Just over three years ago, the North Korean government provided the U.S. Listen to Vickie Ray Williams on the Decemedition of "Sunrise LBK" on KFYO: Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 49 years.Actkinson was a junior at Sudan High School in 1949 and he played on the football team. All is not necessarily well for the CFL that ends well, but it’s a great start. If COVID had struck during Grey Cup week, I fear the league we love would not survive.
But into its darkest hour came those marvellous East and West playoff games followed by a wonderfully entertaining Grey Cup decided in overtime. Poor attendance was the rule except in Winnipeg the others lost a lot of money. This year saw a reduced schedule with no exhibition games, COVID ravaged the Edmonton Elks. The CFL has been at death’s door before but has always survived in large part because through thick or thin, for better or for worse, the Grey Cup has been its salvation. When the 2020 CFL season was cancelled, many feared the end of the league was near. Rush end Ja’Gared Davis was the best player on the field. Trailing by three with under two minutes remaining, he engineered a 69-yard drive ending in a Michael Domagala field goal that tied the game. When Winnipeg couldn’t find a reliable kicker, Walters made a trade for B.C.’s Sergio Castillo who was perfect including five field goals Sunday. When his starter, Chris Streveler got hurt, Collaros took over and ran the table. In 2019, Winnipeg boss Kyle Walters picked up the often injured Zach Collaros as quarterback insurance.
I have always believed success in pro sports begins in the front office. It is the job of the general manager to provide the coach with the best personnel. From that point on, the Blue Bombers outscored Hamilton 23-6.Ĭoaches prepare their team as best they can but the players have to get it done. It seemed like they felt they could play prevent defence for a quarter and a half. In the third quarter when Hamilton went up 22-10, in part because of aggressive defensive play limiting the Winnipeg offence, they became passive and soft on defence, playing off the ball. I think he should have tried the first time. But Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer couldn’t risk it. If the Easterns had been more aggressive and scored touchdowns in those situations, the outcome would have been different. In the second and final quarters they came up big in the shadow of their goal posts and forced Hamilton to kick field goals. Seven Bombers made the Western All-Star team on defence. As usual, the media gave it to a quarterback, Zach Collaros, who wasn’t even the best quarterback on the field. Linebacker Adam Bighill won the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and should have been named MVP of Sunday’s game. They gave up a grand total of six points in the fourth quarter. During the regular season, Winnipeg’s defence surrendered an average of 13.5 points per game. Facing first-and-20, Masoli was forced to throw long and was intercepted. Instead of first down at the enemy 23, they had to start over at the 45. On Hamilton’s first overtime possession starting at the 35, Don Jackson ran for 12 yards but holding was called on veteran Brandon Revenberg. The Bombers made two yards and went on to score the winning touchdown. But on Winnipeg’s overtime possession with a second-and-7, Cat defensive lineman Julian Howsare was called offside.
Eight no-nos for 85 yards isn’t that bad in an exceptionally physical game. Jeremiah Masoli’s interception in overtime ended the game giving Winnipeg the win. With that fateful coin toss, the game was over before it began. The team from Canada’s Windy City handled that capricious element better and won the 108th Grey Cup 33-25. Although the hometown Ticats did everything they could to win, it wasn’t enough. Winnipeg’s Michael O’Shea made the biggest one when, after winning the coin toss, he opted to defer his choice until the second half, giving his team the wind in the fourth quarter. Coaches make many decisions during a football game.