The Canadian Football League announced today the team nominees for the 2011 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards.
The players were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the CFL head coaches.
In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city plus the respective head coach submitted votes for the six categories. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards’ title – Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
The East and West nominees for the 2011 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards will be announced on Wednesday, November 9 at noon ET.
The league-wide winners will be announced during Grey Cup week at the Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards on Thursday, November 24 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, B.C.
Below are the first ballot nominee results:
Indicates a unanimous selection
BC Lions
Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Keron Williams
Canadian – Paul McCallum*
Offensive Lineman – Javon Olafioye
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – Tim Brown
Edmonton Eskimos
Player – Ricky Ray
Defensive – Rod Davis
Canadian – Jerome Messam*
Offensive Lineman – Greg Wojt
Special Teams – Corbin Sharun
Rookie – JC Sherritt*
Calgary Stampeders
Player – Nik Lewis*
Defensive – Brandon Smith
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Stanley Bryant
Special Teams – Larry Taylor*
Rookie – Demetrice Morley*
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Player – Weston Dressler
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Chris Getzlaf
Offensive Lineman – Chris Best
Special Teams – Chris Milo
Rookie – Craig Butler
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Player – Jovon Johnson
Defensive – Jovon Johnson
Canadian – Cory Watson
Offensive Lineman – Brendon Labatte
Special Teams – Jovon Johnson
Rookie – Clarence Denmark*
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Player – Justin Hickman
Defensive – Justin Hickman
Canadian – Dave Stala
Offensive Lineman – Peter Dyakowski
Special Teams – Justin Medlock*
Rookie – Chris Williams*
Toronto Argonauts
Player – Chad Owens
Defensive – Lin-J Shell
Canadian – Rickey Foley
Offensive Lineman – Dominic Picard
Special Teams – Chad Owens*
Rookie – Chad Kackert
Montreal Alouettes
Player – Anthony Calvillo
Defensive – Chip Cox
Canadian – Sean Whyte
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Sean Whyte
Rookie – Seth Williams
Player – Anthony Calvillo
Defensive – Chip Cox
Canadian – Paul McCallum
Offensive Lineman – Javon Olafioye
Special Teams – Paul McCallum
Rookie – Tim Brown
This is what I figure will happen, the awards will represent who will make it to the Grey Cup: BC vs Montreal again.
If anyone other that a running back, in Alberta, wins the Canadian it is a travesty, in my opinion, kickers need not apply. Again in my opinion, McCallum should have a lock on the Special Teams award.
I'm not sure why McCallum winning Canadian would be a travesty... Messam and or Cornish could have been double nominations for Canadian and MOP... Why the double standard???
Here are revised/latest choices as East and West nominees and final winners.
Player-Anthony Calvillo and Travis Lulay. Winner-Calvillo.
Defensive-Jovon Johnson and Keron Williams.Winner-Johnson.
Canadian-Cory Watson and Jon Cornish. Winner-Cornish.
Offensive lineman-Josh Bourke and Javon Olafioye. Winner-Bourke.
Special teams-Chad Owens and Paul McCallum. Winner-Owens.
Rookie- Chris Williams and JC Sherritt. Winner-Williams.
Player: Anthony Calvillo (over Travis Lulay)
Defensive Player: Jovon Johnson (over Keron Williams)
Canadian: Jerome Messam (over Sean Whyte)*
Rookie: Chris Williams (over Craig Butler)
Special Teams Player: Paul McCallum (over Justin Medlock)
Offensive Lineman: Josh Bourke (over Javon Olafioye)
*Canadian go easily go to Cornish or Getzlaf. The East does not have a viable league candidate (none of the nominees have had the type of season that earns awards), so this one is going to the West. My gut says Messam because he'll likely get 1,000 yards rushing. If he doesn't, all bets are off and I'll likely switch my pick to Cornish.
No way the award doesn't go to either Chris Williams or Clarence Denmark. Whichever player gets the East nomination will win the award.
They don't apply; they are voted on by the writers in that community. If they think that a kicker is the best representative for that award, they vote for them.
And I think calling it a travesty is a bit much. Cornish or Messam is likely to get the nomination and the award, but if McCallum did it wouldn't be a travesty. Also, McCallum doesn't have a lock on the Special Teams award. Both Justin Medlock and Sean Whyte have compelling cases. Any of those three could easily take the award and it would not be a surprise. McCallum will probably win it, but he's not a lock.
I'm surprised that Jamal Richardson didn't get the Alouettes MOP nomination. I guess almost 1800 yds receiving and 110 receptions plus 12 100 yd games isn't enough?
Calvillo IMO hasn't been quite good enough. I think the media is scared to vote for someone else because they don't want to offend him.
I don't know if I'd say that they fear offending him, but I do agree that Richardson should have been the MOP for the Als. In fact, he should be the MOP for the league. Richardson has been the most outstanding player this year, IMO. He may not be the most valuable, but he has been the most outstanding. Since that is the award being handed out, he deserves it.
I suspect Calvillo is getting it because of all the records he broke this year. But that is what the Hall of Fame is for. Richardson should have been the Als nominee.
I'm not trying to be a homer but I personally would not like to see Chris Williams for J.C. Sherritt in a trade. Sherritt is a big part in an under-rated defence, Williams is a big part in an often under-performing offence, just my opinion.
Cornish, Messam , McCallum or Whyte on the other hand is a toss up, I really couldn't pick between them who I'd rather have on my team.
Richardson would have been my pick if he'd been nominated for MOP.
Not a double standard, a Canadian performing the same job as and American should get the same opportunity. Specialty team players are performing specialized duties, comparing is apples to oranges. That is why the Specialty teams players award was added, because comparison is difficult.
Colour of uniform has nothing to do with the opinion, position does.
"They don't apply; they are voted on by the writers in that community. If they think that a kicker is the best representative for that award, they vote for them."
Don't take everything literally, it is an expression.
WEST:
Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Javon Olafioye
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – JC Sherritt* OR Rookie – Craig Butler
EAST:
Player – Chad Owens
Defensive – Chip Cox
Canadian – Cory Watson
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Justin Medlock*
Rookie – Chris Williams*
WINNERS
Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – Chris Williams*
A lot of these were just toss ups and completely just based on opinion. I'd be surprised if I got more then 3 correct, but you never know!
WEST:
Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Javon Olafioye
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – JC Sherritt* OR Rookie – Craig Butler
EAST:
Player – Chad Owens
Defensive – Chip Cox
Canadian – Cory Watson
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Justin Medlock*
Rookie – Chris Williams*
WINNERS
Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – Chris Williams*
A lot of these were just toss ups and completely just based on opinion. I'd be surprised if I got more then 3 correct, but you never know!
Surprised AC got the nomination over Jamel Richardson who has dominated every receiving category.. he's got like a 500 yard lead!
Who are the idiots who picked Jovon Johnson for the Bombers' special teams player of the year? I know, the punting has sucked, but Palardy has been largely quite good. Jovon Johnson has been downright BRUTAL on punt returns. All he does is catch the ball and fall down. He broke one a couple weeks ago, it was probably the only return longer than 5 yards he has had in the last half of the season (and really, he probably should have scored and would have if he had half the speed he used to). He's just been horrid. Even Renaud would've been a better pick.
Here's what I think will happen.. winners bolded:
Player – Travis Lulay / Anthony Calvillo
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman / Chip Cox
Canadian – Jon Cornish / Cory Watson
Offensive Lineman – Javon Olafioye / Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Paul McCallum / Chad Owens
Rookie – JC Sherritt / Chris Williams
West MOR is pretty close between Butler or Sherritt. Williams will beat either easily, though.