New/Old Fan from USA

Hello everyone. When the CFL had teams in the United States, I attended many games. I was a season ticket holder for the Shreveport Pirates. I fell in love with CFL game and certainly hated to see the team fold. One of the best games I attended was Shreveport vs Hamilton. As I recall, the Tiger-Cats had a comfortable lead at half-time. The Pirates made a nice come-back but fell short. It was one of the best football games I had ever seen. Hamilton became my 2nd favorite team. Advance some 18 years. I have been a New Orleans Saints fan since 1967, but more and more it's looking like there may not be a season, at least not in full. While I hope everything works out, I am planning to follow the Tiger-Cats this year. So, call me a new/old fan. I was hoping someone could give me a Tiger-Cats 101 course. Who are the key players to watch this year? What are the play-off chances? What are some traditions of the Tiger-Cats fans? Any info is appreciated! Thank you!

Welcome ! ( I'll let other answer the technical questions)

by the way, Billy the Exterminator is a great show ! .....love it ! :lol:

Welcome, LaChazz. We're always happy to have new /old Ticat fans here. for my part, I'm just old... :slight_smile:

Start by taking a look at the History tab under Team on this site. It goes back to 1869, if you can believe it. learn the Oskee-Wee-Wee cheer and Pigskin Pete, and you'll be well on your way. This year's team looks very competitive, but the east is likely to be fairly strong. Montreal Alouettes are always tough, and the dreaded Argonauts (aka the Blue team) are probably going to be a force to reckon with too.

But hope springs eternal when you're a Ticat fan, and there's good reason to be hopeful this season. Enjoy!

The Saints got nothin' on the Bucs this year!! (If there is an NFL season)

Pirates videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ojFvsRh6M [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X74A9H5NoVU&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X74A9H5N ... re=related[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amz-TwQ-JtI [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjr9W2iwYVQ&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjr9W2iw ... re=related[/url]

TSN ( A Canadian version of ESPN) televise all the games up here and there website is a great place to stay up to date with the happenings of the CFL.

Training camps will open soon, and the regular season starts July 1, so look for all kinds of analyses soon.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/

Players to watch:

QB #5 Kevin Glenn
Receiver #1 Arland Bruce
Running Back #22 Avon Cobourne just acquired this off season from Montreal

These are the 3 bigeest offensive threats. Kevin Glenn just came off a career year throwing for over 5,000 yards last season.

Defensively,

Very strong LB corps. On the outside #25 Markeith Knowlton, #28 Jamall Johnson and in the middle, #9 Renaud Williams recently acquired to replace our outstanding veteran and team leader(35 years old) Otis Floyd. Markeith Knowlton was the CFL’s defensive player of the year last year http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/15925

On the DLine, watch #55 Stevie Baggs.

What are the play-off chances? What are some traditions of the Tiger-Cats fans? Any info is appreciated! Thank you!
Both the offensive and defensive co-ordinators have been replaced, partly because we failed to improve our record going 9-9 two years in a row, hosting and losing the first playoff game (again, 2 years in a row)

Playoff chances are excellent, and I suspect most pundits expect improvement, and a shot at winning the Grey Cup is not out of the question.

Annual Labour Day game against the hated arch rival Toronto Argonauts (although this year a scheduling conflict has us playing Montreal on Labour Day)

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=advXVD49cAQ&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=advXVD49 ... re=related[/url] http://www.ronscheffler.com/blog/?page_id=606

And of course the other main tradition is the Oskee Wee Wee cheer.

http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=10622 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnjmBY35lbs

Here are some key players you’ll want to watch.

Avon Cobourne RB - The former running back of the Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes, Avon Cobourne is a top tier running back and a much larger back then our former back De’Andra Cobb who was more of a bob and weave running back. Look for him to be utilized a lot more as a bootleg pass recipient and a blocker.

Stevie “Shakespeare” Baggs DL - After flirting with the Arizona Cardinals last year, Baggs came back to the CFL and signed with Hamilton. This year, he’s going to have the benefit of an entire training camp with the team, and gave the team a respectable two touchdowns off of fumbles, and 5 sacks after only playing for three months last season. Why is his nickname Shakespeare? Because all he does is make plays.

Arland Bruce III WR - One of the best recievers in the CFL who posted a 1,303 yard season. Impressive, yes. More impressive is that he did it after missing the last two games of the season! He is without a doubt the lead reciever on the team and while some question how long does he have left on the clock at the age of 33, “Bruce Almighty” is always a threat. As a side note, when he catches the ball, we are in fact saying Bruce, not Boo.

Thank you so much everyone! Ya'll have given me lots of homework! Looking forward to checking out all the links, etc. Didn't realize who the hated rival was...thanks for catching me up on that as well. And I take it if you're a fan, you refer to yourself as a Ti-Cat fan?

Billy the Exterminator! LOL Can't believe you've seen that show! Pretty fun. I see his truck running around town all the time. Nice guy that Billy!

Funny note....but when the Pirates played in the CFL, we didn't win many games. The biggest advantage we had was 98 degrees (F) and 100% humidity down here at sea level. Oh well, it didn't help much.

Thanks again!

Yup! :thup:

And here’s broadcast info. http://www.cfl.ca/page/game_broadcast

If you scroll to the bottom for U.S coverage, you’ll notice it says,
2011 U.S. Broadcast information will be finalized in June. Please check back for details”.

A single ‘Ticat’ is a player on the team either current or retired. The team itself is known as the ‘Ticats.’

Thus if I were a Ticat fan, I would be a fan of a given player, say Garney Henley, who came from the Packers to win our hearts.

I am personally a TICATS fan, and as such I expect all my grandchildren to know Oskee Wee Wee by heart!

Oskee wee wee

Another player to watch is Dave "Sticky" Stala, one of our more sure handed receivers (hence the nickname). He was our 2nd down conversion got-to guy last year. The fact that he's a hometown boy (and therefore one of our non-imports) means he's another crowd favourite. He also happens to have been a kicker in a past life, so you never know when he might try a quick kick - or a fancy TD celebration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuwfGLQQD2g

No matter his record coaching, as a long-time Packers fan I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Forrest Gregg.


DANGER WILL ROBINSON ----- CONTROVERSY ALERT ----- DANGER DANGER

You will find Ticat fans, Ti-Cat fans, and Ti-cat fans.

I think that the older ones of us put in the hyphen but that later generations have tended to lose it. Just be prepared to defend your choice, but remember…
You can be like the poster quoted (Dan_here) … or you can be right. :slight_smile:

Here are some players to watch, along with some of their highlights.Enjoy!

Stevie Baggs #55 DE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfTmBVrE5w8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdaprF-msMo [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CUUW1gZKsE&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CUUW1gZ ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1SGBjobiI&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1SGBjo ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRd6p9n8SM&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRd6p9n ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5QuVQP-O4&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5QuVQP ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3PDm05PjQ&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3PDm05 ... re=related[/url]

Avon Cobourne #22 RB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3zAKNPBXNo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_IuwgN58c

Marcus Thigpen #8 KR/RB:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfWXrjxayzs&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfWXrjxa ... 8C23F20221[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QWpEP2-X8U [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrP1gdxuCU&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrP1gdx ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3YhKDYka8&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3YhKDY ... re=related[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss__mBZHjn8 ** skip to 1:51**

Arland Bruce III #1 WR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBdFw8a7nfo [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7ydV3XhLc&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7ydV3X ... re=related[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep_e1y2VUJc

Markeith Knowlton #25 LB (2010 CFL most outstanding defensive player)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ6_22LKeDo

Dave Stala #88 WR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuwfGLQQD2g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6UhshyVSv8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtZmPPEo49U [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XXrOO1nRV4&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XXrOO1n ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEHOX3uB6bY&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEHOX3uB ... 8C23F20221[/url]

Maurice Mann #86 WR:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14yoZ525bU&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14yoZ52 ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYzfMAtMVac&feature=relmfu]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYzfMAtM ... ure=relmfu[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPn6razSJOY&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPn6razS ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugVG1oNwxo&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugVG1oN ... 8C23F20221[/url]

Enjoy, GO CATS GO!
ARGOS SUCK

Here are some players to watch, along with some of their highlights.Enjoy!

Stevie Baggs #55 DE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfTmBVrE5w8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdaprF-msMo [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CUUW1gZKsE&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CUUW1gZ ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1SGBjobiI&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ1SGBjo ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRd6p9n8SM&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRd6p9n ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5QuVQP-O4&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5QuVQP ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3PDm05PjQ&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3PDm05 ... re=related[/url]

Avon Cobourne #22 RB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3zAKNPBXNo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_IuwgN58c

Marcus Thigpen #8 KR/RB:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfWXrjxayzs&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfWXrjxa ... 8C23F20221[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QWpEP2-X8U [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrP1gdxuCU&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrP1gdx ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3YhKDYka8&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3YhKDY ... re=related[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss__mBZHjn8 ** skip to 1:51**

Arland Bruce III #1 WR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBdFw8a7nfo [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7ydV3XhLc&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7ydV3X ... re=related[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep_e1y2VUJc

Markeith Knowlton #25 LB (2010 CFL most outstanding defensive player)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ6_22LKeDo

Dave Stala #88 WR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuwfGLQQD2g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6UhshyVSv8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtZmPPEo49U [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XXrOO1nRV4&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XXrOO1n ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEHOX3uB6bY&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEHOX3uB ... 8C23F20221[/url]

Maurice Mann #86 WR:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14yoZ525bU&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14yoZ52 ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYzfMAtMVac&feature=relmfu]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYzfMAtM ... ure=relmfu[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPn6razSJOY&feature=related]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPn6razS ... re=related[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugVG1oNwxo&playnext=1&list=PL865A748C23F20221]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugVG1oN ... 8C23F20221[/url]

Enjoy, GO CATS GO!
ARGOS SUCK

Thanks for that 15, some great memories

Anytime, I watch these videos quite often myself in the off-seasons and don’t mind sharing the links with people to save them some time :thup: :slight_smile:

Regarding the quote:

"No matter his record coaching, as a long-time Packers fan I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Forrest Gregg"

I agree! He didn't have a lot to work with that first year the Pirates played, but he was a great league spokesman and a classy guy. He came to love the team and the city. I remember his first win in a driving rain and only a few of us were in the stands. You would've thought it was the championship! He was very emotional about the whole thing.

Watched every video posted here. Thanks! Familiarized with key players...and ready for the season!!!!!