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johnson"},{"term":"do not adjust your set"},{"term":"funding"},{"term":"host berths"},{"term":"international basketball"},{"term":"interviews"},{"term":"journalism"},{"term":"mud fights"},{"term":"schedules"},{"term":"technical difficulties"},{"term":"ted goveia"},{"term":"tiering"},{"term":"tragedy"},{"term":"trinity western"},{"term":"trivia"},{"term":"university sport"},{"term":"Étienne Légaré"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The CIS Blog"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"News and notes on U SPORTS - even if we refuse to change our name"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/-\/Marauders?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/search\/label\/Marauders"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/-\/Marauders\/-\/Marauders?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Scott Hastie"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08081415078301065374"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"350"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-2441732102194419743"},"published":{"$t":"2019-03-03T10:35:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-03-03T13:37:21.470-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Axewomen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketology, Proved Me Wrong Kids edition: McMaster, Saskatchewan go in as conference champs"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Haley McDonald of Acadia had a conference-record 51 points, and that has some competition for Saturday's most impressive stat.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESomeone, somewhere, is none too surprised by how the last 24-ish hours have played out; that is the perk of a perpetually underexposed and underappreciated strata of basketball. Put another way: I \u003Ci\u003Ewant\u003C\/i\u003E to be wrong about which teams are in which slots; the real goal is just that people understand the regionally and politically compromised process that is nationals seeding. (On a related note, please stop making sense about just seeding everyone 1 through 8 based on quality, or SRS.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELong story short, there was a weekend of the mild upset in the Maritimes, as McDonald turned it up to 11 — hey, Saturday was the 35th anniversary of the release of \u003Ci\u003EThis Is Spinal Tap\u003C\/i\u003E — to advance Acadia to an AUS final against Memorial, which was under .500 during conference play.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EGAME RECAP: McDonald breaks AUS record with 51 points as Axewomen edge Panthers to advance to AUS finals🏀🏆\u003Cbr \/\u003E👇👇👇\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/A9IJC0lues\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/A9IJC0lues\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3g0dKsRBcM\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3g0dKsRBcM\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— AUS_SUA (@AUS_SUA) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AUS_SUA\/status\/1101980681352167427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EMarch 2, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf it seemed odd that Ottawa had ascended to a No. 1 ranking ahead of the Laval team that it lost to twice in the fall, then McMaster has validated that skepticism by winning the Critelli Cup with a 79-75 win against the host Gee-Gees. Taking nothing away from the feat of McDonald and how her teammates facilitated it, the Marauders played a perfect game on Ottawa's floor. \u003Cb\u003ESarah Gates \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EHilary Hanaka \u003C\/b\u003Eeach hooped at least 20 and were charged with zero turnovers, \u003Ci\u003Ecombined\u003C\/i\u003E, geek out on that.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏀 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E WBKB 🏀\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat championship feeling!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreONE?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreONE\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QuestForTheCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#QuestForTheCup\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CritelliCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#CritelliCup\u003C\/a\u003E 🏆 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/INfPFAA7Ie\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/INfPFAA7Ie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— OUA (@OUAsport) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OUAsport\/status\/1101977929783918593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EMarch 2, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ERather than just do the usual back-of-an-envelope bracketing, I made a chart.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt can never be over-reiterated that every Canadian university hoops cultist owes Martin Timmerman bottomless thanks for \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/pppinfo.php?Gender=WBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\u0026amp;Sort=PPPDiff\u0026amp;Category=University\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EU Sports Hoops\u003C\/a\u003E, which is basketball brain candy. It has made all of information-rich with knowing the true performance of teams. So before taking a half-educated guess on how the Final 8 will be seeded after the Memorial-Acadia championship game, it might be best to show where the qualified teams, AUS finalists and \"one short\" at-large candidates stack up in the five rankings Timmerman tabulates. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose are, as you know.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EElo Rating.\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/fivethirtyeight.com\/features\/introducing-nfl-elo-ratings\/?fbclid=IwAR20xaQNHu3JUILdLHOAYAXmfrBBETLcdnK6zpQiIFFAx3BWqiJLckl4wPA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFiveThirtyEight probably has the best explainer on Elo and its strengths and flaws\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPoint per possession differential. \u003C\/b\u003EI used the \"most games\" option since it seems like a bigger sample than league games only. And bigger is better, correct?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERatings Percentage Index (RPI).\u003C\/b\u003E That ranking system that does not include home and away performance, or margin of victory.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESimple Rating System (SRS). \u003C\/b\u003EFor games through Feb. 23; SRS was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/blog\/index4837.html?p=37\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edeveloped in-house at Sports-Reference.com and utilizes point differential and strength of schedule\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETop 10 ranking.\u003C\/b\u003E From the last national poll released Feb. 26, which was taken before the conference championship games and AUS Final 6.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EHere is how the teams rank, top to bottom, in each category. At-large candidates have a star (*) beside them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 13px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003EElo Rating\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPPPDiff\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ETop 10\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELaval\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ESask.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMac\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERegina\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECalgary*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EConcordia*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELakehead*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECarleton*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ECape Breton\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcadia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELethbridge*\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMemorial\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne of my \"so this is the hill you choose to die on, really, well not really\" hobby-horses it would be good for the game if OUA and the RSEQ had inter-conference regular-season games. There is no political will and making that happen.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, playing Quebec teams is a factor in SRS. Ahead of the auto-berth games and the Critelli Cup, Ottawa had a strength-of-schedule factor of 2.18 while McMaster was minus-0.86. That difference stems somewhat from non-conference scheduling: Ottawa had five games with the RSEQ and McMaster had one (against McGill, on a neutral floor in Toronto). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo one suspects Mac's dramatic win won't budge at least one ranking as much as perhaps it should. However, the tournament is still seeded by humans. Here's that back-of-the-envelope bracket, at long last.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (RSEQ champion). \u003C\/b\u003EHard to deny a team that has beaten everyone. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan (Canada West champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Grade out well across the board in the analytics, have the reputation of showing well at nationals.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E The Acadia rule is your friend, Marauders.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (OUA No. 2)\u003C\/b\u003E. Lose a conference final at home and this happens.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (Canada West No. 2).\u003C\/b\u003E d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAcadia (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E They have \u003Cb\u003EHaley McDonald\u003C\/b\u003E, so they beat Memorial. Or not.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EConcordia wild card).\u003C\/b\u003E There is no mortal lock for the wild card. The Calgary Dinos are above the the Stingers in most of the criteria. That is not what matters. First off, parse how the rule is written:\u003Cblockquote\u003EAll teams will be considered for the at-large berth and ranked in each category. If any team is the only team to lead two, three or four of these categories following the conclusion of conference playoffs, it will be awarded the at-large berth. If no team leads more categories than all other teams, the berth will be awarded to the tied team who has the highest winning percentage vs. the Top 12 teams in the final RPI.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe four categories, with their leaders:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWinning percentage in all games: \u003C\/b\u003ECape Breton, .828\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERPI for non-conference and league games (not playoffs):\u003C\/b\u003E UPEI\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayoff advancement, how many wins away from automatic qualifier:\u003C\/b\u003E Calgary, Concordia, Carleton, Lakehead, Lethbridge, Memorial\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESRS rating for non-conference and league games (not playoffs):\u003C\/b\u003E Concordia, 21.72\u003C\/li\u003EConcordia is first in a category and tied in another. By rule, that (groan) points to the Stingers getting the berth. And that's only after really re-reading how the rules are written. It's not so clear that the most deserving team will be rewarded. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe reason the Stingers grade out highest in SRS is the Laval factor — i.e., four league games with Laval, and four league games against everyone else who had four league games with Laval. Their SoS (strength of schedule) factor is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/rankings-srs.php?Gender=WBB\u0026amp;Season=2018-19\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E8.07, which is by far the lowest in the five-team RSEQ, but also far higher than anyone in the rest of Canada, with Acadia a distant sixth nationally at 2.88\u003C\/a\u003E So, yes, Concordia should get the wild card.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhether this is fair is another discussion. The \"Winning percentage against teams in Top 12 of RPI\" tiebreaker appears to be out of play. Carleton went 4-6 and Calgary went 3-6, while Concordia was 2-6. The Stingers' quality wins were at Carleton on the first night of the Ravens' home tournament, when Carleton was breaking in four new starters, and against UPEI at home. There's a good possibility that Concordia is a fine team trying to break the surly bonds of a shallow league with a Gallic juggernaut or two. That seems to be the lot of every Stingers team, so good on them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (host). \u003C\/b\u003EEasily flip to 7 if it's not Concordia in the wild card.. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/2441732102194419743\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-proved-me.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2441732102194419743"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2441732102194419743"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-proved-me.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketology, Proved Me Wrong Kids edition: McMaster, Saskatchewan go in as conference champs"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-2215721449255574060"},"published":{"$t":"2019-02-25T17:09:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-02-25T17:10:05.849-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panthers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: Carleton-McMaster is the big puzzle piece"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Just as sports reveal character, February sorts out the two types of people who work on a sports desk — the ones who understand the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Page_playoff_system\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPage Playoff format in curling\u003C\/a\u003E and the ones who need a refresher comes Scotties and Brier time. There is no literal connection between that and the lead-up to the women's basketball Final 8 — face it Sags, there isn't any connection — but one of the play-in games this week is effectively like a Page Playoff.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton at McMaster, namely, is the most fraught game this week. McMaster is the first-place team in a 1 vs. 2 game with two lives, since Theresa Burns' Marauders \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/wbb2018\/cisatlarge.php\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Egrade out highly across the board in the criteria for the at-large berth\u003C\/a\u003E. For Carleton, which turned over four starters from the 2018 national championship squad and stayed in the rankings, it's like a 3 vs. 4 game — win or go home. If \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bronze-baby-bracketology-laval-is-clear.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eprojection is the same as last week, with a hunch play on Regina to win on the road in Canada West\u003C\/a\u003E. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ckom.com\/syn\/648\/490834\/cougars-huskies-to-meet-in-canada-west-final\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehome team has won the Canada West final three years in a row\u003C\/a\u003E, so a flip is due.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (RSEQ champion). \u003C\/b\u003EThey are human, having lost one game by one point.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (OUA champion).\u003C\/b\u003E It's your moment, you own it, Ottawa.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (Canada West champion).* \u003C\/b\u003EFor blogging purposes, really needed Regina to give guard \u003Cb\u003EFaith Reid\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.canadawest.org\/sports\/wbkb\/2018-19p\/players\/faithreidwhe5?view=gamelog\u0026amp;pos=sh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eone more open look during their clincher at Calgary\u003C\/a\u003E, which she surely would have sank. Reid had nine points, all on triples; one more bucket would have given Regina the neat feat of having a double-digit scorer off the bench in all four of its playoff wins. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan (Canada West No. 2). \u003C\/b\u003ESo \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ckom.com\/syn\/648\/490834\/cougars-huskies-to-meet-in-canada-west-final\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehome court has been a factor in the last three Cougars-Huskies championship games\u003C\/a\u003E. One of these times it will not. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis spot is probably the floor for the Huskies. Now if, something happens to Laval or Ottawa, the first team out of the west could vault up to No. 2. Concern about a same-conference matchup would evaporate since the at-large berth would no longer be available to Calgary. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (OUA No. 2). \u003C\/b\u003EPardon the dollar-store psychology, but there always seems to be a phenomena with a first-place team in the first playoff game. It has all the pressure and the expectations. Perhaps that was in play when McMaster did not \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.oua.ca\/sports\/wbkb\/2018-19p\/boxscores\/20190223_0i9q.xml?view=boxscore\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epull away from Brock until very late\u003C\/a\u003E in its quarterfinal. Winning is one more point, not 25 more (Carleton's winning margin) or 36 (Ottawa's). But a tight first game does feed into narratives. \u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUPEI (AUS champion).\u003C\/b\u003E Two wins away from ending the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/usportshoops.ca\/history\/champ-appearances.php?Gender=WBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elongest Final 8 drought in the AUS\u003C\/a\u003E that extends back to 1998. Then again, 1998 was just like yesterday if you believe the people in charge of Ontario's health education curriculum.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (wild card).\u003C\/b\u003E The Dinos here presumes that McMaster, Ottawa, Laval and UPEI each wins its way into the dance.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (host).*\u003C\/b\u003ESecond verse, same as the first.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E* already qualified \u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/2215721449255574060\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bronze-baby-bracketlogy-carleton.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2215721449255574060"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2215721449255574060"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2019\/02\/bronze-baby-bracketlogy-carleton.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: Carleton-McMaster is the big puzzle piece"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-791074287912209000"},"published":{"$t":"2017-11-24T17:12:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-11-24T22:55:24.012-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"2011 Vanier Cup"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carabins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"previews"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vanier Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Vanier Cup preview: Western has to win one of these, right, while Laval doesn't know the meaning of No. 2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/rdsimages.cookieless.ca\/polopoly_fs\/1.2572100.1479424961!\/img\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/main-xxxhdpi\/image.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003ELaval QB Hugo Richard.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe greatest concern troll ever invented is projecting a \"mental out\" on to the teams in a championship showdown.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDeep down, or so the you-totally-are-parodying-Bill-Simmons-here-are-you-not notion holds, one team or athlete is already bargaining internally about being able to settle for second-best. As an over- simplification, it probably is great for resisting paralysis-by-analysis. The Dodgers were going to beat the Cubs in the National League playoffs since the Cubs were satisfied by getting their World Series championship in 2016. The Ottawa Redblacks and \u003Cb\u003EHenry Burris\u003C\/b\u003E were impelled to win the 2016 Grey Cup due to an understanding it was their last chance, while the Calgary Stampeders side they supposedly upset were just obsessed with playing a perfect game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWestern and Laval is another matchup of usual suspects, although it is only the third time they have played in November and only the fourth time coaches\u003Cb\u003E Greg Marshall\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EGlen Constantin\u003C\/b\u003E have matched brain trusts and behemoths. There is no mental out on either side. Western has not won the Vanier Cup in 23 years, and an entire conference that has spent the last decade increasingly being sluiced through the Mustang machinery is most vituperative on the subject of this drought: Where's the Vanier Cup? When are you going to get the Vanier Cup? Why aren't you getting the Vanier Cup now?\" And so on. So, please, da Vanier Cup.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Rouge et Or, of course, have the first-world problem of having no concept of second place. They have come away empty-handed at only one of these, against McMaster in Vancouver in 2011. That was an alien environment — 5,000 kilometres from home, CFL building, a crowd clearly eager to throw in with the Marauders. Yet it still took double overtime before Mac sealed it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe best way to tee up any final in university sports, until such time that there's decisive action to take in to help the 99 per cent catch up to the Clobbersauruses (Carleton men's basketball, UNB men's hockey, et al.), is to simply look at what happened when Clobbersaurus has lost. In football, lines win championships and it says here that will probably have the most sway on Saturday. Does the Western offensive line — where all-Canadian tackle \u003Cb\u003EDavid Brown \u003C\/b\u003Eis the only senior alongside \u003Cb\u003EGrégoire Bouchard\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EDylan Giffen\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EMatt Bettencourt \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EMark Wheatley \u003C\/b\u003E— handle the Laval force unit, with all-Canadian DI \u003Cb\u003EVincent Desjardins\u003C\/b\u003E and edge rushers extraordinaire \u003Cb\u003EMathieu Betts \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EEdward Godin\u003C\/b\u003E? On the other side of the ball, this iteration of Western is the first to allow 300 yards per game since 2010, when coincidentally they outplayed Laval \u003Ci\u003Eat Laval\u003C\/i\u003E in the Uteck Bowl only to get beaten by a nose (13-11 on two late field goals set up by Rouge et Or interceptions).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOther, better sources have the nuts-and-bolts circles-and-X's stuff covered.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIf you're looking for something on the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E and Laval for the Vanier Cup, there's information in this. Two meet Saturday. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ldnont?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#ldnont\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/football?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#football\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SekcnW0Q07\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/SekcnW0Q07\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Morris Dalla Costa (@MoDaCoatLFPress) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoDaCoatLFPress\/status\/934050640770293762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EYes Laval has sponsorships but it's tough to teach a bag of money to play any position in football. Credit where credit is due. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VanierCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#VanierCup\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/football?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#football\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wEYzjVnxOu\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/wEYzjVnxOu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Morris Dalla Costa (@MoDaCoatLFPress) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoDaCoatLFPress\/status\/934051019645997056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ENew \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/KCU?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#KCU\u003C\/a\u003E Episode : Preview of the 53rd \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VanierCup?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#VanierCup\u003C\/a\u003E between \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026amp; \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rougeetor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@rougeetor\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@USPORTSca\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/s0IULZg7sQ\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/s0IULZg7sQ\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Krown Countdown U (@KrownCountdownU) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KrownCountdownU\/status\/933519514880303104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 23, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOne. More. Sleep. 👏 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Vanier53?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#Vanier53\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E🏈: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rougeetor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@rougeetor\u003C\/a\u003E v. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr\u003E⌚️: 1 PM ET\/13h HE\u003Cbr\u003E📍: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TimHortonsField?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@TimHortonsField\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr\u003E📺: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Sportsnet\u003C\/a\u003E 360, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Sportsnet\u003C\/a\u003E 1, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TVASports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@TVASports\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr\u003E💻: Sportsnet Now, TVASports.ca\u003Cbr\u003E📻: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AM900CHML?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@AM900CHML\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KGo2mXVjFh\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/KGo2mXVjFh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026mdash; U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/934251935300911106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003ENovember 25, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EOn this end, it seems more informative and illustrative to look at the template created by Laval's rare season-ending losses\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2015 Dunsmore Cup, 18-16 against Montréal\u003C\/b\u003E — The Carabins won the day by blocking a 19-yard field goal attempt on the last play. To be honest, as a Minnesota Vikings fan, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sportetudiant-stats.com\/universitaire\/football\/stats\/2015\/2015-S03.htm\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eporing over the boxscore is triggering since the game was decided by field goal follies\u003C\/a\u003E. The reason that Laval was kicking for the win, instead of passing or rushing was that Montréal had two placements from inside of 40 yards go for singles.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo what did Montréal do that Western will have to replicate?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIt built a two-touchdown lead halfway through the third quarter\u003C\/b\u003E, forcing Laval to play catch-up. In\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESean Thomas Erlington and change-up back Gabriel Parent were able to get into the open field\u003C\/b\u003E, combining for three rushes of at least 35 yards. Two came on consecutive plays; Thomas Erlington scooted for 38 and checked out for a blow, then Parent went to the house on the next play. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe running game is Western lifeblood and it can tag-team with multiple backs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELes Bleus had three sacks on Laval QB Hugo Richard\u003C\/b\u003E, but all of them came between the 40s and stopped drives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWestern's defensive line has earned its epaulets, but its 16 sacks in the regular season were eighth of 11 teams in OUA and the fewest among playoff teams.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2014 Dunsmore Cup, 12-9 (OT) against Montréal\u003C\/b\u003E — As one would anticipate with a field goal battle, there was very little statistical separation; it was pretty much a Quebecois take-off on that 9-6 Alabama-LSU game in 2011.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Carabins pass defence held after Laval drove to the 16-yard line in the final 90 seconds, forcing the Rouge et Or to take a Boris Bede triple for a 9-9 tie. In the mini-game, Montréal promptly got behind the chains with a holding penalty but a 26-yard completion to \u003Cb\u003EPhillip Enchill \u003C\/b\u003Ewas enough to set up a field goal. Laval got pushed back by a sack from \u003Cb\u003EByron Archambault \u003C\/b\u003E— the Carabins' fourth of the day — and a 47-yard attempt for the tie failed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose extra 10 yards between the 50s are a killer in Canadian football sometimes; the game had offence, just not points. But Cousineau was interception-free on his way to a 312-yard passing day. The Carabins defence picked Richard once, although it didn't lead to scoring.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Mustangs' relationship with ball security has been strained by times; they were intercepted once per 24.7 attempts in OUA's regular season, which was ahead of only Toronto. \u003Cb\u003EChris Merchant \u003C\/b\u003Eand backup \u003Cb\u003EKevin John \u003C\/b\u003Ehave not been intercepted during the playoffs, though, so huzzah for small samples and recency!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2011 Vanier Cup, 41-38 (OT) against McMaster (B.C. Place, Vancouver) — \u003C\/b\u003EPro tip: go out and find a \u003Cb\u003EKyle Quinlan \u003C\/b\u003Eof your own, or failing that, his non-union Mexican equivalent. The Marauders walked it off in the second overtime after skunking Laval with an interception before nestling the ball into range for \u003Cb\u003ETyler Crapigna \u003C\/b\u003Eto slot through the sayonara kick.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHow did McMaster pull it off?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThey passed, like, really really well. \u003C\/b\u003EQuinlan was hucking, chucking, for 482 yards. That didn't even include a 101-yard touchdown to wide receiver \u003Cb\u003EMichael DiCroce\u003C\/b\u003E in the third quarter that was negated by a penalty. It didn't count and it did count, since McMaster's confidence was starting to fray.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'm not big on time-of-possession — it's a by-product stat — but Mac controlled the clock (34 minutes, 22 seconds) and ran 90 plays to Laval's 57.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVery few teams have done that to Laval late in the season. Calgary had 399 passing yards in the 2016 Vanier (and a 553-481 edge in total offence), but a blocked punt and own-zone turnovers turned the tide.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThey put Laval in a corner.\u003C\/b\u003E McMaster led 23-0 at halftime as Quinlan, his blockers and the McMaster offensive coaches played Laval's front seven like advanced beginner band sheet music.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd yet, Laval made a 24-point run, helped by two return touchdowns. The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and again during the first mini-game, before McMaster prevailed.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPressure from here, there and everywhere.\u003C\/b\u003E Laval QB \u003Cb\u003EBruno Prud'homme \u003C\/b\u003Ehad 35 dropbacks that night and five ended with him being dropped for a loss. The Mac sacks came from five different players, including one from \u003Cb\u003EScott Martin\u003C\/b\u003E, a rookie defensive back listed at 183 pounds. Two of the sacks came in the red zone and forced Laval to try field goals, cutting 14 potential points down to three.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2009 Mitchell Bowl, 33-30 at Queen's\u003C\/b\u003E — Gaels defensive coordinator \u003Cb\u003EPat Tracey\u003C\/b\u003E, as early as 2003, began poring over Laval game video on the premise the road to a national championship would go through the Rouge et Or. The residue of that design was eight sacks on Hec Crighton-winning QB \u003Cb\u003EBenoit Groulx\u003C\/b\u003E, including 3½ by \u003Cb\u003EShomari Williams \u003C\/b\u003Eand a strip-sack deep in the Laval zone in the final seconds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe key elements:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPressure, as already noted. \u003C\/b\u003EThe biggest of those eight sacks came with 3:10 left in the third quarter and Queen's up by six. With Williams occupying the left tackle and Laval tailback Sebastien Levesque minding the A-gap, Queen's outside 'backer Chris Smith was left completely unblocked and sacked Groulx.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaval had a blown read on second and long that left\u003Cb\u003E Chris Milo \u003C\/b\u003Ewith a 45-yard try on a muddy field. It went wide left, and Queen's cornerback \u003Cb\u003EJimmy Allin \u003C\/b\u003Ereturned it 120 yards for a touchdown to complete a 10-point swing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn Laval's final two plays, Queen's defensive line drew a holding penalty that stanched Laval's momentum. On the next play, Queen's only needed a three-man rush to get to Groulx, with \u003Cb\u003EFrank Pankiewicz\u003C\/b\u003E knocking the ball free for \u003Cb\u003EOsie Ukwuoma\u003C\/b\u003E's win-sealing recovery.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETimely takeaways.\u003C\/b\u003E The reason Queen's built a 20-point lead came through some special teams resourcefulness. Laval had some trickeration blow up real good after the Allin touchdown. A cross-field lateral to speedster Guillaume Rioux created a slew of space, but Rioux had the ball loose and Queen's Ben D'Andrea forced a fumble. Four plays later, Queen's scored.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EChunk yardage. \u003C\/b\u003EThe Gaels' \u003Cb\u003EDanny Brannagan \u003C\/b\u003Ewas 17-of-33 for 286 yards with two touchdowns, which represented high-end production for a game on the third Saturday in November in a stadium by a lake. Working behind an offensive line that gave him lots of time, Brannagan was able to take downfield shots, including one to \u003Cb\u003EMark Surya\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;for a touchdown opened a 20-point early fourth-quarter lead that provided jussssst enough cushion.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003ETo sum up, there is no set formula to beat Laval, but a fearsome four-man pass rush and some breaks in the third phase, the kicking\/return games, seem to loom large. Offensively, just do what you do, on all eight cylinders.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaval can be had. Saturday will show whether Western has it in them; we know they would not easily live down a loss.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/791074287912209000\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/11\/football-vanier-cup-preview-western-has.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/791074287912209000"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/791074287912209000"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/11\/football-vanier-cup-preview-western-has.html","title":"Football: Vanier Cup preview: Western has to win one of these, right, while Laval doesn't know the meaning of No. 2"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-2634634764660740286"},"published":{"$t":"2017-10-27T21:30:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-10-29T15:29:31.084-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Bears"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Top 10"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Top 10 Tracker: Western has to be No. 1 now, eh? Calgary crushed by Alberta; Laval locks up No. 1 in Quebec; McMaster and Guelph win OUA quarters"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Better to be slightly late on the epiphany than the last to know, eh? Western has to be No. 1, what with being the last undefeated team after Calgary went through the motions and lost — wait for it — \u003Ci\u003E53-3\u003C\/i\u003E against Alberta in a game that was immaterial to the Dinos' standings.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe rule of thumb when a 7-0 team that is locked into first place loses is that is shouldn't affect the ranking if the score was respectable. It can be a canary in the coal mine (see Western losing 37-0 against Queen's in its finale in 2011, before losing the Yates Cup at home by three touchdowns three weeks later). It can also be a one-off, or even \"a well-orchestrated loss\" as Queen's coach Pat Sheahan termed it following his team's national championship season in 2009.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut 53 to three, that looks rather abject for Calgary. It's also a huge feat for Alberta, which is making strides toward respectability under coach \u003Cb\u003EChris Morris\u003C\/b\u003E. All that shook out to send in a Top 10 ballot as follows:\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cp lang=\"ro\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMy \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/usports?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#usports\u003C\/a\u003E FB Top 10\u003Cbr\u003E1 Western\u003Cbr\u003E2 Laval\u003Cbr\u003E3 Calgary\u003Cbr\u003E4 Montréal\u003Cbr\u003E5 UBC\u003Cbr\u003E6 Laurier\u003Cbr\u003E7 McMaster\u003Cbr\u003E8 Guelph\u003Cbr\u003E9 Acadia\u003Cbr\u003E10 Alberta \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#OUA\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/uagree?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#uagree\u003C\/a\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026mdash; Neate Sager (@n8sager) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/n8sager\/status\/924715450738417664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe reigning gridiron-football gurus out in western Canada were right to believe the Western (Ontario) Mustangs are Canada's best. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EU SPORTS Football Top 10: Undefeated \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UCDinos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@UCDinos\u003C\/a\u003E move up to No. 1\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aCkVxd9nyB\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/aCkVxd9nyB\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OJfZrHyN1u\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/OJfZrHyN1u\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/922862731048263682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EThat is the way it goes. The FieldTurf always looks greener on the other side of the country.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ECharting the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Power7?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#Power7\u003C\/a\u003E teams in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/USportsFB?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#USportsFB\u003C\/a\u003E this year. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KrownCountdownU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@KrownCountdownU\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oxIC5J9XsU\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/oxIC5J9XsU\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Jim Mullin (@Jim_Mullin) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jim_Mullin\/status\/922617419687911425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EOh, the irony. The week I actually move the Dinos off of number one... \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5oiYVIl3C1\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/5oiYVIl3C1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Gord R. (@GARandall) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GARandall\/status\/922928200040116224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe bullet points on this Saturday of action:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta 53, Calgary 3.\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003EThat happened. \u003C\/i\u003EThe Golden Bears, who were 0-4 at one point. won by a sufficiently large enough margin to get the last Canada West playoff berth and a semifinal date against none other than Calgary,. Whether Alberta will be competitive now that Calgary will face actually stakes remains to be seen, but the transformation is enlivening. Receiver\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003ETylor Henry \u003C\/b\u003Escored four touchdowns and\u003Cb\u003E Ed Ilnicki \u003C\/b\u003Eincreased\u0026nbsp;his rushing tally to a Canada West-record 1,468 yards. That's \u003Ci\u003E184 per game.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏈 The Dinos will have another crack at the Golden Bears: the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CWplayoffs?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#CWplayoffs\u003C\/a\u003E start Saturday. 1 pm, McMahon Stadium.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoDinos?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoDinos\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3XRIgbMZNy\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/3XRIgbMZNy\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UCalgary Dinos (@UCDinos) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UCDinos\/status\/924481533917855744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThere were many people and pundits that counted out the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UABearsFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@UABearsFootball\u003C\/a\u003E after 0-4 start, but they gutted it out and are now playoff bound!\u003C\/div\u003E— Jason Hills (@hillsyjay) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hillsyjay\/status\/924482911348301824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThere were many people and pundits that counted out the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UABearsFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@UABearsFootball\u003C\/a\u003E after 0-4 start, but they gutted it out and are now playoff bound!\u003C\/div\u003E— Jason Hills (@hillsyjay) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hillsyjay\/status\/924482911348301824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC will host Regina in the Canada West semifinal.\u003C\/b\u003E The Thunderbirds scored 35 points in the second \u003Ci\u003Equarter\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and routed the Rams 44-15. They'll play again. Quarterback Michael O'Connor was out of the game after 2½ quarters.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval strengthens its case for No. 1; then again, Westenr's got stronger.\u003C\/b\u003E The defending national champions blew out Concordia on Friday night; the run for a repeat begins at home next week against Sherbrooke.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELyons roars for No. 7 McMaster.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;McMaster and Laurier will meet in the OUA semifinal again, after the Marauders' 12-9 closer-than-it-should-have-been win against Queen's. Running back \u003Cb\u003EJordan Lyons\u003C\/b\u003E tied OUA's single-game record for carries (39) and had the second-most yards (319) in a Canadian university playoff game. Still, it wasn't in the bag until Sam linebacker\u003Cb\u003E Eric Blake \u003C\/b\u003Eintercepted a pass at Mac's 35-yard line with 1:20 left.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo. 9 Guelph gets another shot at No. 3 Western.\u003C\/b\u003E The only team that has been able to hang with the 'Stangs will get another shot at doing so next week in London. Guelph, with QB\u003Cb\u003E James Roberts\u003C\/b\u003E returning from the brain injury he suffered four weeks ago against McMaster, rolled by 22 points against Ottawa.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EHere's the Top 10 tracker for the week, to be updated as results pour in from across Canada.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (7-1 Canada West, 53-3 loss against Alberta)\u003C\/b\u003E — Is being No. 1 the best thing \u003Ci\u003Ementally\u003C\/i\u003E? It can also prove to be an albatross. \u003Ci\u003E(Note: this was written before the games started.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏈 | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Dinos_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Dinos_Football\u003C\/a\u003E comes in at No. 1 in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@USPORTSca\u003C\/a\u003E Football Top 10 for the first time since November 2015!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoDinos?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoDinos\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreAllDinos?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#WeAreAllDinos\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GLUWUwrZUq\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/GLUWUwrZUq\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UCalgary Dinos (@UCDinos) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UCDinos\/status\/922865921592508416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏈PREVIEW | The Dinos look to keep things rolling into the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CWplayoffs?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#CWplayoffs\u003C\/a\u003E as they host the Bears.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoDinos?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoDinos\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EREAD➡️\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TVQobkFOsz\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/TVQobkFOsz\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bk80RTtT1W\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/bk80RTtT1W\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UCalgary Dinos (@UCDinos) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UCDinos\/status\/923270590810636288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 25, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EIt was a nothing game for Calgary ... it was a nothing game for Calgary. They can't really be No. 1 after such a lopsided loss, but the floor is No. 3. I can't think of a team which once lost a game by 50 points going on to win the Vanier Cup, but I know of at least one national championship team who had a 35-point loss.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EDinos playing rookies at both corners and its been a work in progress today. Dinos packing box to stop illnicki but that's leaving no help.\u003C\/div\u003E— Jon (@jonathanwhudson) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jonathanwhudson\/status\/924361324741537792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EDinos playing like they pulled too many pieces out of the Jenga tower for this game.\u003C\/div\u003E— Jon (@jonathanwhudson) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jonathanwhudson\/status\/924374346520444928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EMostly it was first 7 series. Fumble, Fumble, Missed FG, Fumble, Punt, Int, turnover on downs in end zone. Half finished with two more punts\u003C\/div\u003E— Jon (@jonathanwhudson) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jonathanwhudson\/status\/924449807816523776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (7-1 RSEQ, 46-14 road win at Concordia )\u003C\/b\u003E — Scored a point-per-minute pace in the first half on Friday as they locked first place in the RSEQ, and\u003Cb\u003E Hugo Richard \u003C\/b\u003Eaveraged a cool 8.8 per pass. It's 1A and 1B with Western at No. 1.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EKrown Countdown U: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Laval?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#Laval\u003C\/a\u003E reclaims top spot in Quebec \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Els1yEXN7c\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/Els1yEXN7c\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/USports?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#USports\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NCAA?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#NCAA\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/T7GG9eYoat\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/T7GG9eYoat\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/3DownNation\/status\/923326805204971520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 25, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWestern (8-0 OUA, host semifinal on Nov. 4)\u003C\/b\u003E — Lines win championships. Western is good on both sides of the line. Ergo, Western has a better argument for No. 1 than it did before, especially with the way it handled its make-it-quick meaningless last regular-season game.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThis story about \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@WesternMustangs\u003C\/a\u003E O-line ran last week. This has a few adjustments. Thanks to David Brown. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fTwLJ4wRvO\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/fTwLJ4wRvO\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Morris Dalla Costa (@MoDaCoatLFPress) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoDaCoatLFPress\/status\/922618358750744576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 24, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMontréal (6-1 RSEQ, 27-17\u0026nbsp; home win against McGill)\u003C\/b\u003E — Got the McGill game over with and will face Concordia in the semifinal, for the first time since Gastro-Gate. The Carabins should stay at No. 4.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"fr\"\u003E🏈 - Les Carabins concluent leur saison sur une victoire\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oL0PM14AtR\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/oL0PM14AtR\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Carabins (@Carabins) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Carabins\/status\/924407106865975297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIs it odd that four of five teams in Quebec make the playoffs, while the Atlantic takes three of five? Not especially. With the egos in Quebec City and Montreal it's impossible to see any acquiescence to the first-place winner getting to rest up, and the Little Three probably could not stand having to compete for one spot, like Olympic divers who all know they're competing for bronze after the Chinese pair finish 1-2.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaurier (6-2 OUA, host semifinal Nov. 4) \u003C\/b\u003E— Perhaps \u003Cb\u003EMichael Knevel\u003C\/b\u003E, wearing the braid of Yates Cup-winning quarterback who lead a lightning-in-a-bottle comeback against Western, will be healthy in two weeks' time. Or Laurier has\u003Cb\u003E Tristan Arndt \u003C\/b\u003Eto turn loose, possibly against the McMaster team that he lit up last Saturday.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat is for sure is nothing will be confirmed from the depth charts, which in OUA are exchanged on the eve of the game. Laurier played a guessing game before that 40-15 rout two weeks ago.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (6-2 Canada West, 44-15 home win against No. 8 Regina)\u003C\/b\u003E — They're still unlikely to host a Hardy Cup, but could they end up home for the Mitchell Bowl if Calgary keeps going down its current path? The Thunderbirds defence had five sacks on Saturday, and if Calgary's having pass-protection issues, then look out.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E'Birds win the right to host the Hardy Cup semifinal vs Regina with a 44-15 victory on Oct 28th's fan appreciation day. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoBirdsGo?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoBirdsGo\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oFcIcyBjA5\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/oFcIcyBjA5\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ubctbirds\/status\/924419418024587265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@UBC\u003C\/a\u003E football scores huge 44-15 win over \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/reginarams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@reginarams\u003C\/a\u003E to clinch home playoff game. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoBirdsGo?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#GoBirdsGo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E📡: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/htsumura?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@htsumura\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ERecap: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wBONOMt4bb\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/wBONOMt4bb\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xjXi7nrk50\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/xjXi7nrk50\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ubctbirds\/status\/924445232183222272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EUBC muscles up in second quarter, beats Regina to clinch home field for first round of football playoffs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vqRBrc4biR\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/vqRBrc4biR\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NBfUNbpRND\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/NBfUNbpRND\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Province Sports (@provincesports) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/provincesports\/status\/924466850850734081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESomeone who is not me has to look up the last time that happened. Going off of memory, it seems like the teams which have won Hardy Cup games in hostile territory were also travelling for the national semifinal (UBC in 2015, Manitoba in 2014, Calgary in 2009, among others).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (6-2 OUA, 12-9 home win against Queen's in quarter-final) \u003C\/b\u003E— Have you ever seen a spot where both teams were doing the \"we got it\" pointing? That happened in the final minute at McMaster after short-yardage QB\u003Cb\u003E Dylan Astrom \u003C\/b\u003Egained the necessary inchage on third-and-1. It was a bad spot, which was sort of a shame since it was such a cleanly played game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELyons and the hog-maulies such as guards\u003Cb\u003E Josh Lolli \u003C\/b\u003Eand\u003Cb\u003E Jakub Szott \u003C\/b\u003Eand tackle\u003Cb\u003E Nick Firlit\u003C\/b\u003E were the headliners with the back's 319-yard game. But the reason Mac is still a lead-pack team in OUA despite coaching changes and loss of generational offensive talent is the defensive depth. With back-eight defenders \u003Cb\u003EBen Megarry \u003C\/b\u003Eand\u003Cb\u003E Alec Robertson\u003C\/b\u003E both out, Blake stepped up to issue a Hard No to Queen's with his interception in the penultimate minute. Veteran Mark Mackie, who was this commentator's choice as OUA Hec Crighton candidate last season (on the premise it would ever go to an interior lineman), also had a huge fourth-quarter sack.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\"I think we can compete on the national scale every year.”\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster's Mackie making his mark on 🏈, community \u0026amp; MCATs\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vnuC4xAAhL\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/vnuC4xAAhL\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Q1lfXXjFwj\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/Q1lfXXjFwj\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USPORTSca\/status\/924292074161049601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 28, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn a rainy day, field position dictated everything, and Mac was airtight when Queen's and\u003Cb\u003E Nate Hobbs \u003C\/b\u003Egot in range. The Gaels settled for three points after recovering a fumbled punt on Mac's 22 in the third quarter. Another threat fizzled when kicker \u003Cb\u003ENick Liberatore\u003C\/b\u003E (3-of-5) dinged the upright on a game-tying field goal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt would have been the ultimate in Canadian football weirdness if Mac had contrived to lose when they had a 300-yard game.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (4-4 Canada West, 44-15 road loss at No. 6 UBC)\u003C\/b\u003E — Fall back on the \"bad dress rehearsal, great performance\" cliché. One side effect of the loss was that QB\u003Cb\u003E Noah Picton \u003C\/b\u003Ewas mercy-pulled and ended up falling shy of the 10,000-career-yard milestone. By unofficial tally, he's at 9,842.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETwo Rams alumni started in the same NFL game. The punter is a starter!\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Giants?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Giants\u003C\/a\u003E ➡️ \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Seahawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@Seahawks\u003C\/a\u003E! 👏\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LWillson_82?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@LWillson_82\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JonRyan9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@JonRyan9\u003C\/a\u003E receive the 🇨🇦 from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brettjones69?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E@BrettJones69\u003C\/a\u003E to continue The Great Canadian Handoff! \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CarryCanada?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#CarryCanada\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/o5kzkjQBj1\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/o5kzkjQBj1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— NFL Canada (@NFLCanada) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFLCanada\/status\/922291114949869568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 23, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGuelph (5-3 OUA, 30-8 road win against Ottawa in quarter-final)\u003C\/b\u003E — Best way to avoid a double-overtime defeat is get a team down early. The Gryphons scored four times in the first quarter and won going away, with \u003Cb\u003EJohnny Augustine \u003C\/b\u003Egaining 156 rushing-receiving yards on 22 touches.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Gryphons might well be the only team which can keep Western from coming out of OUA. There are rumblings about Guelph slipping off the field, but the holdovers from the 2015 Yates Cup team mean they are a potential giant-slayer.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EMooood. We can't hide it! 🏈🥜 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PlayoffFever?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#PlayoffFever\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TeamFirst?src=hash\u0026amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003E#TeamFirst\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ESwr16xJZa\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/ESwr16xJZa\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Gryphon Football (@GryphonFootball) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GryphonFootball\/status\/924689939031347200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\"\u003EOctober 29, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAcadia (6-2 AUS, host Loney Bowl on Nov. 11)\u003C\/b\u003E — A double bye seems like an embarrassment of riches.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAlso in consideration (but not anymore):\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (5-3 OUA, 30-8 home loss against No. 9 Guelph in quarter-final)\u003C\/b\u003E — Ouchtown, population 47. That the Gee-Gees hosted a playoff game after the stresses of this season is commendable in itself, in light of the emotions with \u003Cb\u003ELoïc Kayembe\u003C\/b\u003E's death days before another excruciating Panda Game defeat to Carleton.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYet the season ended the same way as the last one, having the quarterback, this time\u003Cb\u003E Adam Lavric\u003C\/b\u003E, knocked out of the game and scoring fewer than 10 points. There were triumphs nonetheless this season and \u003Cb\u003EJackson Bennett \u003C\/b\u003Edelivered some scale-model Bo Jackson-esque moments. If he is not an all-Canadian, there should be a Royal Commission.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (5-3* AUS, 26-25 home loss against Mount Allison) \u003C\/b\u003E— No this won't be salty much. Saint Mary's ended up in second place due to forfeiting a game against St. Francis Xavier, and that win might vault St. FX into the playoffs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E(* One of Saint Mary's defeats was a forfeit.) \u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/2634634764660740286\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/10\/football-top-10-tracker-calgary-is-no-1.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2634634764660740286"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/2634634764660740286"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/10\/football-top-10-tracker-calgary-is-no-1.html","title":"Football: Top 10 Tracker: Western has to be No. 1 now, eh? Calgary crushed by Alberta; Laval locks up No. 1 in Quebec; McMaster and Guelph win OUA quarters"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5377534046245226843"},"published":{"$t":"2017-09-16T17:27:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-09-21T13:02:50.939-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Top 10"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warriors"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Week 4 Top 10 tracker — Waterloo bandwagon accepting passengers"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cb\u003EScoreline of the week: Waterloo 45, Carleton 43\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo the Battle of Waterloo will be between undefeateds, and no one saw that coming.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen the preseason chatter picked up, there was a thought that Waterloo would get a win or three against the soft underbelly of OUA. The Warriors going to 4-0 after surmounting a 20-point halftime deficit against Carleton takes it up a couple notches. So often it seems underdogs, or teams that don't have a history of winning, just accept their fate at that point Instead, \u003Cb\u003ELucas McConnell \u003C\/b\u003Eand the Warriors offence converted on third-and-longish on back-to-back touchdown drives late in the third quarter. Waterloo scored on five consecutive possessions (on drives covering 74, 61, 75, 84 and 50 yards). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThen there was a last stand with 12 seconds left to seal Waterloo's latest biggest-win-since.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏈: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Ravens?src=hash\"\u003E#Ravens\u003C\/a\u003E can't convert on 3rd down and turn the ball over down 45-37 under 2 min left in 4th Q. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g6co3dD0zU\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/g6co3dD0zU\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CURavens\/status\/909142592885059584\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E🏈: TOUCHDOWN!\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wilsonbirch\"\u003E@wilsonbirch\u003C\/a\u003E with the grab. 2pts needed down 45-43 near the end of 4th Q. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/czltRWXkAy\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/czltRWXkAy\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CURavens\/status\/909145214463430657\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-video\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"und\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/E3mz0JNw60\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/E3mz0JNw60\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CURavens\/status\/909145591451717633\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EAll told, there 1,314 yards offence (679 Waterloo, 635 Carleton).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EQuestions abound:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHas Waterloo already done enough to clinch a playoff berth? \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003EYes, and there is nothing barbed about that. With their next two at home against the past two Yates Cup champions (Laurier, then Guelph), and then two east-of-the-GTA roadies, it's a tough second-half schedule. One would think there's at least a split coming out of those Queen's\/Ottawa games.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut should Waterloo end up 4-4, it's in a decent spot. It gained a tiebreaker against Carleton (1-3), whose ceiling is probably 4-4. Queen's (0-3) also has no margin for error with Western.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIs Chris Bertoia OUA coach of the year?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E Easy call there.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat are the \"last time it happened\" dates to remember for Waterloo?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Quickly.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELast playoff appearance:\u003C\/b\u003E 2003, as the No. 8 seed in an eight-team playoff. They lost 70-7 against McMaster, and that alone might have been brought an end to having eight teams make the OUA playoffs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELast season above .500: \u003C\/b\u003E2001, 4-3-1. Ontario didn't have regular-season overtime until '02. The tie was a 21-21 saw-off against McMaster, which was in the midst of a 36-game unbeaten streak against OUA teams.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELast season in the Yates Cup (hey, you never know):\u003C\/b\u003E 1999.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EAnyway, on to how the ballot is shaping up. The top half will change little: Nos. 1, 3 and 4 all won by healthy margins. Laurier put up 40 points and pitched two shutout quarters after recess. But with most teams having played three or four games there's now enough in the can to start ranking teams based on potential.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMontréal (3-0 RSEQ, 28-1 win against Sherbrooke) — \u003C\/b\u003E Sherbrooke didn't score against Montréal, which justifies this whole not-gonna-figure-out-who's-third-in-Quebec stance.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"und\"\u003EW + W + W. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uVcmmZBQXa\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/uVcmmZBQXa\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Carabins (@Carabins) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Carabins\/status\/908875662781554691\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (2-1 RSEQ, bye week)\u003C\/b\u003E — I had Laval No. 3 last week.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (3-0 Canada West, 76-17 road win against Manitoba)\u003C\/b\u003E — Does the two-yard score that defensive lineman\u003Cb\u003E Joel Van Pelt\u003C\/b\u003E caught in the second quarter qualify as a Fat Guy Touchdown? Probably not, since he managed a passable Big Guy Cartwheel?\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-video\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003ETOUCHDOWN \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Dinos?src=hash\"\u003E#Dinos\u003C\/a\u003E! \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JoelPelt\"\u003E@joelpelt\u003C\/a\u003E hauls in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/josiahjay\"\u003E@josiahjay\u003C\/a\u003E pass, and it's 39-3 Dinos midway through the 2nd \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoDinos?src=hash\"\u003E#GoDinos\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7ZS8VwP1Xf\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/7ZS8VwP1Xf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UCalgary Dinos (@UCDinos) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UCDinos\/status\/909133067054231552\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWestern (4-0 OUA, 59-7 road win against Windsor)\u003C\/b\u003E — Pretty self-explanatory. Windsor, by the by, has allowed 213 points in four weeks. The three stingiest OUA teams have allowed 155 combined.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EFB | Touchdown Mustangs! Merchant keeps it himself and takes it in from 54-yards out to make it 49-0 for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/westernu?src=hash\"\u003E#westernu\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoStangs?src=hash\"\u003E#GoStangs\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/D78xUvHgZC\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/D78xUvHgZC\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WesternMustangs\/status\/909127671984082945\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaurier (3-0 OUA, 40-17 win at Queen's)\u003C\/b\u003E — Remember the peak of the Buffalo Bills' K-Gun\u0026nbsp; offence in the early 1990s? Laurier is running that sort of stuff with \u003Cb\u003EMichael Knevel \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EMichael Faulds \u003C\/b\u003Eseems to have the counter-move ready whenever someone counters them. \u003Cb\u003ERobbie Smith\u003C\/b\u003E, meantime, set a school record with 4½ sacks against Queen's. There is some symmetry there, since Queen's single-game sack record was set against Laurier in 2008 by \u003Cb\u003EDee Sterling\u003C\/b\u003E, also in a September game at Richardson.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EM🏈- Robbie Smith with a sack, breaking Laurier's single game sack record with 4.5 😱Kwaku Boateng held the record at 4 in 2014 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeAreHAWKS?src=hash\"\u003E#WeAreHAWKS\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— Laurier Golden Hawks (@WLUAthletics) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WLUAthletics\/status\/909139652287877120\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina (2-1 Canada West, 28-18 home win against Alberta)\u003C\/b\u003E — It looks like Regina might have been oversold. A a 10-point margin and a 448-384 edge in yardage against Alberta seems nondescript.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn \"Canada West gonna Canada West,\" the score wasn't that high, but both quarterbacks had more than 300 yards.\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003EJust like we drew it up? 🤔 \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pgQ3KXfJVf\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/pgQ3KXfJVf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— U. of Regina Rams (@reginarams) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/reginarams\/status\/909191347516579840\"\u003ESeptember 16, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan (2-1 Canada\u0026nbsp; West, road loss against UBC) — \u003C\/b\u003EHow well the Huskies rate depends on how they get on at UBC and whether anyone puts stock in the McMaster exhibition game.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (3-1 OUA, road loss against No. 9 McMaster)\u003C\/b\u003E — There might be a case to drop \u003Ci\u003Eboth\u003C\/i\u003E the Gee-Gees and Marauders, who set offensive football back a half-century in the first half.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe teams combined for 226 yards of offence and 159 in penalties during the first two quarters as Ottawa inched out to a 4-0 lead. The Southern Ontario humidity — estimated at 38 C at field level — apparently gassed the Gee-Gees, though. Mac started having \u003Cb\u003EJackson White\u003C\/b\u003E roll out, forcing Ottawa's defensive linemen to chase (and cramp). That adjustment, along with White settling down and making some plays with his legs, paid off with three touchdown drives. Ottawa never came close to scoring.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (2-1 OUA, 24-7 home win against No. 8 Ottawa) —\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;I put McMaster No. 8 last week and might be duty-bound to leave them there. They beat a ranked team, but the game was a dud.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EShouting out McMaster's \u003Cb\u003ERobbie Yochim\u003C\/b\u003E, who lost a three-game interception streak by the margin of a toenail. From the press box view at Ron Joyce Stadium, Yochim was in bounds when he made an over-the-shoulder pick during the first quarter, but the official in the vicinity ruled otherwise. \u003Ci\u003EC'est la vie.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (2-1 Canada West, 31-10 home win against No. 7 Saskatchewan)\u003C\/b\u003E — Statement ma— wait, the Thunderbirds have sparklers that shoot out of the goal posts after a touchdown? Sweet sassy molassy!\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bncmgs\"\u003E@bncmgs\u003C\/a\u003E to the house!! 🏈🔥\u003Cbr \/\u003E17-7 'Birds.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/UBCHomecoming?src=hash\"\u003E#UBCHomecoming\u003C\/a\u003E | \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GoBirdsGo?src=hash\"\u003E#GoBirdsGo\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ww1emopfQd\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/ww1emopfQd\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ubctbirds\/status\/909237567769296897\"\u003ESeptember 17, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003EA three-touchdown win over a higher-ranked team probably rates a three-spot jump for UBC. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Thunderbirds were always this good, but having Regina right out of the gate didn't do them any favours. Going off play-by-play, it looks like UBC played perfect complementary football in the third quarter. Back-to-back second-down stops induced punts, and \u003Cb\u003EMichael O'Connor\u003C\/b\u003E put together successive touchdown drives to take the lead out to 17 points. Saskatchewan got only three points the rest of the way.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAlso in consideration:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGuelph (2-2 OUA, 43-6 road win against Toronto)\u003C\/b\u003E — I didn't vote for UBC last week but assumed it would beat Saskatchewan in its homecoming game, and that worked out for everybody, besides Saskatchewan. Does that mean follow suit and leave out the Gryphons, who have 34, 82 and 43 points in their last three games, before they play McMaster in their homecoming game?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'll admit to being painted into a corner with Guelph. One, there is a disdain for putting in a team one hadn't supported previously after it throttled a bottom feeder. Beating U of T 23-6, 43-6 or 63-6, should not make a difference. At the other end of the spectrum, rewarding close losses never sits well. If you're good, you'll upset one of the big teams. But Guelph's losses, both in overtime, don't look that bad. Recency factor also means one could put less stock in the Ottawa game in Week 1.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEasy storyline for McMaster at Guelph for next week: Marauders freshman QB\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EJackson White\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Eused to back up Guelph QB\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EJames Roberts\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;in high school.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWaterloo (4-0 OUA, 45-43 road win against Carleton) — \u003C\/b\u003EDocked by yours truly for barely beating Toronto, but impossible to ignore after the hole they dug out of against Carleton.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's (3-0 AUS, 17-10 win against Acadia)\u003C\/b\u003E — Apparently played to the level of competition, which could require revising their ranking. Saint Mary's had a short week with a Friday night game after last weekend's trip to Quebec. It's understandable, but not excusable.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5377534046245226843\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/09\/football-week-4-top-10-tracker-waterloo.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5377534046245226843"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5377534046245226843"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/09\/football-week-4-top-10-tracker-waterloo.html","title":"Football: Week 4 Top 10 tracker — Waterloo bandwagon accepting passengers"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5753559217546873336"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-08T13:21:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-15T13:08:24.911-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Capers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Now, if Laval loses ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 4 weeks out"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Fun one to do this week, with a Top 5 tilt in eastern Ontario and the split series in Canada West last weekend (Winnipeg at Regina and Saskatchewan at Alberta).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe debate over the at-large berth ... the large conferences each seem to have a fairly definitive Big 3 (Queen's, Carleton, McMaster in Ontario and Regina, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan) in Canada West. The at-large likely goes to one of the third-place teams. Of course, if Laval gets upset in the RSEQ final, both are SOL.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champion):\u003C\/b\u003E While Final 8 \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/f\/c\/wvm5mk7ehti25e\/160810_PlayingRegs_Basketball_-W-_FINAL.PDF\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E[s]eeding is defined as reflecting current strength of the 8 teams\u003C\/a\u003E,\" the reality might be that Laval just has to win six more games against familiar competition to secure top spot. Winning two of three against the OUA's upper crust during conference play (and the defeat against Carleton was by a four-point margin on Oct. 1) might assuage doubts that they're just running roughshod against a small conference. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEach of \u003Cb\u003EGuillaume Giroux\u003C\/b\u003E's group's losses were in one-off road games where they had rust to play off. The point here is that while who is the best team going into nationals is always subjective, Laval at this point has the body of work, albeit inside the bubble of a five-team conference (and a 6-1 record against Upper Canada).\u003Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003E.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/queensgaels\"\u003E@queensgaels\u003C\/a\u003E pull out the late win vs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ryersonrams\"\u003E@ryersonrams\u003C\/a\u003E last week to hold onto the #1 spot in the WBB Power Rankings. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WsmcnjI6XP\"\u003Epic.twitter.com\/WsmcnjI6XP\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E— CUSN (@CUSNetwork) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CUSNetwork\/status\/829373931580772352\"\u003EFebruary 8, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\"\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's Golden Gaels (OUA champion):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;This is based on the work done to this point, not on what might happen early evening when Carleton and Queen's meet in the biggest basketball game in the 8½-season history of the ARC.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne could be withering about this week's top 10, with McMaster ranked No. 2 and Queen's No. 3 in spite of their road win on Mac's court. Is \"well that wasn't supposed to happen\" the basis for every decision now?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina Cougars (Canada West champion):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Projected final RPI for Canada West, if the higher-ranked teams all win out on a final weekend:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s1600\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s640\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWinnipeg makes the long trip for two games at Victoria. A split there, assuming the chalk picks win everywhere else, vaults Alberta over Winnipeg:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DpAexIfhRfk\/WJtawVxdEOI\/AAAAAAAADN8\/EQ_-v08iRU4B25t-ZokwsxdZ9b_5QKI3QCLcB\/s1600\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.wpg.uvic.split.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DpAexIfhRfk\/WJtawVxdEOI\/AAAAAAAADN8\/EQ_-v08iRU4B25t-ZokwsxdZ9b_5QKI3QCLcB\/s640\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.wpg.uvic.split.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHence the sinking feeling \/ sneaking suspicion that Winnipeg might be the best team but the system might not work out in their favour. Hey, just like the Electoral College, it's only a problem after it screws you over! The Wesmen have won 3-of-4 against the Cougars and Huskies although their defeat had the largest margin of any of those games, as they took an 83-67 defeat last Friday.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan Huskies (Canada West runner-up):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Inside track on hosting Canada West final four, yadda-yadda-yadda, I mentioned the bisque. They could potentially get Alberta in a play-in game and they beat the Pandas on the road last week.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton Ravens (OUA runner-up):\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003EFor grins, I kicked out some RPI jams. It turns out there is a mathematical possibility that Queen's could win Friday, drop its last two against Ottawa and York and still end up first.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton gets the nod over McMaster as the second OUA team since they won 77-51 on Dec. 3.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECape Breton Capers (AUS champion):\u003C\/b\u003E I pumped their tires and then they got pumped by Acadia (96-75 and 78-69). One phenomena that seems peculiar to AUS is that the teams in fifth, sixth or seventh have a lot more fire in the belly around early February, so seeing first-place teams get knocked off isn't stunning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe downside of parity can come at seeding time, so sliding the AUS champion below the runners-up from Ontario and the West is justifiable. Maybe the conference is in a post-\u003Cb\u003EJustine Colley \u003C\/b\u003Etranquil period.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWinnipeg Wesmen\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;(at-large berth):\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;Blog favourite \u003Cb\u003EAntoinette Miller\u003C\/b\u003E outscored Regina standout \u003Cb\u003EKyanna Giles\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.canadawest.org\/sports\/wbkb\/2016-17\/boxscores\/20170204_y2rb.xml?view=box2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E19-2 in the second half last Saturday\u003C\/a\u003E, when the Wesmen rallied to gain a split of their series. That's called taking ownership.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWinnipeg winning Canada West is plausible. Selfishly, though, this bracket has the alma maters of the entire 2003-04 \u003Ci\u003EPortage la Prairie Daily Graphic\u003C\/i\u003E sports department going head-to-head.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVictoria Vikes (host):\u003C\/b\u003E Close out the regular season against a likely tournament team, which could help with being a tough out come March 9.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5753559217546873336\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/now-if-laval-loses-bronze-baby.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5753559217546873336"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5753559217546873336"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2017\/02\/now-if-laval-loses-bronze-baby.html","title":"Now, if Laval loses ... Bronze Baby Bracketology, 4 weeks out"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-DOl-4tCgQCk\/WJtZpAzwv4I\/AAAAAAAADN0\/uy9ZcpDRE7MjVIW_j1pBjTKhNqhGc2EiQCLcB\/s72-c\/canadawest.rpi.feb8.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-7522861567187198986"},"published":{"$t":"2016-10-23T10:53:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-10-23T11:02:33.568-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA Football Recap"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"OUA football: Western, Laurier get byes, Ottawa-Carleton \u0026 Guelph-McMaster in quarters"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Paraphrasing Bud-Lite Kaminski in the 1993 cinematic masterpiece \u003Ci\u003EThe Program\u003C\/i\u003E, \"Great Week 9 in OUA football -- wish I'd seen it.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E(Half-full disclose: the stuff one watches on YouTube on the weekend while packing up to move to a new city and also tracking down Canadian divers who are 12 time zones away in Malaysia \u0026nbsp;never ceases to amaze.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELong story short, OUA shook out in way that could have been foreseen in August: Western in first, Laurier, McMaster and Carleton getting a home playoff game, and Ottawa being inscrutable Air Raid team. The Ravens will have their first on-campus playoff game since 1986, while the rivals in the nation's capital will meet in the post-season for the first time since '96.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnyway, now that the IV drip of Red Bull is inserted, we have narratives:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWestern got a good scare from McMaster, a potential Yates Cup opponent, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.lfpress.com\/2016\/10\/22\/football-stangs-finish-first-with-win-over-mcmaster\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eafter squeaking by 19-18\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in a first-place battle. It was a wind-affected game, which certainly hurt the probability of success, but chances are the weather will not better for the Yates on Nov. 12.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EChris Merchant\u003C\/b\u003E,\u003Cb\u003E Alex Taylor \u003C\/b\u003Eand Co. were 30 points and 200-plus yards below their seasonal average. And as Morris Dalla Costa's column notes, \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.lfpress.com\/2016\/10\/22\/football-stangs-finish-first-with-win-over-mcmaster\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewith third-and one with 30 seconds left, for some reason, the Mustangs’ left\u003Cb\u003E Simon Bahru \u003C\/b\u003Eall alone in coverage. The Marauder receiver got behind in but quarterback\u003Cb\u003E Asher Hastings \u003C\/b\u003Emissed him\u003C\/a\u003E.\" Western typically doesn't repeat mistakes or leave their leaks unattended, which is why they are always playing into November.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWestern prevailed on the margin of a missed field goal single after\u003Cb\u003E John Biewald \u003C\/b\u003Egot downfield to make the tackle two yards deep in the end zone. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOne is welcome to the Hot Take that a Carleton-Western semifinal would be a de facto championship game. Those are the two squads with the best offensive lines, and capable front sevens on the other side of the ball. Each has explosion play capability in the third phase.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOne presumes Laurier defensive coordinator\u003Cb\u003E Ron VanMoerkerke\u003C\/b\u003E might have glean some things from seeing how McMaster defended against Western. The upshot for the No. 2 seed Golden Hawks is they have the bye, but the three-score loss in London still has some stickiness. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMany good teams have got it right the second time. Four of the last eight OUA champions finished second in the regular season (2008 and '10 Western, 2011 McMaster and 2015 Guelph).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOnly Western, in 2007, has won the conference without benefit of the bye.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Carleton Ravens' path to the Yates goes through two teams they have defeated, Ottawa next week and potentially Western in the semifinal (although Western in November and Western on a hot summer night on Labour Day weekend ain't one and the same).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe way McMaster and\u003Cb\u003E Mike Kashak\u003C\/b\u003E (11½ sacks) get after it gives them a strong shot at being the second. (If they get upset by Guelph, this bullet point never happened.) Likewise, being in the 4 seed might work out for Carleton.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETo the Jim Mullin Red Book! It can be ascertained that an Ottawa-Carleton postseason matchup has happened twice, in 1986 at Keith Harris Stadium and 1996 at Frank Clair Stadium. Each was a 4 vs. 1 semifinal, and the home team prevailed each time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn 1970 and '73, Ottawa and Carleton also finished first and fourth respectively. In 1967, they were second and third in the 12-team Central Canada Intercollegiate Football Conference (where were the marketing people to shorten that name?)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECoach of the week honours to the Gee-Gees' Jamie Barresi, one for going for the high-reward all-or-nothing plays twice to defeat Queen's 42-41 in overtime.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you might have heard, all-Canadian\u0026nbsp;candidate Mitch Baines grabbed a tipped pass for the winning two-point convert.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ou3rfHezevY?start=30\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003Eddd\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs Barresi explained: \"It meant everything to get that sixth win. The fact of the matter is that we learned from last year’s overtime against Carleton. That was a big lesson learned because we should have ended it then. Today, the players on the bench were in my ear a bit to go for it – we knew had a play. We all felt confident about it, and they urged me on to do it. But right away I thought about that Panda Game last year.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBarresi and the Gee-Gees also went 'double or nothing' on the last play of the first half. Queen's \u003Cb\u003EChris Osei-Kusi\u003C\/b\u003E fumbled while trying to return a well-short 55-yard field goal attempt and Ottawa recovered with 10 seconds left. Ottawa worked the shallow cross \/ wheel combo pattern perfectly so that\u003Cb\u003E Bryce Vieira\u003C\/b\u003E was wide-open for an easy touchdown, cutting Queen's lead to nine points.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Gees had a lot of mental outs: bad loss to Western, dank weather, the prospect of being locked into fifth place since Carleton was 99.98 per cent likely to win at Waterloo. They made it matter.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA sign of being in the upper quadrant of second-rate minds is believing Queen's can be held to account for the Homecoming \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/10\/football-queens-failing-to-fill-new.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edebacle\u003C\/a\u003E,\" while having a heart for the coaches and players. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA season-ending\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;walk-off\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;must feel devastating. Queen's defensive back \u003Cb\u003EJason Shamatutu\u003C\/b\u003E, who tipped the ball, did his job by reading and side-shuffling into the window \u003Cb\u003EDerek Wendel\u003C\/b\u003E had to throw to Baines. The ball just happened to deflect right to a likely all-Canadian receiver.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Gaels hung in while losing starting QB \u003Cb\u003ENate Hobbs\u003C\/b\u003E, and having another injury-dictated change in the kicking game.\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;Kyle Gouveia \u003C\/b\u003Ehad\u0026nbsp;a decent 17-of-26, 172-yard, two-TD passing line in relief on a wet day. They also had\u0026nbsp;a contacting the kicker penalty that extended Ottawa for a field goal drive in the third quarter.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESo Baines put Queen's out of the playoffs, and put Guelph and his brother, OLB\u003Cb\u003E Riley Baines\u003C\/b\u003E, into the playoffs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWendel upped his CIS single-season completions record to 232. Regina's\u003Cb\u003E Noah Picton\u003C\/b\u003E has 197 heading into his final game at Manitoba on Saturday. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is a chance, then, that Wendel could have a national record nicked by a Canada West QB. Last season, of course, he got the passing yards mark with 3,136, which set the bar for Calgary's \u003Cb\u003EAndrew Buckley\u003C\/b\u003E to go off against Alberta and finish with 3,162.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EEnjoy the playoffs.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/7522861567187198986\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/10\/oua-football-western-laurier-get-byes.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7522861567187198986"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/7522861567187198986"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/10\/oua-football-western-laurier-get-byes.html","title":"OUA football: Western, Laurier get byes, Ottawa-Carleton \u0026 Guelph-McMaster in quarters"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/ou3rfHezevY\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-6705475687334968863"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-30T16:02:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-31T10:21:29.178-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bisons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carabins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mounties"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stingers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Top 10"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"X-Men"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#Top10VoterProblems: UBC opens the season No. 1, by slim margin over Montréal"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A buzzsaw named \u003Cb\u003EDeezar \u003C\/b\u003Ecame through B.C. last weekend, but that was not enough to change voters' minds for the first football Top 10 of the season.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVoters in the poll have free reign to decide how much stock to give to exhibition results, such as Manitoba's 50-7 win against defending national champion UBC last Friday at Westhills Stadium on Vancouver. Those games aren't played at full intensity, and the road team is often coming with a lean travel squad whereas the hosts will carry extra players.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe first poll of the season is always as the hardest; an invisible hand -- thank you, \u003Cb\u003EAdam Smith\u003C\/b\u003E -- tends to help a consensus develop. Six teams got at least one No. 1 vote, and there seems to be strong consensus around eight teams. That's really all that should be ranked, but for marketing purposes, you need 10 teams. A novel total would break the haters' brains.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC Thunderbirds (266, 20):\u003C\/b\u003E Never been a fan of the 'they are champs until proven otherwise' argument, since it defeats the purpose of having an opinion about who is the best. The 'Birds are young, but they showed last season that the early stages of a season aren't a be-all.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMontreal (261, five):\u003C\/b\u003E The line out of the Carabins' camp: \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tvasports.ca\/2016\/08\/29\/la-carte-cachee-des-carabins\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EEven the pope is replaceable\u003C\/a\u003E.\" New quarterback\u003Cb\u003E Samuel Caron\u003C\/b\u003E has been in the system for a few seasons, and aged-out\u003Cb\u003E Gabriel Cousineau \u003C\/b\u003Ehas stayed on as an assistant coach. Time will tell how U de M manages the transition.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval (218):\u003C\/b\u003E For the first time in memory, Laval comes out of the chute without someone thinking they are No. 1. They are rebuilding, relatively, and perhaps the age cap finally is starting to have an effect.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWestern (188, two):\u003C\/b\u003E As a greater mind put it, good to see the blowout issue has been addressed in Ontario! The Mustangs beat Windsor by 72 points in the opener. Last season, they met in Week 1 and Western won by 69. Defensive lineman \u003Cb\u003EJohn Biewald\u003C\/b\u003E, who was in camp with the Ottawa RedBlacks, returns to #The613 for Sunday's game against Carleton. As if he won't find motivation intrinsically.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EManitoba (182, one): \u003C\/b\u003ESomeone put stock in the wipeout at Westshore, judging from the first-place vote. \u003Cb\u003ETheo Deezar\u003C\/b\u003E had three touchdown passes. The Bisons welcome in Calgary on Thursday.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGuelph (177): \u003C\/b\u003EAll three rotational tailbacks got exactly 11 totes against U of T, with aptly named \u003Cb\u003EMack Jones \u003C\/b\u003Ecounting 92 yards and two TDs. Outside linebacker \u003Cb\u003ERiley Baines\u003C\/b\u003E, who missed the Yates Cup season while upgrading some courses, made his return with a sack last week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (147, two):\u003C\/b\u003E Lose the Hardy Cup two seasons in a row and everyone forgets you have been pretty damn good for a long time. I put Calgary in my top 5, and not just because new QB1 \u003Cb\u003EJimmy Underdahl\u003C\/b\u003E is a left-hander, which is rare in three-down football for reasons no one has ever been able to explain.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (146, one): Asher Hastings\u003C\/b\u003E,\u003Cb\u003E Dan Vandervoort \u003C\/b\u003Eand the whole Maroon and Grey gang averaged 9.8 yards per play in the 40-10 win against Carleton. Mac's September slate is Toronto-Waterloo-Ottawa-bye, so there might be some opportunity to be a little experimental before that circled date on the calendar, Oct. 1 vs. Guelph. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn little more than a hunch, I had Mac at No. 4 with Montréal, Western, Calgary as the top three and Laval at No. 5.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECarleton (37):\u003C\/b\u003E The Ravens certainly were caught off-guard against McMaster, and it doesn't get much easier with Western coming to the nation's capital on Sunday. It is a pivotal season for CU, since underachieving is going to slow the momentum the program had at the launch phase. A greater concern than the 30-point loss is that key defender\u003Cb\u003E D'Sean Thelwell \u003C\/b\u003Egot banged up last Sunday. Still a good chance of being a 6-2 team.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaurier (37):\u003C\/b\u003E Since the other two big-boy conferences have yet to play, having a fourth OUA team as a placeholder at No. 10 makes sense. There's some evidence on them, compared to Concordia or Saskatchewan. Laurier's Onyekas were outstanding against Queen's: \u003Cb\u003ENakus Onyeka \u003C\/b\u003Ehad nine tackles and two sacks, whereas \u003Cb\u003EGodfrey Onyeka \u003C\/b\u003Ehoused an interception return for the ahead-for-good TD.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003EAlso receiving votes: Concordia (18), Saskatchewan (13), St. Francis Xavier (6), Mount Allison (5), Sherbrooke (2).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;3½\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/6705475687334968863\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/top10voterproblems-ubc-opens-season-no.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6705475687334968863"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6705475687334968863"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/top10voterproblems-ubc-opens-season-no.html","title":"#Top10VoterProblems: UBC opens the season No. 1, by slim margin over Montréal"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3370888370791047337"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-02T16:45:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-02T23:33:19.905-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Eligibility"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gaiters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mounties"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vanier Cup"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warriors"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Vanier Cup games that time did not forget, since they never happened "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FZpS6odQhOE\/V6D9-HOSuII\/AAAAAAAADLQ\/uG13KKKuOisk6VeiQb2zK3S0K-ZLuu66wCLcB\/s1600\/20031115%2BMitchell%2BBowl%2B278-XL.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FZpS6odQhOE\/V6D9-HOSuII\/AAAAAAAADLQ\/uG13KKKuOisk6VeiQb2zK3S0K-ZLuu66wCLcB\/s640\/20031115%2BMitchell%2BBowl%2B278-XL.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EWhat might have been: Mathieu Bertrand shattered McMaster's Vanier Cup ambitions in 2003 with a game-winning TD run.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003EVictors write the history, and CIS football obsessives with too much time on their hands rewrite it to tide them over until the start of the season.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPerhaps this post idea sprang as a rearguard action against the prospect of another football season where the road to the Vanier Cup will go through the Laval\/Montreal\/\u003Cb\u003EBlake Nill\u003C\/b\u003E axis of awesomeness. The endless loop will involve some riveting conference playoff games that might be available only via webcast, the OUA being three-tiered (powerhouses, the pretty goods, the perpetually mediocre), and the AUS champion getting the obligatory pat on the head after travelling a few thousand kilometres to get \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mitchell_Bowl\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eblown out in the Mitchell Bowl\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo much depends on the bowl rotation when it comes to having a memorable final four. I am the guiltiest of trolling sundry Londoners when the team with the biggest football budget in Ontario, non-\u003Cb\u003EStu Lang\u003C\/b\u003E division, has their Vanier Cup drought extended for another year. In fairness, three of the four Yates Cup-winning teams\u003Cb\u003E Greg Marshall \u003C\/b\u003Ehas produced since 2007 were on the road for their semifinal bowl.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnyway, today's twist on fantasy football is imagining Vanier Cup matchups that could, would, should have happened. The parameters: maximum of two different outcomes in the conference finals or the bowls.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1986\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat happened: UBC 25, Western 23\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat might have been: Bishop's-Western\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELike their 1982, '97 and 2015 teams, the '86 Thunderbirds ventured down east for the semifinal, won it, and stuck around to win the Vanier too. That championship game was the first to match two undefeated teams, and it was one of the most dramatic, as \u003Cb\u003EEric Pututo \u003C\/b\u003Ecame off the bench to march UBC down a muddy field before connecting with \u003Cb\u003ERob Ros\u003C\/b\u003E on the winning touchdown in the final seconds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, the Bishop's Gaiters of coach\u003Cb\u003E Ian Breck \u003C\/b\u003Ecertainly rated an opportunity to play for all the marbles at least once. The small school reached the Dunsmore Cup nine times in 11 seasons from 1984 through '94, winning four times. In '86, they won the O-QIFC (aka the Nontario conference) for the first time and hosted the semifinal on campus. Alas for BU, UBC pulled out a 32-30 win.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBishop's vs. Western would have been the small Quebec school against the large Ontario school, with both wearing purple and silver. (They did meet in the 1994 semifinal, and in an interlocking regular-season game in '99, and yes, it looked weird.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/3cAMLfMwlrY\/0.jpg\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3cAMLfMwlrY?feature=player_embedded\" width=\"320\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI am in no position to say whether '86 was Bishop's best shot at a national title during Breck's 24-season tenure. To nine-year-old me, football was boring and violent, and then-Gaiters star\u003Cb\u003E Leroy Blugh \u003C\/b\u003Ewas a member of the North Fredericksburgh Kings junior men's fastpitch team, which won the first of back-to-back Canadian titles that summer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso, in 1992 the Gaiters were ranked No. 2 heading into conference championship week, with a high-octane O led by QB \u003Cb\u003EJim Murphy \u003C\/b\u003Eand a speedy D bolstered by future long-time CFL deep back \u003Cb\u003ETom Europe\u003C\/b\u003E. Queen's stunned Bishop's 32-6. That day had two defining moments - a Queen's goal-line stand that maintained a halftime lead, and \u003Cb\u003EBrad Elberg \u003C\/b\u003Ehousing the second-half kickoff, going 86 yards through the muck and mire. They played on grass back then, you know.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOdd note about UBC: all four of their Vanier Cup winning teams have had to go east for the semifinal. In 1987, UBC defeated Laurier at home, then got on the plane and lost the Vanier to McGill.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1997\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat happened: UBC 39, Ottawa 23\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat might have been: Mount Allison-Waterloo\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKids, back in the '90s, you needed a landline to get on the Internet. Waterloo being good and the Atlantic conference having relative parity with the rest of the country were also whole things.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the actual game, UBC, with QB \u003Cb\u003EShawn Olson \u003C\/b\u003Eand the tailback tag-team of \u003Cb\u003EMark Nohra \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EAkbal Singh \u003C\/b\u003Eworking behind a stacked offensive line, beat Ottawa decisively. It was a bad game in front of a bad crowd of only 8,000 at Skydome. The small gathering might or might not have included an undergrad from another eastern Ontario university who relished the Gee-Gees getting their comeuppance, who would go on to become uOttawa's play-by-play commentator.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBoth semis were high-scoring games, with UBC outlasting Mount Allison 34-29 in the Atlantic Bowl while Ottawa defeated Waterloo 44-37 to get the unification belt in Ontario. Since this is fantasy, one can assume the Mounties would have a healthy\u003Cb\u003E Éric Lapointe \u003C\/b\u003Einstead of having to carry on without the two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner, who was out with a broken arm. Lapointe might have helped the Mount A defence get more rest, which would have helped defensive end\u003Cb\u003E Mathieu Gauthier \u003C\/b\u003Eand his mates keep up the fight. \u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Churchill matchup is mostly remembered for the infamous \"illegal interference by an unauthorized person\" penalty on Ottawa that was called when the Gee-Gees mascot took down a Waterloo receiver. The fallout from that, apart from enduring infamy, was that the officials penalized Ottawa half the distance to the goal. Waterloo 'dive back'\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EEddie Kim \u003C\/b\u003Ebroke a 17-yard touchdown run on an inside dive on the next play.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa's speed won the day, as\u003Cb\u003E Chris Evraire \u003C\/b\u003Eaccounted for two of their\u0026nbsp;three punt return TDs. That said, it would have been something to have the engineering school which had never won a Yates Cup before 1997 against the small school from the Maritimes, who probably would have had more support at Skydome despite Waterloo's proximity to the GTA.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWarriors coach \u003Cb\u003ETuffy Knight \u003C\/b\u003Ehad his wishbone running on all eight cylinders that season with option QB\u003Cb\u003E Ryan Wilkinson \u003C\/b\u003Eand 'pitch back' \u003Cb\u003EJarrett Smith\u003C\/b\u003E. The Mounties had a good offence built around Lapointe, who's now in the Hall of Fame as a university player. With all that running, they might have finished that game in 2½ hours, even with extra TV timeouts.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2000\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat happened: Ottawa 42, Regina 39\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat might have been: Ottawa-Saint Mary's\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa was dominant in the final seasons of the old O-Q (four conference titles and two Vanier berths from 1995-2000), while the\u003Cb\u003E Blake Nill \u003C\/b\u003EHuskies repped the Atlantic every November from '99 till 2004.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBoth teams were at a peak in 2000. The tectonic shifts in the university game factored into Ottawa an SMU never getting together for a game that would have included teams that with explosion-play capability in all three phases, and swarming defences.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENill also had some experience with the Gee-Gees, since he was defensive coordinator at St. FX when they shut down Ottawa 13-5 in the '96 Atlantic Bowl.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe prologue was 1999, when Laval beat an 8-0 Ottawa team in the playoffs on the way to their first national title, and Regina imported their junior program into Canada West. (Ottawa was on CIAU probation, so 6-2 Laval hosted that Dunsmore Cup.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaval's ascendancy led to Ottawa and Queen's shifting their football teams back to the OUA, which diminished the bilingual university's ability to fish in the deepening Quebec recruiting pool. Regina, with 27-year-old QB\u003Cb\u003E Darryl Leason\u003C\/b\u003E, also made one of the great road runs in 2000, upsetting Saint Mary's 40-36 in Atlantic Bowl in Halifax. That game probably started the conversation about an age cap in university football.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe way that Atlantic Bowl got away from the Huskies is unforgettable. Saint Mary's opened a two-score lead. A poorly directed kickoff created a wide field for\u003Cb\u003E Neal Hughes \u003C\/b\u003Eto house a kickoff with an 89-yard return, saving Regina the trouble of the need to run a one-minute drill for a touchdown and try to recover the ensuing short kickoff.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA quick exchange of possession followed Hughes' touchdown, and Saint Mary's gave a safety that cut the lead to a field goal. Of course, that meant kicking off again, which was a trigger for fatalists. Hughes broke a 67-yard return into the red zone, and Regina capitalized for the TD.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe tightening of the age rules certainly set back Saint Mary's. So have tighter budgets and OUA's introduction of \u003Cstrike\u003Escholarships\u003C\/strike\u003E athlete financial awards keeping more players at home. They were great in their time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor those who don't recall, or don't care, 42-39 was a misleading score. The Rams scored a window-dressing touchdown and two-point convert with zeroes on the clock.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2003\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat happened: Laval 14, Saint Mary's 7\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat might have been: McMaster-Saint Mary's\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs alluded to up top, the bowl rotation has been less than serendipitous for\u003Cb\u003E Greg Marshall \u003C\/b\u003Eas a head coach. The four-in-a-row Marauders got to host a national semifinal thrice from 2000 till '03. By the last one in 2003, the \"if not now, when?\" desperation had traction beyond just the Marauders and their following, since OUA's Vanier Cup absence stood at seven seasons.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaval got by McMaster 36-32 in the Mitchell Bowl on the margin of \u003Cb\u003EMathieu Bertrand\u003C\/b\u003E's long touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. Memories are hazy, and the game isn't on YouTube, but the way it's recalled is the Marauders were blitzing, so Bertrand coolly called his own number and scored on a quarterback draw. The Marauders had time to respond, but a pass just sailed past a receiver's hands inside the 10-yard line in the final seconds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWho knows how Mac would have fared against SMU. We know that Laval eighty-sixed a great storyline. Mac would have been in its first Vanier since the event's infancy, while SMU was going for a three-peat. That's the contrast in team histories broadcasters love. Mac and SMU also had a familiarity after playing in the 2002 semifinal. Then you have the whole Maritimer resentment of Upper Canada.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEverything happens for a reason, though. McMaster would eventually get another chance against Laval.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2010\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat happened: Laval 29, Calgary 2\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat might have been: Calgary vs. Ottawa\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECalgary and\u003Cb\u003E Erik Glavic\u003C\/b\u003E, two-time Hec Crighton winner, against Ottawa and \u003Cb\u003EBrad Sinopoli\u003C\/b\u003E, the 2010 Hec honouree. Now that is a quarterback matchup that would play in Peoria: two dual threats who often extended plays beyond all logical limits.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa got home-field advantage throughout the Yates Cup playoffs on the margin of a one-point home win against Western in the season opener. The Mustangs avenged that with a two-point win in the Yates Cup, prevailing on\u003Cb\u003E Lirim Hajrallahu\u003C\/b\u003E's late field goal. That probably seemed just to the Mustangs, who in the regular-season game had a potential game-icing TD taken off the board after being penalized for a pick play.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the reg-season game, Ottawa took the lead with 35 seconds left. In the Yates, there was 1:45 left when Ottawa kicked a sure go-ahead field goal on a third-and-1. That left Western just enough time to reply. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow, how can one say Ottawa should have been in the Vanier after failing to get it done on their home field in the Yates? Well, the Yates was close, and the spoils of winning was a Uteck Bowl against a banged-up Laval team with a first-year starting quarterback. The Rouge et Or just slipped by Sherbrooke 19-18 to get out of Quebec.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWestern went toe-to-toe with Laval, but the Rouge et Or took down four interceptions and eked by 13-11 at a blustery PEPS. Ottawa was the more advanced team in the passing phase, and was capable of challenging Laval's back eight. Both the 2009 Queen's and 2011 McMaster teams beat Laval by taking vertical shots, along with doing a lot of other good stuff.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAny other matchup would have been more watchable than Laval plowing over Calgary in a snow bowl. \u0026nbsp;Or maybe it would not have been.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat's the point; we'll never know, but it's fun to imagine.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3370888370791047337\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/vanier-cup-games-that-time-did-not.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3370888370791047337"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3370888370791047337"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/08\/vanier-cup-games-that-time-did-not.html","title":"Vanier Cup games that time did not forget, since they never happened "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FZpS6odQhOE\/V6D9-HOSuII\/AAAAAAAADLQ\/uG13KKKuOisk6VeiQb2zK3S0K-ZLuu66wCLcB\/s72-c\/20031115%2BMitchell%2BBowl%2B278-XL.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-6823851554403771910"},"published":{"$t":"2016-06-21T22:07:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-06-21T22:07:48.576-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CFL"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Hamilton Tiger-Cats"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"CIS-Con: Hamilton Tiger-Cats shuffle Courtney Stephen (Laurier) to safety"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003E(Over the next few days, this blog will do its best to give a rundown on how CIS alumni figure into the grand scheme for each CFL team. Friendly reminder: the ratio in the CFL requires each team to have seven 'nationals' among the 24 defensive and offensive starters. It should be 10, five on each side of the ball, but one battle at a time ... one battle at a time.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo dissemble in Costanza-esque fashion, the Tiger-Cats are right in the meaty part of the curve with how they use their Canadian talent — not showing off, not falling behind.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe five Canadians on the offence are the centre, both guards, an inside receiver and a wideout, and all five played in CIS. The two Canadians on the D both played Division 1. Defensive tackle\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003ETed Laurent\u003C\/b\u003E played for Mississippi (where Ticats HC\u003Cb\u003E Kent Austin \u003C\/b\u003Eonce coached) and\u0026nbsp;safety \u003Cb\u003ECourtney Stephen\u003C\/b\u003E played at Northern Illinois after transferring from Laurier.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo be fair, Stephen is the safety spot normally occupied by erstwhile all-star\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003ECraig Butler \u003C\/b\u003E(Western), \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3downnation.com\/2016\/03\/23\/15687\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewho has a knee injury that will likely need extensive rest in order to heal\u003C\/a\u003E. Otherwise Hamilton would have a surplus of nationals who are established starters.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EReceivers \/ backs \u003C\/b\u003E— Slotback \u003Cb\u003EAndy Fantuz\u003C\/b\u003E (Western) is now an elder statesman, entering his 11th season.\u003Cb\u003E Spencer Watt\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E(Simon Fraser, before it \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mqIcjt5JNr0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebecame the team who must not be named\u003C\/a\u003E) is making a comeback after losing all of last season with an Achilles injury. Before that misfortune, Watt had a skein of solid 350- to 400-yard receiving seasons with Toronto.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGood news for Calgary Dinos supporters: alumni\u003Cb\u003E Anthony Woodson \u003C\/b\u003Eand \u003Cb\u003EMercer Timmis \u003C\/b\u003Eare reunited on the running back depth chart. Bad news for them: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thespec.com\/sports-story\/6734386-here-s-how-the-ticats-will-line-up\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eboth are nursing injuries\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOffensive line\u003C\/b\u003E — Guard \u003Cb\u003ERyan Bomben\u003C\/b\u003E (Guelph) and centre \u003Cb\u003EMike Filer \u003C\/b\u003E(Mount Allison) are part of a an all-national interior-line trio.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDefensive front seven\u003C\/b\u003E — With \u003Cb\u003ETed Laurent\u003C\/b\u003E starting in the interior, \u003Cb\u003ELinden Gaydosh \u003C\/b\u003E(Calgary) is waiting in the wings as the backup.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAmong the Canadian linebackers, 28-year-old \u003Cb\u003EFrédéric Plesius\u003C\/b\u003E (Baylor \/ Laval) is first man up ahead of\u003Cb\u003E Byron Archambault \u003C\/b\u003E(Montréal), \u003Cb\u003ETerrell Davis \u003C\/b\u003E(UBC),\u003Cb\u003E Beau Landry\u003C\/b\u003E (Western) and\u003Cb\u003E Ron Omara\u003C\/b\u003E (St. FX).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDefensive secondary \u003C\/b\u003E— As noted, Stephen (Laurier \/ No. Illinois) is in a new position in a vastly altered Tiger-Cats secondary. \u003Cb\u003EMike Daly\u003C\/b\u003E (McMaster), of 2011 Marauders fame, and \u003Cb\u003EJay Langa\u003C\/b\u003E (Saint Mary's) are depth players at safety.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESeventh-rounder \u003Cb\u003EMitch Barnett\u003C\/b\u003E from Vanier Cup champion UBC is following the common progression from university linebacker to CFL special-teamer who is listed at D-back. Barnett, of course, was Canada West's second-leading tackler and recorded 4½ sacks in the eight reg-season games.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESpecialists \u003C\/b\u003E— \u003Cb\u003EAaron Crawford\u003C\/b\u003E (Saint Mary's) and\u003Cb\u003E Mathieu Girard\u003C\/b\u003E (Montréal) are each on the roster. That means the Ticats have two long snappers to work with triple-duty kicker \u003Cb\u003EBrett Maher\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/6823851554403771910\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/06\/cis-con-hamilton-tiger-cats-shuffle.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6823851554403771910"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6823851554403771910"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/06\/cis-con-hamilton-tiger-cats-shuffle.html","title":"CIS-Con: Hamilton Tiger-Cats shuffle Courtney Stephen (Laurier) to safety"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3379227393230471914"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-06T10:42:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-06T10:42:53.593-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CFL"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"coaches"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Stefan Ptaszek, after 10 seasons at McMaster, becomes Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive coordinator"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"It has been a few days and it is still tough to picture Stefan Ptaszek being in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' coaches box instead of the McMaster Marauders sideline.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;For not just his 10 seasons at Mac, Ptaszek has been an staple on the thinking man's side of the ball in Ontario University Athletics - star receiver at Laurier who transitioned into coaching, then took over the Marauders in 2006 after they had a couple of so-so post-Greg Marshall seasons. The move up is richly deserved.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;Meantime, TSN 1150's Marshall Ferguson \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.marshallferguson.com\/#!Choosing-Ptaszeks-successor-a-difficult-choice-for-all-the-right-reasons\/xyec8\/572b51de0cf26d4f7c1de4c0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehas a survey\u003C\/a\u003E of potential interim head coaches for the 2016 Marauders. Early May is a little late in the game to make a permanent hire due to the hiring procedures at most CIS schools. Greg Knox, the former Mac D coordinator, is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cfl.ca\/2016\/04\/06\/checking-mini-camp-season-set-kick-off\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Enow with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as defensive backs coach\u003C\/a\u003E. It would seem unorthodox for a coach to leave a pro program that's already started its season to take a university job. Most coaches are wired to finish what one has started.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOffensive coordinator Jon Behie has been a coach-in-waiting for several seasons. He's as Hamilton as the Bedrock Bistro, and has certainly put in the time that merits a move up to the big job.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;Anyway, good on Ptaszek for getting the call up to the CFL. Greg Marshall and Thérèse Quigley, now coach and AD at Western, laid all the groundwork in the 1990s and aughties for McMaster to go from underachiever to a bona fide football program.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen McMaster finally won the Vanier Cup in 2011, there was a narrative about how much this owed to Marshall. That did sort of take away from how Ptaszek, Behie and Knox instilled both a systemic shift and an attitude adjustment that enabled the Marauders to get by Laval in the 2011 Vanier Cup. The Marauders 1.0 that won four Yates Cups in a row dominated their conference mostly through ground-and-pound physical prowess, but that only got them so far. Of course, the narrative would be much, much different if McMaster had not had a potential game-winning touchdown pass sail just inches beyond a receiver's grasp against Laval in the 2003 Mitchell Bowl, which was Marshall's last game leading the Marauders.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUpon arrival in 2006, Ptaszek tweaked the offence to make it more about motion and misdirection. Knox also cultivated an attacking defence. That made for some memorable teams, and wins.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3379227393230471914\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/05\/football-stefan-ptaszek-after-10.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3379227393230471914"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3379227393230471914"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/05\/football-stefan-ptaszek-after-10.html","title":"Football: Stefan Ptaszek, after 10 seasons at McMaster, becomes Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive coordinator"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5835909379066687395"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-09T16:20:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-09T16:28:59.826-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bronze Baby Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Critelli Cup"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Griffins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Martlets"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ottawa Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Pandas"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Regina Cougars"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Varsity Reds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: McGill on top, with a deep dive down the wild-card rabbit hole"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"(Ibid., see \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology-marlets.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elast week's draft of the presumptive draw for next week in Freddy Beach\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe outcome that you should root for, if you're not imbued with Gee-Gee garnet or Ram blue, is for Ottawa to win the Wilson Cup on Ryerson's floor whilst the women's basketball Ryersonians do a turnabout is fair play deal to the Ottawans in the inaugural Critelli Cup final four. Otherwise, why did we do all this? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOh, and good luck to everyone who has sweat equity in these championships. It's not bias to say you're rooting for a particular outcome, because you like a convoluted storyline that will confuse the non-followers. \u003Ci\u003EJournalism!\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe W-Final 8 picture probably has not changed terribly much, apart from fifth-year forward\u003Cb\u003E Megan Cook g\u003C\/b\u003Eoing Megatron in the Grant MacEwan Griffins' Canada West quarter-final sweep of Victoria. Leading a team to its first playoff series victory in your final home games as a fifth-year, that is a great senior moment. It needs to be acknowledged like a \u003Cb\u003EMartin Prince\u003C\/b\u003E-polished geode.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESaint Mary's is in, and the other five qualifiers will be determined Friday night, between the Quebec final and a pair of semifinals. There is not much reason to change from last week.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcGill Martlets (RSEQ champion) — \u003C\/b\u003EIf they win, they are the top seed by virtue of a one-loss regular season. Likely the at-large berth in a championship-game upset scenario, since \u003Cb\u003ERyan Thorne\u003C\/b\u003E's team would be 21-3 overall. No other faint-hope wild-card hopeful will have fewer than five losses.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan Huskies (Canada West champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe U of S has home floor. What could go wrong?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaint Mary's Huskies (AUS champion)*\u0026nbsp;—\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ci\u003EThe Chronicle-Herald\u003C\/i\u003E union-busting made for sparse coverage of the AUS championships. Thankfully, one of the finest reporters around, \u003Cb\u003EKristen Lipscombe\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;— Laurier hockey alumna! \u003Ci\u003EHerald\u003C\/i\u003E alumna! Kingstonian!\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;was there to capture how SMU \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.metronews.ca\/news\/halifax\/2016\/03\/06\/saint-mary-s-huskies-win-fourth-straight-aus-women-s-basketball-.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehas had its fill of being a conference dynasty\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson Rams (OUA champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003ESince it is Windsor-Ryerson on Friday in a go-to-nats game for \u003Cb\u003ECarly Clarke\u003C\/b\u003E's Rams and \u003Cb\u003EChantal Vallée\u003C\/b\u003E's still-breathing five-time champion Lancers, it's behooving to back up 3½ months to their regular-season matchup.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWindsor took a 95-79 win that Wednesday night after the Rams maintained the three-quarter lead, before the Lancers had a 31-11 fourth. In hindsight, a fade is in tune with travelling down Hwy. 401 for a midweek game. Ryerson should have more rest and less travel this time around. The same cannot be said of Windsor going to Ottawa on back-to-back weekends.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAny two of the four, in either order, could likely emerge from OUA.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegina Cougars (Canada West runner-up)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EShould get by MacEwan to seal their spot.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAlberta Pandas (at large, Canada West bronze medal)\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003ETime to deep dive into the selection\u0026nbsp;criteria for the at-large berth, since those on the conference call will need at least three beers and their conversation hats. It could very well come down to \"the tied team who has the highest winning percentage vs. the Top 12 teams in the final RPI.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe best primer is to put the two Edmonton teams that are underdogs in Canada West Final Four (one more so than the other) and all four extent OUA teams into a table. The records reflect that each bronze-medal game winner will, of course, have a 1-1 weekend. The RPI is the overall RPI, and the SRS is the current one.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstyle type=\"text\/css\"\u003E table.tableizer-table { font-size: 14px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 5px; margin: 5px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } \u003C\/style\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"tableizer-table\"\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr class=\"tableizer-firstrow\"\u003E\u003Cth\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPW\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EPL\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ERPI\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EShort\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003ESRS\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAlberta\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E22\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E0.604\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E16.55\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMacEwan\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.558\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E7.44\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.584\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E16.74\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOttawa\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E25\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.583\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E8.78\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERyerson\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E25\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.579\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E15.21\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWindsor\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E20\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E0.571\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E9.55\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOf course, only the bronze-medal game winners will be in consideration. There is an Alberta advantage going into the weekend. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa Gee-Gees (OUA runner-up)\u0026nbsp;—\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003EThe table underlines the urgency for Ottawa to beat Mac,\u0026nbsp;not that the Marauders have any less urgency. The grey team in from the city of 670,000 merely has a better wild-card case than the grey team from the city of 700,000. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is hard to imagine the gritty Gees letting a berth go through their grasp at home, though.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUNB Varsity Reds\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe V-Reds might not be long for the championship side, but one has to say something nice. Kudos to coach \u003Cb\u003EJeff Speedy \u003C\/b\u003Efor having a roster that is 50 per cent drawn from the province and 75% from Atlantic Canada. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuilty as charged for harping on this when the budgetary ax has arced over women's hockey teams down east, but local and regional matters when talking about playing opportunities in CIS. Athletes are talented people, and need reasons to keep them in the region.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is an apples\/oranges comparison, of course, to contrast that with UNB men's hockey, which\u0026nbsp;20.8% New Brunswickans, and 33.3% from Atlantic Canada. That said,\u0026nbsp;UNB coach\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EGardiner MacDougall \u003C\/b\u003Ecannot be begrudged how hard he was worked to build a national recruiting network. It's just about introducing that perspective.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E(Editor's note, W-Final 8 is the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/static.psbin.com\/u\/w\/idbtw8m8fmkhfs\/Basketball_-W-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epreferred nomenclature in the regulations\u003C\/a\u003E. Paraphrasing Michael Scott after he hit Meredith Palmer with his car: \"You should have to have a 'W' in front of everything so that people know it's women's sports, but that's where we are in America.\" Or maybe the 'W' indicates the unique strength of women. This will be discussed at the Diversity Day seminar.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(* Already determined.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5835909379066687395\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5835909379066687395"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5835909379066687395"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/03\/bronze-baby-bracketology.html","title":"Bronze Baby Bracketology: McGill on top, with a deep dive down the wild-card rabbit hole"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-1393772720855805554"},"published":{"$t":"2016-02-27T22:45:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-02-28T11:45:29.872-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ottawa Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thunderwolves"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Voyageurs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#RPIProblems: Ryerson nabs OUA No. 1 seed due to Brock beating Guelph; tanking appears to have been avoided"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Updated ... since the OUA doesn't go to the fourth digit, Brock (.5128 RPI) and Queen's (.5130 RPI) are technically tied for the sixth seed. The Badgers move up due to having 13 regular-season wins to Queen's 11. Far be it to argue that instead of using a Tie Breaking Policy, the sixth seed could actually go to the team with the better RPI, even if it is by two-ten thousandths of a point.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso, far be it to wonder whether any team contemplated the reality that if you're not a Top 4 bye team, it's really immaterial where you finish. There is a 'shifting deck chairs' aspect to sweating out whether you're fifth, sixth or seventh when you have one more hurdle to get to the OUA Final Four or CIS Final 8 than Ryerson, Ottawa, Carleton and McMaster, which probably also have deeper benches.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBrock Badgers coach \u003Cb\u003ECharles Kissi \u003C\/b\u003Ehad\u003Cb\u003E Dani Elgadi \u003C\/b\u003Eplay 35 minutes and three other starters play at least 30 (\u003Cb\u003ETyler Brown \u003C\/b\u003Ehad only 22 before fouling out) in their 65-62 win at Guelph, which became RPI-irrelevant since it eliminated the Gryphons.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd as it turned out, Brock would have got sixth if it had lost on Saturday. Their outcome \u0026nbsp;mainly flipped Ryerson above Ottawa for the No. 1 seed, and caused Windsor and Queen's to trade places in the 5 and 7 seeds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EHere is the official RPI:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-aBK0gNKr2Qw\/VtMREm8yF6I\/AAAAAAAADGQ\/LHt8H-GsRJk\/s1600\/OUAMBBRPI-official.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-aBK0gNKr2Qw\/VtMREm8yF6I\/AAAAAAAADGQ\/LHt8H-GsRJk\/s640\/OUAMBBRPI-official.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo rather than 'pick your poison,' it's more like Kissi was choosing one for \u003Cb\u003ESteph Barrie\u003C\/b\u003E and the Queen's Gaels.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe upshot is no one tanked. So there is that. For comparison's sake, here is how it would have shook out with a Guelph win on Saturday:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-_kHvHZA-Mag\/VtJpLJlo1MI\/AAAAAAAADGA\/65h40WLWmZE\/s1600\/OUAwhatifGuelphbeatsBrock.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-_kHvHZA-Mag\/VtJpLJlo1MI\/AAAAAAAADGA\/65h40WLWmZE\/s640\/OUAwhatifGuelphbeatsBrock.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EConvoluted, much? One could put forth an argument that if it is between this and knowing the playoff matchups weeks ahead, then let's create the chaos apace.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe next level from that is that since it's not unheard of for teams in other university sports to rest key players before the playoffs, well, it's not that underhanded to tank in the last week of the regular season to try to exert control over potential matchups. There is a moral difference between tanking when the system rewards it and actual game-fixing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat said, Ontario University Athletics owes it to all concerned to make one simple change: \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003Einclude all 19 teams in the RPI. \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003EThis issue would not come up again. It must be noted, though, that in Year 1 of the RPI playoffs, it protected the top four teams, Ottawa, Carleton, Ryerson and Windsor. It didn't this time, since the OUA is more balanced among its top strata of teams and its pretty good teams.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo, mea culpa for not remembering at 11 p.m. Saturday night that the the official RPI didn't go to the fourth digit. Here is what it looked like at CIS Hoops:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-5TFfeHIdbMs\/VtMZ2tW4oBI\/AAAAAAAADGg\/tr0HGBxinIw\/s1600\/OUAMBBRPI-unofficial.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-5TFfeHIdbMs\/VtMZ2tW4oBI\/AAAAAAAADGg\/tr0HGBxinIw\/s640\/OUAMBBRPI-unofficial.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile we're here, here's what would be nice to see as a future format for the power conference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGo to a 20-game schedule for all concerned, with the Central, East and North teams having an extra home-and-home against a non-divisional team. It could rotate through over a number of years.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECap winning margins in the 90th percentile to control for the mismatches that are a fact of life throughout regular-season play in CIS, and use Simple Ranking System (SRS) to determine a 12-team playoff field. Whether that continues to involve an even three per division or something more akin to the NHL's divisional format with at-large\/wild-card teams is irrelevant.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EAnyway, hopefully the playoffs are half this frenetic. Put the calculators down and get the popcorn ready.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is a modified bracket. The winner of the 12 vs. 5 game will play the 4 seed on Quarter-Final Weekend; winner of 11 vs. 6 visits the 3 seed, and so on. The OUA re-seeds for the Final Four, which Ryerson is in the driver's seat to host if it defeats either Lakehead or Western.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/1393772720855805554\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-ryerson-nabs-oua-no-1-seed.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1393772720855805554"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1393772720855805554"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-ryerson-nabs-oua-no-1-seed.html","title":"#RPIProblems: Ryerson nabs OUA No. 1 seed due to Brock beating Guelph; tanking appears to have been avoided"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-aBK0gNKr2Qw\/VtMREm8yF6I\/AAAAAAAADGQ\/LHt8H-GsRJk\/s72-c\/OUAMBBRPI-official.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-6157713659689655389"},"published":{"$t":"2016-02-21T13:05:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-02-21T13:07:10.524-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thunderwolves"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#RPIProblems: What Ottawa needs to wrest top seed, OUA Final Four hosting"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Focus up: whether it is Guelph or Lakehead as the OUA Central's third playoff team is \u003Ci\u003Eyugggge.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor fun, time to go to cishoops' \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cishoops.ca\/mbb2015\/ouarpi-scenario.php?Gender=MBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EScenario Consideration page\u003C\/a\u003E, playing with drop-down tabs\u0026nbsp;— \u003Ci\u003ELaurentian over Ottawa? Why not? \u003C\/i\u003E— to see how it would affect the RPI used for playoff seeding.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor a refresher, here is what we are looking at in the event the pre-filled selections all come through during the final week of the regular season:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-jZDAqW-BMN4\/Vsnk4D2nM_I\/AAAAAAAADE0\/54kU7wUAt8s\/s1600\/OUARPI.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-jZDAqW-BMN4\/Vsnk4D2nM_I\/AAAAAAAADE0\/54kU7wUAt8s\/s640\/OUARPI.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere should be some discord if, indeed, it comes to pass that 6-13 Toronto and 5-14 Laurentian get in over 9-10 Guelph. The point of an analytics-based playoff seeding was to strip out some of the geographical biases that came up under the old East\/West structure. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is the business we have chosen, though, so here's a handy bullet-pointed listed of games that could turn the table. The RPI-ifications of each game are being considered in a vacuum (i.e., the higher-percentage teams win all of the other games).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMac at Brock, 7:30 Wednesday, Meridian Centre\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/i\u003ESt. Kitt's is getting its big-venue game on, and the Badgers will have benefit of a raucous student section. McMaster could vault to fourth in RPI with a win, with the Badgers and Windsor Lancers sliding a slot. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat takes that Mac-Carleton quarter-final out of play.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003ERyerson at Queen's, 8 p.m. Friday\u0026nbsp;—\u003C\/i\u003E Worth noting since \u003Cb\u003ESukhpreet Singh \u003C\/b\u003Eand the Gaels are one of the more intriguing mid-table teams, fomenting a certain alumnus' delusions that Queen's is the sleeping giant of OUA men's basketball. If Queen's somehow, some way turned around a 16-point losing margin from their January game at Mattamy, Ottawa would vault to first with Ryerson second, Carleton third.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003ELakehead at Western, 8 p.m. Friday\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/i\u003EThe Mustangs probably did the math; a home-floor win potentially creates a playoff rematch with the Thunderwolves in the 9 vs. 8 prelim game. Toronto goes to Queen's in the 10 vs. 7 in that scenario.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMac at Guelph, 8 p.m. Friday; Brock at Guelph, 8 p.m. Saturday\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/i\u003EWhither the Gryphons after administering comeuppance to \u003Cb\u003EJuwon Grannum\u003C\/b\u003E-less Ryerson?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuelph owns the tiebreaker against Lakehead, so that playoff spot flips with one Guelph win and Thunderwolves' losses at Western and on Windsor on Saturday. (Prove me wrong, Great Group of Dudes 8.0; prove me wrong.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMac handled Guelph 99-77 at home in January, shooting an effective 56.3 per cent with all five starters hooping at least nine points while \u003Cb\u003ERohan Boney \u003C\/b\u003Escored 18 in as many minutes. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf Guelph pulled if off on Friday with Lakehead having a winless weekend:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-dSmCBGIOPFg\/Vsn6XuOpzPI\/AAAAAAAADFE\/sMkhr2xecf8\/s1600\/OUA2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-dSmCBGIOPFg\/Vsn6XuOpzPI\/AAAAAAAADFE\/sMkhr2xecf8\/s640\/OUA2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow, in the possibly more plausible scenario that the Gryphons got that all-important tiebreaker-inducing win at the 11th hour against the Badgers, who will have had two full nights off? Ottawa again goes to No. 1.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-JjZwjoFPh88\/Vsn752UN8tI\/AAAAAAAADFQ\/WR40genVroA\/s1600\/OUA3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-JjZwjoFPh88\/Vsn752UN8tI\/AAAAAAAADFQ\/WR40genVroA\/s640\/OUA3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt pretty much plays out that way in any scenario where Guelph goes to the playoffs and Lakehead is eliminated.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EHappy hoops-following! \u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/6157713659689655389\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-what-ottawa-needs-to-wrest.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6157713659689655389"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/6157713659689655389"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-what-ottawa-needs-to-wrest.html","title":"#RPIProblems: What Ottawa needs to wrest top seed, OUA Final Four hosting"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-jZDAqW-BMN4\/Vsnk4D2nM_I\/AAAAAAAADE0\/54kU7wUAt8s\/s72-c\/OUARPI.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-4809958137512906627"},"published":{"$t":"2016-02-17T22:39:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-02-17T22:41:54.271-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA men's basketball recap"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RPI"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thunderwolves"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#RPIProblems: Guelph's upset against Ryerson might not affect OUA seeding"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Long story short, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/oua.ca\/sports\/mbkb\/2015-16\/boxscores\/20160217_epy3.xml\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EGuelph's 96-92 upset against No. 1 Ryerson\u003C\/a\u003E might have ramifications for the CIS Final 8, but not for the OUA Wilson Cup playoffs, because RPI.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommit 24 turnovers against a desperate and dialed-in team, and the law of unintended consequences can kick in for an entire conference. The Gryphons, with\u003Cb\u003E Jonathan Wallace \u003C\/b\u003Escoring 27 on 85.7 per cent effective shooting while \u003Cb\u003EDaniel Dooley \u003C\/b\u003Ehad 19 points and nine assists with 70% eFG and \u003Cb\u003EAhmed Haroon\u003C\/b\u003E had the \u0026nbsp;20-point, 12-rebound double-double with 61.5% eFG, stunned the nation's top-ranked team. Ryerson's starting five gave the ball away with 19 times; only \u003Cb\u003EAdika Peter-McNeilly\u003C\/b\u003E, who scored 37 to lead a comeback attempt, \u0026nbsp;was immune for the slippery-fingeritis.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe upshot, though, is that this will only hurt the Rams' place in the 'RPI playoffs' if the Gryphons surmount Lakehead (9-6) for the third playoff spot out of the OUA Central. Only games against playoff teams count, after all.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Gryphons likely have to win at least 2-of-3 to invoke their tiebreaker advantage against Lakehead and get that playoff berth. Meantime, McMaster's loss to Lakehead will count in the seeding, but this Ryerson loss likely will not.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuelph's remaining games are all at home against Toronto and two top 10 teams, Brock and McMaster.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELakehead hosts Ryerson and Toronto on Friday on Saturday, then finishes up with a Western\/Windsor road trip. One has to have a little empathy for whichever team finishes fourth in the Central. They will surely have a better overall record than either the third team out of the East, whilst playing in a division with two Top 6 teams.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs the oracle of the orange ball says:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/canhoopsca.wordpress.com\/2016\/02\/17\/gryphs-shock-1-ryerson\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPlenty to think about given the unique format of using a ranking tool designed for 300+ teams that count each and every game and applying it to 12 teams with only games among those 12 teams counting in the ranking\u003C\/a\u003E.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat Mr. \u003Cb\u003EWacyk \u003C\/b\u003Esaid. Using an analytics-based format was a bold and welcome idea, but the application clearly has bugs in it that come up when a top team gets caught in a trap game.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/4809958137512906627\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-guelphs-upset-against.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4809958137512906627"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/4809958137512906627"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/rpiproblems-guelphs-upset-against.html","title":"#RPIProblems: Guelph's upset against Ryerson might not affect OUA seeding"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8029703686305835815"},"published":{"$t":"2016-02-15T11:28:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-02-15T18:35:05.571-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bisons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bracketology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ottawa Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panthers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Redmen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Tigers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Varsity Reds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bracketology: First stab at projecting CIS Final 8 men's seeds"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Alternate title: \u003Ci\u003EHow Do You Solve A Problem Like UBC?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy now, astute fans of our Canadian university basketball have the gist of men's CIS Final 8 seeding. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.cis-sic.ca\/information\/members_info\/pdfs\/pdf_playing_regs\/15-16\/Basketball_-M-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EConference champs cannot be seeded lower than No. 6\u003C\/a\u003E, even if they were unranked before getting hot for two games at the RSEQ Final Four or for three in the AUS Final 6. Matchups of teams from the same conference are allowable; after all Ryerson and Windsor met in the 7 vs. 2 quarter-final last season.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis exercise assumes no upsets, so here's a first crack at Nate Silver-ing the seeding for five weeks from now:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERyerson (OUA champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe Rams \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cishoops.ca\/mbb2015\/ouarpi-scenario.php?Gender=MBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eproject for top spot in the OUA RPI \u003C\/a\u003Eand the home-floor advantage throughout the Wilson Cup playoffs. They will be awfully tough in that environment, especially now that the RU community has really come down with Rams Fever.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOttawa (OUA runner-up)\u0026nbsp;—\u003C\/b\u003E Some shine probably came off Ottawa with that split weekend against the Central's 1-2 punch. Overall, \u003Cb\u003EJames Derouin\u003C\/b\u003E's crew is 23-4 in CIS play \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cishoops.ca\/mbb2015\/cissrs.php\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewith the fourth-toughest strength of schedule among the 47 hooping schools\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary (Canada West champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EForm pick from a fellow who is only following C-Dub from afar. There should be no way the conference's champion, or best team, gets in ahead of the OUA's two best if the Eastern bastards don't have any true upsets in the early rounds.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcGill (RSEQ champion)\u0026nbsp;— David DeAviero\u003C\/b\u003E's Redmen will complete a cycle of road wins against the other four Q schools if they defeat Laval on Friday. McGill has only three league games left before the RSEQ Final Four. They go nine deep and that Ottawa win, even if was in October, left a powerful impression.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUBC (host)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EAh, there is the rub: a tournament in Vancouver will need some local interest to have any hope of getting traction the way the 2015 nationals did in Toronto. And, even then, it might only go so far. That is why it figures that the Thunderbirds, albeit a \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/blogs.theprovince.com\/2016\/02\/14\/howies-hamper-02-14-16-fab-four-moments-from-the-local-university-sports-weekend\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Egraduation-depleted\u003C\/a\u003E\" iteration with only three seasoned rotational players as per \u003Cb\u003EHoward Tsumura\u003C\/b\u003E, slide into a 5 seed against a team that will be three time zones from home.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat means McGill, or whoever wins the Q, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/mbkb\/2016\/championship\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewould be tipping off at 11 p.m. Eastern on March 16\u003C\/a\u003E. Of course, Montreal's not really a late-night town.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDalhousie (AUS champion)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003ENever take anything for granted with the AUS, since that first-round bye for the top two finishers seems to be a double-edged gift quite often. Dal is defending champ, so they are the default choice.\u0026nbsp;Selfishly, it would be fine if\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003EJavon Masters\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;and UNB, who have played a tough schedule are a high-scoring team, somehow got hot in the playoffs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver at CANHoops, there is a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/canhoopsca.wordpress.com\/2016\/02\/15\/upei-follow-up\/?fb_action_ids=165813580465460\u0026amp;fb_action_types=news.publishes\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elittle kerfuffle over a wholly factual post about how many more fouls are whistled on visiting teams than on the UPEI Panthers during games in Charlottetown\u003C\/a\u003E, going back across the last few seasons. For example, the Panthers, not that they haven't had full agency in their turnaround, have come out ahead in the fouls in 33 of their last 39 AUS games in Charlottetown. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne wonders how many of the Panthers fans carping about the article also had occasion \u0026nbsp;to read Wayne Kondro's \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/sports\/cis_news\/2015-16\/releases\/officiatingcanada\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eexamination of the lack of training and travel support for Canadian basketball officials\u003C\/a\u003E. Kondro noted, \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/sports\/cis_news\/2015-16\/releases\/officiatingcanada\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EGames in PEI, for example, will never be called by officials from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or Newfoundland \u0026amp; Labrador\u003C\/a\u003E.\" Please understand highlighting that isn't meant to impugn anyone, but it's a reality there are probably only so many university basketball refs on Prince Edward Island.\" In other words, a nationwide problem might be particularly acute in that case.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOf course, by the time that gets fixed, we'll have also have reversed climate change. Memorial University's definition of an assist will still be wonky, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnyhow, the AUS might be a four- or five-team derby come the first weekend of March. That very much includes UPEI, and generally if you have no skin in the game, selfishly root for a team that has gone the longest without a nationals visit. The Panthers last went in 2003.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster (at large; OUA bronze medal)\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cb\u003E—\u0026nbsp;Martin Timmerman\u003C\/b\u003E's \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cishoops.ca\/mbb2015\/ouarpi-scenario.php?Gender=MBB\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewhat-if tool\u003C\/a\u003E, my new favourite toy, suggests the Marauders and Carleton Ravens might be on a collision course for an OUA quarter-final at the Ravens' Nest on Sat., Mar. 5. Presuming no outliers or WTF one-off upsets, Ryerson, Ottawa and Carleton would be seeded 1, 2 and 3 for the Wilson Cup playoffs. Brock and Windsor would slide into the 4-5 slots, with Mac at No. 6.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe rub with Carleton, who did look better last weekend, is that aside from that win against very young and very thin Brock, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/cishoops.ca\/mbb2015\/cisteamgames.php?Team=Carleton\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E75 points seems to be their plateau against high-quality competition\u003C\/a\u003E. They have a lot of say over whether a game will go into the 80s, of course, but McMaster plays fast and pushes the pace. Just saying.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn any event, the wild card is coming from Ontario, again. Sorry, not sorry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EManitoba (Canada West auto berth)\u0026nbsp;— \u003C\/b\u003EThe Bisons are tied with UBC for the second-best 'last 10' record at 8-2, finishing 15-5 overall. They will have two weeks before hosting a best-of-3 quarter-final, meaning \u003Cb\u003EAJ Basi\u003C\/b\u003E,\u003Cb\u003E Keith Omoerah \u003C\/b\u003Eand everyone else should have plenty of juice in their legs to play three games in as many days if that's what asked of them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith UBC hosting nationals, the Canada West bronze-medal game is potentially a play-in game for the 7 or 8 seed.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8029703686305835815\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/bracketology-first-stab-at-projecting.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8029703686305835815"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8029703686305835815"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2016\/02\/bracketology-first-stab-at-projecting.html","title":"Bracketology: First stab at projecting CIS Final 8 men's seeds"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"sager"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08757652892056684490"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-HoppI3_eGQc\/VrWGl9xFY2I\/AAAAAAAADEA\/ucwvqUnIa7M\/s220\/Neate1379-4x4M.JPG"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-825728201909148841"},"published":{"$t":"2014-03-05T15:20:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-03-06T13:38:02.013-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Bears"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Redmen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMU Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"statistics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vikes"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Men's basketball: Final 8 tournament odds and quarterfinal previews"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"We'll start with the tournament odds, in the same format as \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/kenpom.com\/blog\/index.php\/weblog\/entry\/maac_log51\"\u003Ekenpom.com\u003C\/a\u003E, once again:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cfont size=4\u003E\u003Cpre\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Semi Final Champ\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E2 CAR 96.8 80.8 71.3 \u003Cbr \/\u003E1 OTT 84.2 64.6 13.9 \u003Cbr \/\u003E3 ALB 94.8 18.6 11.7 \u003Cbr \/\u003E4 VIC 78.9 26.2 2.6 \u003Cbr \/\u003E8 SSK 15.8 6.4 0.4\u003Cbr \/\u003E7 MAC 3.2 0.5 0.1 \u003Cbr \/\u003E5 MCG 21.1 2.8 0.1 \u003Cbr \/\u003E6 SMU 5.3 0.1 0.0 \u003C\/pre\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHard not to call this a runaway for Carleton, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/basketball-ottawa-goes-to-final-8-as.html\"\u003Elast Saturday's result notwithstanding\u003C\/a\u003E. It's also almost like they designed this bracket to dispatch the bottom four teams as quickly as possible, giving the 4 seed the second-easiest opponent and all but guaranteeing us Carleton-Alberta and Ottawa-Victoria semifinals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe rule about conference winners in the top 6 doesn't really matter in this tournament because the seedings generally don't matter as much as who's on your side of the bracket. (Picture the Elite Eight in the NCAA, and ask yourself the last time it mattered what number was next to a team's name at that point.) Suppose we swapped Carleton with McGill, something that nobody would ever do. McGill's odds of winning the tournament go from 0.1% to ... 0.1%. Odds of reaching the final go from 2.8% to 3.8%. Or how about swapping SMU and Mac? That would give Mac a better chance at a first-round win, sure, but nothing else. So someone being 6 vs. 8 or 1 vs. 2 is not hugely important here.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd as for the games themselves, here are the predicted scores and a summary for each matchup (* denotes top-50 players in our preliminary player rankings):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E(3) Alberta vs. (6) Saint Mary's, 12:30pm EST\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAlberta 85, SMU 72 (95%)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlberta starters: Youssef Ouahrig, Sahr Saffa, Joel Friesen, Todd Bergen-Henengouwen, Jordan Baker*\u003Cbr \/\u003ESMU starters: Boyd Vassell*, Brian Rouse, Theon Reefer*, Riley Halpin, Harry Ezenibe\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENot quite \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2012\/03\/mens-basketball-final-8-notebook-part-1.html\"\u003E\"the McMuffin Classic\" game\u003C\/a\u003E for Barnaby Craddock this time around, but a 10:30am MT tipoff seems odd, especially when the other team is coming from Halifax.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESMU averaged ten possessions more per game than Alberta did this year, easily the biggest gap in pace of play among any of the matchups here. AUS play is known for a high pace almost throughout the league, but with a likely path of Alberta and Carleton here, the east Huskies will not just run into a much more difficult opponent than they've faced, but a very different type of game as well. They're either a team who peaked late or a team that got lucky in two games (\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/herald.ca\/sports\/1191273-huskies-coming-hungry-in-pursuit-of-top-basketball-prize\"\u003Eyou can guess which one they think they are\u003C\/a\u003E). Supporters will point to the close game they played with Carleton; detractors will say that they needed OT to beat Regina (33rd in SRS) and lost to Brock (44th) three weeks later.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso look for Kenneth Otieno off the bench for the U of A; he averages 25 MPG and is the other top-50 Golden Bear in this game along with Baker. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E(2) Carleton vs. (7) McMaster, 2:30pm EST\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECarleton 90, McMaster 66 (97%)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton starters: Philip Scrubb*, Clinton Springer-Williams*, Thomas Scrubb*, Tyson Hinz*, Kevin Churchill*\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster starters: Aaron Redpath*, Joe Rocca*, Rohan Boney, Taylor Black*, Nathan McCarthy\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Ravens have six of the top 50; the sixth, Victor Raso, is not unknown to his opponents.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's the Best Carleton Team Ever\u003Csup\u003ETM\u003C\/sup\u003E but also one that has had at least four close calls this year, and three of those teams are here. At McMaster in November, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thesil.ca\/marauders-have-a-lot-to-prove\"\u003Ethey needed to run an episode of \u003Ci\u003EThe Phil Scrubb Show\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E when the originally-scheduled beatdown was cancelled. If this game is half as entertaining as that game was, it'll be about the best you can expect from a Carleton quarterfinal. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E(4) Victoria vs. (5) McGill, 5:30pm EST\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EVictoria 72, McGill 66 (79%)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVictoria starters: Marcus Tibbs, Kyle Peterson, Reiner Theil, Terrell Evans*, Chris McLaughlin*\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcGill starters: Simon Bibeau, Vincent Dufort, Dele Ogundokun, Michael Peterkin, Francois Bourque\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYes, the winner in this one is predicted to score just 72 points, compared to 85, 90, and 91 in the others. No, the Redmen don't have any top-50 players (nothing against M. Bibeau). Yes, I'm also interested to see how a lineup of five players all between 6-2 and 6-5 can go up against that UVic frontcourt.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E(1) Ottawa vs. (8) Saskatchewan, 8:00pm EST\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EOttawa 91, Saskatchewan 75 (84%)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa starters: Mike L'Africain, Johnny Berhanemeskel*, Terry Thomas*, Caleb Agada, Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue\u003Cbr \/\u003ESaskatchewan: Stephon Lamar*, Andrew Henry, Dadrian Collins, Ben Baker, Matt Forbes\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProbably the most entertaining game. Not that close, but very high-scoring: these teams are 2nd and 5th nationwide in per-possession scoring, but only 17th and 22nd in per-possession defence. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/canadawesthoops.com\/saskatchewan-gets-wildcard\/\"\u003EThe Huskies apparently \"weren’t necessarily planning on going\"\u003C\/a\u003E before they got the call as the wildcard team. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thestarphoenix.com\/sports\/Huskies+back+where+they+2010\/9580649\/story.html\"\u003EBarry Rawlyk likes being on the opposite side of the bracket\u003C\/a\u003E from Carleton, Alberta, and McMaster. Wouldn't you?\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/825728201909148841\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/mens-basketball-final-8-tournament-odds.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/825728201909148841"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/825728201909148841"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/mens-basketball-final-8-tournament-odds.html","title":"Men's basketball: Final 8 tournament odds and quarterfinal previews"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-57199377769104478"},"published":{"$t":"2014-03-01T19:58:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-03-05T22:18:37.864-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: McMaster punches ticket for CIS Final 8, first appearance since 2006"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO \u0026mdash; In what could be the final game for the trio with the most regular season wins in Windsor Lancers history, Enrico Diloreto, Josh Collins and Lien Phillip faltered. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster prevailed 93-89 behind a late fourth-quarter and overtime rally in the OUA Bronze medal match, and the three fifth-years on Windsor combined for 20 turnovers. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDiloreto shot 2-9 and the Collins-Phillip duo both shot 5-14. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWindsor owned a 10-point lead early in the third quarter, but Mac would slowly chip away at the lead. Like last night, the marauders did not have production from their main offensive weapons – Taylor Black and Joe Rocca. Black shot 2-11 and Rocca only shot 2-4.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMac’s Trevon McNeil made a three with 13 seconds remaining, putting McMaster up 81-79. Collins got fouled with .7 and cashed in two free throws to send it to OT. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAdam Presutti nailed two threes and hit a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left to put McMaster up four and put the final result at 93-89. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt was the play of Leon Alexander on Phillip that was the game-changer. Alexander, a transfer from a United States junior college, is listed at six-foot-five but was able to bother the six-foot-11 Phillip and force ten turnovers and 5-14 shooting night. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELancers coach was disappointed with the team’s performance, pointing to missed free throws (20-32) and turnovers as the issues. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“You pretty much do it to yourself sometimes. Full credit to Mac, they played well enough to win the game,” said Oliver. “That was not our best effort and this team is good enough to be at Nationals. There’s a lot of disappointment in that locker room.” \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor Mac, it was a goal realized. Making it to the CIS Final 8 has been the repeated and seldom goal of the Marauders, and with the victory, they book a spot at the tournament. McMaster was the most local school in the Final Four and was well supported. Head coach Amos Connolly immediately praised the fans post-game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“It was nice to have those people there and their support, especially after yesterday,” said Connolly. The Maroon and Grey had to battle numerous times, after being down seven at half, a bizarre non-time-out that was turned into a media time-out, and the foul with .7 seconds left where Collins tied the game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERookie Trevon McNeil has been outstanding all weekend. He led the team in minutes against Windsor, logging 35 in the OT affair. McNeil also dropped a game-high 23 points on 7-13 shooting. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMoving forward, the Lancers are an outside shot to make the CIS Final 8. Rotimi Osuntola Jr., the new “cornerstone” of the team according to Oliver, did his best to make up for the failings of the seniors. His energy, rebounding and consistency made him the lone bright spot. Osuntola Jr. shot 10-15 from the field, knocked home two threes for 23 points and led the game with 11 rebounds. He only committed two turnovers in 38 minutes of play. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster will grab a lower seed after finishing third in the OUA. Ottawa and Carleton will be the other OUA representatives.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/57199377769104478\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/mcmaster-punches-ticket-for-cis-final-8.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/57199377769104478"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/57199377769104478"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/mcmaster-punches-ticket-for-cis-final-8.html","title":"Basketball: McMaster punches ticket for CIS Final 8, first appearance since 2006"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Scott Hastie"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08081415078301065374"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8628043340292315273"},"published":{"$t":"2014-03-01T00:12:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-03-05T22:18:30.399-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Final 8"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wilson Cup"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Basketball: Gee-Gees crush Marauders, showing it's Ottawa, Carleton and then everyone else in the OUA"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"TORONTO \u0026mdash; The Mattamy Athletic Centre seemed poised to host a classic battle between two OUA heavyweights, but instead saw a dazzling scoring performance and end-to-end dominance.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn a 101-68 win, the Ottawa Gee-Gees showed just why they have been the No. 2-ranked team for the majority of the 2013-14 season. The OUA West leading McMaster Marauders had no answer for the barrage, as Ottawa shot 38-57 from the field – good for 56.7%.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“I think today, we showed offence and defence, which is a change for us,” said Gee-Gee guard, Mike L’Africain. “[Mac] played hard but we have so many weapons out there. Our offence, to be honest, feels like it’s always clicking.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EL’Africain started out the game shooting 5-6 overall and 4-5 from deep. His shots came on difficult looks, through a mixture of pull-up jumpers, step-back threes and corner long-balls, especially difficult in a cavernous gym.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa head coach James Derouin was cautious about the win, pointing to McMaster’s inability to make shots at the free-throw line (11-26) as a sign that the game could have been closer than the box score shows. The dazzling field goal percentage didn’t surprise him, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“We felt confident coming in. I felt that because we had played here – we had a great shoot-around, great warm-up, great practice upstairs… Now, we have to reload for tomorrow,” said the coach.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt’s Derouin’s fourth year as the head coach of the Gee-Gees, and he’s created an offensive powerhouse. Johnny Berhanemeskel led the team in scoring, dropping 26 points on 11-14 shooting, L’Africain was behind him with 19 points and Terry Thomas – a St. F-X transfer – finished right behind him with 17 points. The highlight of the game was a Thomas slam over Rohan Boney.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith the victory, Ottawa earns a berth in the CIS Final 8. Just getting a spot in the tournament isn’t enough for the bench boss of 2013’s CIS Bronze medal winners.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“A No. 1 ranking at Nationals is the key to success. Even if we do end up two or three, there is nothing better than getting a No. 1 seed and a lighter first game,” explained Derouin. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe OUA West Coach of the Year Amos Connolly was surprisingly upbeat in the post-game interview, accepting defeat at the hands of a better team. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E“That’s life, I’ve been here before,” said Connolly first to the media scrum. “I don’t think our guys weren’t ready to play. I don’t mean they weren’t ready to play, I think we weren’t in the right place. Is that our conference, is that our style of play or the way we practice?”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut Mac still has an opportunity to play in to the CIS Final 8, should they win tomorrow’s game against the Windsor Lancers. The numbers were ugly across the board for the Marauders: 25-67 from the field, 7-21 from three 11-26 at the line. Connolly pointed out that the teams tied in shots attempted, turnovers and only lost the rebounding battle by six.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETop scorers for Mac were Nathan McCarthy and Trevon McNeil, who both scored 14 points. Taylor Black and Joe Rocca – fresh off OUA First Team All-Star nods – had zero and two points, respectively. They combined for 1-12 shooting. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOttawa will now face off against Carleton, and the Ravens own the only two losses on the Gee-Gees record. The margin of victory for the reigning Wilson Cup champions is 45 points in two games. Windsor will play Mac for the Final 8 berth, and less importantly, OUA Bronze.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStray observations:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster forward Taylor Black said before the game that Terry Thomas could struggle with the athletes Mac has on the perimeter. Thomas said he didn’t have a tough time with the Marauders, and when asked if Mac was defensively easier to prepare for than Ryerson, he said “definitely.” He also said that Mac runs “about three offensive sets,” while Ryerson runs about ten.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe game was televised on Sportsnet One, which is a specialty channel not offered in most basic cable packages. Sportsnet Ontario was showing Friday Night Hockey: Owen Sound @ London, while Sportsnet 360 was showing WWE Smackdown. Interesting to see a product trying to grow in a market where students are careful where they spend money stashed on a channel that costs extra cash.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMcMaster was the closest school to the Ryerson gym, and they could not fill a bus for students to make the hour-long ride down. Still, the fans that did attend were the most vocal group in the building before being effectively muted by a strong Gee-Gee first quarter.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe crowd in attendance was much older than I expected. Granted, it is my first Final Four I’ve seen live, but the average age was north of 40. Does the OUA have a demographic problem?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8628043340292315273\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/gee-gees-crush-marauders-showing-its.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8628043340292315273"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8628043340292315273"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2014\/03\/gee-gees-crush-marauders-showing-its.html","title":"Basketball: Gee-Gees crush Marauders, showing it's Ottawa, Carleton and then everyone else in the OUA"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Scott Hastie"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08081415078301065374"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-5270430699949499418"},"published":{"$t":"2013-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-11-14T09:00:01.875-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"CIS Issues"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mitchell Bowl"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Uteck Bowl"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: The same issue (if it's even a issue) continues..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2010\/11\/football-time-to-solve-inequality.html\"\u003EThree years ago I pointed out\u003C\/a\u003E that only six teams accounted for 75% of the conference champions (and therefore the bowl game participants) in the ten seasons from 2001 to 2010: Laval, Saint Mary's, Saskatchewan, Calgary, Western, and McMaster.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince then, here are our conference winners, from west to east:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECW: Calgary, Calgary, Calgary\u003Cbr \/\u003EOUA: McMaster, McMaster, Western\u003Cbr \/\u003ERSEQ: Laval, Laval, Laval\u003Cbr \/\u003EAUS: Acadia, Acadia, Mount Allison\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENotice any patterns?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe only conference to go outside of our \"chosen six\" group from the first decade of the 2000s cannot be applauded for helping competitive balance nationally, as they lost the first of those bowl games by 24, the next one by 35, and probably the third by 20 or more when the dust settles on Saturday. (Those scores, as you all surely know, come after semifinal losses of 28, 24, and 16 in '08 through '10 \u0026mdash; but that is another issue entirely.) Though a tip of the cap is due to Mount A for making it this far, even if \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sackvilletribunepost.com\/Sports\/2013-11-11\/article-3477013\/Town,-gown-to-benefit-from-hosting-Uteck-Bowl\/1\"\u003Ethe local paper thinks their opponent is called the \"Verte et Or.\"\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDrop the AUS, and the other conference championships in the seven years since Saskatchewan last won break down like this:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E7 Laval\u003Cbr \/\u003E6 Calgary\u003Cbr \/\u003E4 Western\u003Cbr \/\u003E2 McMaster\u003Cbr \/\u003E1 Manitoba\u003Cbr \/\u003E1 Queen's\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll other programs tied for 0\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while previously it was our \"chosen six\" taking 75% of the bowl game spots in ten years, now our new \"chosen four\" (Laval, Calgary, Western, McMaster) take 19 out of 28, or 68% overall, and 90% of the spots in their three conferences alone.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn that post in 2010 I asked you to imagine putting six teams in one division and awarding them three of the four Mitchell and Uteck Bowl berths every year, giving the other spot to the best of the remaining 20-something programs. Madness, right? Nobody would go along with that. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow it's down to just four teams, and the rule is something like \"award them three berths, except in leap years when they get two.\" Or \"award them three berths every year and the other one goes to a team they can all beat by multiple touchdowns.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMaybe there is no problem here, maybe CIS football is better with the big programs always playing at the end. But whatever is going on, over three years we haven't seen much change.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/5270430699949499418\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/football-same-issue-if-its-even-issue.html#comment-form","title":"5 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5270430699949499418"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/5270430699949499418"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/football-same-issue-if-its-even-issue.html","title":"Football: The same issue (if it's even a issue) continues..."}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"5"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8020016309213055041"},"published":{"$t":"2013-11-05T11:38:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-11-05T19:07:39.285-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Algoma Thunderbirds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Badgers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Basketball"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Hawks"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"previews"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ravens"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ryerson Rams"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thunderwolves"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Varsity Blues"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Voyageurs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warriors"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Tiers of the OUA: A Men's Basketball Season Preview"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"For the 2013-14 OUA preview, I've divided all the teams up into tiers. Ontario is deep this year with four teams being in the conversation for nationals. There are other teams who could surprise too, if they get a few lucky bounces and some transfers pan out. Then, we have some programs floundering in the basement without a shred of hope of making noise. For each team, I've given a projected finish and a player to watch. That player is a combination of on-court entertainment while also being a barometer for the success a team will have. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECIS Title Contenders\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ECarleton Ravens\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is no weakness in the Ravens’ game. Sure, their jerseys are lacking in creativity, but that’s the most significant criticism I can find. The team that claimed its ninth CIS title in 11 seasons this past year, Carleton will put more distance between themselves and the rest of the pack come March 2014.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBehind \u003Cb\u003ETyson Hinz\u003C\/b\u003E, the \u003Cb\u003EScrubb\u003C\/b\u003E brothers, and transfer \u003Cb\u003EVictor Raso\u003C\/b\u003E there is just no way another team beats these guys. We’re talking about a team that nearly beat the Syracuse Orange.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPhil Scrubb\u003C\/b\u003E is the best player in the country — this much is tough to debate and until he shows any signs of slowing down, Carleton is a lock to compete for the W.P. McGee Trophy. Scrubb led the conference in PER (with Tyson Hinz and \u003Cb\u003EThomas Scrubb\u003C\/b\u003E right behind him) and he shoots 47 per cent on two point shots and 41 per cent on three point shots. (Unless otherwise specified, all statistics refer to the 2012-13 season.) \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELast year, Dave Smart orchestrated the best offence and defence in the country. Not just the OUA — the entire CIS. The Ottawa Gee-Gees had an offensive rating of 107, second in the country to Carleton’s 122 (!). The gap between the Ravens and the field for defensive was closer — Carleton put up a defensive rating of 84, with the next closest figure being 89 from the Ryerson Rams.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarleton owns the best REB% in the league at 41 per cent. They get to the line at a great pace – second to McMaster – and shoot the highest 78 per cent at the charity stripe. The Ravens hold teams to a 40 per cent eFG% too. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf you haven’t caught on yet, Carleton can do it all and their key players all fall somewhere in the top ten in the nation. Expect another dominating season from the Ravens.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Phil Scrubb. I just want to know what this guy’s ceiling is. He opened the year with 38 points on 13 shots through two games. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: CIS Finals – Wilson Cup Champions\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"fullpost\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EWindsor Lancers\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is a veteran team. \u003Cb\u003EJosh Collins\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EEnrico Diloreto\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003ELien Phillip\u003C\/b\u003E are all in their fifth year of eligibility. They are this year’s version of the 2012-13 Lakehead Thunderwolves, relying on experience through the long season. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWindsor’s strength lies in their defence, which plays a suffocating press that forces turnovers at the highest rate in the conference. Phillip grabs 28% of the Lancers’ defensive rebounds, good for No.1 in that category. He’s also a highly capable defender on the block and while not a player who blocks shots (he only had 14 blocks last season), Phillip can bother shots in a help situation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe concern for this team will be how they function on offence. \u003Cb\u003EMichael Petrella\u003C\/b\u003E played a ton of minutes at guard for the Lancers last year, but with his departure, Windsor has to look elsewhere to get the ball moving on offence. Collins is a top-level point guard, great at distributing the ball to his teammates. His average of 4.1 assists per game put him at 15th in the country. But the issue here is his turnovers. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe talented teams in the OUA prey on turnovers, and if you can’t control turnovers — as Collins has shown — you’re not going to win. Last year, take a look at the OUA teams who made it to the CIS Final 8: Lakehead, with Greg Carter and Dwyane Harvey leading the charge; Carleton, with the Scrubb brothers and Clinton Springer Williams wreaking havoc on ball-handlers; Ottawa, with Johnny Berhanemeskel and Warren Ward finishing top-five in total steals, and the Lancers. Windsor as a team has a low TOV% (20 per cent) but Collins owns a 24 per cent TOV%. It’s tough to build a successful offence around that, proven by their lowly 98 O-Rtg. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother key to shoring up their offence will be reigning in Diloreto. He’s a talented offensive player, but he shoots an abysmal eFG% of 44 per cent. His shooting is only compounded by his USG%, which ranks 13th in the league among qualified players. If coach \u003Cb\u003EChris Oliver\u003C\/b\u003E can move some of those possessions to \u003Cb\u003ERotimi Osuntola Jr.\u003C\/b\u003E - a hyper-efficient guard with range - Windsor should be able to come out on top of the OUA West.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELastly, they need to improve in all areas of free throws — both getting to the line and knocking them down. Their free throw to field goal attempted ratio is second worst in the OUA (to Western), and their free throw percentage is the worst, at 65%. If they can do a better job at getting to the line and setting up that hellacious press that Oliver has crafted, the O-Rtg should improve greatly.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Lien Phillip - Professional-level talent, will be key to maintaining their defence. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Medal at the CIS Championship - potential Wilson Cup finalist\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EContenders for a Final 8 berth\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EMcMaster Marauders\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe talk in Hamilton has been about nationals, and I think that’s a fair conversation to have.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAdam Presutti\u003C\/b\u003E had a rough sophomore season, riddled with injuries causing him to never catch on in the lineup. Outside of that, McMaster’s roster all made significant strides; \u003Cb\u003EJoe Rocca\u003C\/b\u003E become a reliable offensive weapon, \u003Cb\u003ETaylor Black\u003C\/b\u003E emerged as one of the best players in the conference (and nation), \u003Cb\u003ERohan Boney\u003C\/b\u003E won a Rookie of the Year award and \u003Cb\u003ENathan McCarthy\u003C\/b\u003E proved himself to be a top defensive big man. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith all of those players back, the Marauders seemed poised to build off a good season in 2012-13. It started off rough, with only two wins and five losses after the interlock period. But the team would turn it around and finish 13-8 and were this close to getting to the Final Four before succumbing to Lakehead in the Thunderdome. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster had an average offence, but that was largely a product of Boney and Redpath having to take control when Presutti missed games. When the 2011 CIS Rookie of the Year did play however, he improved the offence with his playmaking ability. Presutti posted a 26 per cent AST% last season, good for second in the conference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhere McMaster hangs their hat is on defense, and don’t expect a regression there. Boney is a great defender, Black and McCarthy can handle nearly any frontcourt and head coach \u003Cb\u003EAmos Connolly\u003C\/b\u003E has added some other talent to beef up the defense. \u003Cb\u003ETrevon McNeil\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EHamid Nessek\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003ELeon Alexander\u003C\/b\u003E — all in their first year with the program — are solid players who are overwhelming when defending the perimeter. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBlack could take the next step and be in the conversation for an All-Canadian spot. He posted the best PER for players not from Carleton and has shown a knack for scoring at the right time and taking over quarters.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’m very high on this team because I’ve already said a couple hundred words about them and haven’t even talked about some players who won't be playing major minutes for them. They lost \u003Cb\u003EScott Laws\u003C\/b\u003E, an emotional leader for the team, but as the team matures, they should have been able to replace the void.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey’ll need to knock off a ranked team to get to the CIS Final 8, but don’t be surprised if they do. This team is ten players deep and capable of playing with any team in the conference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Taylor Black. He is only in his fourth year of eligibility and has already made noise through the beginning of this season. Just how good can he be?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Second in the OUA West, potential Wilson Cup finalist.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EOttawa Gee-Gees\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith the departure of \u003Cb\u003EWarren Ward\u003C\/b\u003E — a player who received NBA camp invites and praise from professional hoops writers — \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ottawacitizen.com\/sports\/Former+Warren+Ward+signs+deal+Germany\/8737365\/story.html\"\u003Eto Germany\u003C\/a\u003E, it’s easy to sweep the Gee-Gees out of the conversation. But there is more to the Garnet and Grey than Ward. \u003Cb\u003EJohnny Berhanemeskel\u003C\/b\u003E is the league-leader in three-pointers made, \u003Cb\u003EVikas Gill\u003C\/b\u003E is an efficient option to take some more of the offensive load and \u003Cb\u003EMike L’Africain\u003C\/b\u003E has been stellar through the Gee-Gees undefeated pre-season. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo say L’Africain struggled through his sophomore season is putting things gently. Offensively, he was unable to be efficient while playing off Ward’s double teams and was an average defender with a D-Rtg of 98. But L’Africain has all the tools to be an effective point guard for an electric offence. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHead coach \u003Cb\u003EJames Derouin\u003C\/b\u003E has looked to increase the tempo of the game, and that lends to L’Africain’s ball handling abilities and decision-making. Last year, the second-year guard finished 16th in the OUA for assists. Playing alongside Gill and Berhanemeskel gives L’Africain two lethal weapons on the perimeter, so his assist numbers should improve this year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI mentioned earlier that the Ottawa offence is second in the conference and while it will regress due to the loss of Ward, it will still be up there with the best. The defence is what’s suspect here.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMatt Nelson\u003C\/b\u003E, a six-foot-nine centre, hardly played last year after suffering multiple injuries. In fact, he even doesn’t show up on the CIS roster for last year’s team. But he’ll be the key to keeping the Gee-Gees defence in the upper echelon of the OUA ranks. Ottawa played a small-ball rotation, with Gill at six-foot-seven being the largest player on the court. While this rotation led them to a CIS bronze, it’s hard to imagine this being sustainable after losing a strong perimeter defender in Ward. If Nelson can come in and become a fearsome paint presence, Ottawa’s defence could take a leap. But that’s a tall task for a second-year player with minimal on-court experience. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother key piece to the defensive puzzle is \u003Cb\u003ECaleb Agada\u003C\/b\u003E, who showed himself to have a little something during the Gee-Gees CIS Final 8 run. He has been getting a lot of minutes early in the season and I'm bullish on his perimeter defence being able to slow some offences down.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENelson should have time to grow, however. Last year, Derouin had his team forcing opponents into difficult shots, gang-rebounding and forcing turnovers. All of those skills do not require height; they require extreme amounts of will and no player missing a beat. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith Derouin behind the bench, L’Africain poised to become a top OUA point guard and the majority of the parts from a CIS medal finish still in tact, the Gee-Gees could be in the hunt for a CIS wild card berth.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Mike L’Africain. With Ward gone, someone will have to take over on offense and orchestrate. Can L'Africain pick up the slack? My quick answer is yes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: potentially in the OUA bronze medal game - CIS wild card conversation\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ERyerson Rams\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou could make the case for Ryerson to be a CIS contender. They have the pieces; they only lost one player from last year’s team and added some intriguing talent.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut I’m pessimistic about this Rams squad. Their offence earned a pedestrian O-Rtg of 100 despite having \u003Cb\u003EJahmal Jones\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EAaron Best\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EJordan Gauthier\u003C\/b\u003E. Those players though, might be the reason that their offence struggled. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBoth Best and Jones have been efficient on two-point shot attempts: Best shot 55 per cent from inside the arc while Jones shot 45 per cent last year. That figure from Jones is a dip in production from his first three years in OUA play, when he shot 48.3 per cent in 2011-12 and a scorching 52.4 per cent in 2010-11. His shot totals through those years were all within 11 FGA of each other. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGauthier shot 51 per cent on non-threes last year, but 122 of 266 shot attempts were threes last year, where he only made 40 — or 32 per cent of his attempts.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt’s the three-point shots that are killing the Rams. Through twenty games last year, 38 per cent of Ryerson’s shots were threes and they only shot 29.0 per cent behind the arc. That’s a lot of threes for a team that isn’t particularly good at it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETeams with similar three-point shot rates? Carleton with 39.5 per cent and Ottawa with 39.7 per cent. But those squads are really, really good at threes. The Ravens knocked down 40.2 per cent of threes and Ottawa knocked down 40.1 per cent.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’m not saying that Ryerson should abandon the three-point shot. My point is that they’ll need to make better decisions in the half court. The three aforementioned guards lead the team in USG% and if they want to make it to the Final 8 tournament, head coach \u003Cb\u003ERoy Rana\u003C\/b\u003E is going to have to reign their shooting in. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstead, they should look to \u003Cb\u003EBjorn Michaelsen\u003C\/b\u003E. He is a solid big man and shoots a team-best eFG% of 56 per cent. He is polished in the post and should receive more touches than he did last year. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERyerson is capable of making nationals, but it will take a major shift in player tendencies to get there. Can Rana change the established player styles of his three guards?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Aaron Best. In his third year, he has the opportunity to climb into the top five scorers of the OUA. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: potentially in the OUA bronze medal game - Wild card conversation\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EUp-and-comers\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ELaurentian Voyageurs\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EManny Pasquale\u003C\/b\u003E is gone, but this team has the ability to rework itself and make noise in the OUA East. Don’t expect them to be challenging Ottawa or Carleton at the top of the standings, but they should have upset potential in the playoffs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGeorges Serresse\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EJamie Weldon\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EStephen Williams\u003C\/b\u003E have all moved on from the program but \u003Cb\u003EJosh Budd\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003ENelson Yengue\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003ETychon Carter-Newman\u003C\/b\u003E should have no issues filling those minutes. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBudd has already shown a scoring prowess, leading the team in scoring over Waterloo in the season opener. Carter-Newman is a defensive monster and able to clean up some plays on the offensive glass too. Nelson Yengue didn’t use a ton of offensive possessions last year, but made good on the times he did, shooting a 52 per cent eFG%.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis team is balanced, with an O-Rtg and D-Rtg of 101. \u003Cb\u003EAlex Ratte\u003C\/b\u003E had a great year last year while leading the team in USG%, but it’ll be interesting to see how the loss of Pasquale impacts the defenders he faces. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’m buying Voyageur stock because of that Sudbury advantage and returning players who are capable of filling in for the losses. The only thing that worries me about this team is what happens when Ratte has an off night or takes on an elite defender. Who takes on the shooting responsibilities? It looks like Budd, but he only averaged 7.2 points a game last year in 24 minutes per game. Will he be able to carry the offence?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Josh Budd. I hinted at it before, but I’m really curious to see if the fourth-year can take these offensive units to new heights in the post-Pasquale era.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Third in OUA East\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EQueen’s Golden Gaels\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EQueen’s has never made the national tournament. For a school with rich history and enough spirit to support a handful of OUA competitors, that’s a jarring fact. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut the Gaels seem to be building towards something now. Last year, rookies \u003Cb\u003ESukhpreet Singh\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003ERoshane Roberts\u003C\/b\u003E were second and third in minutes played per game. Fourth-year \u003Cb\u003EGreg Faulkner\u003C\/b\u003E led the team in minutes and scoring before going down with an injury. His strong debut in tricolour after transferring from Carleton put Queen’s at 6-3 heading into the winter break. The wheels fell off later in the season, going 1-4 in their final five games without Faulkner to finish 10-10.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt’s those outstanding rookies that put the Gaels in the up-and-coming conversation. Both were thrust into high usage situations, tasked with carrying the offence. The adjustment from high school to the OUA got the best of the two, with Singh putting up an eFG% of 46 per cent and Roberts hitting at a 40 per cent clip. Those are two sobering numbers, but there are positives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESingh got the line at an all-OUA level. His free throw rate of 0.37 was good for ninth in Ontario. He only made 74 percent of his free throw attempts, but for a rookie to come out and make a habit of getting to the charity stripe is nothing short of impressive. Singh also has an elite play-making ability, finishing his first-year campaign with a 21 per cent assist rate to put him at tenth in the conference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor Roberts, there are not many redeeming offensive numbers. All around, it looks pretty bleak. He’s not a great shooter from anywhere, doesn’t do well at the line (71 per cent last year) and averaged just over an assist a game. Those numbers will definitely turn around as he gains experience.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhere Roberts could redeem himself is to grow on the defensive end. He showed promise; he averaged a hair over a steal per game last year and owned an impressively low 2.6 fouls committed per 40 minutes. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMike Mullins\u003C\/b\u003E — brother of Columbia University and member of the Canadian development team Grant Mullins — joins the team and should take some of the scoring load off of Roberts.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENikola Misljencevic\u003C\/b\u003E has had a strong pre-season, including 20 points over No. 8 McGill to lead his team to an OT victory. He only averaged seven shots a game, but it’s likely that he’ll take more possessions too.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDon’t expect a breakout season though. This team will likely be building off of last year’s success and give their young players more on-court experience.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Greg Faulkner. He is a savvy player with range who has the potential to go for 30 if the defence is sleeping on him.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Loss in OUA quarterfinals\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ELaurier Golden Hawks\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis one is a tough call. Their roster screams \"average\" as evidenced by last year’s O-Rtg of 94 and D-Rtg of 101. Both marks are just middle of the pack, but more importantly, they are far off from the mark of teams that compete for the Wilson Cup year-in and year-out.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStill, they have a chance to make a run. \u003Cb\u003EMax Allin\u003C\/b\u003E, in his final year of eligibility, is one of the best scorers in the country. He plays an efficient style; good three-point shooting and a ton of free throws. Third-year \u003Cb\u003EWill Coulthard\u003C\/b\u003E has one of the quickest triggers in the conference, willing to throw it up at any second. Consistency is still an issue for him, though. He used the most possessions out of any player on his team, but only shot at an eFG% of 45 per cent. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile those two players are good on the offensive end, there are not many other players to rely on and that’s where we see the difference between them and true contenders. Allin and Coulthard combine for many of the team’s possessions per game but the others go to players who simply are not efficient enough to be deemed worthy of using a possession.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe next two leaders in USG% are \u003Cb\u003EPatrick Donnelly\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EJamar Forde\u003C\/b\u003E, at 20 per cent and 19 per cent respectively. Donnelly, who left the team late last year for unknown reasons but is back now, shot a horrific 39 per cent eFG%. That’s 96th worst among players that played at least one-third of team minutes. There were only 107 players that qualified. Forde isn’t much better - he ranks 85th in the category.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHead coach \u003Cb\u003EPeter Campbell\u003C\/b\u003E will have to either move those shots to Coulthard and Allin or find new sources of offence. \u003Cb\u003EMatt Chesson\u003C\/b\u003E, OUA Rookie of the Year, and incoming rookie \u003Cb\u003EJack Simmons\u003C\/b\u003E could give them that offence. Chesson has size and a post-game, while Simmons has put up 11.6 points through five preseason games.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETheir defence is average but should be better with Donnelly back, Chesson playing more minutes and Allin maintaining a low foul rate. Turning that offence around is more important than making that defence on par with team’s in the running for the title.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Max Allin. He broke the school scoring record last year in his first game back after the passing of his father. Allin can light it up with the best of them and is always worth a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Fourth in OUA West - OUA semifinal loss\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ELakehead Thunderwolves\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI refuse to put Lakehead in the basement. Yes, \u003Cb\u003EScott Morrison\u003C\/b\u003E is on a professional leave of absence, scouting for the NBA D-League’s Maine Red Claws. Yes, the group of players like \u003Cb\u003EJoseph Jones\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EGreg Carter\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EYoosrie Sahlia\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EBen Johnson\u003C\/b\u003E, and \u003Cb\u003EMatthew Schmidt\u003C\/b\u003E who took this program to a new level are all gone. But the Thunderwolves will find a way, as they always seem to.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELakehead had a surprising preseason, playing the Victoria Vikes tough and grinding through a game against Carleton. They dropped some games to inferior opponents, but once this team plays gets their feet wet and uses that Thunderdome advantage, they’ll be back in the conversation for the top of the OUA West. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince the majority of players who played for this team are gone (and \u003Cb\u003ERyan Thomson\u003C\/b\u003E is sitting out the year to recover from knee surgery), I’ll shy away from putting stock in team stats. However, we can look at some players with increased roles that will try to get Lakehead back in the CIS Final 8.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAnthony McIntosh\u003C\/b\u003E is a fourth-year player who has been asked to take on increased importance for this squad. He did not log major minutes last year — his highest minute total was in the final game of the regular season with 13 — but has already played a ton in the preseason.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIgor Lebov\u003C\/b\u003E is a transfer from Franklin Pierce University and he has a wealth of talent. Lebov could another one of those players that Morrison has plucked out of seemingly nowhere and has potential to lead this team in scoring.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJustin Bell\u003C\/b\u003E is in his final year of eligibility after bouncing around the OUA. He’s played for Ottawa and York but looks poised to grab a starting forward spot on the roster. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith so many moving parts, this season could go very right or very wrong for the Thunderwolves. Not having Morrison behind the bench puts a damper on my optimism slightly. What will kill this team’s chances is a slow start in the difficult interlock period.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Igor Lebov. The transfer is a talented player on offensive who can hit from anywhere on the court. He could give below-average defenders nightmares.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Third in the OUA West, loss in the semifinals\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EPlayoffs, but barely\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EYork Lions\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHead coach \u003Cb\u003ETom Olivieri\u003C\/b\u003E has built a good roster here, with a lot of depth and experience. True, this team is competing in a tough conference, but I like their chances.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAaron Rados\u003C\/b\u003E is leading this squad as a fifth-year forward. He plays tough and led the team in minutes last year, although just barely beating out \u003Cb\u003EDavid Tyndale\u003C\/b\u003E. Rados will be asked to take on more of the offensive load this year since Tyndale was a major source of their scoring.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis could be a good shift though, as Rados had a 52 per cent eFG% last year, a respectable mark in the top-third of the conference. He spreads his shots well; taking just under half his shots from three while shooting a decent 35 per cent and getting to the line consistently. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Lions’ defence was respectable last year too, posting a D-Rtg of 103. A lot of that can be credited to \u003Cb\u003ENick Tufegdzich\u003C\/b\u003E, a fourth-year forward who anchors this defense. Olivieri has to hope that his presence inside can push that D-Rtg south of 100. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’ve put this team in the \"up-and-coming\" section because I think their experience will pay off. But there is no time for growing pains and the loss of Tyndale can’t linger on the offence. Tyndale was an \"oh no the shot clock is running down, here just take the ball\" guy and did a decent job in that role. But do they have the pieces to replace that? They should, as Olivieri seems intent on playing nine guys in his rotation, according to a York Lions website video. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Aaron Rados. With more possessions heading for his hands, he is one of the most intriguing players in the OUA East.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Sixth in OUA East, lose in quarterfinals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EWestern Mustangs\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’m expecting this team to squeak into the playoffs but only as a product of a weaker lower half of the OUA. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’m not a fan of this team whatsoever, as they play a rough style that is not exactly fun to watch. Last year, in a regular season match-up against McMaster, the Mustangs could not hit a shot from anywhere on the court. Mac was running them out of the gym and instead of accepting that the game was lost, Western decided to just start playing dirty. They began to hit players at every possible second and it became a safety concern.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat Mustang squad is the proud owner of the worst O-Rtg in the conference, at 86. The leader for that offensive unit was \u003Cb\u003EPeter Scholtes\u003C\/b\u003E, who used 27% of the possessions but put up an eFG% of 41 per cent. He is back to lead the offensive, which is not an encouraging sign. Western also turned the ball over on 25% of their possessions last year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlongside him on offence is \u003Cb\u003EQuinn Henderson\u003C\/b\u003E. He too used a lot of possessions for them and shot a better percentage at 47 per cent, but that mark is not something to structure an offence around.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDefensively, this team was bad. They posted a D-Rtg of 106 and turned the ball over at an OUA-worst rate of 25 per cent of possesions. There is reason for optimism, though. \u003Cb\u003EGreg Morrow\u003C\/b\u003E is back for a third-year and he was the strongest defensive player for the Stangs last year. He also shot a great percentage from the field with a 58 per cent eFG%, so if you’re looking for a bright spot, here it is.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EEric McDonald\u003C\/b\u003E is a transfer from Guelph and could provide more offence for the squad. He had a strong preseason, including 18 points against Acadia.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBrad Campbell\u003C\/b\u003E has added some recruits but it’s yet to be seen how many minutes they will play. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWestern’s experience could pay off and they should prey on weaker OUA teams like Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto and Algoma. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Greg Morrow. He shoots the best percentage (by far) on this team and can get his own shot. Will he be given the keys to the offence over Scholtes though?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Fifth in the OUA West. Quarterfinal loss.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EGuelph Gryphons\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuelph is just too young of a team to put in a category other than the basement. \u003Cb\u003EZach Angus\u003C\/b\u003E is one of my favourite players to watch in this league, but he can only do so much. Angus and \u003Cb\u003EMichel Clark\u003C\/b\u003E are two returning players who logged major minutes, but the rest of the returning cast are relative unknowns. 13 (!!!) players averaged double-digit minutes per game last year too, and they need to figure out their rotation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETheir O-Rtg and D-Rtg were so bad last year, I contemplated not putting them in to save the horror. For offense, Guelph was tied for third worst in the league with 92 and for defense, they were second worst in the league, with 107. What’s scary is that \u003Cb\u003EDan McCarthy\u003C\/b\u003E — one of the team’s best defenders — is gone. \u003Cb\u003EAdam Kemp\u003C\/b\u003E is a six-foot-seven forward and has a year of experience under his belt. They will need him to anchor the defence.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOffensively, McCarthy’s departure means that the team will need to look elsewhere for offence. He used a lot of possessions for the team last year and the Gryphons will miss his production. For a player using as many possessions as McCarthy did, you would want his eFG% to be higher (it was 46 per cent) but Guelph needs whatever they can get.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey have a fresh crop of rookies, with 12 first-year players listed on their 2013-14 roster. It’ll be a rough start for the season to them if head coach \u003Cb\u003EChris O’Rourke\u003C\/b\u003E spreads the minutes as much as he did last year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGuelph has committed themselves to the development of athletics, with a new indoor complex, brand-new football stadium and revamped soccer complex. They have some highly competitive teams in soccer, rugby, football, field hockey and cross country (to name a few). Basketball has been lacking though. Could this be the year where they start to turn that around? Probably not on paper, but through the development of their first-years, it could be the beginning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Zach Angus. He is a tough player with solid stroke and ability to get to the hoop. He’ll get more touches this year and it’ll be fun to see what he does with it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Sixth in the OUA West. Quarterfinal loss.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBasement Dwellers\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EToronto Varsity Blues\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’ve put Toronto here because of the conference they play in, but I’m optimistic about the future of this team.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor one, \u003Cb\u003EJohn Campbell\u003C\/b\u003E is the new coach. He is leaving Dalhousie, where he took two teams to the Final 8. He has implemented a new system, but said that it’s been \"challenging\" to introduce. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThen there is the new Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport opening in 2014. If you’ve seen the promotions for it, you know that Toronto has laid the foundation to host a CIS-best athletic department.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut for this year, they have \u003Cb\u003EAlex Hill\u003C\/b\u003E returning, \u003Cb\u003EMatt Savel\u003C\/b\u003E should hopefully be healthy and \u003Cb\u003EDakota Laurin\u003C\/b\u003E should get more shots since \u003Cb\u003EArun Kumar\u003C\/b\u003E has left. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELast year, Kumar and Hill used a large proportion of the team’s possessions and neither was even close to efficient. Losing Kumar is a blessing for Campbell, as he stopped any and all ball movement. If he can rein Hill in a bit, Toronto will improve on offence.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe defence was an issue last year, but again that comes from Kumar. He is a short guard and let a lot of guys get by him. If your point guard can’t defend in the OUA, you’re going to have a bad time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThese guys will be worth a watch to see what Campbell can do, but you won’t see these guys making much noise in a loaded OUA East.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Eighth in the OUA East. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EAlgoma Thunderbirds\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe newest OUA team could turn into a Lakehead-lite. Their coach, \u003Cb\u003EThomas Cory\u003C\/b\u003E, casts a wide net in recruiting — he grabbed recruits from British Columbia and Michigan — and he has been the team’s coach through their college competition. Throw in the travel factor, where teams are playing in Sudbury the night before and you’ve got a distinct advantage. The two schools even share the same weird \"Thunder\" prefix. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMcMaster’s \u003Cb\u003EJoe Rocca\u003C\/b\u003E said that the team is ultra-athletic and will look to just run teams out of the gym, a sentiment Mac coach \u003Cb\u003EAmos Connolly\u003C\/b\u003E echoed in a separate interview.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey’ll be able to surprise some teams too, with teams having to do so much travelling to get there.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: \u003Cb\u003ETerrell Campbell\u003C\/b\u003E. Athletic player who can get up and down the court as fast as anyone. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Seventh in OUA East.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EBrock Badgers\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe new head coach in St. Catharines has already called this a rebuilding season, but Brock seems to finally be having a positive rebuild.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor the past couple of seasons, the Badgers have fielded teams that struggle to mesh on the offensive end. Last year, they put up a brutal O-Rtg of 90. With \u003Cb\u003ECharles Kissi\u003C\/b\u003E in charge, the offence already looks better when I watched a preseason game against Niagara College. The ball moved a lot quicker and they were playing an inside-out style instead of the iso-ball of years past.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMike Luby\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EBrian Nahimana\u003C\/b\u003E, \u003Cb\u003EJameson Tipping\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EMark Gibson\u003C\/b\u003E have all moved on from the program. Tipping had two years of eligbility remaining but left the program to play for the Brampton A’s — where Tipping’s older brother is the president and his father is the owner. Tipping used a lot of possessions for this team but was a treat to watch, as he could get to the hoop with ease, back you down in the post and hurt you from outside — evidenced by his 34 per cent mark from three. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETshing Kasamba\u003C\/b\u003E and \u003Cb\u003EIssack Egueh\u003C\/b\u003E played the most minutes of returning players and are set to lead this squad. Alongside them is \u003Cb\u003EDani Egaldi\u003C\/b\u003E, a six-foot-seven rookie with long arms and scoring touch. He doesn’t have the size to handle older players on the defensive end but his quickness is a plus if Kissi wants to switch him on to a guard.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou don’t want to look too much into last year’s team stats because the roster will be comprised of a whole new crew. I’m looking forward to seeing where this team ends up in February because they could be really coming into their own. Egaldi is a player with OUA Rookie of the Year potential and Kissi is a coach who seems intent on changing the culture at Brock. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Dani Egaldi. I can’t say enough about him. He looks like he could really give defence problems with his size and ball handling abilities. Needs to find a three point shot, though.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Eighth in OUA West\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EWaterloo Warriors\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Warriors only lost two players — Brendan Smith and Kyrie Coleman — but having so many players return is exactly what I don’t like about this squad.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWaterloo was just as bad as Western was last year offensively and marginally better defensively. Their offence lacks any balance and their defence is susceptible to foul trouble, with abysmal fouling numbers for their major players. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI’ll highlight some positives for the team, though: it’s \u003Cb\u003EGreg Francis\u003C\/b\u003E’ second year with the program, and perhaps that will give the team a little more stability. \u003Cb\u003EJaspreet Gill\u003C\/b\u003E has potential to be a dynamic offensive weapon too. But I’m running low on positives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESimply, this roster lacks the talent to compete. In losing Smith, they lost their best rebounder, a loss that is already showing signs of problems as they nearly got doubled in rebounds in their season opener. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo get back to the playoffs, players need to have worked hard at becoming better defenders and cleaning the defensive glass. Otherwise, this team is going to be lucky to reach the quarterfinals again.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPlayer to Watch\u003C\/b\u003E: Jaspreet Gill. He could be asked to take even more shots than he did last year, and that could lead to some eye popping stat totals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProjected Finish\u003C\/b\u003E: Seventh in the OUA West.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8020016309213055041\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/the-tiers-of-oua-mens-basketball-season.html#comment-form","title":"6 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8020016309213055041"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8020016309213055041"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/the-tiers-of-oua-mens-basketball-season.html","title":"The Tiers of the OUA: A Men's Basketball Season Preview"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Scott Hastie"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08081415078301065374"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"6"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-290932968206975192"},"published":{"$t":"2013-11-02T20:36:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-11-02T21:25:01.175-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Axemen"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bisons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carabins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gaiters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mounties"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"UBC Thunderbirds"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vert et Or"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Quick recaps of the seven semifinals"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003ETo review this weekend's seven playoff games, we'll look at them in order of how much the outcome differed from our point spreads, from most expected to least expected.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2013\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_d0u1.xml\"\u003EUBC 28 at Calgary 42\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Calgary by 15.5\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 1.5 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI respect what friend of the blog \u003Cb\u003EJim Mullin\u003C\/b\u003E said near the end of this game, about how UBC represented their school today after \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.theprovince.com\/sports\/university\/Gallagher+getting+ready+slash+varsity+football+hockey\/9049366\/story.html\"\u003Erumours leaked out surrounding the football team and the school's athletic review\u003C\/a\u003E (though, those are hardly rumours). And yes they did take a 17-0 lead after beating up on Alberta previously. But in the end they lost this one by 14. Though the T-Birds can take some solace in the fact that, while \u003Cb\u003EMercer Timmis\u003C\/b\u003E had another Mercer Timmis game (32 carries, 164 yards, two TDs), he wasn't the leading rusher in the game, either by total yards or yards-per-carry \u0026mdash; that honour going to \u003Cb\u003EBrandon Deschamps\u003C\/b\u003E (184 on 22, 1 TD).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2013\/postseason-boxscores\/20131101_s059.xml\"\u003ESaskatchewan 36 at Manitoba 37\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Manitoba by 3.5\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 2.5 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt'll be an offseason of replaying this game in their minds for the Huskies, now losers of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.huskies.usask.ca\/news\/2013\/November\/2013-11-01-fb\/index.php\"\u003Eeight of their last ten playoff games\u003C\/a\u003E after \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thestarphoenix.com\/sports\/amateur\/university\/Huskies+season+ends+last+second\/9116453\/story.html\"\u003Ea crazy, fantastic night in Winnipeg\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026mdash; and another one-point playoff loss on a missed field goal at the end. Like the people who point to close elections and say, \"See, each vote \u003Ci\u003Edoes\u003C\/i\u003E matter!\", I find it tempting to say that every point does, too, but that's fairly self-evident after a game like this.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHalf the points came in the fourth quarter; Saskatchewan had a five-point lead after three and kept the Bisons off the board for nearly a 20-minute period. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"fullpost\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2014\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_sps4.xml\"\u003ESherbrooke 11 at Laval 32\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Laval by 18\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 3 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe latest in a long line of Laval games where they dominate the second half. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rougeetor.ulaval.ca\/les_clubs\/nouvelle\/article\/\/p-classsurtitredemi-finale-rseq-de-football-universitairepp-classtitrele-rouge-et-or-en\/\"\u003E11th Dunsmore in a row\u003C\/a\u003E for the Rouge et Or and of course they've won all of the last 10 \u0026mdash; by three touchdowns on average, no less.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2013\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_aoh9.xml\"\u003EGuelph 17 at Queen's 34\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Queen's by 13\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 4 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENo surprises here (\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2012\/11\/football-twice-in-lifetime-guelph-comes.html\"\u003Ethis time\u003C\/a\u003E...). Guelph ends the year 2-2 against OUA playoff teams, but with a 2-point win and a 1-point win followed by last week's 14-point loss and this 13-point one, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/ca.sports.yahoo.com\/blogs\/eh-game\/queen-golden-gaels-mistake-free-billy-mcphee-shake-002832996.html\"\u003Ewhich they lost to Queen's and \"mistake-free \u003Cb\u003EBilly McPhee\u003C\/b\u003E\"\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2013\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_f0wv.xml\"\u003EMcMaster 3 at Western 32\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Western by 22\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 7 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'd have to check the numbers on this, but I think this was the first Western game this year where they didn't score 50 points in the fourth quarter. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAside from that this game was a foregone conclusion; I think we all knew the Mustangs were going to win the 1 vs. 4 game by 20+ points before they were halfway towards clinching the No. 1 seed. Mac's hearts of champions or inspired chemistry or whatever helped them win more games in the second half of the year \u0026mdash; the relatively weaker schedule? I think it was the relatively weaker schedule \u0026mdash; can only go so far against the best non-Laval team in the country.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2013\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_lxau.xml\"\u003EAcadia 10 at Mount Allison 19\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Acadia by 7\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 16 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis one didn't finish as we thought. The Mounties gave up almost 100 more points during the season than Acadia did, and they weren't the ones who played Laval, so you'd think the Axemen could overcome the home advantage, even one enjoyed by a team that plays on a field some high school programs wouldn't touch. But the turnovers went 4 to 1 in Mount A's favour, in fact scoring their only touchdown on a pick-six with three and a half minutes left in the game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/championships\/fball\/2014\/postseason-boxscores\/20131102_061c.xml\"\u003EMontreal 51 at Bishop's 8\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPredicted spread\u003C\/b\u003E: Montreal by 7\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff by\u003C\/b\u003E: 36 points\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe same logic that made Montreal road favourites also made Acadia road favourites. Neither game actually ended up close to the 7-point spread, but for very different reasons. While this was more lopsided than most probably expected, I still do feel a little better now about never putting Bishop's on my ballot this year. In any event, it seems the Gaiters \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/cis\/cis-week-9-rankings-let-the-playoffs-begin\/\"\u003Ewon't have a chance to beat Laval\u003C\/a\u003E after all.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/290932968206975192\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/football-quick-recaps-of-seven.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/290932968206975192"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/290932968206975192"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/11\/football-quick-recaps-of-seven.html","title":"Football: Quick recaps of the seven semifinals"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-8787132711862365500"},"published":{"$t":"2013-10-31T00:02:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-10-31T00:02:11.176-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Bisons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carabins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gaiters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Top 10"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Final Top 10 of 2013"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Returning after a brief hiatus for minor, almost imperceptible re-tooling, here are our ballots for this week (in order \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/sports\/fball\/2013-14\/releases\/top10-10\"\u003Eafter the official listing\u003C\/a\u003E: Neate Sager, myself, Andrew Bucholtz):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWestern\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 1st, 1st, 2nd. Will Western win by more over Mac, or Laval by more over Sherbrooke? The two spreads are within a safety for those games. And is a Western-Laval Vanier any different than a Red Sox-Cardinals World Series?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 2nd, 2nd, 1st. That was their fourth three-touchdown win over Montreal in as many years, if you were wondering about part of the reason why we sometimes call it \"the Laval conference.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 5th, 4th, 3rd. Quirks in scheduling mean UBC has to fly right back for another game, maybe even another one with more rouges than touchdowns for them.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 3rd, 3rd, 4th. Hosting Guelph, and it may not be a close one.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGuelph\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 7th, 7th, 5th. Having settled the Windsor-Guelph debate (ok, that was never actually a debate) it's now time for Guelph to step up for the Guelph-Queen's debate.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBishop's\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 8th, unranked, 6th. One of two teams hosting a playoff game this weekend who are the underdogs by my figuring (the other is Mount A, in the conference we don't talk about). This is the only team any of us did not rank this week; my other spot went to UBC, 9th. I don't have much justification for that.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMontreal\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 4th, 6th, 7th. Have surrendered half as many points on the year as the Gaiters; you gotta think that matters.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 6th, 5th, 9th. Sadly, Mac won't make it to London for their game, as their season was declared over almost two months ago and the team had to disband amidst the intense media hand-wringing.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EManitoba\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 9th, 8th, 8th. Back to some agreement among us. No shame in being fourth in points scored in the country, behind just Western, Queen's, and Calgary.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 10th, 10th, 10th. That makes three playoff games with adjacent seedings, one per conference, and this one (at -3.5 for Manitoba) figures to be the closest of them all.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/8787132711862365500\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/football-final-top-10-of-2013.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8787132711862365500"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/8787132711862365500"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/football-final-top-10-of-2013.html","title":"Football: Final Top 10 of 2013"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-1638815528510003726"},"published":{"$t":"2013-10-19T12:55:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-10-19T12:55:21.718-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gee-Gees"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"OUA Football Recap"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"statistics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Varsity Blues"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: OUA playoff scenarios, odds, and possibilities"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Most of the playoff teams have been determined in the OUA; only a small battle remains between Windsor and Toronto, but that is heavily tilted the Lancers' way. We also know who the top three teams will be: Western, Queen's\/Guelph winner, Queen's\/Guelph loser. That game alone can affect the playoff race considerably but it's not the only one with potential implications.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe fourth through sixth spots are still undetermined, and could be any of three or four teams. Toronto, should they qualify for the playoffs, will be 5th, which means the other three \u0026mdash; McMaster, Ottawa, Windsor; all tied at 4-3 right now \u0026mdash; have a home game on the line today.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere can't be a three-way tie with these teams, and the Marauders hold the tiebreakers over both, assuming nothing out of the ordinary happens. (They can sew up a point-differential tiebreaker over Windsor by beating Carleton by about 25 points, which should be simple enough to achieve.) So that home game is Mac's to lose.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EJust in time for the games today, here are the odds for all four teams and each playoff position:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ctable border=1\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETeam\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E4th\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5th\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003E6th\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOut\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EMAC\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E73%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E23%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E4%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E---\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOTT\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E17%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E45%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E38%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E---\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWSR\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E10%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E27%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E58%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ETOR\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E---\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E5%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E---\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003E95%\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/1638815528510003726\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/footballoua-playoff-scenarios-odds-and.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1638815528510003726"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/1638815528510003726"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/footballoua-playoff-scenarios-odds-and.html","title":"Football: OUA playoff scenarios, odds, and possibilities"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8220121611828242531.post-3548557535788208661"},"published":{"$t":"2013-10-09T10:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-10-30T23:55:38.737-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carabins"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dinos"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Football"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gaiters"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Golden Gaels"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gryphons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lancers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marauders"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mustangs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rouge et Or"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Top 10"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"U of S Huskies"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Football: Our latest Top 10 ballots"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"This week's ballots from our staff (in order \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/english.cis-sic.ca\/sports\/fball\/2013-14\/releases\/top10-7\"\u003Eafter the official listing\u003C\/a\u003E: Neate Sager, myself, Kevin Garbuio):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWestern\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 1st, 1st, 2nd. They have clinched first place in Ontario [correction: assuming they beat York] no matter what you may read elsewhere about point differential coming into play with Guelph (by OUA rules, that is impossible). About to enjoy the coveted \"bye week, York, bye week\" portion of the schedule. There have been tougher times to be a Mustang, that's for sure...\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaval\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 2nd, 2nd, 1st. About a 2 to 1 split among voters who prefer Western to Laval up top. Hung a Waterloo score on Concordia. Kevin may prove to be the smarter one in the end here, and unless I'm mistaken he is the only one of the three of us who has personally lost to Laval.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECalgary\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 4th, 3rd, 4th. Considered moving them down after \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/football-dinos-dont-dominate-but-win.html\"\u003Ethis week\u003C\/a\u003E but couldn't find another team I liked better at 3.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EGuelph\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 3rd, 6th, 3rd. Very difficult for me to assess where to put McMaster vs. Guelph. (Many reading this would say \"Guelph's 6-0, don't overthink it\" but that is \u003Ci\u003Eunder\u003C\/i\u003Ethinking it.) Thanks to scheduling quirks they will probably have only one common opponent who makes the playoffs. Last week I had Guelph 6th and McMaster 10th but after reviewing the evidence at hand I'm pushing them closer together. Still not sure I want to put the Gryphs above, say, Queen's or Calgary.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQueen's\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 6th, 4th, 5th. The all-important \"playing for a bye week\" game comes up one week after they roll out of bed 15 minutes before kickoff and beat Waterloo 54-12.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMontreal\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 5th, 5th, 8th. Maybe KG moved west to avoid the wrath of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.allezlesbleus.ca\/\"\u003Eour blue-clad friends\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESaskatchewan\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 8th, 10th, 7th. I can report that actually watching an entire game of theirs didn't help figure out where to rank them.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBishop's\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 7th, unranked, 6th. Have been outscored on the season, by nine points, though that will change after five minutes this week.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMcMaster\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 9th, 7th, unranked. If only Neate and I could play as Bishop's and Mac on \u003Ci\u003EMadden\u003C\/i\u003E and solve this. It's the only way these teams can play each other. However, that would require both of us to have a \u003Ci\u003EMadden\u003C\/i\u003E game more recent than Tommy Maddox's career.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWindsor\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026mdash; 10th, 9th, 9th. They've been on my ballot for the last five weeks in a row so this is either vindication or a coincidence.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFun fact: the entire AUS received 0.4% [edit: not 2%] of the voting points available this week, all for SMU.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EPlease visit \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\"\u003Ecisblog.ca\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/feeds\/3548557535788208661\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/football-our-latest-top-10-ballots.html#comment-form","title":"4 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3548557535788208661"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8220121611828242531\/posts\/default\/3548557535788208661"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.cisblog.ca\/2013\/10\/football-our-latest-top-10-ballots.html","title":"Football: Our latest Top 10 ballots"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Rob Pettapiece"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"4"}}]}});