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Hands of Stone

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Originally posted by The Power
Not sure if I agree with the Adam Rita comment. I seem to remember him losing it a couple times as coach of the Argos. Maybe that's what BC needs.

Rita in the same boat as Buratto, both are soft coaches, that is why Mohns was brought in a few years ago, now that Rita is coach and GM who did nothing in the off season to get new talent at BC, i think it is a perfict time for a cfl strike, cfl strike is on the same lines as a A-league strike, we want more foood stamps,

hos
 

5bigtoes

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Lions looking good

The Lions looked great tonite. Excellent win over Montreal....AJ scored 4 TD's....

Maybe Rita has learned to be a good coach???
 

Reccos

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Super Game

Lions were awesome tonight. With just over two minutes to go it looked like curtains for the Lions until they intercepted on the one and Jackson then went 109 yards to score. An interception TD right after put the Leos up 48 to 37. They could have at least got a FG but simply ran out the clock deep in the Als end as they lost the ball to the Lions on downs.

Damon Allen 22 for 30 for 492 yards. Rocky Calvillo was no slouch either going for 315 passing yards.

The game had everything. Blocked punts vs the Lions and then a huge run by the Als on a fake punt. Some bad non- pass interference calls that the Lions didn't get could have had an impact but it didn't.

Millington didn't play and Hurst got hurt fairly early in the game.

If that doesn't bring back some more people than the 17,221 people, nothing will.
 

Regs

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Highlights looked good.

But I can't believe that 17,221 fans is a season high. That's pathetic for the Lions. Can the Leos win back the fan base? If they do, will Vancouver jump past Ottawa as a greater sports town? :rolleyes:

~Regs.
 

striker14

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Fan Base

That was a wicked game...highlights were great...as for the fans...I don't think we will win back the fan base. Even after winning the Grey Cup a couple of years ago we didn't win the fan base back...it is all about the NFL unfortunately!! I am a Lions fan, and will be until the end, and considering, I would say 17,000 fans is pretty darn good...NOT GREAT...but pretty darn good!!

roarlionsroar :)
 

Regs

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Pssttttt, ever thought about becoming a working girl?

:rolleyes:

You'd think the Lions would get this gem off of their official website pronto!
 

TheRob

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I guess the CFL just doesn't pay enough.:rolleyes:
Lions' Smith arrested in Las Vegas

Canadian Press

4/22/2003

LAS VEGAS (CP) - Herman Smith, a CFL all-star defensive end with the B.C. Lions, was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with attempting to recruit a female undercover police officer to be a prostitute.

Smith, 31, is also charged with possession of a credit card without the owner's consent. The arrest occurred April 11.

``Smith approached a female undercover officer and engaged her in a conversation attempting to recruit her as a prostitute,'' said a release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police department.

He was arrested at a lounge inside a resort.

Sgt. Tim Shalhoob told the Las Vegas Sun that Smith talked to the undercover officer for 35 to 40 minutes while other officers listened via a hidden wire.

The Lions refused comment on Smith's arrest but issued a brief statement Tuesday.

``The BC Lions Football Club does not condone illegal conduct by its players,'' the statement said.

Smith is entering the option year of his contract. The Lions training camp is scheduled to open May 24.

Smith, a six-foot-five, 277-pound native of Clarksdale, Miss., was a CFL all-star in 2002. He had 31 tackles and eight quarterback sacks. In 2000 he was the Lions nominee for the league's outstanding defensive player award.

Smith signed with the Lions as a free agent in September 1998.

Before he joined the Lions, Smith was a late cut of the Dallas Cowboys. He also spent time with the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 and four seasons with the London Monarchs of NFL Europe.

He played three games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1994.
 

halfvolley

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New signing?

Its not confirmed but I think the Lions have just signed QB Dave Dickenson. They will finally get rid of Damon Allen and make a run at the Grey Cup. Sorry but I'm not a big fan as he would have been better to have retired two year ago. Buono, Dickenson, Carter on defense we will be a contender for sure.

Still after everything we'll only manage to get 15-18,000 people out to games. SAD!

The lion cheerleaders are worth the $15 though.:p
 

Bronco

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halfvolley

Getting 15-18 thousand people out to the games is more than the product is worth. Granted there is an argument for exciting offensive football, but it really is a reserve league to the NFL. It's a league that rewards you for missed field goals, allows half a dozen players to be in motion at once, and more or less forsakes defense altogether. I may be very biased towards the NFL game, but I don't think you can expect more from a league that is a shade more professional than the A-League!:eek:
 

TheRob

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Allen set to join Argonauts

Canadian Press

6/6/2003

TORONTO (CP) - Damon Allen is finally a Toronto Argonaut.

Two league sources requesting anonymity said Friday the B.C. Lions had worked out a deal with Toronto that sends the veteran quarterback east. Both sources said the Lions will receive two draft picks - reportedly a second- and third-round selection - for the CFL's career passing leader.

Allen is expected to join the Argos in time for the club's practice session Saturday morning. He will be introduced to the media afterwards.

Officials with both the Lions and Argos would only say Friday that talks were ongoing and a deal had not been finalized.

But the sources said the two sides had agreed on the move and were just working out the minor details of the deal.
Done deal I guess. Too bad he had to go to a city infested by the SARS virus. Poor guy.
 

TheRob

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CFL Season kicks off on Tuesday

Canadian Press

6/16/2003

TORONTO (CP) - CFL fans will see a lot of commissioner Tom Wright this season.

"I plan to be as active as is responsible," said Wright, who was hired as CFL commissioner the day before the 2002 Grey Cup. "I'm really looking forward to doing that."

The CFL's 2003 campaign will kick off in Calgary on Tuesday with the Stampeders hosting the Grey Cup-champion Montreal Alouettes (TSN, 7:00 p.m. EDT). Wright will be at McMahon Stadium for that contest, then head to Vancouver for the B.C. Lions' home opener Friday night versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (TSN, 10:30 p.m. EDT). On Saturday, he will be in Edmonton for the Eskimos' contest versus Montreal in a Grey Cup rematch.

And then on June 27, Wright will be in Ottawa for the Renegades' home opener versus Winnipeg (TSN, 7:30 p.m. EDT).

But Wright is no stranger to busy travel schedules.

When he became commissioner, one of Wright's mandates was to visit each CFL city personally and see first-hand how the member clubs operate. When Wright arrives in Vancouver later this week, he will have achieved that objective.

"That is one of the best parts of the job, I think," Wright said.

Wright certainly didn't have the luxury of settling into his new job slowly.

This off-season, the CFL reached an agreement with its players on a new collective bargaining agreement and signed a five-year television contract reportedly worth $9.5-million. And Wright says the league's corporate sponsorships are up about 25 per cent over last year.

But that doesn't mean the league doesn't have problems.

Attendance has traditionally lagged in both Vancouver and Hamilton, who were eighth and ninth, respectively, in that category last year. But the real focus heading into the season is in Toronto, where the Argos needed a cash advance from the league last month.

The CFL also discussed contingency plans to take over the club from owner Sherwood Schwarz. A significant portion of Schwarz's money was reportedly placed in trust for family members, limiting the New York insurance magnate's ability to commit funds to the Argos.

Since purchasing the club three years ago, Schwarz is reported to have lost between $10 million and $16 million.

Another major concern is Toronto's season-ticket sales, which are lagging below 5,000. Even with the league's lucrative television deal, the league's nine franchises are predominantly gate-driven, with about half of their annual revenues coming from ticket sales.

The danger of having a low season-ticket base is a club then requires huge walk-up crowds to merely break even. And with the return of SARS to Toronto, there is the concern that Argos fans will stay away from SkyDome.

Last year, under the guidance for former entertainment mogul Garth Drabinsky, Toronto tried to woo fans with lavish pre- and half-time shows featuring the likes of skateboard superstar Tony Hawk and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. While the Argos' average attendance rose from less than 16,000 to over 20,000, it wasn't enough to prevent Schwarz from reportedly losing $6 million operating the franchise in 2002.

This season, the Argos are relying on a strong on-field product and the charisma of head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons. Clemons moved from the president's office to the sidelines full-time in the off-season after becoming the interim head coach when Gary Etcheverry was fired last year.

After reaching the East Division final last year despite having the CFL's worst offence, the Argos upgraded the unit with the off-season additions of running backs Michael Jenkins and Randy Bowles, quarterback Damon Allen and receivers Jimmy Oliver, Alfred Jenkins and Tony Miles. For the first time since Schwarz became owner, there is a sense Toronto can finally contend for a CFL title.

"It all starts with the product on the field," Wright said. "The Argos finished the season strongly, they won their first two pre-season games and feel pretty confident about the product they're going to put on the field.

"We're working very closely with the Argos to execute the turnaround plan that we've talked about that involves new local and committed and connected ownership and partnerships for Sherwood and that is moving forward. I've very encouraged."

An important league issue for Wright will be the CFL-mandated $2.5-million salary cap. That came into question when quarterback Dave Dickenson signed a four-year deal with B.C. reportedly worth $450,000 annually, prompting many to question how the Lions could fit under the cap with Dickenson's contract.

But Wright said he monitoring the salary-cap issue very closely this year.

"It is something that I'm going to be spending time on because we know how important it is to our business model moving forward," he said.

When the regular season kicks off Tuesday, there will be no shortage of interesting storylines. For example:

- Wally Buono enters his first season as the B.C. Lions' head coach and GM. Buono joined the Lions after leaving Calgary, where he held a similar post for 13 seasons,.

- Jim Barker replaced Buono in Calgary after serving as the offensive co-ordinator for the Grey Cup-champion Montreal Alouettes. One of Barker's more interesting decisions was to go with former Als running back Lawrence Phillips ahead of incumbent Kelvin Anderson, who was released and ultimately joined Buono and Dickenson in B.C.

- Adam Rita, who ended last year as the Lions head coach and GM, returned to Toronto as the club's offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach. The Argos also hired Greg Mohns, another former Lions coach, as their director of football operations and player personnel.

- Running back Mike Pringle, who missed most of Montreal's 2002 season with a knee injury, landed in Edmonton to replace CFL rushing leader John Avery (Minnesota, NFL). Pringle, who asked for his release from the Als, needs just 2,209 yards to surpass George Reed (16,616) as the top rusher in league history.

- After landing Dickenson, the Lions dealt Allen, the CFL's career passing leader, to Toronto for two future draft picks.

-Defensive tackle Johnny Scott and linebacker Terry Ray, both former all-stars released by Toronto and Edmonton, respectively, quickly found new homes. Scott signed with Hamilton while Ray joined Winnipeg.

- Punter Bob Cameron, 48, retired from Winnipeg Blue Bombers after 23 seasons, leaving Ottawa punter Glenn Harper, who turns 41 in September, as the league's oldest player.

- Toronto dealt rush end Joe Montford to Hamilton for Bowles and Miles. Montford, three times the CFL's top defensive player while with the Ticats, joined the Argos as a free agent following the 2001 season.
This should be a good season of football. The Lions have signed Kelvon Anderson the other day. That should shore up the running game for sure. That and when Claremont gets healthy we should have one of the better offences in the league. Can't wait. First game for the Leos is Friday night.:D
 

TheRob

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Als 23 - 20 Stamps

That was a good football game. Down 17 late in the third quarter the Als come back to win in OT. Matt Kellet, after being cast off from the Lions, all of the sudden turns into Lui Passaglia and goes 4 for 4 with the winner in OT. Good Canadian kid.

Good start to the season and I'm pumped for the Leos first game on Friday. I have to watch the wee one so hopefully the game is on the tube. Good chance for some quality father daughter time.:D
 

Reccos

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Matt Kellet

The guy had a great night for the Als but it is too early to call him the next Liu Passaglia. This guy runs hot and cold. I will agree with Wally Buono that maybe this guy needs some new scenery and a fresh start. Don Matthews is a coach who strongly supports the players he believes in and and if he does, then he may be a future top kicker. But if he is inconsistent, then... he may be toast in Montreal too.

I saw the first half and was really impressed with the punt returns of Wayne McGarity for Calgary (59 and 70 yards). He looked great and this is his second year.
 

Reccos

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Lions 28 - Montreal 27 -

Lions win on the last play of the game - a 47 yarder by Curtis Head. This was made possible by a contacting the kicker call against Montreal on what should have been the last play of the game when Head was short from 57 yards out.

Matt Kellet runs cold again and misses key field goals for Montreal when he could have sealed the Lion's fate earlier if he had made any of his misses. This guy is so shakey who knows what this game might do to his season from here on. His opening 64 yard punt looked like he was going to be great tonight. Obviously he was under some pressure playing against his old team when doing FGs.

Curtis Head didn't have a great night either as he punted for 4 yards in the first half and gave up some bad field position throughout the 1st half on punts.

Geroy Simon - 7 catches for 155 yards, 1 TD and 1 TD thrown to Ryan Thelwell on a lateral from Dave Dickinson. He is a great player.

The Lions defence looked a bit shakey at times on pass coverage as they continually gave the Als too much space, especially Ben Cahoon. It was a good game but frustrating watching our defence play too loose late.

The Lion's DBs have to be more aggressive in providing tighter coverage on receivers when there is a cover 1 blitz on or this will be a long season.

Despite momentum shifting to the Lions late in the game, the Lion's def. backs in the last two minutes continued to play off receivers giving up yardage and 2 first downs as they were sending guys after their QB. This put them about 100 yards from the Als goal line and they were real lucky not to have lost the game but for the contact call on our kicker.

Overall, this was a great win for us as the Als are a good team and were 3 and 0 until now.
 

TheRob

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BC 28 - 27 Montreal.

First time the Lions have won in Montreal since the Grey Cup in '88.

If anyone was doubting Buono's decision to get rid of Kellet, his choice was reaffirmed on Saturday. Kellet who now kicks for the Alouettes was something like one for four. Curtis Head wasn't much better, but kicked the winner from 47 yards out with no time left on the clock.

The Lions are going to be pretty good when they start firing on all cylanders.
 

5bigtoes

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Is it just me or is all this trouble in the CFL over the past couple of years making it harder to watch CFL games?

Don't get me wrong I use to enjoy watching the odd matchup on Friday night but lately (this year more than the past few) I have not seen all that many games. The few I have watched have been uneventful and boring. to tell you the truth I'm really anxious to see the start of the NFL season and forget the CFL all together.

Any other thoughts out there?
 

Stepchild

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5bigtoes
to tell you the truth I'm really anxious to see the start of the NFL season and forget the CFL all together.
I agree, there is only one football league......................NFL!
This is what I think of the CFL..............snooooooze!
 

TheRob

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Stepchild is a loser.:wa:

I still find the CFL much more entertaining then the NFL. It's just a better product. The problem with it is no names play in this league. No one goes to the games, and TSN and CBC do a shitty job of televising it. John Wells is the absolute worst play by play guy in the history of the world. Terrible.

I still watch. Almost every Friday. The financial problems don't bother me at all. I'll be happy when they're sorted out though.
 
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