Stampeders 34 - Lions 29, Post Game Stats and Comments

[TheLionKing]

Terribly disappointing end to a wonderful regular season. Some random thoughts:

- poor play calling by the OC. Lions were in 2nd and long seemingly all afternoon. Frustrating to see Lulay throwing 5 yard pass when they need 8-9 yards

- Lions had Kevin Glenn trapped numerous times and allowed him to escape to make big plays

- Lulay taking way too much time to throw. Is it because of rust or is it due to receivers not getting open ?

- offence seems confused with the Stamps' alignment of lining a nose guard in front of the center and spreading the rest of the defenders all over the place.

- inability to stop Jon Cornish

- Lions is the oldest team in the league. Need to get younger for 2013 especially at the receiver and defensive back positions.

[WestCoastJoe]

Awesome report, MLF.

Your views have great depth. Reminds me of watching film with an ex pro.

You have been a tremendous addition to this site. People with strong views clash (let's say see things differently) on occasion, and that is certainly true of you and I, but I have always respected you and your in depth views.

Oh yeah, and it did look like the guy held Bighill as he had Lewis in his sights on the failed onside kick. Whaddayagonna do?

[aklawitter]

bruce is gone, as wally loves the two words younger & cheaper, and our younger & cheaper receivers stepped it up this year (unlike last year, where their ineffective play forced the trade for bruce)

parker is gone, too bad because he was one of the players i had always wanted the lions to go after

muamba should follow him out the door (being Canadian is no longer an excuse in this league)

dimitri tsoumpas (calgary's RG) couldn't hear the snap count and had to turn in to see when the ball was about to be snapped. blitzes didn't take advantage of this.


when mitchell turned down the NFL, a lot of people thought it was because he had his head on straight - maybe it's actually because his head is on backwards? mitchell = DT version of joe smith?

we need to find a kicker that can kick a deep kickoff, the out-kick-the-coverage excuse is BS, no other team does that

[KnowItAll]

...what pathetic, biased officiating in my opinion...

lets see. Lions lost. So off course the refs were against them. BS. Refs were imperfect but still fine.

[DanoT]

Lulay is at his best when he rolls out of the pocket and either throws or runs. He mostly stayed in the pocket and it seemed like he did have decent time but no one could get open deep.

Shawn Gore was shut down by Calgary even before he got hurt.

[MexicoLionFan]

I know, what can you do...but today there was something very funny about the refs...they didn't make very many calls, but what they did make were borderline at best and all went against BC until a procedure call against Calgary with 30 seconds left to play...

How is that possible?

And as for you Joe, thank you so much for all your info, insight and passion towards the Lions...I can't possibly tell you how much better you made this season for me, by all the info you provided...you are Aces to me...and that goes for Blitz and BCFAN, and obviously the rest of the crew as well...

[Toppy Vann]

It was too early in the morning to see from the whole game here as it is Monday and a work day but but IF that TD gamble had been called correctly - I saw the 3rd Q on and to me that was NO freaking TD - would the Lions have won? It is hard to say as they'd have had to start on O at the 1 yard line and who knows what might have happened from there given the day they were having but...that is no way that should have not been overturned IMO - granted I was readying for work too.

That one week layoff makes a difference vs having to play a division semi-final. Often the one week rest actually is of more benefit in the GC game if your opponent was the team that had to win their semi and div. final but had to do it by getting beat up badly.

You have to give the Stamp coaches and Kevin Glenn a lot of credit. Hufnagel and Dickinson is hitting his stride. When some posted the other day "What a difference a year makes" it reminded me of the Bombers Don Jonas using that line when he was CFL MOP. Something was telling me that Kevin Glenn is just so much focused on the thing he lost due to arm fracture - play and win a GC. I think Calgary is on its way to a GC and Glenn could be that games MOP. Not saying Argos aren't going to be very hungry - they will too.

I had not wanted ever to say what some are saying BEFORE this game - about Simon and Bruce drawing in at the end here - as deep down I have wondered if the Lions weren't on a role with the team they had out their when these two guys went down. I am not suggesting that these guys could be singled out as they shouldn't as two REC don't win or lose a game but my comment is more about not going with the hot hands and the corps of REC that was winning.

I can't see a Lions team winning with Harris underused no more than I would have predicted a Stamps win if I knew they intended to use Cornish hardly at all in this game. I did not mean that as I predicted a Stamps win as I did not. Just mean it to read if the Stamps had of announced that today's game would not much feature Cornish I'd then say - ok Lions win for sure.

[WestCoastJoe]

We came so close to stopping them three times on the goal line. Quick call by the ref when Bo reached forward. Kind of bogus I thought. But ya know, almost better to end it this way, then squeak through, when we didn't really deserve it.

I will say though, that the character on this team is quite amazing. We came very close to getting a chance to pull it out at the end.

We gave up 21 points on stupidity. Two blown coverages and the faked short yardage.

We gave our aging vets one last chance for glory.

But there must be substantial changes now. Wally won't sit tight. He makes the tough decisions.

I like Benny very much as a Head Coach. Same with JC and Stubes.

Not sure there is much we could have done today to really change the outcome.

Calgary was so very, very well prepared. Incredible. And we were the target all year. The week off can be a disadvantage, and was today.

And all year, I have been saying our talent is fine, but it is not as if it is clearly best in the league. No way. Behind the 8 ball in the O Line. Not showing much speed with the receivers. If Nick Moore is our deep guy, that is a pretty slow group. And that is no knock on Moore, who is coming into his own. Taylor, Jackson, Iannuzzi and Foster have speed, but ... well, they didn't play, or they don't get the ball much. Gore seems to be the over the middle guy, not many deep routes, for a guy with good speed.

Solo's return threw off our defence IMO. Khalif, whom I have great affection for, threw us off this year.

And today showed that the league has morphed into a passing league for speed receivers, not so much possession guys. We didn't have that today, and will have to work to catch up to what Calgary has. Hufnagel more than almost anybody understands the need for speed at receiver. I thought he stole Romby Bryant from the Bombers a few years ago. And Dickenson is right in step with Huf. Bryant, Price and McDaniel. I don't think we can match those guys just now, especially for speed, and stretching the defence.

IMO Calgary got a lucky break when Tate injured his arm, or noticed that maybe he was concussed. Glenn did better by far than what I think Tate might have brought. This was Kevin Glenn's chance. And he took it. He even had mobility.

Calgary had zero penalties after 3 Qs. Unheard of. Especially for a physical, near the edge team like Calgary. Two little calls in the 4th, almost as a reminder for the refs. The refs swallowed their whistles today.

[MexicoLionFan]

As I said KIA, please cut me a little slack as the loss really hurts right now...but having said that, even my wife said during half time, all the calls were against us, and why wasn't there anything against Calgary? The Stamps played well, but they committed more than their fair share of mistakes and infractions...again, my opinion...

I just wanted to say one last thing tonight, and that is THANK YOU to Korey Banks...he is such a great football player and such a great leader...he played his heart out today and yet all around him mistakes and suggestive efforts were going by...he is the consummate football player and I want him to know how much I appreciate his efforts and how much he cares about this franchise and winning!

The same goes for Bighill...he never quit, and is a WINNER in my eyes...

[checkit]

Felt like the place was about to blow up at the begining of the game , but the air was taken out of the building just a few minutes in. Great road start for the Stamps came in with a nothing to lose attitude and it showed throughout the game. It seems as if it wasnt neceserally Calgary creating offence yet it was more the Lions shooting themselves in the foot. I didnt really see Calgary pull a rabbit out of a hat other than one 2nd and short situation that they had mirrored from an earlier Lions drive. I think next year will be a big change but not necissarily in personel. Next year there will be a lot role changing as i think are a lot players that stepped up this year and proved that they have not just the physical ability but the mental ability to make playes in the CFL. Courtney Taylor, Ernest Jackson, Nick Moore are all capable of being a number 2 or even a prime reciever on any other team. Geroy simon is getting to his limit but i still believe he is a key piece to the organization. The savy vet can still play but I believe his role on the field will no longer outshine his role in the lockeroom and off the field. Shorter routes and screen plays should be more of his game next year. Using his knowledge and experience Geroy has he should excel just as he proved year after year. Having E.Jackson N.Moore C.Taylor M.Iunnuzzi create what i think can be the best line up of WR in the CFl. Hopefully im not the only one who has noticed there progression as some of these guys could part ways in the spring. K.Muamba i believe will have success in the cfl but to a certain extent. If he is going to remain a Safety he needs to bulk up and become stronger so that he can be taken seriously for not just intercepting passes but be able to the level the boom and set the tone in the secondary. Today it kind of seemed as though as everytime he went to make a tackle it was he himself who looked to be taking the brunt end. That plus some combined mistakes by the D contributed to most of the stampeders offensive success coming by way of Bc;s own mental mistakes. Cant blame the offence too much. After giving up the big play early the defence took a while to get back in a groove in which no momentum was gained for about 10 minutes.The D has been the lions staple for the past year and a half and in turn it has created lots of momentum for the offence to work with. Any Given Sunday would be a purrfect phrase for today and it just proves once again that no matter what hype a team has , mental errors and sometime just the luck of the draw can contribute to the game gong the other way. Congrats Stamp and stamps fans . This is how the west was won!.

[louharris74]

New member (as of tonight), long-time viewer of this board. Super insight from the regulars here.

What a disappointment. Where to begin. Most has been said by all already, but need to get this game out of my system. Lions played their absolute worst, Stamps played their best. How we even had a chance at the end of this game still amazes me. Both sides of the ball terrible today, nothing much from special teams either.

Lulay a half-second slow with his reads & decisions all game. Case in point the pass to Simon with about 4 minutes to go, wide open but ball way late. No way your starting QB can only play 1 Qtr. for the last 5 weeks of the year. Abandoning the running game in the red zone and too early, as usual. 33 yards for Harris, wholy moses. Somehow I think, with the long layoffs for Simon & Bruce, Taylor and Jackson may have been able to stretch the field a lot more. Hard to say what the latter two have left, given their late season injuries. O-line was a tower of strength last year, showing a bit of age and depth issues. Hope Reid comes back, likely going to have to find a replacement for Olafioye if he tries the NFL again.

D today ... a half dozen huge breakdowns / huge plays against, little or no pressure. With a minute to go Cornish busting the run for 15 plus to seal the game on second and 14. Enough said. Unlike us Calgary kept pounding it on the ground and controlling the line of scrimmage & clock. Almost 500 yards net yards against ... were we ready to play ?

The Lions are still a very good team and likely still beat Calgary more often than not. Got some holes to fill for next year, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Coaching staff had a rough day today as well, and yes schemes are important, but execution / lack thereof is more important. Stamps executed in all facets, Lions didn't.

Another great season. Could have been even better, but ... Thanks to the whole Lions organization. I introduced my 15 yr. old son to the CFL 4 years, this year my 12 year old daughter became hooked. Even Mom.

[TheLionKing]

I expect Jon Hammeister-Reis, Jesse Newman and Angus Reid to call it a career. Jovan Olafioye and Solomon Elimimian to give the NFL another shot. Lions need to get younger at the defensive backfield as a number of them are in their 30's. Paul McCallum and one or both Bruce and Simon will be encouraged to retire.

[notahomer]

Angus Reid had an excellent piece in todays BLITZ exorting fans to come to the game. Great idea, great writing but I'm not so sure it belonged in todays paper. That piece would have been better earlier in the week....

Watching that first Calgary TD was painful. I don't think I have ever seen a football player that wide open....

Then watching Banks undercut that throw for a INT TD was certainly exciting but unfortunately, football wise, the highlight of my day at the Western Final.

It was really painful to see Cornish convert the 2nd/long late in the game.

Going to be an interesting Grey Cup, IMO. Cornish/Tate/Lewis have me wanting to see the Argos win. But, Glenn and most other Stamps are certainly deserving and I wish them well. If you had told me beforehand Nik Lewis would have been held to one catch for 4 yards, I'm guessing it would have been a BraleyBowl Grey Cup. I'm guessing the Stamps will have muzzles set for some of their more vocal players. Talking isn't what helped the Stamps win the Western Final and it certainly won't help win a Grey Cup either.......

[sj-roc]

Some post-game player tweets:

I would like to thank all the great BC LIONS FANS who support our team thank u...U deserve a much better performance than that...DAMN

Thank u to ALL of the #BCLion fans for making my first year one to remember. I let u all down tonite and promise, it won't happen again.

this feeling beyond sucks but u gotta take the good with the bad in this business. Time to retool the machine and start making progress.

Thank you to all our great fans for cheering us on this season. From me to you - sorry

Sorry about how it ended everyone. Tough end to a great season. Thanks to our fans who have been fantastic all year.

Disappointed doesn't do justice to how I'm feeling. I'll be back better than ever next yr! As u c there's still plenty of game left in #81

[darnellclash]

Why did we decide to go with those thunder sticks in the stands? End result nobody actually making "noise" other than banging two inflatable sticks together.Would have been much louder if it was actual crowd noise rather than sounding like a soccer game. Bad idea.