Edmonton Eskimos

The Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos have reportedly agreed to expedite their name review and provide an update in that regard by the end of July, according to Phil Heidenreich of the Global News.

In a statement, Edmonton said it was taking "this issue seriously as has been demonstrated by the three years we've spent engaging in Canada's North and conducting research related to our name. We recognize that a lot has occurred since this information was gathered, and as a result, we are accelerating our ongoing process of review."

The team also said it was further consulting with the Inuit community, stakeholders and sponsors.

That came after insurance provider Belairdirect said Tuesday that it was rethinking its sponsorship of the team. The company released the following statement:

"For several years, we have been a sponsor of the Edmonton Eskimos. At Belairdirect, one of our core values is respect, which is founded on seeing diversity as a strength, being inclusive and collaborative. Guided by this value, in order for us to move forward and continue on with our partnership, we will need to see concrete action in the near future, including a commitment to a name change."

A number of other partners, including Maple Leaf Foods, Fisherman's Friend, Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Ltd., Servus Credit Union and Tim Hortons, said they had been in contact with the team regarding the name review or supported the review.

Edmonton's potential name change comes at a time when various nicknames around sports have come under scrutiny or are being changed. Most notably, Washington's NFL team—which has long come under fire for having a racially offensive nickname—announced Monday it would officially be changing its moniker.

"That review has begun in earnest," the team said in a statement (h/t Homero De la Fuente and Wayne Sterling of CNN.com). "As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward. Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the name and logo upon completion of this review."

Washington has not yet named a replacement nickname.

Soon-to-be Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens is serious about continuing his professional football career in the CFL.

Owens' agent, Jason Staroszik, told TSN's Dave Naylor on Monday that T.O. "absolutely 100 percent" wants to play in the CFL.

According to ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert, Owens has opened a 10-day negotiating window with the Edmonton Eskimos.

If Owens and the Eskimos don't come to terms on a deal in 10 days, he will be released from their negotiation list and will be free to sign with any team.

Per Naylor, Staroszik added, "[Owens] still feels like he has some football years left in him. He just loves the game and wants to get back to playing whether it’s the CFL or NFL."

The 44-year-old Owens hasn't appeared in an NFL regular-season game since 2010 with the Cincinnati Bengals.

After spending some time in the Indoor Football League in 2011, Owens signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2012.

The Seahawks released Owens prior to the start of the 2012 regular season, however.

Despite being out of the NFL for several years, Owens has been vocal about wanting to make a comeback.

In June, Owens tweeted at San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and pitched signing with the team to help aid quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in his development:

Thanks. I know Jimmy G is gonna need a big play receiver this year at some point. Let's make it happen. #StayReady #VetMin https://t.co/cuHToOZOfE

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) June 2, 2018

Owens spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Niners before enjoying stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Bengals.

T.O. is statistically one of the greatest wideouts in NFL history, as he ranks eighth all-time in receptions (1,078), second in receiving yards (15,934) and third in receiving touchdowns (153).

Owens was finally named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, but he announced on July 3 that he will not attend the induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio.

Instead, Owens will give a speech at his alma mater, Tennessee-Chattanooga, on Aug. 4.

If Owens comes to terms on a deal with the Eskimos, he will be eligible to play in the CFL during the 2018 season, which is currently through its first five weeks.

Canadian Football League wide receiver Vidal Hazelton scored a touchdown for his Edmonton Eskimos on Friday in a 33-28 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, only to have a pesky advertisement spoil his celebration.

After catching a pass from quarterback Mike Reilly in the back of the end zone, Hazelton went to jump over a sign. He fell short, but later laughed off the blunder on Instagram.

"I'm doing squats and box jumps all week," Hazelton wrote. "I thought i was gone clear the jump."

He didn't look fazed in the moment either, returning to his feet and posing as if that was all part of the plan. Maybe it was, as he campaigned Booster Juice to sponsor him so he can clear the sign next time.

[Vidal Hazelton, h/t The Comeback]

For the sixth year in a row, the Canadian Football League is assured of a new champion as the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Redblacks meet in the 103rd Grey Cup featuring a classic battle of CFL old and new. 

Edmonton, a staple in the CFL since its founding in 1949, is seeking its 14th title in team history, currently second-most among the league. But the Eskimos haven’t played for the Grey Cup since 2005—by far its lengthiest drought. They’ve righted the ship and enter the championship round as the hottest team as winners of nine straight.

The Redblacks, Ottawa’s third CFL team and a newcomer established in 2010, remarkably reached the Grey Cup in just its second full season. After starting the year 4-5, the Redblacks have since won nine of their past 11 behind CFL Most Outstanding Player, quarterback Henry Burris.

Here is a look at the matchup between the two hottest teams peaking at the right time.

Game Info

When: Sunday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m. ET

Where: Investors Group Field, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Watch: ESPN2 (United States), TSN (Canada, English), RDS (Canada, French)

Live Stream: RDS.CA

Edmonton swept Ottawa in the regular season by a combined score of 69-29, but these are completely different squads than those that met during Weeks 3 and 4 in early July.

The Eskimos were without quarterback Mike Reilly, who was in the midst of a two-month hiatus with a torn PCL suffered in the season opener. They’re undefeated since his return. 

Edmonton also boasts the league’s top defense, allowing just 18.9 points per game. But red-hot Burris will pose their most challenging threat yet, as he led the league with 5,703 pass yards; 1,152 ahead of second-place Bo Levi Mitchell of the Calgary Stampeders, who was also runner-up for Most Outstanding Player. Burris’ 481 completions were a CFL record, according to the Associated Press.

Burris and Reilly shook hands and posed in good fun earlier this week ahead of the pivotal matchup, courtesy of the Redblacks:

Friends until Sunday! #GreyCup pic.twitter.com/Jr1tDiy40R

— Ottawa REDBLACKS (@REDBLACKS) November 27, 2015

Edmonton is favored by a touchdown, per Odds Shark. That is likely due in part to their success over Ottawa earlier this season and also for playing in the more competitive Western Conference. But Malcolm Kelly of CBC Sports highlighted a few causes for why the East was quietly better than the West in 2015, and as such, the Redblacks should be taken seriously:

Eastern Division clubs were better than their West counterparts for the first time since Mufasa was a cub, going 22-18 overall. 

…

Ottawa won a somewhat stronger division than Edmonton did. East offences, by points, were about the same (makes one almost insensitive with shock), while the defences were slightly better.

All this means you should not take Ottawa lightly for any reason: Not for its expansionist history, nor for its place in the East Division.

According to CBC News, the game finally sold out Friday, and the 36,634 on hand at the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in store for a great showing. 

All stats and info via CFL.CA unless otherwise specified.

The Edmonton Eskimos announced Monday that head coach Kavis Reed will not be returning next season after guiding the team to a disappointing 4-14 record and last place in the CFL West Division.

The former Eskimos defensive back just completed his third season as head coach of the franchise. He started off his coaching career with a bang, going 11-7 and being nominated for the CFL Coach of the Year award in 2011.

Things were less rosy in 2012 when the team went 7-11 and took an early exit from the postseason before finally bottoming out this year and missing the playoffs entirely.

Edmonton has a long and storied history, having won 13 Grey Cups in 24 appearances in the championship game. But its last Grey Cup win was in the 93rd Grey Cup in 2005. Almost a decade without a trip to the big dance is frustrating to the team, and missing the playoffs is not considered acceptable to this franchise.

Reed becomes the first coaching casualty since the end of the regular season in the CFL. Tim Burke of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers could be the next on the chopping block after guiding his team to the worst record in the league at 3-15.

No names have been mentioned yet as possible replacements for Reed, and it is possible that Edmonton might wait until at least the end of the postseason before making any kind of announcement.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo

The Edmonton Eskimos desperately needed a win on Saturday to hang on to their slim hopes of earning a playoff spot. Instead, they were beaten in virtually every aspect of the game by the Montreal Alouettes, losing 47-24 in front of 28,455 fans—their smallest crowd of the season.

In point of fact, the final score makes the Eskimos look pretty good. Edmonton scored three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of play to cut a 40-3 deficit in half and make the final score look less embarrassing after Montreal had called off the dogs.

After 14 games, Edmonton is last in the CFL West Division at 3-11, with the second-worst record in the league, ahead of only the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who sit at an even more dismal 2-12.

Starting quarterback Mike Reilly, returning from a concussion suffered last week, was just 13 for 21 in a little over three quarters of play for only 180 yards while also tossing two interceptions in the losing cause. The Eskimos were also not helped by the rushing game, which picked up just 45 yards on the ground.

The defense surrendered 450 yards to Montreal, including four passing touchdowns thrown by starting QB Josh Neiswander, and rushing touchdowns by Tyrell Sutton and Troy Smith.

Even when things went right, they still went wrong.

SJ Green caught and fumbled a pass near the Eskimos end zone in the first quarter that took a favourable bounce right back into his hands, allowing him to score his second touchdown of the game. In the second quarter, with the Alouettes knocking on the door again, Chris Thompson intercepted a Neiswander pass, but receiver Brandon London knocked it free for the fumble which was recovered by Montreal's Eric Deslauriers to keep the march going, leading to another touchdown.

With the game essentially out of reach in the second half, the Eskimos sent backup QB Jonathan Crompton out to finish off the game and although he threw two interceptions in the third quarter, he picked up 21 points on three touchdown passes in the fourth to make things interesting—but it was far too little, far too late.

Anything the Eskimos do for the remainder of the season is also likely to be too little, too late. They have no chance now of catching anyone in their own division for a playoff spot; their only hope is to run the table in their final four games and hope that Montreal doesn't manage one more win in that time.

A tall order considering that the Alouettes are on a two-game winning streak and face the lowly Blue Bombers next week.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo

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.

Last week's resignation of Edmonton Eskimo linebacker coach, Dan Kepley, underscores something that has not happened since the 1960s: the Edmonton Eskimos are the laughingstock of the CFL.

Since the 1970s, the Eskimos and winning have been virtually synonymous, and the startling depths to which they have fallen this year are a distant memory for older Eskimo fans.

No Eskimo personified the hard, tough, winning football that has been around Edmonton more than Dan Kepley, and he must have been thinking he was living a nightmare this year to see how soft the team had become.

The Eskimos have been publicly criticized as not being ready to play football when the game begins, making key mistakes at the worst time, and for undisciplined play.

Usually an article like this one is written about Hamilton, Toronto, or Ottawa.

The Eskimos don't even have the excuse of losing their starting quarterback like the equally woeful BC Lions.  They are the worst team in the league, period.

Unless he is one to cut and run, and Kepley has never ever shown those qualities, his resignation has to be speculated as one of personal responsibility for the debacle, distress at seeing his beloved team sink so low, and frustration at not been able to take the steps he thinks are necessary to restore the team.

Kepley was a friend of fired general manager Danny Maciocia, and that firing shook his commitment to the team.

There is also speculation that he did not get along with current middle linebacker, Maurice Lloyd, Edmonton's prize 2009 free agent acquisition.

As a member of the Eskimo coaching staff, Kepley must have been privy to the inside disintegration of the team, and contrasted it to the spirit of his victorious playing days.

If one was to get the truth out of him, and he has yet to make any public announcements, he could probably tell everyone how it was in his playing days, and at least give clues as to why the team has fallen so low now.

Clearly there are gaps in this organization: a gap between owner/senior management and the fired general manager; a gap between the ex-general manager and the head coach and his assistant coaches; a gap between the head coach and his assistant coaches; gaps among the assistant coaches; and gaps between the coaching staff and the players.

Kepley obviously saw what was going on, and when he felt powerless to breach the gaps and frustrated because he saw no way to turn things around, he resigned.

So far, nobody has managed to get his view of the picture out of him.

The twin heads of the Eskimos, Rick LeLacheur, and Doug Goss, vowed to clean house after the bad start, but their firing of Maciocia was their only move so far.

So far, the rest of the house cleaning seems to be a voluntary act, piece by piece.

The only real speculation is whether LeLacheur and Goss will complete the house cleaning now and let the healing and rebuilding begin, or wait until the end of the season after the Eskimos fail to make the playoffs.

It's taken nearly 50 years for the mighty Eskimos to fall this low, crashing down like the ruins of the Roman Empire, an epic odyssey of Dan Kepley's untold story, that he has yet make public.

Coaches get Gatorade baths in the final seconds before or after historic wins, and tonight was no different for his jovial men on the Eskimos after a nail biter of a 28-25 win over the BC Lions. In a game that saw a lightning storm cause the postponement of the game towards the end of the 2^nd quarter for over 20 minutes and the lead flop back and forth from BC to Edmonton like a fish flopping on land it proved to be a win that seems to hopefully saved jobs for many on the Green and Gold. With the win the Esks move to 1-4 and are now tied for 3^rd place in the Western division with the Lions.

 

Ricky Ray was able to have a solid effort even though he did throw an interception that was returned for a TD by Davis Sanchez to make things a 1 point game in the 3^rd quarter and slim the Esks lead to 18-17. A great kick return by Yonus Davis that was returned for a touchdown to give BC a 25-21 lead but the Esks were able to fire back thanks to a Kelly Campbell touchdown catch to make it a 28-25 game after the extra point. The Lions and Travis Lulay were able to get a final drive into Esks territory going but Lulay was hit as he tried to throw and as a result fumbled the ball and Esks defensive lineman Kai Ellis fell on the ball, thus sealing the first win of the 2010 season for the Eskimos, sending the fans at Commonwealth home happy.

 

As of this morning, the win didn’t have all happy because even though the Esks have a win GM Danny Maciocia was fired at a press conference at 1PM Mountain today. No replacement has been announced yet for Maciocia.

 

The Esks play again on August 6^th at home vs. the Toronto Argonauts and the Lions play again on August 7^th vs. the Calgary Stampeders in Vancouver.

That's all for now but be sure to check out my weekly sports show, Avry's Sports Show at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/avryofedmonton Tuesday nights at 7PM Mountain time and follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/avry