2019 CFL Season

[Hambone]

Fajardo's 360 yards darned near matched his career totals going into this season. Was it a sign of things to come or did the blind squirrel find an acorn? I need to see more than 1 performance in a 4 year career before I'm sold. I didn't get to see the whole game but when I did watch the Ottawa D was shockingly passive. Need 8 yards for a 1st down? The RB secondary seemed only too happy to drop back 13 yards and let the receiver catch the ball underneath for the 1st down.

[Toppy Vann]

Analysts all said the play calling for both teams was very astute. I concur.

Riders DBs at the half were criticized at the half by Sanchez for not reading things right at the LOS.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Well, I've stayed away from the Lions game thread as I'm still trying to shake off and fully awake from that nightmare. All I recall is our QB landing on his head, and every other possible body part over the course of the game, and while stats insist our o-line and Mike only suffered seven sacks, why does it seem like there were at least triple that number? I mean the rush was relentless! It was astonishing. I can only dream our boys could do that some day. It didn't seem we even tried to get at their QB.
Anyhow, I'm very interested to see the Ham vs TO game unfold shortly. It features (on Toronto's roster) some mighty familiar names; Lemon, Awe, and Rainey. I wish them well in their new campaign. I hope the game gives each of them a chance to shine.

[B.C.FAN]

Well, I've stayed away from the Lions game thread as I'm still trying to shake off and fully awake from that nightmare. All I recall is our QB landing on his head, and every other possible body part over the course of the game, and while stats insist our o-line and Mike only suffered seven sacks, why does it seem like there were at least triple that number? I mean the rush was relentless! It was astonishing. I can only dream our boys could do that some day. It didn't seem we even tried to get at their QB.
Anyhow, I'm very interested to see the Ham vs TO game unfold shortly. It features (on Toronto's roster) some mighty familiar names; Lemon, Awe, and Rainey. I wish them well in their new campaign. I hope the game gives each of them a chance to shine.

If any Lions' fans are feeling nostalgic, the Argo-Ticat game features a slew of former B.C. coaches. Ticat defensive coordinator Mark Washington, special teams coordinator Jeff Reinebold, linebackers coach Robin Ross and defensive line coach Randy Melvin are leading Argo offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine, offensive line coach Dan Dorazio and running backs coach Mike Lionello 20-6 at the half.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Well, I've stayed away from the Lions game thread as I'm still trying to shake off and fully awake from that nightmare. All I recall is our QB landing on his head, and every other possible body part over the course of the game, and while stats insist our o-line and Mike only suffered seven sacks, why does it seem like there were at least triple that number? I mean the rush was relentless! It was astonishing. I can only dream our boys could do that some day. It didn't seem we even tried to get at their QB.
Anyhow, I'm very interested to see the Ham vs TO game unfold shortly. It features (on Toronto's roster) some mighty familiar names; Lemon, Awe, and Rainey. I wish them well in their new campaign. I hope the game gives each of them a chance to shine.

If any Lions' fans are feeling nostalgic, the Argo-Ticat game features a slew of former B.C. coaches. Ticat defensive coordinator Mark Washington, special teams coordinator Jeff Reinebold, linebackers coach Robin Ross and defensive line coach Randy Melvin are leading Argo offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine, offensive line coach Dan Dorazio and running backs coach Mike Lionello 20-6 at the half.

Indeed, it's interesting to look at the game from that perspective isn't it? Given the blow-out in the making, I suppose the group of our ex-coaches on the winning side deserve a congratulatory nod. That said, the players have much to do with it obviously, and our ex-coaches on the losing side seem to have less to work with in that regard, at least so far as experience in key positions such as QB. Anyhow, it sticks in my craw that Simoni Lawrence is on the field of play today. It just feels wrong that he's out there gleefully hopping and jumping and high-fiving while a certain someone is on the shelf with a massive headache and how knows what sort of future.

[B.C.FAN]

Final score: Hamilton 64, Toronto 14

At least the Lions won’t be at the bottom of the power rankings this week.

[SammyGreene]

Final score: Hamilton 64, Toronto 14

At least the Lions won’t be at the bottom of the power rankings this week.

Yikes! Not a good start to the season for the league's biggest and most fragile markets — now a combined 0-4 with the Als at least being the most competitive of the 3.

Lions stinker at least overshadowed by the NHL Draft then Benning pulling off a somewhat controversial trade yesterday.
Same can be be said in the other 2 markets as well but it's also easy for the casual fan to just forget about all three teams in the big cities if there is nothing to be excited about.

[Toppy Vann]

Found a great article on Buck Pierce in the National Post from May 25, 2019.

I recall Mightybuck - family friend of the Pierce's telling me privately pretty much immediately after Buck headed to Winnipeg that Buck's dad suspected Buck would live there permanently. Not sure why as Buck was still playing but the dad was sure of that - and it's come to pass for now.

Coming to Winnipeg best thing that ever happened to Bombers’ Buck Pierce

Pretty high praise from QBs on the Bombers:

“I could talk all day about how hard he works and what kind of a person he is and what he has meant to me and my career,” Nichols says. “I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever been around.”

“For me, to have somebody who has been back there and knows what it’s like to have live bullets flying around is huge,” Nichols says. “He understands what’s realistic and what’s not, and you can really take his insight because he has been in your shoes before.”

Nichols says what makes Pierce special is he understands the emotions of the game. He can see when the quarterback in the trenches needs to be talked to and when he needs to be left alone. He doesn’t scream and yell, but presents a level-headed person for Nichols to lean on in good times and bad.

“He has helped me develop the ability to truly move on from drive to drive and play to play,” Nichols says.

“He’s definitely a person you want to model yourself after.”

“I might have heard that a time or two last year,” Steveler says with a laugh when asked if people have told him he plays like Pierce.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for him. He was a great player here and did some great things in his career and he’s an awesome coach. To even be mentioned in the same breath as him is a big compliment. I don’t take it lightly.”

“I love playing for Buck, man,” Streveler said. “Having a guy coaching the position who played the position, has been in your shoes, it just makes everything that much better.

“He understands what it’s like being back there and going through the reads and what it’s like on a daily basis and what you have to do to be successful. Having a guy like that in your corner, where you always know you can ask questions and he has a really great insight to the game as a coach and a former player, I love having him out here.”

https://nationalpost.com/sports/footbal ... 0e99043e29

[TheLionKing]

Good article. One of my favourites.

[Kamloops Lion]

Through two weeks and seven games:
Average points scored per game: 75
Average points scored per team: 37.5
Average attendance: 22,300.

[TheLionKing]

Week 3 as Bombers are leading the Eskimos 14-12 at the half

[TheLionKing]

Bombers increase their lead to 21-12 on a touchdown by Andrew Harris

[TheLionKing]

Bombers touchdown. Now 28-12

[TheLionKing]

Eskimos havew narrowed the deficit to 10 points with 5:42 remaining. All of Edmonton's points have come from the leg of sean Whyte

[Toppy Vann]

Interesting that the Esks top REC got dropsies at the end and the Esks early decision to go for the FG when they were at the 26 yard line 1st and 10 with 2:09 on the clock and the FG closed the score to 28-21.

Lucky Whitehead and his 2 great TDs was great to see.

Notice that the ESKS DEF didn't load the LOS to get after Nichols as they know that the play calls from Lapo would adjust to that and I think the Bombers adjusted when it looked like they were sending some extras.

Demski big run and big run TD on the same drive was very innovative. Now Jarius do somethings like this!!!!