Week 1: Hamilton TigerCats @ Toronto Argonauts, June 23, 2016 @ BMO FIELD Game Thread

[Argo]

i was sat next to some obnoxious dude who was just yelling and trying to pick fights with hamilton fans all night.
brutal luckily he left after the third.

then i turn around to see a little girl looking in my backpack and i pull it away, her mom starts yelling at me for apparently stealing her toonie... which was on the ground under my backpack that her little girl was searching through???

i hope these people arent at the next games i go too.

glad i wasnt a new fan or id never go again.

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” [some guy named Einstein]

[1argoholic]

As I mentioned earlier I think Ray missed Owens. He has played very little in quite a while but I wouldn't say he was horrible. His O line was terrible and these receivers aren't like Owens who can get open easily and give Ray a quick target. We need Spencer in the lineup. The O line needs to improve and Ray is a great vet who will grow with his receivers. We need to create more of a running game. Ray still hit some lovely passes. If the offense continues to struggle I would shake it up with a few reps from Kilgore and Fajardo. I know Milanovich's MO and he's overly conservative but imagine getting some plays in for Fajardo who can run like a the wind. That would shake the other D up. I guess Milo has to gain confidence in the two younger qb's. We need to win next week.

[Neely2005]

As I mentioned earlier I think Ray missed Owens. He has played very little in quite a while but I wouldn't say he was horrible. His O line was terrible and these receivers aren't like Owens who can get open easily and give Ray a quick target. We need Spencer in the lineup. The O line needs to improve and Ray is a great vet who will grow with his receivers. We need to create more of a running game. Ray still hit some lovely passes. If the offense continues to struggle I would shake it up with a few reps from Kilgore and Fajardo. I know Milanovich's MO and he's overly conservative but imagine getting some plays in for Fajardo who can run like a the wind. That would shake the other D up. I guess Milo has to gain confidence in the two younger qb's. We need to win next week.

Kilgore did play at the end of the game.

[1argoholic]

I did see that but I'd basically given up at that point and was getting ready to crash while the tv was on. Hopefully they work more plays in for the future. Then they must keep these young qb's if they play well. We can't afford to keep supplying the league with qb talent.

[R.J]

Ratings for the home opener are in.
http://www.bellmedia.ca/pr/press/las...adian-viewers/

TBH I was expecting higher; had the game been closer - it would have been.

[Ron]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl...auts-game-now/

Nice foreshadow for the ownership group. They could have easily had a magical buyer for a couple hundred seats and call it a sold out game. But they didn't and had confidence in the true number.

Ratings for the home opener are in.
http://www.bellmedia.ca/pr/press/las...adian-viewers/

TBH I was expecting higher; had the game been closer - it would have been.

Considering 900K were watching when it did get close ...

[doubleblue]

I agree with most of the reviews. Massoli played well and is actually the type of QB the Argos need is they are going to go with this Offensive Line. But he did have lots of time to throw. I said, probably too many times, this off season that if the Argos were going to hang their hat on Ricky Ray, the Offensive Line had to be Grade A and the right side of the line on paper wasn't good enough. Nothing I saw Thursday night changed my mine. What I couldn't understand is why Milanovich didn't go with two TE's (back ups Smith and Campbell) to at least try to slow down the Hamilton pass rush and give Ricky at least three steam boats. Maybe Wayne Smith wasn't 100% but he is a better Guard than Watman IMO. I would suggest moving Van Zeyl in to RG and find a Import Tackle who can pass block, and if McEwen is ready to play Center they would still have their 4 Canadians starting. Otherwise Ricky will be on the IR very soon and the young back ups will be running for their lives.

Hamilton LB Lawrence was outstanding.

[paulwoods13]

I agree with most of the reviews. Massoli played well and is actually the type of QB the Argos need is they are going to go with this Offensive Line. But he did have lots of time to throw. I said, probably too many times, this off season that if the Argos were going to hang their hat on Ricky Ray, the Offensive Line had to be Grade A and the right side of the line on paper wasn't good enough. Nothing I saw Thursday night changed my mine. What I couldn't understand is why Milanovich didn't go with two TE's (back ups Smith and Campbell) to at least try to slow down the Hamilton pass rush and give Ricky at least three steam boats. Maybe Wayne Smith wasn't 100% but he is a better Guard than Watman IMO. I would suggest moving Van Zeyl in to RG and find a Import Tackle who can pass block, and if McEwen is ready to play Center they would still have their 4 Canadians starting. Otherwise Ricky will be on the IR very soon and the young back ups will be running for their lives.

Hamilton LB Lawrence was outstanding.

Campbell was not dressed. The backup o-linemen were Smith and McEwen. The Argos did play one or two TEs (Smith/Dupuis mostly) a fair bit but it didn't seem to help.

[Reggiemac]

This is what can happen when we only have 2 preseason games. It usually takes a few games to gel and the only easy to watch game so far was ottawa and edmonton.

[R.J]

National TV ratings number for #Ticats @ #Argos opener: 747,000 viewers when you add in RDS/Quebec. #CFL via @paulosenra

— CFL News (@CFL_News) June 25, 2016

[gilthethrill]

Has BMO field ever in its existence had this much exposure on TV for a sorting event?

[ArgoRavi]

Has BMO field ever in its existence had this much exposure on TV for a sorting event?

I know there was a big deal when David Beckham first visited BMO Field years ago but I don't think that stadium has ever had the level of exposure that the Argos are bringing to it.

[Qman]

I know there was a big deal when David Beckham first visited BMO Field years ago but I don't think that stadium has ever had the level of exposure that the Argos are bringing to it.

Thats why they bought the team and that why BMO signed up for another 10 years

[1argoholic]

Cody Fajardo. The guy would be just like the young qb in BC except bigger and stronger. Can you tell I'm a fan?

[Argo57]

Cody Fajardo. The guy would be just like the young qb in BC except bigger and stronger. Can you tell I'm a fan?

Let him master the QB sneak on 3rd down then we'll go from there.

[Stevoman]

Cody Fajardo. The guy would be just like the young qb in BC except bigger and stronger. Can you tell I'm a fan?

I'd like to see him develop as well. I'm sure Ricky and the O-line will bounce back next week but I was feeling a little bummed watching Trevor Harris light it up tonight. Not starting this whole debate again and I'm happy for Harris but I'm waiting for Ray to have a really good game. When you factor in all of the injuries, you have to go back to 2014 some time for his last really good one. I guess I'd feel better if I knew we had some quarterbacks behind him that have lots of potential. I guess I have to wait and see.

[1argoholic]

He's one and one. The O line couldn't block. haha. On the first one he could have taken the snap and run left and would still be running it was so open. He could have run to Regina for the next game.

[Ron]

I don't think Harris or Collaros would have looked so good with that Argo O-Line on Thursday.

[1971GreyCup]

Harris really lit it up last night. Apart from a late season run in 2012, three years of ineptitude is quite trying. The Argos have been waiting for HOF Ricky Ray to return to form and in doing so have setup the Ticats and RedBlacks nicely with QBs for years to come!

Our only player flow continues to come from the Als with those players Coach Milanovich liked pre-2012. Youth out, veterans late in their career coming in. Our youthful players have flourished under coaching elsewhere.

Being greatly out coached by Austin & Steinhauher on Thursday was very disheartening. A ton of penalties and a team that looked flat in the most important game to happen in Toronto in a decade?? A no name defence with coaching in Hamilton dominated us. I sure hope I am wrong and we get good, and get there fast.

Am I wrong and Milanovich is the genius and his OC is the guy? Is Barker right hanging on to Ray and the elder players? Or will Ray be Barkers Cleo Lemon and he hangs his hat on the future of the club too long?

[OV Argo]

Harris really lit it up last night. Apart from a late season run in 2012, three years of ineptitude is quite trying. The Argos have been waiting for HOF Ricky Ray to return to form and in doing so have setup the Ticats and RedBlacks nicely with QBs for years to come!

Our only player flow continues to come from the Als with those players Coach Milanovich liked pre-2012. Youth out, veterans late in their career coming in. Our youthful players have flourished under coaching elsewhere.

Being greatly out coached by Austin & Steinhauher on Thursday was very disheartening. A ton of penalties and a team that looked flat in the most important game to happen in Toronto in a decade?? A no name defence with coaching in Hamilton dominated us. I sure hope I am wrong and we get good, and get there fast.

Am I wrong and Milanovich is the genius and his OC is the guy? Is Barker right hanging on to Ray and the elder players? Or will Ray be Barkers Cleo Lemon and he hangs his hat on the future of the club too long?

Agreed totally on the being outcoached part - obvious in last year's East semi too - when a young QB like Masoli is able to beat a HOF type like Ray, and it isn't because the Ticats have greater talent everywhere else on the roster = all on coaching / play-calling. Millanovich & Brady know one basic, simpleton offence - and the Ticats D knows it, and the Argos O-line wasn't good enough in pass protection to let Ray run the same old mostly pass offence.

I'd hardly call the Ticats D "no name" though IMO - Lawrence is a real play-maker on D (one of the league's best D players IMO); Chick is a very good vet DE; E. Davis is a top notch D-backfielder - they have some talent and Steinauer was able to blend in some new & young guys = he out-coached Stubler too IMO.