Rod Pedersen
CFL.ca
Sorry Winnipeg.
This Cinderella season has been a great party, complete with a bang-up bash to say goodbye to Canad Inns/Winnipeg Stadium in the Eastern Final last week – a 19-3 win over Hamilton.
But midnight has come and you are now a pumpkin. In fact, all you’re going to see for the next week is orange. As in B.C. Lions orange.
CFL.ca wants a prediction for the 99th Grey Cup from the voice of the Riders? Well here goes: This Sunday’s CFL championship at BC place will be the biggest blowout since 1997 when Doug Flutie’s Toronto Argonauts abolished Reggie Slack’s Roughriders by 24 points. Check it out, that’s three touchdowns and a field goal. And this outcome may be even grimmer at the hands of Buono’s Bunch.
And why is that?
Well the Lions, of course, have been the CFL’s hottest team since Labour Day and have not taken their foot off the pedal. They are executing at an extremely high level.
Their quarterback, Travis Lulay, doesn’t realize he’s too young to be this good. Receivers Geroy Simon and Arland Bruce are the best one-two tandem in the league (I dare you to tell me who is better) and their Canadian tailback, Andrew Harris, is the unsung hero of the bunch. And don’t get me started on their offensive line, anchored by 2011 All-Canadian Angus Reid.
You know Wally Buono will have his offensive staff dissect the video of the Riders’ back-to-back blowouts of the Bombers in September and follow the template. Swaggerville turned to Saggerville.
The Lions’ defence also seems just too strong right now. Defensive end Brent Johnson looks like a young man after being left for dead earlier in the season and relegated to back-up status. Fellow D-linemen Khalif Mitchell and Aaron Hunt talk the talk but have been able to walk the walk, too. The addition of Tad Kornegay in the secondary was the piece de resistance of an already loaded unit.
We could break down the Bombers, but why? They’re a tremendous team on the rise, but just one year ago they were the worst team in the league at 4-14.
Now is not their time.
