Instant Classic

Yesterday's thrilling 52-44 overtime win by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the Montreal Alouettes was best summed up by Kevin Glenn:

"I would call it a CFL classic."

Truer words were never spoken.

It has taken some time to really digest what just happened on Sunday. I don't mean that from the perspective of a Tiger-Cat fan who is still a little stunned that his team will be playing in the East Division Final, but from the perspective of someone who loves history (sports and otherwise) and has had one question floating around in my brain since Anthony Calvillo's pass to Brandon Whitaker hit the ground to end the game:

Where does this game rank, all-time?

It was a classic, no doubt about it. It was one of those games that people will be talking about years from now. It was that good.

It wasn't the perfect game, but classics never are. There needs to be some intrigue and unpredictability, and that can only come when things don't go exactly as planned. If everything went the way it was supposed to go, Montreal would have won the game with relative ease.

That is what also made yesterday's game so exciting: the underdog won. When you think of past great games, the upset angle plays a big role. Think Boise State over Oklahoma, Appalachian State over Michigan or the New York Giants over the 18-0 New England Patriots. Those game stay in people's mind because they were monumental upsets. While Hamilton over Montreal in the 2011 East Division Semi-Final isn't of the same magnitude, the fact that it was even a slight upset helps it inch up the ladder.

It being a playoff game makes it more meaningful. The game had added value because it was winner goes on, loser goes home. Classic games played for championships are at the top, with playoff games not far behind. When the stakes are the highest, the pressure is the highest and the outcomes have the most meaning.

So where does this game rank? It cannot be first. That spot is (probably) forever reserved for the 1989 Grey Cup between Hamilton and Saskatchewan. If you haven't seen, words do not do it justice. Despite the fact that the Tiger-Cats lost, this is still the best game I have ever seen.

But after the 1989 Grey Cup, I can't think of one game I would say was exceedingly better than the one played between the Tiger-Cats and Alouettes on Sunday. There are others I appreciate:

• the 2005 Grey Cup between Edmonton and Montreal
• the Labour Day Classic in 2004
• the 49ers-Packers Wild Card playoff game in 1998
• the no punts game between the 49ers and Bills in 1992
• the 2005 "Bush Push" game between USC and Notre Dame
• the 2006 Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship between USC and Texas

I am sure there are others I am forgetting, but those are the ones that first came to mind.

Some of those games meet some of my criteria that should rank them ahead of Sunday's epic battle (namely the '05 Grey Cup and '06 Rose Bowl), so anyone who says those games rank higher will get no argument from me.

But no matter how you slice it, Sunday's game between the Als and Ti-Cats definitely ranks somewhere in the top 5.

I'll be interested to see not only where people think this game belongs in the pantheon of great games, but also what other games people think deserve mention.

Hamilton 52, Montreal 44

What! A! Game! These two teams traded blows for more than 60 minutes in a contest that will go down as an all-time classic. This game was punch-counter punch from the start.

What impressed me the most was how Hamilton handled adversity. Chris Williams dropped a sure touchdown, a very controversial replay challenge on a Brandon Whitaker fumble (someone care to show me where the "indisputable evidence" was to overturn that call), a horrible pass interference call on the next play led to a Montreal touchdown, they lost an 11-point lead, a brain fart time-count violation that cost the Cats 10 yards and pushed Justin Medlock back to 53 yards on his field goal attempt, and then Medlock missed the ensuing field goal which sent the game to overtime are all of things that could have demoralized the Cats. Instead, they kept fighting and didn't let the unlucky breaks cripple them. It was a great showing of mental strength.

That's not to say that the team didn't have its share of amazing performances. Avon Cobourne ran hard and with a purpose all game, Bakari Grant picked the perfect time to have his breakout game, Jamall Johnson was a monster on Defense, and the Offensive Line allowed zero sacks and paved the way to a 161-yard rushing performance. Everything clicked for the Offense, and the Defense did just enough.

But the coaches deserve some credit too, especially beleaguered Head Coach Marcel Bellefeuille. Bellefeuille gets hammered by Tiger-Cat fans, but today he outcoached one of the best coaches in the CFL. The decision to sit Stevie Baggs was met with almost universal disdain, but after the game Jamall Johnson had, the decision proved to be the correct one. His decision to play Quinton Porter over the final four games paid dividends when Kevin Glenn went down with an injury and Porter came in a lead a touchdown drive. Bellefeuille gets a lot of heat when the team loses, so he deserves some credit for a gutsy win by his charges today.

The Tiger-Cats excised a lot of demons by winning this game. They got their first playoff win in the Bob Young era, they won in Montreal for the first time since 2002, they won a playoff game for the first time since 2001, Kevin Glenn silenced his critics by performing well in a big-game setting and Marcel Bellefeuille did the same by winning his first playoff game as a Head Coach.

As great as this win is, the road only gets tougher. The Cats now travel to Winnipeg to take on a rested Blue Bomber team in the East Division Final. Hamilton lost all three games against Winnipeg this season, so the Cats will have to bring their A-game if they hope to advance to their first Grey Cup since 1999.

For the first time in a decade, the Tiger-Cats will be playing during the second week of playoff games. As a fan, that is exciting, but the team has bigger goals. Goals that can only be reached with a win next week in Winnipeg.

Preview: East Division Semi-Final

Storylines aplenty for the first playoff clash between Hamilton and Montreal since 2001.

There is Avon Cobourne going back to Montreal; the Kevin Glenn-Quinton Porter situation, which is not that big of a deal, we know Glenn will start and be given every chance to succeed; and the complete collapse by Montreal over the final three games. Then you add Stevie Baggs missing the game due to ration issues and it makes things even more interesting.

But no matter what people talk about prior to the game, only 60 minutes truly matter.

For Hamilton, they need to do two things to come away with a victory. First, the Defense needs to pressure Anthony Calvillo. Teams that have done that this year have had tremendous success. The Tabbies also have to slow down Jamell Richardson and Brandon Whitaker, but making Calvillo's life miserable is the most important, and that will have a trickle-down effect on Richardson and Whitaker.

Secondly, the Offense, and particularly Kevin Glenn, needs to get into a rhythm early. Getting the running game going is important, but the passing game needs to be crisp. If Hamilton's Offense can click from the get go, the Cats will have more than a puncher's chance of winning this game.

The first 15 minutes of this game will decide the outcome. Whichever team wins the first quarter wins the game. It will be important for both teams to get out to an early lead. These two teams are evenly matched, and the one that starts the hottest will pull out the victory.

Hamilton has played, and lost, two very close playoff games in the last two years while Montreal has blown out the last two teams to visit Montreal in the post-season. In this game, something will have to give.

Baggs Won't Play

Stunning.

That's the first word that came to mind upon hearing about the benching of Stevie Baggs for tomorrow's East Division Semi-Final versus Montreal.

Baggs hasn't had the best of seasons, but with pressure on Anthony Calvillo being one of the things Hamilton has to do if they hope to win, taking Baggs out of the lineup is surprising.

I understand that a change was needed to get Jamall Johnson back on the field – his versatility in both pass coverage and pass rush makes him more important than Baggs – but not playing Baggs is astonishing.

This is one of the those moves that if it pans out, Bellefeuille looks like a genius. But if the Cats lose, he will be second guessed to death. In fact, he is probably already being second guessed by many fans.

Personally, I don't like it. The team brought Baggs in after Labour Day last season for just these types of games. Despite noting having the kind of season he hoped for, Baggs is still a player that opposing teams need to gameplan for. He can be a difference maker.

Now he sits, and I have to wonder if perhaps Baggs has played his last game in Black & Gold. Now is not the time to go into stuff like this too thoroughly, and I admit that I may be reading way too much into this, but if the Cats beat the Als, what will be the incentive to play Baggs in Winnipeg and/or the Grey Cup? What will be the incentive to pay him big bucks if the team can win without him? It'll be interesting to see how everything plays out in off-season.

But the Cats still have a game to play tomorrow, and they will stunningly do it without Stevie Baggs.

A juicy game just got a lot juicier.

Smitty's Selections: Division Semi-Finals

Playoff time. The games don't get much more important than this. Two teams will see their seasons end on Sunday, while the other two will go on to the Division Finals. The closest season in recent CFL history has five more games to excite, surprise and entertain.

East Division Semi-Final: Hamilton at Montreal

All signs point to Montreal. They are the two-time defending champs, they'll be at home, and they have one of the greatest Quarterbacks to ever play the game. All signs point away from Hamilton. They haven't won a playoff game in 10 years, they were 2-7 on the road in 2011, and they haven't won in Montreal since 2002. But for reasons other than homerism, I just feel like Hamilton is ready to take that next step. They have no pressure and no expectations; everyone thinks they are going to get trounced. But something in my gut tells me they are going to find a way to pull it out. Call me crazy, but I think the Cats are headed to Winnipeg.

Winner: Hamilton, 27-24

West Division Semi-Final: Calgary at Edmonton

The Battle of Alberta, one of the fiercest rivalries in the CFL. Edmonton won the season series against the Stamps, but that was before Calgary made two huge changes in benching Quarterback Henry Burris and Running Back Joffrey Reynolds for Drew Tate and Jon Cornish. This will be a different Stampeder team than the one Edmonton faced in the regular season. The Stamps will move on to BC.

Winner: Calgary, 31-27

Recap
Hamilton, Calgary

Season Record: 41-31

Would They Rather...

For the third consecutive season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be playing in the post-season. The difference this year is that the game will not be played in Hamilton. We will find out tonight if Hamilton's Grey Cup odyssey will begin in Montreal or Winnipeg.

But which stadium would be the best place to start the journey? Would the Tiger-Cats be better off heading to the Manitoba capital or the largest city in Quebec?

If Montreal is Hamilton's destination, there are many perils awaiting them. The first is that the Tiger-Cats have not gone to Montreal and won since 2002, and they have not won in Olympic Stadium – where their playoff game would be held – since the 1999 East Division Final. Montreal has also not lost at home in the playoffs since 2004, and have only lost twice at home in the playoffs since 1996. Combine that with the larger-than-normal crowd (upwards of 50,000) and the Alouettes have one of the best home-field advantages in the playoffs.

It is not all doom and gloom, though. Just a few weeks ago, Hamilton came within a failed two-point convert (and some egregious officiating) away from finally winning in Montreal. That near victory could be enough to lift the spirits of the locker room. And, of course, there is always the completely unscientific notion of them being due. Aren't the Cats just due a win in Montreal? There is also the question of whether Montreal would have a hard time getting up for a Semi-Final game. The Als have not had to play on the first week of the CFL playoffs since 2007, and because of their immense success over the past decade and a half, they do not have much experience playing in the Semi-Final. (This is admittedly a stretch, but it could play a role.)

Winnipeg presents its own unique challenges for the Tiger-Cats. CanadInns Stadium would be hosting its final game ever, and there is no doubt that the Bombers would want to win that game almost as much as any other. There is also the fact that Winnipeg has owned Hamilton this season. The Bombers won all three matchups with the Tiger-Cats and just may have their number in 2011. The crowds in Winnipeg have been among the loudest in the CFL this season, and a playoff game would only ratchet up that noise.

Winnipeg has not had the same hex on Hamilton as Montreal has. The Cats have won in Winnipeg twice in the last three seasons, with one win coming on the final day of the 2009 regular season where it was win or go home for both teams. The prospective Hamilton-Winnipeg matchup would mirror the elements of last year's Toronto-Hamilton playoff game. The Cats had won all three matchups in the regular season (blowing the Argos out in the final meeting in October; similar to what Winnipeg did to Hamilton this year) and then laid an egg at home in the playoffs. The scenarios are strikingly similar.

Looking at all the factors, a trip to CanadInns next Sunday is probably the best place for Hamilton to start their quest for the Grey Cup. This is the first time Winnipeg will be playing in the post-season since 2008, and playoff neophytes are prone to mistakes or letting the moment get the best of them. In fact, Hamilton in 2009 is the perfect example of that. This is not to say that Hamilton will beat Winnipeg, just that Winnipeg poses fewer threats than Montreal.

We will know tonight where Hamilton will play in eight days when the curtain falls on the 2011 CFL regular season. Will it be Montreal? Will it be Winnipeg? We are about to find out.

Toronto 16, Hamilton 13

I have been sitting here trying to figure out what to write. This was a heartbreaking loss. In a year that started with so much promise, for it to end this way is devastating.

I thought that when Kevin Glenn emerged from the locker room like Willis Reed in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, that he was going to lead the team to victory.

Unfortunately, it was not to be.

The Argos did not win this game, the Cats lost it. Hamilton beat themselves, period. Five Hamilton turnovers led to 13 of Toronto's 16 points, way too many dropped passes ended promising drives, and Sandro DeAngelis's missed 17-yard field goal proved to be very costly.

Now the long off-season begins earlier than many of us thought it would. This was a team that began the season with Grey Cup aspirations, but whose season ends, once again, in disappointing fashion at Ivor Wynne. However, I will take this every year over 3-15 and 4-14 seasons, and being out of the playoff race by Labour Day.

Changes will be made, but what will those changes be? It's possible that Otis Floyd played his last game today. He seemed to hint at this on the Fifth Quarter on AM900 CHML. Arland Bruce hinted at retirement following last season; might he be about to call it quits too? Marwan Hage did the same; will he pack it in? Will DeAngelis be brought back? Nick Setta was released because of inconsistent play; DeAngelis epitomized inconsistent play in 2010. Will there be changes to the coaching staff? Will potential free agents (like the suddenly emerging Chris Bauman) be headed elsewhere?

A team that finishes back-to-back years with playoff appearances usually doesn't see too many changes, but this is a veteran team, and the door can only stay open for so long. My gut tells me most of these guys will come back for one more chance to hoist the Grey Cup.

The 2010 CFL season is over for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. It was a fun ride. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes exhilarating, but always worth it. Hopefully 2011 will end better than 2010 did.

Less Than 24 Hours

We're less than 24 hours from the biggest playoff game to hit this town since... 1999?

I know I don't speak for everyone, but I'm sure there will be plenty of agreement that this game on Sunday is one of the most anticipated in the last 15 years.

Last year's playoff game with BC was awesome. The comeback that fell just short was heartbreaking, but the crowd was electric.

But that was last year, and this is this year. To get you primed I thought I would drop some exclusive videos for everyone to enjoy.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Wednesday's pep rally at Lime Ridge Mall. However, a few friends of mine were able to attend and took a couple of videos.

First, we have Stevie Baggs lending his Shakespearean skills to "If You're Happy and You Know It:"



The next is Pigskin Pete doing what he does:



Hopefully that got you nice and TURNT UP!!! for tomorrow. Man, I can't wait.

Also, if you haven't got your ticket yet, what are you waiting for? As of this writing there are only 3,802 left, according to the ticket counter on ticats.ca. You're going to want to be there for this. As one of Hamilton's own, the late, great Billy Red Lyons, used to so famously say, "Don'cha dare miss it."

Preview: East Division Semi-Final

vs.

Do I really need to hype this up? It's Toronto... versus Hamilton... at Ivor Wynne Stadium... in the playoffs. This game hypes itself.

"Labour Day on 'roids"

– Kate McKenna

"WOOO! Not for the faint of heart, baby. YEAH!"

– Otis Floyd

"TURNT UP!!!!"

– Maurice Mann

Just look at the three above quotes. That tells you what this game is all about. OK, the Mann one doesn't make much sense without context, but the quotes by Floyd and Ti-Cat TV host Kate McKenna capture the mood perfectly.

The atmosphere for this game will be off the hook. Anyone who attended last year's playoff game against BC knows that this one will be louder and rowdier. I can't wait.

The goal for the Cats will be to stop Cory Boyd and force Cleo Lemon to beat them. That's a recipe for disaster for Toronto. Lemon has not looked good this season, and when forced, he makes mistakes. Capitalizing on those mistakes will be key for the Tiger-Cats.

For the Argos, the emphasis will be on making Kevin Glenn uncomfortable and getting him off his rhythm. When Glenn is on, he's as good as anyone in the league. The Argos must get Glenn off his game. If they don't, it will be a long day for the Boatmen.

The Cats and Argos played three times this season, and the Cats beat the Argos in all three matchups. In fact, the only team the Argos did not beat this year was Hamilton. Also of note is that the Tiger-Cats' margin of victory grew in each subsequent game: they won 16-12 on August 20th, 28-13 on Labour Day and 30-3 on October 15th.

But those three previous meetings mean nothing come Sunday. This is the playoffs, and the playoffs are a different beast than the regular season.

And it is that "different beast" aspect that gives the Cats a slight advantage. This year the Cats play the East Semi with the experience advantage. Not many Argos have tasted playoff football, similar to the Cats last year. There is nothing better than afternoon football at Ivor Wynne... except afternoon playoff football at Ivor Wynne.

If you're not going to the stadium to take this in (and you better have a damn good reason for not going), as always you can listen to the game on AM900 CHML and Y108 or watch the game on TSN and TSN HD.

Smitty's Selections: Division Semi-Finals

Well, folks, the playoffs are here. Only five more games remain until we all pack it in and wait until next June. Man, time goes by awfully fast.

East Division Semi-Final: Toronto at Hamilton

The single greatest rivalry in all of professional sports gets the playoff atmosphere for the first time since 2004, which is the last time the Argos won the Grey Cup. These two teams haven't met in a playoff game at Ivor Wynne Stadium since 1999, which, coincidentally, is also the last time that the Tiger-Cats won the Grey Cup. Very interesting. Both the Argos and the Tiger-Cats finished the season with identical 9-9 records. These two teams also met three times in the regular season, with the Tiger-Cats winning all three matchups. This should be an intense game, and I, of course, give the edge to the Cats.

Winner: Hamilton, 27-6

West Division Semi-Final: British Columbia at Saskatchewan

This one has been giving me fits all week. One day, I think the Riders will win; the next day, BC. Saskatchewan is the better team... with the better players... playing at home... where it is very hard for opposing teams to win. All that said, I just can't shake the feeling that BC is going to pull off the upset. I don't have any concrete reasons for believing this, just a gut feeling.

Winner: British Columbia, 28-24

Recap
Hamilton, British Columbia

Season Record: 38-34

How They Stack Up (Special Teams)

The somewhat forgotten member of the football triad might be the one that has the biggest effect on Sunday's outcome. Special Teams have always been important, but usually get lost in the shuffle because they aren't viewed with the same respect that is given to Offense and Defense. But in the playoffs, field position and field goals play a large part in who goes on and who goes home.

Kicking: Noel Prefontaine (TOR) vs. Sandro DeAngelis (HAM)
To say that Sandro DeAngelis's first season in Hamilton has been a disappointment would be stating the obvious. DeAngelis came to Hamilton with a résumé that had him among the elite at the position. His first season saw him miss some crucial kicks (namely in a one-point loss to Calgary in Week 2), and he connected on a middling 76.2% of his field goals. He did finish fourth in the league in scoring, but DeAngelis was not the clutch kicker this season that the Tiger-Cats hoped he would be.

Prefontaine started the year in Edmonton and was traded to Toronto just prior to the trade deadline in October. Prefontaine has always had a big leg, and even at his advanced age, he can still boom them. Also, he missed only five field goals all season, so his accuracy is still top notch as well.

Advantage: Argonauts

Punting: Noel Prefontaine (TOR) vs. Eric Wilbur (HAM)
Prefontaine doubles as the Punter for the Double Blue. His punting average is a very respectable 42.9 yards per punt, and he did have the year's longest punt, at 81 yards. Like with field goals, Prefontaine still has plenty of life left in his leg.

Eric Wilbur came into a perfect situation when he signed with Hamilton in August. His only goal was not to have a punt blocked. During the first five games of the season, Justin Palardy (now the Kicker in Winnipeg) had three punts blocked, the final one being in Regina in what turned out to be the turning point of the game against the Riders. Wilbur was brought in following the Saskatchewan debacle, and has performed marvelously. His average is just above Prefontaine's, at 43 yards per punt, and he has boomed more than his fair share. He also puts plenty of hang time on his punts, which allows for the coverage unit to be in perfect position to not give up a big play. This will come in handy this week against the league's most dangerous return man, Toronto's Chad Owens.

These two are so close, but one player is a rookie and another is a proven playoff veteran.

Advantage: Argonauts

Returners: Chad Owens (TOR) vs. Marcus Thigpen (HAM)
Probably the two most dangerous return men in the East face off once again. Owens has not had that big of an impact on the games between these two teams as many would expect. In fact, I would say that Thigpen has outdueled Owens in the previous three meetings.

Even with that being the case, Owens is still a bigger threat than Thigpen. Owens has been, hands down, the scariest player in the entire league this season. He finished the year with over 3,000 total yards and is a threat to score whenever he gets his hands on the ball. Thigpen has been great; Owens has been greater.

Advantage: Argonauts

Overall

I am not the least bit surprised that the Argonauts swept the three Special Teams areas. They have lived and died by Special Teams this season. Coordinator Mike O'Shea has been the gutsiest play caller in the entire CFL with some of the trick plays he has pulled out. I can't believe I am about to type this, but O'Shea deserves a lot of credit for making the Argonaut Special Teams group the best in the CFL.

Dave Easley is no slouch either, and Hamilton's unit has been pretty good as well, especially in the return game and in kick coverage, but Hamilton's Special Teams do not hold a candle to Toronto's.

Advantage: Argonauts

How They Stack Up (Defense)

I kicked things off yesterday with the Offense, so now it's time to give those who stop them some time to shine.

Defensive Line: Ronald Flemons, Eric Taylor, Kevin Huntley, Ricky Foley (TOR) vs. Stevie Baggs, Garret McIntyre, Justin Hickman, Demonte' Bolden (HAM)

This one is actually very even. Flemons and Huntley have been very good this season, and Taylor has done a decent job of clogging the middle. Foley has been a disappointment since signing with the Argos at mid-season, however.

The Tiger-Cats' mid-season acquisition has been the anti-Ricky Foley. Stevie Baggs has been lights out for the Tabbies. Hickman and McIntyre were taking care of business for most of the season, but the addition of Baggs has made the D-Line downright lethal.

This one is close, but I give it to the Cats by a nose, thanks to Baggs.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

Linebackers: Jordan Younger, Jason Pottinger, Kevin Eiben (TOR) vs. Markeith Knowlton, Otis Floyd, Jamall Johnson (HAM)

Hamilton fields the best set of Linebackers in the CFL, period. I said it at the beginning of the season, I said it at mid-season, and I'll say it again next season (provided these three guys stay in Hamilton).

Markeith Knowlton is the single best defensive player in the CFL. Jamall Johnson is not that far behind. While Otis may have lost a step, he's still one of the most feared hitters in the entire league.

That said, the Argos do field a nice trio of their own. Eiben is a lot like Johnson. Both are tackling machines. Pottinger is a nice player. Not too flashy, but he brings a workmanlike attitude to the field. Younger, who is a converted DB, has performed admirably this season.

But as I said, I believe that the Cats' LBs are better than any team's, so this one was easy for me.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

Secondary: Byron Parker, Lin-J Shell, Evan McCollough, Willie Pile (TOR) vs. Geoff Tisdale, Jason Shivers, Ryan Hinds, Dylan Barker, Jerome Dennis (HAM)

To say that the Tiger-Cat Secondary has been a liability for most of the season might be an understatement. While there have been some great performances (the month of October was particularly good for the Tiger-Cats), the unit has been inconsistent. The guys play hard, but the unit as a whole has been lackluster. Geoff Tisdale has been good, but that depends on what position he plays. Dylan Barker has done a decent job since replacing the retired Sandy Beveridge, but he has had his mental lapses as well (most notably on interceptions). Jason Shivers mixes the good with the bad, while Ryan Hinds sometimes plays like the rookie he is.

The Argos haven't been world beaters either, but they have stayed relatively consistent throughout the 2010 campaign. Lin-J Shell picked up where he left off in 2009. Byron Parker has been very good in his return from Edmonton. Willie Pile has really taken to the Safety position since being moved there from Linebacker, and rookie Evan McCollough has been better than anticipated. Where the Argos are in trouble is with the recent injury to Willie Middlebrooks. Middlebrooks was one of the team's best defensive players, and his loss will hurt when facing the vaunted Tiger-Cat passing attack.

Advantage: Argonauts

Overall
The Defenses stack up very evenly with one another. Both have an experienced and tenacious front four, each team's Linebackers are very skilled and the Secondaries both have question marks. It's tough to give the advantage to either, but with the home crowd being able to make it LOUD for the Tiger-Cats, I will give them an ever-so-slight advantage on Sunday.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

How They Stack Up (Offense)

With the East Division Semi-Final matchup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts on the horizon, I think it would be pertinent to see how the teams match up against one another at each position.

Let's start with the Offense.

Quarterback: Cleo Lemon (TOR) vs. Kevin Glenn (HAM)

Is this even up for discussion? I can't think of one person who watches the CFL that would put Cleo Lemon in the same class as Kevin Glenn.

Glenn had better stats than Lemon in every major statistical category in 2010. Glenn had more TD passes (33 to 15), more passing yards (5,102 to 3,433), a higher completion percentage (64.5 to 61.7), fewer interceptions (17 to 19) and a better QB rating (97.6 to 78.1).

Shall I continue or shall I just leave this as is and move on? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

Running Back: Cory Boyd (TOR) vs. DeAndra' Cobb (HAM)

Cory Boyd came into this season a complete unknown. He will exit this season a star. Boyd led the league in rushing for most of the season, only ceding the crown to Fred Reid because Boyd did not play in the final week. Boyd has been great all year, despite being the one player every team must contain in order to beat the Argos. The only team so far to do so... the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Cobb's season got off to a rough start, but he showed flashes of his 2009 self in a few games this season. Cobb has been consistently inconsistent. He also has a problem holding on to the football, as fumbles and dropped passes have been his Achilles' heel all season.

Advantage: Argonauts

Receivers: Jeremaine Copeland... not much else (TOR) vs. Arland Bruce III, Dave Stala, Marquay McDaniel, Maurice Mann (HAM)

The disparity here comes from Lemon's inability in the passing game versus Glenn's mastery of it.

The Argos are pretty much Jeremaine Copeland and a whole lot of nothing. Chad Owens has had some good weeks, but he does most of his damage on Special Teams, not on offense. Spencer Watt had a big game in Week 19 against Montreal, but how much can be taken from that? Brandon Rideau? Mike Bradwell? Reggie McNeal? Please.

On the other side, Hamilton sports the best set of pass catchers East of the prairies. Bruce continues to produce at an All-Star level, while Stala is as clutch as they come, especially on second down. McDaniel, in only his second year, has blossomed into a very good player, and Mann, who has had his ups and downs, has put together a couple of good games this season, especially his Week 19 performance against BC.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

Offensive Line: Rob Murphy, Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, Dominic Picard, Taylor Robertson, Chris Van Zeyl (TOR) vs. Alexandre Gauthier, Peter Dyakowski, Marwan Hage, Simeon Rottier, Jason Jimenez

On the offensive side of the football, this is a pretty even matchup. The Argos line paved the way for Boyd to have a great season. The passing game sputtered, but that wasn't the line's fault. They gave Lemon a lot of time to make plays; he just made poor decisions.

The Tiger-Cats line allowed a league-low 26 sacks all season, and also had their RB rush for over 1,000. Glenn also had perhaps his best season because he was able to stay upright.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats (but only slightly)

Overall
The Cats have a huge advantage at Quarterback and Receiver, but only a slight one on the Offensive Line. The only area, at least offensively, that the Argos have the advantage over the Cats is at Running Back.

Advantage: Tiger-Cats

Choose the Music

"Enter Sandman" or "Lose Yourself"?

"Thunderstruck" or "Another One Bites the Dust"?

Those are just four of the 11 options that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Y108 have provided fans to choose which song the Tiger-Cats will enter Ivor Wynne Stadium to on Sunday for the East Division Semi-Final.

Voting runs from now until Thursday, November 11th at 5:00PM. After that the 11 songs will be reduced to the four most popular choices. Voting will then reopen for the final four songs, with the song that gets the most votes being played as the Tiger-Cats get ready to step out onto the field to take apart on the Toronto Argonauts.

Here are all 11:

1. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
2. "Uprising" by Muse
3. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
4. "Right Here, Right Now" by Fatboy Slim
5. "Let's Go" by Trick Daddy
6. "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
7. "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith
8. "Sirius" by Alan Parsons Project
9. "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen
10. "Lose Yourself" by Eminem
11. "For Those About to Rock" by AC/DC

A lot of good songs and a lot of songs that personally get my blood pumping. I've got to go with Enter Sandman, though. There is just something about that song that gets me all riled up and ready to fight. It's the perfect song, as far as I am concerned, to hear before kickoff.

Playoff Tickets

Click Picture to Purchase Tickets (On Sale at 9AM)

If you haven't got your playoff ticket yet because you are not a season-ticket holder, you won't have to wait long before picking one up.

In less than seven hours (9AM EST) tickets for the East Division Semi-Final will go on sale to the public. I can't imagine that playoff tickets... against the Argos... at Ivor Wynne Stadium... will last very long.

Go out and get your tickets. Let's sell that sucker out and show that Steeltown is also a football town.

It's Argos-Cats; what else could you ask for?

East Semi-Final is at Ivor Wynne Stadium

Thanks to the Montreal Alouettes, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will host the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division Semi-Final.

A playoff game between the Argos and Cats at Ivor Wynne. Does it get any better than that?

Bring on the Argos!

Well folks, it is official.

On November 14th, the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats will play in the East Division Semi-Final. This is the first time that these two teams will play each other in the playoffs since 2004. The only thing left to be decided is where the game will be played. One more Tiger-Cat win or Argonaut loss means the game is at Ivor Wynne. If the Cats don't win again and the Argos don't lose, the game is at the Rogers Centre SkyDome.

The Cats have beaten the Argos in all three matchups so far in 2010, each by a larger margin than the game before, culminating with a 30-3 beatdown in Toronto just eight days ago. I can think of no better playoff matchup.

As the title suggests, BRING ON THE ARGOS!