JOINING THE N-C-EH-EH ... NOTES FROM A FRIDAY NIGHT

• Argonauts 18 Blue Bombers 15. That's very similar to the type of wins the Argos used to pull out in 2004 -- bend but don't break on defence and wait for the offence to get untracked. Damon Allen threw two TD passes during a fourth-quarter rally and Winnipeg quarterback Mike Quinn (see Aug. 11 post) sealed his team's fate by throwing into double coverage on a late drive, resulting in a game-saving interception by Orlondo Steinauer. Allen needs 165 yards to pass Warren Moon for the most passing yardage in pro football history. Not that anyone in the States is going to notice.
• Blue Jays 6 Royals 3. Shaun Marcum collected his first win in his month with help from some K.C. fielding that wouldn't have looked out of play at Friday night co-ed slo-pitch. In the game's first two innings, Vernon Wells ended up credited with a double after two infielders collided chasing a pop-up, and centre-fielder Joey Gathright came up only about three feet short on a diving bid for a sinking liner, giving John McDonald a gift triple.
• The University of British Columbia athletic department seems pretty confident that the NCAA is going to be open to adding its first Canadian member. What's less easily understood is why UBC, which isn't a powerhouse in men's basketball and hasn't won a championship in football yet this decide, wants to play against U.S. schools. Then again, UBC does have a top-notch baseball program, and playing NCAA D-1 schools might create more opportunities in Canada's baseball hotbed.
• You only get this from reading S.I.'s Dr. Z: The Cleveland Browns are on their fourth centre since the starting of training camp. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had four in the past 36 seasons.
• "My team has games to win and hookers to nail." Yes, Deadspin's preview of my Minnesota Vikings has finally seen the light of the day. Oh, and Tarvaris Jackson continued to burnish his growing legend last night with a 77-yard TD pass to Jason Carter that clinched a 30-7 pre-season win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings still can't run the ball or stretch a defence to save their lives, but hey, the defence showed some promise with four turnovers, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is also speculating that the Vikes might be interested in disgrunted New England wideout Deion Branch. Branch is only 5-foot-9, but was still a good possession receiver in New England's short-pass offence.
• Last but not least, show Greg Hughes some love.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.