Same Old, Same Old
As I write this, it
is the one-year anniversary of the start of the Tiger-cats’ 2007 season, a
season that started badly, with a 37-9 loss in Calgary. Since that day, there
have been many changes in the organization: a new president; a new general
manager; several new assistant coaches, including a new offensive coordinator
and a new defensive coordinator; a number of new players, most notably a
highly-touted former league MVP at quarterback.
With so much new, how
could it possibly be the same old story?
A lot of people
expected Hamilton to win their first game of 2008, and I was one of them. Not
just because I’m a fan (and admittedly a bit of a homer) but because of all the
obstacles their opponents were facing. Their head coach has no Canadian
football experience, at any level, in any capacity. Their best receiver and
their best running back were out with injuries. Their aging quarterback hasn’t
played since October, and has been preoccupied by things other than football
this past off-season.
And yet, there it is:
an almost carbon copy of last year’s score. A 33-10 loss at the hands of the
Alouettes. What the scoreboard doesn’t show is that Tre Smith’s 75-yard
touchdown run with just over four minutes left in the game -- when the outcome
was already determined and Montreal’s defence was more concerned about a deep
pass than a draw play -- gave the score what modicum of respectability it
holds.
I know Hamilton will
not win every game, and in fact a .500 season may be a bit optimistic. I knew
that before Thursday’s game, and I’m even more sure of it now. But after three
straight last-place finishes and one playoff appearance in the last six years,
I demand some improvement. The team did little to ease the pain of their dismal
on-field performance when they raised the price of my season tickets. Like many
people, I considered my options before swallowing the cost, and asked only one
thing in return: some indication that things will be better this year.
What did I see? I saw
a team that didn’t manage a first down until eight and a half minutes into the
second quarter. I saw a team that turned the ball over three times, without
getting any in return. I saw a team that not only managed just two sacks, but
got very little pressure on a quarterback that spent most of last season on his
back. I saw a team that allowed their opponents to register four sacks of their
own. I saw a team that was penalized twelve times for over 100 yards. I saw
dropped passes, and questionable play selection. I saw sloppy tackling, and
blown coverages.
In short, I saw the
same stuff I saw last year. That explains why I felt like I wasn’t watching the
first game of the 2008 season, but the nineteenth game of 2007. Even the
post-game comments -- a lot of “this is a new team” and “it’s going to take
time to gel” and “people need to be patient” -- sounds a lot like the
soundtrack of the ’07 campaign.
Did I see anything
positive? Yes, I did. Casey Printers completed 71% of his passes, with an
average gain of 9.6 yards per attempt and 13.5 yards per completion. All of
these numbers are actually better than Calvillo’s. The Cats didn’t throw a
touchdown pass, but neither did they throw any interceptions, which is an
improvement over last year’s squad.
On the whole, I doubt
that Thursday’s game was the best this team is capable of playing. Of course
they will have some bad games over the course of the year, but I believe they
are too good not to have some good ones as well. Whether they will make the
playoffs, or win half of their games, or even win more than they did last
season, only time will tell. But time is not something that this team has in
abundance. Their next game is Thursday in Toronto, where Hamilton has been
unable to procure a regular-season win for several years. Then the Saskatchewan
Roughriders at home next week, and off to Calgary in Week Four. An 0-4 start is
not out of the question, but what is out of the question is whether the fans
will put up with it.
The fans have been
patient with this team for years now -- more patient than most teams’ fans
would be in the same situation -- but patience in the stands is wearing thin.
Bob Young is tired of throwing money away on free and discounted tickets; and I
completely understand his point. But the fans who are paying for tickets are
tired of throwing their money away on a team that has provided little in terms
of on-field entertainment for some time. Look at the facts: the numbers are
dwindling, with just over 20,000 at Thursday’s game. A thunderstorm in the
forecast didn’t help, but it would be silly to allege that it was the sole
reason for the drop in numbers.
They say the higher ticket
prices will result in increased revenue, and not being privy to their account
books I can’t dispute that. Bob Young insists the increase was for the sake of
the fans, who were angered at the fact that people sitting next to them paid
little or nothing. I have one question for Mr. Young: How much better do those
people feel now that they are paying more money to keep those people out?