Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos have been the pleasant surprise so far in the young 2011 CFL season. They sit alone in first place in the Western Division with a 3-0 mark. They’ve scored 103 points and allowed just 55. Their offense is ranked number one in eleven categories and their defence leads the league in eight categories. The Eskimos will face their provincial rivals the Calgary Stampeders for the first time this season on Saturday from McMahon Stadium. Although the Stamps are 2-1, many people feel this game is not a measuring stick for them but in fact for the Eskimos.
This might seem strange, but if you look back to last season when the Stampeders outscored the Eskimos by a count of 144 to 37, including two whippings at McMahon Stadium of 52-5 and 56-15, it doesn’t seem so ludicrous. So is this game on Saturday a measuring stick? Head coach Kavis Reed didn’t want to go there:
“I call it another game to be quite honest because if I over-emphasize the importance of this game greater than any we have played or will play, I think that could screw the guys up mentally”, Reed said. “We have to approach each game as a season and this is another season that we’re going to play.”
Reed knows all about the Battle of Alberta: he played with the Eskimos from 1995 to 2000. He’s been involved in many fierce games in the regular season and in the post-season, so he’s not trying to downplay the significance of the rivalry.
“This is Calgary, it’s a little bit special because it is our rival but at the same time”, explains Reed. “Rivalry will only get you through the tunnel. Once you cross the line you have to actually play football.”
Slotback Fred Stamps knows all about the Battle of Alberta, having played with the Esks since 2007. He was a part of the Eskimos only win in Calgary since the beginning of the 2006 season, which was Labour Day 2008. He didn’t play for the Stampeders for some of the 2009 season after a dislocated shoulder knocked him out of action for all of August into mid-September. He says watching the two lop-sided losses in Cowtown last season was extremely painful.
“It’s always tough, I want to go to war with my teammates, my brothers,” Stamps said. “I don’t like to be sitting on the sidelines and feel like I can’t do nothing and help. If they go down, I want to go down with them. That’s just my mentality, that’s the type of person I am”.
Stamps, who will be in the lineup on Saturday, is enjoying a fine campaign with 316 receiving yards in the first three games of the season. The mantra in the dressing room this week has been to leave last season behind and focus on this season. No matter how the Eskimos would like to frame it, Saturday is a huge test for the Eskimos. Can they carry their momentum into a place where they haven’t had much success in over the last five years?
It’s still amazing that the team has never trailed once this season. We’re waiting to see how this team will respond to adversity. What will they be like after trailing at the half or in the fourth quarter? It’s all about discovering the character of a team. After a 3-0 start, it’s getting safe to say the Eskimos in 2011 are for real. Kavis Reed has done his best to try and turn the page from last season, and a win Saturday or even a good performance will go a long way in erasing the painful memory.
Fred Stamps’ focus is clearly on the present and not on two lopsided losses in Calgary in 2010.
“That’s the past, it’s a new season. We get to get a little revenge or whatever you want to call it.”
Hmmm, perhaps they do remember just a little bit.
NOTES: Eskimos running back Arkee Whitlock practiced this week with the team full out for the first time since the first week of training camp. He may play on Saturday. If he does, expect fellow running back Daniel Porter to come out. Wide receiver Andrew Nowacki is unlikely playing because of a hamstring injury for the second straight week. Expect either Chris Bauman, Nathan Coehoorn, or Tyler Scott to take his place. Third string quarterback Eric Ward will hold for Damon Duval on field goals. Non-import defensive tackle Jermaine Reid was named the CFL’s Canadian Player of the Week. He recorded four defensive tackles and one quarterback sack in the Eskimos 33-17 win over the B.C. Lions. Running back Jerome Messam captured the award the previous week.
