CFL
Toronto Argonauts: Evolution of a champion
The Argos have just created a case study that proves it only takes one season to rebuild a CFL team.
CFL
Clash of creative minds in 100th Grey Cup
Sunday's 100th Grey Cup pits Toronto Argonauts defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones against Calgary Stampeders offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson in a clash of creative CFL minds.
CFL
Stampeders scheme enables Kevin Glenn to pass
The Calgary Stampeders knew how the B.C. Lions would respond to specific situations and that ability to anticipate the play enabled quarterback Kevin Glenn to release the ball faster, something they'll try to duplicate in the 100th Grey Cup.
CFL
Injuries a major factor in CFL Division finals
After a long and physical season several players will be playing through pain this week in order to participate in the CFL division finals. Which players are healthy, which can withstand and play through the pain and which players sit out will be a major factor in determining who advances to the Grey Cup.
CFL
Stamps QB Tate getting more credit than he deserves
Former CFL standout Greg Frers explains why he thinks voting Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate as the CFL offensive player of the week was an inaccurate decision.
CFL
Expect Argonauts, Roughriders to emerge
Former CFL standout Greg Frers explains why he predicts the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts will prevail in Sunday's division semifinals.
CFL
Lions' Andrew Harris deserves nod for CFL awards
The CFL will announce Wednesday who the conference finalists are for the six league awards. I think it is crazy to nominate Stampeders running back Jon Cornish as the Most Outstanding Player and Canadian when you have a well-deserving Andrew Harris sitting in the wings.
CFL
Always something to play for in CFL
A CFL player is a commodity. And as such, he needs to be keenly aware of his value. If that value doesn't fit with a club's budget, he is, unfortunately, expendable.
CFL
Argos, Ticats, Eskimos & Riders slumping at the wrong time
With the playoff picture still very much up in the air, several CFL teams had plenty to play for this week. What I found interesting was that the teams with the most on the line, or the most to gain, didn't win.
CFL
Riders pose challenge for opposing linebackers
Ever since the arrival of (now injured) wide receiver Jock Sanders, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have met with success by challenging the collective IQ of opposition linebackers.
CFL
The CFL's 'reality TV' week
The past week in the CFL featured more than one storyline that had little to do with football tactics, but contained the drama - real and contrived - of so many reality TV shows.
CFL
Argos offensive line evolving nicely
Heading into the CFL season, many teams looked to be weak and lacking in experience and continuity along the offensive line, but I have enjoyed watching the evolution of the Toronto Argonauts this season.
CFL
Smaller players rising to occasion in CFL
The theme of small guys playing bigger than their stature has been fun to follow this season. Edmonton Eskimos' J.C. Sherritt and B.C. Lions' Adam Bighill are two
linebackers who have effectively shown us that small guys can get it done.
CFL
CFL refs have tough task in controlling violent game
At a time when head trauma and player safety in contact sports is
headline news, football officials are faced with the challenging task of
controlling a violent game. CBCSports.ca CFL contributor Greg Frers is of the opinion that rules need to be
aggressively enforced in order to minimize the unnecessary contact.
CFL
Knee-jerk firings don't create best solutions
For those of you that have been living under a rock the past few days, or taking one final week of summer vacation with your family - like me - it might come as news that Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice was fired.
CFL
Alouettes, Argonauts feed off systematic success
Admired by many in North America as an offensive mastermind, Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman
has implemented an intricate offensive system that has enabled the Als
to lead the league in total offence, passing yards and points year after
year.
CFL
Argos, Eskimos will benefit from Cory Boyd move
Running back Cory Boyd was simply not a good fit for the Toronto Argos offence, writes CFL blogger Greg Frers. Boyd's move to the Edmonton Eskimos is an improvement for both teams heading into the second half of the season.
CFL
No easy fix for woeful Blue Bombers
CFL coaches and general managers are entering that crucial time of the season when they need to make aggressive moves to improve before it's too late, especially in Winnipeg.
CFL
Argos, Ticats catch fire in CFL East
Two things make a CFL season more favourable for the league office than parity: the host team playing in the Grey Cup; and engaging, competitive football being played in Southern Ontario.
CFL
Welcome to the CFL, Kory Sheets and Chad Simpson
Each year there are a couple players who step up and grab your attention in the Canadian Football League, motivated to seize the opportunity that they have been given. I think it's a safe bet we'll continue to see great moments from two running backs, B.C.'s Kory Sheets and Winnipeg's Chad Simpson, through the 2012 season.
CFL
Ricky Ray trade puts Eskimos GM Tillman under microscope
Edmonton Eskimos general manager Eric Tillman has taken a lot of criticism this year for trading away Ricky Ray and replacing the future CFL Hall of Famer with Steven Jyles.
CFL
CFL's good, bad and ugly in Week 2
You have got to love the CFL. This week, we were entertained by some amazing offensive football and a return game that left us with our mouths open and chins dropped.
CFL
Blue Bombers may have lost their swagger
When I think of the Winnipeg Bombers defence last season, I think of
tough physical football played by athletes that could seize control of
the game and dictate to opposing offences what they could and could not
do. I was in the stands this past week to witness the 2011 Grey Cup rematch
between Winnipeg and B.C. After watching the game all I can say is the
SWAG has left Swaggerville.
CFL
10 things to watch in CFL in 2012
There was no shortage of topics to talk about around the water cooler this off-season when it came to the CFL. Talk about shuffling the deck! After filtering through the craziness, I have come up with 10 things that I am looking forward to this season:
CFL
Bombers need to use loss as motivation
It is the strangest feeling when the season is over. Although, the
celebration will linger on for the B.C. Lions through December, the
Bomber players are suddenly finding themselves sitting quietly somewhere
shaking their head in disbelief and trying to make sense of their loss
CFL
B.C. came in like a lamb, out like Lions
It's not how you start, but rather how you finish.That motto rang true in the 99th Grey Cup with a 34-23 B.C. Lions victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, capping off an amazing turnaround that saw the team starting at 0-5.
CFL
QBs Pierce, Lulay must be patient
Patience will be the key to the 99th Grey Cup Game.Quarterbacks Buck Pierce and Travis Lulay can not afford to get frustrated in this game because both defences have players that are able to pounce on forced throws.
CFL
CFL missed opportunity to celebrate greatness
I really don't intent to take anything away from Travis Lulay, who was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the CFL Thursday night, but I believe that the league missed an opportunity to celebrate greatness by not giving the award to Anthony Calvillo.
CFL
Avoiding distractions key for Lions, Bombers
The Grey Cup is a Canadian celebration that people from across the country embrace with a level of passion you can't help but appreciate when you get to be a part of it.
CFL
Riders should consider Bombers' Burke as next coach
Now that Rider CEO Jim Hopson has announced that Brendan Taman will be taking over as general manager, the next priority on his list of things to do is to secure a head coach. Some of the names that have been circulating around are Hamilton defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin and Argos special teams coordinator Mike O'Shea.
CFL
Bombers, Lions defences rule day in CFL division finals
The battle is always won in the trenches!
Every football game will come down to which team is able to control the line of scrimmage. The big boys up front don't often dominate the headlines but you can't ignore the impact they had on the outcome in the CFL's East and West finals on Sunday.
CFL
Division finals preview
CFL analyst Greg Frers breaks down both matchups for this week's division finals, and makes his predictions for which teams will play for the Grey Cup.
CFL
Ticats, Eskimos earn well-deserved praise
Congratulations to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who knocked off the defending Grey Cup champs in an amazing East Division semifinal game. Like a great heavyweight fight, the two teams went toe-to-toe, throwing punch after punch with the 52-44 overtime thriller ending in the highest scoring playoff game in CFL history.
CFL
Calvillo, Ray to lead the way
To be a champion you need to learn how to finish well. This weekend begins the final stretch on the journey for eight teams to stake their claim in CFL history by becoming the 2011 Grey Cup champions.
CFL
Don't sleep on the Tabbies
What a way to end the 2011 regular season. For the first time in the history of the CFL, the last game of the regular season determined first place in both the Eastern and Western conferences. Both Calgary and B.C., played crisp games, while Montreal and Winnipeg looked beaten up and sluggish.
CFL
Missed opportunities set up wide-open final week
It's often said that there are five crucial plays during the course of a
football game that will determine the outcome. Make the play and you
will win. Miss and you will lose. Pretty simple.
This week, both Winnipeg and Edmonton had opportunities to secure first
place and the first-week bye in the playoffs. But both
teams failed to take advantage of the opportunity, and so we are left
waiting to see which team will finally step up to the plate and stake
its claim to be champions.
CFL
Burris, Jimenez bound for Argos?
The top six playoff spots in the CFL were secure heading this weekend's
games, but the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger Cats both made
aggressive moves with their rosters.
On the surface, these moves represented a deliberate shakeup as the
teams prepare for a playoff run this year, but I believe they actually
had more to do with the Toronto Argonauts setting up some aggressive
deals to solidify their team for a competitive push in 2012, when they
host the Grey Cup.
CFL
Boyd needs to reassess role with Argos
In 2010 the young, overachieving Toronto Argonauts were anchored by running back Cory Boyd. Boyd led the CFL in that year with 1,722 yards from scrimmage, and was second, only to Winnipeg's Fred Reid, in rushing yards with 1,359 despite missing three games.
CFL
CFL teams fighting for an edge
With only four weeks left in the season, five of six playoff spots have been locked up. During this stretch, the teams that are in will be fighting to secure first place in their respective divisions to ensure they'll only need one win to get to the Grey Cup in Vancouver.
CFL
New era begins in B.C.
BC Place opened in 1983, just prior to Expo 86, and at the time it was state of the art in North American stadium design. Twenty eight years later, I was one of the 50,000-plus fans that packed the renovated stadium on Friday, eager to get a glimpse of the $563-million facelift.
CFL
CFL's Touchdown Atlantic has winning formula
For the second year in a row, the CFL's Touchdown Atlantic game was played in front of a packed house in Moncton.
The near-sellout crowd of 20,153 passionate, Maritime fans were entertained by a spectacular CFL football game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders. The Ticats hammered the Stamps 55-36 in the highest-scoring contest this season - what an amazing way to cap off a tremendous CFL week in New Brunswick.
Ticats wasting Baggs's talents
Based on how Stevie Baggs finished the 2010 season, many believed that the rush end
was going to be an impact defensive player for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this season,
but he has not met up to his billing.That's partly because, rather than allowing him to pin his ears back and utilize his speed off the
line of scrimmage to get up the field vertically, Hamilton is asking Baggs to play laterally and often hand fight with offensive linemen.
CFL
Roughriders finally hitting their stride
There is a saying that stuck with me while I was playing: "if you are not improving you are actually getting worse, because everyone else is getting better."
CFL
Fans drive Labour Day weekend classics
In watching the games this weekend you could immediately feel the difference between the matchups that we have grown to love as Labour Day classics and those that are simply other games on the regular-season schedule.
Defensive end Odell Willis celebrates on the bench after another stellar effort by the Winnipeg defence led to a key victory over Hamilton last week. (Trevor Hagan/Canadian Press)
CFL
Concussion protocol: Protection from ourselves
Over the past few years, the CFL has taken steps to improve the safety of players, especially when it relates to head trauma.
Everything from concussion awareness campaigns to standardized concussion testing.
But more needs to be done.
CFL
Tampering with tradition
This morning was the first time I felt that crisp temperature in the air. Like an internal alarm clock, it signified to me that the second half of the CFL season was just around the corner.
Over the next two weeks, teams take turns getting a week off. After the bye weeks, we are entertained by the Labour Day classics.
CFL
Bruce a perfect fit for Lions
Six weeks into the 2011 season and it already feels like there has been a lot of football played. The reality is that we are not even a third the way into the schedule.
CFL
CFL teams closer than records indicate
There is such a fine line between winning and losing. I would often say that being a football player was a great job if you remained healthy and you were winning games. If you were hurt or losing games, you were in for a tough season.
CFL
Determining rough play purely subjective
How do you get ejected for a good hard hit on a quarterback? It was a hot day in Toronto this past Saturday, as the barometre hit temperatures above 35 C, and Argos head coach Jim Barker was still steaming after his team's tough loss to Winnipeg.
CFL
For receivers, bigger is better
Am I the only one that has been taken aback by the physical size of
receivers in the CFL this year? There have always been the occasional
big-target receivers, but this year's offensive rosters are packed with
players that look more like basketball players than football playersDon't think for a second that this is not deliberate. Teams are always
looking for the correct body types to get that edge on the field.
CFL
CFL's evolution evident in Week 2
In today's CFL, if an offence doesn't have a full arsenal of weapons that present a
threat to the defence, it is too easy for the defence to control the
field and shut a section of an offence completely down so that it is
ineffective. A defence can't take away everything, but if all that is
needed is to shut down one or two players, then the job is pretty easy.
Take, for example, the Week 2 game between the Calgary Stampeders and the B.C.
Lions, where the Stampeders beat the Lions 34-32 in a game that
included nine turnovers between the two teams.
CFL
Week 1 full of surprises
Week 1 is an amazing feeling. Finally, the roster has been set and you are suiting up as a team for the first time, trying to prove to everyone that you have what it takes to have a successful season.
CFL
The road to Vancouver
The road to Vancouver starts this week with the beginning of the 2011 CFL season. There have been a lot of names flying around over the past couple of weeks as players have been competing for the few open roster spots on each team.
Greg Frers
Greg played in the Canadian Football League as an all-star safety for 10 years, and was a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Calgary Stampeders. He retired from the CFL after the 2002 season, and later joined CBC Sports as a football analyst. Greg currently lives in Vancouver with his wife Lisa and their three boys.
