A dispute over stadium advertising kept the network from coming to London's TD Waterhouse Stadium in 2006. Starting with The Score's first University Rush broadcast on Sept. 8, the Mustangs are on TV three times in four weeks. No other OUA team is skedded to appear more than twice during the entire regular season.
There are also no plans to show an OUA game from anywhere east of Hamilton. The defending Yates Cup champion Ottawa Gee-Gees are skedded for two appearances (Sept. 15 at Western, Oct. 13 at Laurier) and the Queen's Golden Gaels get one (Sept. 22 at Windsor), but all are road games.
That's the reality; hopefully this doesn't come off as too carping or negative. The Score does a fairly solid job with the games it covers, but with a small (albeit loyal) audience for the CIS, it can't travel too far from the COTU too often for a broadcast. The money in the budget just isn't there -- really, it segues into the argument that schools and conferences need to be more self-directed with their media exposure (we have something in the works to that effect).
The Score has kept its options open for Oct. 20, the final week of the OUA regular season. It would hopefully bite the bullet and come to Ottawa if the Gee-Gees' matchup vs. Hec Crighton Trophy winner Daryl Stephenson and the Windsor Lancers has playoff implications; it's the best game that week. No doubt the Gaels and Gee-Gees are fixing on making a couple more TV appearances in the post-season.
The full sked is posted at cisfootball.org.
Gaels add coaches: Just got a note that Queen's added three new football assistants:
- Chris Green, a former Gee-Gee who earned a Grey Cup ring with the 1991 Argos, has signed on as offensive line coach. The Gaels haven't really had a dominant O-line since about 2002 -- the last group that was brought up by the late Bill Miklas Sr., who was the best O-line coach any team ever had -- so here's hoping Green is the teacher that's needed in that all-important area.
- Ryan Bechmanis, a former starting defensive back, is now coaching that group after spending some time coaching in, wait for it, Denmark.
- Michael Carroll, who previously worked with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and played his university ball at St. Francis Xavier, has been appointed video co-ordinator and receivers coach. Not unlike Green, Carroll gets to step right into the fire since the Gaels are thin in experienced receivers, save for Rob Bagg.
That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.
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15 comments:
Just to be fair, Neate, the fact that Brannagan never threw to Valberg, Stinson, or Patrick doesn't mean they're not experienced.
Just pray to god that they don't turn from a passing attack that only passes to Smith and Bagg to one that only passes to Bagg. They were pre-diddly-ictable enough last year when Brannagan ended up with a 48% completion rate.
That's some good spin control... Stinson did do a pretty decent job.
Anyways, I'd like to know how Marty Gordon is faring... they really missed him last season.
Every time I talk to you about the Gaels you bring up Marty Gordon. Do you owe him money or something? :P
Not that I'm aware of, but M.G. has averaged 7.0 per carry when he's been able to play!
Small sample size! Smaaaaall saaaaample siiiiiize!
True enough, but if you look at Gordon's '05 stats (62-428-6.9-1) and knock off his longest gain (49 yards), he still averaged better than 6 yards per carry that season.
Any word on Ian Hazlett's status? In July I saw an article in his hometown newspaper. He seems to be definately going to Ottawa to start his Master's program next month. However, the article's decription of his injury made it seem very unlikely that he can play football this season. He is running a skills camp for high school aged guys in Sault Ste. Marie this summer. Have you heard any updates on how he is doing?
That might be the best update. I'll have to check in with the Gee-Gees later this week and find out.
Didn't Mike Giffin average about the same thing in '05 and not have it translate into '06? Though to his credit he was single-handedly responsible for the running game becoming a factor late in the season.
I never quite understood why it took so long for Giffin to become the primary RB... I figured it was due after the homecoming loss to Windsor. Was I crazy there, Neate?
It always comes down to being able to block and to believe in the plays that have been called. Giffin actually had a better yards-per in '05 (7.2 or 7.3) and yes, the teamwide struggles dropped him into the 4.5 range last year.
The coaches know more football than I ever will and I'm sure they had good reasons for not making Giff the feature back until late in the season. Pat Sheahan, probably going back to his days at McGill when he had Michael Soles to work with, has always seemed a bit partial to running a true 2-back set with a classic Canadian fullback. Namely, someone who can block, be a change-up runner on inside plays (when the other team's keying on the tailback) and has soft hands that make him a threat on screens and other short passes.
Giff came closer than anyone else on the roster to fitting the prereqs for that spot, so there might have been a reluctance to play him at tailback.
Shorter answer for Tyler: No, you weren't crazy.
Cool. Although I wish I held the coaching staff in the same esteem as you - the endless running plays on second and long drove me round the bend last year. One particular quarterback option on second and long deep in their own territory that led to a fumble and a safety in the regular season Ottawa game was I think the tipping point.
"we have something in the works to that effect"
What does this mean? Do you knpw something that we don't? Fess up Neate. Your loyal readers want to know everything.
Nothing major, just an argumentative column that I will get around to writing sooner or later!
Very Good article , this article make some interesting points.
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