Team nominations for the annual CFL Awards are out, and not surprisingly Nathan Rourke was selected by local members of the Football Reporters of Canada as the Lions' nominee for Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian. I was stunned, though, that he wasn't a unanimous selection for either category. I'd love to hear the justification from any local media members who voted for someone else in those categories.
Here is the Lions' full list of nominees:
Player: Nathan Rourke
Defensive: Garry Peters
Canadian: Nathan Rourke
Offensive lineman: Joel Figueroa
Special teams: Sean Whyte
Rookie: Emmanuel Rugamba
I agree with all of the selections. It's nice to see Joel Figueroa play a full season without being hampered injuries for a change. He has anchored a solid O-line, and the team's rushing and sack statistics show it. Garry Peters is an underappreciated shutdown corner. I thought he had an outstanding 2021 season but he failed to make an interception despite numerous chances. This year he leads the team with 5 picks. Manny Rugamba was one of three rookie DBs to shine in training camp. He got his break due to injury to another rookie, Quincy Mauger, and he has been a starter ever since, allowing Loucheiz Purifoy to take on a leadership role in the secondary as safety. Sean Whyte, of course, is Sean Whyte. He is 33 of 36 (a league-leading 91.7%) on field goals, which is a welcome change after a 2021 season marred by costly missed field goals by other Lion kickers.
Of all the nominees, Rourke probably has the best chance of winning the Most Outstanding Canadian award. I still lean toward him as Most Outstanding Player but Zach Collaros will probably take that one. Winnipeg receiver Dalton Schoen should be a unanimous pick for top rookie. The West special teams nomination will probably go to Winnipeg returner Janarion Grant but Whyte and Calgary kicker Rene Paredes are both worthy contenders, while top lineman will likely be decided between Calgary's Derek Dennis and Winnipeg's Stanley Bryant. Here is the full list of nominees from all 9 teams:
Team nominations for the annual CFL Awards are out, and not surprisingly Nathan Rourke was selected by local members of the Football Reporters of Canada as the Lions' nominee for Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian. I was stunned, though, that he wasn't a unanimous selection for either category. I'd love to hear the justification from any local media members who voted for someone else in those categories.
Here is the Lions' full list of nominees:
Player: Nathan Rourke
Defensive: Garry Peters
Canadian: Nathan Rourke
Offensive lineman: Joel Figueroa
Special teams: Sean Whyte
Rookie: Emmanuel Rugamba
I agree with all of the selections. It's nice to see Joel Figueroa play a full season without being hampered injuries for a change. He has anchored a solid O-line, and the team's rushing and sack statistics show it. Garry Peters is an underappreciated shutdown corner. I thought he had an outstanding 2021 season but he failed to make an interception despite numerous chances. This year he leads the team with 5 picks. Manny Rugamba was one of three rookie DBs to shine in training camp. He got his break due to injury to another rookie, Quincy Mauger, and he has been a starter ever since, allowing Loucheiz Purifoy to take on a leadership role in the secondary as safety. Sean Whyte, of course, is Sean Whyte. He is 33 of 36 (a league-leading 91.7%) on field goals, which is a welcome change after a 2021 season marred by costly missed field goals by other Lion kickers.
Of all the nominees, Rourke probably has the best chance of winning the Most Outstanding Canadian award. I still lean toward him as Most Outstanding Player but Zach Collaros will probably take that one. Winnipeg receiver Dalton Schoen should be a unanimous pick for top rookie. The West special teams nomination will probably go to Winnipeg returner Janarion Grant but Whyte and Calgary kicker Rene Paredes are both worthy contenders, while top lineman will likely be decided between Calgary's Derek Dennis and Winnipeg's Stanley Bryant. Here is the full list of nominees from all 9 teams:
In perspective. Collaros has played 7 more games than Rourke and only has 1000 more yards passing.
(source CFL.CA stats)
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:44 pm
by Pratzy
If Nathan cooks on Friday, he might have a chance at MOP
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 1:30 pm
by David
Interesting. I had all of these selections except one. I actually didn't have Peters as my Defensive choice. That went to Obum Gwacham (with Williams as my 2nd choice). Peters has been really good this year (with perhaps the exception of last week) so I don't have a problem with it.
If Nathan cooks on Friday, he might have a chance at MOP
My guess is that Rourke will play 1 quarter or maybe 20 min, with the first team O and then he and several vets will be rested. Getting Rourke a MOP is not the objective and it shouldn't be, especially since there is a lot of politicking among the news media voters: "you vote for me fav guy and I will then vote for your fav guy".
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 4:15 pm
by Coast Mountain Lion
Great to see Rourke nominated for MOP. But considering he's played half the season, could a case have been made for nominating Dominique Rhymes (second in league in receiving yards - by 11 yards - and third in receptions) instead?
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2022 10:09 am
by B.C.FAN
Nathan Rourke has been selected as West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian, where he will be up against Argo receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Most of the nominations were widely predicted. The only surprise to me was the West Division nomination of Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford as special teams player.
Nathan Rourke has been selected as West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian, where he will be up against Argo receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Most of the nominations were widely predicted. The only surprise to me was the West Division nomination of Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford as special teams player.
Gittens vs Rourke looks winnable for the latter but in the overall scheme of things, I suspect Rourke wouldn't mind not winning this year as it's not like he just had a single great year like a REC can have as next year his QB doesn't get him the touches like a Gittens can experience.
Would love to see Tyson Philpot (MTL) win but Dalton Shoen (WPG) will be hard to beat for rookie.
What I like on the TSN broadcasts from the likes of Forde and others how much it seems they highlight our Canadians here.
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:44 pm
by B.C.FAN
Nathan Rourke has won the CFL Award as Most Outstanding Canadian, taking 41 votes.
Outgoing team president Rick LeLacheur received the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award, chosen by the commissioner. That’s a well-deserved honour for a team executive who came out of retirement to join the Lions, then extended his stay to oversee the ownership transition.
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:55 pm
by TheLionKing
Good on Nathan
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 12:17 pm
by Toppy Vann
Deserved award that could only have been sweeter if not for injury that very well could have Nathan Rourke a winner of most outstanding player and in Regina to play in this year's Grey Cup game.
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 12:38 am
by Robbie
The actual CFL Award presentation to Nathan Rourke for Most Outstanding Canadian.
As an aside, times have changed big time compared to when Schenley sponsored the CFL awards. I posted it once before and I'll post it again of the 1985 Schenley Awards with Mervyn Fernandez winning the biggest award. Things were much more formal back then with everyone wearing tuxedos and Fernandez hoisting a large, golden trophy.
Re: CFL Awards
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:16 pm
by Toppy Vann
Robbie brings back the memories of a more highfalutin ceremony when it was the Schenley awards. Schenley became synonymous with the CFL awards unlike now. I tried to find if this was televised this year and only ended up seeing it on you tube.
This story titled "They will always be the Schenleys to me" is how I think of the awards. Now it's nameless.
It's too bad they didn't find a way to keep the name on it as it became like the name "Stanley Cup". No one named Stanley pays for that.
"Schenley’s sponsorship of the awards ended following the 1988 season and sponsorship has been sporadic ever since. They were known as “The Truckies” for a spell when GMC Trucks sponsored the awards from 1991-1993 and in 2019 they were the Shaw CFL Awards — but many of us will always refer to them as the Schenleys."
They should name them The Jackie Parker Awards. Parker (Ole' Spaghetti Legs) was a QB, WR, RB, DB, Kicker, and as such was probably the best all round multi position player ever in the CFL and would of course provide a nice connection to the CFL's past.
Robbie brings back the memories of a more highfalutin ceremony when it was the Schenley awards. Schenley became synonymous with the CFL awards unlike now. I tried to find if this was televised this year and only ended up seeing it on you tube.
This story titled "They will always be the Schenleys to me" is how I think of the awards. Now it's nameless.
It's too bad they didn't find a way to keep the name on it as it became like the name "Stanley Cup". No one named Stanley pays for that.
"Schenley’s sponsorship of the awards ended following the 1988 season and sponsorship has been sporadic ever since. They were known as “The Truckies” for a spell when GMC Trucks sponsored the awards from 1991-1993 and in 2019 they were the Shaw CFL Awards — but many of us will always refer to them as the Schenleys."
Thanks for the link, Toppy Vann.
Regarding the golden trophy awarded by Schenley, as good as it is I don't think the trophy was for keeps the winners as the trophy is displayed at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame museum. I wonder if the winners got a replica for keeps - similar to the NHL individual award trophies.
And the CFL individual award trophies have changed throughout the years but have maintained the same format in that the trophy itself a generic one for each award winner and unless you look at the inscription of the base, you cannot tell which award the winner received.
Who thinks the current CFL individual award trophy looks rather plain?
If so, then do you think the previous half maple leaf design or the tackling players design look better?
What definitely differs from the golden trophy awarded by the Schenleys is that the trophy is definitely for keeps for the winner.
