Calgary taking these ’ Cats seriously
Not a clear Grey Cup preview with Ticats missing star QB Collaros
A few things have happened for the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger- Cats since the last time they hooked up at the site of old Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Running back Jon Cornish has picked up three rushing titles, three straight most outstanding Canadian awards and a league MOP.
The Tiger- Cats made it to two Grey Cups, losing the most recent one to the Stamps last November, while the Calgarians played in two as well, losing to the Toronto Argonauts in 2012.
The Ticats let Stampeders alltime leading passer Henry Burris go as a free agent as they picked up 2015’ s most outstanding player candidate Zach Collaros. Now the Ticats have lost Collaros to a season- ending injury.
Yes, a lot can occur in three- plus years.
Back on Aug. 9, 2012, current Stampeders left guard Shane Bergman was simply a Ticats fan, making the trek with his family and friends from Teeterville, Ont., about a 40- minute drive away. Now he’s getting a chance to suit up at Tim Hortons Field, in his third CFL season.
“It’s finally happening,” Bergman said before the team took off for Hamilton. “When I used to go there, Kevin Glenn was the quarterback ( 2009- 11). When I got here he was my quarterback so I went from watching him to being in the huddle with him. That was pretty cool.
“It’s felt like a while. Last year, it was at ( McMaster University) and I was excited to just be playing but it was at a college stadium. Now we will be in front of a full crowd and it’s a big game.”
The lustre came off this meeting a couple of weeks ago when Collaros went down with a knee injury that has drastically changed the landscape in the East Division playoff race.
This was supposed to be a Grey Cup preview, but now the immediate future of the Ticats is quite uncertain.
The Stamps aren’t buying into the notion that the Ticats are in trouble because it’s Jeff Mathews handling the ball for them now, although he threw for three interceptions in relief of Collaros during a loss to the Edmonton Eskimos two weeks ago.
Besides, the Stamps were burned earlier this season when they let first- time starter Rakeem Cato walk over them during a loss Week 2 in Montreal. They vow not to get taken by surprise again.
“It’s an unfortunate injury to Collaros, but Mathews did a great job stepping in,” said Stamps linebacker Deron Mayo, who is moving into the middle with Juwan Simpson hitting the six- game injured list. “He threw a couple of bad balls, but overall, he played pretty well. It’s tough to go in there when another quarterback is starting and you are thrown into the teeth of the defence. That was a tough defence.
“It’s tough studying on a guy who doesn’t have a lot of film. We learned a tough lesson playing Montreal with Cato and his first start. He torched us.
“Mathews is capable of throwing some good balls. We’ve seen his arm strength. They’ve had a bye week so I’m sure he will be ready. They have the mastermind in Kent Austin. He’s good at spreading the ball around and getting the ball to his receivers.”
A new QB to face, and in a place they’ve never seen before.
The Stamps are the final CFL team to make their first visit to Tim Hortons Field, which opened two weeks after they beat the Ticats 3020 last year at McMaster. Friday’s outing will be the fifth different stadium in which the Stamps face the Ticats in a “road” game.
In 2011, the two teams hooked up in Moncton, N. B., for Touchdown Atlantic. In 2013, the Ticats were playing out of the University of Guelph, and last year it was McMaster.
All but the 2011 game resulted in a Stampeders victory, but now the Ticats are finally back in their friendly confines while facing the westerners.
“I’ve heard a lot about that whistle they blow when they score a touchdown,” Mayo said. “It’s been a while since we played at their actual home field, so it’s going to be fun.
“Going out east it’s a big trip. We have to stay focused going out there. The guys will be amped to play in that stadium.”