A superb defensive effort coupled with the great play of Zach Collaros got it done today! Enough of the Ricky Ray gaga crap from Black...Steeltown football at its best! It wasn't pretty, but beating Evil is essential. This division is ours for the taking!
Oski Wee Wee,
Russ
P.S. The fourth quarter turnovers were terrible. The penalties killed our momentum early as HTD stated in the game thread. We have to clean that stuff up!!
They did knock off the penalties and get some momentum back in the second half though but kept falling short of major score. Two turnovers late could have killed us but the D was lights out - except for that one scoring drive by TO. At least the TSN panel thought the Ticats were the better team on the day - mostly - for what that’s worth :roll:
I just listened to that Darcy dude on The Fifth Quarter. I cannot get that time back. LMAO
Well, even though that game sure had its ugly moments, a win on Labour Day is the right way to open that stadium. I had to like the play the first play there happened: Landry forcing a player on that team to fumble, and Plesius recovering it.
Collaros and the defence do deserve credit for this win. I mentioned these numbers in the game thread, and I'll post them again here:
Name Comp Att Yards TD Int
COLLAROS, Z 27 38 317 1 0
RAY, R 16 29 142 1 1
If people were placing bets on when Ray would hit the 50k career passing yard mark, I would think that most would have wagered that he would have joined that 50k club in the 1st quarter, or possibly the second. Instead, it happened in the 4th quarter. Although it is true that there were dropped passes, the defence deserves credit. They got 4 or 5 sacks, and I'd like to see this team get sack numbers like those more often. And Ray's countdown to 50k passing yards sometimes went in the opposite direction after some tackles for losses. 
Masoli fumbling it away on 1st and goal from the 1, and Madu fumbling it on the offence's last play when he just needed to protect it for the easy FG attempt were indeed brutal. And Grant and Madu dropped what would have been TD passes. But hopefully Madu and Grant did well other than that. And Grant got that historic first TD at THF. And it seems appropriate that after that TD, he gave this ball to this guy:
That was a moment I'll remember. And I'll also remember seeing this:
http://photos-g.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xfa1/10598234_707550825991886_758601528_n.jpg
Was he STILL saying that we have NO QB and no veteran leadership? Man he is like a broken record regardless of what the Ticats do!!! He'd rather have Hank still playing here! :roll:
No, this was the "THF is a glorified Ivor Wynne and will be a white elephant in twenty years" edition. As for his comments about a weak East, we shall see come November. I know this club has its destiny in its hands and a full THF in November is going to be a huge home-field advantage if the team qualifies.
Oski Wee Wee,
Russ
If THF is a glorified IWS, then perhaps that should be taken as a compliment. I have been hearing only good things about THF, and the building is only about 70% complete. Years from now, it wouldn't surprise me if we look back on THF and talk about how much we'll miss it, just as we talked about how much we'd miss IWS. It's history is off to a good start. Some may not like how this team didn't always look impressive in getting the win. But they did get the win and that's what matters.
All I hear from folks who went to the game is RAVES. For the franchise, it finally allows the players to have facilities that will not be a detriment to attracting free agents. For the design aspects, you have as good a set of setlines for football that one can expect from a soccer-friendly stadium. Finally, you have the best gameday fanbase in Canada with a facility where there are no more excuses re amenities or the like to miss the show. It will prove to be the best home field advantage in Canada with the stability we have re the football ops. As long as the team shows its fangs week to week, it is going to be one hell of a ride.
Oski Wee Wee,
Russ
P.S. Always a pleasure to see you post here my friend!
Great defense, four sacks kept Argos in check all game. Collaros looked very good but a little rusty on passes but still strong. He should have had 3 TD throws. Masoli just keep putting nails in his coffin. Nice to see Len Berman "Boomer" from ESPN. Loved the comment, I think it went like this "nice knock down, too bad he is the receiver" something in that vein. The Stadium looked good on the boob tube it would have been better if I was in my seats. Better be ready by Saskatchewan!
The score flatters Toronto!
I was also thinking about how the team may be more likely to attract free agents with a stadium like this, with the turf and facilities and so on being among the best in the league. And it's true that the overall stadium experience being much better should lead to more ticket sales. We did get attached to IWS. But let's face it, with IWS being an older stadium and outdated in many ways, leading to game experiences that are not as good for the fans and players, IWS had to be replaced.
Now what would really be great is if the team could be as impressive as the stadium. There is still some work to be done in that department.
And thanks for the compliment. I sure did have to take the time to be posting here on this historic day.
I was pleased with the overall team effort that led to this victory.
They should have won by 16 and not one. Two dropped TD passes by Grant and Madu led to field goals (and a loss of a total of 8 points). The fumble by Masoli was a tough one to take. I thought that Collaros scored on the previous play by was called down on the one. (That was the other 7 points that I was referring to).
When you have a team by the throat you must finish. This team is learning the hard way it seems, this valuable lesson. Let's hope they demonstrate their acquired knowledge when they play the very beatable Larks next weekend. :thup:
Props as well have to go to defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer. As good a game call by a Ticat DC since the days of Sudsy. Deke McPhee did a great job with the front seven, making Ricky Ray's day as a LDC visiting QB as miserable should be for the blue lot. These are the standouts for me on the coaching staff today.
Oski Wee Wee,
Russ
Oski Oui Oui - I couldn't agree more. Very glad someone is crediting Orlando. He has done a superb job with a very young defence. I'm on record in saying that I would have kept more vets. With such a young defence, it certainly is a testament to just how good a co-ordinator that Steinauer has become, in a relatively short time.
I agree that it does bring us back to the Don Sutherin days....boy I loved his defence.
To add to that, I thought that our D-Line at times reminded me of the 4-man rushes we'd see from Covington, Walker, Skillman, Sauve, et-all. It's only one game so such comparisons are very premature...but it was nice to see a dominating D in Hamilton again.
In closing, I don't want to look ahead, past the Alouettes but it sure would be nice to see Orlando and his D shut down the Green Riders!!
I wasn't aware that Zach was going to start today, but even if I had known, I would have still picked Toronto to win. I would have thought: A guy coming off a long layoff and a concussion and whose two previous starts were less than impressive, no way he will be able to overcome that rust.
Boy, imagine if Lefevour wasn't injured the QB controversy we would have after Zach's performance today. 
If Zach hadn't been starting, you likely would have been right about the Argos winning - maybe. The D really shut down Ricky today. They've done it before and I suspect will do it again. :rockin:
That being said, Collaros did have a VERY good game and would have had better results on the scoreboard with a little more help from a few others on the offense.
2nd in the East Baby due to having a game in hand on Montreal! We need to now go to Montreal hit the bird nest with the hose.