2004 CFL Eastern Preview - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2002 record - 1-17-0-0. Playoff result: Finished last, missed playoffs. Stadium - Ivor Wynne Stadium. Capacity - 28,830. Club Colors - Black, gold and white.
For the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, there is nowhere to go this season but up.
The Ticats endured an abysmal 2003 campaign, one that saw them win just one game and be taken over by the CFL after former owners George Grant and David Macdonald were unable to meet a player payroll.
The Ticats' ownership issue was resolved late last season when computer software mogul Bob Young, a Hamilton native living in North Carolina, purchased the franchise and vowed to make watching football at Ivor Wynne Stadium fun again.
And Young was a man of his word, doling out $2 million of his own money to purchase a state-of-the-art video scoreboard for Ivor Wynne Stadium that will be in use this season.
The Ticats also changed their front office, too.
Ron Lancaster, the Ticats' long-time head coach and football operations director, dropped the coaching position to become the club's general manager. Replacing Lancaster on the sidelines will be Greg Marshall, a former CFL player who enjoyed immense success with the hometown McMaster Marauders.
Lancaster also wasted little time dipping into CFL free agency to bolster the club's lineup, signing offensive lineman Tim Bakker (B.C. Lions), defensive tackle Adriano Belli (Montreal Alouettes), cornerback Wayne Shaw (Montreal), linebackers Donnavan Carter (Ottawa Renegades) and Mat Petz (Montreal), and receivers D.J. Flick (Ottawa) and Mike Morreale (Toronto Argonauts). He also re-signed prized rush end Tim Cheatwood.
By virtue of posting the CFL's worst record last year, Hamilton had the first pick of the 2004 Canadian college draft, using that selection on Wayne Smith, a 6-2, 302-pound offensive lineman who could step immediately into the starting lineup.
But questions do remain.
Veteran quarterback Danny McManus, who has struggled mightily the last two years, returns under center. McManus was 221-of-416 passing last year (53.1 percent) with just nine touchdown passes against 15 interceptions as Hamilton was the CFL's worst-passing team with 4,045 yards, more than 2,000 yards behind league-leading B.C.
If McManus should continue to struggle or be injured, CFL journeyman Ben Sankey will be pressed into service.
Veteran kicker Paul Osbaldiston is also back, looking to rebound from a horrid 2003 campaign. Osbaldiston battled injuries in registering a sub-par 36.9-yard punting average and hitting on just 21-of-36 field goals (58.3 percent). His 87 points were last among CFL kickers. He is currently on the suspended list.
An improved offensive line will undoubtedly be welcomed news for running back Troy Davis, who despite Hamilton's offensive problems last year, still finished third in CFL rushing with 1,206 yards. Rugged fullback Julian Radelein, the East Division's top rookie last year, oozes potential as Davis' running mate.
Flick (60 catches, 917 yards, seven touchdowns) should take some heat off Ticats veteran Archie Amerson (75 catches, 960 yards four TD), who was the club's leading receiver last year.
Defensively, Cheatwood emerged as a star with a team-high 10 sacks. Joe Montford, who just two seasons ago was the CFL's most feared pass rusher, had just six sacks last year. The question remains whether it will be Cheatwood or Montford who the Ticats look to in order to harass rival quarterbacks as Hamilton had just 32 sacks last year, second-worst in the league.
Carter should combine with veteran Chris Shelling to solidify the linebacking corps, while Shaw is expected to anchor a Hamilton secondary that registered just 14 interceptions last year, second-worst in the CFL. Safety Rob Hitchcock, among the league's best when healthy, never seemed to get back in sync after missing the start of the season with a broken arm. A healthy Hitchcock will be provide a definite boost to not only the secondary but the entire defense.
The skinny: Even with a rookie head coach and a host of new faces, the Ticats will be much improved in 2004. There is too much talent for a repeat of a 1-17-0-0 record.
But that doesn't mean Hamilton is a playoff contender either. A post-season berth is still at least another year away, a bitter pill for Ticats fans to swallow, considering the team was a Grey Cup champion just five years ago.
There is no doubt the Ticats are vastly improved and have a number of talented performers on their roster. But much of their success will depend on whether McManus, Osbaldiston and Montford can recapture their former greatness. If they can, then Hamilton can expect to be competitive and be in a lot of games. If not, however, then new Ticats owner Bob Young's task of making the game experience at Ivor Wynne Stadium more enjoyable will be a much more difficult one.
Sports Network predicted finish: Fourth.
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2002 record - 1-17-0-0. Playoff result: Finished last, missed playoffs. Stadium - Ivor Wynne Stadium. Capacity - 28,830. Club Colors - Black, gold and white.
For the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, there is nowhere to go this season but up.
The Ticats endured an abysmal 2003 campaign, one that saw them win just one game and be taken over by the CFL after former owners George Grant and David Macdonald were unable to meet a player payroll.
The Ticats' ownership issue was resolved late last season when computer software mogul Bob Young, a Hamilton native living in North Carolina, purchased the franchise and vowed to make watching football at Ivor Wynne Stadium fun again.
And Young was a man of his word, doling out $2 million of his own money to purchase a state-of-the-art video scoreboard for Ivor Wynne Stadium that will be in use this season.
The Ticats also changed their front office, too.
Ron Lancaster, the Ticats' long-time head coach and football operations director, dropped the coaching position to become the club's general manager. Replacing Lancaster on the sidelines will be Greg Marshall, a former CFL player who enjoyed immense success with the hometown McMaster Marauders.
Lancaster also wasted little time dipping into CFL free agency to bolster the club's lineup, signing offensive lineman Tim Bakker (B.C. Lions), defensive tackle Adriano Belli (Montreal Alouettes), cornerback Wayne Shaw (Montreal), linebackers Donnavan Carter (Ottawa Renegades) and Mat Petz (Montreal), and receivers D.J. Flick (Ottawa) and Mike Morreale (Toronto Argonauts). He also re-signed prized rush end Tim Cheatwood.
By virtue of posting the CFL's worst record last year, Hamilton had the first pick of the 2004 Canadian college draft, using that selection on Wayne Smith, a 6-2, 302-pound offensive lineman who could step immediately into the starting lineup.
But questions do remain.
Veteran quarterback Danny McManus, who has struggled mightily the last two years, returns under center. McManus was 221-of-416 passing last year (53.1 percent) with just nine touchdown passes against 15 interceptions as Hamilton was the CFL's worst-passing team with 4,045 yards, more than 2,000 yards behind league-leading B.C.
If McManus should continue to struggle or be injured, CFL journeyman Ben Sankey will be pressed into service.
Veteran kicker Paul Osbaldiston is also back, looking to rebound from a horrid 2003 campaign. Osbaldiston battled injuries in registering a sub-par 36.9-yard punting average and hitting on just 21-of-36 field goals (58.3 percent). His 87 points were last among CFL kickers. He is currently on the suspended list.
An improved offensive line will undoubtedly be welcomed news for running back Troy Davis, who despite Hamilton's offensive problems last year, still finished third in CFL rushing with 1,206 yards. Rugged fullback Julian Radelein, the East Division's top rookie last year, oozes potential as Davis' running mate.
Flick (60 catches, 917 yards, seven touchdowns) should take some heat off Ticats veteran Archie Amerson (75 catches, 960 yards four TD), who was the club's leading receiver last year.
Defensively, Cheatwood emerged as a star with a team-high 10 sacks. Joe Montford, who just two seasons ago was the CFL's most feared pass rusher, had just six sacks last year. The question remains whether it will be Cheatwood or Montford who the Ticats look to in order to harass rival quarterbacks as Hamilton had just 32 sacks last year, second-worst in the league.
Carter should combine with veteran Chris Shelling to solidify the linebacking corps, while Shaw is expected to anchor a Hamilton secondary that registered just 14 interceptions last year, second-worst in the CFL. Safety Rob Hitchcock, among the league's best when healthy, never seemed to get back in sync after missing the start of the season with a broken arm. A healthy Hitchcock will be provide a definite boost to not only the secondary but the entire defense.
The skinny: Even with a rookie head coach and a host of new faces, the Ticats will be much improved in 2004. There is too much talent for a repeat of a 1-17-0-0 record.
But that doesn't mean Hamilton is a playoff contender either. A post-season berth is still at least another year away, a bitter pill for Ticats fans to swallow, considering the team was a Grey Cup champion just five years ago.
There is no doubt the Ticats are vastly improved and have a number of talented performers on their roster. But much of their success will depend on whether McManus, Osbaldiston and Montford can recapture their former greatness. If they can, then Hamilton can expect to be competitive and be in a lot of games. If not, however, then new Ticats owner Bob Young's task of making the game experience at Ivor Wynne Stadium more enjoyable will be a much more difficult one.
Sports Network predicted finish: Fourth.
