Friday:
Ottawa at Winnipeg: Ottawa barely beat a troubled Montreal team last week. Bombers.
Hamilton at BC: BC’s defence did a decent job last week, their O was pretty bad. Hamilton did nothing against the first Canadian QB who started and won a game in 30 years or something. Lions.
Saturday:
Montreal at Toronto: The Montreal/Ottawa game last week was bad. Really bad. Pick Argos
Sunday:
Calgary at Saskatchewan: Calgary and Saskatchewan played average last week. Riders are at home and they’ve a bone to pick from earlier in the season. Pick Riders.

Friday, Saskatchewan @ Hamilton: After getting their butts handed to them by Winnipeg last week a more humble Riders go against a suddenly winning team in the TiCats. Riders added Otha Foster and Jeff Knox Jr. back to the roster after they were cut by their NFL teams. Pick Riders.
Saturday:
Edmonton @ Toronto: Can the Eskimos get over their discipline problems to stay focused on the Argonauts? Toronto is well rested after their bye week. This is their chance to show the CFL they are in the running. Pick Toronto.
BC @ Calgary: Jennings showed he was back in form last week after the season ending injury to Lulay. Can their D hold a strong Calgary offence? Probably not. Pick Stampeders.
Sunday, Ottawa @ Montreal: Two weeks ago the TiCats had the week from hell. Now it was the Alouettes turn. The Als let go Head Coach Jacques Chapdelaine and D-Coord Noel Thorpe. Word is the players are not too shook up about it. Still, chaos is chaos. Pick RedBlacks.
Other CFL News: Next year the season will be 21 weeks, including 3 bye weeks per team and they are eliminating full contact padded practices during the season. Pads and contact will still be allowed during rookie and training camps. These are both good decisions in my opinion especially because they worked hand-in-hand with the CFLPA on these decisions. Can you say “limiting liability”?

The second set of the Labour Day Classics, the Back to Backs…unless you’re Hamilton or Toronto, in which case…IS THE CFL CRAZY? I hate that they don’t have the rematch. Why not just give BC their two byes together?
Friday:
Montreal @ BC. Montreal is in for another beat-down, I’m afraid.
Saturday:
Riders @ Bombers: This will be the game of the week but Saskatchewan will lose a squeaker.
Hamilton @ Ottawa: Ottawa is tough to beat at home. Sorry Hamilton, the streak was short-lived.
Calgary @ Edmonton: Edmonton knows what went wrong last week, they will still lose.

It’s Labour Day weekend! Classic rivalries and classic upsets usually define the games played this week.
Thursday: Ottawa at Montreal. Ottawa nearly gave it away last week after Lulay came in, but managed to hang on and win. Have they figured it out? I’m picking the RedBlacks.
Sunday: Winnipeg at Saskatchewan. As I mentioned last week, the Bombers is the team to watch in the latter half of the season. I’m going to have to amend that to include the Riders after their performance in Edmonton last week. The Bombers already had their win at Mosaic this year, I’m going with the Riders.
Monday: Edmonton at Calgary. The Eskimos were in tough last week, the Stamps did what they do. They’ll continue this trend this week.
Monday: Toronto at Hamilton. The TiCat’s had a horrible week in which they managed to lose again without playing a game. They’ll win this week and perhaps begin to repair the damage done to their fan-base.

Thursday: Winnipeg beats Montreal. The Bombers are on a tear and seem to have a real focus. Combine that with excellent coaching and you have the team to watch in the latter half of the season.

Friday: Saskatchewan wins in Edmonton. Kind of a flyer, but the injuries in Edmonton are a lot to overcome and the Riders are starting to look like a team.

Saturday: BC goes down in Ottawa. A long trip, Hull, an early game. Boys will be boys.

Saturday: Toronto might win in Calgary. I don’t think the Argos have the team to beat Calgary, but reports about an injury to Bo Levi Mitchell’s shoulder could change that.

The last weekend before the midpoint of the season.

Thursday: Edmonton beats Winnipeg at home.

Friday: Ottawa at Hamilton. I don’t have a clue. Pick Hamilton cause they’re home. Pick Ottawa because Collaros is playing like a first year fifth rounder. I’ve got nothing.

Friday: Calgary loses to BC in Vancouver. Out on a limb time, but Calgary is coming off the buy and it’s their turn for the, “Oh, we do have to show up.” game.

Saturday: Montreal wins in Toronto if Ray is out, loses if Ray is in.

Bye Week: Saskatchewan

Thur: Edmonton beats Ottawa. Until the Esks lose, they win.
Fri: Montreal wins over Toronto. Toronto has no QB now with Ray hurt.
Sat: Hamilton takes Winnipeg. Hamilton can beat the Bombers at home
Sun: BC over Saskatchewan. Until Saskatchewan wins against the West, they lose.

Thursday: Calgary over Toronto
Friday: Ottawa wins against Winnipeg
Friday: Edmonton beats Hamilton
Saturday: BC takes Saskatchewan
Ottawa/Winnipeg is a toss-up. If Ottawa plays like they did at the beginning of the season, win. If Winnipeg has the heart from last week, win.
I debated going with Hamilton over Edmonton, after what Calgary did to the Ticats, because this game has the feeling of an upset, but I’m usually wrong about that.
Here’s hoping I’m completely wrong about a Saskatchewan loss again.

Thu: Winnipeg over Montreal
Fri: Edmonton takes it at home over BC. Game of the week IMO, a toss up and given my record, sorry Esks.
Sat: Toronto beats Saskatchewan
Sat: Calgary wins in Hamilton

Wed: Ottawa over Montreal
Thurs: Hamilton takes one against Edmonton
Fri: Winnipeg beats Lulay, err, I mean BC.
Sat: Rider’s spy-network bests Calagary’s
Mon: Ottawa spoils the Toronto party

Winnipeg over Toronto,
Calgary beats Montreal,
Ottawa takes Edmonton,
Hamilton claws BC.
So, you think the refs have jobbed your team before? In the Toronto @ Winnipeg game, “Karen” was the selected contestant in the $1M Safeway and Sobey’s TD to Win. The Bombers returned the opening kick-off to the endzone, she wins a $25K entertainment center. If another kick-off (not punt) is returned for a TD she gets a $1M in a $50K annuity for 20 years.
Halfway through the first quarter this happens on a kick-off return.

Here's the $1 million penalty that will haunt Karen forever. #Argos #Bombers #CFL pic.twitter.com/Djwxg0Acht

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) July 14, 2017

Yep, Karen got jobbed by the CFL refs. No way that was a valid illegal block penalty.
Update: Karen got taken care of. Various sponsors have stepped up to do the right thing. Safeway/Sobeys put up a years worth of groceries. Air Miles chipped in 500,000 miles. CFL is putting up a VIP trip to the Grey Cup and the Wpg Blue Bombers put up season tickets for this and next year.
Good job.

The push for 51%!
Thursday: Montreal beats BC
Friday: Winnipeg over Calgary
Saturday: Toronto holds against Ottawa
Saturday: Hamilton wins against Saskatchewan

Randy Ambrosie is named the new CFL Commissioner.
Excellent choice, let’s hope he does better than the previous office-holder.

Calgary over Ottawa
Toronto beats BC
Montreal shakes up Edmonton
Saskatchewan DESTROYS, CRUSHES, ANNIHILATES Winnipeg.
Okay, maybe a little exaggeration on that last one.

So far it looks like everyone is still in pre-season mode, everyone that is except the Ottawa RedBlacks. It shouldn’t surprise, final cuts were only a week ago so players and coaches are still working on their plays.
My predictions are way off so far. Saskatchewan is better than I thought, Calgary weaker, Montreal certainly aren’t week one contenders and Ottawa doesn’t look like they took a break between the Grey Cup and last night.
An unusually positive article on the CFL from Sportsnet. I’m sure Donnovan Bennett will be punished because the phrase “Canadian Football” isn’t allowed in properties owned by Rogers.
The so-called Command Centre needs some work. I appreciate the video reviews when they make corrections to a problem on the field. The called-back fumble last night that allowed Calgary to retain possession and score was definitely a fumble. I think the Rider touchdown the night before should also have been a fumble. Other than those two reviews nothing else stands out as a ‘bad call’.
We’ll see tonight if it gets better when (IMO) the two best teams in the West go head to head.

Finally. The long drought known as the off-season is over. Tonight the Riders are in Montreal in a much-hyped show-down. Durant is now an Al, Carter is now a Rider. Was Chris Jones right? Is it the Ricky Ray trade all over?
My picks for Week 1.
Montreal barely sweats against an inept Saskatchewan D and ineffectual O.
Calgary curb-stomps Ottawa in all phases.
BC’s home crowd beats Edmonton narrowly.
Toronto’s new coach reinvigorates Ray and they win against Hamilton.
I hope I’m wrong about the first.

CFL training camps are open.

Two weeks ago, the CFL held it’s first ever fan-fest. To all accounts it was a success. Course, it’s easy to sell out CFL venues in Regina.
Then came last weeks bombshell from the Eskimos and today we learn that the CFL was making plans as well.
Two weeks, some startling changes and in my case, a nervous fan.

I’m going to miss him.
Probably the most outgoing and fun QB to play the game. Definitely one of the best. He never got the break he deserved in Saskatchewan or Hamilton, he did in Calgary and Ottawa and it showed.
Good luck Hank!

Continuing on their road to Grey Cup, the Riders have signed Khalif Mitchell.
On the day the new stadium is signed over to the City.

Sean Hamelin of @PCLConstruction hands key to the stadium to Mayor Fougere and council @CBCSask #Riders #yqr pic.twitter.com/jUCAvBwqzl

— Adam Hunter (@AHiddyCBC) August 31, 2016

Oh…that Khalif Mitchell.
Umm, go Bombers?