The Corbett Report, October 25, 2014

Introduction

 What a week!

Kudos to Prime Minister Harper for not only attending the pre-game ceremonies at the Ottawa game on Friday but also for changing out of his suit and taking his seat in the stands and hanging in until the end of the game. After this past week I’m thinking it would have been pretty easy to just call it a week and head back to 22 Sussex.

Sports and politics are often an awkward marriage, particularly when those in the sporting world try and draw parallels to struggles in the real world, but tonight’s opening of the Ottawa game was genuine and sincere. Good on the CFL, and good on our Prime Minister. If Michael Zehal-Bibeau wanted to shatter the resolve of Canadian society, I think he missed the mark.

I’m also thinking that if that PM of Canada has season tickets to Ottawa then I should run for office. I have lots of experience, in watching football teams repeatedly lose at home.

Welcome to week 18. Welcome to the Corbett Report.

Standings (after game 1 this week)

 

WEST
Team	Wins	Losses	Pts	For	Against	Streak
Calgary	13	2	26	425	286	3 Wins
Edmonton	11	5	22	438	313	2 Win
Sask	9	7	18	348	384	4 Losses
BC	8	7	16	333	272	1 Win
Winnipeg	6	10	12	356	440	7 Losses
EAST
Team	Wins	Losses	Pts	For	Against	Streak
Montreal	8	8	16	328	351	5 Wins
Hamilton	7	8	14	330	329	1 Win
Toronto	6	9	12	387	410	1 Loss
Ottawa	2	14	4	248	408	3 Losses

 

So do the math. The Bombers, to make the playoffs have to finish 4^th in the West and do the cross over thingy. How could that happen? First, they have to beat BC tonight. Then they have to beat Calgary next week. BC has to lose to Edmonton and Calgary the next two weeks. All of that is perhaps possible. But THEN, Toronto has to win only one more game. They play, Hamilton, Toronto and then Ottawa. So that could be a thing too. All in all, I think it’s pretty much a given….Calgary vs. Winnipeg in the Grey Cup. It’s also a given that Doug Ford will be the next mayor of Toronto, but you’ll have to visit www.thingsthatjustdontcometrue.com for more on that.

 The Game

 The final home game of the season sees the Bombers coming in on a 7 game losing streak. That’s the bad news. The good news? No beer lineups!

Interesting turn of events at running back this week. Bombers cut Grigsby and he signs with Hamilton. Meanwhile, last year’s Bomber star RB Will Ford is cut by Saskatchewan. Bombers know how to pick em.

Meanwhile, after two weeks of woeful production wherein the Bomber opponents end zones resembled Goshen, the Bombers showed some life last week. A rally by both back up Bomber QB’s brought the Bombers within 3 of the Stamps before Jon Cornish did what Jon Cornish does and buried the Bombers. Fortunately the Lion’s don’t have a Conish. So the question is, would last week’s rally have occurred if Willy was still in…..hmmmmmmm

For the Bomber’s to win this week:

•  Try and keep the Lion’s to less than 1,200 yards of rushing
• Keep Willy upright (The Bombers are the worst in the league at protecting their QB)
• Maybe those quick boys can gain a few pounds and pressure the Lion’s QB

The Lion’s are coming off of a 41-3  win against Ottawa two weeks ago (bye last week) and have gotten remarkably stingy on offense. Their D-Line could have a field day against the Bombers O-Line which on any given day alternates it’s protection somewhere between Swiss cheese and sponge toffee.

For the Lion’s to win:

•  4 sacks or more
• 100 yards rushing
• score early

The prediction

CALL CNN—–BREAKING NEWS—– The Bombers are not a good football team! But they’re not so bad that’ll lose 8 in a row are they? Let’s go with that. Reminisce to the 1988 Grey Cup

 

Bombers 23   Lions 22

Elsewhere?

Montreal over Ottawa

Calgary over Sask

Hamilton over Toronto