Tuesday, September 28, 2004
I've fallen and I can't get up (aka: the current state of my computer)
Posting will be light over the next while as I wait for the return of my home PC which blew its motherboard over the weekend. While I may sneak in a post here and there over lunch at work, I haven't had time to digest and write about the Gades latest train-wreck of a game. Nor have I been able to comment on the 67s opening weekend.
Instead, to combat the computer withdrawl symptoms, I've been watching a few more movies. Capsule reviews: Star Wars Trilogy on DVD (amazing), Henry Hill commentary on Goodfellas DVD (excellent), Man on Fire (pretty good), Bubba Ho-Tep (also very good if you like offbeat). The much anticipated Super Size Me is on tap for tonight after Making the Cut.
Instead, to combat the computer withdrawl symptoms, I've been watching a few more movies. Capsule reviews: Star Wars Trilogy on DVD (amazing), Henry Hill commentary on Goodfellas DVD (excellent), Man on Fire (pretty good), Bubba Ho-Tep (also very good if you like offbeat). The much anticipated Super Size Me is on tap for tonight after Making the Cut.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Another TEAM1200 song...
Visiting the TEAM1200 site, I stumbled onto their newest parody song. Set to the tune of Green Day's Time of Your Life, it's about the lockout. Not really their best (though not bad), but it's nice to see them branch out from Leaf bashing.
Also linked from the TEAM 1200's site is this handy guide to all the (officially sponsor-sanctioned, at least) Grey Cup week events.
Also linked from the TEAM 1200's site is this handy guide to all the (officially sponsor-sanctioned, at least) Grey Cup week events.
"Turning life's pain into joy"
On the day after John Turntine wins Lineman of the Week honours, the Citizen has a great feature about all he has overcome in "Turning life's pain into joy". Turntine is another person that's easy to cheer for on a team full of them, guys who just seem to love the game, and life. Of course, anyone who's in the CFL isn't in it for the money, but the Renegades just seem to be loaded with good guys.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Live to fight another day...
You'll notice that I broke from blogging the Renegades-Stamps game with about 3 minutes to go. After Clinton Greathouse squeaked through with a 52-yard FG, the Renegades drove back downfield, including a couple of third down conversions. They stalled slightly over midfield, but Sandro Sciortino buried Calgary for the second time this season with a clutch 53-yard field goal. For all his troubles with routine field goals, Sciortino has been rock solid in his two clutch situations.
Joe Paopao and his staff will therefore seemingly live to see another game. However, the 'Gades performance hardly inspired confidence tonight. They flashed glimpses of being solid. The defence came up big on several occasions, stopping the Stamps in the red zone (when the Stamps weren't stopping themselves). Kerry Joseph flashed glimpses of his old mobile self before taking a beating in the second half. All-in-all though, it was a team that won in spite of itself tonight. Despite tonight's reprieve, the ride ahead doesn't look to be getting any smoother.
Joe Paopao and his staff will therefore seemingly live to see another game. However, the 'Gades performance hardly inspired confidence tonight. They flashed glimpses of being solid. The defence came up big on several occasions, stopping the Stamps in the red zone (when the Stamps weren't stopping themselves). Kerry Joseph flashed glimpses of his old mobile self before taking a beating in the second half. All-in-all though, it was a team that won in spite of itself tonight. Despite tonight's reprieve, the ride ahead doesn't look to be getting any smoother.
Friday, September 17, 2004
Basement battle...
If you've been reading the papers at all this week you know that Coach Paopao has his head all lined up in the guillotine with Watters ready to pull the switch if they lose again tonight. I'll be blogging throughout the game as the 'Gades take on their fellow basement dwellers from Calgary.
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Off to a greaaaat start. Fail to get a punt off after a bad snap. Defence holds but the FG puts the 'Gades in an early 3-0 hole.
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Kerry Joseph just took off on a nice run. He had a similar run last game, both being good signs that he's shedding the tentativeness that he had while injured.
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Stop the presses, Sandro Sciortino was good on his first FG attempt. 3-3.
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Huh? I mean, woohoo! Jason Armstead scores an odd touchdown on which they briefly toss him to the ground, on his back, but fail to finish the tackle as Armstead's knees never touch. He pops back up and runs it the rest of the way. Brain fart Calagary, 10-3 Renegades.
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This is why I love Josh Ranek.... on his first carry of the evening the Little Ball of Hate keeps his legs moving, breaks three or four tackles and picks up 15+ yards.
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Joseph is looking more mobile than he has in many weeks.
Sciortino just missed another FG, but at least it was a 50-yarder, not a dinky 17, or 20-yarder
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Uh-oh. Joseph limps off the field at the half after taking a hit while throwing up a Hail Mary to end the half. So much for that aforemenioned great moblity.
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Oh shit!! Armstead bobbles and drops a punt. Calgary recovers, and the D will need a huge stop to preserve the 10-9 lead.
Picked off!!! Indeed the D comes up big.
And, before I can even finish my sentence about the renegade pick, Jason Armstead fumbles, and the Stamps get the ball back. 'Tis the battle of who sucks worse.
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Wow. The Stampeders continue to give the Gades new life. 0 fer 3 from the 1, settling for yet anothr FG. 12-10 Stamps.
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Ranek lowers the boom! (but almost loses the ball)
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The D bats the ball free and creates a turnover. BIG opportunity here down 19-13.
And they convert (as KJ continues to take a lickin')!
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After a solid drive, the Coronary Kicker puts the Gades abck up 23-21. Time for a stop.
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Off to a greaaaat start. Fail to get a punt off after a bad snap. Defence holds but the FG puts the 'Gades in an early 3-0 hole.
---
Kerry Joseph just took off on a nice run. He had a similar run last game, both being good signs that he's shedding the tentativeness that he had while injured.
---
Stop the presses, Sandro Sciortino was good on his first FG attempt. 3-3.
---
Huh? I mean, woohoo! Jason Armstead scores an odd touchdown on which they briefly toss him to the ground, on his back, but fail to finish the tackle as Armstead's knees never touch. He pops back up and runs it the rest of the way. Brain fart Calagary, 10-3 Renegades.
---
This is why I love Josh Ranek.... on his first carry of the evening the Little Ball of Hate keeps his legs moving, breaks three or four tackles and picks up 15+ yards.
---
Joseph is looking more mobile than he has in many weeks.
Sciortino just missed another FG, but at least it was a 50-yarder, not a dinky 17, or 20-yarder
---
Uh-oh. Joseph limps off the field at the half after taking a hit while throwing up a Hail Mary to end the half. So much for that aforemenioned great moblity.
---
Oh shit!! Armstead bobbles and drops a punt. Calgary recovers, and the D will need a huge stop to preserve the 10-9 lead.
Picked off!!! Indeed the D comes up big.
And, before I can even finish my sentence about the renegade pick, Jason Armstead fumbles, and the Stamps get the ball back. 'Tis the battle of who sucks worse.
---
Wow. The Stampeders continue to give the Gades new life. 0 fer 3 from the 1, settling for yet anothr FG. 12-10 Stamps.
---
Ranek lowers the boom! (but almost loses the ball)
---
The D bats the ball free and creates a turnover. BIG opportunity here down 19-13.
And they convert (as KJ continues to take a lickin')!
---
After a solid drive, the Coronary Kicker puts the Gades abck up 23-21. Time for a stop.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
31-13
I arrived back in town to find that not a whole lot has happened. The Lynx have wrapped up, to little fanfare, what threatens to be their last season in the capital. The Renegades, still waiting for the trickledown of the last NFL cuts, signed two Canadian veterans, one of which is fated to a lifetime of Seinfeld references.
The action resumed today with the Renegades facing the explosive B.C. Lions in the first home matinee of the season. The Lions waited all of two plays before Casey Printers hooked up with Chris Brazzell for a 72-yard TD. It was shaping up as a long afternoon.
The Renegades, flashing a brief glimpse of the team that started 3-0, immediately drove 79 yards down the field in 6 plays to tie the game at 7.
Alas, it was downhill from there.
Printers and the Lions seemingly moved the ball at will, with a blocked FG on special teams and an INT by Jonathan Ordway, providing a couple of the bright spots.
On the offensive side of the ball, on the few occasions that the 'Gades started to move the ball, they either turned it over on fumbles, or in a new low for Wide Sandro, missed a 17-yard field goal (although he was solid on a 37-yarder later). Oh how we pine for you o Lawrence Tynes!
The final damage was a palindromic 31-13.
On the bright side, Kerry Joseph discovered Pat Woodcock to the tune of 3 catches for 89 yards, including a 60-yarder. He also threw his way a couple of other times without connecting. Joseph also worked well with Curtis Jackson who hauled in 7 balls for 102 yards.
Also on the bright side, the schedule gets much easier from here on in (Calgary, Sask x 2, Ham x 2, Montreal) which is good since the Gades will probably need to win 4 or 5 of their last 6 to have any hope of seeing playoff action. Of course, given their previous performance against Hamilton and Calgary, calling any schedule easy is a misnomer.
The action resumed today with the Renegades facing the explosive B.C. Lions in the first home matinee of the season. The Lions waited all of two plays before Casey Printers hooked up with Chris Brazzell for a 72-yard TD. It was shaping up as a long afternoon.
The Renegades, flashing a brief glimpse of the team that started 3-0, immediately drove 79 yards down the field in 6 plays to tie the game at 7.
Alas, it was downhill from there.
Printers and the Lions seemingly moved the ball at will, with a blocked FG on special teams and an INT by Jonathan Ordway, providing a couple of the bright spots.
On the offensive side of the ball, on the few occasions that the 'Gades started to move the ball, they either turned it over on fumbles, or in a new low for Wide Sandro, missed a 17-yard field goal (although he was solid on a 37-yarder later). Oh how we pine for you o Lawrence Tynes!
The final damage was a palindromic 31-13.
On the bright side, Kerry Joseph discovered Pat Woodcock to the tune of 3 catches for 89 yards, including a 60-yarder. He also threw his way a couple of other times without connecting. Joseph also worked well with Curtis Jackson who hauled in 7 balls for 102 yards.
Also on the bright side, the schedule gets much easier from here on in (Calgary, Sask x 2, Ham x 2, Montreal) which is good since the Gades will probably need to win 4 or 5 of their last 6 to have any hope of seeing playoff action. Of course, given their previous performance against Hamilton and Calgary, calling any schedule easy is a misnomer.
Friday, September 03, 2004
Posting note
I'll be out of town until next Thursday so posting will be light to non-existant until then. I may, or may not, get a chance to comment post-Renegades game tonight. I may, or may not, want to comment depending on how things go.
As a parting diversion, I leave you with two more installments of Batgirl's baseball-storytelling-via-lego-technology. This time, she appears on ESPN, foretelling the Yankees-Red Sox season-ending showdown in two installments (part 1 - part 2).
Extremely funny stuff.
As a parting diversion, I leave you with two more installments of Batgirl's baseball-storytelling-via-lego-technology. This time, she appears on ESPN, foretelling the Yankees-Red Sox season-ending showdown in two installments (part 1 - part 2).
Extremely funny stuff.
Moleman-esque
Born under a bad sign.Sigh. Another day, another freak Renegades injury. The victim this time 'round is receiver Pat Woodcock, who took a stray football in the eye during a "routine" walkthrough. Guess laser eye surgery can't guard against that. This may be the most bizarre football-inflicted injury since the box office gold of Hans Moleman's "Man getting hit in groin with football". Hopefully the damage is minimal (both to Woodcock's eye, and on the scoreboard tonight) and that he'll be back in he linup come the 11th.
I’ve been down since I began to crawl.
If it wasn’t for bad luck,
I wouldn’t have no luck at all.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
phew...
Senators fans can breath a collective sigh of relief, as what was initially reported as the ubitquitous, but ominously vague "upper body" injury to Wade Redden, is only a sprained shoulder. Redden should be back for the World Cup quarter-finals. Of course, it's hard to take injuries as seriously at this point since by all accounts, they'll have plenty of time to heal.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Serenity now!
Just when I thought I could safely distract myself from the CBA and Renegades' woes by keeping my focus on baseball, my favourite Evil Empire suffers its worst loss in its 101-year history.
