Ticats Report—Week 13

I suppose that I could say that there are positive things the Tiger-cats can take out of the game at Rogers Centre on Saturday. It was the most points they have scored in three weeks, and the fewest they have allowed in over a month.


They were in the game right to the end, and even had the lead in the final minute. They moved the ball well against what is supposed to be one of the best defences in the CFL. They prevented professional football’s all-time leading passer from reaching their end zone.

If this were July, and the team were 0-2, I would say all those things, and go into great detail about the fantastic season we have ahead of us. But in September, with the team now at 2-11, it’s simply another loss. Another nail in the coffin of the 2006 season. In spite of all the good things that may be said about that game, the Tiger-cats turned the ball over five times - the twenty-second in the past three games - and once again failed to score a touchdown. More importantly, they failed to win a game, and to make matters worse, lost another one to the hated Argos.

It is one of the quirky things about the CFL that this team is still not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs; however, the kind of mathematics required to get this team into the post-season would make Blaise Pascal’s head spin. A crossover into the Western Division playoffs would be rendered impossible with just one more Hamilton loss or one more Saskatchewan win; and making the post-season in the East is only slightly more likely. With just five games remaining in their schedule, the Tiger-cats must win four games more than Winnipeg wins in their final six, including the game against the Bombers. If Winnipeg wins just one game, Hamilton must win all of theirs. If the Bombers win just two games - or just the game against Hamilton - Tiger-cat players can book their flights home in late October.

But even if Hamilton manages a minor miracle and finishes third in the Eastern Division, they would still need to win two more than Edmonton wins in their last seven in order to prevent losing their playoff spot to the Eskimos.

What are the chances that all these things will come to pass? There’s a greater likelihood that I’ll be struck by lightning - twice - on my way to cash in my winning lottery ticket.

So what should this team do now? The only sensible move for them to make is to forget about trying to get into the playoffs. Start building for next year right now. Decide which players will be back next year. Bring in new players to replace the others, and design a game plan around them. We have the luxury of an extended pre-season: five extra games, months before anyone else has even begun to think about 2007.

The most important thing for this team to do for the remainder of the year is entertain their fans. Those of us who made a three-year season ticket commitment when Bob Young bought the team will be asked shortly to renew that pledge, and I know that a lot of people will think long and hard about it. Not based on the win-loss record, but based on the fact that watching the Tiger-cats play this season has been a chore. In order to keep the fans that have supported them these past few years, they need to increase the interest level for the remainder of the season. Maybe throw in a few gadget plays to keep everyone guessing. If they work, great. If not, at least you’ve got the fans on the edge of their seats.

And maybe back in those seats next year.