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Adding to the plot is Dickenson has NEVER won at Mosiac Field since arriving in B.C. in 2003.

Nope....another defense that has crowded our intermediate passing game and their defense has always played tougher at home!

I just couldn't figure out why so many in the media picked the Stamps to win the West. There were question marks surrounding Creehan's (overrated) defence at the end of last season and I don't exactly see where they addressed any of them. Their two biggest FA signings were receivers

Me neither! I said, in the off-season, they should have kept Burratto and fired Creehan. He's an idiot. Just watch him on the sidelines! Cortez is learning, that like Damon Allan, Henry Burris can make any offensive system look bad at times. I watched Cortez on the sidelines talking to Burris and he was clearly frustrated with him!!

Adding to the plot is Dickenson has NEVER won at Mosiac Field since arriving in B.C. in 2003.

Nope....another defense that has crowded our intermediate passing game and their defense has always played tougher at home!

I just couldn't figure out why so many in the media picked the Stamps to win the West. There were question marks surrounding Creehan's (overrated) defence at the end of last season and I don't exactly see where they addressed any of them. Their two biggest FA signings were receivers

Me neither! I said, in the off-season, they should have kept Burratto and fired Creehan. He's an idiot. Just watch him on the sidelines! Cortez is learning, that like Damon Allan, Henry Burris can make any offensive system look bad at times. I watched Cortez on the sidelines talking to Burris and he was clearly frustrated with him!!

Well my first reaction to the Green Riders pounding the flashy, cocky Stamps is surprise. The Stamps got a lot of publicity and hype in the media about how good they would be this year.

But on second thought, it has always seemed to me that Eric Tillman knows what he is doing. Kent Austin looks like a very astute pick as coach.

Just looking at how Austin interacted with the players on the sideline and how the team played with passion, it seems they could be very good this year.

Kerry Joseph can be very tough to contain. And Marcus Crandell can be effective as well.

The Riders always play BC tough, and that little field of theirs is not a friendly environment.

Should be a good game. Bring it on.

On another issue, it will be very annoying if the league suspends Rob Murphy when the Eskimos started the whole damn thing in the press and were at least as involved as Murphy in, as John Madden would say about pileups, etc. "giving him the business under there."

terencius wrote:

Adding to the plot is Dickenson has NEVER won at Mosiac Field since arriving in B.C. in 2003.

It's been a graveyard for Lions teams in recent years. The lone win was an improbable comeback in ’05 with Buck replacing Printers. He nearly did it again last season in the OT loss.

Wally should be well aware of the recent history and better have a short leash for DD if he struggles there again ... not make the change with the game all but out of reach.

I just couldn't figure out why so many in the media picked the Stamps to win the West. There were question marks surrounding Creehan's (overrated) defence at the end of last season and I don't exactly see where they addressed any of them. Their two biggest FA signings were receivers.

Should be a great Game, best of luck to the Lions, and their fans, coming into a hostile and loud Mosaic Stadia at Taylor field.

Should be a great game.

Let's see if the Lions can figure out the silent snap count...

The biggest concern for me and why I believe DD has struggled at Taylor Field is the wind, that is somewhat of a constant playing there.

DD struggles throwing into the wind because he doesn't have great arm strength to begin with (seems to be even less in 2007) and IMHO, if there is an appreciable wind Friday night, then Buck should start.

Shi Zi Mi wrote:The biggest concern for me and why I believe DD has struggled at Taylor Field is the wind, that is somewhat of a constant playing there.

DD struggles throwing into the wind because he doesn't have great arm strength to begin with (seems to be even less in 2007) and IMHO, if there is an appreciable wind Friday night, then Buck should start.

DD also mentioned that last year the crowning of the field was the first he noticed it, and it is a rather large crown on Taylor Field, as IR. But the thought of BP playing sooner than later isn't a bad idea, but I am not sure that I would start BP, but have him know that DD has to be within a TD or he is in.

I would give DD no more than a half a dozen series to prove he has figured out the Mosiac Field demons. As good as our defence is, you can only ask them for so long to keep them in the game.

He mentioned this morning he is well aware of his shortcomings there and wants to finally deliver a big performance. But we have seen him go in there on fire before (week 2 a year ago) and be brought back down to earth in a hurry.
And now he heads there with a scheme he is still trying to get comfortable with. Buck has looked very good in his two Mosiac Field appearances and Wally better have his hook near by.

Not saying Dave won't have a good game Friday, but knowing his inability to win (not to mention finish) in Mosaic, one would think that Buck would have seen some of playing time Friday night with the game out of reach. This would have served to get him acclimated to game speed in anticipation of a possible relief appearance against the Riders.

Granted, we ran the ball most of the fourth quarter, but I think that was as much to protect DD's backside than to run down the clock.

DH 8)

Perhaps it was having Eskinator sit next to me at the home opener or who knows what but ....

I do know one thing. Regardless of which team you cheer for, next Friday night should be fun for a CFL fan!!!

All in all, both teams look pretty evenly matched at the moment. The one issue that is in the Riders favour will be in the scrambling ability of Kerry Joseph. It will be a tough job to contain him for an entire game so it will fall to the front line to put pressure on him from all sides all night. If you can do that, you may force him to throw early and in the past, KJ hasn't been the most consistent. When he is on, he can kill you, but when he is off, he can hurt his own side just as bad.

Shi Zi Mi wrote:The biggest concern for me and why I believe DD has struggled at Taylor Field is the wind, that is somewhat of a constant playing there.

DD struggles throwing into the wind because he doesn't have great arm strength to begin with (seems to be even less in 2007) and IMHO, if there is an appreciable wind Friday night, then Buck should start.

i agree with shi zi mi!!!!!!!!!!! if the wind is blowing , good luck winning if dd stays in to long.
Cant wait until buck gets his chance to show how good our offence should be!

IMHO, the "short leash" approach with DD is detrimental to his performance and psyche........better to prepare him/both well in advance, that if the wind is significant, then Buck starts.

SammyGreene wrote:Adding to the plot is Dickenson has NEVER won at Mosiac Field since arriving in B.C. in 2003.

It's been a graveyard for Lions teams in recent years. The lone win was an improbable comeback in ’05 with Buck replacing Printers. He nearly did it again last season in the OT loss.

Wally should be well aware of the recent history and better have a short leash for DD if he struggles there again ... not make the change with the game all but out of reach.

I just couldn't figure out why so many in the media picked the Stamps to win the West. There were question marks surrounding Creehan's (overrated) defence at the end of last season and I don't exactly see where they addressed any of them. Their two biggest FA signings were receivers.

I was at Mosaic for the last Lions/Riders match up. If we take away an incredibly juvenile and ridiculous coaching decision, the above post would not be relevant! :lol:

This will be a monster game and I fully expect DD to show up big-time.

The Riders will face the best D in the league and this will be the game that the offence starts to gel. I pity Hamilton next week.