Great Expectations

A new season is upon us, and with that come the expectations of greatness. Fans and players from across the country see the games this week as a first step towards a championship. Expectations are high for every team across this nation, but in Hamilton, those expectations may be the highest.

Going into the 2010 season, Hamilton was a chic pick to win the Grey Cup. A slow start diminished those expectations, a great three-game run in October resurrected them, but a loss at home in the playoffs for a second year in a row brought everything to a screeching halt.

The Tiger-Cats enter 2011 with not as many people thinking they can win it all. Some still do, but many see them as not ready.

Here in Steeltown, however, the expectations of greatness are still there. Players like Stevie Baggs, Arland Bruce and Avon Cobourne see this as the year to win it all. The players have raised expectations once again.

From top to bottom, this is a championship-caliber football team. The Offense is loaded with weapons, the Defense fields a plethora of playmakers, and the Special Teams unit is one of the best in the league. Hamilton has all the components needed to make a run at the franchise's 16th Grey Cup championship.

The last two seasons have been great after years of futility, but a home playoff game is no longer the goal. The goal is to win championships. Starting tonight against Winnipeg, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats can take that first step towards reaching those lofty expectations.