Return of Mike Reilly and the Eskimos
Will the Lions put in a 60 minutes effort for their pissed off General Manager ?
Particularly looking forward to this game. Been invited as a guest for a reception before the game and a chance to meet Skulsky and perhaps a couple of players before going onto the field to take in the warm ups.
Eskimos vs. Lions Game Thread
Moderator: Team Captains
Can't recall the last time I've felt so little buzz for a Lions game. Surely before BCPII. At least for the meaningless closer last year vs Ssk we had a season-high crowd to add to the atmosphere, but we won't get even close to this tonight. Judging from the TM seat map, seems almost anyone with an upper deck ticket could have bought something comparable/cheaper in the lower bowl. Looks about 27k to me. And we prob get less again next week against Cgy if our back-to-back dropoff trend continues.
A mean-nothing (to the standings) game after 3 L's in a row, against a non-playoff team. Even this thread seems pretty quiet so far.
A mean-nothing (to the standings) game after 3 L's in a row, against a non-playoff team. Even this thread seems pretty quiet so far.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
It's just been an "off" year for the CFL. One team with too many wins, two teams with too few and 3 teams (Hamilton, Montreal, and yes folks, sadly, our Lions) that have just been kind of "mediocre." We've won our fair share of games but when we do lose, man, we go down in craptacular fashion in a heaping pile of flames. Let's be honest with ourselves too, even some of the scores in that sample size of "Ls" have flattered the Leos. Many were sizeable deficits for at least part of the game.
What were the CFL's storylines this year? Where was the drama and excitment? Most importantly, the parity? The only true passion league-wide this year seems to have come from fans railing against the quality of officiating - which at best can be called inconsistent, at worst, incompetent.
Our 2013 attendance average is 4th in the league at 29,004 which is higher than Calgary's at 28,712 (although they get the extra Rider game). Their attendance is somewhat disappointing considering their record and how exciting that team is to watch. The situation in Edmonton, while not surprising, is somewhat alarming in that attendance fell below 30,000 the last 4 home games. Their last home game against arch-rival Stampeders drew 27,633 - anyone who watched that game on TSN would know it was nowhere close to that number. In fact, if left Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones wondering whether they were counting heads or feet! As for Toronto, it's a lost cause - certainly in that stadium. 18,478 last night. Pathetic.
DH
What were the CFL's storylines this year? Where was the drama and excitment? Most importantly, the parity? The only true passion league-wide this year seems to have come from fans railing against the quality of officiating - which at best can be called inconsistent, at worst, incompetent.
Our 2013 attendance average is 4th in the league at 29,004 which is higher than Calgary's at 28,712 (although they get the extra Rider game). Their attendance is somewhat disappointing considering their record and how exciting that team is to watch. The situation in Edmonton, while not surprising, is somewhat alarming in that attendance fell below 30,000 the last 4 home games. Their last home game against arch-rival Stampeders drew 27,633 - anyone who watched that game on TSN would know it was nowhere close to that number. In fact, if left Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones wondering whether they were counting heads or feet! As for Toronto, it's a lost cause - certainly in that stadium. 18,478 last night. Pathetic.
DH
Roar, You Lions, Roar
The main storylines this year included too many star players, esp marquee QBs getting injured this year. Has anyone besides Henry Burris started all his team's games? Maybe Reilly but it's tough to notice with the largely woeful cast surrounding him. The guys who sell the most tickets are sitting out too many games. Chad Owens missed most of September on top of Ricky Ray. Mtl was already having injury troubles even before AC's concussion. We've missed Lulay, and not that he was a high profile guy, but the loss of Fabien was also a tough blow to what was already a vulnerable O line. Ssk had to do without Sheets for about a month and it showed in their performance. Even Cgy has had 3 QBs start and lost Nik Lewis for the season over two months ago.David wrote:It's just been an "off" year for the CFL. One team with too many wins, two teams with too few and 3 teams (Hamilton, Montreal, and yes folks, sadly, our Lions) that have just been kind of "mediocre." We've won our fair share of games but when we do lose, man, we go down in craptacular fashion in a heaping pile of flames. Let's be honest with ourselves too, even some of the scores in that sample size of "Ls" have flattered the Leos. Many were sizeable deficits for at least part of the game.
What were the CFL's storylines this year? Where was the drama and excitment? Most importantly, the parity? The only true passion league-wide this year seems to have come from fans railing against the quality of officiating - which at best can be called inconsistent, at worst, incompetent.
Our 2013 attendance average is 4th in the league at 29,004 which is higher than Calgary's at 28,712 (although they get the extra Rider game). Their attendance is somewhat disappointing considering their record and how exciting that team is to watch. The situation in Edmonton, while not surprising, is somewhat alarming in that attendance fell below 30,000 the last 4 home games. Their last home game against arch-rival Stampeders drew 27,633 - anyone who watched that game on TSN would know it was nowhere close to that number. In fact, if left Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones wondering whether they were counting heads or feet! As for Toronto, it's a lost cause - certainly in that stadium. 18,478 last night. Pathetic.
DH
Look at the offensive stats. Two weeks to go and there's only 2 RBs and 3 rec's over 1K yds. A handful more will get there before things wrap but you can't escape the feeling that there's a lack of offensive excitement across the board compared to years past. Maybe there's some post-100th GC hangover going on here, too? There was tons of feel-good run last year tied to the centennial — a tough act to follow.
It also makes for an unflattering comaprison when, at a time when the NHL has cut their games to well under three hours, barely 2h30 in some cases, CFL games are stretching to 3h+, no thanks to play reviews that are starting to become too frequent and too slow.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
sj-roc wrote:Can't recall the last time I've felt so little buzz for a Lions game. Surely before BCPII. At least for the meaningless closer last year vs Ssk we had a season-high crowd to add to the atmosphere, but we won't get even close to this tonight. Judging from the TM seat map, seems almost anyone with an upper deck ticket could have bought something comparable/cheaper in the lower bowl. Looks about 27k to me. And we prob get less again next week against Cgy if our back-to-back dropoff trend continues.
A mean-nothing (to the standings) game after 3 L's in a row, against a non-playoff team. Even this thread seems pretty quiet so far.
I feel like these is zero buzz from a crowd stanpoint) leading up to this game. I can (sadly) see a crowd of 25,000, tops.
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TheLionKing
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I think alot of fans have pretty well resigned to the fact the season will end in a couple of weeks.
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Dan_Payne_fan!!
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lets go boys finish these eskimos off and pick up some momentum for calgary! 
2012 Season Ticket Holder
Well I had to do my least favourite activity this afternoon at work, interviewing. Always lots of great candidates but usually, like today, only one position. We use a panel format so at least the actual yea/nay doesn't come down to me. So, a good football game will be a nice way to end my workweek......
Stopped off at Wendy's for my pre-game meal. A little cheaper and maybe, just maybe a tad healthier than stadium food but not by much. Went for the baked potato and the chili with EXTRA HOT SAUCE! Had a few extra minutes to kill before the stadium opened so I popped into the library for one last snoop on what may have come up on Lionbackers before the game....
I wonder if the Lions have a group pre-game meal. I enjoyed the meal we had on Operation Orange but you have to think they do something similar here? Maybe its catered by the Dome? I sent this question into the Off the Gridiron show.....
I like what I heard from Wally. I like what I heard from Coach B. I like what I heard from Vets, like Marsh and Banks. Now enough about what I heard. I want to spend the weekend RAVING about what I SAW! Let me hear an LU podcast jabbering about how this was a different Lions team etc... I watched the last Lions win in person. It was the big blue/gold blowout in Manitoba. 53-17, IIRC. I don't normally want to see blowouts but I'd be happy to sit through a Lions dominated one tonight..... LETS GO LIONS!!!
Stopped off at Wendy's for my pre-game meal. A little cheaper and maybe, just maybe a tad healthier than stadium food but not by much. Went for the baked potato and the chili with EXTRA HOT SAUCE! Had a few extra minutes to kill before the stadium opened so I popped into the library for one last snoop on what may have come up on Lionbackers before the game....
I wonder if the Lions have a group pre-game meal. I enjoyed the meal we had on Operation Orange but you have to think they do something similar here? Maybe its catered by the Dome? I sent this question into the Off the Gridiron show.....
I like what I heard from Wally. I like what I heard from Coach B. I like what I heard from Vets, like Marsh and Banks. Now enough about what I heard. I want to spend the weekend RAVING about what I SAW! Let me hear an LU podcast jabbering about how this was a different Lions team etc... I watched the last Lions win in person. It was the big blue/gold blowout in Manitoba. 53-17, IIRC. I don't normally want to see blowouts but I'd be happy to sit through a Lions dominated one tonight..... LETS GO LIONS!!!
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TheLionKing
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That was a ***/way to start a game
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TheLionKing
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Como on Gore, you got to catch that one
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TheLionKing
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At this rate Bowman is going to have 100 yards in the 1 st quartet
