The Biggest Week in Canadian Football This Year

This weekend is a big weekend in the world of Canadian Football. Not only is the Canadian Football League having it's 99th Grey Cup, but the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, the highest collegiate sport league in Canada, is also having it's football championship, the Vanier Cup. The Vanier Cup is on Friday and the Grey Cup is on Sunday, both at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver. Here's the preview of both games.

Vanier Cup 2011
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The Vanier Cup is going to be played between #4 McMaster Marauders and #1 Lavel Rouge et Or. The McMaster Marauders are based out of Hamilton have appeared in the Cup only once in 1967 and lost it by 1. Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek is in his 6th season. Starting QB Kyle Quinlan throws an average of 341.6 yards per game, which leads the league. 



Lavel Rouge et Or are located in Quebec City and have won their 6 appearances in the Vanier Cup. Every win has come since 1999, including last year's cup. They are led by head coach Glen Constantin, who is his 11th season.  Last year's Ted Morris Memorial Trophy (Vanier Cup MVP), RB Sebastien Levesque is the team's leading rusher with 117.7 years per game.



The 99th Grey Cup is going to have East Division Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-8) and West Division Champion BC Lions (11-7). Both were regular season division winners. Winnipeg beat the Hamilton Tigers 19-3 and BC beat the Edmonton Eskimos 40-23 to reach the Grey Cup. 

99th Grey Cup
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Winnipeg has a star filled defense. Jovon Johnson led the league with 8 interceptions and fellow DB Jonathon Hefney tied for 2nd with 6. DE Odell Willis had 13 sacks, tied for the league lead. Fellow D-Lineman Kenny Mainor and Jason Vega are also in the top 10 in sacks.

Blue Bombers base their offense on the run. With 2010 All-Star Fred Reid out, the Blue Bombers leading rusher is Chris Garrett. Garrett had rushed for 190 yards vs. Hamilton on 29 carries for an average of 6.6 yards. QB Buck Pierce threw for 3348 yards during the regular season.


BC is the opposite of Winnipeg, they are a passing offense, led by the Quarterback-Receiver combo of Travis Lulay (QB) and Geroy Simon (SB). Lulay threw for 4,815 yards, 2nd only to Anthony Calvillo. Simon caught 1,350 yards also 2nd in the league. SB Shawn Gore (836 receiving yards), SB Arland Bruce (755 yds), and WR Akeem Foster (593 yds) are other top wideouts. 


The Lions defense is led by LB Soloman Elimimian, who came in 2nd in the league with 98 tackles. DE Keron Williams had 11 sacks, which is tied for 3rd. Ryan Phillips and Dante Marsh led the team in picks with 4.

BC Place Stadium
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The stadium that plays home for both events is BC Place Stadium, which is in Vancouver, British Columbia. Opening in 1983 and renovated last year, BC Place is home to the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver has has hosted 14 Grey Cups, 7 at BC Place, 7 at Empire Stadium. They last Cup to be played at BC Place was the 93rd Grey Cup, 6 years ago. The Vanier Cup has never been played in Vancouver. 


Here are my predictions:


VANIER CUP: Lavel Rouge et Or 38-McMaster Marauders 28


GREY CUP: BC Lions 35-Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31

MLB Will Drastically Change With New Labor Agreement and Astros Sale

Major League Baseball announced that they have a verbal agreement with the Players Union on a new labor agreement. Unlike the NFL and NBA, there was no lockout, lost games, or other bad stuff. There was not even a thought of a lockout. The labor contract is for five years, which would give MLB and MLBPA 20+ years of labor peace. The new deal also has some new ideas that will change the sport. Also, the recent sale of the Astros fits hand in hand with the news of the labor deal.

Interleague Play Logo
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First, is the sale of the Astros. MLB approved the sale of Houston to businessman Jim Crane, with the condition that the Astros move from the NL Central to the AL West. This move could happen as early as the 2013 season. This will give the AL and NL 15 teams. The NL Central will have 5 teams instead of 6 and the AL west will also have 5 teams instead of 4. The Astros have been part National League since 1962 when they came into the league with the Mets. With 15 teams in each league, MLB decided Interleague Play will extend through out the whole season. Interleague Play began in 1997. An American League team usually played 18 Interleague games while a National League team could play from 18 games to 12 games. 


Second, is the labor deal. As part of the labor deal, MLB has decided to add another Wild Card team, in both the the AL and NL, for the playoffs. That will make 5 playoff teams in both league, 3 division winners and the 2 wild card teams. The 2 wild card teams will  face off in a winner takes all, 1 game playoff. Other big parts of the deal are, restraint on money spent on players from the draft and on international amateur free agents, luxury tax on high pay roll teams, and there will be a lower percentage of free agents who's former team will receive the highest form of draft pick compensation. 


Also discussed was idea of 15 team leagues with no divisions.

In my mind the idea of the Astros switching leagues is an OK idea. I like that every division will have 5 teams. However,the idea of all-season interleague saddens me a little. I also loved when interleague was played. It was something I looked forward to. The idea of another wild card is a good idea. I think the extra wild card will add more suspense. The idea of the 15 team, no division leagues, is unique. I don't like it because I like how the alignment it is now.