Stamps @ Lions Game Day Thread, August 17, 2013

[TheLionKing]

Pivotal game for the Lions.

Will the fans see the return of JacquesBall or more of the same Chapball or even CrapBall ?

[David]

Absolutely MASSIVE game tonight. A "must see" game for football fans.

Lots of hype, and plenty of Lions "dignitaries" on hand - Joe and Willie, Brent and Jason (with a little Carl Kidd thrown in for good measure). But enough with the phony platitudes about the Stamps and the gimmicky music through loud speakers at practice. It's time to let the players play!

Who will prevail? The Stamps are the best CFL team so far. But will they be able to bring the same emotion tonight after such a big win at home against their rivals from Saskatchewan?

The Leos have had 12 days to scout, scheme, and prepare, but will they come out slow and rusty - which has been their calling card this season?

A win and the Leos are possibly in a 3-way tie for first. Lose, and they're mired in 3rd place at 4-3, which will very difficult to climb out of. And how, exactly, does the club sell a 3rd place team to a fickle fan base?

For kicks and grins, I am wondering which event comes first this season: a 300-yard passing game from Travis, or a 30,000+ attendance at BC Place?


DH

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

gotta get loud for our boys on D [video][/video]

[PigSkin_53]

Pivotal game for the Lions.

Will the fans see the return of JacquesBall or more of the same Chapball or even CrapBall ?

Agreed TLK...but aren't you loading the question a bit here?

At the risk of the reaction this might evoke @ lionbackers.com, what worries me more is Jacques mindset at this critical juncture in our season

Let us hope he will return to GC '11 sensibilities...if not we have a real problem my friend

[SammyGreene]

Can't remember the last time a game in mid-August felt like a playoff game but this one does. Really looking forward to this one as it will answer a lot of questions about this year's team. It's put up or shut up time for the Lions as they can't offer up any more excuses if the Stamps beat them for the 4th straight time.

For kicks and grins, I am wondering which event comes first this season: a 300-yard passing game from Travis, or a 30,000+ attendance at BC Place?


DH

Interesting call David. I would go with the Lulay 300 game as that has to happen sooner or later. Calgary for whatever reason has always been our worst draw as a Western rival (last year's 1st place showdown in fricken October only drew 31,000). But hopefully the fans have paid attention to the standings and the fact there are just few marquee games at BC Place this season with the lack of parity in the league.

[Blitz]

Can't remember the last time a game in mid-August felt like a playoff game but this one does. Really looking forward to this one as it will answer a lot of questions about this year's team. It's put up or shut up time for the Lions as they can't offer up any more excuses if the Stamps beat them for the 4th straight time.

For kicks and grins, I am wondering which event comes first this season: a 300-yard passing game from Travis, or a 30,000+ attendance at BC Place?


DH

Interesting call David. I would go with the Lulay 300 game as that has to happen sooner or later. Calgary for whatever reason has always been our worst draw as a Western rival (last year's 1st place showdown in fricken October only drew 31,000). But hopefully the fans have paid attention to the standings and the fact there are just few marquee games at BC Place this season with the lack of parity in the league.

I'm really hoping that this is a game in which Travis Lulay really can break out.

We have all kinds of stars on our Leos from Andrew Harris, Arsenault, Olifoye, Keron Williams, Korey Banks, Sol E, Adam Bighill, and Dante Marsh but Travis Lulay is the face of our Leos franchise right now.

Lulay is a highly paid quarterback and with his salary of $450,000 he is paid to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He is not right now. Dispite a few posters entertaining the notion a few weeks back that Lulay could be a starting NFL quarterback the fact is that Lulay right now in 2013 is only an average quarterback in comparison with his CFL peers.

Lulay is fifth in quarterback efficiency, 5th in passing percentage, and fifth in average yards per pass. Even though I *beeotch* about Chap's regression regarding our offensive scheme and play calling the fact is that Lulay has a better scheme to work with than Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, or Jackson ever did. Lulay has a very talented group of receivers to throw to. Our offensive line blocking has been better than we ever game to our previous quarterbacks in the Buono era. And to boot, Lulay has the best receiver as a tailback we have had in decades.

We all like Lulay. He is huble,, hard working, intelligent, and very likeable. However, this is pro football and not a congeniality contest. Personally I care a lot less about likeability in pro football than effectiveness. This is not amateur football - the bottom line is winning.

Travis has been inconsistent and he needs to take a step up. This is the game that I hope he can perform at his best - throwing and running - being the double threat presence who can elevate our offence. Our passing game is not where it should be and Lulay is an integral part of that equation. To win tonite we need a very good performance from Travis Lulay.

[David]

I agree with this assessment. I would say Travis has been inconsistent this season. He threaded the needle in the endzone to Korey Williams last game (credit to Williams too for a superb TD catch), but there were also large stretches of the Winnipeg game when our drives kept stalling.

My worst fear was realized last night. It was a good opportunity to measure our constipated offense as Hamilton played that same Winnipeg defense. And Henry Burris was able to shred them. Perhaps not the whole game, but he nearly threw for as many passing yards in the first half as Travis threw the whole game the previous week!

Lots of screens and draws early on to counteract the Bombers' aggressive 4 man rush, and Burris liberally tossed 20 to 30 yard strikes with pinpoint accuracy by leading his receivers (Ellingson impressed me greatly).



DH

[B.C.FAN]

Burris has been playing great football in Hamilton. The team's problem is not lack of offence. I looked at Hamilton's performance against the Bombers as a bit of a measuring stick but it may be an unfair comparison. The Bombers blitzed more against Hamilton, bringing seven players on occasion, which they didn't do at all against the Lions. The Ticats hit their running back several times in man coverage. The Bombers didn't give the Lions that luxury last game. They blitzed four times (bringing six players each time) and the Lions completed passes against each blitz.

Lulay is clearly in the upper echelon of CFL quarterbacks but he has much less experience than the others in that group. His MOP season in 2011 raised the bar of expectations, but he is still developing. His completion percentage, touchdown percentage and efficiency rating are generally improving each year, and he has had much greater success completing the long pass this year. His rushing totals and average rush (8.4 yards) are on pace for career highs. I see him continuing to improve this year and in the coming years as long as he remains healthy.

[David]

Interesting call David. I would go with the Lulay 300 game as that has to happen sooner or later. Calgary for whatever reason has always been our worst draw as a Western rival (last year's 1st place showdown in fricken October only drew 31,000). But hopefully the fans have paid attention to the standings and the fact there are just few marquee games at BC Place this season with the lack of parity in the league.

It's going to be close SammyGreene. Looking at the TicketMaster seating chart, the 3 section Family Zone up top ($25 per ticket, all in) is virtually sold out - roughly 1,500 seats. I would say at least 2,500 seats have been sold up top so far.

Down below, it's mostly just singles between the goallines. The overpriced end zones and corners are about 65% sold through (the West end zone always sells better than the East). Not certain of the Lower Bowl capacity, but I'd estimate about 26,000 tickets sold there + 2,500 up top = 28,500 (before noon).


DH

[MexicoLionFan]

Can't remember the last time a game in mid-August felt like a playoff game but this one does. Really looking forward to this one as it will answer a lot of questions about this year's team. It's put up or shut up time for the Lions as they can't offer up any more excuses if the Stamps beat them for the 4th straight time.

For kicks and grins, I am wondering which event comes first this season: a 300-yard passing game from Travis, or a 30,000+ attendance at BC Place?


DH

Interesting call David. I would go with the Lulay 300 game as that has to happen sooner or later. Calgary for whatever reason has always been our worst draw as a Western rival (last year's 1st place showdown in fricken October only drew 31,000). But hopefully the fans have paid attention to the standings and the fact there are just few marquee games at BC Place this season with the lack of parity in the league.

I'm really hoping that this is a game in which Travis Lulay really can break out.

We have all kinds of stars on our Leos from Andrew Harris, Arsenault, Olifoye, Keron Williams, Korey Banks, Sol E, Adam Bighill, and Dante Marsh but Travis Lulay is the face of our Leos franchise right now.

Lulay is a highly paid quarterback and with his salary of $450,000 he is paid to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He is not right now. Dispite a few posters entertaining the notion a few weeks back that Lulay could be a starting NFL quarterback the fact is that Lulay right now in 2013 is only an average quarterback in comparison with his CFL peers.

Lulay is fifth in quarterback efficiency, 5th in passing percentage, and fifth in average yards per pass. Even though I *beeotch* about Chap's regression regarding our offensive scheme and play calling the fact is that Lulay has a better scheme to work with than Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, or Jackson ever did. Lulay has a very talented group of receivers to throw to. Our offensive line blocking has been better than we ever game to our previous quarterbacks in the Buono era. And to boot, Lulay has the best receiver as a tailback we have had in decades.

We all like Lulay. He is huble,, hard working, intelligent, and very likeable. However, this is pro football and not a congeniality contest. Personally I care a lot less about likeability in pro football than effectiveness. This is not amateur football - the bottom line is winning.

Travis has been inconsistent and he needs to take a step up. This is the game that I hope he can perform at his best - throwing and running - being the double threat presence who can elevate our offence. Our passing game is not where it should be and Lulay is an integral part of that equation. To win tonite we need a very good performance from Travis Lulay.

One might see this as "tough love" but I agree 100%...whether this is the Chapdelaine factor or not, we need more from Lulay...the only thing I would offer up Blitz in Lulay's defence, is that the one game where he took over from Chaps and controlled the "game plan" by running the ball a lot (the rain storm in EDM) Lulay was very good (2nd half). Thus, a lot of Lulay's problems could be pinned directly to Chapdelaine. Its one thing to have all this talent around you, but if you are NOT put in a possession to get them the ball in stride, then its pretty difficult to rise above. Certainly on the deep balls, Lulay is his own worst enemy.

We will see what tonight brings, but Lulay must outplay journeyman Kevin Glenn if we have any hope of winning.

[WestCoastJoe]

Burris has been playing great football in Hamilton. The team's problem is not lack of offence. I looked at Hamilton's performance against the Bombers as a bit of a measuring stick but it may be an unfair comparison. The Bombers blitzed more against Hamilton, bringing seven players on occasion, which they didn't do at all against the Lions. The Ticats hit their running back several times in man coverage. The Bombers didn't give the Lions that luxury last game. They blitzed four times (bringing six players each time) and the Lions completed passes against each blitz.

Lulay is clearly in the upper echelon of CFL quarterbacks but he has much less experience than the others in that group. His MOP season in 2011 raised the bar of expectations, but he is still developing. His completion percentage, touchdown percentage and efficiency rating are generally improving each year, and he has had much greater success completing the long pass this year. His rushing totals and average rush (8.4 yards) are on pace for career highs. I see him continuing to improve this year and in the coming years as long as he remains healthy.

I see it more this way, as BCFAN sees it. Glass half full. Not glass half empty.

Not speaking for BCFAN, but I ask: Where would our offence be without Lulay? How would Tate, or Glenn or Mitchell, or Durant or Ray be doing in our offence?

Defences are doing very detailed, very well designed game plans to stop Lulay. And to stop Harris.

I see our O Line and our D Line as being nowhere near the top level in the CFL thus far. Stampeders and Riders have been getting far superior O Line performance IMO. And our D Line has been very far beneath the level we have come to expect.

Just IMO ...

[vanhalendlrband]

It looks like they've sold more since noon when the last post mentioned.

Only one section is in dark blue with lots of tickets, half the stadium that they're seeling tickets in or more so are light blue and the 25 dollar tickets are grayed out now and i think soldout. The upper bowl was all dark blue just a few days ago and now all almost light blue. I really think they are going to crack 30,000 tonight maybe even hit higher into the 33-34 range (pushing it a bit maybe).

Either way it looks like its definitely going to be the highest attended game of the year and its going to be a battle for the ages.

I think we will see growth again once Ottawa comes back. Also i haven't been to a game yet this year due to having much needed student issues to take care of and just haven't had the money yet but i will make it in the later games i'm sure.

[WestCoastJoe]

Gunmetal black unis. Cool. Make a difference?

[TheLionKing]

Interesting colours that's for sure

[TheLionKing]

Impressive drive