Latest news with #GreyCup-champion
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Looking at the Calgary Stampeders special start to the season
Article content Those pundits who foreshadowed doom and gloom over the first third of the 2025 Calgary Stampeders schedule are likely scratching their tall foreheads these days … Article content With good reason. Article content It wasn't supposed to play out this well for the Stampeders after two lousy ones amounting to just 11 wins in 36 games. Even the most optimistic fan of the Red and White couldn't have predicted such a sensational start to the year. Article content Article content Especially given what the early-season calendar looked like for a team in massive transition. Article content Article content Thinking back on what has been a 5-1 start to the Canadian Football League campaign under the circumstances, it truly has been phenomenal. Article content But don't tell that to the Stampeders, who remain tunnel-visioned in a commitment to steer clear from over-confidence. Article content 'No reason for us (to get over-confident),' said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. 'You'll get humbled quickly. The key is just don't read too much into when it's bad or when it's good. Article content 'You just try to understand why you're winning, what's helping you succeed and just try to put the foot on the gas just a little bit more each and every week. Article content 'I think our guys can do that.' Article content They'll run with that gameplan again this Thursday, when the 4-2 Montreal Alouettes — the Stamps' fourth straight foe with a winning record — visit McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge), knowing full well they can't rest on their laurels. Article content Article content 'We don't look too far forward, and unfortunately, you really only look back when you're done,' added Dickenson. 'I just think we've got to get better. I think our energy has been good — we've shown up to play every week. We have continually gotten better. Article content 'So that's something that as a team we've got to continue to do.' Article content Article content Let's look back at that, recognizing the adversity they've overcome. Article content • The Week 1 game brought the return of Stampeders legend Bo Levi Mitchell looking to avenge last year's first loss in another uniform at McMahon, with the Red and White themselves fresh off a significant overhaul of the roster in the off-season. Article content A surprisingly convincing win. Article content • The Week 2 affair took them away for their first road contest of the season — another tough first for a still-finding-itself crew — against the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts.
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Staying on the field is top priority for Alouettes receiver Austin Mack
Article content It would be premature to suggest Alouettes receiver Austin Mack was a one-season phenom, but he has been unable to duplicate his outstanding 2023 accomplishments since then. Article content The good news is there's plenty of football left this season. Now all Mack has to do is remain healthy after recurring injury issues. Article content 'It's part of the game,' Mack said this week after a practice at Stade Hébert. 'It's not always about talent. It's always about availability and being on the field. That's the biggest thing about being a pro — being able to manage through those and stay available for the team. Article content Article content 'As good of a player as I may be, if I'm on the sidelines, it's of no help to the team. It's making sure I do the little things, take care of the body and maximize the rest of the season on the field.' Article content Article content Mack, 27, was expected to return Thursday, when the Als met the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM). The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and has struggled to remain healthy the last two seasons. Article content Mack, a former Ohio State Buckeye, arrived in Montreal in 2023 after NFL stints with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. Signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2020, he played 11 games as a rookie, catching nine passes for 91 yards. He was released the following season after being placed on injured reserve. Article content Article content Mack was one of the Als' most exciting players during their 2023 championship run. He had a team-leading 78 catches for 1,154 yards while scoring four touchdowns and was named a CFL all-star. He would have been a candidate for the league's outstanding rookie award, but his NFL stint made him ineligible. Article content The NFL's Atlanta Falcons took notice and he was signed as a free agent in 2024. Mack received a reported US$24,000 signing bonus, but was released after the Falcons' opening exhibition game. Still under contract to the Als, he returned to the team on Aug. 19 and played six days later against Edmonton. Article content Mack caught three passes for 32 yards in the Als' 21-17 victory, but was never able to find a groove with quarterbacks Cody Fajardo or Davis Alexander. It also likely didn't help Mack's cause that he was frequently deployed from the wider field side and not the boundary.
Montreal Gazette
6 days ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Staying on the field is top priority for Alouettes receiver Austin Mack
Montreal Alouettes By It would be premature to suggest Alouettes receiver Austin Mack was a one-season phenom, but he has been unable to duplicate his outstanding 2023 accomplishments since then. The good news is there's plenty of football left this season. Now all Mack has to do is remain healthy after recurring injury issues. 'It's part of the game,' Mack said this week after a practice at Stade Hébert. 'It's not always about talent. It's always about availability and being on the field. That's the biggest thing about being a pro — being able to manage through those and stay available for the team. 'As good of a player as I may be, if I'm on the sidelines, it's of no help to the team. It's making sure I do the little things, take care of the body and maximize the rest of the season on the field.' Mack, 27, was expected to return Thursday, when the Als met the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM). The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and has struggled to remain healthy the last two seasons. Mack, a former Ohio State Buckeye, arrived in Montreal in 2023 after NFL stints with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. Signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2020, he played 11 games as a rookie, catching nine passes for 91 yards. He was released the following season after being placed on injured reserve. Mack was one of the Als' most exciting players during their 2023 championship run. He had a team-leading 78 catches for 1,154 yards while scoring four touchdowns and was named a CFL all-star. He would have been a candidate for the league's outstanding rookie award, but his NFL stint made him ineligible. The NFL's Atlanta Falcons took notice and he was signed as a free agent in 2024. Mack received a reported US$24,000 signing bonus, but was released after the Falcons' opening exhibition game. Still under contract to the Als, he returned to the team on Aug. 19 and played six days later against Edmonton. Mack caught three passes for 32 yards in the Als' 21-17 victory, but was never able to find a groove with quarterbacks Cody Fajardo or Davis Alexander. It also likely didn't help Mack's cause that he was frequently deployed from the wider field side and not the boundary. He said the timing of his return, after the team had been established, was onerous. Nonetheless, realizing his potential, general manager Danny Maciocia signed Mack to a four-year contract extension. Mack also missed four games with an ankle injury, sustained during a practice, and was a healthy scratch when the Als travelled to B.C. on a short week. In three games, Mack caught 10 passes for 145 yards. While he was held to three receptions for 32 yards in Montreal's East Division final loss to the Argos, his 15-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter provided the team with a spark, pulling the Als to within 27-22. But Toronto held on for a 30-28 victory. 'That's absolutely the goal. I'm looking forward to staying healthy and being on the field,' he said. 'We play a contact sport. Unfortunately, there's a lot of nicks and bangs during the season. You don't feel as good as you do at the start of the year. Regardless, you've got to manage and make sure the body's good and you're available for the team.' Heading into Thursday's game, Mack has caught 12 passes for 185 yards. But that included an impressive performance against Ottawa on June 13, when he caught five passes for 103 yards in the Als' 39-18 win. There's no doubt the talent remains. 'There's a lot of ball left,' he said. 'I'm not worried. We've got a lot of games left. I'm excited to build with this team. We're phenomenal. We're dominant. In 2023, we didn't have five (receivers) everybody had confidence in that could go for 100 yards. It's definitely a different offence, where any one of us could go for 100 yards (in a game) and for 1,000 yards (over a season). 'All I care about is winning. If I'm getting the ball or not, helping our team to be the best that we can and be a good leader for our room. The biggest thing for me is staying on top of things and not getting any more setbacks. I'm ready to build some momentum and finish off this year strong.'
Calgary Herald
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Davis: Saskatchewan Roughriders coaches exuding calmness, confidence in second CFL season together
Article content Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive backs coach Joshua Bell is trying a new countenance that — he hopes — matches the second-year calmness evident along the team's sidelines during its first two CFL games. Article content 'I'll have to tell you some secrets,' said Bell, chuckling as he spoke. 'I've been working on my Jon Gruden face. Article content Article content 'For our first year I was known for a (expletive deleted) face, like 'What the (beep) is that? C'mon, baby!' When I talk to my team this year, I'm gonna be more regal. I can't be so emotional when I'm trying to be a coach.' Article content Article content Gruden is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Before being suspended by the NFL in 2021 for sending derogatory emails, Gruden was known for his stoic, confident demeanour during football games. Article content Article content While winning their first two games this season and preparing to visit the winless, defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts on Friday, the Roughriders have indeed shown some of Gruden's sideline attitude. Perhaps it's a product of being together for a second straight year with basically the same coaching staff and roster. Article content 'We want to break it down for every single play. Oh, we gave up a big play? No problem. What did we learn, because we want to make the play on them when they do it a second time. We're very confident in the process, that our guys are learning, they're resilient, that they trust each other. Now they're reflecting that back on us and they're holding us even more accountable.' Article content Article content Even when his tossed challenge flag wasn't noticed during Saskatchewan's last game, second-year head coach Corey Mace didn't flip out. He simply spoke with the officials, who called back a touchdown scored by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and reviewed the previous play before dismissing Mace's challenge. Article content Article content Hamilton still scored. It wasn't a horrible challenge, asking for a video review on a long reception by Hamilton receiver Kenny Lawler that came close to being out of bounds at Saskatchewan's one-yard line. Article content Mace chuckled about the incident during a recent practice, joking that he may have injured his throwing arm, before being asked if his staff was more relaxed this season. Article content 'To be honest, I'm not really paying attention to the other coaches,' said Mace. 'I know Bell's a high-energy guy. Maybe there's a little more comfort. But if you're a high-energy guy, be that. We want everybody to be themselves.
Ottawa Citizen
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Davis: Saskatchewan Roughriders coaches exuding calmness, confidence in second CFL season together
Article content Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive backs coach Joshua Bell is trying a new countenance that — he hopes — matches the second-year calmness evident along the team's sidelines during its first two CFL games. Article content Article content 'For our first year I was known for a (expletive deleted) face, like 'What the (beep) is that? C'mon, baby!' When I talk to my team this year, I'm gonna be more regal. I can't be so emotional when I'm trying to be a coach.' Article content Article content Gruden is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Before being suspended by the NFL in 2021 for sending derogatory emails, Gruden was known for his stoic, confident demeanour during football games. Article content Article content While winning their first two games this season and preparing to visit the winless, defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts on Friday, the Roughriders have indeed shown some of Gruden's sideline attitude. Perhaps it's a product of being together for a second straight year with basically the same coaching staff and roster. Article content 'We want to break it down for every single play. Oh, we gave up a big play? No problem. What did we learn, because we want to make the play on them when they do it a second time. We're very confident in the process, that our guys are learning, they're resilient, that they trust each other. Now they're reflecting that back on us and they're holding us even more accountable.' Article content Article content Even when his tossed challenge flag wasn't noticed during Saskatchewan's last game, second-year head coach Corey Mace didn't flip out. He simply spoke with the officials, who called back a touchdown scored by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and reviewed the previous play before dismissing Mace's challenge. Article content Article content Hamilton still scored. It wasn't a horrible challenge, asking for a video review on a long reception by Hamilton receiver Kenny Lawler that came close to being out of bounds at Saskatchewan's one-yard line. Article content Mace chuckled about the incident during a recent practice, joking that he may have injured his throwing arm, before being asked if his staff was more relaxed this season. Article content 'To be honest, I'm not really paying attention to the other coaches,' said Mace. 'I know Bell's a high-energy guy. Maybe there's a little more comfort. But if you're a high-energy guy, be that. We want everybody to be themselves.
