TOP SPOT NOT NECESSARY
Lifting CFL title is all that matters
First place is hardly the worst place to be. But it doesn’t ensure success.
I can tell you that from personal experience.
In 2013, I was the general manager of the Grey Cup-winning Saskatchewan Roughriders, who finished second — as will Rob Vanstone in our head-to-head predictions.
In fact, the Roughriders had the same regular-season record (117) as the B.C. Lions. The Calgary Stampeders led the way at 14-4.
The Roughriders received homefield advantage in the West Division semifinal by virtue of having won the season series with B.C.
Even then, we barely got past the Lions, rallying from a 25-16 deficit to win 29-25. (Thanks again, Darian Durant.)
That game proved to be our toughest test of the playoffs. We went on to win 35-13 at Mcmahon Stadium in the West final — what did first place end up meaning to the Stampeders that year? — before defeating the Hamilton Tiger-cats 45-23 to win the Grey Cup at home.
Hamilton was also a second-place team, by the way.
Don’t get me wrong. If given a choice, I always will take first place, but it doesn’t guarantee anything.
Let’s flash back to 2009, if either of us can bear it.
Then, as now, the Roughriders needed to post a victory at home on the final weekend of regular-season play to secure top spot in the West.
Saskatchewan ended up defeating Calgary 30-14 on Nov. 7, 2009, to finish first for the first time since 1976.
However, that season is remembered for the Grey Cup, in which the Montreal Alouettes edged Saskatchewan 28-27. (Further details are omitted for humanitarian reasons.)
At the end of the day, do people remember the Roughriders finishing first in 2009? How about the 2013 version of the Roughriders finishing second?
Funny, but those facts aren’t at the forefront of my thoughts.
During my time in the CFL, I was fortunate enough to be part of five Grey Cup appearances.
Only two of those teams — the 2001 Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the 2009 Roughriders — advanced to the Grey Cup after finishing first.
Neither team won the championship.
Regular-season wins are fine and good for resumes, but ultimately it comes down to who performs on two (or three) weekends in November.
The Roughriders, of course, would be delighted to claim top spot for the first time in a decade. All it will take is a victory over the visiting Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday.
As the 2019 season regular-season concludes, the odds-on favourites to appear in the Grey Cup are the Roughriders (12-5) and Tiger-cats (14-3).
But, I remind you, nothing is secured when the playoffs begin.
Is first place, in fact, an easier path? We soon will find out.
The usual predictions ...
Montreal at Ottawa (Friday, 5 p.m.)
Taman: During a season in which nothing has gone right for the Redblacks, Ottawa will deal with more of the same. Alouettes by three.
Vanstone: Brendan, Brendan, Brendan ... you missed a three. Alouettes by 33!
Edmonton at Saskatchewan (Saturday, 2 p.m.)
Taman: One team needs to win. One team will just show up and have their minds on the East semifinal. Roughriders by 20.
Vanstone: Cody Fajardo for MOP! Roughriders by four.
Toronto at Hamilton (Saturday, 5 p.m.)
Taman: The Argos finish the year on a winning note. Argonauts by six.
Vanstone: I need to gain ground on Brendan, so ... Tiger-cats by eight.
Calgary at B.C. (Saturday, 8 p.m.) Taman: One team needs to win. One team will just show up and have their minds on travelling home for the off-season. Boarding in Zone 3 will soon commence. Stampeders by 16.
Vanstone: The Lions’ sad season finally ends. Stampeders by 17.
Season records: Taman 51-28
(3-1 last week); Vanstone 50-27 (3-1).
Don’t get me wrong. If given a choice, I always will take first place, but it doesn’t guarantee anything
Hero: Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros. After all the adversity he has faced this year, it was a good sign to see him play so well in Friday’s 29-28 victory over the visiting Stampeders — a result that opened the door for the Roughriders, with whom he began the season, to claim first place.
Zero: Two missed kicks by Calgary’s Rene Paredes — a hero earlier this season — were huge factors in the loss in Winnipeg.