By Jaime Stein
CFL.ca
In the Chinese culture they designate the New Year to twelve different animals. This year is the Year of the Pig. What does that have to do with CFL football? Nothing, really, other than that TSN’s Glen Suitor has designated 2007 as the Year of the Running Back.
While I happen to agree with Glen, some empirical evidence was presented by David Naylor of The Globe and Mail a while back stating that running stats were not actually up compared to last season.
While the numbers might not indicate a shift in importance of the running back in the Canadian game, there is a greater WOW FACTOR in 2007 and I believe the wow factor has to do with the style of running game we are seeing.
Over the last half decade CFL teams went away from the power running game, placing more emphasis on the passing game and five receiver sets. Defences adjusted over time and became smaller in stature. Like a poor diet, the pendulum has swung back the other way and teams are have returned to big running backs who are able to take advantage of these small, quick defences.
We have been treated to some old school rushing displays by guys like Joffrey Reynolds and Joe Smith and now we are seeing the emergence of young stars Jesse Lumsden and Jarrett Payton. Add the dynamic Charles Roberts and the electric Wes Cates into the mix and you have uncovered the recipe for the wow factor. The ground numbers might not be up, but the quality of runs we have seen this year have been more memorable than years past. As a group, the performances turned out by the running backs in the CFL this season have been fun to watch.
In the spirit of Glen Suitor’s Year of the Running Back, I present a few other possible designations for the 2007 season.
Year of the Injured Quarterback: With Dave Dickenson and Michael Bishop going down early due to injury this season, one quarter of the league’s teams were without their starting pivots. B.C. further felt the squeeze when Buck Pierce was also lost due to injury. There is now word that Anthony Calvillo might be injured, too. The league has implemented new rules to protect the quarterbacks, but clearly, anything short of digging a moat around them will not suffice in today’s game.
Year of the Retro Jersey: Forget this obsession with black uniforms (I’m talking to you Saskatchewan, Montreal, and Calgary), stick with the colours that made you who you are (Saskatchewan, you have redeemed yourself). How great were the retro green and white duds that the Riders wore last week? Or the sweet Cambridge blue attire donned by the Toronto Argonauts? History is important in the CFL and when it comes to turning back the uniform clock, I’m all for it. (Message to Toronto, stick with the Cambridge blue, no one wants to see a repeat of the 1995 Toronto Argonaut jersey).
Year of the Penalty: Last year there were 1,562 infractions or an average of just over 21.7 flags enforced per game. To this point in the 2007 season 803 penalties have been applied, that averages out to 22.3 over 36 games. That puts the CFL on pace for 1,606 infractions over the course of the season. Many experts felt that the number of flags would drop this year because the blocking rules were changed on kick returns. Unfortunately the flag total goes up thanks to teams like the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who take no-yards penalties on virtually every punt. It is easy to blame the officials or the rules for the flag parade, but in many cases the onus falls upon the players to play smart. For the sake of watching a game in less than three hours, I beg you Charlie Taaffe; please review the no-yards rule.
Year of the Visor: It appears that more players than ever before are wearing tinted visors. While it may be intimidating, it seriously limits the marketing potential of the individual player. The CFL needs to build its stars, but having their face hidden on television does little for improving player recognition amongst the fans.
Year of the Underdogs: How nice is it to see Winnipeg and Saskatchewan leading their respective divisions? I wouldn’t chalk this up as a salary cap victory, but what a party it would be in Toronto if these two teams make it to the Grey Cup. I’m sure organizers would prefer a local team to represent the East, but this match-up would create a great atmosphere in downtown Toronto. On a side note, optimism of Rider management has finally paid off. Despite not having hosted a home playoff game since 1988, the Riders still list the price of a playoff ticket at the Mosaic Stadium box office. Finally, fans of the Green and White will be able to hand over their hard earned money for this coveted ducat; however, if they are paying in fives or tens, the bills they are now using have been redesigned twice by the Bank of Canada since last time they witnessed a home playoff game.
Year of the Retirement: This year we have seen some incredible football careers come to an end. Rob Hitchcock and Mike Morreale were feted last weekend in Hamilton. The Esks said goodbye to Singor Mobley, Ed Hervey and Malcolm Frank. Also leaving the game were Terry Vaughn, Ed Philion, and Carl Kidd. Of course, Demetrious Maxie did his best Noah Cantor impersonation and retired, un-retired, and then retired again. For the record, Cantor did officially retire on April 17 and now cooks a mean burger at Vera’s in Vancouver. Despite all the aforementioned names, 2008 might supplant this year as the Year of the Retirement if both Damon Allen and Milt Stegall decide to hang up their cleats.
Year of the Stegall: Speaking of Stegall, the first half of this season could have been dedicated to The Turtle Man. The touchdown chase was a great storyline. Watching him break the record in dramatic fashion was fitting. Now he chases Allen Pitts for the all-time yardage crown. In the words of Chris Cuthbert, he truly is “Milt Stegall, Touchdown Regal.”
With half a season left to play, I’m sure 2007 will create many more memorable moments. It might even turn out to be the Year of Casey Printers or the Year of the Tiger-Cat Marketing Department, which unveiled a new ticket package within seconds of Printers inking his new deal. For the patient fans of Hamilton, let’s hope this season doesn’t end up as the Year of the Dog.
Jaime Stein is the former play-by-play voice of the Toronto Argonauts.
