A third of the season is done ... How would you power rank the 4 good teams

[Ron]

6 games in = 1/3 a season. So far there are 4 good teams in the CFL. (Argos, Stamps, Lions and Riders)

So how would you power rank the top 4 right now?

Mine:

1. Calgary
2. Saskatchewan
3. Toronto
4. BC

[LLB997]

1.Calgary 2.Toronto 3.BC 4.Sask. I am just waiting for Sask to take a swift reality check in the nards.

[Argocister]

6 games in = 1/3 a season. So far there are 4 good teams in the CFL. (Argos, Stamps, Lions and Riders)

So how would you power rank the top 4 right now?

Mine:

1. Calgary
2. Saskatchewan
3. Toronto
4. BC

At this point in time , I'll have to agree with you.
Calgary .... Because of last nights win. They're doing so well with switching up their QBs and receivers due to injuries.
Sask..... I would have put them first prior to last nights game as they seemed to have the least brain farts, but now they're human again.
Toronto .... Simply because they are on the upswing and had the W over BC a couple weeks ago.
BC .... These guys are hard to judge, some games they look to be improving and have it all together, others .... Meh

In all these teams, I think the coaching is the key to keeping them ahead of the rest of the league.

[AngeloV]

6 games in = 1/3 a season. So far there are 4 good teams in the CFL. (Argos, Stamps, Lions and Riders)

So how would you power rank the top 4 right now?

Mine:

1. Calgary
2. Saskatchewan
3. Toronto
4. BC

Sorry...can't put any team being led by Kevin Glenn #1.

[Argo57]

Sorry...can't put any team being led by Kevin Glenn #1.

1. Saskatchewan
2. Calgary
3. Toronto
4. B.C.
Same reason as Angelo.

[Will]

1) Calgary
2) Saskatchewan
3) Toronto
4) British Columbia

[ArgoGabe22]

Sorry...can't put any team being led by Kevin Glenn #1.

Kevin Glenn has made 18 regular-season starts with Calgary and Stamps are 13-5 in those games (including 11-2 in last 13).

[AngeloV]

Kevin Glenn has made 18 regular-season starts with Calgary and Stamps are 13-5 in those games (including 11-2 in last 13).

I chalk that up to the rest of the team, not him. I'd be willing to bet their winning percentage is similar in games Tate and now Mitchell have started. Glenn is a good back-up that will never lead his team to a championship. Every time he has a big playoff game, he lays an egg the following week. 2011: great game vs Montreal...crap vs Winnipeg. Last year: great game vs B.C. crap game in the grey cup.

[Argocister]

I chalk that up to the rest of the team, not him. I'd be willing to bet their winning percentage is similar in games Tate and now Mitchell have started. Glenn is a good back-up that will never lead his team to a championship. Every time he has a big playoff game, he lays an egg the following week. 2011: great game vs Montreal...crap vs Winnipeg. Last year: great game vs B.C. crap game in the grey cup.

I don't know.... I'd like the stamps to keep Glenn as starting QB
;)

[OV Argo]

Riders got a wake-up call vs. the Stamps, but should still be rated #1 IMO; Riders have lots of talent & depth across the board IMO - lots of proven vets and no real weak areas - team to best this season i believe and geared for a GC appearance at home.

Stamps 2 i guess but i think the Argos will prove to better down the road this season (but Stumps do have the best FG kicker in all of football, plus some good depth at QB; their D is average - sort of like the Argos D this year - but - lots of time for improvements / gelling; a healthy Ray gives the Argos a big edge over any of the Stumps QBs though); BC are way over-rated and should be in the bottom 5 vs. the top 4 teams.

[matthew]

All due respect LL.., I don't know how anyone could not rank SSK in first. Their record, regardless of how transparent you or others feel it is, speaks for itself.

[Ron]

All due respect LL.., I don't know how anyone could not rank SSK in first. Their record, regardless of how transparent you or others feel it is, speaks for itself.

Pretty easily actually.

By record (which speaks for itself) both SSK and CAL are both 5-1. Add to it that CAL just smacked the Riders ... you have CAL as the #1 team right now.

[AngeloV]

Pretty easily actually.

By record (which speaks for itself) both SSK and CAL are both 5-1. Add to it that CAL just smacked the Riders ... you have CAL as the #1 team right now.

Yeah, but they smacked each other on their home fields, so that would make it a wash. Saskatchewan has been more impressive in their other 4 games than Calgary, so that makes them #1.

[Ron]

Yeah, but they smacked each other on their home fields, so that would make it a wash. Saskatchewan has been more impressive in their other 4 games than Calgary, so that makes them #1.

More recent game carries more weight since good teams improve as the season wears on.

[AngeloV]

More recent game carries more weight since good teams improve as the season wears on.

Disagree. Good teams should win their home games, which each team has done against each other. Were talking week 2 vs week 6. It's not like we're talking beginning of season vs end of season.

[Argoriffic]

1) Saskatchewan
2) Calgary
3) ARGOS

4) BC

5) Edmonton
6) Montreal

7) Hamilton
8) Winnipeg

I think there is very clear top 3, BC just a smidge beneath that grouping. The thing that makes me wonder with Saskatchewan and Calgary are their QBs. I have never been a big fan of Durant. To me, he reminds me of the mobile, big armed trying to be pocket passers that are good but never great - Kerry Joseph, Khari Jones, Kevin Glenn, Michael Bishop... - solid pros, but guys you don't want in the game with the pressure on. But maybe George Cortez can figure something out (best hire in the off season!) especially with that run game.

Drew Tate can't stay healthy - I think they leave him unprotected in the expansion draft - Kevin Glenn (see above) - Bo Levi Mitchell is basically a rookie. If Calgary is forced to go into the playoffs with Glenn.... we can all finish that story.

BC seems to be a team that under achieves in the last two seasons, Buono has magic.. but he has to coach for that magic to come out. Is Lulay really that good?

I actually like Edmonton, they should have won atleast two more games. They can run the ball and have some good receivers that can make the big catch. The problem with Edmonton is the coaching. I think Kevis Reid is the worst head coach who has tenure in the league - mind you what has Benevides really done with all that talent in BC... under achieve? Reid never really wowed me in his stint as DC in Toronto under Stubler, plus some of those decisions with their QB? yikes. If they ever get their act together they could surprise some teams that take them lightly.

It looks like Time and the absence of Trestman have really hurt Montreal! The most under the wire loss for them was Marcus Brady to Toronto, who else on that staff knows Trestman's system? They lost Milanovic last year - as he was being groomed to take over that team when Trestman left - so who was there to keep that system or at least something like that system alive when Trestman left? What alot of people don't realize is that yeah Trestman was an unorthodox hire way back when, but had some CFL experience I think as a backup somewhere or as a coach in the CFL at some point?- I am not sure....

Anyway, 41 year old QB trying to learn a new system from a bullish new Coach... not a recipe fro success... Also, their main stars seem to be quite injury prone.

Hamilton will score points... can they stop anyone? Will Good Hank out preform Bad Hank? Steinauer didn't turn around the Argo's D when he took over mid season and he got passed for the job with the Argos when it was available. I just think he doesn't know what he wants to run to stop people - Stubler's defense? Man to Man? It is not working. T-Cats can score though!!

The joke I like to say is Winnipeg has a new CFL stadium now they need a CFL team to put in it! They just finally got rid of the Worst front office in the CFL, so they are atleast a couple of years away from competing. They need to bring in a solid CFL guy and give him full autonomy to reshape that organization like the Leafs did with Brian Burke or they will always be a has been team. I understand their Board of Directors are full of meddlers so I do have sympathy. But get rid of Buck Pierce already.

That brings me to the ARGOs. I think they are the Eastern Team to advance to the Grey Cup. I really don't see a team putting up to much of a fight along the way. The Argos have the best coaches/system in the CFL right now. The Best Front Office and requiters, Scott Milanovic brings a winning attitude to the team with his "I don't care who you are, if you can't improve the team and the next guy can" attitude is the prefect one for today's football culture. Chris Jones is the best DC in the CFL and he finds players everywhere! As long as we have this Front Office together, we are the class of the East!

Oh and I think MLSE should by the team, get them a new practice facility and move them to the new upgraded BMO field that they are talking about.

[flafson]

I worry that Montreal will collapse as fans won't come to the games cause they aren't winning anymore.
As much as Winnipeg suck, it's the CFL, anything can change on a dime very quickly. If they get the right people in their office, they can turn it around in a year.

Another negative aspect, there is only wins and losses so on average you will have half the league happy and half the league upset, it's hard to keep enough fans entertained to keep this league profitable.

[matthew]

Agreed and I would also say that they overall play has been more consistent than Calgary's (yes I am aware of qb issues) so that to me is the tie breaker that puts SSK ahead. How much ahead is apparently up for debate.

[Gill The Thrill]

1. Calgary
2. Saskatchewan
3. Toronto
4. BC

I put the Stamps at #1 because Jon Cornish imo is an all-around better back then Kory Sheets who will definitely tail off...to his credit he started at a nearly impossible to keep up pace...but if I had to choose between him and Cornish, I'll take Cornish, Canadian or not. The Riders are a strong #2 because they did lose the head to head meeting last week after giving the Stamps a huge lead, but 5-1 is impressive and you could argue they could be #1 as they really whipped the Argos at the dome en route to their 5-0 start. I put the Argos at #3 because of how decisive their last 2, in fact 3 wins have been. They've outscored thier opponents 76-25 in their last 2 wins vs BC and Montreal and have won 2 of those victories on the road, although it can be argued that they've kicked Winnipeg and Montreal while they're down, which is also a sign of a solid team that gives no mercy and does not give up momentum.

BC is not necessarily an enigma but not spectacular in terms of consistency so far. However they could very well be in Regina representing the West in the Grey Cup come November. They along with Cal and Sask are unbeaten at home, and are only 1 game back of both the Stamps and Riders. As a matter of fact if they win at home against Calgary this Saturday, and the Als can regain some life and upset the Riders in Regina, then that would setup a 3 way tie for 1st in the West at 5-2. Couple those predictions with the Argos not faltering vs the Eskies and Edmonton could find themselves 4 whole games out of playoff spot in the West Division come next week...yikes...Kavis will be hard pressed to make it till the end of the season if that happens. I hope Hamilton shows how valuable having an experienced QB is and beats Winnipeg because I don't want to see a 2nd place team in the East with a 2-5 record, nor the bottom 2 teams at 2-5...Sorry Bomber fans, I'd rather see them at 1-6 with the Ticats and Als moving up to 3-4...I also don't want the Argos to have a cakewalk and back into the East Final with out a threat, as I remember two of the most devastating Eastern Final losses that the Argos had in my lifetime, 1984 and 1988, which had this similar pattern to the regular season, seeing as they were virtually unchallenged for 1st in the East in the second half of the season and got complacent.

[Gill The Thrill]

That brings me to the ARGOs. I think they are the Eastern Team to advance to the Grey Cup. I really don't see a team putting up to much of a fight along the way. The Argos have the best coaches/system in the CFL right now. The Best Front Office and requiters, Scott Milanovic brings a winning attitude to the team with his "I don't care who you are, if you can't improve the team and the next guy can" attitude is the prefect one for today's football culture. Chris Jones is the best DC in the CFL and he finds players everywhere! As long as we have this Front Office together, we are the class of the East!

Oh and I think MLSE should by the team, get them a new practice facility and move them to the new upgraded BMO field that they are talking about.

I would not count out the Ticats under Kent Austin to not improve. This guy knows Canadian Football inside out, and the Ticats may get some help in the upcoming weeks to shore up that porous defence. Grey Cups and playoff games have never been won in July and August, although teams can put themselves in a hole of which they can't come out of by Labour Day. I think the Ticats could pose a threat by years end and with a great 2nd half can achieve a .500 record, possibly better if they improve defensively. I remember seeing the Cats start out 1-7 and getting to the Grey Cup by going unbeaten from October on...not that I'd recommend that strategy, but it has happened...Kent Austin's 1989 Grey Cup win with Saskatchewan was somewhat like that as they started slow at the Gate but put together a winning streak by year's end to just reach .500 at 9-9. They would go on to beat a 16-2 Eskimo team (best ever record under the 18 game schedule) at Commonwealth in the Western Final en route to their Cup win.

Besides I think it would be fun to see a competitive Eastern Final that could draw over 45K if not sellout at the dome between the Argos and Ticats...They are due for an Eastern Final meeting as their last one was in 1984 as both teams rarely have winning seasons during the same season...man that's almost 30 years ago,...way too long.

PS - Disagree wholeheartedly with MLSE buying the Argos, they are a crap organization that could afford to be because their hockey operation is a turnkey business that requires no business saavy to sell the Maple Leaf brand or the sport they play in this market. It financially compensates for how poorly they run all their other franchises, including the Leafs from an on-ice perspective. (Unlike other sports empires Man U, and the Yankees, they don't win Championships) Besides they'd have no interest in buying the Argos or they already would. I would much rather have different owners own sports teams as opposed to monopolies...as monopolies are horrible for consumers as it leaves sports fans with less choice as to how an organization is run....example-- think why Toronto does not have a 2nd NHL team even though the market can certainly support it. (Surely the folks at MLSE who have clout with the NHL don't honestly think SoCal and and NY/NJ are greater hockey markets than Toronto, they just want to limit our choice like other monopolies have done so that we're forced feed thier crappy entertainment which leaves the masses empty and unsatisfied, but them laughing all the way to the bank)

PS - The Jays under the Rogers ownership and all their hype on their media networks, be it the Fan 590 or Sportsnet are following the exact trend as MLSE...no wonder why their marriage with Bell in buying out the Teachers Pension portion of the Leafs is a match made in heaven...They can all laugh to the bank together at the expense of all their fans who cling on their every word as hope...I'm not impressed, but then again I digress.

It's just disappointing that the Argos can win 3 games in a row and have little air space on Sportsnet TV and Radio, yet when the Blow Jays win 2 games in a row after losing 8 of 10, the folks at Rogers are already pumping up the parade route in the future...what a frickin joke, but that's the Toronto sports media for ya.

[Argo57]

Hamilton is the team that could (will) give the Argonauts problems once they get their defence figured out , their offence is as dangerous as any in the league if "Good Hank" shows up and they always play us tough.
Montreal's attendance probably will dip if the teams performance drops, they love to support a winner but have little patience otherwise (see Canadiens early 80's).

[ArgoRavi]

I would not count out the Ticats under Kent Austin to not improve. This guy knows Canadian Football inside out, and the Ticats may get some help in the upcoming weeks to shore up that porous defence. Grey Cups and playoff games have never been won in July and August, although teams can put themselves in a hole of which they can't come out of by Labour Day. I think the Ticats could pose a threat by years end and with a great 2nd half can achieve a .500 record, possibly better if they improve defensively. I remember seeing the Cats start out 1-7 and getting to the Grey Cup by going unbeaten from October on...not that I'd recommend that strategy, but it has happened...Kent Austin's 1989 Grey Cup win with Saskatchewan was somewhat like that as they started slow at the Gate but put together a winning streak by year's end to just reach .500 at 9-9. They would go on to beat a 16-2 Eskimo team (best ever record under the 18 game schedule) at Commonwealth in the Western Final en route to their Cup win.

Besides I think it would be fun to see a competitive Eastern Final that could draw over 45K if not sellout at the dome between the Argos and Ticats...They are due for an Eastern Final meeting as their last one was in 1984 as both teams rarely have winning seasons during the same season...man that's almost 30 years ago,...way too long.

While I agree with much of what you say here, Gill, Austin has to prove that he is more than a one-year wonder (2007) and that he can not only be an effective head coach but build his own team as well. Remember that he won in '07 largely with a team that Roy Shivers built in Saskatchewan. Furthermore, the Riders won that year, in part, because they were the only team to not lose their starting QB. The only other team who didn't lose their starting QB during the regular season was Saskatchewan's Grey Cup opponent, the Bombers, but they lost Kevin Glenn in the final quarter of the East Final. Regardless of what one might think of Glenn, he undoubtedly would have given Winnipeg a much better chance to win that Grey Cup than Ryan Dinwiddie did. Anyway, I do have much respect for Austin but he has far more on his plate in Hamilton than he did in Regina. I do have a feeling that the Ticats will get their act together and perhaps be the Argos' biggest challenger in the East this year which would be great for the CFL in southern Ontario but they do have a lot of work to do.

[Gill The Thrill]

Good points about Austin having more to do to get the Ticats in the right direction since the cupboard was a little more bear....they do have a fantastic non-import receiving core.


PS...I've also remembered that I forgot to mention the last infamous Argo-Ticat Eastern Final being the 2 game total point fiasco in 1986....The Argos did not runaway with the East as they were 10-8 and the Tabbies were 9-8-1 that year. Being a home and home 2 game Division Final did not exactly give the Argos true home field advantage, but as I'm sure any Argo fan from back then reading this would remember they had nobody but themselves to blame as they blew a huge lead at home to lose that....that 1986 Ticat defense in hindsight is probably one of the more underated in the history of the league....Al Bruno, the Ticats coach at that time was arguably their best coach in my lifetime along with Ron Lancaster.

Anyways, it must have been because of the unusualness of the 2 game total final, that I had forgotten about the 1986 Eastern final between the Cats and Argos. That was the last 2 game total final that was played, as the league developed the crossover rule in the 90's to combat the situation of enabling a 4th place in one division to make the playoffs if thier record was better than the 3rd place team in the other division.

[Will]

The thing about BC is that I look at their receiving corps, Arceneaux is very good, but overall as a receiving corps it doesn't scare me as much as it would have a few years ago.

[Gill The Thrill]

Hamilton is the team that could (will) give the Argonauts problems once they get their defence figured out , their offence is as dangerous as any in the league if "Good Hank" shows up and they always play us tough.
Montreal's attendance probably will dip if the teams performance drops, they love to support a winner but have little patience otherwise (see Canadiens early 80's).

I can't see Montreal's attendance really tailing off as Molson Stadium on Mount Royal really is a pleasant atmosphere to soak in for even the most casual sports fan to spend a Sunday Afternoon in the fall even if the home team is struggling. Remember the Als have had some seasons of inconsistency although it was thankfully never long term....remember the Rod Rust regime as Head Coach, he seemed to be a nice older gentleman, I believe he was 70 yrs old that year, who if I'm not mistaken even rode his bike to work. The Als started hot as usual but I believe the team ended up losing their last 7 games after starting 8-3, to finish 8-10. They lost the Eastern Semi-Final that year and may have even been on the road for that game, so they've had down seasons. I can't even remember if they had any significant injuries that year, possibly Calvillo being out or Pringle or any of their receivers at that time. Anyways the attendance still looked good even if it was probably just 20K at that time because the stadium is not cavernous like the Big O or Skydome which are more than half empty with 25,000 in attendance.

On the football angle, the successful thing about how Jim Popp has run that organization is that he's a decent recruiter of talent and has re-tooled rather quickly...no brash or hasty decisions were made, as he has stuck with his core, especially AC at QB. Remember Calvillo did not have many takers after his 2-16 season in Hamilton, and Popp was astute enough to recognize his natural talent which could be slowly reared without pressure by backing up Tracy Ham whom had come up to Montreal from Baltimore after their relocation. If I can pat myself on the back without seeming pompass..lol...I was also still a believer in Calvillo after that Hamilton year as he had shown decent passing skills suited to the Canadian game early in his carear. He had won his first two starts in the league with a poor Las Vegas Posse team in 1994 that had more than their share of distractions, which come naturally if you're in Vegas. I can't remember if the team met payroll or may have not, but I do remember that attendance had gone into the 4,000 range for one game late in the year.

[Argo57]

Hopefully you are correct regarding Montreals attendance for the leagues sake. I'm not convinced, Montreal likes a front runner.
Time will tell.

[ArgoRavi]

I can't see Montreal's attendance really tailing off as Molson Stadium on Mount Royal really is a pleasant atmosphere to soak in for even the most casual sports fan to spend a Sunday Afternoon in the fall even if the home team is struggling. Remember the Als have had some seasons of inconsistency although it was thankfully never long term....remember the Rod Rust regime as Head Coach, he seemed to be a nice older gentleman, I believe he was 70 yrs old that year, who if I'm not mistaken even rode his bike to work. The Als started hot as usual but I believe the team ended up losing their last 7 games after starting 8-3, to finish 8-10. They lost the Eastern Semi-Final that year and may have even been on the road for that game, so they've had down seasons. I can't even remember if they had any significant injuries that year, possibly Calvillo being out or Pringle or any of their receivers at that time. Anyways the attendance still looked good even if it was probably just 20K at that time because the stadium is not cavernous like the Big O or Skydome which are more than half empty with 25,000 in attendance.

You are referring to the 2001 season when Montreal hosted the Grey Cup. The Als started that year 9-2 but Anthony Calvillo was hurt and, although he returned for the final regular season game and the playoffs IIRC, the Als never won again that year. I remember a backup QB named Gonzalez being a complete disaster for the Als in Calvillo's absence. Rod Rust was fired after a home loss to Hamilton which dropped the Als to 9-8 IIRC and Jim Popp started his less than illustrious coaching career at that point.

[AngeloV]

Kevin Glenn has made 18 regular-season starts with Calgary and Stamps are 13-5 in those games (including 11-2 in last 13).


I chalk that up to the rest of the team, not him. I'd be willing to bet their winning percentage is similar in games Tate and now Mitchell have started. Glenn is a good back-up that will never lead his team to a championship. Every time he has a big playoff game, he lays an egg the following week. 2011: great game vs Montreal...crap vs Winnipeg. Last year: great game vs B.C. crap game in the grey cup.

Kevin Glenn's great clock management sure as hell didn't disappoint me tonight. 3 plays in 40 seconds (with 51 remaining on the clock) at the end of the game is inexcusable for a guy that's been around as long as he has. Let's face it...He's so Jimmy Kemp.

[Gill The Thrill]

Kevin Glenn's great clock management sure as hell didn't disappoint me tonight. 3 plays in 40 seconds (with 51 remaining on the clock) at the end of the game is inexcusable for a guy that's been around as long as he has. Let's face it...He's so Jimmy Kemp.Kevin Glenn has a better arm than Jimmy Kemp ever had, which was his achilles heel, but his clock management and the mental aspects of being a QB were as good, if not better than Glenn's. Pretty tough to win games on offense if you don't have that gun for an arm and can be deep threat.