Death, Taxes, Damon Allen Wins Grey Cups
Well, there's nothing like an afternoon of KFC and Canadian Football. I thoroughly enjoyed the game, not just because the team I was pulling for won, or because I was right. I thought it was exciting, but not too much of a nailbiter to lead to nervousness.
At any rate, I think that Buono was outcoached by Pinball in this one. I don't think that naming Dickenson ahead of Printers made that much of a difference. Apart from the timecount violations (oh, and it was hilarious watching O'Mahoney miss the convert) and maybe overthrowing Geroy Simon in the 4th quarter, not too many of the mistakes could be laid on Dickenson. However, the fact that right before the game apparently Clermont didn't know who was starting may have made things uncertain for the team as a whole. I prefer Printers as a quarterback for the added dimension he gives, but this wasn't where the game was lost.
I thought that the decision to kick away from Levingston and Bruce wound up hurting the Lions in the end. They gave the Argos better field position and also showed a lack of confidence in the coverage team. Levingston especially is a feast and famine returner. For every one he breaks, there are a number of others where he loses yards trying to get around the corner. I think the preoccupation with keeping the ball out of the hands of Levingston made him more of a factor than he and Bruce otherwise would have been.
I also think that punting it away with about a minute left was a mistake. As it turns out, they never got the ball back. At that stage of the game, down by that much, you've got to be playing 3 down football.
My personal award for "What Were They Thinking?" goes to Steve Armitage, for his "Is this a dream come true?" question to Jason Clermont in the aftermath of a loss (it was probably a good question to ask before the game, but not afterwards).
At any rate, full marks to the Argos. Damon Allen proved once again that he is a Grey Cup machine (3-0 as a starter, 3 time MVP, 4-1 overall and they almost shouldn't count '86). Should be interesting how things shake down accross the league over the offseason. I can't see B.C. being able to keep both Printers and Dickenson (though, they are both under contract). As well, if Allen retires that also means an opening in Toronto (unless they decide to go with Michael Bishop as a starter). Additionally, I expect Crandell to land somewhere other than Calgary, while Nealon Greene will probably be departing Saskatchewan, and then there's the rumours of the return of Ricky Ray and what that will mean for Jason Maas in Edmonton. So much excitement.
I also think that the Toronto win has raised Rich Stubler's stock in the race to be the next Eskimos Head Coach. I think he'd do a good job, though I'd have some concerns with his commitment (or lack thereof) to the running game in light of post-game remarks today. I'm not sure what he's been up to lately, but I also hope that they consider former assistant Brad Miller, who left after the 2000 season to go do something with the Green Bay Packers. In any event, it should be a good offseason, which should take some sting out of the fact that there likely won't be any hockey.
At any rate, I think that Buono was outcoached by Pinball in this one. I don't think that naming Dickenson ahead of Printers made that much of a difference. Apart from the timecount violations (oh, and it was hilarious watching O'Mahoney miss the convert) and maybe overthrowing Geroy Simon in the 4th quarter, not too many of the mistakes could be laid on Dickenson. However, the fact that right before the game apparently Clermont didn't know who was starting may have made things uncertain for the team as a whole. I prefer Printers as a quarterback for the added dimension he gives, but this wasn't where the game was lost.
I thought that the decision to kick away from Levingston and Bruce wound up hurting the Lions in the end. They gave the Argos better field position and also showed a lack of confidence in the coverage team. Levingston especially is a feast and famine returner. For every one he breaks, there are a number of others where he loses yards trying to get around the corner. I think the preoccupation with keeping the ball out of the hands of Levingston made him more of a factor than he and Bruce otherwise would have been.
I also think that punting it away with about a minute left was a mistake. As it turns out, they never got the ball back. At that stage of the game, down by that much, you've got to be playing 3 down football.
My personal award for "What Were They Thinking?" goes to Steve Armitage, for his "Is this a dream come true?" question to Jason Clermont in the aftermath of a loss (it was probably a good question to ask before the game, but not afterwards).
At any rate, full marks to the Argos. Damon Allen proved once again that he is a Grey Cup machine (3-0 as a starter, 3 time MVP, 4-1 overall and they almost shouldn't count '86). Should be interesting how things shake down accross the league over the offseason. I can't see B.C. being able to keep both Printers and Dickenson (though, they are both under contract). As well, if Allen retires that also means an opening in Toronto (unless they decide to go with Michael Bishop as a starter). Additionally, I expect Crandell to land somewhere other than Calgary, while Nealon Greene will probably be departing Saskatchewan, and then there's the rumours of the return of Ricky Ray and what that will mean for Jason Maas in Edmonton. So much excitement.
I also think that the Toronto win has raised Rich Stubler's stock in the race to be the next Eskimos Head Coach. I think he'd do a good job, though I'd have some concerns with his commitment (or lack thereof) to the running game in light of post-game remarks today. I'm not sure what he's been up to lately, but I also hope that they consider former assistant Brad Miller, who left after the 2000 season to go do something with the Green Bay Packers. In any event, it should be a good offseason, which should take some sting out of the fact that there likely won't be any hockey.
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