August 3, 2015: Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

[1argoholic]

The Harris train will keep rolling and The Argonauts will continue to surprise the league with a huge win at whatever corporate CRAP they call that stadium.

[argonaut11xx]

The Harris train will keep rolling and The Argonauts will continue to surprise the league with a huge win at whatever corporate CRAP they call that stadium.

I agree, the Argo's will win at "Lousy Coffee Field", .....

[jerrym]

New Argos already get how important Tiger-Cats are to Argo fans.

The Argos’ social media staff has already embraced rivalry week, encouraging fans to tweet at the Ticats using the hashtag #LastTicatsGreyCup and post photos of products and pop culture icons popular in 1999, when Hamilton last won a CFL title.
The Argos and Ticats have been playing each other since 1873, the year Alexander Mackenzie took over from John A. Macdonald as prime minister.

Argos defensive back Devin Smith didn’t know the depth of the competitive history between the two clubs when he signed with Toronto in January, but he quickly figured it out. ...
“That first week of practice (before a Ticats game), everybody was on edge,” Jones says. “That first series, it was the most physical I’ve seen in the CFL. I just remember it being a very physical game.”

http://www.thestar.com/sports/argos/...s-rivalry.html

[jerrym]

Cory Greenwood has been a major contributor to the Argos success this year. He discusses his readaption to the Canadian game after three years in the NFL and the importance of Argo-Hamilton games below.

While he continues to adjust to the Canadian game, he's enjoying a return to life as a starter."It feels good, I'm playing football again," he said following Friday's practice.
"Getting on the bigger field with 12 guys, more motion its back like the college days.
"I haven't seen every look, every scenario so I'm still learning. It's still early in the season."But Greenwood has done more than enough to catch Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich's eye."He's been above average for the most part," Milanovich said.
"I think he's a guy who just needed an opportunity."He's athletic and really fast, I think he's under-rated with his speed. He's an instinctive football player who's just getting settled in to what we're doing. I think he'll continue to get better and be a really good player for us." ...
"There's a lot more thinking pre-snap and during the snap (in CFL) just with all the motion," Greenwood said. "Down south, only one guy can move at a time so if two guys are, it's a reload and they can't snap the ball.
"There's definitely an adjustment with the field here because you can't spot-drop like you can in the U.S. and find your landmark.
There's also fewer active guys (on roster) so you're playing a little special teams and the play clock is only 20 seconds so it touches your cardio a little bit . . . thank God for the TV timeouts." ...
Monday night's game will be Greenwood's first in Hamilton as a CFL player.
He admits he's not totally up on all the details of the Ticats-Argos' longstanding rivalry but understands the contest's importance given its a divisional matchup.
"I just know it's a big game, it's a division game." he said. "We're just trying to win the East and get that bye (to conference final) so division games are big."But I also know it's a cross-town rivalry and that's always fun."

http://www.brandonsun.com/sports/bre...471.html?thx=y

[Wobbler]

It seems as though we'll be fielding (exactly?) the same lineup as last week, but Campbell and Gabriel seem to be pretty close (since Frank thought they were possibles). Perhaps they'll be available for the home opener.

[jerrym]

Brian Rolle, who is an old school gritty special teams player, has had eight relatives play in the NFL. He remembers Brandon Banks from his own days in the NFL and expects to renew his rivalry with him in tomorrow night's game.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/07/31...-special-teams

[OV Argo]

A decisive win here shows the Argos are the best team in the league at this point: I'm counting on it.

[GiVENS38]

If anyone has an extra ticket I'd absolutely love to go to this game... please let me know. I'll be all over it and I'll kick any Hamilton pussy Cats fans arse! ARRRRRRRRGGGGOOOSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

[larz-7]

A big game from our D and special teams and the rest should take care of its self.

[jerrym]

Barker is a person who always sees the cup as 99% full. It's helped him guide the Argos through all these years of turbulence to a winning record as they enter the Tiger-Cat den leading the East on the eve of their fifth road game.

But the Argonauts are 3-1. They lead the East Division. And they are not road-weary, according to general manager Jim Barker, even as they prepare for a fifth straight away game Monday, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
To hear Barker tell it, waiting until August 8 to play their home opener is not much of an inconvenience. If anything, it could finally be a prelude to stability.

“Part of what we’ve been through these (past) five years has been to prepare us for just about anything,” said Barker, who joined Toronto in 2010 and assumed the GM reins in 2011.

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/...some-stability

[PullTogether73]

A decisive win here shows the Argos are the best team in the league at this point: I'm counting on it.

And if Hamilton wins?
Where do you slot the Argos (and Hamilton) then?
I believe that technically the Argos would be last in the east division if they lose this game.

What about a close victory or loss?
Where do you rank the Argos in those scenarios?

[paulwoods13]

And if Hamilton wins?
Where do you slot the Argos (and Hamilton) then?
I believe that technically the Argos would be last in the east division if they lose this game.

What about a close victory or loss?
Where do you rank the Argos in those scenarios?

Montreal is 2-3 and will be either alone in last or tied for 3rd and 4th no matter what happens tomorrow. The Argos will either be tied with Hamilton and Ottawa for first at 3-2, or alone in first at 4-1. Not in last place under any scenario.

[jerrym]

Adjei is hoping to have a big game in Hamilton as he did last week in BC and a year ago on Labour Day in Hamilton. Even though the team has changed so much since Labour Day, Adjei has a good chance of being an important part of the Argos future.

Natay Adjei is one of the few Argos remaining on the roster who played well in last year’s Labour Day Classic loss to the host Ticats, one of those games to forget from an offensive perspective.
Jason Barnes is nowhere to be found, Trent Guy is no longer with the team, Zander Robinson is back home in B.C. with a torn knee, Mike Bradwell is retired, Steve Slaton is retired, while Curtis Steele continues his rehab from a knee injury.
The Argos have changed considerably since their most recent visit to the Hammer and will have Trevor Harris under centre and not Ricky Ray as the Ticats play their home opener at a sold-out Tim Hortons Field in what is easily the CFL’s biggest early season kickoff.
For Adjei, he’s coming of a nice effort in B.C., helping the Argos to their 30-27 comeback win when he produced his first career touchdown. ...

What has endeared Adjei to the Argos has been his high football IQ and ability to block. ...
His brief experience has allowed Adjei to feel much more comfortable in this his second season in Double Blue.
“Last year was a whirlwind,’’ said Adjei, who grew up in Mississauga. “A brand new offence to learn and this year you kind of know where you need to be, kind of know the rules of the offence that much more and you can just play fast. I’m comfortable if they need me to play anywhere.”
On Labour Day last year, Adjei started and led the Argos with 44 receiving yards.
When he looks back on that game and how much change the team has undergone, he’s at a loss for words.
“It’s just crazy,’’ Adjei said. “I look back and I look at a place where we didn’t have our best success losing by one point. I know we have a better receiving core this year, definitely, and a better team, a better defence.
“I know we have what it takes to win, as long we stick together.”
The stadium’s upper bowl wasn’t open last year, but it’ll be teeming with fans on Monday.
“It’s going to be intense,’’ Adjei said. “Those fans aren’t cheering. I mean, they hate the Argos with a passion and you can hear that. They get nasty and some of my family members mentioned how those fans were nasty toward them. As a player, you feed off that because it raises your attention level. The ante gets raised.”
Adjei is scrambling to try to accommodate the ticket demands he’s received, a popular game given it is the first kickoff that doesn’t involve a flight to Western Canada.
“I’m just hoping the American guys with no ties here will give me their tickets,’’ smiled Adjei, a good character guy whose future is bright.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/08/01...into-spotlight

[Wobbler]

It seems as though we'll be fielding (exactly?) the same lineup as last week...

Indeed. The depth chart is identical to last week's.

[gilthethrill]

I think our D-Line will have its best game of the year.

[argonaut11xx]

I think our D-Line will have its best game of the year.

This team has a "moxy" that i havent seen since 2012. Dont count them out

[jerrym]

Argos will be missing Jermaine Gabriel and Bruce Campbell for the Hamilton game.

Bruce Campbell has been ruled out of Monday’s slugfest with the Ticats with an undisclosed injury.
With Campbell missing his second straight game, the Argos will once again start Jarriel King at left tackle.
Head coach Scott Milanovich announced it on Saturday, the same day he said starting safety Jermaine Gabriel has been ruled out. ...
The Ticats will bring pressure and line play will be critical.
“They’re getting (Eric) Norwood (an elite rush end) back and it’s not a game when you want to get down, any game for that matter,’’ said Milanovich.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/08/01...into-spotlight

[zontar]

HAM getting Tasker back is huge, an integral part of their passing attack- which has been missed. Expecting a great game.
New bells and whistles for THF - literally.

[jerrym]

HAM getting Tasker back is huge, an integral part of their passing attack- which has been missed. Expecting a great game.
New bells and whistles for THF - literally.

Not only will Hamilton have Luke Tasker, their leading receiver last year, they're back at Tim Horton's field, where they have never been defeated. Of course the streak started with a victory over the Argos on the Labour Day weekend. However, I expect the Argos to pull this one out.

Hamilton (2-2) has been unbeatable so far at Tim Hortons Field, registering seven straight wins since moving into the new facility last September. The Ticats' first victory there was a 13-12 decision over Toronto on Sept. 1.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...nday-1.3177384

[zontar]

Weird - this weekend feels like LD weekend.