| Tiger-Cats (0-0) at Toronto Argonauts (0-0) Preseason Game 1 Sunday, June 13 @ 1:00 p.m. Rogers Centre – Toronto, Ontario |
BROADCAST INFORMATION
| TV BROADCAST: | None |
| RADIO BROADCAST: | AM 900 CHML, simulcast on Y108 (Listen Live) |
| Play by play: Rick Zamperin / Colour: John ‘Coach Sal’ Salavantis |
THE MATCH-UP
On Sunday, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will take the field for the first time in 2010 in an preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts.
Since 2005, the Argos and Ticats have met six times in the preseason. The Ticats have won three of these meetings and have tied one meeting, with the most recent win being a 28-21 decision at Rogers Centre in 2008. The Argos won last year’s pre-season meeting at Ivor Wynne Stadium by a score of 27-17. In both of these contests, the winner of the pre-season match-up also went on to win the first regular season meeting between the teams. The Ticats defeated the Argos 32-13 in a week two match-up at Rogers Centre in 2008, while the Argos defeated the Ticats 30-17 in last year’s season opener on Canada Day at Ivor Wynne Stadium. The Black and Gold face the Double Blue for the first time in the regular season on Friday, August 20 at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
This will be the third year in a row that the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts have played in the preseason, but the first time where the teams will meet in the first game of their respective exhibition schedules. In both 2008 and 2009, the Ticats started the pre-season against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Argos faced the Montreal Alouettes.
2009
The Tiger-Cats and Argonauts had very different 2009 seasons. The Ticats won nine games last season but emerged victorious in only two of four games against the Boatmen. Despite the even record, the Ticats retained the Ballard Trophy as the winner of the season series between the two teams. The Ticats ended the 2009 season with a 9-9 record in Marcel Bellefeuille’s first full season as head coach, good enough for second place in the East Division and the right to host the East Semi-Final against the B.C. Lions. The Lions went on to win the game 34-27 in overtime, and advanced to the Eastern Final against the eventual Grey Cup Champion, Montreal Alouettes.
The Argonauts started the season strong with a win in the Canada Day opener against the Ticats at Ivor Wynne Stadium, but only managed to win two of their remaining 17 games. The Argonauts ended the 2009 season losing their last eight regular season games, finishing fourth in the East Division. Head coach Bart Andrus was fired and new Argonauts head coach Jim Barker returns to the Argos sideline where he was head coach in 1999. Barker led the Argos to a 9-9 record and a playoff appearance that year but was replaced as head coach by John Huard in 2000. The Tiger-Cats defeated the Argonauts in the Eastern Semi-Final that season by a score of 27-6.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Reggie Fish / WR / Hamilton
Fish has been one of the most fun rookies to watch at Ticats training camp this year as he has routinely showed off his speed and agility during offensive and kick returning drills. Fish is in the mix for the Black and Gold’s kick returner role, and a strong performance at the Rogers Centre may put the 5’5″ Arkansas product one step closer to a roster spot.
Albert Smith / DT / Hamilton
After DT Darrell Adam’s retirement earlier this week, an opportunity has arisen for a newcomer on the defensive line. Smith has demonstrated tremendous quickness for a man his size through his first week as a pro and will look to cause havoc in the trenches on Sunday.
William Heyward and Rodney Van / DBs / Hamilton
The battle at defensive back has arguably been the fiercest competition at Ron Joyce Stadium so far, and rookies Will Heyward and Rodney Van find themselves in the middle of the fight for a spot in the secondary. Heyward and Van have been ballhawks at McMaster so far – we’ll see if they can continue their strong play against the Double Blue.
Cleo Lemon / QB / Toronto
Lemon is reportedly the early favourite to emerge as the Argonauts starting quarterback for Week 1 of the regular season. The journeyman pivot has had previous NFL stints in Baltimore, San Diego, Miami and Jacksonville, and will look to further entrench himself as the Boatmen’s starting quarterback with a big game against the Black and Gold.
Joe Eppele / OT / Toronto
Toronto made the 6-7, 309-pound offensive lineman the second overall selection in May’s CFL Canadian Draft after a four-year collegiate career at Washington State. Eppele will see his first game action as a pro on Sunday, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against the Ticats front four.
