Cjfl

[Mocha]

BC Football Conference's Langley Rams hammered London Beefeaters 37-0 in the first bowl shutout since 2003 to win the Canadian Bowl with a merciless defence that had ten sacks.

https://www.westerlynews.ca/sports/l...canadian-bowl/

The Rams have been struggling early this season, now at 0-3.

The Beefeaters, on the other hand, hammered Ottawa Sooners in their season opener.

[Mocha]

All conferences are now into their seasons. Ottawa Sooners are back for the first time since 2019, IIRC, and got their first win yesterday. St Clair and London look like the early favourites again.

[Mocha]

GTA Grizzlies are off to a terrible start, as usual.

They play against London today, and it will probably be ugly, but might be worth a peak.

London Beefeaters	-	GTA Grizzlies	-	Chinguacousy Park, Bramalea Road, Brampton, ON, Canada	1:00 PM EDT
St. Clair Saints	-	Quinte Skyhawks	-	Loyalist College, Wallbridge Loyalist Road, Belleville, ON, Canada	2:00 PM EDT

The game will probably be shown on youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8...rnSj-kw/videos

[Mocha]

I couldn't find any stream of the Grizzlies game, but just as well. They lost 43-7 to London.

[AngeloV]

I couldn't find any stream of the Grizzlies game, but just as well. They lost 43-7 to London.

Beefeaters always have a pretty good squad. We used to joke that it was Western's practice roster when I played.

[Mocha]

Beefeaters always have a pretty good squad. We used to joke that it was Western's practice roster when I played.

There seems to be three tiers among the six teams. London and St. Clair will battle again for first. GTA and Quinte will battle for last, or I guess fifth. And Hamilton and Ottawa will battle for third. But who knows. Ottawa is fielding a team for the first time since 2019, so maybe they'll improve a lot to push the top two.

[AngeloV]

There seems to be three tiers among the six teams. London and St. Clair will battle again for first. GTA and Quinte will battle for last, or I guess fifth. And Hamilton and Ottawa will battle for third. But who knows. Ottawa is fielding a team for the first time since 2019, so maybe they'll improve a lot to push the top two.

When I played, it was Ottawa, Oshawa, Burlington, Hamilton, London and Windsor. We were usually at the bottom of the league in Oshawa, but in 1988 we were very competitive and finished 2-6 with 4 of the losses all within 1 score. Windsor was the class of the league and one of our 2 wins were against that team. Best Oshawa team in years, then the coaching staff left before the 1989 season and it all spiraled downwards.

[OV Argo]

When I played, it was Ottawa, Oshawa, Burlington, Hamilton, London and Windsor. We were usually at the bottom of the league in Oshawa, but in 1988 we were very competitive and finished 2-6 with 4 of the losses all within 1 score. Windsor was the class of the league and one of our 2 wins were against that team. Best Oshawa team in years, then the coaching staff left before the 1989 season and it all spiraled downwards.

Looking at Ottawa Sooners history - 1988 - shows a 3 to 1 win over Oshawa in Ottawa? - is that correct? Quite the low scoring affair ;o) Were games played at the Nepean Sportsplex field back then? - rock hard old artificial turf ? (i played in an ONTFL touch league game there in the 90s - game held there for some reason as most were played on real grass HS fields) Maybe I saw you play back then AV - didn't go to many Sooners games, but a few (and their star RB back around mid -late 80s was the little brother of a good friend of mine)

[AngeloV]

Looking at Ottawa Sooners history - 1988 - shows a 3 to 1 win over Oshawa in Ottawa? - is that correct? Quite the low scoring affair ;o) Were games played at the Nepean Sportsplex field back then? - rock hard old artificial turf ? (i played in an ONTFL touch league game there in the 90s - game held there for some reason as most were played on real grass HS fields) Maybe I saw you play back then AV - didn't go to many Sooners games, but a few (and their star RB back around mid -late 80s was the little brother of a good friend of mine)

That is correct. I injured my thumb on the first pass of my first ever game in the league on a follow through against a D-lineman’s helmet, and we had no back up QB. I threw only 2 more passes that game and it was ugly. I missed the next game against Hamilton Hurricanes but played the last 6 games. We lost to Ottawa at home late in the season on a hook and lateral in the last minute, I believe 36-31. My highest passing yards total of 360. The game in Nepean was the first time I had ever played on artificial turf and didn’t tape my ankles. I sprained my right ankle later in the game, but got it taped up and finished. Sooners backfield that year had some guy name Shearon and Darren Joseph

[OV Argo]

That is correct. I injured my thumb on the first pass of my first ever game in the league on a follow through against a D-lineman’s helmet, and we had no back up QB. I threw only 2 more passes that game and it was ugly. I missed the next game against Hamilton Hurricanes but played the last 6 games. We lost to Ottawa at home late in the season on a hook and lateral in the last minute, I believe 36-31. My highest passing yards total of 360. The game in Nepean was the first time I had ever played on artificial turf and didn’t tape my ankles. I sprained my right ankle later in the game, but got it taped up and finished. Sooners backfield that year had some guy name Shearon and Darren Joseph

Tough start - thumb & ankle in your first game. Mike, is that other Sooners' RB's 1st name; set some league records that still might stand; went on to play for Carleton Ravens and then the semi-pro Ottawa Bootleggers (American league)

[AngeloV]

Tough start - thumb & ankle in your first game. Mike, is that other Sooners' RB's 1st name; set some league records that still might stand; went on to play for Carleton Ravens and then the semi-pro Ottawa Bootleggers (American league)

That's the guy. Wore #32. He was good. He was on the back end of the hook and lateral that beat us at home and ended our playoff aspirations, dropping us to 2-5. I talked the coach into letting me call my own plays for the last game at Ivor Wynn and ended up throwing for over 300 yards and 3 TD's, but also threw 6 picks. I had only thrown 8 going into that game LOL. I guess sometimes coaches do know better.

[Mocha]

I enjoy reading these accounts of the past. I noticed today that the GTA Grizzlies twitter account claims they are the "official feeder team to the Toronto Argonauts". Anyone know if any former Grizzlies have actually suited up for the Argos?

And just a general FYI, the Grizzlies are in Hamilton tonight to face the Hurricanes on a rare weekday game.

[AngeloV]

I enjoy reading these accounts of the past. I noticed today that the GTA Grizzlies twitter account claims they are the "official feeder team to the Toronto Argonauts". Anyone know if any former Grizzlies have actually suited up for the Argos?

And just a general FYI, the Grizzlies are in Hamilton tonight to face the Hurricanes on a rare weekday game.

In the 80's, my team the Oshawa Hawkeyes were affiliated with the Argos. I actually was at an Argos evaluation camp in '89. I knew I had no shot of getting an invite to a higher camp, but it was still pretty cool to be looked at by Obie and the coaching staff. Our MLB Marco Arbour was the Argos last selection in the '90 draft. He led the OFC in tackles in 1989, but I don't believe he ever went to camp. His decision.

My 88 and 89 teams had a lot of players go in to play for St Mary's Huskies as our OC Ken Goddard was very close to Larry Uteck. From memory, I will say RB Anthony Oxley (cup of coffee with the Ottawa Rough Riders), Centre Chris Goddard (played TE on my Hawkeyes team), OL Brad Chalmers, safety Trevor Burke, LB Don Joskow, FB Ewan Walker and I'm sure I am missing 2 or 3 more. Acouple of others went on to play at Waterloo in OL Fam Lone and WR Hayden Vialva.

Argos also selected Burlington Tiger Cats receiver Curtis Bell who suited up for a handful of games for them I believe in 1990. He was damn good in junior.

Former Hawkeyes to play in the CFL that I am aware of include Steve Howlett, Nick Benjamin, David Black and my former teammate (prior to going to Indiana University) Andrew Greene.

Like Oshawa, the GTA team really struggles to get good talent from the GTA, as most of the best GTA players go to Usport. Canada West OTOH, has a high number of players that play 2 or 3 years in the Prairie or BCJFL leagues prior to playing Usport. It's why the players from Canada West are often older than the OUA.

[OV Argo]

In the 80's, my team the Oshawa Hawkeyes were affiliated with the Argos. I actually was at an Argos evaluation camp in '89. I knew I had no shot of getting an invite to a higher camp, but it was still pretty cool to be looked at by Obie and the coaching staff. Our MLB Marco Arbour was the Argos last selection in the '90 draft. He led the OFC in tackles in 1989, but I don't believe he ever went to camp. His decision.

My 88 and 89 teams had a lot of players go in to play for St Mary's Huskies as our OC Ken Goddard was very close to Larry Uteck. From memory, I will say RB Anthony Oxley (cup of coffee with the Ottawa Rough Riders), Centre Chris Goddard (played TE on my Hawkeyes team), OL Brad Chalmers, safety Trevor Burke, LB Don Joskow, FB Ewan Walker and I'm sure I am missing 2 or 3 more. Acouple of others went on to play at Waterloo in OL Fam Lone and WR Hayden Vialva.

Argos also selected Burlington Tiger Cats receiver Curtis Bell who suited up for a handful of games for them I believe in 1990. He was damn good in junior.

Former Hawkeyes to play in the CFL that I am aware of include Steve Howlett, Nick Benjamin, David Black and my former teammate (prior to going to Indiana University) Andrew Greene.

Like Oshawa, the GTA team really struggles to get good talent from the GTA, as most of the best GTA players go to Usport. Canada West OTOH, has a high number of players that play 2 or 3 years in the Prairie or BCJFL leagues prior to playing Usport. It's why the players from Canada West are often older than the OUA.

U Sports changed the rules on eligibility so guys could not play a few years of Junior and then go on to play U Sports ball - some sort of age limit thing now ? Not sure I agree with the cry-babying from some that saw that rule changed? - anybody attending (actually going to classes, passing courses, etc.) should be allowed to play for their University sports team IMO - plain & simple; and tough luck if they are a certain age or had lots of Junior ball experience before (and they may have been brought in just to play football, with no real intention of getting schooling, but how do you prove that?) 20 year old athletes can't possibly compete with 25 year olds? - what a crock. Should a 30 year old who returns to get more education at a University, and happens to love football and be a good player be banned from playing - WTF ? Petty, jealous B$ IMO.


And BTW AV - pretty sure that ex-Sooner RB told a story of being invited to some sort of Argo try-out back in the day, which amounted to running some sprints in a park somewhere in the GTA - a joke, I believe he referred to it as. The old Ottawa Sooners placed many very good players on old Ottawa Rough Rider teams, as did a number of Junior teams to various CFL teams (all-time greats like C Jon Bonk or DT Glen Weir) but those were different days/times where a lot of top talent did not go to CIAU teams. Good thing Andrew Harris was not CFL written-off back when he came out of Junior ball; Jevon Cottoy now too.