Some things change, and some things stay the same... The Rebels and Sun offered up a whale of a game, the Broncos lost in Nanaimo and the Rams went into Chilliwack and proved they are kings of the Fraser Valley. Come to think of it, some things just stay the same.
Monday Musings with Week 2 in the rear-view mirror.
I watched most of the Huskers/Rams game on BCFVTV, and the production by VBN is outstanding BTW, and thanks to them for also standing in to handle the Raiders home game as well. As for the Huskers showing against their "down the highway" rival? While the score was lopsided in the Rams favour, there was a lot of kick back from the home side and the game was a lot closer than the score indicated. The Huskers aren’t there yet, but they definitely can’t be taken lightly.
Rams receiver Jevon Cottoy had a whale of a game and I’d be surprised if he isn’t the BC Lions offensive POW this week, coincidently the Lions already have their eyes on him as a territorial protected player now that he is in the BCFC after joining Rams head coach Matt Blokker via the Calgary Colts. He’s a huge target for the Rams QB and will physically manhandle every defensive back in the conference.
I have never talked to him, but he seems a like pretty focused young man as well, at least judging from his on field composure. While he did get tossed from last week’s game against the Rebels after getting in a tussle with a Rebels player, I wondered at the time why both players involved were removed from the game. Although both players had a hold of each other’s facemasks, Cottoy didn’t appear to throw a punch, unlike his Rebels counterpart did, and even stayed pretty cool when his helmet was pulled off his head. I’m not passing judgement on the Rebel’s player who was apparently more than remorseful for his actions, but the way Cottoy held his composure was impressive.
Cottoy will be a Conference all-star and CJFL All Canadian this year.
While the Huskers showed well in their loss yesterday, the same can’t be said of the Kamloops Broncos unfortunately. A bad call went against them early when it appeared the Raiders fumbled the ball on the Broncos 1-yard line in the 1st quarter. The referees over ruled the fumble and the Raiders scored two plays later. I wondered at the time if that call would come back to haunt the Broncos but this one wasn’t even close. The 42-0 score could have been worse if the Raiders didn’t suffer from a team’s usual 2nd half lull after taking a 35-0 lead to half time.
Kamloops appears in for a long season and will likely be looking at this year as a character builder as they grow for 2019. Time will tell how they improve this year, but the first two weeks have to be frustrating.
Every offense in the BCFC is in for a long day when they the take on the Rebels or Sun defence this year. If you believe at all in the old adage that defence wins championships you won’t be able to imagine the Cullen Cup not involving the 24 players who compose these two groups. Although I am guessing the Langley Rams defence is imagining differently.
Has the Okanagan Sun ever been held to 0 yards passing in a half? That’s what happened Saturday night once starting quarterback Jacob Loucks didn’t return after half-time and back-up Matthew Mahler went 0-5. Not that Loucks fared much better in going 5 of 17 for 48 yards in the first half.
The Rebels defence looks as good as advertised. No way do the Rebels and Sun D not take their clubs to a Cullen Cup battle. Did I say that already?
The Rebels defence "Is not what I thought it was."
Not to take anything away from the Rebels coaches and playmakers, but did they benefit from a tactical error on the part of their opponent for a second straight week? Last Saturday I questioned the Rams decision as to what side of the field they were on.
Saturday morning, the Sun boarded a bus for the long drive and ferry ride to the island, the club has come and gone from the policy of busing in the night before vs a day in/day out trip. Back in the 1990’s when the BCFC was their private playground and the Victoria Payless and Sharks were their whipping boys it was a normal thing for the Sun to jump off the bus, put 60 points on the board and drive back up the Coquihalla barely breaking a sweat.
In recent years, the Sun has gone with both options, like all junior football teams mindful of the extra expense of an over-night trip. I don’t know if the day trip affected the Sun players’ effort this weekend, it’s easy to argue that it should be no issue for 18-22 year old fit males.
Travel is a question the Sun have pondered in the past and one I wonder if they will again this week.
Notable performances this week
Far be it from me to question the financial decisions of the CJFL (cough, cough 2 straight years of money draining interlocking regular season games aside). But can someone tell me why the regional rep of the Ontario Football Conference, George Thomson was at the Westshore/Okanagan game at the expense of the CJFL? Anyone with knowledge of how the CJFL finances work will tell you the national body has for years been one bad year from not having the funds to put on a national championship. The dues the CJFL clubs across the country pay to belong to the national body are not chump change, but a necessary expense to keep the league thriving, if not surviving.
Two years ago, the CJFL moved to a governance model that sees a majority of decisions on how the league operates and spends money moved from the member teams to a system of three regional reps (1 per conference) as well as the CJFL Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. This year those reps decided it would be a good idea for the regional reps to make regular season trips across country to see how other Conferences and teams operate. This has me shaking my head just a bit, and I’d argue there isn’t anything we can’t learn from our colleagues across the country through regular, open lines of communication and video conferences can’t accomplish.
Should we be learning what strengths and weaknesses teams and conferences work with? Should we share our challenges and ideas? Should we have face to face meetings? Absolutely we should, that's what the Annual General Meeting at the Canadian Bowl is for.
Earlier this year, the CJFL held a conference call for all teams to discuss media and marketing, a terrific idea. Unfortunately not a single team from the OFC was on the line, nor does the conference have a website or Facebook page that we can find.
I could have saved the CJFL air fare and hotel expenses and suggested the OFC start by working on its media presence to grow its visibility among high school players and coaches before anything else
If we are going to spend extra flight and hotel dollars, lets pay for more than 40 players to travel and dress in national championship games. This would increase opportunity for home and visiting players to play in a Canadian Bowl. Pay for two more travelling players, this allows two more home players as well.
This provides opportunity for 4 more of our players. Aren’t the players why we are doing this after-all?
Game of the week
Matt Blokker returning with his new club the Langley Rams to Caledonia Park to battle his old team, the VI Raiders?
No truth to the rumor that ESPN plans to cover this one, but they should.
Musings does not represent the views of the BCFC or its member teams
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