The Eskimos entered this game as 12-point favorites, but just 95 seconds into the game they found themselves down by a touchdown.  Things continued to get worse for Edmonton as the Tiger-Cats defense dominated their offense, recording 10 sacks and tying a Grey Cup record by forcing eight turnovers.  Hamilton built their lead to 29-0 by halftime and the game was all but over.

Hamilton quarterback Mike Kerrigan was named the Most Valuable Player on offense, while his teammate, defensive end Grover Covington won the award on defense.  Tiger-Cats kicker Paul Osbaldiston was named Most Valuable Canadian as he booted a Grey Cup record-tying six field goals.

Here is Kerrigan hooking up with Ingram for a touchdown.

Notable Birthdays

Bo Jackson, MLB/NFL – Born November 30th 1962 (age 49) in Bessemer, Alabama

Rich Harden, MLB – Born November 30th 1981 (age 30) in Victoria, British Columbia

Jason Pominville, NHL – Born November 30th 1982 (age 29) in Repentigny, Quebec

Montreal entered the game as heavy favorites, as they went 15-3 in the regular season and they hammered the B.C. Lions 56-18 in the semi-finals.  However, it was the Roughriders who got off to a quick start, building a 17-3 lead by halftime.  The Alouettes cut the lead in half with a touchdown and Saskatchewan responded with a field goal and took a 20-10 lead into the fourth quarter.  Montreal once again clawed their way back and found themselves down by two points with less than a minute remaining.

The Als got themselves into field goal range and after kicker Damon Duval missed the kick, which would have ended the game, the Roughriders were called for too many men on the field, giving him a second chance.  Duval promptly stepped up and made the kick, giving Montreal their first Grey Cup win since 2002.

Here are the final moments of the 2009 Grey Cup.

Notable Birthdays

Dee Brown, NBA – Born November 29th 1968 (age 43) in Jacksonville, Florida

Jamal Mashburn, NBA – Born November 29th 1972 (age 39) in New York City, New York

Brad May, NHL – Born November 29th 1971 (age 40) in Toronto, Ontario

But as exciting as the actual game was, it simply couldn’t live up to the action that the CFL delivered on Friday during their Legends Luncheon, which featured a fight between two 73-year-old former players; Angelo Mosca and Joe Kapp.

While playing against one another during the 1963 Grey Cup, Mosca’s Tiger-Cats came away with a victory over Kapp’s BC Lions, however, many believed Hamilton’s win was largely the result of a cheap hit by Mosca that knocked Lions running back Willie Fleming out of the game.  A replay of the hit was shown during the luncheon.  That was followed by Kapp offering Mosca a flower in an effort to bury the hatchet, but rather then ending their feud, it only seemed to revive it as the two began swinging their fists and canes before eventually being broken apart.

Mosca and the Tiger-Cats may have gotten the better of Kapp and the Lions back in ’63, but it was Kapp who appeared to come away on top of this battle.  It looks like this was an all-around winning weekend for the BC Lions players, both old and new.

Here is a look at the brawl that broke out during the CFL Legends Luncheon.

The Alouettes and Eskimos were the two best teams in the regular season, as they both won their respective divisions with identical 13-5 records to earn a first-round playoff bye.  Montreal would take on the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division final and handled them quite easily, beating them by a 35-18 score.  Edmonton had a tougher time reaching the finals as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers gave them all that they could handle in the West Division final, but in the end the Eskimos prevailed, 33-30.

Montreal got off to a fast start, as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead and were up by 11 at halftime.  They would not look back from there, as their start quarterback Anthony Calvillo would earn Grey Cup MVP honors.

Here is Calvillo hooking up with Woodcock for a 99-yard touchdown.

Notable Birthdays

Oscar Robertson, NBA – Born November 24th 1938 (age 73) in Charlotte, Tennessee

Keith Primeau, NHL – Born November 24th 1971 (age 40) in Toronto, Ontario

Fred Brathwaite, NHL – Born November 24th 1972 (age 39) in Ottawa, Ontario

So as long as those pesky field-goal posts remain in-play, we will continue to see players violently acquaint themselves with them.  The BC Lions’ Korey Banks was the latest to do so during Saturday’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Here it is.

Hat Tip – [Hot Clicks]

The National Football League returned to action as they kicked off their 2011 regular season yesterday, and while their players may be bigger, stronger and faster than those playing in the Canadian Football League, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they hit harder.  Just ask Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce, who was (once again) on the receiving end of a crushing hit from Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Craig Butler that may have very well been the hardest hit administered during yesterday’s North American football action.

Check it out in the video below.

And here is another one, which occurred during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders.  Stamps receiver Romby Bryant had his eyes down field as he was looking to turn a short pass into a long gain, but what his eyes didn’t see was the Riders’ Tristan Jackson, until it was too late.

Here is a look at the thunderous hit.

Pierce was somehow able to remain in the game, despite being decleated and having his helmet knocked off his head.  What is even more impressive is the fact that he was able to lead his team to the 24-16 victory, despite trailing by a score of 16-9 at the time of the hit.

Looks like the Bombers should thank Johnson for delivering a much needed, and awfully painful, wake-up call.

During a tryout for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders at Municipal Stadium on Sunday, a bunch of young bulked-up men gathered around in their Under Armour gear, but there was one fellow who stood out from the crowd.  It had nothing to do with his ability to sprint faster, throw a ball further, or tackle harder than the others.  Instead, Charles Chulada was gaining attention for a much different reason.

At the age of 59, Chulada decided to lace up his cleats and give it one last shot at glory by attending the free one-day camp for the Roughriders in Daytona Beach.  So he found a pair of ripped jeans and an old shirt, hopped on his bike, and peddled his way over to the stadium to try an make a good impression in front of the scouts.

Currently working as a brick mason and a poet, Chulada spent four years playing football and wrestling at Syracuse University between 1969 and 1973.  So what motivated him to make a return to the gridiron?

“I knew I could do it,” Chulada said after running a couple of 40-yard dashes. “I want to put on a helmet and run through a brick wall to show them I can do it.”

Compelling story, but not even the Canadian Football League is desperate enough to sign a 59-year-old man, no matter how many walls this brick mason can build and run through.

Hat Tip – [55 Yard Line]

However, as you are about to witness in this clip, that is not always a good thing.

I may be Canadian, but this clip just reminded me of why I was so glad to see the NFL return to action this weekend.