Like most of us on this Lotusland (a.k.a. Vancouver and Land-of-the-Lions) Forum, as well as Lions' players and coaches, we are perplexed by the situation being faced. Yet the surprise, and it's not one of those good kinds of surprises either with clowns and balloons, has been building for many years. Slowly, as I think about, Lions have been taking a trip through the Land of the Surreal. If one thinks about, not even the Edmonton Eskimos can match the storyline the Lions have building for them. Let's reflect on some thought-provoking, fantastical notions fitting of "Alice In Wonderland (or in the case of the Lions right now..."Underland" as Alice misheard in that story)...
First, NO other team in recent CFL history (even most of the NFL teams can't compare) has had injuries at the prime QB position like the Lions have. Think about it...
The Lions have had Dave Dickenson, Buck Pierce, Jarious Jackson and Casey Printers all with some sort of injury in recent history. That makes 4 (four) by my math. As far as the other modern day teams...
Calgary: Henry Burris (NEVER injured...despite the way he plays and always with a smile on his face)
Edmonton: Ricky Ray, Jason Maas (neither have ever been injured)
Saskatchewan: Darian Durant (NEVER injured)
Montreal: Anthony Calvillo (NEVER injured...although that index finger sure looked painful...but no injury yet)
Winnipeg: Steven Jyles, Buck Pierce (Pierce is a former BC walking-wounded...so that doesn't count)
Hamilton: Kevin Glenn (NEVER injured)
Toronto: Cleo Lemon (NEVER injured...although pretty new to the CFL)
So...HOW on this green, green earth of ours can it be that ONLY and I mean, ONLY, BC quarterbacks get injured?? This was the subject of a newspaper article earlier this year...or was it last season. Anyhow, our coach made some misinformed reference that it had "something to do with the water we drink here". Yet despite how ridiculous that seems, I think it's equally ridiculous to chalk it all up to the worst offensive line in the league over the past number of years. Is it karma?? Bad luck?? I'd really like to know what it is. Again, it's another surreal notion about our favourite team.
Another surreal thought is how we continue to give Mr. Chapdelaine chances here in BC. He has been in the employ of the club at several different times. Yet in his absence, he simply returns to run the same lacklustre schemes as when he left. Noboby has mentioned this yet on the forum, but perhaps the Edmontons et al of the world, as well as all the other players he's coached, know about the kind of plays he likes to run. On that note, I'd like to sit down with him and get some understanding as to what he's trying to accomplish. It's been well-documented that he has no "screen" or "draw" play for whatever QB is in there. Yet is he trying to go "run and shoot", "cross things up with some 15-20 yard posts", "go long"?? It's difficult to know what he's trying to do. It's ironic though and he seems to have all sorts of theatrical hand signals to relay in to the onfield QB. What effect they have is part of this surreal 1-5 we're mired in. Another question would be why it seems that most of our receivers are getting double and triple teamed...especially when they go long. Doesn't the offensive coordinator need to take a fair amount of the blame for this?? But this "Alice In W." act doesn't stop with Jacques...
How can a team LOADED with receiving talent have the FEWEST yards of any team in the league?? And, before we leave the Jacques discussion altogether, why are those talented receivers now OPENLY questioning the creativeness and effectiveness of what he's doing?? I'm curious as to how much film review and scheming is done during the week. What I'm getting at there is how a very mediocre, semi-talented group can look like Grey Cup contenders on any given week with proper scheming and execution of plays. Hmmm..."execution"...another surreal point...
Why, on many of those 5 losses, does it now begin to look like players just don't care that much anymore?? This is a scary notion in that if they begin to feel that way, it won't take long before true, rampant apathy begins to build in the casual, walk-up fan.
Oh how I know Bob Ackles, wherever he is right now {bless his soul}, must be thinking this latest Lions act must be played by Col. Kurtz himself. For all of the playoff bleeding that's happening, I sure hope this Apocalypse {ends} Now!!