By: Justin Boone
It’s A Numbers Game
1 – Place overall everyone wants to be in at the end of the CFL regular season, but with two games to go Montreal, Calgary, B.C., Saskatchewan and Edmonton sit within two games of each other. All five clubs still have a chance to be the league’s top regular season team and head into the playoffs as the favourite to bring home the Grey Cup.
2 – Teams the NHL is discussing having in Toronto. It’s completely informal talks and likely being blown out of proportion, but one would think the NHL would award a team to a neighboring Southern Ontario city… say Hamilton, before it gave TO another club. Steve Milton is all over the story, so be sure to read his article today in the Hamilton Spectator.
3 – Number of column ideas I had before I settled on this one.
4 – Forced fumbles by Markeith Knowlton this season. The skilled linebacker finds himself tied for the league lead. He’s been outstanding for the Tabbies this year, starting right out of the gates in game one when he had 14 tackles.
5:30 – The time the Ticats Season Ticket Holder Party begins at Brian Timmis Field as part of Fan Appreciation Day. All season ticket holders are invited to an exclusive pre-game concert, where there will be free hot dogs and Pepsi products. Wall of Honour inductees Less Browne and Don Sutherin will be signing autographs from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in that area as well.
6.6 – Average yards gained per rushing attempt by the Ticats, the best in the CFL. This will be the second year in a row the Black and Gold have been on top of that category.
7 – Sacks by Darrell Adams this season. The Quiet Giant (Thanks to Community Director Shawn Burke for that one) is making plenty of noise, leading the team in the pass rush department from the interior of the defensive line.
8.4 – Average yards gained per passing attempt by the Ticats, fourth in the CFL. It’s a major improvement in a category that the team was last in the league in a year ago. They’ve increased their average by almost two yards per attempt.
’09 – The next chance the Hamilton will have at bringing the Grey Cup back to TigerTown.
10 – Days till you get to dress up as your favourite Tiger-Cat and get out there Trick or Treating.
16 – Players on the Ticats Wall of Honour as of this Friday when Don Sutherin and Less Browne have their names added to the wall.
21 – The number of interceptions the Ticats have on defence this season, second in the CFL. With two games to go, they already have eight more picks than they did in all of 2007, which is in part thanks to the league leading eight interceptions from halfback Chris Thompson.
22 – Combined losses by the East Division teams against the West Division teams. The East’s record is 6-22, with four more inter-divisional games to go.
39 – Number of touchdowns scored by Hamilton this season. By the year’s end they will have more than doubled their end zone trips from a year ago.
64.7 – Average per punt by Nick Setta in the team’s last game against Calgary, which set a new league record for an individual game. While he remains the league’s best punter with an average of 47.8, it would be tough to expect another punting exhibition like we saw in Alberta in Week 4.
84 – Tackles by Markeith Knowlton this season, second most in the CFL. Let the debate begin over what was looks like the better Bob O’Billovich trade right now, Markeith for a draft pick or Chris Thompson and Mike Botterill for Brock Ralph.
1,000 – Dollar scholarship given out for the first Tiger-Cats Student Athletic Award to Grimsby Secondary School Football Team Captain Victor Bibby, for showing he can get it done on the field and in the classroom.
1,035 – Penalty yards by the Ticats this season. After last year’s campaign yielded 1,909 yards worth of penalties, the team has rectified that and is now one of the least penalized teams in the league.
2894 – Votes received for the final five stories in the My Favourite TigerTown Moment Contest. Congratulations to the winner Alex Warbeck, who narrowly edged out Gord Clark. Alex definitely had the funniest story in the contest thanks to his young son putting a nosey Calgary Stampeders fan in their place at a game in Alberta.
10,000 – The number of fans through the gates this Friday that will receive a TigerTown rally towel as part of Fan Appreciation Day. Throughout the game more than 50 prize packs will be randomly awarded to fans all over Ivor Wynne Stadium so keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel like Markeith Knowlton.
2,000,000 – Pounds of food that has been raised by the Purolator Tackle Hunger Program since it’s inception in 2003, thanks to generous contributions of fans across the CFL’s eight cities. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The Ins and Outs
(Storylines from around the CFL)
In The Red – Ticats fans will welcome back some of last year’s more “entertaining” Ticats and I use the word loosely for some. Fan favourite JoJuan Armour will play his first game in front of the crowd at Ivor Wynne Stadium since leaving for Alberta, but as mentioned his departure has been nullified by the solid play of Knowlton and Ray Mariuz. Other former Cats now wearing Red and White are Dwight Anderson, Richard Karikari, Fabio Filice, and Howard Hodges.
Put Them Out To Pasture – While the season hasn’t exactly gone to plan for Hamilton fans, I’m sure every member of TigerTown can take some solace in the fact the Argos are also missing the playoffs this year. After their seventh straight loss this weekend, they were eliminated form playoff contention and heading into the off-season the Tabbies look much better prepared for the future then their Ontario counterparts.
In A Tight Spot – The excitement over Cameron Wake potentially breaking the single season sack mark is gone. With two games left he would need seven sacks to pass the record of 26.5 and while there is a remote possibility at that he gets that, it’s highly unlikely at this point. Barring a departure to test NFL waters, there’s always next year for the league’s most dangerous defensive lineman.
A Rabbit Out Of A Hat – The Riders might need to ask Maggie the Macaque, TSN’s Playoff Prophet, to spin the wheel and decide who will start at quarterback for them from here on out. They traded for Michael Bishop, but benched him last week in favour of Darian Durant, who was subsequently replaced by Stephen Jyles. Jyles has been named this week’s starter, but who knows which of the three will be behind centre come the post-season.
Easier Said Than Done
(Quote of the Week)
“The deal with Marwan is we have a quotient where we have to put certain guys in certain positions on the show and we were desperate to find a Lebanese centre, so we’re going to stick with him.”
Off The Record host Michael Landsberg on Ticats TV, talking about one of his favourite guests Marwan Hage. Quinton Porter joined Marwan on last Friday’s episode of the show and Ticats TV followed both for the day.
Follow The Leader
(Leaders from CFL and the Ticats)
CFL Rushing – CGY Joffrey Reynolds – 209 carries, 1,167 yards, 9 TDs
Ticats Rushing – HAM Jesse Lumsden – 87 carries, 584 yards, 5 TDs
CFL Passing – EDM Ricky Ray – 361/515, 4,904 yards, 23 TDs
Ticats Passing – HAM Casey Printers – 118/207, 1,562 yards, 4 TDs
CFL Receiving – CGY Ken-Yon Rambo – 92 receptions, 1,314 yards, 8 TDs
Ticats Receiving – HAM Prechae Rodriguez – 59 receptions, 909 yards, 6 TDs
CFL Tackling – WPG Zeke Moreno – 88 Tackles
Ticats Tackling – HAM Markeith Knowlton – 84 Tackles
CFL Interceptions – HAM Chris Thompson, B.C. Barron Miles – 8 INTs
Ticats Interceptions – HAM Chris Thompson – 8 INTs
CFL Sacks – B.C. Cameron Wake – 20 Sacks
Ticats Sacks – HAM Darrell Adams – 7 Sacks
The Road To The Vanier Cup
(Weekly CIS Rankings)
CIS Football’s Championship game will be played at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Saturday, November 22. Here’s this week’s Top 5 as voted on by media members across the country.
1) Laval (7-0)
2) Queen’s (8-0)
3) Western (7-1)
4) Calgary (5-2)
5) Concordia (5-2)
Let me know your thoughts on the week by sending your e-mails, comments, or questions to jboone@ticats.ca
