a Gritty Win for black and Gold.

Ivor Wynne Friday Night
for 1st Time in ages I sat on the other side of Box J
In Box D it Felt so odd to be sitting Else Where.

I Sat there my Brothers 10 year old Sun
Think that Calagry may Blow us out.
I was Wrong The Ticats put Forth one Grityest Efforts I have Ever seen and Ivor Wynne

I just wanted to say How Pround I am of these guys
You Did't Pack it in this year.

New Guys like Charlton Keith #55 Who had two Sack and Two Fumble Recoverys at DE Spot.
Gaves us fan somthing to cheer about .

Thanks Guys GL in the Peg

Pro Football away From Family

It is hard enough to cope with the 1-10 losing Season. Our team faces but how do the Managers, Coaches and Players cope without their families. For some of the players being close to the Canada-Us border isn’t too much of an inconvenience just ask linebacker, Jujuan Armour.

On the flip side you have the quarterback Timmy Chang from Hawaii. The distance is too great to be able to go back and forth on a weekly basis. Fortunately, the power of the Internet has made it easier on the players to stay in touch. Also VOIP or Voice Over IP and Email has also made it easier but still not the personal touch.

Skype is a life saver when the men want to talk to their families. One member of the team told me that some of them have installed Broad Band Voice Modems from Primus. Some of the members use Broad Band phone companies..

Some players will write emails just to pass the time away. There are still others that will use cell phones. The players will try what they can to bridge the gap between themselves and their families. Unfortunately, for the players that use cell phones the bills are anywhere from $200-1000 a month.

I also spoke with GM Marcel Desjardins

He says that for the young players it is very hard on them. Some have just graduated from college and they are not used to the amount of free time on their hands. Their college schedules were very hectic but now that they have arrived at the Pro level they are only with the team 4 hours a day 4 days a week.

Now the problem comes as to what these men do with the extra time. With no family nearby and most of their friends a fair distance away can become a recipe for trouble. For example take a close look at NFL’S Adam Jones of the Titans. Mind you there are the players that hang around and watch and spend time with the other players creating bonds.

I have heard from the Coach and other players that the Team in essence become their foster family. Each of the players learn and grow with each other as they face the loneliness of their families so far away. They become there own support group.

Then I spoke to the Coaches and how they have developed coping mechanisms. They’ll tell you that for most of them that their family has grown up. One Coach said if he was home he would be driving his wife crazy while another says he’d be home alone because his wife works a lot.

Coach Taffe finds it very difficult because his son is in his senior year at highschool and plays on the football team. Although, he talks to his wife twice a day it doesn’t help knowing he is missing his child’s games. However, next year should make coping for him a little easier. His son is going to college and his wife will be coming here. He says going home to an empty house brings on the loneliness.

So here’s to the guys and their families and we wish them all well.

Ticats Drop to new Low this year.

We Thought things could not get worse .... They Did.
The Ticats Gave Casey Printers Something to think about.
How much work it going to be for this team to become a Winner.

What went Right yesterday ? ... Nothing Went Right
Here an example of How bad it was.
Jojo Walk tried run miss Field Goal out of end zone only to fumble it
Winnipeg Recover it End-zone for a Touchdown.

This show how bad things have gone.
Printer was Sacked 6 Times by Winnipeg.

Fan have to remember we have to hit rock Bottom to go up.
I wonder if we got to bottom Yet

Printers Starts his 1st game as a Ticat Tomorow.

At 7 Pm Est Tomorrow
Liftoff of the Good Ship Printers Will Take off at IWS.

Casey is playing with a paired down playbook
about 20 to 30 plays.

There are Few Questions that Will be Answered Tomorow:
(1) how Rusty is Casey
(2) Can WR Hang on to his passes.
(3) Can we get a Pass rush on Kevin Glenn
(4) Can Hamilton Stop #83 and #1

Well know Tomorow.

Casey Takes the Time to become a Winner.

Ticat fans we Finally have a QB.
His name is Casey Printers .
Former CFL Outstanding Player of Year

I spoke with Coach Taaffe Yesterday
I asked him about Casey Coming in
Monday on his day off to learn the playbook.
He told me
"I can't Mandate Him coming in It just Great to see"

Casey Also Spent close to an hour Throwing balls
to Teams Mates after Practice Tuesday.
Something he dose not have to do
Also Our Wideouts seem Eager to learn from new QB
This is why we will win a Grey cup in next 3 Years.
Our QB Deduction to his Craft.

I am Pretty Sure Casey will play with a Condensed Playbook vs the Bombers.
Over the next 3 weeks Casey should be up speed on Ticats Playbook book .
It is very Similar to KC Chiefs book

The Ticats have also Started Bring in New Players.
One will Be Huge Offence Tackle
who will be announced today by the Team.

Ticats Sign Casey Printer Like I Said They Would.

On Aug 25 2007
I Said The Ticats would sign Casey Printers.
I Said he would cut From NFL Kansan City Chiefs .




Well Look what has happened
I was Proven Right .
I was laugh at and told it would not happen by Alot of People


Today Casey Signed a Huge 3 year Deal that will be pay him over 1 M Dollars Us For 3 Years.
This great C00 for me as Blog poster and For Ticats as a Team Signing Him

We still need some Changes to make this a Winning Team for 08

(1) at Season end the Option for Maas Should not be Picked up
(2) we also need to Pick to good Pass Blocking Tackles.
(3) Move Talmen Gardner to the slot.
(4) We need good American DE for the other Side of our DL.
(5) Two Good CFL Experienced DB's
(6) Danny Maciocia Become our OC.
(7) Ticats make the playoffs in 08

Two Hamilton Boys Hang it up Officially

12 Years ago Rob Hitchcock started Dawn his #42 Today with Good Friend and Fellow Ticat #18 Mike Morreale They Retired and at Half Time On Labour Day they Where Honored.

What do you Say About two men who knew what it meant to bleed black and and Gold.
As I Watch these Two Legends Hang it up Officially it was truly end of Era for me
I watch The new guys everyday at Practice but They don't have the heart of these two men.

During the Service at Half Time Rob Spoke up
He took a shot and Charlie Taaffe and Marcel Desjardins For Cutting Him and Rob.
"you always knew where you stood with Lancaster and Marshall. If you didn't tow the line, you were gone. If you didn't listened you were gone.
I'd like to thank the fans for my 12 years here in Hamilton, should have been 13 in my opinion"


The Crowd Cheered that Statement.
He appears to blame Taffe and company for the state of the team and as such finds it difficult to not make his feelings heard.
I wish Both Men All The Best
Below are Photos and Two Clips from Half Time

Box J Boys throw Huge Tail Gate

Box J Boys on the BBQ Video Clip of The Argonotes Band

The Box J Boys threw their anual Labour day Tail gate
This party Start for them before 6 Am as Reached The Former Scott Park School Grounds where Tail gate is Held.

Lots of Great Food Music and Chat are Argo and Ticats Enjoyed The Pregame Hype. The 13th Man had their BBQ Going with Funds going to Cancer Research.

Lights Out Playoff out of Reach ...Ticats Nothing but a Glorified Expansion Team

With the Playoffs are out of Reach After another Embarrassing
Loss on Labour day. Where do we go from here?
The 2007 Hamilton Ticats are nothing but a Glorified Expansion Team


Charlie Taaffe was the Right Pick as a Coach
but his Staff May need to overhauled.
The Ticats Online and Defence Backs are Awful.
Their was no protection for Chang or Maas at all.
The DB's got Beat on deep ball and where out Possion and Several Plays.
The Penalty again where a Problem

On Bright side the Line backers and Front 4 looked good.
With a short week and with us Going To Rogers Center
This is not going to be good Week at Practice.
The year is over as Far Playoffs .

I am Disappointed with the Effort as Fan.