Canadian Football Hall of Fame - Class of 2019

[lion24]

Swervin Mervyn was the reason i became a Lions fan when i was young and it makes me wonder what his numbers would have been over a full CFL career. He was incredible with YAC and pretty much uncoverable. To me the Lions have had two players who probably shouldn't have ever been in the CFL as the NFL blew it, Fernandez and Cam Wake but the years we got them were incredibly dominant years.

[David]

It's funny the things that stick with you. But I distinctly recall this amazing Merv Fernandez punt return back on July 25, 1982, his rookie season, in front of 28,329 sun-drenched fans at Empire Stadium.

It has turned out to be one of the greatest plays in Lions' history.


DH

[Sir Purrcival]

I remember listening to that one on the radio. I think it was the first time the Lions had beaten the Esks in like 5 years. I think the crowd continually cheered for the last 5 mins of the game.

[Hambone]

Swervin Mervyn was the reason i became a Lions fan when i was young and it makes me wonder what his numbers would have been over a full CFL career. He was incredible with YAC and pretty much uncoverable. To me the Lions have had two players who probably shouldn't have ever been in the CFL as the NFL blew it, Fernandez and Cam Wake but the years we got them were incredibly dominant years.

The NFL didn't blow it with Merv. He came to the CFL in 1982, a year before he would be eligible to play in the NFL. The Raiders did draft him in 1983 but he was already under contract to BC. He must have signed an extension in BC somewhere along the way but in those days there wasn't the abyss between CFL and NFL money as we see today. With no cap and a fairly full BC Place the Lions could have been more than competitive with the Raiders' initial overtures.

In Wake's case I think it was that as a product of Penn State aka Linebacker U the NFL looked at him strictly as a linebacker. They scouted him as a LB and the Giants worked him out as a LB at some mini-camps before releasing him. I don't know if Buono signed him thinking LB, rush end or if the potential to switch from LB to RE didn't happen until early in that first training camp. His success here definitely opened up some NFL eyes to him being something more than a LB although if memory serves me correctly in his first year or so in Miami he usually lined up as a LB in a 3-4.

[Robbie]

I think there are a few reasons why the 1994 Grey Cup Champion Lions are so much more fondly remembered than the 2000 edition.

I suppose the fact that 1994 Grey Cup win was played at home had a lot to do with it, as was the 2011 win. And another huge similarity is that it was consolation for the city of Vancouver having just lost a championship a few months earlier. The 2011 edition involved a huge turnaround after a 0-5 and 1-6 records. But despite the turnaround as well as a home WDF win, I would go as far as saying that the 1994 GC run and win is still slightly more exciting than the 2011 GC run and win.

Second, the game against Calgary was epic. 14 point underdogs. Flutie vs. Flutie. Snow. Buzzer beating heroics. Advancing to a Grey Cup at home.

I wonder what the odds were in the 2000 WDF. The Lions had a losing record on the road, against season MOP Dickenson. But the Lions rose to the occasion especially their defence by forcing six turnovers and jumped to an early and huge lead and never looking back for a convincingly 37-23 win. I stated before I consider that one of the most underrated and underappreciated playoff win, so that's one of the reasons I used my avatar for that.

Third, the 1994 Grey Gup. Home game. Lui kicks a walk off field goal to win. American team defeated.

I wonder which team most Lions supported in the 1995 Grey Cup. I suppose it's hard to cheer for huge divisional rival at the time led by a quarterback who bolted for a rival. On the other hand, at least one Stallion went on to join the Lions and made an immediately and huge impact in 2000: Robert Drummond.

The run and eventual championship in 2000 didn't have anywhere near that amount of drama. The game was close, and Montreal came within a 2 point convert of sending it to overtime, but that still pales in comparison to the finish of the 1994 Grey Cup.

And I guess in the 1994 GC the Lions had to fight back from deficits of 14-3 and 20-10 winning in the end. While in 2000 GC the Lions never trailed and while the game was close at certain points, the Lions were in full-control for the most part and were clearly the better team.

------------------------------
Speaking of Mervyn Fernandez, here's another picture of him after the 1985 GC. I may have posted this before.

The fact that he's shirtless seems to imply that he played in the game and then took off his uniform and was about to hit the showers. Now obviously, he didn't play and he was wearing street clothes. Nobody else seems to be shirtless. I wonder when and why he took off his shirt. Perhaps after somebody poured champagne on him.

[Toppy Vann]

2000 GC win vs 1994 GC win where 94 is more memorable because:

> the WDF was my most memorable Lion game ever (even though it was on TV).

From a football tactics perspective it had it all.

> Stamps with a 39 yd FG attempt up 36-31 and BC with WR Ray Alexander there to jump for the block attempt (successful) is massive. Option punt and hope for a single or lousy return as it's icy by then.

> Lions with 1.25 on the clock at their 43 yd win with a TD ... it doesn't get better than that.

Set up for a home GC game where fans like me were there chomping at the bit for a W when it seemed impossible.



That blocked FG and then the final 1.25 goes for 8 minutes of nail biting tension. Even today when it's the final play for the TD and Cuthbert asks Dan Kepley for a play I still recall my exact words to the TV lol. Kepley says Flutie the target and everyone knows including Calgary and adds something like 'if worse comes to worse, McManus on a draw' I was saying NOOO... he's too slow.... haha


"Memories of Ritchie, Flutie and a stunning 1994 West final upset for B.C.

Province reporter Kent Spencer was in Calgary 22 years ago for the B.C. Lions' thrilling 37-36 victory over the Stampeders in the West Division final. The Lions are once again a heavy underdog as Sunday's winner heads to the Grey Cup.

KENT SPENCER Updated: November 20, 2016"

"My son confessed recently to having seeing it 30 times; I have maybe seen it 10 times."

https://vancouversun.com/sports/footbal ... et-for-b-c