1995 Balimore Stallions

[argolio]

With video review today - that Alexander catch would have been ruled good, or else good via PI as there was blatant pass interference on him on the play.

lol, nice job coming up with that right out of thin air.

If I recall Balt was extremely lucky to get past WPG in the playoffs that year. Eskimoes dynasty was the best. Full stop.

I don't think anyone is arguing that as far as dynasties go.

Maybe we could combine the 1981 and 1982 Esks. I know that you remember, Paul, how many were counting the Esks out in '82 when they were 3-5, including that memorable early August loss to the Argos in Toronto. Of course, they never lost again after that.

Most people did think they were dead after starting 3-5.

[OV Argo]

lol, nice job coming up with that right out of thin air.

I don't think anyone is arguing that as far as dynasties go.
Most people did think they were dead after starting 3-5.

I've watched the replay of that 94 GC game several times pal - why don't you try reviewing it and tell me there was no PI on that play - afraid of thin air ?

[AngeloV]

They were 8-1-1 against teams that could actually play that season, and 6-0 against Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. I grant the Esks dynasty was amazing but I think that particular year, with one-third of the league completely incompetent, may not have been their best squad. I'd make a case for 1982, when they won in 10 games in a row to close out the season and crushed a very strong Argonauts team in the Grey Cup.

LOL..you throw 8-1-1 out there as if it isn't that impressive. That's still a better winning percentage than the either of the Flutie led Argos teams had (.85 to .833).

[argonaut11xx]

My first Grey Cup was 1980, and that Eskimo team just CRUSHED, Dave Marlers pussy cats, at Exhibition Stadium, I have to admit i cheered for JC Watts in the 1981 cup.

Was also at the 1982 Grey Cup, and as good as that Eskimo team was, the rain that started around half time, and Jim Germany were the difference in that game. If the damn sun stayed out, i still firmly believe the Argo's would have won in 1982.

[paulwoods13]

LOL..you throw 8-1-1 out there as if it isn't that impressive. That's still a better winning percentage than the either of the Flutie led Argos teams had (.85 to .833).

8-1-1 is an excellent winning percentage, but I doubt they'd have won all season at that clip if they didn't have six free spaces on the bingo card. Not saying 1981 Esks weren't great -- they obviously were -- but IMO the 1982 team was stronger overall. Deciding factor is they dominated a strong Argo team in the Grey Cup rather than almost get upset by a weak Ottawa team.

[Will]

Brian Kelly's had a ridiculous 1981 season (74 catches, 1665 yards and 11 TD's)

[ArgoRavi]

Brian Kelly's had a ridiculous 1981 season (74 catches, 1665 yards and 11 TD's)

As good as Kelly's 1981 season was, Terry Greer's 1983 season was nothing short of phenomenal. IIRC, he had 2003 yards receiving in a 16 game schedule.

[Argo57]

My first Grey Cup was 1980, and that Eskimo team just CRUSHED, Dave Marlers pussy cats, at Exhibition Stadium, I have to admit i cheered for JC Watts in the 1981 cup.

Was also at the 1982 Grey Cup, and as good as that Eskimo team was, the rain that started around half time, and Jim Germany were the difference in that game. If the damn sun stayed out, i still firmly believe the Argo's would have won in 1982.

I always cheered for the Western teams in the Grey Cups back then as I couldn't stand Montreal, Hamilton and Ottawa while the Argonauts never made the playoffs.
Pat Marsden drove me nuts with his incessant love of everything Ottawa Rough Riders (Tom Clements, and Tony Gabriel) in particular which was of course the precursor of Rod Black's man crush of Anthony Calvillo which actually made me put down a bag of Doritos once to go heave.

[Will]

As good as Kelly's 1981 season was, Terry Greer's 1983 season was nothing short of phenomenal. IIRC, he had 2003 yards receiving in a 16 game schedule.

That number is correct. It was on 113 catches.

[paulwoods13]

As good as Kelly's 1981 season was, Terry Greer's 1983 season was nothing short of phenomenal. IIRC, he had 2003 yards receiving in a 16 game schedule.

Kelly also had a great season in 1983: 104 catches, 1,812 yards.

[Will]

Kelly also had a great season in 1983: 104 catches, 1,812 yards.

Kelly retired after the 1987 Grey Cup win at age 31. He had 68 receptions for 1,626 yards and 13 TD's in his final season!

[AngeloV]

Yup, Howdy Doodie was a great receiver. I never admitted it at the time, but that was because I was very jealous of the Eskimos success. I remember sitting in Ivor Wynne the day they honoured that years HOF inductees. I joked to my buddy out loud that I was going to boo Kelly. The man sitting directly in front of me then turned around...and it looked like Brian Kelly about 30 years older. Turned out to be his father. Man, was that embarrassing.

[ArgoRavi]

Yeah, Kelly has to be put into the conversation with the likes of Terry Greer and Merv Fernandez for best CFL receiver ever. Kelly's performances in both the 1982 and 1987 Grey Cups went a long way in preventing the Argos from winning two more championships.

[Gill The Thrill]

If I recall Balt was extremely lucky to get past WPG in the playoffs that year. Eskimoes dynasty was the best. Full stop.

You're talking about the '94 Eastern Final...played in a cold windy (no kidding) day in Winnipeg. That was a 14-12 win and probably one of the best low-scoring CFL games ever. Very well played, very intense defense on both sides. Reminded of the 1990 NFC championship between the 49'ers and Giants, another of the great low-scoring defensive games albeit the 4 down variety with the Giants winning on the road by 2, 15-13, just as the Stallions had.

Going back to the Division Finals in 1994, most fans remember the McManus to Darren Flutie catch in the last play of the game to give the Leos the Western Championship in the snow in Calgary, but that Eastern Final earlier between Baltimore and Winnipeg was a much underated game imo.

[Gill The Thrill]

As for the best team ever...historically those tough Ticat defenses from the 60's anchored by Big Ang were excellent. They were before my time. Read that the Cats did not give up a TD in their final 6 regular season games or in the playoffs in 1967, as they destroyed Saskatchewan...(who only had Ron Lancaster and were the defending champs) 24-1 in the Grey Cup game.

Don't know if it was Ralph Sazio or Jim Trimble who coached the Ticats that year, but I do remember watching the game on Youtube and that Ray Malavasi was the Defensive Coordinator. He would go on to coach the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV on January 1980, losing to the Steelers.

In my lifetime, I'll go with the '81 Eskimos. In a good division with a great Ray Jauch coached Winnipeg Blue Bombers team, possibly as good as their 1984 Grey Cup team. The Eskimos rolled to a 14-1-1 record beating a good BC Lions team that were game in the WF 22-16. They also came back from what would have been a monumental upset to win the '81 Grey Cup.

I will also favour that team over the back-to-back 15-3 Argo teams of 96-97 and the Stallions because it was a more truly Canadian Football team with 10 Canadian starters and 15 imports, not the expanded American rosters of today. Canadians played vital roles on both sides of the ball for those Eskimo teams. Neil Lumsden solidified the power running game and could catch out of the backfield and Dave Fennell was a homegrown talent from Edmonton and a household name for any fan of the CFL in those days...just as popular as American Dan Keply on that outstanding defense.

[Argo57]

Kelly retired after the 1987 Grey Cup win at age 31. He had 68 receptions for 1,626 yards and 13 TD's in his final season!

Didn't realize Kelly was that young when he retired, surely could have played 2-3 more years at a high level, the guy was clutch and played with class.

[argolio]

I've watched the replay of that 94 GC game several times pal - why don't you try reviewing it and tell me there was no PI on that play - afraid of thin air ?

Just watched the game. There was DEFINITELY no P.I. by Irv Smith on that play.

But I have to re-evaluate my opinion of that play. Before I had the impression that there might have been a case to be made for a legitimate reception, but upon further review, and using 1994 standards, that was a really horrible call. Alexander never had control, and it was an obvious incomplete pass. It was also second and seven at the time, which would have forced the Lions to punt from around their own 40, and who knows what would have happened after that (possibly overtime).

Also, there were plenty of worthy MVP candidates, but I thought Henry Newby had the best game of anyone on either team.

[Gill The Thrill]

Just watched the game. There was DEFINITELY no P.I. by Irv Smith on that play.

But I have to re-evaluate my opinion of that play. Before I had the impression that there might have been a case to be made for a legitimate reception, but upon further review, and using 1994 standards, that was a really horrible call. Alexander never had control, and it was an obvious incomplete pass. It was also second and seven at the time, which would have forced the Lions to punt from around their own 40, and who knows what would have happened after that (possibly overtime).

Also, there were plenty of worthy MVP candidates, but I thought Henry Newby had the best game of anyone on either team.

LOUUUUUU!!! LOOUUUUUUUUU! Glad the Leos won that one. The Baltimore Stallions were stacked and had an advantage because they could field a team of American players. They were also run by arguably one the best Canadian Football coaches of all-time in Don Matthews. It's why they used the full advantage of an all-import lineup while the other American teams used NFL and college coaches to build teams that weren't necessarily suited for Canadian Football.

Baltimore was the team that took full of advantage of the large American talent pool and Matthews had seemless replacements for any injuries that they would incur. Remember Robert Drummond was not a starter on that team, as he played behind Mike Pringle. Both of them would probably not have been kept by a team based in Canada because of the ratio. In the following year the Calgary O-lines and D-lines were both manhandled by the Stallions depth on both lines. Flutie was running for his life all-day. The advantages were even evident on Special teams as Matthews really stacked those teams. Give him credit, he took advantage of the United States laws to have an All-American lineup built to excel in the Canadian game.

I also give Danny MacManus and the BC Lions credit with all their Canadians. They played their heart out and pulled out the win in 1994. McManus off the bench in relief of a struggling Kent Austin whom the Argos would pick up to play on a really bad Argo team in 1995. The Canadians on the Leos were really helped by that boisterous home crowd, even though it could be easily argued that they were outmatched.

[OV Argo]

Just watched the game. There was DEFINITELY no P.I. by Irv Smith on that play.

But I have to re-evaluate my opinion of that play. Before I had the impression that there might have been a case to be made for a legitimate reception, but upon further review, and using 1994 standards, that was a really horrible call. Alexander never had control, and it was an obvious incomplete pass. It was also second and seven at the time, which would have forced the Lions to punt from around their own 40, and who knows what would have happened after that (possibly overtime).

Also, there were plenty of worthy MVP candidates, but I thought Henry Newby had the best game of anyone on either team.

You're flat out wrong - Alexander was getting mugged on the play as he tried to make the catch - nice try to make up for your wrong first impression and wrong opinion.

[argolio]

You're flat out wrong - Alexander was getting mugged on the play as he tried to make the catch - nice try to make up for your wrong first impression and wrong opinion.

Have the play cued up and just watched it again. Definitely not a catch, and definitely no P.I. Don Wittman and James Curry couldn't believe it was called a catch, and no one even brought up the possibility of P.I. on the replay.

If Irv Smith's coverage qualifies as a mugging, then P.I. should be called on almost every passing play.