Eastern Final, November 20, 2011 Vegas Odds and Comments

[WestCoastJoe]

Vegas has large spreads on the games this week ...

They seem to have the games about right.

Edmonton could surprise Hamilton.

B.C. could surprise Calgary.

Winnipeg might beat the spread.

But overall the odds look about right to me.

[WestCoastJoe]

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG
J. MESSAM 15 139 2 43
C. MCCARTY 5 61 0 53
R. RAY 3 16 0 14
K. JOSEPH 3 6 1 4

Wow. Break out game for Jerome Messam. All that talent states its case.

15 carries. 139 yards. Longest 43 yards. 2 Touch Downs.

One has to wonder if our Players' Council jumped a bit fast at urging Wally to send him packing. He must have ticked off someone on the Players' Council. But maybe he just wasn't ready to respect other players (Paris Jackson, et cetera) as is expected when he was here.

Whatever. He will likely do some more disruptive things eventually in Edmonton. It seems he gets blinded by his own talent at times, and that would be easy enough to do, with all the talent he has.

The CFL is funny in how teams can be dominant for a few games, then go in the tank for a few games, and then come out dominant again, as has happened with Edmonton. IMO part of it is because the teams all know each other so well. They have the book on each other. And teams make adjustments. And in pro sports teams are pretty good at turning the page, and starting over.

[B.C.FAN]

Messam has had two good games this year, both against Hamilton. He has 245 yards and a 7.7-yard average in those two games. Against the rest of the league, he has 284 yards and a 4.0-yard average. That says more about Hamilton than him.

[Rammer]

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG
J. MESSAM 15 139 2 43
C. MCCARTY 5 61 0 53
R. RAY 3 16 0 14
K. JOSEPH 3 6 1 4

Wow. Break out game for Jerome Messam. All that talent states its case.

15 carries. 139 yards. Longest 43 yards. 2 Touch Downs.

One has to wonder if our Players' Council jumped a bit fast at urging Wally to send him packing. He must have ticked off someone on the Players' Council. But maybe he just wasn't ready to respect other players (Paris Jackson, et cetera) as is expected when he was here.

Whatever. He will likely do some more disruptive things eventually in Edmonton. It seems he gets blinded by his own talent at times, and that would be easy enough to do, with all the talent he has.

The CFL is funny in how teams can be dominant for a few games, then go in the tank for a few games, and then come out dominant again, as has happened with Edmonton. IMO part of it is because the teams all know each other so well. They have the book on each other. And teams make adjustments. And in pro sports teams are pretty good at turning the page, and starting over.

Messam knows he is on the watch, if he messes up now I wonder if any team would want him even given his talent. During the game all I could think about was a 3rd round draft pick for the Lions....not sure that I would make that trade after last nights game. Funny though, Messam has only really been outstanding against the Tiger-Cats, I wonder if that is it for his large production now.

[WestCoastJoe]

Montreal, Regina, Winnipeg favoured. No line yet on Calgary vs Hamilton.

I would favour for betting purposes Edmonton, Regina and Winnipeg.

The Riders will be a tough challenge for us. We might slip a bit from our previous high level of performance.

[B.C.FAN]

This has been a season for road teams. The Riders and Stamps are 2-4 at home. The Lions are 2-3. I hope our new home is friendlier. I'll pick three road teams: Montreal, Winnipeg and B.C., and take Hamilton in the neutral-site game.

[notahomer]

This has been a season for road teams. The Riders and Stamps are 2-4 at home. The Lions are 2-3. I hope our new home is friendlier. I'll pick three road teams: Montreal, Winnipeg and B.C., and take Hamilton in the neutral-site game.

I like your first three picks but I'll take the Stamps in the neutral site game.....

[WestCoastJoe]

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/09/22 ... or-friday/

Lowell Ullrich picks 'em ...

The CFL becomes a four time-zone league for a weekend with the return of football to the far east. How about a four-win weekend for the Province picker? Cast your ballot or drop by to provincesports.com Friday at 2 p.m., to debate

FRIDAY
Montreal at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
Alarm bells have officially begun sounding with the Als, as coach Marc Trestman is asking for renewed commitment from his players. Montreal will have S.J. Green in the lineup to compliment Jamel Richardson, who was held under 100 yards receiving last week. But the Als only had one practice this week and hasn’t been sterling in the past under similar circumstances.
Edmonton played Calgary tough at home in its last game at Commonwealth Stadium and will have Jason Barnes back to work with Fred Stamps. Province pick: Eskimos.

SATURDAY
BC at Saskatchewan, 1 p.m,
It’s all Andy Fantuz, all the time in Regina, and the amusing part is that this is a team which was playing well lately before he got injured. But Ken Miller and the Riders are treating this game as a must-win contest. B.C. is tempting on the strength of its road win in Calgary, but a game at Mosaic Stadium is another matter. The Lions have lost three of their last four in Regina, not counting the playoff loss last year. Province pick: Riders.

Winnipeg at Toronto, 4 p.m.
Is this a classic trap game? Winnipeg is coming off a road win and certain confidence-builder in Montreal. Toronto is, well, Toronto. It’s just the kind of game that might gave done in the Bombers in the past. The Argos were close, losing 33-23, when the teams met at Rogers Centre in July, making a person think it’s just the kind of game the old Bombers would lose. These aren’t the old Bombers. Province pick: Winnipeg

SUNDAY
Calgary vs. Hamilton, 10 a.m.
So the Stampeders are playing a game in Moncton, N.B., as the league continues to whet the appetite of the Maritimes for another franchise. Home or away game for Calgary? Good or bad thing?
It’s technically the Ticats’ home contest, so perhaps that is a good sign for Calgary, which is 5-0 on the road but just plain B.C.-like at home. It’s more of the same for Hamilton too. After two poor performances, questions are again being asked of Kevin Glenn and Marcel Bellefeuille. Province pick: Stamps.
Last week: 1-3 Season record: 26-18

Good logic in Lowell's picks ... but this is the CFL after all. Anything can happen.

[notahomer]

Well, I did pick the Al's to win but not how they did. I thought this game would turn for the Green/Gold once Calvillo was knocked out (literally). But the Al's built a bigger lead and won quite easily, IMO. This is going to be a wild west ending to the season, IMO. If the Ticats can knock off the Stamps, even stickier. Lions really need this game against the Riders. Wow, we get all three division opponents in a three week span, who knows how it will turn out.

[notahomer]

Well Lowell and me both had a rough weekend. He went 0-4 but I only got the Lions/Riders game right. Big wins and surprises, IMO.....

[WestCoastJoe]

Well Lowell and me both had a rough weekend. He went 0-4 but I only got the Lions/Riders game right. Big wins and surprises, IMO.....

In the CFL, you might as well throw darts as to predict wins and losses. We'll keep on trying however.

[WestCoastJoe]

Vegas has the Lions favoured by 4.5, the Stampeders by 6, the TiCats by 4, and no line on the Alouettes at Winnipeg.

Take the Lions, Stampeders, TiCats and Bombers.

[TheLionKing]

Montreal

BC

Calgary

Hamilton

[notahomer]

Montreal, BC, Calgary and Ticats

Really the Stamps/Riders game and Ticats/Argos games seem kinda obvious. But Burris and his boys haven't looked great recently and who knows with the Argos. Never a sure bet in the CFL......

[WestCoastJoe]

September 30, 2011

Lowell Ullrich

Pick ‘em apart: Vol. 14

FRIDAY
Winnipeg at Montreal, 4:30 p.m.
Buck Pierce will have his streak of starts stopped at 12 straight for the Bombers, which is pretty good considering his medical history. But who will also be around him will not be a pretty sight, and doesn’t bode well for the future. Fred Reid is gone for the season. So is his backup, Carl Volny. Doug Brown won’t play again tonight. Pierce’s replacement? He’s baaaack: Michael Bishop returns. Province pick: Als

Edmonton at B.C., 7:30 p.m.
Ricky Ray remembers. “[B.C.] came to our place for our first game when we opened up our new locker room. This isn’t our place.” the Esks quarterback said in what shall likely not be remembered as the first interview given in the new B.C. Place Stadium.
The last time Edmonton played the Lions they did so with an Arena League receiving corps. Road work doesn’t seem to bother this team, or a few others in the league for that matter. You’re welcome, Wally. Province pick: Eskimos

SATURDAY
Saskatchewan at Calgary, 1 p.m.
The presser for these two coaches must have been a nightmare. John Hufnagel had to push back from his statement after last week’s whitewash to Hamilton that his team wasn’t mentally tough enough. Ken Miller was a grumpy grandpa when he let reporters have it for calling his team’s performance against the Lions flat, even though that was the term one of his players used afterward.
Which team will recover fastest? History is no help here: The teams are 1-1-1 in their last three at McMahon Stadium, so we’ll go with the chalk. Province pick: Stamps

Toronto at Hamilton, 4 p.m.
Why argue with a player when they’ve already guaranteed a win, as Toronto LB Ejiro Kuale did for this one after losing last week to Winnipeg. Sorry, gotta point out the obvious. Hamilton, which traded this week for Calgary DB Milton Collins, has the better quarterback in the game: Kevin Glenn threw for three touchdowns last week. Province pick: Ticats