This Things I Believe - CFL Edition

I believe a lot of things. Four of them are below.

I believe… the Eskimos are going to be okay… eventually.

I not-so-boldly predicted the Eskimos would win the Grey Cup this year, but things haven’t gone so swimmingly so far.

Up until this week, I wasn’t concerned at all. Now doubt is starting to creep in. It’s not that the Eskimos are 1-2, it’s that they’re barely 1-2. After being dismantled by Montreal, they had the opportunity to redeem themselves on their home turf, but instead laid an egg against what looks to be a lousy B.C. Lions team.

Here’s the most mind-blowing Eskimos stat of the week – if it wasn’t for their garbage-time touchdown against B.C., Edmonton would have been held under 20 points for three consecutive weeks. And two of those games were at home!

With a trip to Saskatchewan on the horizon, a 1-3 start is all but assured. (The Eskimos last four results at Taylor Field: L 55-9, L 34-13, L 39-32, L 54-14).

I believe… Hamilton is fielding a football team this year.

TSN loved showing a stat during Hamitlon Ti-Cats games (sidenote: TSN has fewer statistics available than any other sporting broadcast I’ve ever seen… very few historical numbers or anything of note. The only statistics we’re provided with are whatever Glen Suitor can make up off the top of his head, like Terry Vaughn gaining the most YAK-yards in CFL history, etc.). The stat, you ask? Hamilton was 2-21 in the June/July portion of the CFL schedule in the last 4-5 years.

So, obviously, it was important they got off to a good start – and it’s encouraging to see.

I can’t comment any further, as the only Hamilton game I’ve watched was their embarrassing beat-down at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts… but, still, it’s nice to see.

I believe… I was right about Stefan Lefors.

Check out his statline so far: 34/77, 429 yards, two touchdowns, 1 interception. He’s averaging around 11 completions and 140 yards a game.

Everyone’s heard the cliché that you need a good quarterback to win the CFL. It is very true. And Lefors does not have it, even with a solid running game and some excellent receivers.

What baffles me more than anything else is Winnipeg seemed unwilling to have a backup plan (like, say, a solid backup quarterback) and Mike Kelly drove away his all-star receiver, Derrick Armstrong.

I believe… Ben Cahoon made one of the all-time great catches last weekend.

Don’t believe me? Watch the video.

And with that, my few remaining loyal readers (no NHL = no readership), I am off to Las Vegas, to gamble away my meager earnings. Until next week.

Original Story: http://scotttougas.blogspot.com/2009/...