Ticats dance all over Lions for payback
HAMILTON— Brandon Banks and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats felt disrespected and took it out on the B.C. Lions.
Banks caught two of Jeremiah Masoli’s three first-half TD passes as Hamilton captured an emotionally charged 40-10 win against B.C. on Saturday afternoon. There was plenty of tension between the two teams after Lions players danced on the Ticats’ centre-field logo during their walk-through Friday.
Banks, Masoli and linebacker Simoni Lawrence were among the Hamilton players who felt disrespected by the Lions, who contended they meant nothing by it. Banks, Lawrence and linebacker Larry Dean all voiced their displeasure to B.C. players and Banks got into some verbal sparring with opposing receiver DeVier Posey.
The situation got so testy that head referee Andre Proulx issued a warning to B.C.’s bench in the first half.
“You don’t disrespect us unless you coming here ready to dominate us and obviously that didn’t happen,” Banks said. “It’s all about respect in this game.
“I understand they’ve got stuff they do ... but it’s about respecting another team until you come in here and do something. I guess they were flying high from what they did the previous week, a fluke win.”
B.C. was riding a three-game win streak, which included a come-from-behind 35-32 overtime decision against Hamilton in Vancouver last weekend.
The outspoken Lawrence, regarded as one of the CFL’s best trash talkers, said he was merely taking some motherly advice to heart.
“I don’t feel disrespected because we handled it,” said Lawrence. “My mom always told me if you’re mad, you better do something about it or don’t say anything.”
Banks was a key figure for Hamilton (7-7), which earned its first win in three games. The five-foot-seven, 155-pound Banks had nine catches for 79 yards and two TDs after missing two games with a groin injury, delighting the announced Tim Hortons Field sellout of 23,623.
“He’s our playmaker,” Masoli said of Banks. “Besides that, he brings a lot to the huddle on the field.
“Just his presence kind of gives us some mojo, gives us some juice.”
Masoli also was displeased with the Lions’ actions Friday.
“I felt a little disrespected about it, for sure,” he said. “That’s our home logo but what other teams do during their walk-through doesn’t really matter so it is what it is.” Hamilton’sDon Unamba and Mike Daly returned interceptions 29 and 58 yards, respec- tively, for TDs. The Ticats moved to within two points of first-place Ottawa (8-5) in the East Division standings.
Masoli was 18-of-26 passing for 189 yards, while John White IV ran for 108 yards on 15 carries.
B.C. (6-7) suffered its first loss in four gamesht. The Lions fell to1-6 away from BC Place Stadium.
Lions head coach Wally Buono said he never saw his players doing their midfield dance because he was busy doing a television interview.
“That’s not the kind of stuff I’d promote,” the CFL’s all-time leader in coaching wins said. “Unfortunately I was doing TSN or that probably never would’ve occurred.
“That was done. If that’s what the difference was, then I don’t think we’ll dance again.”
Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings was 17-of-25 passing for 146 yards with three interceptions before being replaced by former Toronto Argonaut Cody Fajardo in the third. Fajardo hit Shaq Johnson with a 13-yard TD strike at 6:12 of the fourth and completed seven of 12 passes for 69 yards.
Luke Tasker had Hamilton’s other touchdown. Lirim Hajrullahu booted four converts and two field goals, including a 51-yard that made him six-forsix from 50-plus yards this season.
B.C.’s Ty Long kicked a field goal and single.