Argos and Ti-Cats play for pride, as West spoilers

For Ontario’s CFL franchises the 2008 season has been very forgettable. Besides direct competition Hamilton and Toronto have won a combined four games against the six clubs that will vie for the Grey Cup this November. Both of their head coaches that began the season, Charlie Taaffe and Rich Stubler have been replaced with varying degrees of success. Also throughout this entire season both clubs have started almost every quarterback in their system. The Ti-Cats with the support of Coach Marcel Bellefeuille turned to their third string Quintan Porter and seem to have finally found a reliable quarterback. In his second career start he lead the Cats to a 44-38 win over the Alouettes with a 27-32 429 yards and five touchdown performance. The Cats win marked the first time the Alouettes dropped a game to a Eastern division foe all season.

If at all possible the Argos quarterback carousel has been even more jumbled. They brought in the 2007 Most Outstanding Player Kerry Joseph in hopes a repeat performance from the Grey Cup winning quarterback. Almost right from the get go things were difficult for Joseph who was put in the uncomfortable position of competing for his job with the last seasons starter Michael Bishop. With receivers dropping balls and a suddenly porous defense things didn’t go to well for Mr. Joseph.  While the Ti-Cats coaching change has produced an upset win and several close calls the Argos have not been so fortunate. When they brought CFL legend Don Matthews back to the sideline to lead their team they were ahead of Winnipeg by two games. Since then they have dropped seven straight games and fallen out of a playoff position.

This weekend these two Ontario clubs have one final chance to leave a mark on this CFL season. Friday night the Ti-Cats in their last home game will face the Calary Stampeders (11-5) who can clinch the West division with a win. But with the Ti-Cats narrow defeat at Saskatchewan last week and “Fan Appreciation Night” in full swing I expect the Cats to give Calgary all they can handle. The Stamps have lost their last two games in Hamilton including five of the last seven.

The Argos will travel across the country to face the B.C. Lions who are tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 10-5 for the right to host the West Division Semi-Final. Kerry Joseph in his infinite wisdom has predicted an Argos win on Saturday, against the top defensive team in the league. (Good luck with that KJ) As this season winds down and evaluation time continues for Toronto I believe the chances of wins are remote but then again if the St. Louis Rams can hammer the Cowboys anything is possible.

Hamilton vs. Calgary: Stamps 34-31

Toronto vs. B.C: BC 37-21

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