By: Justin Boone
Casting Your Vote
Yesterday the country stepped into the voting booth for a national election. Today, it’s time to turn our eyes back towards the football field and cast our votes for the CFL’s new All-Star regime.
The Ticats rest on the cusp of the proverbial corner they need to turn, the one that will lead them clear of the outhouse and on their way to the penthouse. We’ve talked about the close game losses so much it feels like we’re eternally trapped on the field watching Weston Dressler run for a 67-yard touchdown in the final minute.
While many voters tend to look at a team’s record before making their selection (see: CFL Player of the Week awards), let’s put wins and non-wins aside and look at the Ticats players who need your vote to secure their spot in the 2008 CFL All-Star administration.
Marwan Hage
I start off with Marwan because in a year where the Ticats offensive line has struggled due to injuries and other circumstances, Hage has been a rock in the middle. After taking over starting centre duties at the end of the 2005 season, Hage has quickly become a leader who lets his strong play do the talking for him on the field.
This season, the Ticats are at the top of the CFL in six rushing categories and have averaged 6.8 yards per carry.
Over the past few seasons, the anchor of the Black and Gold’s O-line has established himself among the CFL’s best offensive linemen and is thought of by many to be the league’s top centre. Ask players and coaches around the league and they’ll confirm just how valuable #62 is to the middle of the Cats Offensive line.
Chris Thompson
In an effort to improve the defensive backfield, Ticats general manager Bob O’Billovich landed Chris Thompson in an off-season trade with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Week 7’s CFL’s defensive player of the week currently leads the east division with seven interceptions and has added 56 tackles. His hard-hitting style of play and tight coverage skills, have made him a welcome addition to the Cats’ secondary.
As he nears the end of his first full season in the Canadian Football League, Thompson has consistent
ly demonstrated that he is one of the league’s top players at one of the most important positions, defensive halfback.
Markeith Knowlton
Linebacker Markeith Knowlton arrived in TigerTown in a draft-day trade with B.C., and after spending two seasons primarily used as a nickelback with the Lions, Knowlton immediately established himself as a key contributor to the Black and Gold.
Heading into Week 16, Knowlton is second in the East with 79 defensive tackles and four tackles for losses. The third-year CFLer has also recorded two forced fumbles and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a 45-yard touchdown.
Knowlton’s strong play on the field and leadership off of the field should generate strong consideration for an All-Star berth.
Nick Setta
Let me say this about Nick Setta, he’s as athletic of a kicker as you’ll ever see and has the heart to back it up. Two weeks ago he was injured trying to make a tackle to prevent a touchdown return on one of his kickoffs. With his back in pain he remained in the game, despite losing a lot of his kicking power (Affecting his punting average).
He is still the league leader averaging 47.7 yards per punt, and matched the Ticats record he set last season with a 97-yard punt in Week Four against Calgary. In that game he established a new CFL record for punting average in a game with a mark of 64.7 yards per kick.
Setta has also made good on both his fake punt attempts this season, completing passes of 12 and 21 yards in consecutive games. After an impressive debut season with the Cats, Setta is looking to remain in office, and has made a strong case for a spot on the All-Star team as well as the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award.
Prechae Rodriguez
After spending the first four weeks of the season on the team’s development roster, rookie wideout Prechae Rodriguez burst onto the scene with a 10-catch, 155-receiving yard performance against Edmonton. Combining his 6-foot-5 frame with blazing speed and incredible leaping ability, the former Auburn basketball recruit has given opposing defences trouble since his debut.
In 11 games, Rodriguez has accumulated 53 receptions for 859 receiving yards and six touchdowns – an average of 78 yards per game. At that pace, Rodriguez would record 1,405 yards in a full 18-game season.
Rodriguez deserves strong consideration for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award as
well as an all-star nomination.
So make sure you do your part to get these Tiger-Cats elected to the 2008 All-Star team. You don’t even have to leave your house, simply log on to cflallstars.com and cast your votes.
The Ins and Outs
(Storylines from around the CFL)
In The Making – The Tiger-Cats offensive attack came under fire last season for its potency, or lack there of, but this season has been a different story. The team already has 16 more touchdowns than they did all of 2007. They are averaging 60 yards of offence more per game and have increased their time of possession by a full minute. The quarterbacks’ completion percentage is over 60 percent, and they have improved their yards per pass attempt from 6.6 in 2007 to 8.6 in 2008, and their league leading yards per rush from 6.2 to 6.8, still the top mark in the CFL. The most telling stat is the points per game, which has skyrocketed from 15.9 a year ago, to 23.5 this season.
Out Of Hand – If you missed Marwan Hage on Off The Record last week, you can check it out here. Qb Quinton Porter was also on the panel but Marwan took on Lansberg in Next Question and answered who he would rather be blocking for in the backfield, who the dirtiest defensive lineman is in the CFL, and who on the offensive line needs to lose some weight.
Written In Stone – This year two Ticats greats join the Wall of Honour at Ivor Wynne Stadium as Less Browne and Don Sutherin will see their names added to the likes of Angelo Mosca, Tommy Joe Coffey, Bernie Faloney, Ben Zambiasi and the rest of the Ticats legends who have been given the distinction. The annual Wall of Honour Dinner will be held on October 23 at Michelangelo Banquet Hall. Tickets are available and it’s one of the better deals going since $85 gets you a fantastic meal, an open bar and a chance to be a part of the Ticats ongoing history. Tickets can be purchased at the Ticats business located at 1 Jarvis St.
Jury’s Still Out – Later today voting will begin for the My Favourite TigerTown Moment Contest. The five finalists have been chosen and are (in no particular order)… drum roll please… Alex Warbeck, Chris Robertson, George Clifford, Jody Henley-Boston, and Gord Clark. Fans will have a chance to vote for their favourite and the winner will be announced next week, and made part of a video segment on Ticats TV, that will be aired at the final home game next Friday against the Calgary Stampeders. Not to mention they’ll receive some items from this year’s Ticats Heritage apparel.
Easier Said Than Done
(Quote of the Week)
“This entire year has been a celebration of our league, our country, and the bond between the two – past, present and, most importantly, future. So it makes perfect sense to cap the season by celebrating young Canadian artists on our country’s biggest stage, centre-field at the Grey Cup, the nation’s largest single sporting event.”
CFL commissioner Mark Cohon commenting on the announcement of Theory of a Deadman as this year’s Grey Cup Halftime Show. The band is orginally from North Delta, B.C. and will add an extra Canadian flavour to the celebration at the CFL’s biggest game.
Follow The Leader
(Leaders from CFL and the Ticats)
CFL Rushing – CGY Joffrey Reynolds – 195 carries, 1,125 yards, 9 TDs
Ticats Rushing – HAM Jesse Lumsden – 87 carries, 584 yards, 5 TDs
CFL Passing – MTL Anthony Calvillo – 421/601, 5,097 yards, 38 TDs
Ticats Passing – HAM Casey Printers – 118/207, 1,562 yards, 4 TDs
CFL Receiving – CGY Ken-Yon Rambo – 84 receptions, 1,225 yards, 7 TDs
Ticats Receiving – HAM Prechae Rodriguez – 53 receptions, 859 yards, 6 TDs
CFL Tackling – WPG Zeke Moreno – 83 Tackles
Ticats Tackling – HAM Markeith Knowlton – 79 Tackles
CFL Interceptions – B.C. Barron Miles – 8 INTs
Ticats Interceptions – HAM Chris Thompson – 7 INTs
CFL Sacks – B.C. Lions Cameron Wake – 20 Sacks
Ticats Sacks – HAM Darrell Adams – 6 Sacks
The Road To The Vanier Cup
(Weekly CIS Rankings)
With the Vanier Cup just over a month away, it’s time to start keeping tabs on the teams with the best chance of reaching the game, which will be played at Ivor Wynn
e Stadium on Saturday, November 22.
1) Laval (6-0)
2) Queen’s (7-0)
3) Western (6-1)
4) Calgary (4-2)
5) Concordia (4-2)
Let me know your thoughts on the week by sending your e-mails, comments, or questions to jboone@ticats.ca
