TAKE A BOW, PIGSKIN PETE: AND OTHER FRIDAY NIGHT LEFTOVERS

First off, this morning's round-up must include a few kind words for Pigskin Pete, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats super fan who is hanging up his lucky bowler hat after tomorrow's final home game of the season.

Pigskin (AKA Paul Weiler, a retired Dofasco worker) has been leading cheers at Ticat games since the mid-'70s, with the familiar chant: Oskie wee wee! Oskie wa wa! Holy mackinaw! Tigers! Eat 'em raw!

It's a Hamilton tradition that began in the 1920s by the original Pigskin Pete, then was handed off to a successor before Weiler became Pigskin Pete III. Pigskin IV will be anointed next season.

Corny? Yes. An anachronism? Sure. Kitschy as all get out? Of course. That's the Canadian Football League for you. As has been argued here before, what makes the CFL great is that along with being a purer form of football, it still lets you have a little ironic detachment. The NFL has superfan-types too, but none who are so thoroughly part of the experience as Pigskin Pete, who actually stands on the field, is in Hamilton. He wasn't some exhibitionist trying to make ESPN; he is just a really enthusiastic guy who honestly loves football and doesn't mind trying to put a honest smile on people's faces.

There'll be another Pigskin, of course, but even Argos fans should appreciate this one.

Other CFL note: The game of the year to date might have come last night in Regina, when the Roughriders' Luca Congi kicked a field goal on the final play to beat the Montreal Alouettes 27-26. The game had nine lead changes -- three in the final 10 minutes -- and the Riders gutted out a crucial win despite missing their featured back, Kenton Keith, and their most dangerous wideout, Jason Armstead. Saskatchewan's rookie Canadian receiver Andy Fantuz, by the way, made a fingertip catch for a crucial fourth-quarter TD.

That win was a double-blue bonus. It helps the Argos' chances of finishing first in the East, and it also means the Edmonton Eskimos are all the more likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1972. Which really should get its own post.

OTHER BUSINESS

• Not such a good night for either of the "local" OHL teams for this blog -- the Ottawa 67's lost 5-3 to the Saginaw Spirit (which does have the entire Colbert Nation cheering for them), and the Kingston Frontenacs were drubbed 6-2 by the Guelph Storm. Ottawa suffered a much worse loss, though: First-line centre Logan Couture will miss a month with mononucleosis.
  
  That other team in Eastern Ontario, the Belleville Bulls, is quietly doing their thing. The Bulls won 3-2 in a shootout over Mississauga last night, taking over top spot in the East Division. Granted, it's early yet.
• CIS football picks are here. The flu outbreak at Mount Allison University means the Mounties-Saint Mary's Huskies game slated for last night had to be postponed. The most reasonable suggestion seems to be not to make up the game -- there's only two weeks left in the season -- and simply let all four Atlantic teams into the playoffs, instead of three.
• A high school running back in Arkansas scored 10 touchdowns last night -- and his team lost. The real kicker was that a couple people had benched him in their Arkansas high school fantasy football league.
• Minnesota Vikings fans don't need any reminder that this is the team's bye week, and we all know what happened last year, but Kissing Suzy Kolber made it hilarious. (Via Deadspin.)

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