaro]

I find the categories a bit strange. There is an "Outstanding Defensive Player" but no specific category for "Outstanding Offensive Player." Only one position gets an Outstanding Player designation - lineman. Why is that? Is it because they usually get ignored in favor of the so-called skill players such as QB, RB, and WR, and they should be recognized for their contributions. Personally, I think an offensive center is just as much a skill player as anyone else; it's just that we don't see them break through the line for an exciting scamper for first down or big run for a touchdown - usually because they are creating the conditions for such a play to happen.

I think we should err on having more rather than fewer categories. To that end:

Outstanding Player: Ty Long
Outstanding Offensive Player: Brian Burnham runner-up Travis Lulay
Outstanding Defensive Player: Davon Coleman runner-up: TJ Lee
Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Joel Figuroa runner-up
Outstanding Defensive Lineman: Davon Coleman - runner-up - Shawn Lemon
Outstanding Linebacker: Bo Lokombo - runner-up: Jordan Herdman
Outstanding Defensive Back: TJ Lee - runner-up: Winston Rose
Outstanding Canadian: Bo Lokombo - runner-up Jordan Herdman
Outstanding Special Teams: Ty Long runner-up Chris Rainey
Outstanding Rookie: Claudell Louis - runner-up Ivan McLennan

I couldn't agree with BC Fan and Dano T more about their comments re: most outstanding player being a kicker. What does that say about the OC's game plans when no one on the offensive side of the ball makes that cut. Perhaps it is someone else than Jarious because in 2017 our MOP was a defensive player -Solly.

All that aside - let's defeat Calgary next week and head into the playoffs on a winning note. Redemption awaits the team in Hamilton.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Some might not think this the right thread to include this following link (so editor feel free to relocate if you prefer), but I think it's a pretty fine "reward" for any CFL player who's named by their peers in the top three of each category of the Annual Players Poll regards who is the toughest, or fastest, or nastiest, etc.

Over 200 players were surveyed, and when the dust settled and numbers and names were tallied, it's a huge confirmation and credit to our BC Lions to see every category except "nastiest" and "biggest trash-talker" featuring a Leo! Thumbs up! And no surprise. We know we have top notch guys here -- both talented and tough.

Here's the poll results:
https://www.cfl.ca/2018/11/02/players-s ... -tsn-poll/

[B.C.FAN]

I was pleasantly surprised to see the respect for Tyrell Sutton. Montreal’s loss is our gain.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Citing yet another outlier on the topic/lists of player awards -- this time for CFL awards that "should be a thing" (in the words and opinion of Mr. Hodge).

For what it's worth, note our Leos get an "honourable mention" in almost every award category created here (4 of 6).

I rather like this whole notion, and can't really argue with the names put forward. Fully agreed that the likes of Lulay and Figueroa and co. are deserving of recognition.

So here you have 'em:

http://3downnation.com/2018/11/02/six-c ... -win-year/

[B.C.FAN]

Ty Long has been named West Division finalist for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. Ottawa rookie Lewis Ward is the East Division finalist, and will likely win the award.

BC’s punter-kicker Ty Long and Ottawa’s kicker Lewis Ward are nominated for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. Long handled both kicking and punting duties for the Lions this season and led the league in both punting (48.8 yards per punt) and net punting (38.5 yards per punt) while averaging 65.3 yards on kickoffs. He also made 43 of 49 field goal attempts this season (87.8%) and went a purrfect six-for-six from 50+ yards. Ottawa REDBLACKS rookie kicker Lewis Ward led the league with an incredible 98.1% field goal kicking percentage, setting a single-season CFL record (former record was 94.7% by Rene Paredes). Ward also set the all-time record for most consecutive made field goals with 47. Ward finished with 169 points scored for the REDBLACKS.

SIMPLY THE BEST: SHAW CFL AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

[B.C.FAN]

Ty Long was runner-up to Lewis Ward for CFL Special Teams Player of the Year on Thursday but two Lions received special awards. Wally Buono won the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award for his contribution to the game over the past 46 years and Rolly Lumbala received the Jake Gaudaur Veterans Award. Congratulations to two worthy recipients.

WALLY BUONO AWARDED HUGH CAMPBELL DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD

LUMBALA WINS JAKE GAUDAUR VETERANS’ AWARD!

[Robbie]

Rolly Lumbala received the Jake Gaudaur Veterans Award. Congratulations to two worthy recipients.

LUMBALA WINS JAKE GAUDAUR VETERANS’ AWARD!

The first for a Lion since the award was introduced in 2010.
And Lumbala along wit Bighill and Bryan were the most formally dressed among the award winners with their black-tie tuxedos.

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/11/22/shaw-2018-cfl-awards/

The individual trophies itself still have the same, generic design.