Thread for the Team that Cannot Be Named

[Argo57]

I make no bones about the fact that I cheer for Hamilton against the western teams (of course depending on how they and the Argos are situated in the standings). Personally, I hope Ottawa beats them next week, because I want the finale in BC to mean something. Otherwise, the Argos would be 4 weeks between meaningful games (yesterday to the Nov 19 EF). That can be a lot worse than not getting a bye.

The ESF crossover game makes me nervous so I will be very happy to see Hamilton take down Ottawa to ensure the Argos are in the Eastern final.

[AngeloV]

The ESF crossover game makes me nervous so I will be very happy to see Hamilton take down Ottawa to ensure the Argos are in the Eastern final.

Every game makes me nervous. I really want to win the last game in BC and finish .500.

[paulwoods13]

I fully expect we won't need to beat B.C., but will beat them anyway.

[gilthethrill]

I fully expect we won't need to beat B.C., but will beat them anyway.

Really looking forward to the game in Hamilton Friday night.

[AngeloV]

Really looking forward to the game in Hamilton Friday night.

In Ottawa actually.

[gilthethrill]

In Ottawa actually.

Errr....really looking forward to game between Hamilton and Ottawa on Friday night!

[OV Argo]

Errr....really looking forward to game between Hamilton and Ottawa on Friday night!

Yep - should be a good one; means lots to Ottawa obviously, but the Ticats are playing well, plus for pride and jobs for next season; looks like all of June Jones' coaching experience is paying off there (as opposed to that clown Mavis Reed) - and Masoli is a pretty good QB IMO.

RedBlacks have to be confident after those late game comeback wins vs. BC & the Riders - especially Harris at QB. Not sure if Ottawa is due to get back solid to star starters like Sinopoli and O-Linemen Rodgers & MacMillan ? - but that would help lots and their ground game can be very good if they stick with it (Powell is looking very good at times). Still think the Ottawa D is pretty iffy - especially lack of a consistent pass rush (not sure why Gascon -Nadon is not getting lots of reps at DE over mediocre imports they have been using? - unless he is nicked still = that is very poor personnel use) ; they still miss solid D-lineman Connor Williams (out most of the year with injury - not sure of his status? - guy can play both DT & DE well); their D-backfield is young and seems hit & miss (like the Argos'); Pruneau is best safety in the league though IMO.

I'd bet on Ottawa if i had too, but wouldn't be surprised to see the Ticats steal one there.

[ArgoRavi]

Sinopoli is reportedly out for the season with a shoulder injury for the RedBlacks. Should be an interesting game on Friday.

[jerrym]

Rick Zamperin argues, in case there was any doubt, that the Alouettes' game was the final sign that Collaros is finished in Hamilton, as he was put in for only one series and then replaced by Everett Golson, signalling Zach is not part of the Tiger Cat future.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3818514/r...-good-as-gone/

[jerrym]

Don Unamba has drifted around the CFL from Winnipeg to Saskatchewan to Montreal to Hamilton for four years, but his recent performance may have earned him a home with the Tiger Cats.

Unamba joined the Ticats part-way through the season and was able to quickly break into the lineup. Unamba’s appearance in the starting lineup coincided with major improvements in the Ticats’ secondary. Those improvement were due to a number of different factors, however, Unamba’s role cannot be overlooked.
In his three most recent games in particular, Unamba has shone. He has three picks in three games. He has seven tackles in three games, and he has looked strong in coverage. His Friday night against Ottawa was almost superb if it weren’t for a reversed call.
Ottawa receiver Greg Ellingson tipped a miss-thrown ball, and it landed in the hands of Unamba. Ellingson reached a hand back and knocked the ball out of Unamba’s grasp, dropping the ball onto the turf. Unamba recovered the ball and pushed further downfield. If the call on the field stood, Unamba would have been awarded his second-interception and a fumble recovery on the same play.

http://ticats.ca/3-key-takeaways-week-19-vs-redblacks/

[jerrym]

Neither LB Simoni Lawrence nor WR Andy Fantuz practiced today. While Fantuz has already missed a couple of games after his return he was practicing up until Monday, indicating that his season is finished, so he has turned to coaching again. HC June Jones says Lawrence may be available to play on Friday against the Als.

[jerrym]

The Tiger Cat nominees for the Outstanding player awards are:

Player: Larry Dean
Defensive: Larry Dean
Canadian: Ryan Bomben
Offensive Lineman: Ryan Bomben
Special Teams: Sergio Castillo*
Rookie: Richard Leonard*



The closest any of these nominees will come IMO to winning a divisional award is Richard Leonard for Rookie whose work at DB stood out including five interceptions, but he will deservingly be beat out by James Wilder.

http://ticats.ca/2017-tiger-cats-team-awards-announced/

[argolio]

I agree about Leonard. He has been consistently good all season.

Castillo is the best kicker in the league this season, but he's likely out of the running due to his injury.

[jerrym]

Despite player complaints about Kent Austin, owner Bob Young is backing him up.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young took to Twitter on Monday to voice support for his vice president of football operations, Kent Austin, in the wake of player complaints.
Several players raised concerns about Austin's coaching, personnel decisions and management style in a story published in Monday's Spectator. Young responded on social media with a series of Tweets that criticized the story — as well as the Ticat players quoted — and defending Austin's record with the club.
"Where is the love for a coach who took Ticats to Grey Cup twice in four seasons?" Young wrote on his account @CaretakerBob. "With exception of last year or so, Kent Austin was arguably the most successful head coach in CFL history. Good coach, better person." ...

Young also took issue with the story itself, which featured several players saying they believe Austin's return would significantly reduce the likelihood of several prominent free agents-to-be re-signing with the club, as well the team's ability to recruit players from around the league. They also believe it's unlikely head coach June Jones, who replaced Austin after an 0-8 start, will return if Austin remains in his current role.
"This is just sad. A cowardly Ticat player, maybe two, complain anonymously to a naive journalist about a former coach," Young wrote.

https://www.thespec.com/sports-story...from-the-boss/

[jerrym]

I agree about Leonard. He has been consistently good all season.

Many in Hamilton feel that Leonard was "robbed" of the rookie of the year award. I can understand why they feel that way, but IMO Wilder, despite not playing regularly until the second half of the season, simply was the best new player in the league. Despite being a RB, not everything that Wilder did was covered by stats. The article fails to mention the important role Wilder played on ST where he used his large muscular body to break up the opponent's wedge, as noted by Jim Popp.

After a season in which he finished the year with seven interceptions, Richard Leonard just got robbed. The first-year Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back did not earn the nomination for the East Division's Most Outstanding Rookie — despite an outstanding season.
With all due respect to Toronto Argonauts running back James Wilder Jr. — he had a tremendous season, is in the playoffs and looks like he is going to be great player in this league — Leonard had the better year.
Numbers don't always tell the tale, but let's start there anyway. Wilder was on the roster for 17 games this season but played in 15 and made just 10 starts, registering 122 carries for 872 yards, good enough for second in the East and fifth in the Canadian Football League. He added 51 catches for another 533 yards and scored five TDs. Leonard, started 18 games at both cornerback and halfback, tied for the CFL lead in pass knock downs (13) and fumble recoveries (3), was second in interceptions (7) and 11th overall in defensive tackles (72). He also returned one of his fumble recoveries 84 yards for a touchdown after a blocked kick in Week 1 against Toronto
So he played in more games, made more starts and had comparatively better numbers (yes, I know it's apples to oranges, but still). Yes, the Ticat defence was, um, not good during their 0-8 start but that was hardly on Leonard, who was their best player on more than a few awful nights.
Players on teams that win games and make the playoffs often receive more recognition than players on losing teams.
Defensive players, especially outside the big names, often struggle for recognition.

https://www.thespec.com/sports-story...-rookie-prize/

[jerrym]

Ben Andrews reviews the Tiger Cats top two draft picks below. DL Connor McGough (4th overall) and OL Braden Schram (13th overall).

McGough quickly established himself as a key special teams player, recording 18 special teams tackles, second on the team behind Jay Langa. “I’ve had a lot of experience playing punt, punt return, and sometimes kick-off return, but the main difference [with the Ticats] was kick-off,” said McGough. “It’s been really good so far. It’s a great tool to have as a Canadian player, to be able to excel at specials.” McGough also saw some action on the defensive side of the ball, adding three defensive tackles to his special teams totals. ...
Future:
One common theme across the Ticats’ 2017 Draft Class is versatility. McGough took that mantra to heart and spent his rookie season adding “tools to the toolbox.” McGough learned all aspects of special teams, and he even spent time practicing long snapping under the tutelage of the Ticats’ resident long snapper, Aaron Crawford. “You never know when an opportunity might come up that you need to help the team out in any way,” said McGough. McGough was able to step in and immediately produce in his first professional season. Considering the versatility and promise he showed in his rookie campaign, McGough has a bright future in the CFL.

Braden Schram impressed in his preseason snaps and has since dressed in nine regular season games. Schram has dressed in the third-most regular season games of any 2017 Tiger-Cat draft pick.
Future:
Schram boasts an excellent physical skill set and sound fundamentals. He has the potential to be a long-term starter in the CFL, especially learning under mentors like Filer and Bomben.

http://ticats.ca/catching-up-with-th...n-part-1-of-3/

[jerrym]

The two urls below review the first seasons of the other 2017 Hamilton draft choices.

http://ticats.ca/catching-up-with-th...n-part-2-of-3/

http://ticats.ca/catching-up-with-th...n-part-3-of-3/

[jerrym]

The CFL is likely going to extend the deadline for Johnny Manziel to meet the confidential conditions stipulated by Commissioner Ambrosie before he would be allowed to have any contract registered. He will remain on the Tiger Cats' negotiation list until the league finally decides whether he has met those conditions or not.

[jerrym]

Here are the Ticats plans for Grey Cup Week.

http://ticats.ca/ticats-announce-pla...cup-in-ottawa/

[jerrym]

Below is a Ticat story many Argo fans will love:

This will be hard for any diehard Hamilton Tiger-Cat fan to swallow but here it is anyway: the Toronto Argonauts are going to the Grey Cup.
The Argos punched their ticket to the championship courtesy of a 25-21 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s Eastern Final at BMO Field with Ricky Ray staging a last-minute drive to pull out an improbable win.
Remember that Sept. 30 game against the Ticats when Ray converted on third-and-15, then threw the game-tying touchdown, a two-point conversion and then won it in overtime? The loss that put a major dent in Hamilton’s ultimately futile Grey Cup hopes? It was like that, except with a much larger stack of chips on the table.
Ray drove the Argos down the field with the game on the line, completing seven-of-eight passes including a nervy third-down conversion and virtually impossible throw between four defenders to set up the game winning score, a one-yard run by short-yardage quarterback Cody Fajardo.
It was vintage Ricky Ray, tearing the heart out of an opponent with the coolness of a practiced assassin.

http://3downnation.com/2017/11/20/ti...how-glenn-one/