CFL PIGSKIN TAKES OVER IN HOGTOWN

Toronto has gripped Grey Cup football fever by setting up fan fun zones and festivals in The Big Smoke.

CFL PIGSKIN TAKES OVER IN HOGTOWN

By Ward Kurenoff
CFL Prediction Legend

So, after a one-week hiatus due to some R&R in Southern California, I was reminded who my friends were, as apparently the Riders were leading the now-West Division Champion Stampeders with under a minute to go. Once we somehow (cough, cough) let the game get away from us, my cellphone lit up like a Christmas tree as all my "good friends" mentioned to me that we (to put it politely) somehow lost.
Without having the means and game in front of me I accepted all the ridicule and comments that were thrown at me.

Fast forward to this past weekend. 

I actually predicted way back in Week 8 it would be a (obvious pick ) Rider vs. Toronto Grey Cup. So it came as no surprise to me that Toronto won as I thought, although Montreal was good, they seemed this year not to be the same dominating Montreal team we are used to seeing these past 5-7 years.
Now to the B.C. Lions/Stampeders game. Doesn't karma have a way of biting you in the backside? It seems that certain B.C. Lion fans (Ex: A Certain "Meat Brother") can dish it out but can't take it.
While my phone lit up when the Riders somehow lost, apparently he didn't "approve" when his phone lit up when I suggested the Lions should put this choking picture on the back of their jersey.

Must have some lion furballs causing him problems..

 (For the record, "Meat Brother" is a great person, except after B.C. Lion losses.) I hope his and Lulay's ice fishing expeditions go better for them this winter.

Guess which one is Cornish and which one
is the BC Lion Defense

 Now I also wish to comment on my Riders, one last time.  After taking the time to watch the last minute-and-a-half of the West Division Semifinal, I could not understand when the Riders were first down on the Stamps' 22-yard line with a minute to go and still possessing a time out that they would go for the deep touchdown pass immediately.
Yes, they scored and they needed a touchdown and even all the Rider media and management said that you have to get points when you can and then let the defence do their job. I get that. BUT. . . do you not run the ball on first down or throw a 21-yard out for the sole purpose to kill 20 more seconds before going for the touchdown? You still have a time out and only need one play to get it in the end zone.  Clock management 101.
In fact, if you are going to lose it as it were, wouldn't you want to be in control of the situation (i.e. your offence on the field) versus having your defence doing what they did with about 52 seconds left. Sorry, I think you run the clock down to 30-40 seconds, in the ideal world, before getting your winning points. Food for thought. 

My point - Riders' Last-Minute
Clock Mismanagement Loses West Semifinal!

Well, since its almost the end of Movember - I would like to take the time to acknowledge all the real men (and you too, Gord!) for taking a stance on men's health.

Was Elmo in hot water this week
cause  of his mo?

"Now who is the cutest Kurenoff in the family
Uncle Gordo," asks Rider fan and Ward's son Luc.

Excellent hockey player and friend Todd (a.k.a Spilly) and professional radio advertising sales expert in the local Vancouver area, and Lion fan (OK, he's not perfect, I am still working on him) shows his off his mo
... and will share his ice fishing skills with the B.C. Lions this winter.

  

Now on to the 100th Grey Cup . . .

Winterpeg just wishes they had
their quarter-back ...

GREY CUP SUNDAY

3 p.m., TSN, Rogers Centre, Toronto

WHY THE STAMPEDERS WILL WIN

<------See Jon Cornish. That's why Calgary will win!!!!

By Ward Kurenoff
I could probably break this game down like I am sure my "smarter" brother and every other analyst has done already why his Argoooos ... (just caused you lived there once ... mind you, didn't you also live in Calgary too? Just saying!) will win and that they have (Mr. Tillman's gift trade ... not rigged in anyway I am sure ...) Ricky Ray and The Flyin' Hawaiian Chad Owens ... but this game with be about ball control and keeping Ricky off the field.
If the Argos can stop (see above) Mr. Top Canadian, New Westminster native Jon Cornish, they have a slight chance to win. If they can't, like the Lions and Riders in previous weeks, then the result will be Stamps over TO. By the way, Jon Boy received 54 out of 57 votes for the Top Canadian (who are the other three that don't know football and voted for Low Blow Shea Emery. What are you three smokin in the Big Smoke anyways, B.C. Bud?)

Nik Lewis, and Mr. "Lion Tamer" Romby Bryant of the Stampeders, will once again feed off the run and have a big game. Ex-Rider Kevin Glenn, possibly the most underrated player in the CFL, missed his chance in 2007 when he broke his arm in the East Final while in Winterpeg and didn't get the chance to play for the Cup. (By the way, the Riders won in 2007.) He will get his chance, ironically cause another ex-Rider (I sense a trend here) Drew Tate got a concussion ... officially he has a broken arm ... but that is another story.
It will a great day under the dome with sold-out numbers (is this the first time?) of people not from Toronto.

So like the 15-year-old brown stallion that marched through the Toronto Royal York Hotel this week ... the Stamps will also march on and win by 10 or more!!And then we will have Grey Cup 2013 in Regina!

WHY THE ARGONAUTS WILL WIN

By Gord Kurenoff

As most of Toronto’s media reacts to TSN’s exclusive deal with the CFL by purposely ignoring the 100^th Grey Cup pre-game news to focus on the locked out Leafs, next April’s baseball season and the Raptors’ hopeful pursuit of NBA respectability, the Argonauts are preparing for Sunday’s big game by focusing on shutting down Jon Cornish, containing Kevin Glenn and giving rival Nik Lewis a prepaid smartphone so he can Tweet all about his week in The Big Smoke.

The one thing that did draw citywide attention was Mayor Rob Ford’s faceplant as he welcomed fans and reporters to Hogtown. We’ve included that link here for those who need a good laugh.

See link at: MAYOR FORD FUMBLES FOOTBALL PRESSER

Rodney Dangerfield, Vanilla Ice and Canada Post got more respect than these Argos, a 9-9 regular season team that took some time to find its mojo under rookie coach Scott Milanovich, gift-packaged quarterback Ricky Ray and The Flyin’ Hawaiian Chad Owens, who set a CFL record this season for all-purpose yards with 3,863.

Nobody gave the Argos much chance against the rested Montreal Alouettes in the East Division Final.  For the record, I predicted the Argos would win by eight points and they won 27-20. So once in a while we’re bang-on here!

The Argos, underdogs in Sunday’s showdown, have adopted an Us-Versus-The-World mentality, often with little fanfare and less media attention. It has worked and will likely get a boost with Rogers Centre sold-out Sunday with football fans and socialites from across the country, albeit many who will need a program to identify most of Toronto’s players.

Lisa and Anita are in Toronto this week
as proven veterans of Grey Cup partying
and buying Rider stuff for the cutest Kurenoff in the family!
That honour now belongs to Luc. 
Thanks Auntie Lisa!!

One of those travelling fans is my wife, who has been to Grey Cups in every Canadian city except Regina, and next year she and her girlfriends are going to Saskatchewan to party on the prairies. I’m not bitter of course. Who would enjoy a Burton Cummings or April Wine concert? Or ziplining in Yonge-Dundas Square? Or singing in the streets every night with drunk women? Or seeing free concerts every hour?

I’m not bitter that every picture she sends me has smiling people in them. Or that she and her friends have quality seats in the 50,000-seat domed stadium, close to hot dogs, beer and snacks. But I digress.

I WANT the Argos to win Sunday because I love the Roughriders and like the Lions, the teams the Stamps beat and mocked en route to this championship final. I have always liked Ricky Ray as a cool-under-fire competitor (what the hell was Eric Tillman thinking in Edmonton when he traded this star?) and his penchant for making Mission Impossible possible.
I just hope the underdog Argos aren't content with just making it to the big dance, but actually want to finish the journey with some bling for the ring fingers.

Call it an upset, or call it justice, but the Argos win will Sunday in a nail-biter with a late touchdown. And I’ll be the first yelling Argoooos if Calgary goes back to Cowtown empty-handed and humbled.

But I will be less-than-thrilled if the wife comes home empty-handed from the men’s souvenir shop! Just saying!

Chad Owens celebrates victory in East Division Final over Montreal. And of him winning the CFL's Most Outstanding Player on Thursday.  He hopes to MOP up the Stampeders on Sunday! (But we all know he won't - Go Stamps!!)
Eh Gordo??? Go Riders!!!