CFL West

Canada's version of the Super Bowl takes place in Toronto on Sunday night, as the Calgary Stampeders will take on the Toronto Argonauts at 6 p.m ET. 

Though both squads finished second in their respected divisions, their tough play down the stretch was enough to clinch a Grey Cup appearance.

You're more likely to know who Peyton Manning or Tom Brady is, which is why I'm here to provide you with a few players to watch in this game.

Jon Cornish, Calgary, RB

Cornish is having his most productive season of his six with the Stampeders.

This season, Cornish has rushed for 1,457 yards and 11 TDs, which is two more touchdowns than he recorded last season for Calgary, according to the Stampeders official website.

A double threat, Cornish also boasts 38 receptions out of the backfield for 338 yards and two touchdowns, which is something the Argonauts will need to key in on.

Chad Owens, Toronto, WR

Wideout Chad Owens is closing in on a 100-reception season if he has a big game in the Grey Cup.

As the Argonauts website posts, Owens has recorded 94 receptions this season for 1,328 yards and six touchdowns, which is quite impressive.

What's even more impressive is Owens' kick-return skills, as he's averaging 22.4 yards per return in 2012.

If Owens has a successful Grey Cup, perhaps the New York Jets may want to look into this guy.

Nik Lewis, Calgary, WR

Another player the Jets could use is Nik Lewis, who has been an absolute beast for Calgary this season.

Calgary's official site tells us that Lewis has 100 catches for 1,241 yards and an astounding 10 touchdowns this season, only adding to a powerful Stampeders offense.

All around, it's been a career year for Lewis, who is looking to complete this season with a championship.

Ricky Ray, Toronto, QB

Ricky Ray could probably start for a handful of NFL teams.

If his 68.6-percent completion percentage isn't impressive enough, maybe his 4,059 yards and 20 touchdowns are (h/t Toronto Argonaut website).

While Ray has had much better seasons in his career,  he's still an important guy to watch in the 2012 Grey Cup.

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After a dramatic late-game victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Calgary Stampeders are now setting their sights on the BC Lions in the Western Final.

But do they have enough to put the Lions away in Vancouver?

Judging by the regular season, it doesn't look good.

Calgary lost two out of three against BC and the Lions' stifling defense held the Stampeders to just 71 points in those games combined, an average of 23.7 per game.

When you consider that the Stamps had the second-best offense in the CFL this year and averaged just a hair under 30 points per game on the season, the fact that BC was able to do such a good job of containing them is a bad sign.

On top of that, the Lion's held running back John Cornish in check on the ground in all three games, including a dismal minus-one yard in their first meeting.

Cornish, who led the CFL in rushing yards with 1,457, was only able to make his per-game average in their last meeting, the one time Calgary beat BC. 

Add to it the fact that quarterback Drew Tate, fresh off his big comeback from an early-season shoulder injury, broke his forearm late in last weekend's tilt.

But wait, there's more.

Stampeders head coach John Hufnagel announced on Friday that All-Star middle linebacker Juwan Simpson is doubtful for Sunday with a foot injury.

None of this is good news, obviously.

There are two glimmers of hope, however.

The first is last game's result. Calgary earned a convincing 41-21 victory while the Stampeder defense forced three fumbles out of BC backup QB Mike Reilly.

The second is that Calgary's No. 2 quarterback option, Kevin Glenn, has done a fine job running the Stampeders' offense in Tate's absence. Glenn passed for a solid 4,220 yards this season, putting up numbers that were very similar to Lions' No. 1 QB Travis Lulay.

Speaking of Lulay, he will be in the starting lineup for BC on Sunday after missing most of the last three games with a shoulder injury. Although he only threw a handful of passes in the Lions' final game of the regular season, he's apparently good to go and feeling rested and healthy.

The biggest difference between Glenn and Lulay was that Glenn threw six more interceptions, and that could be a concern. Glenn will have to make fewer mistakes if the Stamps are to have a chance.

Calgary also has to figure out a way for Cornish to have an impact on the game. If he can rush for 80 yards or better and keep BC's offense keyed on the run, the Lions will have trouble containing Calgary's many weapons.

On the other side of the ball, Calgary's defense will have to step up and contain Lulay. A big part of that will be rookie Deron Mayo filling Simpson's shoes and sealing up the middle of the field.

If they can do those things, the Stampeders have a puncher's chance of making it to the Grey Cup 100. 

If not, they'll be watching the Grey Cup from the stands.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo.

To mark the 100th Grey Cup this year, the CFL is taking the Cup on a cross-country train tour, with dozens of stops throughout Canada.

This weekend the Grey Cup Train hit Calgary, drawing out thousands of fans to take in the festivities.

There are three Holy Grails in the Canadian sports world: the Stanley Cup (NHL), the Brier (men's curling) and the Grey Cup (CFL). As one of the oldest trophies in North American pro sports, the opportunity to lay eyes on the Grey Cup is rare and exciting.

Governor-General Earl Grey donated the cup for the 1909 amateur rugby football championship of Canada, which was won by the University of Toronto. Over the years, as the game evolved into what we now know as Canadian football, the cup followed along.

With the formation of the CFL in 1958, the Grey Cup became the symbol of professional football excellence in Canada. That year, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took home the trophy.

Since then, every active CFL team has won the Cup at least once. The Cup even spent a year south of the border, when the Baltimore Stallions won the CFL championship in 1995 during the CFL's brief attempt to bring real football to an American audience.

Leading up to November's presentation of the Grey Cup to the CFL's best team, the trophy is traveling by train from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Each stop includes interesting and engaging events for the fans who visit, and the train itself is a museum tracking the evolution of football in Canada.

The nation is also commemorating the 100th Grey Cup in various ways. 

Canada Post has a series of Grey Cup stamps available, with the cup and each team represented. 

The Canadian Mint has also produced a special 100th Grey Cup loonie (aka $1 coin).

So, it's a pretty big deal overall.

At the Calgary stop, several current and former Calgary Stampeders were in attendance to sign autographs and check out the museum and the Cup themselves. Members of the University of Calgary Dinos football team were around, manning play areas for the kids.

And there were a number of other activities, souvenirs and distractions for the rest of the crowd.

And, of course, there was the Grey Cup itself, out on display in front of the train for all to see and take pictures with.

For myself, this was a rare opportunity to get a close look at one of the most storied and revered prizes in my country.

And even for someone like my wife, who is not much of a football fan, this meant something—she was born within hours of a Grey Cup game where her hometown Roughriders beat the Rough Riders (true Canadians will understand the distinction), so she has frequently described herself as a "Grey Cup Baby."

At the end of the day, an event such as this has an impact above and beyond the CFL community. This event has touched people throughout Canada and beyond, which makes it pretty special.

Keep tabs on the train's progress on its website, and be sure to get out and have a look when it reaches your neighbourhood—it's well worth it.

Follow me @calgaryjimbo 

The final week of the Canadian Football League has arrived, and we are just several games away from finding out who will host the Eastern and Western finals and which teams will face off in the Semi’s.

For the Calgary Stampeders to have a remote chance at hosting the big game, they’ll need to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers while having both the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos lose their games against the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

For B.C., they are sitting comfortably, holding both season series over Edmonton and Calgary, so a win there and they will host the divisional game.

Finally, Edmonton and rookie head coach Kavis Reed would like nothing more than to win and have B.C. lose to host the divisional final game after finishing last in the division just a season ago.

Before we can get to the final results, we must first play through four games and to start the week off, the Toronto Argonauts will look to spoil the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' shot at consistency.

With Hamilton locking up the sixth and final playoff spot several weeks ago, head coach Marcel Bellefeuille and company looked to tweak their game plan in preparation for the postseason.

They are currently 2-6 on the season away from Ivor Wynne Stadium but are tied with Montreal for one of the best home records at 6-3.

Several missed opportunities over the season have Hamilton looking to win on the road against either Winnipeg or Montreal. Should Hamilton head to Montreal, they have not won there since 2002 in week 17, when they won 29-26.

Hamilton is currently employing a two-quarterback system that has seen limited success. To make matters worse, Kevin Glenn and Quinton Porter have yet to make a solid case to play an entire game.

For Toronto, they have played the spoiler role quite well in recent weeks after being knocked out of the playoffs.

They have won games over Calgary and Winnipeg but lost to Edmonton after late heroics were unsuccessful.

Heading into the final game, the Argonauts will be without quarterback Steven Jyles after he was placed on injured reserve after being hit hard by Johnny Sears last weekend in Winnipeg.

Either way, this will be a good test for several of Toronto's backups as they prepare for the 2012 season. Meanwhile, Hamilton will look for any shot at consistency and putting up offense after being shut down a week ago in Saskatchewan.

Friday evening will showcase the Saskatchewan Roughriders heading to Edmonton to face the Eskimos. Through nine games this season against Western opponents, the Roughriders have come up empty.

They are last in the division with a 5-12 record after defeating Hamilton last week. Ryan Dinwiddie will most likely be at the controls once again with Darian Durant out for the season.

Saskatchewan head coach Ken Miller announced earlier in the week he will step down as the head coach as well as the vice president of football operations at the conclusion of the season.

As the offseason approaches, the team is already facing a fair number of questions regarding talent as well as head office personnel, and the latest news is another blow the club will have to sort out.

For Edmonton, they have had a bumpy ride since the start of the season and have an opportunity to rebound and secure a spot in the Western Final on Friday night.

Defensively, the club put up strong numbers against the run, allowing only 58 yards rushing. Offensively, running back Jerome Messam is only 19 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark.

For Saskatchewan, they will continue their spoiler role while many players will be auditioning for jobs in the offseason as the Eskimos look to fine tune any issues they might have as they prepare for the postseason.

This will be a must-win for Ricky Ray if he wishes to host the Western Final, and he will do all he can to put a win on the board.

Saturday will feature a double-header with big Eastern division implications on the line as both Winnipeg and Montreal are one game away from hosting the finals.

Winnipeg needed just one more win last week to host the Eastern Final. However, they fell short and will look to defeat Calgary this week for that shot.

The team will be without premiere quarterback Buck Pierce, who suffered what was labeled a leg injury before being diagnosed a knee injury.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will also be without the services of Johnny Sears after his hit on Steven Jyles last week. That hit resulted in a one-game suspension for Sears and fines for Rob Murphy and Taylor Robertson after their comments were posted on Twitter.

With Pierce out, this will give Alex Brink just his third start in two years, but he has shown a lot more poise and pocket awareness since his inception.

For Calgary, they too will want a win to keep pace in the West, but they are only .500 at home. Drew Tate will start once again in favour of Henry Burris, who may have played his last down in Calgary.

In their win over Montreal, Calgary allowed 380 yards passing by Anthony Calvillo, something that few clubs can rebound from and still win a game.

They will need to provide better coverage in the secondary and limit Greg Carr’s presence while limiting the run game. Through the last three games, Calgary has allowed 479 yards on the ground.

Between the two clubs, you would have to nod your head toward Winnipeg wanting to win this game more, with the new stadium next season, 20 years without a Cup and their first postseason game since 2008.

The final game of the week will have the B.C. Lions hosting the Montreal Alouettes. Through nine games at home, B.C. has won six, including the last four games.

Travis Lulay has thrown one interception in his last four starts behind eight touchdowns. His ball control will be crucial once again this week.

Looking at one of their biggest games of the season, Montreal will have wished this was a home game after a near perfect home record of 6-3 record. However, they will be without the services of receiver Kerry Watkins and offensive lineman Josh Bourke, both placed on the nine-game.

The league announced the Most Outstanding Player nominations, and quarterback Anthony Calvillo leads the Alouettes once again. This might come as a surprise to many however as receiver Jamel Richardson made a strong case after going 12 games this season with over 100 receiving yards.

One shocking statement to look at is how over the course of the season quarterback Anthony Calvillo's age may have caught up on him. No more has Calvillo looked like the dominant quarterback the league has seen for many years.

Through the latest set of games, you can see Calvillo struggle, overthrowing or missing his receivers, unable to scramble and made to look, well, human.

B.C. will look toward exploiting that as they try to wrap up first in the West while Montreal tries for a win to potentially secure the East.

Either way, this game will come down to ball control between Travis Lulay and Anthony Calvillo, and for this I will give the young apprentice the win.

He’s 24 years of age and a sophomore in the Canadian Football League. He signed with the Calgary Stampeders on May 4, 2010, after working out in Tampa, Florida, before joining them at the main training camp.

His name is Landan Talley, and he is currently making the most of his playing time at receiver after an opportunity presented itself in the form of an injury to Ken-Yon Rambo.

Talley started his college career at Lambuth University, where he was an instant success, recording many great statistical years, including one game against Lindenwood University where he recorded 248 yards and four touchdowns.

His rookie campaign wasn’t stat-padding in any way but an amicable effort nonetheless, as he would catch two passes for 18 yards and one touchdown. He would also return eight punts for 43 yards and 12 on kickoff for 236 yards.

One of the biggest games of his young CFL career came when he suited up in the Western final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he would return 66 yards on six punts and two kickoffs for 81 yards.

It wasn’t until this season that he eventually get an opportunity to showcase his talents to head coach John Hufnagel and the team after receiver Ken-Yon Rambo went down earlier this season.

During his last four starts, Landan Talley has recorded 221 yards and two touchdowns and has become a consistent target for Henry Burris and Drew Tate when needed.

Talley has played six games on the season and has accumulated 288 yards and three touchdowns overall.

His efforts in the game against B.C. certainly won’t go unnoticed as Talley connected with Henry Burris for an 81-yard catch and run for the touchdown that would tie the game at 24 apiece.

His speed and hands have certainly made him a reliable option and his route running has raised his stock even higher.

Talley will make it hard on the coaching staff to try and determine what to do at receiver when Ken-Yon does make his return, but if it was my choice, Landan Talley would be in the starting offense.

For now, what John Hufnagel plans to do when Ken-Yon Rambo is available again is unknown, but he will certainly need to find room to keep Landan Talley on the active roster as they head into the playoffs.

Everybody was pulling for Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Greg Marshall. He had waited 17 years to get a head coaching position and now he was finally going to get his dream come true.

But after seeing what had happened, most people wished it had remained a dream. What happened was a living nightmare, a living hell.

It's tough enough being the successor to a coach that either has won the championship or at least been to the finals because there are high expectations to live up to and any failure automatically gets compared to the past.

This was the position Marshall was in, having succeeded Ken Miller who had taken Saskatchewan to two unsuccessful (though close games) appearances in the Grey Cup.

Less than halfway through Marshall's first year, the Roughriders are last in the CFL, a deep drop from the heights of the past half-decade.

A horrible loss to the second-worst team, Toronto, last week, sealed Marshall's fate. Offensive coordinator and ex-Winnipeg coach Doug Berry joined him. Actually, the team was horrible in every phase of the game, so a sickle through the entire coaching ranks would have been just as appropriate.

Not much can be said in Marshall's defense. He can say that a lot of players, the general manager and coaching talent has left the team. There were a few injuries.

But the more fans watched the Roughriders this season, the more it seemed that Marshall and his staff were out of their element.

The real indictment was not that the Roughriders lost, it was how they lost.

This was not a team that got bad breaks or just failed to win a few close games like Winnipeg did last year.

Under Marshall, the Roughriders played bad football and didn't belong on the same field as anybody.

And just as Marshall was bewildered how it all came to pass, he was equally clueless on how to fix it.

It was only the fact that Marshall was a sentimental coaching choice, and everybody was hoping that he would turn around the team, that stopped management from firing him earlier.

Marshall gave a stoic, "It's a business" comment, but inside it must have been devastating.

How many times before this year did he dream if he ever would become a CFL head coach?

How many times did he imagine his team playing inspired, flawless football?

How many times did he dream of being doused with Gatorade after a victorious game?

How many times did he dream of being carried off the field after winning the championship?

As stated before, Marshall entered a precarious situation where there was more likely a chance for a descent season rather than a continuation or a championship. But it is not impossible.

Former San Francisco 49ers coach George Seifert inherited a three-time Super Bowl champion from Bill Walsh and managed to win a couple of titles himself.

But even making allowances for Marshall, his team played horrible, uncompetitive football. They were consistently making mental mistakes that are supposed to be minimized by the end of training camp.

When the worst team in the league doesn't even belong on the same field as the second-worst team, you know there is more than bad breaks, injuries, loss of talent and other intangibles present.

Marshall's Roughriders weren't ready to play anybody in the CFL. An expansion Ottawa team would have a good chance of getting their first win against them.

Now Ken Miller comes back from the management ranks to coach the team again. If he manages to turn the team around, it will be an even more damning verdict on Marshall's tenure.

Marshall waited 17 years to get a break, only to see it become a nightmare in a few weeks. Sadly for him, there probably won't be any more chances in the future.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are left looking for a new leading receiver, and the CFL a new Most Outstanding Canadian as the Chicago Bears have inked receiver Andy Fantuz to a reserve/future contract today in Chicago.

The signing of the contract gives Fantuz a formal audition for the team.

Fantuz leaves the CFL after a career-high year for him, in which he caught 87 passes for a league-leading 1,380 yards and six touchdowns in 2010, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian after helping his team to the Grey Cup game.

“It’s really exciting for me,” Fantuz said Friday at Halas Hall. “It’s a whole new avenue for my career. I’m excited to make that step and get the opportunity to try out for the Bears.

“I’m particularly excited about this organization because of all the people I’ve met and all the history behind it and the fan base. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

Fantuz, who grew up in Chatham, Ontario, has been playing Canadian-style football for the majority of his life, and is excited for the major adjustment ahead.

Not only is the level of competition higher, but Fantuz will be playing on a smaller field, with four downs instead of three, and one less man on the field.

“It’ll be a big difference and a big change for me,” said Fantuz. “It’s going to be a faster game. It’s going to be different. But being a football player, I’m excited for that challenge and I think I’ll relish it. I’ll be training for it and once training camp comes along, I’ll be ready to go.”

Fantuz will join the seven year veteran Defensive End Israel Idonije, who is also a Canadian player. Idonije started off his career in Grade twelve at Vincent Massey High School in Brandon, Manitoba before moving ahead to play for the University of Manitoba.

The Riders Front Office staff are now left with the task of finding a receiver to replace Fantuz, who led the CFL in receiving yards in 2010.

“It is always difficult when you lose one of your top players, but we do congratulate Andy and wish him all the best in Chicago,” stated Roughrider General Manager Brendan Taman.

“We knew this was a possibility and we will continue with our off-season plan to replace Andy,” added Taman. “We will monitor our options, both within the personnel we have, and with recruiting as we go forward.”

Fantuz also had NFL tryouts with the Bears, Bengals, Bills, Patriots and Steelers.

Well, well, well. Old habits do die hard, don’t they?

I slammed the Saskatchewan Roughriders once, in the 2009 Grey Cup against the Montreal Alouettes. They had the lead heading into the fourth quarter, and then the Riders insult the football gods by letting a certain Calvillo rally from 10 points down to win 28-27.

So this year, I had to wonder: Ken Miller can't show the world why he is inferior to Kent Austin in terms of leading Canada's Team [sic] to victory in the Canadian Football League's showcase event again, right?

Wrong.

Just like last year, Saskatchewan had the lead at the half and proceeded to give it away to those same Alouettes, 21-18.

Seriously. Have these rats from Regina learned their lesson, in which they should never give up a half lead and execute their game plan to a T?

What I saw was Darien Durant choke when the Riders had the ball and had revenge ready to be dished out.

While Durant did pass for 215 yards and a touchdown, Billy Parker, with just under 0:56 to go, made it clear there will not be any payback coming from the CFL's Choke Artists of the Decade. Disgraceful.

What I saw was Montreal prove why they have been the class of the league all year, with Marc Trestman and his ilk calling the shots.

What I saw was Anthony Calvillo make a case to be in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He may be the best quarterback Alouettes fans will have ever witnessed. Calvillo completed 69 percent of his passes for 336 yards to seven different receivers, setting up the run for Avon Cobourne, who ran for 67 yards and two scores.

This Saskatchewan pass defense is no better than last year's. There has been no improvement whatsoever. Sunday night in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium would have been the turning point for this Riders defense.

Turns out, we were all fooled. Calvillo carved them up with his progression and pass selection. The Riders were a babyshambles in trying in stop this Beast from the East.

But Calvillo really did his damage through receiver S.J. Green and Jamel Richardson. Green caught nine passes for 102 yards while Richardson hauled in eight catches for 109. Both Green and Richardson made the Riders pass defense a flat-out joke.

And thus, I have to this conclusion. Perhaps the only way the Riders will ever have a chance at winning the Grey Cup is if Calvillo calls it a career.

Until then, I'm afraid this "Choke Artists" moniker is something they're gonna have to deal with...maybe into the next decade.

Why am I, a fan of the Calgary Stampeders, trying to figure out what the Eskimos need to do to turn their season around? I should just be happy that the Stampeders are dominating the "Battle of Alberta."

I am happy Calgary is winning, but I am embarrassed for the Eskimos. It was embarrassing to watch the Eskimos come out with another horrible effort.

Even though Eskimos fans have been generally the worst fans for throwing anything in your face, I honestly felt for them and wished the game could have been over after it became 40-5.

The Eskimos have played poorly as of late, but there are too many good players to think that this team is as bad as they have shown this year. Ricky Ray is not as bad as his stats have shown this year. Fred Stamps is still one of the best receivers in the league when he's healthy. Kamau Peterson is a clutch receiver who is good for a quick first down.

The defense has shown its solid, with a lot of key players like Dario Romero, Mo Lloyd, Kai Ellis, T.J. Hill, and Jason Nugent, and Chris Thompson has shown to be a very solid cover guy.

So what's the problem with this team?

What makes me mad about this situation is that a once proud organization is at fault for putting themselves in this situation. Here are the top five reasons the Eskimos have found themselves in this position.

1. Danny Maciocia

Maciocia inherited a very good football team in 2005 that won him a Grey Cup and made him look like he knew what he was doing. This happened to the Riders in the 1990s with Al Ford inheriting an average team that won a Grey Cup. He rode that win through 11 years and finally was let go.

Since 2005 Maciocia has broken apart this once great team and left them in shambles. He shouldn't have been the coach, and he most definitely shouldn't have been in charge of making personnel decisions. The Esks have not had a serious Grey Cup contender since the Grey Cup in 2005. He clearly shouldn't have been the coach, and moving him to the general manager job made things worse.

How many times does someone who is doing a poor job get promoted out of a job? Only in Edmonton. Two perfect examples: Kevin Lowe and Danny Maciocia.

2. Kevin Strasser

The Eskimos were 5-4 when Rick Worman was fired as the offensive coordinator with the Eskimos last season. He was replaced by Kevin Strasser, who like Worman only has five wins, but that is over the second half of last season and the first half of this season. His offense has looked uninspired and has not given his team a chance to compete.

3. Offensive Line

The offensive line has not protected Ricky Ray. He has been rushed and hit way too many times. They seem to have a decent time running the ball with the running backs they have had in the last few years, but when it comes to pass protection, the Esks haven't been able to keep the defenses from hitting Ray time and time again. I've almost begun to think it's expected that every play Ray should get hit.

I know the Toronto Argonauts have benefited from a new offensive coordinator calling better plays, so it may not be just the O-line's fault, but get Kevin Strasser out of there and you may see a positive change in the O-line.

4. Receivers Dropping Passes

It wasn't more evident than this past week, when the Eskimo receivers dropped or didn't hold on to half a dozen passes in the first half. A game that was close for the first 20 minutes could have been close a lot longer and could have kept the defense off the field, keeping them fresher for the later stages in the game.

I do realize the losses of Kamau Peterson and Fred Stamps have been significant, but there has to be someone who'll step up and get the job done.

5. Rick LeLacheur

The team has to play the game, but if they don't win, changes have to be made. In the last five years, changes have been made in an attempt to inspire their team to play better. The changes have been made at the wrong times, and none of the changes seem to work long-term.

I know LeLacheur hasn't been the one making the changes, but he's the one that has to keep the rest of the team accountable. LeLacheur has been the President and CEO since December 2006. While you want to stay out of the spotlight and let the team run themselves, there comes a point where the leaders need to step in and intervene.

While I credit him for giving the ultimatum earlier this season to win or people would lose their jobs, the Eskimos won and they still fired Danny Maciocia. Maciocia should have been fired, but pulling the trigger after the win was the wrong message to send. Plus, letting go of your GM is possibly the worst change to make if you want to motivate the team. You might as well have fired the video coordinator.

Most of all, it was completely irresponsible of him to not have someone waiting in the wings before making that move. Most teams made moves in the bye week to bolster their lineups, and the Eskimos brought in a new O-line coach. That was needed, but they needed someone down south ready to bring in new talent.

Ed Hervey is the head scout, and I'm sure he's the reason they brought in receiver Marko Mitchell, a recent cut from the Minnesota Vikings.

Reactions have come too slow and now have cost the team serious position and prep time needed to bring people into this situation. The team is making small changes now when big changes are needed for them to even compete.

The Eskimos are at the bottom of the CFL West, and without some success, and soon, Edmonton could see itself looking from the outside again come playoff time.

The good thing Eskimos fans can take from this is the fact they are tied with the Lions, and a string of wins at the end of the season could help them take over and hold on to sole possession of the third spot in the CFL West. They do have to watch how Winnipeg does and hope they don't start winning too.

The Calgary Stampeders were left out of the Players of the Month in August. While many would feel the Stamps were snubbed by the decisions, if you asked the players themselves, I'm guessing they wouldn't be too hurt by the choices.

The CFL has seen some very talented players making waves throughout the season, and most of them have been on teams that haven't necessarily been winning. You'd think that a team that is 7-1 and leading the league in many categories would be stacked with players leading the league.

The reality this year has been that big player performances haven't really led their teams to victory. None show this fact more than Arland Bruce III, who tied a CFL record with 16 catches to go with 272 yards receiving back on July 31. The Tiger-Cats weren't ever really in the game, losing 37-24 to the Roughriders.

Kevin Glenn had 425 yards passing in the game to go with three touchdowns. Bruce was the Offensive Player of the Week, and Glenn was the runner-up in a game that they didn't come close to winning.

It's the same for the Calgary Saskatchewan game in Week 4. The Stampeders doubled the Riders 40-20, yet Durant had 354 yards passing to the 279 yards passing Burris had.

When you look at the rushing stats for two-time rushing leader Joffrey Reynolds, you might wonder if he’s having a tough year. Reynolds has only had a 100-yard rushing game, but still sits in third place in rushing yards, although he’s 170 yards back of Toronto’s Corey Boyd.

Even the receivers haven’t blown us away. Nik Lewis is on pace for an All-Star year, but the catches have really been spread out. Although Ken-Yon Rambo missed the first four weeks of the year, he could be on pace to shine.

What is most impressive about this season for the Stampeders is the fact the whole team is doing well. The passes have been spread around, and the rushing is even being shared. Drew Tate has had only taken a few snaps at quarterback, but has been very impressive throwing 7 of 8 for 66 yards and three touchdowns with a very impressive 158.3 passer rating.

Jon Cornish has even taken some serious reps at running back, and has not disappointed with an 8.8 yard average and 274 yards rushing.

Looking at the defense, the Stamps have had everyone pulling their own weight. Calgary leads the league in sacks with 22, but no Stampeders players are close to the sack leader. Montreal’s John Bowman and Winnipeg’s Phillip Hunt lead the league with seven sacks, while both Robert McCune and Malik Jackson have four sacks each.

No Stampeder player is even in the top 20 in defensive tackles. Juwan Simpson leads them with 29 tackles, 24 behind league leader Kevin Eiben.

With all that said, it doesn’t surprise me that the Stampeders haven’t been well-represented in the Players of the Week, or the Players of the Month. The team has been playing so well together, and everyone has been pulling their weight, and making the most of their chances when they get the chance.

The Stampeders still have a long way to go before they can say they are the best team in the league, seeing as they still have two games against the Montreal Alouettes, and two games left against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.

That being said, playing well as a team will make it that much harder for other teams to beat them. There aren’t any huge weaknesses, and shutting down one player only leaves openings for others to step up, and so far they have. At the end of the year, they may not take home any of the hardware, but they’ve got as good a shot as any of winning it all.