12/21/24
November 21, 2004
ARRRRRRRRRRRRGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!:
41 year-old QB Damon Allen (brother of NFL Hall of Famer Marcus Allen) leads the underdog Toronto Argos to a 27-19 Grey Cup win.
I don't understand any of the second-guessing. I thought Dickenson played a pretty damned solid game, and I'm not sure what else Printers would have done except take away some of the 160+ yards gained on the ground by B.C. What the hell was up with those two consecutive delay penalties on the conversion try, though? Oh yeah, and one more thing -- I move into the area and BAM! Argos win the Cup. I think we all know where the credit really lies. ;)
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:57 PM on November 21, 2004
Watched it with a die-hard BC boy. No Printers, absolutely the weirdest decision ever. Buono is Guano!
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:10 PM on November 21, 2004
The quarterback second-guessing is gonna steal the spotlight, but the real problem was the Lions' defence not adjusting. They shut Toronto down at first, then the Argos mixed things up a bit and had, what, three TDs and a field goal on four drives? That shouldn't have happened. Man... never thought I'd be happy to hear horns honking down Yonge Street.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:25 PM on November 21, 2004
Oh, yeah, and BC's attempts to keep kicks away from Levingston and Bruce backfired miserably. Toronto made good use of that field position.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:48 PM on November 21, 2004
Very clever of Toronto to keep their offence a secret until the big game.
posted by todd at 10:02 PM on November 21, 2004
BC's kicking was awful all night. The missed FG & extra point, the 30-yard punts... it sure felt like that was the difference right there. Dickenson had a fine game, and his O-line was opening up huge holes for most of the night. They just were playing on a 150-yard field most of the night. My neighbors are doubtless wondering why I've been whooping all night. Alcohol is admittedly involved, but still.
posted by chicobangs at 11:07 PM on November 21, 2004
I'm also ecstatic for Michael "Pinball" Clemons, the head-coach of the Argos. There isn't a better representation of Toronto/Canadian/North American athletes than him. He's given more time to this sport (always promoting it), team (as a player, executive and head coach), and city (always front and centre for local charities) than any other athlete. He is more deserving of a street name in his honour than any hockey player. He's also one of the nicest (and funniest) men that the media, fans and fellow players have ever met. I've never heard a negative word about him, but everyone seems to have a story about what good he does for those around him. For example: Last night, before the biggest game in his coaching career, he slipped off to a local hospital (with no fanfare or press around) to provide some moral support to a college football player who had his leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. The media only heard about it just before today's game And it should be noted that he becomes the first black head coach to win a major title in ANY of the existing professional football leagues. Even then, he's far too humble about it.
posted by grum@work at 01:11 AM on November 22, 2004
cue, let's say, rcade to say that the winning CFL does not count as a major title Buono was in a tough position with two top quarterbacks but I think it would have been easier/better to go down with your top guns blazing. League MVP on the bench and you lost?
posted by gspm at 07:04 AM on November 22, 2004
grum, you're so right about Pinball. The guy is an incredible human being, as well as knowing a thing or two about football. He hasn't gotten one hundredth of the attention he deserves, but he's been so good (and so good, in the other sense of the word) he could run for mayor, like, right now.
posted by chicobangs at 09:07 AM on November 22, 2004
Andre Rison was on the sidelines for this game. The Atlanta paper had an article on him yesterday. (Sorry, registration is required).
posted by usfbull at 09:34 AM on November 22, 2004
Mayor Pinball. I'd vote for him.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:10 AM on November 22, 2004
The Argos won because of 2 (well maybe 3 reasons): 1) The Argos offence just ran over BC's defence 1a) The BC defence was AWFUL. 2) BC's refusal to kick the damn ball down the field Point #2 can't be overstated and was a huge coaching blunder by Wally. The Argo's offence played really well, but it only gets easier when they got to start with the ball almost at mid-field for every possession of the 2nd quarter. BC was the only team that never gave up a touchdown on a kick off or punt return all year. Now in the biggest game of the year you figure your coverage team sucks? In my mind that is the reason they lost. The officiating was very suspect again, but fortunately it didn't have a huge impact on the game. That missed pass interference call in the end-zone was brutal. 3 officials had a clear view of what happened and none of them called it.
posted by camcanuck at 10:45 AM on November 22, 2004
was the kicking bad by tactical design? i thought it maybe had something to do with the conditions given that neither kicker seemed to get one past the 25 or 20 on kickoffs and none of the punts had much hang time. a few kicks were shanked too. I wondered about Rison. by the time I'd heard he was in the CFL I think he was out of the lineup.
posted by gspm at 01:04 PM on November 22, 2004
Yeah, it seemed like the BC kicker was trying to angle the punts close to the sidelines, but kept angling them too sharp.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 03:56 PM on November 22, 2004
Marcus Allen felt the tears welling up as the clock ticked down at Frank Clair Stadium. He felt a big brother's pride, felt the significance of what he was watching. His eyes, big and brown and liquid, the eyes that have seen just about all there is to see in the NFL and Super Bowls, saw something else last night. Marcus Allen saw something special at the 92nd Grey Cup. His eyes reflected what he felt while watching his little brother as he stood near the middle of the field amid the blue-and-white streamers that had fallen after Damon Allen and the Toronto Argonauts won the 2004 CFL championship last night. He stood a few feet away from where they had lifted the Cup and his brother, at age 41, was named the game's most valuable player. "It was important for me to see my little brother play. I should say my brother," said Marcus Allen, the former NFL great and Hall of Famer. "We have a tight family and it runs deep. It was just an honour to see my brother do this. He's such a good guy. To see him play, to see him happy. He's my brother, but he's also my friend." After a slow start, Marcus's little brother found his rhythm, took over the game with his athleticism and leadership, and directed an Argos offence that many said couldn't and made sure that it did. He projected an air, sent a message with his look and his body language, and without saying anything, told his teammates that this would be their night. "Damon was in the zone," said offensive lineman Sandy Annunziata. "I was talking with the other linemen and we saw it in Damon's eyes. We said, 'Number 9 is in the zone.' Man, was he on and it couldn't come at a better time. He's been in the league for 20 years. You know when he's on and when he's not on by his eyes, his body language, his play calling. It was contagious. He's not just the MVP of this game. He's the MVP of this league, hands down."
posted by todd at 09:07 PM on November 22, 2004
The second-guessing begins as the 2004 CFL MVP Casey Printers does not start (or even appear during) the game for the B.C. Lions.