Tag: redblacks

A TD Place/Lansdowne review ahead of home game #2

Though it feels like it took forever to get here, on Saturday the Ottawa Redblacks will play Home Game #2 against Saskatchewan in front of a second-consecutive sold out crowd at TD Place.

While there was so much to like about the inaugural game experience (winning certainly didn’t hurt), there were also more than a few issues for fans to deal with. OSEG can be excused for many of them, what with the inaugural game being the first real event staged at the new stadium, but there is no doubt they are looking to make a great second impression on Saturday. It was great to see just how seriously they are taking the fan experience, including an email to season ticket holders seeking feedback. Very nicely done.

Here’s our look back:

Lansdowne development

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Though still very much a work in progress, it is not hard to see just how great this place is going to be, especially on game days. Once those restaurants & patios are open for business, lighting the way to the Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne will be a sight.

Pre-Game Party

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Entrances at both the east and west of the Aberdeen Pavilion are used as a smart point of entry to the pre-game not-quite-tailgating-but-the-next-best-thing party area. Once inside the Pavilion (which was more or less a holding area and will probably be used more effectively in the future), alcohol could be purchased inside or outside on the “patio”.

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Food trucks on the patio are a great idea – just need more of them! And The Trews concert was a great surprise. Ottawa’s Sarah McClurg will perform on Saturday.

I was really impressed with this concept OSEG have come up with. I can see the pre-game party becoming a great aspect of game day and draw fans to the park nice & early.

Entering the stadium (North Side)

Entered at Gate 3 to get to our North side (doesn’t suck) seats. Gate 3 was previously only a Civic Centre entrance, so neat that the concourse will now be shared with the football stadium. Will provide for more concessions, bathrooms, etc. – all needed amenities on the North side. However, none of it was really in use for the inaugural game. A bit of a disappointing first impression, but with a little vision, it is easy to see how good the experience will be.

Our seats

As advertised and pretty comfortable. Massive upgrade from the South Side upper deck benches, no doubt. Decent leg room too.

Once in our seats, it was odd not to see a single person selling concessions in the stands. Guessing that will change.

The field

The turf itself looks great, and cool that it stretches all the way across from the North to South stands. I recall the field ‘dropping off’ behind the team benches on the South side at the old stadium. Looks very sharp and clean.

Surprised not to see a Redblacks logo present anywhere on the field – expected something at centre field (TD Place logo instead), as well as in the end zones. Also, the on-field advertisements – their presence an unfortunate reality to begin with, looked somewhat incomplete. Perhaps an issue with the removable paint not adhering as expected? Again, it was the first kick of the can. I’m sure field ops (not to mention the sponsors themselves) will make sure the ads look better this time.

The scoreboard

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Highlight of the night. The thing is a monster. And we had a great view from our northwest seat location.

Did see a tweet or two from east-end North Siders complaining that they couldn’t see it too well. Not sure how OSEG overcome that. Second scoreboard???

Sound system

Shaky at the start, which caused some confusion with the marching band, player introductions & a start to the national anthem that had players running to their sidelines as it began.

Sound got better and clearer in the second half.

Had a good chuckle throughout the game at the first down sound effect, sponsored by Otto’s. We weren’t sure if that was a chainsaw or a revving dirt bike sound effect. Redblacks Twitter was nice enough to confirm.

Concessions

Overall, probably the biggest problem of the night. Simply not enough of them open, and those that were w’re not adequately stocked or prepared for the volume of customers.

The lines on the North side were so long, we abandoned the idea right quick. Instead, we went down to the west side promenade (i.e. the stadium main entrance, behind the west end zone) and walked the South Side to find a little more reasonable beer line ups.

A friend of mine decided to forgo the lineups altogether, deciding instead to leave the stadium, cross Bank St., grabbed a few tall cans from The Beer Store and a few slices from Pizza Pizza, re-enter the stadium and bring it all back to his seats. Not a strategy I’d recommend, but it worked quite nicely for him this night.

By the way, once it’s finished, the main entrance area on Bank is going to be a fantastic place to hang out – before, during or after the game. With benches in place on top of the ‘grassy knoll’ on the west side, some fans spent the entire night hanging out there. Hard to blame them – incredible view.

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Halftime

A nice ceremony to celebrate the re-re-retiring of the numbers of ten former Rough Riders players, as well as honouring Grey Cup victories of the past with signage along the walkway in the east end zone. Having a live camera on the field so that we could actually see the players & families would have added quite a bit to it, but nice nonetheless.

The fans

The excitement in the stands and atmosphere in the stadium really made up for all the other shortcomings on a memorable night. While the inaugural game was no masterpiece, it had the drama, intensity and great finish that sent Redblacks fans home happy.

The cheering and enthusiasm was really something special; unlike anything I have experienced at an Ottawa CFL game. #RNation made an amazing first impression.

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Chills. It was great.

I won’t be there on Saturday, but will be watching & listening closely for your feedback on the game day improvements. Follow along on Twitter for the latest.

@OTTRoughRiders

Game #4; LeFevour Reams Redblacks

By: Santino Filoso

Ottawa Redblacks v Hamilton Tiger-Cats

On Saturday night, in front of a small but rambunctious crowd at McMaster’s Ron Joyce Stadium, and playing a winless Ticats team without their starting QB, the Redblacks wasted a golden opportunity to even their record at .500.

Pre-Game:

– It was Henry Burris’ 190th CFL start and his first against the Ticats since being released in the off-season after leading them to the Grey Cup, other ex-Ticats looking to have a big game included RB Chevon Walker (#29) and WR Matt Carter (#85)

1st Quarter:

– Brett Maher (#3) kicks off for the Redblacks and 1st round pick Antoine Pruneau (#6) quickly makes the tackle

– The Ticats come out roaring and after a 23 yard pass, QB Dan LeFevour flips a reverse to WR Brandon Banks who tiptoes 53 yards down the sideline for a TD, 7-0 for the McMaster Marauders

High stepping his way to a TD
High stepping his way to a TD

– Burris rumbles 20 yards on the Redblacks first play from scrimmage as the Redblacks answer the quick score with a long 14 play drive that features runs by Walker and DJ Harper (#28), and catches by Kierrie Johnson (#10), John Delahunt (#49), Henry² (Marcus Henry #16) and a 10 yard TD catch from a diving Matt Carter (#85)

Matt Carter, Craig Butler

– Dan “Spider Legs” LeFevour gallops up the middle of the field for an easy 34 yard gain before CJ Gable rushes 47 yards into the end zone, restoring the Ticats 7 point lead

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LeRunning

– Justin “Captain” Phillips gets his leg rolled up on during the ensuing kick return and breaks his fibula, all of Ottawa (specifically Arnprior) weeps, even though the man himself doesn’t

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2nd Quarter:

– Burris connects with Henry² for a 19 yard TD

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– DB Jovon Johnson (#2) proves that the Redblacks defense isn’t entirely allergic to tackling and sacks LeFevour

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– Maher fakes the punt and hits FB Patrick Lavoie for a 25 yard completion on 3rd and 10, making it three straight games that the Redblacks have faked a punt

– Despite back to back catches by Walker, the Redblacks drive stalls at the Ticat 3 yard line, so they settle for a 10 yard Maher FG

– LeFevour and Gable continue to run wild through sloppy Redblacks tackles and the Justin Medlock splits the uprights from 12 yards out to tie the game at 17

LeRunning Part 2: LeForce
LeRunning Part 2: LeForce

– Henry² continues his night of dominance and makes another first down catch

– Burris’ streak of 144 passes without an interception ends when his deep pass intended for Dobson Collins (#80) is picked off; it was slightly underthrown but Collins make zero effort to battle back for position on the ball

– Using both his arms and legs, LeFevour moves the Ticats into position for a field goal as the half expires, ending the half with a 20-17 lead courtesy of a 36 yard Medlock FG

3rd Quarter:

– Redblacks receive the ball to start the half but quickly go two and out

– Wallace Miles (#84) makes his first catch as a Redblack, picking up 17 yards and putting the Redblacks in field goal range

– Maher’s 38 yard FG attempt is good

– Dan “Houdini” LeFevour avoids getting sacked in a collapsing pocket and strolls around until he spots a wide open Cary Koch 49 yards down field

– Ticats take the lead off an 18 yard Medlock field goal

– Redblacks go two and out and Maher booms a 50 yard punt to the Hamilton 22

– On a 28 yard LeFevour scramble, Ticats WR Andy Fantuz ear holes Brandyn Thompson (#25), knocking him into early next week

– Eric Fraser (#7) fails to get to LeFevour on the safety blitz, stop me if you’ve heard this one before….

– Jovon Johnson makes an incredible individual effort and rips the ball out of Koch’s hands to pick off LeFevour, unfortunately the Redblacks offense chooses to look a gift horse in the mouth

– Kierrie Johnson is seen on the sidelines icing his forearm

4th Quarter:

– Henry² x3 for gains of 27, 17 and 14 yards respectively

– Following a Burris sack, Maher boots a 24 yard FG to tie the game up at 23

– Gable cuts Redblacks defense like Big Joe splits watermelons and bursts 82 yards until he is horse collar tackled by DB Jerrell Gavins (#24)

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You’re gonna have a bad time when your entire defense tails the running back

– Dan “The Specialist” LeFevour sneaks the ball in from 1 yard out to put the Ticats up 30-23 with 5:04 left in the game

Dan LeFevour

– The Redblacks drive bogs down at midfield and on 3rd and 2 Head Coach Rick Campbell decides to gamble and go for it with 2:31 remaining; Burris’ pass is tipped at the line and despite getting a hand on it Paris Jackson (#19) fails to make the catch

– LeFevour uses LeLegs to move the Ticats into range for another FG

Final Score: 33-23 for LeTicats

Key Stats:

Burris went 27 of 44 for 290 yards (2 TDs & 1 INT)

Walker had 8 carries for 37 yards

Henry² made 10 catches for 137 yards (1 TD)

Jerrell Gavins made 6 tackles

Closing Thoughts:

In a game where the Redblacks offense finally came to life, the defense that had been so stout the past few weeks came apart at the seams as Dan LeFevour stole the show with 470 yards of total offense (361 passing yards and 109 rushing yards). The Redblacks offense ran through Henry² on a night when Walker and the run game was shut down. Every catch Henry² made went for a first down but the Redblacks receivers as a group still need to do more as they left several plays out on the field due to drops. The defense was plagued with poor tackling and stubborn coaching decisions, ex: Continuing to blitz the safety even after repeating being burned on screens and dump offs. If the Redblacks are going to win games they simply cannot have their defense giving up 7 plays of 20+ yards per game. Adding insult to injury is the loss of Special Teams Captain Justin Phillips, who will miss significant time as he recovers from a broken fibula; WR Kierrie Johnson also left the game with an injury though the severity as of right now is still unknown. Some will point the finger to Coach Campbell’s decision to go for it on 3rd and 2 with two minutes remaining but personally I like the decision and agree with his logic.

“We had the ball at midfield, we were down by seven,” said Campbell. “I thought it was a good opportunity to stay on the field. It didn’t work out. We’re preaching to our players that we’re playing to win the game.”

Losing to an Eastern opponent stings, especially one without that was previously winless and without their starting QB but the Redblacks don’t have time to feel sorry for themselves with the Fake Riders coming to town next week. Maybe a little bit of love from R-Nation and a change of uniform is all they need to get back on track, after all, we’ve undefeated when we wear black.

@RedBlackGade

P.S. Cool to see the Redblacks twitter using the Henry² nickname, but don’t forget that you read it here first, way back in the pre-season!

-All images via CFL.ca, the Ottawa Sun and the Ottawa Citizen

Game #3; TD Place Comes to Life as the Redblacks Edge the Argos

By: Santino Filoso

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On Friday night, after 3177 days (but who’s counting), CFL football returned to Ottawa with a roar. R-Nation unleashed nine years of pent up energy as the Redblacks survived a tight 18-17 defensive battle to get their 1st win of the season and 1st win at home in dramatic fashion.

Pre-Game:

– Ottawa was buzzing all week but the vibe around the city really started to peak Friday morning with the CFL, City Hall, Senators, former players and even bus drivers getting in on the action

– Fans arrive at TD Place via bus, boat, bike and car with varying degrees of traffic

– The Trews serenade “tailgating” Redblacks fans hanging out beside the Aberdeen Pavilion

– Legendary Rough Rider Tony Gabriel runs around the field to amp up the crowd

From the way he ran around on the field, Tony looks like he could still lace them up and play
It was awesome to see Gabriel back on a CFL field

– PA announcer Mike Sutherland introduces the Redblacks but nobody feels the need to tell the players milling about inside the helmet to come out, leading to an awkward few minutes of expectation, like that feeling you get when you go to hug someone and they turn their head to the same side

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Eventually the defense came out but the offense was missing until late in the game

 

– A military jet flys over the stadium twice, because doing it just once is how the Argos score TDs

1st Quarter:

– Argos receiving the opening kick off and proceed to march down the field with a variety of short passes. DB Jerell Gavins (#24) makes a great defensive play to break up an end zone pass intended for Argos WR John Childs.

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– The first points in TD Place history come off the right foot of Swayze “Point Blank” Waters as he nails a 36 yard FG

– Aided by a roughing the passer flag and a few strong runs from Chevon Walker (#29), the Redblacks get into field goal range and kicker Brett Maher hits a 26 yard FG

– WR Kierrie Johnson (#10) gets behind the Argos secondary, Burris spots him and delivers a perfect deep ball that hits him in the hands, unfortunately the pass is dropped and the Redblacks miss out on a sure touchdown

– Redblacks are forced to punt following a Burris sack

– Argos RB Steve Slaton rumbles for 14 yards to end the quarter, TD Place announcer calls him Steve Sultan for the first but definitely not last time of the evening

2nd Quarter:

– Swayze “Road House” Waters punts 65 yards for a rouge

– Carlton Mitchell (#88) goes over the middle and gets absolutely blasted by Dwight Anderson who is flagged for unnecessary roughness. The hit looks clean in the sense that Anderson never makes contact with Mitchell’s head but the zebra man has spoken, +15 yards to the Redblacks

– Brett “I Can Do It All” Maher fakes the punt on 3rd and 10, scrambling 15 yards for a 1st down

– Long catches by Johnson and Henry² (Marcus Henry #16) bring the Redblacks to the Argos 23; Maher makes a 30 yard FG

– Ray completes a 45 yard pass but is sacked on the next play by new Dad (make sure you say congrats!) Justin Capicciotti (#93)

– Swayze “Dirty Dancing” Waters makes a 40 yard FG

– The Redblacks offensive line plays dodgeball with the Argos’ defensive one which results in Burris getting sacked

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– With 2:38 left the Redblacks string together a series of 1st downs thanks to runs by Burris and Walker and catches by Henry² and Johnson

– Maher’s 22 yard FG closes out the half and gives the Redblacks a half-time lead for the third consecutive game

Half-time:

– The Redblacks pay tribute to their past by retiring and honouring former Rough Rider greats Tony Golab, Jim Coode, Bobby Simpson, Gerry Organ, Whit Tucker, Moe “The Toe” Racine, Ronnie Stewart and Russ Jackson. It was a special moment for the guys who were on hand and for the families represnting those who coudn’t be.

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The Redblacks’ retired numbers reflect Ottawa’s storied CFL history

3rd Quarter:

– Redblacks receive the ball to start the 2nd half but quickly go two and out following another Burris sack

– Jovon Johnson (#2) recovers a fumble giving the Redblacks the ball, unfortunately they can’t get any points off the turnover

– Tristan Okpalaugo gets a hat-trick of sacks on Burris, getting to him for the 3rd time

– Brandyn Thompson (#25) picks off Ricky Ray

– Burris hits Dobson Collins (#80) on back to back plays for gains of 15 and 16 yards

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– Following a Matt Carter (#85) catch, Maher makes another FG, this time from 32 yards out

– T.J. Hill (#21) blows by the Argos offensive line to sack Ray

4th Quarter:

– Ray throws a 20 yard pass to Darvin Adams, hitting him in stride in the back of the end zone

– Walker sweeps through the Argos defense, weaving 28 yards between would be tacklers

– Thomas DeMarco (#17) punts 20 yards (yes you read that right) when the drive stalls at the Argos 51

– Brandon Lang (#91) bull rushes his way to Ray, sacking him for a 7 yard loss

– Maher makes a 48 yard FG with 5:08 left in the game giving the Redblacks a slim 15-14 lead

– Swayze “Red Dawn” Waters makes a 47 yard FG with 1:33 left in the game giving the Argos a slim 17-15 lead

– After scrambling for a short gain, Burris hits Johnson for a 43 yard completion on 2nd and 10, moving the ball all the way down to the Argos 21 yard line, also known as field goal range

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Kierrie Johnson moves the Redblacks into field goal range and atones for his drop earlier in the game

– Maher is money from 23 yards out, giving the Redblacks a 18-17 lead with 28 seconds left in the game

– Jasper Simmons (#31) seals the deal by picking off a visibly frustrated Ray to end the game

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– Eardrums rupture from the frenzied wall of noise being produced by R-Nation, REDBLACKS WIN, REDBLACKS WIN, REDBLACKS WIN!

 Final score: 18-17 for the Redblacks

Key Stats: 

– Burris went 17 of 30 for 216 yards, 0 TDs or INTs

– Walker had 12 carries for 60 yards

– Johnson had 6 catches for 91 yards

– Maher went 6/6 and averaged over 50 yards a punt

– 5 sacks for the Redblacks defense

Closing Thoughts:

On a historic night in Ottawa, the Redblacks won in dramatic fashion, sending the sellout crowd home happy and breaking in TD Place the right way. There were some bumps along the way, but in the end a win’s a win and this one was a long time coming. Offensively the Redblacks woes continued; Burris was under heavy pressure all night and it’s unrealistic to expect him to thrive and be accurate when he’s constantly throwing off his back foot, the offensive line must be better. Additionally receivers continue to have drops in key moments and struggle to create separation. It was good to see Kierrie Johnson redeem himself with the late catch.

“God gave me another opportunity,” said Johnson. “I messed up on the first one, I was wide open. I think everybody and their  momma saw that one.So my teammates told me I was going to have another opportunity. I kept faith. I saw that ball coming to me, and I said I’ve got to make that play, no matter what. It wasn’t an easy catch. I saw the ball, I knew I had to catch it.. I don’t care what’s the situation, I had to catch it.”

Running back Chevon Walker continues to be a home run threat and seemingly every time the ball is in his hands he has a chance to take it to the house. One area that the offensive isn’t struggling in is with turnovers. as the Redblacks have done a marvelous job protecting the football so far this season.

Defensively the Redblacks continued their trend of bending but not breaking. They piled up another 5 sacks and harassed Ray all night long, generating two interceptions and a fumble. Players swarmed to the ball and made good strong tackles. Specials team coverage tightened up and prevented the Argos getting any long gains.

Without a doubt the player of the game was kicker Brett Maher, who was perfect kicking and who thumped punts deep into Argos territory throughout the game.

“It’s a great night,” said Maher. “If you’re a kicker and you don’t want to be in that situation, you’re probably not going to thrive. My whole career, I’ve kicked a bunch of field goals and never hit a game-winner, never even tried one.” 

 

The Big Three tonight
The Big Three tonight

The Redblacks next game will be on Saturday night in Hamilton where they’ll look to build off this win before returning back to TD Place to host Saskatchewan on August 2nd. See you at the game!

@RedBlackGade

– Images via CFL.ca, Roman Romanovich, Ottawa Citizen and the Ottawa Sun

Game #2: Green & Gold leave Redblacks seeing red

By: Santino Filoso

 

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On Friday night, the Ottawa Redblacks attempted to be the first Ottawa team to get a win at Commonwealth Stadium since August 26th, 1983 and to end a streak of 18 straight losses (spanning the Rough Riders and Renegades) in Edmonton.

Pre-Game:

– No TSN pre-game show to speak of, due to a sloppy, flag-filled affair (that seemingly dragged on forever) taking place in Montreal between the Als and the Bombers

1st Quarter:

– Redblacks receive the opening kickoff but quickly go two and out after a short Chevon Walker (#29) run and a Henry Burris (#1) sack

– On the ensuing punt the Redblacks give up a huge return that is luckily negated by an Eskimo holding penalty

– Eskimo QB Mike Reilly goes for the throat on the Esks’ first play, launching a deep bomb but overthrowing an open Fred Stamps

– Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out, Eskimos go two and out,  Redblacks go two and out (or at least that’s what it feels like)

– Smothering defense and overthrowing receivers seems to be the theme for both teams so far

– 1st round pick Antoine Pruneau (#6) makes his presence felt with a heavy special teams tackle

– After finally stringing together a few first downs thanks to a Walker shovel pass and a Matt Carter (#85) catch, the Redblacks’ drive stalls

Chevon Walker, Dexter McCoil, Rennie Curran
Stingy Eskimo defense

– For the 2nd week in a row the Redblacks try to run a fake field goal with backup QB Thomas DeMarco (#17) but are thwarted by a timely Eskimo timeout.

– Eskimos match the Redblacks drive with one of their own and open the scoring with a 52 yard rouge courtesy of kicker/punter Grant Shaw

– The Sens trail the Oilers 1-0 after the 1st

2nd Quarter:

– Teams continue to trade two and outs to start the 2nd

– Redblacks returner Jamill Smith (#15) will have a restless night after he finds a lane, has nothing but open field in front of him but steps out of bounds on the sideline

– Burris gets sacked

– Kicker Brett Maher makes a beautiful 48 yard punt that is returned 23 yards after the Redblacks miss numerous tackles

– After a 15 yard catch by FB Patrick Lavoie (#81), RB Walker explodes for a 65 yard TD scamper behind a massive block from FB John Delahunt (#49)

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Walker celebrating his 3rd TD of the year

– Henry² (Marcus Henry #16) looks good making a 17 yard catch but Redblacks ultimately punt

– Reilly leads the Eskimos on a long drive and into field goal range to end the half but Shaw shanks the 23 yarder through the end zone for a redemption rouge

– 7-1 Germany over Brazil 7-2 Redblacks over the Esks at the half

3rd Quarter: 

– Eskimos make it look easy as they march down the field and score on their opening possession; Adarius Bowman hauls in a 41 yard pass and dances around safety Eric Fraser (#7) to score. Adding insult to injury the Redblacks are flagged for roughing the passer which is tacked onto the kick off, which Grant boots through the end zone for a single.

– Redblacks don’t miss a beat and continue their 1st half trend of two and outs

– Defensive lineman Brandon Lang (#91) goes offside and gets flagged for the 3rd time

– Reilly gets sacked by Zack Evans (#92) and Shaw extends the Esks lead to 11-7 with a 47 punt yard for another rouge

– Paris Jackson’s (#19) first catch of the night beats the blitz and picks up a 1st down

– Maher smashes a 52 yard punt that bounces out of bounds at the Eskimo’s 3 yard line

– Heavy pressure on 2nd down gives the Redblacks a big two and out

– Instead of following conventional wisdom and conceding a safety, the Esks decide to punt, which Smith fields and returns into field goal range

– A promising drive is snuffed out when Burris gets sacked for the 3rd time

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– Esks are rewarded for ignoring conventional wisdom when Maher pushes a 36 yard field goal wide right for a rouge

– Redblacks trail by 3 heading into the 4th (11-8)

4th Quarter:

– Adarius Bowman caps off a 5 play, 75 yard drive with his 2nd TD of the night, making an incredible 30 yard, one handed catch despite having Jovon Johnson (#2) draped all over him.

– Redblacks turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert a 3rd and inches on their own 25. Head Coach Rick Campbell challenges the spot of the ball (which seemed to be poor) and loses

– A 2nd down Brandon Lang sack is inexplicably wiped out when the referee forgets that contact IS allowed in football and flags him for roughing the passer

– The drive kept alive, Reilly hits a wide open Bowman (his 3rd TD of the night), to make it 25-8 with 9:15 left

– Catches by Kierrie Johnson (#10), Carlton Mitchell (#88), and Henry², bring the Redblacks into FG range. Following another Burris sack, Maher splits the uprights from 34 yards out to make it 25-11

– Eskimos RB John White explodes for 34 yards on a 2nd and long draw

– Feeling guilty, the umpire tries to atone for the earlier blown call

– Shaw absolutely crushes a 64 yard punt, pinning the Redblacks on their 1 yard line

– Facing heavy pressure the offensive line collapses and Burris is sacked for a safety, the Eskimo’s 5th sack of the night

– With 1:11 left in the game, DeMarco enters for mop up duty and hits Carter and Jackson for long gains before being picked off on the final play of the game

– Final score: 27-11 for the team not wearing red and black

Stats that stand out:

– Burris went 13/25 for 114 yards (0 TDs or Ints)

– Walker had 10 carries for 92 yards and a TD

– Johnson was the leading receiver with 4 catches for 28 yards

– 11 penalties for 118 yards

Closing thoughts:

If the Redblacks Week One loss left fans feeling hopeful and entertained, this week’s was surely the opposite. It’s frustrating because once again the Redblacks shot themselves in the foot by taking way too many penalties. The game was a defensive struggle for the better part of three quarters and the offense struggled to move the ball with any kind of rhythm. Burris needs to be better but no receiver stood out either. Too often it seemed that when the Redblacks receivers ran option routes they weren’t on the same page as Burris. They clearly need more time to work out the kinks and get comfortable with one another. As for the offensive line, they aren’t going to enjoy film study on Monday as they were thoroughly outplayed by the Esks’ front seven, giving up five sacks and failing to open up holes for Walker to run though. On the defensive side the Redblacks struggled to put Reilly under any kind of sustained pressure, even when blitzing. Though special teams coverage was better overall, there continued to be ugly moments that flipped field position, a back-breaker in defensive struggles like this game.

Despite their struggles, the Redblacks were in this game until early in the 4th. The turning point was absolutely the blown call on Lang’s CLEAN sack but there are other plays that stand out, such as Smith stepping out of bounds on a punt return that seemed destined to  be a TD and getting stuffed on 3rd and inches. As Coach Campbell said after the game:

“It’s disappointing. It was a defensive game for a long time and going back and forth and we were hanging in there. We just came up a few plays short. It’s always tough to lose.”

To sum up, though the Redblacks don’t want to be called an expansion team, they’re still the new kids on the block and are going to take their lumps. This game was ugly but with their next game at home in front of a feverish R-Nation, the Redblacks should be able to draw on the crowd’s energy for a better effort and hopefully a win. See you at Lansdowne (TD Place) next week!

@RedBlackGade

Photos courtesy of Ottawa Redblacks Facebook page

Cut-down day: Redblacks trim roster by 14 (EDIT: 15)

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From CFL.ca:

The Redblacks announced their cuts on Saturday morning, just hours after they played their final pre-season game against the Montreal Alouettes.

General Manager Marcel Desjardins declared 14 cuts to the team’s final roster, with veteran kicker Justin Parlardy and National receiver Simon LeMarquand among the most notable.

Desjardins also announced that National receiver Steven Adu, International DB Parker Orms, International LB Devin Arrington, National DL Stephon Miller, International DL Dimetrio Tyson, International kicker Paolo Henriques, National OL Brendan Dunn, National OL Aaron Wheaton, International WR Taulib Ikharo, International WR Travon Patterson, National receiver Aaron Hargreaves, and National OL James Lee have all been released.

A few notes & thoughts on the these moves:

– The signing of former Winnipeg Blue Bombers Import International K Brett Maher last week was certainly an indication that Redblacks brass were looking for more at the kicker/punter position, but still surprising to see Palardy let go. Though not as critical as it once was, CFL teams definitely look at the K position as one best filled by Canadians from a quota standpoint. A tough day punting against the Alouettes on Friday May have sealed Palardy’s fate.

UPDATE (11:22 PM): Per Gord Holder of the Ottawa Citizen, the Redblacks have also cut Brett Maher. As it stands tonight, there are no kickers on the active roster. Expect one or two signings within the next day.

– Le Marquand was a highly trumpeted signing for the Redblacks in the spring, what with him being a Gatineau boy and former Ottawa Gee Gee. But the WR was in tough to make the squad at that position and likely had to stand out on special teams to make the team. Appears he was not able to do so in two pre-season games.

– Wheaton, from the University of Toronto, was the Redblacks 4th round (28th overall) selection and Miller, a University of Windsor grad, was their 6th round (46th overall) selection in the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft on May 13th. Bit surprising neither was offered a practise roster position, although a very clear indication the Redblacks are building a roster more focused on the present, not the future.

– Adu, a graduate of the University Of Toronto, may best be remembered for the shout-out he got from Toronto Mayor Rob Ford upon his signing with the Redblacks.

– Patterson was the receiving end of a 60-yard touchdown pass & run in the Redblacks inaugural preseason game against SSK. Apparently wasn’t enough to earn a spot with the club.

– Lee was selected in the first round of the Redblacks expansion draft, held in December of last year, from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Another somewhat surprising cut, but clearly the Redblacks were able to find players they liked as much or better via free agency.

VIDEO: GM Marcel Desjardins and coach Rick Campbell on today’s cuts (via CFL.ca)

Ten additional players will be offered practise roster spots (and it appears Jasper Simmons is one of them), and a handful of others will be placed on injured reserve, though neither list has yet been announced by the team.

UPDATE (10:25 AM): The Redblacks have confirmed their practise roster and injured list. List includes:

Practice Roster
Simmons, Jasper LB (International) Robinson, Jermaine DB (International) Hayes, Michael RB (International) Medeiros, Robin WR (National)
Desmarais , Hugo OL (National)
Forgette, Steven OT (International)
Rouse, Fred WR (International)
Carter, Matt WR (National)
Mitchell, Carlton WR (International)
Lewis, Monte DL (International)

Injured List
Jones, Reggie DB (International)
Verdone, Jordan LB (National)
McCuller, Jeraill T (International)
Eppele, Joe OL (National)
Evans, Zack DL (National)

No doubt a tough day for all these athletes. Here’s hoping we see some of them get another chance here or elsewhere.

@OTTRoughRiders

Ottawa Paints Montreal Redblack

By: Santino Filoso

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On Friday night the Redblacks closed out their pre-season and made the short trip over to Montreal to resume a rivalry that had been on hold for 3156 days. 72 players had one last chance to impress coaches and beat out the competition in hopes of surviving the final round of training camp cuts and earning a roster spot.

Pre-Game:

– When he’s not playing against the Redblacks, how can you not be pulling for a guy like Chad Johnson? He’s got the right attitude about playing in the CFL and when asked by the Montreal Gazette how he was feeling heading into tonight’s game he dropped this gem;

It’s similar to the feeling before I lost my virginity. There’s a certain level of excitement … anticipation … not knowing what’s going to happen or what I’m going to get.

– Realize that the Redblacks will only be playing in their white road uniforms until July 18th, but I don’t mind at all. They look SO good

– The Sun’s Tim Baines lobbies for urinal toys at TD Place

– Apparently most Als fans were still celebrating France’s World Cup rout of the Swiss and couldn’t make it in time for kick-off

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1st Quarter:

– Jamill Smith returns the Als opening kickoff for a big gain, but that’s the only positive aspect of the Redblacks opening drive as Burris gets sacked twice behind a shaky offensive line

– Former NFL star Chad Johnson immediately gets involved, making a catch for a 1st down on the Als’ 1st play from scrimmage

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#85’s first and only catch of the game

– Rod Black’s talking point of the quarter is Chad Johnson and TSN’s cameras pan to show the dozen people wearing Cincinnati Bengal jerseys in the crowd

– Als string together a couple of first downs before their drive stalls and they punt for a single, 1-0 for the Habs

– Don’t tell Paris Jackson it’s just the pre-season, after an 8-yard catch he gets into a shoving match with Chip Cox on the sidelines

– Redblacks and Als trade two and outs as the defenses flex their muscles

– Jamill Smith gets nailed on a punt return but to his credit hangs onto the ball

– Burris gets hot and completes back to back long passes to Dobson Collins for 28 yards and Matt Carter for another 33 yards, bringing the ball to the Als 3 yard line

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Dobson Collins makes a big play

– Chevon Walker caps off the 65-yard, 3 play drive with a 3-yard rushing TD

– Als return man Larry Taylor exposes the Redblacks special teams coverage by rumbling 40 yards on the ensuing kickoff before being shoved out of bounds

– Troy Smith persists in his belief that his receivers are ten feet tall and his passes sail over open Als receivers

– An Als kicker wearing #00 (no 7) boots a  33 yard FG

– Quarter ends with Burris hitting Kierrie Johnson for another long first down gain

– Score is 7-4 Redblacks after 15 minutes

2nd Quarter:

– After an Als offside, Burris hits a wide open Johnson for a 36 yard catch and run which brings the ball to the 1

– Shrugging off a poor start, Burris now has 5 straight completions

– Walker gets his 2nd TD of the game waltzing in from the 1

– Larry Taylor has another huge kickoff return, ensuring the Redblacks special teams meeting on Monday morning will be laced with profanity

– Under heavy pressure Troy Smith scrambles half-way to Ottawa before finding Duron Carter for a 1st down

– Redblacks move the ball well on their next possession thanks to catches by Collins, Lavoie, Henry² (Burris to Marcus Henry), Walker and Delahunt

– Newly signed Brett Maher is wide on a 40-yard FG but Redblacks still pick up a rouge

– Rod Black’s talking points of the quarter are former Ticats and Chip Cox’s 2013 season

– Jason Pottinger has a crunching special teams tackle

– The Als’ not-James-Bond kicker #00 (Alavardo) makes a 27-yard FG

– With 1:22 left in the half, Burris leads the Redblacks on an 8 play, 85-yard drive in 1:16; Paris Jackson and Henry² both make impressive grabs to keep the drive alive which ends with a passing TD to Walker, his 3rd TD of the game.

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Chevy walks in untouched

– Hats rain down and Walker is quickly buried under an avalanche of caps from the R-Nation fans who made the trek to Montreal

– Score going into half is 22-7 for the good guys

3rd Quarter:

– Redblacks kickoff but quickly get the ball back thanks to heavy pressure forcing another Troy Smith incompletion and a Brandon Lang sack

– Burris, Walker and the rest of the Redblacks starters come out for another series that ends in a punt for a rouge before being pulled for the night

– Rod Black’s talking point of the quarter is Troy Smith’s inaccuracy

– On the Redblacks next possession, Thomas DeMarco enters the game

– Two plays later, Justin Palardy shanks a punt and the Redblacks are flagged for no yards, giving the Als great field position

– Tanner Marsh enters at QB for the Als

– Safety, pilot, CBA negotiator and free thinker Eric Fraser limps off the field after making a tackle with 7:12 left in the quarter

– Als kicker Sean Whyte makes a 19 yard FG to cut the Redblacks lead to 13

– Paul LaPolice talks about how coaches want to see “Nice, big, tall butts” when they look at their offensive line, Rod Black giggles

– WR Travon Patterson goes offside and DeMarco gets sacked

– Facing 3rd and a CN Tower, the Redblacks punt

– Quarter comes to a close on a turnover on downs when the Redblacks stuff the Als on a 3rd and 1 run

4th Quarter:

– Starting on the Als 25, Redblacks extend their lead to 26-10 after Brett Maher makes a 17-yard field goal

– Announced attendance at McGill Stadium is just over 18,000, undoubtedly bolstered by the legions of R-Nation who drove over to get their first look at the team in person

– DB Eddie Elder blitzes in untouched and ensures Marsh will need an ice bath with a blindside sack

– Rod Black’s talking points of the 4th quarter include waxing sentimental about cut down day and how meaningless the pre-season is as teams just want the regular season to start

– Danny O’Brien enters at QB with 7:04 left in the game but fails to move the ball

– You know it’s the pre-season when Henry Burris has a dance off with Jovon Johnson on the sidelines, independent judges confirm the Burris win

– 5:21, with an Als player down, Rod Black uses the word fermented, a 1st on TSN’s Friday Night Football history

– Alex Brink enters at QB for the Als and is quickly sacked by Zack Evans

– Als turn the ball over on downs again

– REDBLACKS WIN! Final score 26-10 for the out-of-towners!

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Final Thoughts:

The Redblacks got their 1st win in franchise history and even if it was only a pre-season one, it still counts and is a monkey off the young franchise’s back. There were many positive takeaways from this game; Burris went 17-of-22 for 247 yards and a TD in one half of work and running back Chevon Walker continued to show a nose for the goal line with 3 TDs. The offense was aggressive and stretched the field with long completions; Burris’ arm looks as strong as ever. The defense was also very solid, shutting the Als out of the endzone and bringing heavy pressure all night long. On the negative side, the Redblacks kick coverage teams continue to struggle as they consistently gave up long returns. They really need to tighten up their tackling or special teams will cost them during the regular season. With the win the Redblacks pre-season is over and it will be interesting to see who survives tomorrow’s final cuts. With a bye week coming up, the Redblacks will have a lot of time (13 days) to prepare for their Week 2 showdown with the Bombers in Winnipeg.

@RedBlackGade

– All images from CFL.ca and Scott Grant Photography

Redblacks lose but Ottawa Wins; Recap of 1st ever pre-season game

By: Santino Filoso

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After years of suffering from through Gliebermans, Watters, Enemies of Lansdowne, and the painstakingly drawn out CBA negotiations between CFL players and owners, on Saturday night Ottawa finally resumed it’s rightful place in the CFL. The Redblacks traveled to Regina to play a home game in their road uniforms. Here are our highlights, in case you missed any of the action.

Pre-game:

– Can’t help but comment on how sharp the Redblacks road uniforms look. The white helmets are a refreshing change

– There was a mascot showdown just before the opening kick between Redblacks mascot and Ottawa legend Big Joe Mufferaw  and a rodent known as Gainer, who apparently represents the local Regina team. It’s interesting to note that after said showdown, Gainer was not seen again and Big Joe’s axe looked a little notched (allegedly).

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– Tons of empty seats in Legoland… I mean Mosaic stadium. So much for the GREENWHITES having the most die-hard fans in the league. Attendance was later announced as 13,014, but I doubt it.

1st quarter:

– You couldn’t have written a better opening 2 minutes and 4 plays for the franchise’s history. It started off with a Justin Phillips sack tackle of QB Tino Sunseri, continued with a forced incompletion, punctuated by a 76-yard punt return by rookie Jamill Smith to the Green Riders 2 yard line, before being finished off by a Chevon Walker rushing TD.

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– The 5′ 6″ and 155-pound Jamill Smith’s 76-yard punt return was a thing of beauty and an incredible display of pure speed

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Smith tackled just short of the endzone

– Walker enters Ottawa history as the 1st player to score a TD in Redblacks history

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The historic 1st TD in Redblacks history

– Justin Phillips limped off the field on the ensuing kickoff, not because he was hurt but because he’s a nice guy and wanted to spare the GREENWHITES QBs from further bruising

– The 1st completion in Redblacks history was Henry Burris to Marcus Henry, allowing R-Nation to witness the birth of Henry² (Squared)

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– Ottawa’s run game looked strong with the o-line opening up some huge holes

– Redblacks coaching staff served notice to the league that we’re back and not to be trifled with when Offensive Coordinator Mike Gibson called a play which used the umpire as a pick

– Travis Brown earns the honour of becoming the 1st Redblacks player in history to be penalized drawing a flag for no yards

– Former Eskimo Marcus Henry makes another catch, this time an incredible one hander. Henry²  should be a connection to be reckoned with this season

– After playing 10 snaps, Burris headed to the sidelines and was replaced by QB Danny O’Brien. This ensued:

– Continuing their trend of stealing all things Ottawa, the Wheaties get their own big punt return, this one for 75 yards and a TD

2nd quarter:

– Palardy misses a 34 yard field goal, pushing it wide right

– Jonathon Williams takes a tripping penalty

– Jeff Hunt drops an interesting tidbit while being interviewed saying that Ottawa has the most retired numbers of any team in the league #richhistory

– Durant enters the game and moves the ball at will

– Safety Eric Fraser looks strong in run support, making a number of crunching tackles

– Redblacks continue their game long trend of mightily struggling in punt coverage

– With 3:33 left, the Redblacks snuff out a screen and force a fumble which is recovered by first round pick Antoine Pruneau

– O’Brien flashes his potential on a 15-yard roll out completion before an overthrow

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QB Danny O’Brien

– Justin Phillips puts an exclamation mark on a fine first half of work with another solid tackle

3rd quarter

– Redblacks kicked off to start the 2nd half but quickly re-gain possession thanks to a T.J. Hill interception

– DeMarco proceeds to get Buck Pierced

– Antoine Pruneau has his ‘welcome to the pro’s moment when he gets truck-sticked by Green Rider running back Toston

– Weber leads Green Riders on a long march down the field ending with WR Swain hauling in his 2nd TD grab of the night, making it 21-10

– Pruneau throws a huge hit, showing he can give as good as he gets

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Big hit by Antoine Pruneau on Sask QB Doege

– Trayvon Patterson makes the mistake of fielding a punt in the endzone and is quickly tackled at the 1

– DeMarco completes a pass to Fred Rouse for 26 yards and gives the offense some breathing room

– A beautiful 60-yard TD strike from DeMarco to Patterson rights a wrong and caps a 109 yard drive, closing the gap to 21-17

4th quarter

– Running back D. J. Harper breaks a nice run for a first down

– Rouse makes another catch and picks up some good YAC (yards after the catch), but seems to aggravate his injury and hobbles off the field

– The Redblack sack attack continues when Justin Capicciotti crushes the Sask QB

– Harper lowers his shoulders and pushes the pile for another first down

– With 8:19 remaining a promising drive is snuffed out with a DeMarco interception after an overthrow

– DL Andrew Marshall sniffs out the QB draw with a meaty tackle

– 6:12 left and pinned at the 5 yard line, Alex Carder enters the game for the Redblacks, he completes a 9-yard pass on a nice roll out and strings together a few first downs before telegraphing a throw and getting picked off with 3:23 remaining in the game

– Redblacks get the ball back with 2 min left and despite converting a 3rd and 17, the potential game-winning drive stalls. Ottawa turns it over on downs at the Wheaties 50 with just under a minute left in the game

Final thoughts:

Though they lost on the scoreboard, the Redblacks can hold their heads high. They got a number of strong performances from their starters, Burris and Walker looked sharp and the Henry²  connection figures to be potent. Also, Jamill Smith demonstrated great speed returning punts.

On the downside, punt coverage was suspect. The Redblacks need to tighten up their tackling or they will be gashed all season long. None of the backup QBs really shined, as they all made numerous overthrows, though DeMarco did have one scoring drive. All in all, it was an incredible night for Ottawa and a history one for the league. The Redblacks showed that Ottawa is back and that we won’t be pushed around.

@RedBlackGade

Photos from the Ottawa Redblacks Facebook page

A look at the Redblacks training camp roster

By: Santino Filoso

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With the Ottawa Redblacks inaugural training camp currently underway at Carleton University, now is a perfect time to take a look at some of the 80+ roster of hopefuls general manager Marcel Desjardins has assembled over the past seven months. While certain starters are already set in stone, there are still numerous jobs up for grabs.

Quarterbacks

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The QB crew

Even with the loss of a disgruntled Kevin Glenn, the Redblacks are deeper than most CFL teams at QB. Barring injury, Henry Burris will be the starter with Thomas DeMarco backing him up, leaving Corey Leonard and Danny O’Brien to grow as development projects and fight for the third-string job. At 39, Burris still has a lot left in the tank and his arm is as strong as ever. DeMarco got significant playing time last year as he filled in for the injured Travis Lulay (and more then held his own), which bodes well for the Redblacks should Burris go down.

Running Backs

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Chevon Walker

With a stable of capable RBs, it will be very interesting to see who emerges as the guy to go for the Redblacks, or if Head Coach Rick Campbell decides to take a running by committee approach. Chevon Walker has the most distinguished career and has to be considered the early favourite, especially when you consider his familiarity with Burris from their time in Hamilton. Jordan Roberts is a dark horse to be a serious impact player. He dominated in college and with his speed and catching ability seemingly has the skill set to thrive in the CFL. (UPDATE: Looks like Roberts has been released) John Delahunt and Patrick Lavoie will be charged with lead blocking when the Redblacks run out of formations that include a fullback. Eric O’Neal and Michael Hayes round out the group and will also fight for carries.

Wide Recievers

To say that the Redblacks have a logjam at receiver would be an understatement. With so many players competing for a job, nobody can afford to have a bad practice. Veteran WR Paris Jackson is the elder statesman of this group and should have a breakout year after being under-utilized the past few seasons in BC. The WR group consists of imports like DJ Woods, Carlton Mitchell, Tim Maypray, and Travon Patterson, all of whom boast serious speed, while the non-imports consist of guys like Simon Le Marquand,  Aaron Hargreaves and Garrett Burgess. Fred Rouse and 2014 2nd round pick Scott MacDonnell could see a lot of redzone reps due to favourable height match-ups.

(UPDATE: Redblacks have reportedly signed import WR Marcus Henry, days after he was released by the Edmonton Eskimos; Redblacks have also reportedly released former Ottawa U Gee Gee WR Delroy Clarke)

Offensive Linemen

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Jon Gott

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that much of the Redblacks season will go as all-star lineman Jon Gott goes. He was the centre of attention on draft day and he’ll be the Redblacks starting centre, in charge of making all the protections calls to keep Burris upright. Gott could be flanked by guys like Joe Eppele, Nate Menkin, James Lee and J’Micheal Deane. No matter who winds up starting, you can be sure that they’ll be big, as every OL at the Redblacks camp is at least 6’3″ and pushing 300 pounds.

Defensive Linemen

The defensive line will be led by expansion draft steal Keith Shologan, a heavy hitter with a knack for stuffing the run.  Guys like Justin Phillips, Moton Hopkins, Dimetrio Tyson, Zack Evans, Jonathan Williams and Justin Capicciotti will provide depth to a DL rotation that should keep opposing QBs on their toes all game long.

Linebackers

A group of experienced veterans will lead Ottawa’s linebacking core. Jason Pottinger, James Green, T.J. Hill, Malik Jackson and Anton McKenzie are all proven CFL vets with big game experience. Travis Brown, Jeremiah Green, Jasper Simmons, Jordan Verdone and Will Heyward round out this athletic and savvy group of thumpers.

Secondary

Amateur pilot and former Stamps safety Eric Fraser will be the focal enforcer of a “No Fly Zone” along with a revitalized Jovon Johnson. Former Saints DB Reggie Jones could wind up playing a significant role in the secondary and look for 1st round pick and jack of all trades Antoine Pruneau to frequently be on the field, despite being a rookie.

Special Teams

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Paulo Henriques

Ottawa native Kevin Scott is living out his dream of playing for his hometown as the Redblacks long snapper, while non-import Justin Palardy is locked in a fierce battle with import Paulo Henriques for kicking duties. Kick returning duties could all to either Tim Maypray, Antoine Pruneau or one of the RBs or WRs who distinguish themselves throughout the pre-season.

Desjardins has put together a nice blend of veterans and rookies, and nearly every positional group boasts a few players with significant CFL experience. One thing that already stands out, even after only a few days of camp, is that the Redblacks look like a very fast team. It’ll be interesting to see who distinguishes themselves during the two pre-season games and ultimately makes the team; hopefully Coach Campbell has some tough decisions to make.

Click here for the complete Redblacks training camp roster and here for the Redblacks training camp schedule, which is open to the public.

@RedBlackGade

(Photos courtesy of Ottawa Redblacks Facebook page)

#TBT: An Interview with Ken Evraire

By: Santino Filoso

In this week´s Throwback Thursday Interview, we sit down with Ken Evraire, a former SB (slotback) for the Ottawa Rough Riders. A star receiver with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Ken was drafted by Saskatchewan in the 1988 draft, but traded to Ottawa before the season started. After 9 seasons in the CFL with 4 different teams, Ken retired and started a broadcasting career in Ottawa.

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RR: Coming out of  Wildfrid Laurier University you were drafted by  Saskatchewan, how surprised were you to start the season with Ottawa?

KE:  I was quite surprised when I was traded to Ottawa. I was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a DB despite my being a 2-time All-Canadian receiver at WLU. I learned a lot as a DB during my rookie training camp which was key to my success as a receiver in Ottawa. With that said, my agent and I had worked hard to be traded to the Toronto Argonauts. Roughrider GM Bill Baker called me into his office one day and told me to say hello to Wayne Giardino (GM of the Ottawa Rough Riders) and not Bob O’Billovich of the Toronto Argo as thought it would be.  In hindsight, everything worked out for me and becoming an Ottawa Rough Rider was a great highlight of my career.

Speaking of Wilfrid Laurier, can you walk us through that fabled 106 yard Yates Cup play?

We faced a very strong Western Mustangs team led by a boatload of all-stars, guys like Blake Marshall, Pierre Verscheval, Irv Daymond, Matt Janes, Kyle Hall, etc. Western made a concerted effort to take away our play action vertical passing game. I always played on the right side but the coach decided to move me to the left. Rather than facing Kyle Hall I lined up against Marius Locke. We called a 3 step pass play that hinged on a signal I relayed to QB Mike Wilson. I had a feeling Marius would be aggressive so I signaled for a slant and go. Locke bit on the slant and Wilson threw a perfect pass. I scored what was the go ahead TD but we lost thanks to a last second TD scored by Blake Marshall.

Growing up were you a Rough Rider fan and did you get a chance to see a lot of games at Lansdowne?

I was very much a Rough Rider fan thanks in large part to the time I spent at the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club. The Rough Rider players took time out to visit us at the club so I immediately identified with them. Then, thanks to the donation of Rough Rider tickets I was able to go to games with my family. My dad always made sure we arrived before the pre-game warm ups so we could watch the players prepare and watch how they carried themselves as they prepared.  Once the game ended, we would jump on to the field to meet the players. QB Rick Cassata gave me his chinstrap which was a very big deal for a kid back then.

Over your career you had the opportunity to play with a number of  talented QBs, I know it may be tough to say but who did you most enjoy catching passes from?

Damon Allen…there is no argument. Damon’s passes would land in your hands like he handed it to you. He was so athletic and thanks to his baseball background he had great touch. He always knew when to put some heat on the pass or when to drop it in over the top with a soft touch.

Did you have a favourite (or least favourite) stadium to play in?

I never enjoyed playing in Calgary. With the change of elevation you would feel great in warm ups and then your legs would just die when you came back out to play the game. Plus, you had to walk up this long ramp to get back to the locker room. Not fun! Winnipeg ranks a very close second.

Who was the biggest trash talker you ever played against?

The biggest trash talker that I played against was actually a group of players. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had the best LB core (James West, Tyrone Hill, Paul Randolph, Greg Battle) and they talked trash from the first play right through to the end of the game. I had a lot of respect for them because they played hard. Intimidation was a big part of their game and they were good at it.

Looking back on your career what are you most proud of? 

When I look back on my career I´m most proud of the people I met (teammates and fans). When you are in the moment you compete to win and you are measured by your performance on the field. Yet the time spent with great teammates, laughing so hard you think your lungs are going to explode, growing up as a young man and experiencing the human connection that transcends the game on the field will always mean a lot to me.

When your cousin Chris Evraire entered the CFL, what kind of advice did you give him?

I simply told him that he was good enough to play pro ball. Yes, there are some great athletes and they come from some very significant football programs but at the end of the day it’s all about competing and about who wants to succeed more.

After your football career ended you settled in Ottawa and got  into broadcasting with A-Channel, what was the most difficult transition in going from playing sports to talking about them?

I think letting go of the game was the greatest challenge for me. In my heart, I wanted to play forever, but my body was telling me it was time to let the game go. With that said, I was quite fortunate in working with so many great people at A-Channel. They were the next great team I was honored to have been a part of.

Since retiring you’ve gotten into coaching. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I coach athletes “up”. My focus is to prepare the athlete for success in the moment and prepare them for the next level of competition they will face once they move on. If you coach up then the winning takes care of itself. You may not win the championship but you play a key role in cultivating better athletes and even greater people.

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What are you currently doing for work?

I am a leadership and team building coach. I created the  “The I in Team” and the  “360 Degree Circle of Influence” programs which are based on my  “coaching up” approach to leadership and team building.

Will you be out at any Redblacks games this summer?

I will be at the Redblacks games with my wife and kids just as my dad had brought my mom, sisters and brother to games. We will show up early to watch warm ups and cheer the team on through thhick and thin.

What do think of the Redblacks new uniforms, do you prefer the home or away ones?

I like both uniforms but if I had to make a choice I think the black jerseys and black pants are intimidating! Kind of reminds me of the black jerseys the Rough Riders wore in the 90s.

Give me one reason why you think the Redblacks can be competitive in their inaugural season.

I think the team will be competitive thanks to their great coaching and scouting staff. Coach Campbell understands the value of the Canadian athlete and the need to find players (be they Canadian or American) who are up to the challenge of being competitive. Winning is a state of mind! What the team thinks and believes before the ball is kicked off will be important. The players will be able to draw on what is a great football legacy and a great fan base in Ottawa.

Thank you very much for your time Ken, and see you at Lansdowne!

@RedBlackGade

TBT: The Face of the Renegades; An Interview with Kerry Joseph

By: Santino Filoso

Today we sit down with Kerry Joseph, a former QB for the Ottawa Renegades. Joseph, a former safety for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, broke into the CFL with the Renegades in 2003 and dazzled Ottawa with his talents until the team folded after the 2005 season. Currently a free agent, Joseph is the last QB to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, which he did for the Renegades in 2005, and holds the Ottawa pro football record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (15) – a record previously held by Russ Jackson.

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RR: As an American coming to Canada, what was your initial impression of Ottawa?

KJ: I was really impressed with Ottawa, at first I thought it would be a really cold foreign country but it was actually a very beautiful place.

How difficult was it for you to make the transition from playing safety to quarterback?

It was actually a very easy transition for me because I grew up playing QB.

What do you feel was your best game as a Renegade?

I would have to say the game against Montreal in 2005, we were down big but came from behind to win in overtime.

The Gliebermans are often criticized for running the Renegades with a circus-like atmosphere. Did any of that trickle down to the players and do you feel they caused unnecessary distractions for the team?

They didn’t do everything perfectly but it was never a distraction for the players, we just wanted to win.

When the Renegades folded in 2006, did you have any idea where you would end up and what was the general mood of the players upon learning that Ottawa would be disbanded?

I didn’t know where I would end up and players were definitely worried as we all knew our careers would be changed.

Looking back on your time in Ottawa, what sticks with you?

The great community and the great time I had with my coaches and teammates.

What motivated you throughout your career? 

The quest to win a championship and to be a great QB.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a player?

The best advice I ever received was to stay humble, stay hungry and to stay focused.

The CFL is famous for it’s wild weather, how did you deal with the elements as QB?

I always just tried to prepare for it as best as possible and otherwise ignore it, we had to play in it anyways.

All QBs get sacked throughout their careers but is there one hit that you’ll always remember?

I got knocked out in Calgary by one of their Defensive Ends.

Which receiver that you played with had the best hands?

Yo Murphy, Andy Fantuz and Fred Stamps

What was your favourite play to run?

A pass play called Pearl, 3 seams to the wide side of the field.

You’ve played on a number of CFL teams, what stadium is the toughest to play at?

Mosaic Stadium.

Do you still keep in touch with any of the guys you played with on the Renegades?

Yes, I stay in touch with quite a few of them.

Looking back at your CFL career, what are you most proud of?

Being part of the 2007 Grey Cup Champs.

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When you first heard the name Redblacks, what was your reaction?

I was mainly wondering where the name came from.

Why do you think football in Ottawa will succeed this time around?

They’ve got a great local ownership group.

Do you think the Redblacks will be competitive in their inaugural season?

Yes I think so, they’ve got the players to be competitive.

Now that you are a free agent, what are your future plans? Have you retired,  will you get into coaching, etc?

Actually I haven’t officially announced my retirement from Pro Football. Some people had taken it upon themselves to announce that for me, but I haven’t said that myself. That being said, at some point in time I definitely see coaching in my future.

Thank you very much for your time Kerry, best of luck in your future endeavours and we hope to see you at a Redblacks game sometime!

http://www.kerryjoseph.com/

@RedBlackGade