Looking Ahead to the CFL Player Awards

Though the annual CFL Player Awards are the last thing on the minds of Canadian Football fans right now, it is never too early to look ahead and ponder who will be the top performers of the year. With all the moves of the off-season passed, we can better digress who may shine for their respective team.

In a league packed with star players and rising stars, which players will outperform everyone else. Who will be named the Defensive Player of the Year? Which rookie will be named the Rookie of The Year? And will a player other than a quarterback win the Most Outstanding Player Award.

Here is my take on who will win each award:

Outstanding Player

There are always a lot of players to consider when predicting who will win the Outstanding Player of the Year Award. Quarterbacks always seem to be favoured to win this coveted award and there are no shortages of options to pick.

Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray always put up MOP calibre numbers. Last years finalists Anthony Calvillo and Henry Burris could also very well compete for the award.

It may well be a running back who claims the hardware. Joffrey Reynolds is fresh off winning the rushing title and should continue to be strong behind a rejuvenated offensive line. Wes Cates and Avon Coburne will also be two running backs to watch for.

But for my prediction I am not picking a running back or a quarterback. This of course leaves wide receivers. Jamal Richardson, Geroy Simon, Ben Cahoon and Weston Dressler are just a few of the talented receivers to watch for.

My pick however, is BC slotback Paris Jackson. Paris Jackson is a wildcard pick, but he is one of the rising stars in the league and should see more passes thrown his way with the departure of Jason Clermont.

Throw in the fact that BC has no proven running game and defenders seem to key on Geroy Simon, and Paris Jackson could be the bright light on the Lions.

Outstanding Defensive Player

Cameron Wake, had he not bolted to the NFL, would have been the favourites to capture this award once again. As it stands, there are plenty of players who will compete hard to win the award.

Unlike Wake however, I don’t believe that another defensive lineman will win the award because no lineman rely stood out all that much beside Cameron Wake. Doug Brown got nominated last year out of the East, but I believed his nomination was questionable.

A few defensive players to watch for this season would be defensive backs Chris Thompson, Baron Miles and Jason Goss. In the line backing core, look for Toronto linebacker Zeke Moreno who will likely make a big impact for the Argos defense, and Calgary’s Mike Labinjo who is one of the rising stars on defense.

My pick is Edmonton middle linebacker Maurice Lloyd. Though it was a tough pick, I believe that Lloyd could potentially have a huge impact on the Eskimos defense. Maurice Lloyd was considered to be the second choice to Cameron Wake last year for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The only question mark to Maurice Lloyd winning the award is whether or not signing a large contract will affect his play. But, question marks aside, Lloyd has proven to be a menacing middle linebacker and should continue his success with the Eskimos.

Outstanding Canadian Award

Last year, much improved player Kamau Peterson claimed the Outstanding Canadian Award, who will win it this year?

Peterson may in fact be a logical choice to repeat. Edmonton will likely rely on him even more in the passing game and he does catch passes from Rick “Amazing” Ray. You could also make a strong case for last years runner up Ben Cahoon, who always catches a lot of passes.

My pick is Saskatchewan slotback Andy Fantuz. Fantuz has had some recent injury problems which have prevented him from reaching his full potential. But I believe Andy Fantuz is due for a breakout year. With Weston Dressler and Jason Clermont to complement him in the receiving core, Fantuz should face less double teams then he would have last season.

Outstanding Offensive Lineman

Let’s be honest, talking about offensive lineman is about as interesting as rearranging a shoe drawer. However, the award does exist and the competition is usually fierce… fiercer than two linemen fighting for the last chicken wing at a buffet.

Rob Murphy has claimed the award before, but will his success drop playing for the woeful Toronto Argonauts? Gene Makowsky and Scott Flory were both nominated last year, but will their age hurt their chances?

My pick is Hamilton offensive lineman Alexandre Gauthier. It is really hard to pick which lineman will outperform the other, especially without knowing whose running game will perform the best.

Gauthier is a talented offensive lineman and is part of a rejuvenated Tiger Cat offensive line. With running backs Kenton Keith and Terry Caulley running behind him, Gauthier could have a chance to impress the voters.

Outstanding Rookie of the Year Award

There are a number of enticing options this year for the rookie of the year award. Usually offensive linemen don’t seem to win the award, which may change this year as there are a number of solid ones.

My initial thought was to select Jamal Lee, but he may not even see the CFL this season. Other players that crossed my mind were lineman Simon Rottier and slotback Matt Carter.

My pick is Toronto defensive lineman Étienne Légaré. Légaré was viewed as one of the more talented players in the draft and could make an immediate impact to the Argos defensive line.

Of course, there is always the possibility of a player coming in from the states winning the award, like Roughrider receiver Weston Dressler.

Outstanding Special Teams Player

With last years winner Dominique Dorsey gone to the NFL, this years award is really up in the open.

The award could very likely go to a kicker such as Sandro Deangellis, Luca Congi or Noel Prefontaine. Look for return specialist Ian Smart to also garner some consideration.

My pick is Saskatchewan kicker Luca Congi. Congi has improved ever since he got into the league and has developed into a solid kicker. Congi will be challenged by Sandro Deangellis for the award.

Recap

Outstanding Player: Paris Jackson

Outstanding Defensive Player: Maurice Lloyd

Outstanding Canadian Award: Andy Fantuz

Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Alexandre Gauthier

Outstanding Rookie of the Year Award: Étienne Légaré

Outstanding Special Teams Player: Luca Congi

Do you have a magic crystal ball that you can use to look ahead and see what will happen in the upcoming CFL Season? If not, stay tuned for my CFL Team Previews, starting next week for a better idea about how each team will fair in the upcoming season.

CFL: 5 Games You Can't Miss

The fast-paced free agency period is over, and fans can now begin looking forward to training camp and the start of the season.

It has already been an offseason full of excitement and intrigue. In the east, the cellar dweller Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger Cats both improved their rosters through free agency. In the West, Calgary secured their own players while Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and BC shuffled their rosters.

The rapid transactions have created even more anticipation for the upcoming season. There are a few games fan should circle on their calendars for the upcoming season. These are five games that any die-hard fan of the CFL cannot afford to miss:

5. Toronto at Hamilton: Wednesday Jul. 1

While this game may have been a sleeper in past seasons, this year’s installment of the Hamilton-Toronto rivalry could hold some significance. This game, which happens to be the opening game of the season, will give fans a first look at the new look both teams present.

The Tiger Cats went out and strengthened their offensive and defensive lines and secured some of their young stars. Toronto went on a free agent frenzy by adding offensive lineman Rob Murphy and Dominique Picard, linebacker Zeke Moreno and re-signing lead tackler Willie Pile.

This game could be the start of the resurgence of one of these teams. Throw in the fact that Hamilton beat Toronto in three games out of four last year and this Eastern Rivalry will likely be a smashing way to open up the season.

4. Edmonton at Saskatchewan: Saturday Jul. 25

There will be story-lines galore going into Saskatchewan and Edmonton’s first meeting of the season. Always a bitter rivalry, the off-season transactions should make this an even more intense game.

Edmonton Eskimos head coach and Roughriders former defensive coordinator Ritchie Hall will look to make a statement against his former team. Hall won’t be the only former Rider making his return to Saskatchewan. Maurice Lloyd, Scott Gordon and Kitwana Jones were all Roughriders last season. Roughrider’s offensive linemen Joe Mcgrath will also face his former team for the first time.

It is always loud at Taylor Field when Edmonton comes in to town, and with some hard feelings felt at the former players, this Western Showdown should live up to its billing.

3. Calgary at BC: Fri Jul. 24

It always seems to an exciting affair when the Calgary Stampeders meet up with the BC Lions. This growing rivalry should provide another excellent game when the Stampeders travel into BC. Calgarydelivered a number of blows to the Lions last season. They swept the three game series against BC and defeated them in the Western Final. Their win over the Lions in the last game of the season took away home-field advantage from the team.

It will be interesting to see how the new look Lions will fare against the high-powered Stampeders offense. Henry Burris, Joffrey Reynolds, and Kenyon Rambo should provide a challenge for the Lions defense and Mike Labinjo and the improved Stampeders defense will look to shut down the BC offense.

BC may in fact be underdogs going into the game, as they will be without Defensive Player of the Year Cameron Wake, linebackers Jamall Johnson and Otis Floyd, running back Stefan Logan, and offensive lineman Rob Murphy. Yet it the history has told us anything, the underdog sometimes comes out on top.

2. Winnipeg at Saskatchewan: Sun Sep. 6

The Labour Day game between Winnipeg and Saskatchewanis always a classic. The game brings together two of the most loyal fan bases in the CFL for an intense atmosphere. Fans can expect a tough physical game, especially since Winnipeghas not likely forgotten their Grey Cup loss to the Riders in 2007.

The Bombers are definitely a new look team with new head coach Mike Kelley, quarterback Stefan Lefors, and a somewhat depleted offensive line. Saskatchewan is also a different team. Linebackers Anton Mackenzie and Maurice Lloyd have departed and the Rider will field a younger roster.

If you won’t be at the game, be sure to tune into another classic installment in the Saskatchewan-Winnipeg rivalry. The Labour Day game can give a team a push to the postseason, and this game could be the crucial.

1. Calgary at Montreal: Mon Oct. 12

It won’t be the first meeting between these two teams, but this game could prove to be one of the most exciting games of the year. In a Grey Cup rematch, Calgary will travel to the Montreal, the place where they beat Montreal to win the cup last season.

Anthony Calvillo has returned to the Alouttes, perhaps for one more Grey Cup run whereas as the Stamps will look to repeat. Both teams should be ripe with emotion, looking to make a statement. The game also comes near the end of the season, and playoff spots could be on the line. Winning this game could do a lot for both teams’ egos.

So if you are working, traveling abroad, or feeling like spending some time outside, cancel your plans. These upcoming games should prove to be exciting affairs and definitely worth your time.

Where to Connect With Fans of the CFL

It is a question often asked by fans of the CFL. Where is the best place to connect with fellow fans of the Canadian Football League?

Unlike the NFL, or other major professional sports, the Canadian Football League does not have loads of coverage on the Internet.

But there are places fans can go to get the latest news on the CFL, talk with fans and express their opinions on the Canadian Football League.

Of course the first site that comes to mind is http://www.cfl.ca/. This is the homepage for the Canadian Football League and it has improve vastly over the years.

The site is quick to post up any breaking news and they have also added a media section to the site which makes viewing more enjoyable.

The site also displays some columns written by journalists and other people with a knowledge of the Canadian Football League.

There are fan polls, links to the CFL Shop and basically all the stats and facts that you need to know on the CFL. There is also a link to the CFL Blitz newsletter where you can receive news on the CFL.

Another site that focuses on the CFL is http://cfldigest.com/. CFL Digest provides all the latest news on the CFL and insight. Other big sites like tsn, cbc and sportsnet also provide coverage of the Canadian Football League.

Out of these sites, I would recommend tsn.ca, as they provide all the latest news and also are home to columnists such as Duane Forde and Chris Schultz.

There are also a number of fan sites and forums on the web that offer fans of the CFL a great chance to connect with other fans. www.riderfans.com for example is a great site for connecting with fans of the CFL.

Though the site is a Saskatchewan Roughriders forum site, it attracts fans of every team for heated discussions about the Canadian Football League.

The site has improved over the year with news stories added to the front page, video's and they've also added a columns section to the site.

Other team forum site include, www.gostampsgo.com (Calgary Stampeders), www.lionbackers.com (BC Lions), www.ourbombers.com (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), www.esksfans.com (Edmonton Eskimos), http://www.argosfanz.com/ (Toronto Argonauts) and http://www.goalsgo.com/ (Montreal Alouttes).

So while you may not find the coverage on the CFL that other sports get, there are still ample places to discuss the CFL.