Could the Vanier Cup be a success in Montreal

This fall, the 50th edition of the Vanier Cup is coming to city of Montreal and is set to be played at Percival-Molson Stadium on the McGill campus. 

This is big news in the CIS circles, however, could this occasion be a success in a cosmopolitan city that has a lukewarm passion for CIS football.

Already CIS is a bit behind the eight-ball in announcing their signature game set to be played in less than eight months time. A lot of work needs to be done.

In order for the Vanier Cup to be successful, Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, the Montreal Alouettes, and CIS committee will need to go full out in promoting this event. Billboards, strategic signage within Quebec university campuses, and constant television/radio promotions have be to  visible in a community that is hockey mad.

That means having key CIS public relations people involved that know the Montreal area such as McGill's own Earl Zuckerman, and Montreal Carabins Benoit Mongeon. These two are the best at what they do, and would be key additions in raising the profile of this game. Moreover, McGill University as a whole will do a fantastic job in making sure their student body, and alumni know about this crown jewel of an event.

This year's playoff rotation will have the RSEQ taking on Canada West, and OUA battling AUS. It is imperative the right match-up occurs for this event to be successful.

Now, on paper a Calgary-Western battle would look appealing, but could it fly in Montreal. From a local standpoint, if defending champions Laval, Montreal (who literally play on the other side of the hill), or host site McGill were to make it to the big game it would generate an increase in ticket sales.

It is hard to imagine smaller communities from outside the province of Quebec traveling in droves to Montreal. Are hotels planning to block off section of rooms for traveling parties coming to this game?

Aesthetically, it would be an eye sore if only a few thousand show up particularly if a RSEQ team is not involved. As one football representative who has a strong pulse on the community told me over the weekend, the organizing committee needs to get as many minor football programs to attend. Instill the idea of the next generation of kids playing in this game in the near future.

At the same time, with the Vanier Cup essentially going head to head with Grey Cup weekend in Vancouver. The CIS could be staring at an abyss of national media coverage considering all eyes will be on Canada's biggest signature game on the other side of the country. Furthermore, if the Alouettes were to make it to the big game, it could result in the top local media personalities covering the game in Vancouver.

At the end of the November, Montreal weather can be unpredictable where a snowstorm could happen, or simply it is bitter cold. Organizers need to hope it is a nice, comfortable day for the fans to enjoy the game.

Finally, if the Vanier Cup goes head to head with a Montreal Canadiens home game it could mean trouble. Historically, the Canadiens will play a bulk of home games at the end of November before their predominant road schedule in December. If the Canadiens happen to play the Toronto Maple Leafs, or another big name NHL team, it could pose problems from the attention being directed towards the hockey team than the game itself.

There are a lot of moving variables in this project. It is a big leap of faith for CIS to give the 50th edition of this game to a city that has never been a part of the rotation.

Now the hard work begins for the committee in making this a successful event.    

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Photo credit: Edmonton Journal

Where do the Concordia Stingers stand with their coaching search?

Congratulations Concordia Stingers. You have completed the 90-day challenge, however, with no results to show for it.

As this program approaches the 100th day in their search for the next football head coach, where do they stand now in this process? It seems like they have taken the American Idol approach in filtering out all the contestants, but I wonder if William Hung applied for the job.

Two weeks ago, five names were revealed by various media outlets ranging from Jacques Chapdelaine, Bryan Chiu, Peter Chryssomalis, Mickey Donovan, and Marc Loranger. It appears this list has dwindled down to a two horse race.

To be a fly inside the complex walls, where multiple football sources have told me that the apple of their eyes was Jacques Chapdelaine who now has been offered the same position with Simon Fraser University.

No question, this procedure has worn out even the general CIS football fan. How can a once proud institution have regressed to this point? Even the Catholic Church took a mere two weeks in naming Pope Francis as their leader and his job has a bit more importance in the world.

Whomever assumes this coaching position, is three years away from being competitive. This is due to their poor recruiting classes they had in the last few years where the current cupboard is bare of talent. Unfortunately, former head coach Gerry McGrath didn't leave much for the next hire to work with.

The longer this course goes, the more likely this Stingers program will continue to be viewed by outside observers in a different light. 

If the "knights of the roundtable" (their decision makers)  believe they have their candidate in-place, they can no longer wait. They need to proceed along in allowing the next head coach to name his staff, implement his systems, and start recruiting for 2015.

It’s only February, but 2014 is already heading into the abyss. The team will attempt to be competitive but in reality the Stingers are building for 2015. The next head coach will be given a clean slate to start building the team in his vision. That starts by weeding out the excess fat in 2014.

As ironic as it is, it seems like the Stingers roster is in salary cap hell, but these players are not being paid. This season will be a long, drawn out painful process, but those players who buy in will do what is needed by being the building blocks.

As the Stingers attempt to build something for the future, it is somewhat depressing to Concordia fans knowing their first preseason game is against their city rival Montreal Carabins. Even though this game means nothing in the standings, it could get ugly by the coin toss.

Finally the next hire needs full autonomy in running this ship. If there are any influences from those who may hover over this program, it could very well stagnate this excavation.

It just seems like Hung's hit song has more relevance than the Stingers at the present moment.  

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Concordia taking small steps towards naming their new head coach

On Friday afternoon, Concordia Stingers athletic director Patrick Boivin officially opened up the vacant head coaching football position for all applicants.

For Boivin, this is his first big move since coming into power, given his strong business acumen, he has created a search committee to help him throughout this process. Instantly upon hearing this, I anointed this group as the "knights of the roundtable".

No question there are strong voices with Andre Bolduc, Sylvain Girard, and Liam Mahoney. This trio has a good pulse on the current situation considering they're prominent former players of the program.

However, this is where it becomes befuddling. To the surprise of many within the CIS community, the inclusion of former Stingers and current Queens Golden Gaels head coach, Pat Sheahan, and RSEQ member Tom Allen has raised a few eyebrows.

It could be argued that the Stingers last great run of dominance was under Sheahan in the late 90s. But how could any athletic program include a current CIS head coach of a school they recruit against on a yearly basis? Could anyone imagine if the Laval Rouge et Or asked Montreal Carabins head coach Danny Maciocia to be a part of their search committee if Glen Constantin decided to move on?

How does Sheahan now approach a top tier recruit who may be looking at Concordia? I would love to be a fly on the wall during his recruiting pitch while he doubles himself as a member of this search committee.  

As for Allen, he has worked tirelessly to help elevate the RSEQ profile. However, there are those within the football community who have mixed reviews on his tenure. He has a past connection to the Bishop's Gaiters. If you're Concordia, would it not have made sense to bring on an important donor of the program to aide this search rather than Allen?

When the Stingers season mathematically ended in early October, when did Boivin realize that a change needed to happen towards the end of the agonizing Gerry McGrath era? Concordia is already behind the eight ball in the search for their next head coach as December is here.

The likely target date for a new head coach being named won't be until in the early part of the 2014 calendar year. This year's recruiting class will be handcuffed with no actual leader in-place to convince them to come to Concordia.

Furthermore, with spring camp not too far away, the new coach in charge will need to assemble a staff, and implement his systems, which would take a while to master considering these are not his very own recruits. 

  

This program requires substantial upgrades in their image, facilities, and overall talent. Whomever assumes this task will need at least two years before they could become competitive. That is based on recruiting well in their backyard, which Concordia has failed to do so in the last few years.

The question that remains; does the athletic program have the deep money pockets needed to reel in a big name coach? Here are three candidates (in no particular order) that could be on the list.

Jacques Chapdelaine: The former B.C. Lions offensive coordinator parted ways with the CFL club. He has already become a hot name candidate in both leagues. In the CIS circles, according to multiple reports, Simon Fraser University (NAIA), the alumni would like bring back the former Clan star and are willing to shell out the dollars. But SFU administration could be looking elsewhere (Jeff Reinebold). Could the Stingers be interested? It would require a lot of finances to sway him to come back east. He did win the Rouge et Or's first ever Vanier Cup and it would add another intriguing storyline with his return to the RSEQ. The offense would be revolutionized into a modern day scheme. It will take a lot of convincing, but it is worth a phone call to gauge his interest.

Bryan Chiu: The current assistant has been a part of the current staff since 2010. He has grown into his position where he is well respected by the alumni, players, and fans. By popular vote, a lot of the players and fans hope Chiu gets an opportunity to lead this program. Some fans have imagined the staff he could put together in trying to revive this sagging program. Even without knowing what the future holds for many inside the football walls, Chiu continues to work in trying to better the team's situation. One has to wonder if himself and others on the staff are working for nothing if they will not be retained. If he is Concordia's top choice, it is better they notify him now than in January so he can start assembling his staff.

Brad Collinson: The former Stingers and current Rouge et Or assistant is one the few remaining links to the Stingers being relevant, but that was over a decade ago. Collinson has earned his stripes in helping Team Quebec win multiple gold medals at the nationals. He is a fantastic recruiter that has redirected the Vanier College pipeline from Concordia to Laval. With his time spent learning from Constantin, he will most certainly apply a new tough minded attitude to a sullen environment. Collinson knows what it takes to win (see his three Vanier Cup rings), he is charismatic, and media friendly. But could he be the white knight to save this descending program? They certainly need an infusion of optimism and he can bring it to the table. 

   

Just 15 years ago, Concordia’s head coaching position was a desired job. Today, the program resembles little of its past glory years, and will surely take major renovations to help clean up the decaying mess. Certainly, if the Stingers are able to raise the capital within their alumni hierarchy, create an excitement among the remaining fan base, win back the recruiting territory, this program could be relevant in the near future.

For now, as Christmas approaches, Santa Claus will not be bringing them a present in a form of a new head coach, but Boivin must hope his belated gift will be a homerun hire. 

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The Montreal Alouettes Release 14 Players From Their Training Camp

This afternoon the Montreal Alouettes released 14 players from their training camp roster. There are not too many surprises, however, those who were let go by the organization could be brought back to their practice roster or later on during the season if a player suffers an injury.

In move that was expected the Canadian quarterback duo of Kyle Graves, and Kyle Quinlan were released. But this is not the end of the road for them as they still have eligibility to go back to CIS football for their fifth year.

In the short-term they will feel disappointed of not being able to crack this year's roster. But for their long-term development it would be a better option they go back to their respective schools to have more repetitions, and come back prepared for next year if they're invited to a CFL camp.

Don't forget that Graves is a punter. Even though he wasn't able to beat out incumbent kicker Sean Whyte, he could potentially catch on with another CFL squad.

As I mentioned yesterday's article, Dylan Hollohan, defensive back from St. Francis Xavier is a very talented player. But due to his injuries he sustained in the 2011 season it could have attributed to him not making the roster. A scenario that could exist is him being invited back to the practice roster, or head back to school, and gain more playing experience.

Overall, head coach Marc Trestman and his staff should feel confident of what they deem a roster worthy of vying for a third Grey Cup title in the last four years.

The only issue is keeping everyone healthy for the duration of the season, which is easier said than done.

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Stephen Garcia Starts His Road Back By Trying Out With The Montreal Alouettes

On a hot, windy Wednesday afternoon former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia started his road back to football relevance by trying out for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.

Gone are the days of Garcia coming through the tunnel at Williams-Brice stadium in-front of 80,000 screaming fans getting ready to play the likes of Alabama, Florida, or Georgia. This isn’t SEC Saturdays, but there he was in a Montreal suburb fighting for a chance to be given that “golden paper invite” for the actual training camp starting this Sunday.

He wasn’t throwing to the likes of Alshon Jeffery, or Marcus Lattimore to prove his worth. This time he was trying to connect with players from Canadian Universities, and small U.S. schools that are 20-percent of what South Carolina’s financial budget is for their football program.   

From my initial sight, Garcia has slimmed down from his days in Columbia, South Carolina. His face wasn’t as pudgy, and looking to be in good shape.

The Alouettes are primarily a shotgun team, so he had no snaps under centre.  Even though there was zero pass rush in Garcia’s face, he threw very well in the intermediate passing drills.  He had a lot of zip on his throws, his spirals were tight, and showed decent touch on his passes.

However, throwing against a strong wind, he did run into problems on his deep passes, where he overthrew a few of his receivers. In some tight coverage drills he did not connect as often.

As for his footwork it was tough to decipher considering these weren’t hard drop back steps, and at times he was throwing from a stationary shotgun position.

Without question, Garcia development was far more advanced than his quarterback counterpart Lee Chapple of North Alabama. Some might snicker at this statement, but the coaching that Garcia received from his old head coach Steve Spurrier might have paid off.

Garcia did spend a good chunk of time conversing with the team’s new offensive coordinator Marcus Brady. This could be a sign that there is intrigue from the coaching staff’s part to know who he is as a person, and player.

After practice was over, Garcia told me how thankful he was of an opportunity to showcase his ability to the Alouettes coaching, and management staff. He realizes he no longer has the cameras of CBS, ESPN, or Fox Sports coming in to ask him how he will be able to counter the ferocious defenses of Auburn, Arkansas, or LSU.

In-fact, he seemed quite surprised as he eyes widen how I told him that I’ve been following his career since his high school days in Tampa, Florida.

Garcia knows this could be his last real shot at an opportunity to play professional football. If Garcia get’s that “golden paper ticket” to come to Sunday’s start of practices. He must realize he’s no longer in South Carolina and doesn’t have the protection of Spurrier if he get’s in trouble. One false mistake off the field might vanquish his professional football career.

Good luck to Stephen Garcia.

Side note: In an arranged agreement with the Alouettes PR department, Garcia was schedule to be on with TSN 990's Thursday morning show. But when he was contacted in his hotel room his roommate said he is sleeping.

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Listen to me every Sunday/Tuesday nights on Gamepoints, every Friday morning on The Midnight Snack, and various shows on TSN 990.

Photo credit: http://www.fitsnews.com/

Could The 2008 Alouettes Draft Class Be One Of The Best Ever In Team History?

Taking a look back at Jim Popp’s illustrious draft history, to date, his best year could be the 2008 class.

The team only had six selections. However, it was quality of those choices that has made this organization a dominant force in the last four years.

Shea Emry, LB, UBC: With their first selection in the opening round Popp chose the B.C. native. Emry has proved his general manager was correct.

He has worked his way up the ladder into a starter’s role, and being the eyes of the defense in making adjustments on the fly. Presently, Emry is considered to be one of the premier non-import CFL players playing at his position.

Furthermore, he has been apart of three Grey Cup teams, winning it twice.

During the 2011 season he suffered an upper body injury. His absence was greatly felt as it altered the game day ratio, and the team struggled to replace him in the lineup for the rest of the year.

It really showed in the East Division semi-final playoff loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the inexperienced Bear Woods looked uncomfortable in trying to contain Avon Cobourne.

By the time the season starts, he will only be 26 years old. Of course provided he does stay healthy, Emry has many bright years ahead of him to become one of the best at his position.

Andrew Woodruff, OL, Boise State: He was their second round choice and Woodruff is becoming one of the best guards in the league.

He has been apart of two Grey Cup winning teams in Montreal, and was instrumental in playing a big role in the 2010 championship victory.

He has displayed a nasty streak which has aided this line in continuing to be one of the better units in the league. With Scott Flory entering the last stage of his professional career, Woodruff could assume his leadership mantle and carry the torch for many years down the road.

With his ability, the sky’s the limit for him and is on the cusp of receiving league recognition as one of the best.

Paul Woldu, DB, Saskatchewan: Another key contributor from this class who was taken in the fifth round of the draft.

For a Canadian product playing a position that is normally occupied by an import player. Woldu defied expectations as he was able to crack the Alouettes lineup in 2008.

As his career progressed, he was immersed in the game day rotation as special team’s ace, and an all around solid team contributor.

Because of his non-import status, it enabled the team to be more flexible with their ratio status.

Woldu was apart of the three Grey Cup teams, winning it twice with the club. Ironically enough the two victories came against his hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders who he signed with this past offseason.

Even though his Alouettes career has come to an end, it will be the Roughriders who will enjoy his ascension as it seems he is destined to have a more prominent role with his new team.

Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, OL, Laval: With their sixth round selection, this might be the ultimate diamond in the rough in selecting offensive lineman, Luc Brodeur-Jourdain from Laval University.

Historically speaking, the Rouge et Or program is known to be a powerhouse in CIS football winning many Vanier Cups in a short period of time.

However, the bulk of players who move onto the CFL do not pan out. In the case of Brodeur-Jourdain, he has been a revelation to the team’s offensive line.

Coming into the league he converted from a guard to centre. Brodeur-Jourdain has had some big shoes to fill once Bryan Chiu’s announced his retirement from the team on the eve of the 2010 training camp.

He effectively became the full time starting centre midway through the 2010 season and hasn’t looked back. Even though he plays a position that will never be recognized, he has helped paved the way for the likes of Cobourne, and Brandon Whitaker to have successful seasons.

Being a local product, it enables the Alouettes to use him in many marketing campaigns as a role model that the next generation of kids can look up to in hopes of one day playing professional football.

As for the other two selections in Terrence Firr, and Gurminder Thind I contacted the Alouettes media department, and they replied that both did not dress for a game during their time with the team.

The Alouettes can proudly say that that the 2008 class has been instrumental in their recent Grey Cup runs. It has produced four starters which is rarified air considering that a CFL team would be lucky to get one impact player from a class.

The scary part, the players who are still apart of the organization are only getting better, and slowly becoming the next generation of leaders on this football team.

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Photo credit: http://www.npac.ca/

Danny Desriveaux and The Alouettes Set to Part Ways

On Friday night, Sportsnet CFL Insider, Arash Madani broke the news through his Twitter account (@ArashMadani ) that the Montreal Alouettes would release receiver, Danny Desriveaux and defensive tackle, Eric Wilson.

Desriveaux’s release is not surprising considering the limited playing time he had received in the last few years. He was once considered to be the next great find by Jim Popp and his staff. In his first two years in the league, backing up the likes of Ben Cahoon, and Kerry Watkins he put up a total of 50 receptions, 549 yards, and two touchdowns.

However, 2009 onwards, even though he was dressed on game day, it seemed he was lost in the numbers at the deep receiver position and he could not crack the rotation for repetitions. Finally in 2011, he became somewhat of a ghost as the only times he was noticed, was in his uniform on the sidelines.

According to what I was told by my Alouettes source, management tried to trade him to another team, but there were no interest. Finally, with free agency just around the corner, he requested, and was granted his release from the team.

He could very well end up with the Toronto Argonauts. Head coach Scott Milanovich would need players who know his system. He has known Desriveaux throughout his time with the Alouettes. The key factor, he is a non-import which could bode well on a team lacking skilled Canadian receivers.

Moving forward

Currently, the Alouettes have one non-import player at the receiver position in recently signed Eric Deslauriers.

If management decides to scour through free agency for another non-import receiver,
I highly doubt they would set their sights on a big fish in Andy Fantuz. But they could target lesser known names in Matt Carter of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Aaron Hargreaves of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, or Andrew Nowacki of the Edmonton Eskimos.

Let’s not overlook this year’s CFL Draft is deep with Canadian receivers led by Laurier Golden Hawks, Shamawd Chambers, Sherbrooke Vert Et or Or duo of Ismael Bamba, and Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, and Concordia Stingers, Sanchez Deschamps.

This past season, there was an Alouettes scout in attendance for most of the Vert Et Or games, they could very well be looking at Bamba. He did play his first few years with the University of North Dakota before transferring to Sherbrooke.

His biggest strength is his punt return ability which was an issue with the Alouettes last season. Once he finds the seam, he has incredible straight line speed to burst through. But is he consistent enough to make an impact, and he has taken plays off if the football is not thrown towards his direction. Ironically, he is almost the same size as Desriveaux.

For now the situation will hold until further notice, but the Alouettes will lose another respected member of the community. But could Jim Popp consider bringing in another non-import receiver, knowing how talented that position group is.

You can follow me on Twitter @MoeKhan19

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Photo Credit: www.exruefrontenac.com

Why Bryan Chiu Will be the Hottest Coaching Name in the CFL and CIS Circles

It’s time for the CFL and CIS teams to take notice of the next hottest coaching name in Concordia Stingers assistant coach Bryan Chiu.

Only two years removed from his Grey Cup triumph as a player with the Montreal Alouettes. Chiu is one of the very few in professional sports to leave the game on top, and on his own terms. Immediately after his retirement, he jumped into the coaching ranks by taking an opportunity to join the Stingers staff.

Seeing his development as a coach and the unlimited amount of time he has put into his trade has garnered immense respect from his cohorts, and competing coaches.

To show how high his value is, apparently rival schools were looking at potentially trying to sway him to join their staff. Entering his third year, his stock will only go up considering that he had helped develop Anthony Barrette who was selected by the Alouettes in last year’s draft. In the upcoming drafts, because of his guidance, there will be more linemen from the Stingers program that will have a great shot at the next level.

Could Chiu consider making the jump into the CFL as a position coach that may lead to a head job down road, or potentially take an offer to run his own University program?

He isn’t far removed from the CFL game by playing 13 years at very taxing position. He knows the coaching staffs, personnel departments and teams very well. He is liked across the league.

If the Montreal Alouettes are looking at bringing back a name fans can recognize, and associate with, why not Chiu? As written by The Gazette’s own Herb Zurkowsky, Chiu was on a short list of names that the team was looking at after Scott Milanovich and Jonathan Himebauch left for the Toronto Argonauts. There is no denying as each day goes by he is gaining immense notoriety in CFL coaching circles.

With the state of the Alouettes coaching staff being in transition with new names on-board, and the growing uncertainty that Marc Trestman may leave after the 2012 season. Could it be time for the Alouettes to start a new chapter with Chiu at the forefront of the cause?

If it won’t be the Alouettes, then another CFL team will eventually make an offer to join their staff.

To look closer at home, right now, he has a stable position with the Stingers. But given how this past offseason has been a rollercoaster ride with many opposing CIS schools changing their entire coaching staffs. CIS football has become immensely competitive. Some institution will want to hire the next big name coach to bring respectability, and a chance at vying for a Vanier Cup.

Chiu’s name alone will bring more awareness to any program looking for a fresh start. As a result, many highly sought out recruits will have to consider his recent success of sending players to the next level, and the connections he has to the CFL.

At this time next year, Chiu could very well be on radars of many CFL and CIS teams.
The questions remains, what does he do? There’s no denying that all of the amount of hard work and preparation he puts in will pay off. It is a matter of when the right time will be to take that leap of faith for the next coaching job.

You can follow me on Twitter @MoeKhan19

Photo credit CFL.ca

Moe Khan: Grey Cup and Vanier Cup closing thoughts

Welcome to my first “Musings and Observations.”  In this week’s column, I recap my time at the Grey and Vanier Cups.

Southern Ontario Interest?
At the commissioner’s annual media session, Mark Cohon addressed the league’s interest to increase fan following for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.

By doing so, Cohon announced a million-dollar investment to help jumpstart the promotion awareness campaign within the ever-growing population of southern Ontario.

Given that the city of Toronto is hosting the 100th edition of the Grey Cup, the league is hoping to reap the rewards of this being the most successful event.

However, to the confusion of many esteemed reporters on hand for the press conference, they were curious to know how Mr. Cohon would go about helping the game in this area of the country.

This hub generates good television ratings, so what else needs to be done? Cohon, with great confidence and not going into too many details, mentioned that they have hired a marketing group who the league will collaborate with to increase the game’s popularity.

Clearly the pressure is on the Toronto organizing committee to make this Grey Cup a huge success. The league has already started to sell tickets for next year’s game. But really, what I would like to inquire is how many of those sales are from the 416/905/647 area code than the rest of Canada?

The CFL and city of Toronto have 12 months to pull off what is being billed as the Grey Cup no will ever forget. I sure hope no one in Toronto forgets the date of this event.

Vanier Cup Final the Greatest Game
I think it's time for the CFL and CIS to come to a permanent agreement to have the Vanier Cup in the same city and weekend as the Grey Cup.

On Friday night, those who were in attendance, listened on radio, or watched the game on television, were treated to a gem of a game.

Everyone in the country knows about the Laval Rouge Et Or and their dominance they have waved in the last 12 years. But what no one knew was the determination, confidence and underdog mentality that quarterback Kyle Quinlan and his McMaster Marauders brought to the field.

Not once did they back down from the Rouge Et Or. Even when they jumped out to a 23-0 halftime lead and then were down 24-23 late in the third quarter. Quinlan was able to march down the football field many times and respond back.

This game had everything you would only be able to script in a Hollywood movie, from an interception returned for a touchdown, to laterals in overtime, and finally a game winning field goal by Tyler Crapigna.

These two teams should take a bow for their performances. They displayed why this is a good brand of football being played in the University ranks. It is time for the two entities (CFL, CIS) to get together and hammer out a deal to make this a part of Canada’s week long football festival.

Milanovich to the Argonauts
On Saturday, word started to spread like wildfire amongst the media members at B.C. Place that the Argonauts were on the verge of hiring Alouettes assistant coach and offensive coordinator Scott Milanovich to join their staff.

Now, the catch was it couldn’t be a lateral move because Milanovich has one year left on his contract in the very same position with the Alouettes. In talking to one person close to the team, he was being interviewed for the head coaching position, not the aforementioned same position.

As confusion progressed throughout the afternoon into the evening, it was becoming more comedic that the Argonauts could potentially fumble for the second time in as many years in trying to hire the Alouettes assistant.

Finally, after the Grey Cup, all matters came to rest, when TSN’s Dave Naylor tweeted that the deal was all but done. That Milanovich would become the head man, and Barker “relegated” to general manger duties.
Now, can he (Milanovich) be able to turnaround the sinking ship and get this team to be respectable in time to host the Grey Cup? There is a lot of work ahead, but the Argonauts might have found their man to steer the ship.

Grey Cup Recap
To be honest, this wasn’t the best played final. The game lacked execution on offense, and even at times my interest waned due to the ineptitudes from both teams.

The most excitement brought to the 99th edition of the cup was the amount of distaste from the fans for rock band Nickelback who performed at halftime.

Finally, the immortal Gene Simmons of Kiss was about 25-yards away from me in his suite with his family. Fans below Simmons were taking numerous pictures of the fable star that has become somewhat of a regular at B.C. Lions games, as he attended a game at the old Empire Field.

As for the final, the Lions were far too much for their opponent in all three phases of the football game. The Blue Bombers were exposed on offence. Being down by a big deficit on the road, simply put, they’re not built to play from behind. Moreover, it showed how valuable their defence was throughout the season masking the deficiencies of the offence.

Furthermore, the home crowd made life difficult for the visiting team. As a result, they were not able to match the output set forth by their counterparts when they jumped out to an early lead, and never looked back.

The questions that remain: can the Lions repeat and will Wally Buono be back? They will be answered in the next 12 months. But without a doubt the newly minted champions will be one of the favourites to win it again next year.

Moe Khan is the host of TSN 990's Midnight Snack, late night Thursdays in Montreal. You can reach him at Moe.Khan@bellmedia.ca or on Twitter @moekhan19.