Only in the CFL can a city build a team a new stadium, and the team isn't happy. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are threatening to move the franchise to Quebec City after Hamilton city council voted in favor of building on a suburban site (East Mountain) for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Tiger-Cats president Scott Mitchell says the team would lose "millions of dollars" by moving there after the lease at antiquated Ivor Wynne Stadium expires in 2011. However, if there were a CFL betting line on this move taking place, "no" would be the heavy favorite. There are only so many viable markets in Canada, and it's difficult to argue that Quebec City is one of them.
While we sit back and enjoy the mudslinging, there's football to be played. Thursday sees the struggling B.C. Lions (1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS) visit the reigning West Division champions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-2 SU and ATS). This could be the turning point for both teams; the Lions have lost five in a row, while the Riders have dropped two of three ? both on the road against quality teams in the Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes. They'll be giant favorites versus the Leos in this matchup.
Meanwhile, we've got three more games to look at for the weekend. Check Bodog Sports for the latest CFL odds.
Friday: Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8:30 p.m. ET)
These are the bottom two teams in the East Division, tied at 2-4 - which would be enough to make the playoffs if they started today. The Tiger Cats (2-4 ATS) recorded both of their wins against the Blue Bombers (3-3 ATS) at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Winnipeg owns a victory over Hamilton at Canad Inns Stadium, plus another win at home over the awful Edmonton Eskimos.
The CFL is historically more hospitable toward place-kickers than the NFL, but the Bombers have lost patience with Alexis Serna, giving him his walking papers after honking a pair of short field goals in last week's 29-22 loss to the Ti-Cats (-3). This could be a costly move for the Bombers; Serna's misses were at the windy west end of the stadium, which has also given new Hamilton kicker Sandro DeAngelis (5-of-9 on field goals at home, 5-of-6 away) plenty of trouble. Former Riders and Utah Utes punter/kicker Louie Sakoda takes over this week.
Saturday: Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts (7:30 p.m. ET)
The Alouettes (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) have won five games in a row since dropping their season opener to the Riders (+3.5), 54-51 in Regina. That winning streak includes a massive 41-10 thrashing of the Argonauts (+9.5) two weeks ago at home. The Argos have already exceeded expectations this year at 4-2 SU and ATS, but their four wins ? all upsets ? are by a total of nine points. Toronto has been out-gained 2663-1906 in yardage and 145-115 on first downs.
Where are the Boatmen making up the difference? Turnovers, for one, intercepting eight passes compared to five for the opposition. And Toronto has done a good job of avoiding penalties, losing just 276 yards compared to 488 for the other guys. Combine that discipline with the running of Cory Boyd (6.5 yards per carry, three TDs), and you can mask a lot of ugliness. But a team as talented as the Alouettes is far less likely to fall victim. The Als are on a 7-0 ATS streak against the Argos and haven't lost straight up since October 2007.
Sunday: Edmonton Eskimos at Calgary Stampeders (8:00 p.m. ET)
The Battle of Alberta has a lot less spice on it with the Eskimos (1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS) playing so poorly. Edmonton committed a pair of pass interference penalties that allowed Toronto to put together the winning drive in a 29-28 victory last week at Commonwealth Stadium, covering as 5.5-point road dogs in the Eskies' first game since firing general manager Danny Maciocia. The OVER has cashed in three times in a row against Edmonton's awful defense.
The Stampeders (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) are coming off their third win in a row, 27-22 in Vancouver against the Lions (+2). "The sky's the limit, man, the sky's the limit," Calgary slotback Ken-Yon Rambo told reporters after the win. The Stamps have yet to lose at home this year; Calgary is 5-2 ATS in Edmonton's last seven trips to McMahon Stadium and 13-6 ATS in the past 19 overall. They might need a spatula to scrape up the Eskimos after this game.
While we sit back and enjoy the mudslinging, there's football to be played. Thursday sees the struggling B.C. Lions (1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS) visit the reigning West Division champions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-2 SU and ATS). This could be the turning point for both teams; the Lions have lost five in a row, while the Riders have dropped two of three ? both on the road against quality teams in the Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes. They'll be giant favorites versus the Leos in this matchup.
Meanwhile, we've got three more games to look at for the weekend. Check Bodog Sports for the latest CFL odds.
Friday: Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8:30 p.m. ET)
These are the bottom two teams in the East Division, tied at 2-4 - which would be enough to make the playoffs if they started today. The Tiger Cats (2-4 ATS) recorded both of their wins against the Blue Bombers (3-3 ATS) at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Winnipeg owns a victory over Hamilton at Canad Inns Stadium, plus another win at home over the awful Edmonton Eskimos.
The CFL is historically more hospitable toward place-kickers than the NFL, but the Bombers have lost patience with Alexis Serna, giving him his walking papers after honking a pair of short field goals in last week's 29-22 loss to the Ti-Cats (-3). This could be a costly move for the Bombers; Serna's misses were at the windy west end of the stadium, which has also given new Hamilton kicker Sandro DeAngelis (5-of-9 on field goals at home, 5-of-6 away) plenty of trouble. Former Riders and Utah Utes punter/kicker Louie Sakoda takes over this week.
Saturday: Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts (7:30 p.m. ET)
The Alouettes (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) have won five games in a row since dropping their season opener to the Riders (+3.5), 54-51 in Regina. That winning streak includes a massive 41-10 thrashing of the Argonauts (+9.5) two weeks ago at home. The Argos have already exceeded expectations this year at 4-2 SU and ATS, but their four wins ? all upsets ? are by a total of nine points. Toronto has been out-gained 2663-1906 in yardage and 145-115 on first downs.
Where are the Boatmen making up the difference? Turnovers, for one, intercepting eight passes compared to five for the opposition. And Toronto has done a good job of avoiding penalties, losing just 276 yards compared to 488 for the other guys. Combine that discipline with the running of Cory Boyd (6.5 yards per carry, three TDs), and you can mask a lot of ugliness. But a team as talented as the Alouettes is far less likely to fall victim. The Als are on a 7-0 ATS streak against the Argos and haven't lost straight up since October 2007.
Sunday: Edmonton Eskimos at Calgary Stampeders (8:00 p.m. ET)
The Battle of Alberta has a lot less spice on it with the Eskimos (1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS) playing so poorly. Edmonton committed a pair of pass interference penalties that allowed Toronto to put together the winning drive in a 29-28 victory last week at Commonwealth Stadium, covering as 5.5-point road dogs in the Eskies' first game since firing general manager Danny Maciocia. The OVER has cashed in three times in a row against Edmonton's awful defense.
The Stampeders (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) are coming off their third win in a row, 27-22 in Vancouver against the Lions (+2). "The sky's the limit, man, the sky's the limit," Calgary slotback Ken-Yon Rambo told reporters after the win. The Stamps have yet to lose at home this year; Calgary is 5-2 ATS in Edmonton's last seven trips to McMahon Stadium and 13-6 ATS in the past 19 overall. They might need a spatula to scrape up the Eskimos after this game.
