TrueBlue4ever

Mosca was promoting a book at the time, so there are rumours that this was staged. And neither player has ever confirmed or denied it when it has been brought up.

Dedman alone is worth the price of admission. Not much else has been in Ottawa this year. Dinwiddie showing some warts as a rookie HC. Bad clock management last week and an unchallengeable challenge this week. Experience will sort that stuff out.

I include this image not to poke fun, but rather because it encapsulates a lot of the player and the man in one clip. And like the clip and the full story, there was more to the man than meets the eye. I will honestly say i was never a fan of Angelo Mosca, and I don’t feel bad saying that upon his death. Angelo himself would not be offended, he probably would have chuckled and been proud that he could still garner such an opinion, because everything about him was to make an impression, to be memorable, whatever you thought of him. As a player, he was a beast, appearing in a record 9 Grey Cups and earning 5 rings. But he was also one the original “dirtiest player around” candidates in football. His late out of bounds hit on BC’s Willie Fleming knocked the star running back out of the 1963 Grey Cup and changed the course of the whole game. Mosca was also a mouthy guy, the kind of player you would love if he was on your team but also the guy you would hate if he was an opponent. In part because he was so good. As I was just a bit too young to see him as a player, I first became familiar with him as a pro wrestler. And there is likely where a lot of the hate came in, as he revelled in playing the heel. Then I went back to his playing career, already influenced by my dislike of the “King Kong Mosca” persona, and every thing I took into account about his style of play in hindsight served as confirmation bias that he was a dirty SOB. Plus, he was a Tiger Cat, the mortal enemy of the Blue Bombers. So when I saw the Joe Kapp beat down, it made me smile. Mosca again the heel, refusing the peace offering and swinging a cane at a guy. Then getting knocked on his ass. FAFO. Nice revenge for the dirty hit in ‘63. But in between that I saw the guy who did charity work, was a tireless devotee, promoter and champion of the CFL after his playing days were done, and was an outgoing gregarious character with a great sense of humour. So it made my relationship with this “enemy” more complicated. A lot of my childhood assumptions about fandom and love and hate of players got a harsh reality check. I have been told I am overprotective of players, and someone like Mosca is part of the reason why. I frequently remind myself that behind the jersey, behind the number is a human being just trying to keep a temp job where being fired or injured for life is just a play away, all the while having to deal with indignant fans who hate your guts because of the colour of your uniform or what you do in your worst moment rather than because of who you are. And who just wants to perform, to entertain. One footnote to the Joe Kapp scrap. Mosca sold the cane from that incident at an auction for just under $8,000, and donated the money to the CFL Alumni Association to help former players in financial distress. Once again defying my expectations. So farewell to Angelo Mosca, a giant of a player and a giant of a man. You will not be forgotten.

We’re always one loss away from it.

If you haven’t yet, go buy a poppy to wear to the game tonight, and even more so when you see a military personnel or veteran, walk up, shake their hand, and thank them for what they have given this country.

That Maurice, what a bum!

Easier to not hear the homerism when the team is lousy. Give it time. I’m sure once the Elks get better the fan base here will hear homerism in every comment.

First time since 2015 that there won’t be a crossover.

Are Bomber fans that insecure that this stuff bothers them?

Just checked the jersey schedule. Regular homes tonight, but will wear the heritage for 4 straight games starting on Tuesday against St. Louis.

Comrie with the start tonight. Not sure but looking at practice they may be going with the blue Heritage (now official 3rd) jersey tonight.

And the Larks have the Bombers. Horsemen with the bye.

Any indication who these players are? It is their private health information, but if they want to take such a principled stand then maybe they should put their names behind it.

Hellebuyck’s agent is from Steinbach, and Hellebuyck is connected to a minor hockey team there.

I thought the baby was born in Winnipeg.

Guessing they want to give Bucky a bit more time off? With a back-to-back Friday -Saturday Conroe was likely to play one of them anyway. Might as well be against the Hawks and save Helle for Saturday against the Isles. Hopefully it is not more serious than that.

Hoping the Riders do just enough against the sad sack (L)k’s to claim second place over Calgary. Facing the Riders in the West final is so much better for us than Calgary I am willing to root for them in the short term.

The Vegas cap next year with Eichel is at $78.75 million for 11 players under contract. The cap ceiling is $81.5 million and not likely to go up with all the financial losses the last 2 years. So expect some big moves to shed salary or a Tampa Bay style LTIR play. But can’t see them rostering 14 players for the season to fit under the cap. Other teams would be well-served to force Vegas’ hand and demand hold back of a portion of any traded player’s salary. Vegas will continue to win these trade wars if other teams keep bailing them out on other trades and don’t make them deal with all these big salaries they keep amassing.

So when does Bobby Hull get crossed off for his pro-Hitler views or his wife beating? How about Craig McTavish for his impaired vehicular homicide?

Sorry that should have read “and” and not “NDP” (stupid autocorrect a clearly I have spent too much time in the Politics thread). I have no idea who the players are and what their current playing status is. I agree that all should vaccinate for their and their teammates’ safety. And the conversation is often different when it is our team vs another team on the same issue.

Actually they would play on the West final. The vaccine mandate is only about travel for the CFL, so since it is a home game they would be allowed to play. It would only affect the Grey Cup.

Irving tweeted that he was a spectator today along with Harris. Just got a bad vibe from Irving mentioning them together, like he is going to be gone for a long time.

Let’s not forget that the Bombers have an unvaccinated player NDP one with only one shot, who according to Mike is a “star”. Would you cut Collaros right now if it was him, or Willie J?