Touchdown Atlantic 2005 (Hamilton vs. Toronto)

[ArgoRavi]

I just finished watching Touchdown Atlantic 2005 on ESPN Classics. Yes, I know it is sad to watch a pre-season game from 8 years ago but I found it interesting nonetheless. The game was played in Halifax in June and you could actually see the players' breath. Some other observations:

• Chad Rempel was catching passes for the Ticats in his first pro game and played well for them. I always thought he had the potential to be a solid receiver but it never quite happened at that position for him for whatever the reasons. He instead has established himself as a top notch long-snapper for the last few seasons in Toronto.
• Byron Parker and Bryan Crawford were both playing their first CFL games. Both played well in this game with Parker making a game-saving tackle in the final minute. These two have ended up with some bad luck though as they both arrived the season after the Argos won a Grey Cup and both left the team just before their next Grey Cup victory.
• If only Hakim Hill's head was screwed on right. This running back had enormous talent but squandered it in alcohol.
• Hamilton's Julian Radlein was the leading rusher in the game with 61 yards on 7 carries and a TD.
• Neither Pinball Clemons nor Greg Marshall were wearing headsets and I don't recall either of them doing so much, if at all, during their head coaching careers. Is there any head coach in the CFL that doesn't wear a headset today? It really looked odd seeing the absence of headsets in this game.
• This game marked the first time in CFL history that instant replay was used to review plays. It was only done on a test basis on this occasion and would not be fully implemented until the following season. Head referee Glen Johnson told Pinball at one point that whether the QB crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball was not reviewable because it was a "judgment call" which left Pinball perplexed - and rightfully so - as the QB has either crossed the line of scrimmage or not; there is no judgment call there.
• The quarterbacks in this game were Damon Allen, Scott Covington and Charlie Peterson for the Argos and Danny McManus, Marcus Brady and Ben Sankey for the Ticats. The Argos were waiting for Michael Bishop to return from the Arena League's skills competition of all things to assume his backup role with Covington and Peterson battling for the #3 position which Peterson would end up winning. Toronto's offensive co-ordinator Kent Austin compared Peterson to himself. I always liked Sankey and he ended playing the best of all of the QBs in leading the Ticats back from a 10 point 4th quarter deficit but he was released soon after this and his career was pretty much over. He always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There were lots of interceptions in this game with McManus throwing three alone in the first quarter.
• Chris Cuthbert was working his first game for TSN after being surprisingly let go by CBC after the '04 season. At one point in the fourth quarter, he announced that CFL games would be broadcast in high definition for the first time in 2005 and was telling Glen Suitor how great HD is.
• The game ended in a 16-16 tie with the Ticats scoring two offensive TDs (one unconverted) and the Argos only managing a defensive TD by Jordan Younger on an INT return in the first quarter. Noel Prefontaine kicked two field goals and Chris Hardy chipped in with another one for Toronto.
• There was no overtime in this game as OT is not played in the pre-season and the Halifax fans booed when this announcement was made at the end of the game.
• The Argos would go onto an 11-7 season with a first place finish before losing to Montreal in the East Final at SkyDome while the Ticats would have a disastrous 5-13 season (they started 0-8) after going 9-8-1 the year before.

[gilthethrill]

I was at that game. Met Peter Vasoff for the first time..what a true Argo fan he was.

[doubleblue]

I remember that game well as there was quite a build up even though it was an exhibition game. I loved Pinball as the Head Coach. He was definitely a one of kind HC. I was able to take in quite a few Argo practices back in those early 2000 years and Pinball would quite often sit in the bleachers with some of us fans and reporters like Perry Lefko while the assistants ran the practice. Unheard of for just about any other Head Coach in football. But back to that game in Halifax. Some of us thought there would be a CFL team there by now, as there was Government money available at that time to build a stadium, if Halifax could have come up with their share. I wouldn't be against the Federal Gov't footing the whole bill for the good of the Country to have the CFL from Sea to Sea, but the bleeding hearts would cry long and loud about their so called tax dollars being spent. But it would be peanuts compared to some of the wasteful spending we see in other areas.

[argotom]

It's too bad how the football aspirations, if there were any, have completely gone in the toilet for Halifax.
There is no political will to build a stadium nor any owners possibly sniffing around.

[Argo57]

It's too bad how the football aspirations, if there were any, have completely gone in the toilet for Halifax.
There is no political will to build a stadium nor any owners possibly sniffing around.

I don't get it either Tom, with no pro sports franchises to speak of in this region you would think they would be all over the possibility of a CFL team in the Maritimes.
Too bad as a 10 team league would be perfect and all regions would have representation in the CFL.

[ArgoRavi]

It's too bad how the football aspirations, if there were any, have completely gone in the toilet for Halifax.
There is no political will to build a stadium nor any owners possibly sniffing around.

I think that things are starting to bubble up a little in Halifax again but, honestly, we are still a long way from a 10th team in this league IMO.

[ArgoDave]

Interesting look back Ravi.

[argotom]

I don't get it either Tom, with no pro sports franchises to speak of in this region you would think they would be all over the possibility of a CFL team in the Maritimes.
Too bad as a 10 team league would be perfect and all regions would have representation in the CFL.

Agreed 57.
Especially with Moncton as having 3 TD Atlantic games and basically all for naught.

[zontar]

For HAM 2005 began to show what a disaster Bob Young's hires were after the 2004 reboot. A sideline full of coaches who couldnt coach (see Reed, Kavis) and a non existent scouting and player development system. Sprinkle in some horrible trades from GMs in over their heads. Took over three more years to recover from the decisions made the year before.
Amazing what a ripple effect bad hires have.

[Will]

For HAM 2005 began to show what a disaster Bob Young's hires were after the 2004 reboot. A sideline full of coaches who couldnt coach (see Reed, Kavis) and a non existent scouting and player development system. Sprinkle in some horrible trades from GMs in over their heads. Took over three more years to recover from the decisions made the year before.
Amazing what a ripple effect bad hires have.

Nevertheless that team in 2004 did go 9-8-1. Was there the thinking in Hamilton at the time that they had simply overachieved or did people think they had something?

[zontar]

2004 record was deceiving. Struggled badly after LD. Fan base was relieved the previous crap show was over and overlooked how flawed team was and didnt know there wasnt a system in place or a competent GM in place to improve what was wrong.

[ArgoRavi]

2004 record was deceiving. Struggled badly after LD. Fan base was relieved the previous crap show was over and overlooked how flawed team was and didnt know there wasnt a system in place or a competent GM in place to improve what was wrong.

Furthermore, if you look at Hamilton's 9 wins that '04 season, 7 of them were against non-playoff teams (Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary). They were 7-0 against those teams and 2-8-1 against the rest of the league. Of course, coming off of a 1-17 season, nobody was going to complain.

[Will]

I remember that the Tiger-Cats played the Argos tough in two out of the three regular season games in 2004. The Argos went to Hamilton in one of the first few weeks and lay a beatdown on the Ticats. I think it was 34-6 or something like that. The two teams tied on Labour Day 30-30 and I don't remember much about the game. Then I remember a game late in the season where the Argos built a 28-0 lead, but then hung on to win 31-28 or something. The semi-final was, of course, no contest.

[ArgoRavi]

I remember that the Tiger-Cats played the Argos tough in two out of the three regular season games in 2004. The Argos went to Hamilton in one of the first few weeks and lay a beatdown on the Ticats. I think it was 34-6 or something like that. The two teams tied on Labour Day 30-30 and I don't remember much about the game. Then I remember a game late in the season where the Argos built a 28-0 lead, but then hung on to win 31-28 or something. The semi-final was, of course, no contest.

Chris Hardy had to kick three field goals - and they weren't "gimmes" - in that final regular season game which might have ended up being the margin of victory.

[OV Argo]

Ravi - you mentioned Ticat fullback Julian Radlein - guy was a very good fullback IMO - just money on short yardage conversion type runs up the gut for the Ticats for awhile and a big tough blocker too - in his brief CFL career (injury problems or just quit ?); like to see another big bruising fullback come to some prominence in the CFL again, but probably not to be; just like we won't see a real tight end deployed more than a couple of plays a game (hey - maybe Ottawa are thinking this with drafting 3 fullback/TE types?) - in the homogeneous, same old standard look CFL offences of today.

Chris Hardy was a versatile guy to have on the roster - played some pretty decent CFL safety and could kick/punt in a pinch.

Scott Covington and Charlie Petersen as Argo QBs ? - cripes they have had a long list of nobodies as back-up QBs, and a glaring inability to develop some young QBs (Collaros & Harris now look great in comparison).


AND - sad that there is no CFL team in Atlantic Canada IMO; yeah - they need a stadium and a rich owner - too bad there are no multi-millionaire types out there who love Canadian football. The CFL getting to a 10 team league is IMO about the single best thing that could happen to the league.

[paulwoods13]

Ravi - you mentioned Ticat fullback Julian Radlein - guy was a very good fullback IMO - just money on short yardage conversion type runs up the gut for the Ticats for awhile and a big tough blocker too - in his brief CFL career (injury problems or just quit ?);

I think he quit -- IIRC he was a free spirit and didn't really fit in with football's structured mentality.

Chris Hardy was a versatile guy to have on the roster - played some pretty decent CFL safety and could kick/punt in a pinch.

Yes, an extremely valuable guy who could be relied on to make fairly long FGs if needed.

The CFL getting to a 10 team league is IMO about the single best thing that could happen to the league.

100% agree with this. Come on, Halifax, make the push!