David Stobbe/CFL.ca
Your relationship with Labour Day depends on who you are. If you’re under 18, it stinks as school will again be a daily reality. If you’re the parent of that soon-to-be grouchy kid, you’re doing backflips. But for CFL fans, it is a reminder that the season is half done. And what a crazy start to the year! There have been more storylines than Trump trying out his new 20-minute comedy routine at the Apollo.
So with that in mind, let’s go back to 13 memorable made-for-TV moments from this season. Also, for your enjoyment, I have included videos for each one for those of you who don’t have the time to watch entire games because you’re too busy buying school supplies or measuring your kid’s bedroom to see if that indoor hot tub will fit through the door.
(1) Wally Buono in his usual position on the sideline rocking the ‘Diversity is Strength’ tee shirts.
Wally Buono wears the ‘Diversity is Strength’ t-shirt ahead of a game in Week 8 (The Canadian Press)
In response to the depressing images from Charlottesville, Commissioner Randy Ambrosie sped up the release date of the shirts for the Week 8 finale between the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It was a heartwarming symbol of the best version that we can be as Canadians.
The CFL knocked this one out of the park. This moment technically doesn’t involve anything that happened on the field but it was compelling nonetheless. Plus, as I mentioned in an earlier column, at the age of 67, Wally Buono fills out a shirt better than most guys half his age.
(2) #WhatAboutKaren
This was one of those great moments when TV and social media pair so well together. For a brief moment, it looked like Karen Kuldys was about to win a million dollars after the Toronto Argonauts’ Martese Jackson raced towards the end zone on his way to a 109-yard kickoff return touchdown. The game had started off with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Ryan Lankford returning the opening kickoff 105 yards. Cue the pandemonium as Karen had won Safeway’s Touchdown to Win contest.
Well, we all know what happened next as a holding penalty wiped out the million dollar prize, triggering a cascade of Twitter snark that bore #WhatAboutKaren. I’m not going to lie, that holding call made for a hilarious night and gave all fans and media a ton to talk about. Even without the controversy, the game was highly entertaining with Jackson putting up 339 total return yards.
(3) Nik Lewis sets the record
How fitting was that catch by Lewis to pass Geroy Simon for most receptions in CFL history? Even without the backdrop of that simple six-yard reception setting a record, the play still was must-see TV because it was a catch that Montreal desperately needed. Facing a third down and trailing the Blue Bombers 23-20 with just over a minute to go, Darian Durant found Lewis for the first down, extending a drive that would lead to a game-tying field goal and forcing overtime.
Lewis did what he’s been doing since 2004, finding the hole in the zone, making his quarterback better and doing whatever he could to help his team win. Now if only the Bombers had been polite enough to have lost in overtime, this moment would have been more special — but let’s face facts, it’s really not in the DNA of Winnipeg to lose a close game.
Check out the catch and the post-game record ceremony!
(4) All those punts!
It is one of those plays that rarely has an impact on the eventual winner but it also one of those plays that confuses Americans and is fun to watch. In the same Week 10 game that Lewis become the all-time receptions leader, we also got one of the few times when multiple punts are exciting.
With the clock winding down, Winnipeg’s Ryan Langford tried to catch Montreal off guard by punting the ball soon after receiving the Montreal kickoff. It was desperate move by Langford to try and get a single for the Bombers, but at that point why not? The madness continued as Boris Bede managed to collect the Langford “punt” and he nearly kicked the ball into Winnipeg’s end zone.
(5) S.J. Green’s Week 3 takedown of the Ottawa REDBLACKS
This was the moment when Green officially announced he was back. Yes, he had a 100-yard game against Hamilton in the opener, but considering the injury-depleted secondary he faced in Week 1 and just 33 yards in Week 2, most of us were skeptical about just how much Green had left in the tank.
Well that changed after putting up a 10-reception, 210-yard day against Ottawa. Green had five catches of 20 yards or more and a spectacular 55-yard touchdown where he made several defenders question their job qualifications (Go to 2:45 for the touchdown).
(6) Wait, what did Duron Carter just do?
Do we close the voting for catch of the year? After seeing Carter’s ridiculous one-handed, leaping, get-the-bleep-out-of-my-way touchdown catch in Saskatchewan’s Week 6 win over Toronto, I think the answer is yes.
I can’t decide if that catch reminded me more of Randy Moss or Spiderman. I’ve watched that play about 37 times and I still don’t know how he did it.
(7) What would a season be without a Mike O’Shea special teams trick play???
I’m not going to go into great detail about this play because it’s just far more fun to watch than for me to try to explain it. I’ll just say that only Mike O’Shea would employ the old “Fake field goal get the kicker to kick the ball 10 yards to a fullback who is hiding near the sidelines” play.
Soon after, Matt Nichols would hit Darvin Adams with a touchdown pass. In the end it wouldn’t be enough as the BC Lions would beat Winnipeg 45-42 back in Week 6 but that play was a reminder about just how cagey O’Shea is and just how confusing the CFL rule book must be.
(8) Ed Gainey’s four-interception day against the BC Lions
The highlight of Chris Jones’ most complete victory as Riders head coach was the onslaught of interceptions by Gainey. I’m debating what was more impressive: His 49-yard interception return touchdown or his “clutch” fourth pickoff with :53 seconds left against someone named Alex Ross.
(9) Calgary and Ottawa pick up right where they left off
There was no way you could match what these teams gave us in the 2016 Grey Cup but a 31-31 Week 1 tie was a pretty damn good sequel. Calgary came back from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit and both quarterbacks had moments of brilliance.
Hell of a way to kick off the season.
(10) Naaman Roosevelt says to Duron Carter: Anything you can do I can do better
I’m not saying Roosevelt’s seven-yard touchdown against Edmonton in Week 10 was better than Carter’s touchdown, but it’s at least in the conversation. Kevin Glenn overthrew his target but somehow Roosevelt managed to stretch out and make a one-handed catch while keeping the ball from hitting the turf.
Massive bonus points for his touchdown celebration with his fellow wide outs as they simulated the start of an Olympic swimming race. Even more bonus points for Carter who later on would return a blocked convert kick 113 yards for a two point score. You know for a blowout that 54-31 Riders win over the Eskimos was a must watch event.
(11) The new Mosaic Stadium is opened in style
Yeah, the home fans may have gone unhappy but they were NOT bored by that 43-40 Winnipeg win that saw 827 combined yards.
You know the Blue Bombers are all over this list. Maybe it’s time we all give them some more credit? (Yeah, we all know that won’t happen).
(12) Calgary steamrolls Hamilton 60-1.
This inclusion is not about making fun of the Tiger-Cats. Do you know how hard it is for any team to win by 59, or for that matter for a team to lose by that score? There is something strangely fascinating about watching a blowout.
Hey, at least we got some Canadian quarterback content as Andrew Buckley finished off the scoring with his 10-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Parker, giving the Stampeders an eight touchdown and one field goal lead.
Check it out here (Hamilton fans don’t need to):
(13) The Bombers down by a dozen with under two minutes to go and still win!
Do you realize that Winnipeg is featured in six of these moments? Congratulations Winnipeg, you guys are officially the Forrest Gump of the first half of the 2017 season. I refuse to apply the “Kardiac Kids” nickname for the Bombers, it is an overused expression, but we can all agree it has been a fun/nerve-wracking year so far for Bombers fans.
The sneaky best part of this 12-point comeback with under two minutes to go was Rod Black saying that Montreal had just “sealed it” after the Stefan Logan 31-yard touchdown run and that unless the Bombers can “score quickly and get an onside kick,” this game was done. So naturally, that is exactly what happened!
We all know what happens next: Matt Nichols is a picture of calm and efficiency, the onside kick is executed to perfection, Nichols with the most unathletic/athletic run to the goal line and then Andrew Harris with the winning touchdown with no time left.
As I write this I am on vacation at my cottage and I have spent the past half hour ignoring a sunny day to re-watch these highlights. Again, thanks Winnipeg for entertaining us for these past three months!
Here’s hoping the second half will be as exciting as the first!
