We all understand that people have different opinions and we at CFL Daily Dose are no different, which is why we started CFL Point/Counterpoint. For each CFL Point/Counterpoint, two authors will present their cases and you decide who’s right.
With CFL training camps inching closer, we decided to tackle a topic that is sure to come up as the season approaches: Will the Montreal Alouettes repeat as Grey Cup champions?
Without a doubt!
by Chris Powell
The Montreal Alouettes: Soon To Be 2010 Grey Cup Champions
What does it take for a team to win a championship? Talent, poise, good coaches and great leadership are all necessary components of a winning team. Montreal has all four.
Many fans, especially those in Saskatchewan, will argue that the Roughriders should have won the Grey Cup last year, but they are only partially right. The Roughriders should have won, yes, but the Alouettes deserved the win as well. Despite going into half time down 14 points. The Als didn’t lose focus and came out to win the game in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. They fought back, despite the Riders’ momentum, and put themselves in a position to win.
The poise that they showed, even when the game seemed out of reach was inspiring. They never gave up. The offence, led by veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo and running back Avon Cobourne, maintained their composure and led the team to several fourth quarter scoring drives, including the game winning drive.
While they were impressive last season, past successes aren’t always indicative of future successes, especially in leagues with a salary cap where teams tend to lose some of their best players due to increasing salaries. Montreal has not only avoided a lot of turnover, but they have also added several very talented players during the off season, both through the draft and free agency. This has lead to a team that is even better than they were last year.
The Alouettes have been quite good for several years, and despite their past post season struggles, they will be looking to win the Grey Cup again, and they will be striving to do it in a more convincing fashion than last year. Winning by one point in one of the most dramatic Grey Cup finishes in recent memory wasn’t what the Alouettes were trying to do. Entering the game as the heavy favorites they struggled to keep up with the Riders who had an answer for everything they tried. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Als started looking like the Als . I expect that they will not only win the Grey Cup, but it will be the convincing win that everyone expected in 2010.
The question isn’t “Can Montreal win the Grey Cup in 2010?” but, “Can they win a third straight Grey Cup in 2011?”
History says that Montreal will fail to repeat
by Jonathan Hamelin
History doesn’t bode well for the Montreal Alouettes.
The Montreal Alouettes, like the 2007 B.C. Lions squad, will not repeat.
The Alouettes, who defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28-27 in the Grey Cup last season, will be hard pressed to repeat this season. No team has won the Grey Cup in back-to-back years for over ten years. The Toronto Argonauts, who won the Grey Cup in 1996 and 1997, were the last team to accomplish this feat.
During this time, there have been many solid teams who have failed to repeat. The B.C. Lions of 2007 are a perfect example of this. In 2006, the Lions boasted a record of 13-5-0. They finished first in the West Division, the preceded to knock of Montreal in the Grey Cup game by a score of 25-14. Heading into the playoffs next season, with an even better record of 14-3-1, it appeared like B.C. had a great chance to repeat. Then the Roughriders, the Cinderella team of the season, shocked the Lions by beating them 26-17 in the West Division final. B.C.’s hopes of a repeat were over.
So, though history clearly is against them, why else do I feel Montreal will come up short?
Frankly, the pressure is off in Montreal. Before last season, the Alouettes have had to listen to claims that they can’t win the big game. After all, since 1996, Montreal had only won one Grey Cup in six attempts. They notoriously came up short when it mattered the most. Still, these past disappointments seemed to motivate the Alouettes to prove their doubters wrong. Now that they have won the big game, there isn’t as much motivation driving the Alouettes forward.
The Hamilton Tiger Cats and the Roughriders are two more big reasons that Montreal won’t repeat.
Hamilton has finally emerged as a dominant threat in the East Division and should challenge Montreal for eastern dominance this season. The Alouettes may be oozing with offensive talent, but so is Hamilton. Kevin Glenn is a solid quarterback and Quinton Porter is a reliable backup. Running back DeAndra Cobb, as well as receivers Arland Bruce III, Maurice Mann and Marquay McDaniel, gives Hamilton plenty of offensive firepower. On defence, Hamilton has a fierce front seven led by linebacker’s Jamall Johnson and Markeith Knowlton.
Will Hamilton finish first in the East? Not necessarily, but they will give the Alouettes a run for their money and make it harder for them to represent the East in the Grey Cup.
Saskatchewan, who is still haunted by their tragic Grey Cup loss, desperately wants another shot at the Alouettes. It would not be a stretch to say we could very well be in for a Grey Cup rematch this season. If that is the case, the Roughriders are better prepared then last season.
After their impressive off-season, the Riders have a revamped roster. They added speedster Dominique Dorsey, who will help in the running game, wide receiver Prechae Rodriguez, who will help stretch the field for the Riders much like Kerry Watkins has for the Alouettes, and solidified their offensive line. Led by quarterback Darian Durant, who has more experience under his belt, the Riders offence should be just as good as the Montreal offence.
On defence, despite the loss of defensive end’s John Chick and Stevie Baggs, the Riders defence doesn’t have many wholes. New middle linebacker Barrin Simpson will help shutdown Avon Cobourne, who ran effectively against the Riders in the Grey Cup, particularly down the stretch.
Finally, there seems to be a misconceived notion that Montreal is “invincible”. Sure Montreal posted a record of 15-3-0 last season and finally won the Grey Cup, but they are not unbeatable. If the Riders had not had too many men on the field, Montreal would have lost the Grey Cup to a team many thought they would destroy.
A lot can happen in a season. A couple of untimely injuries could end the Alouettes season, they could be playing poorly come playoff time, or some team could simply outplay them when it matters most.
A team has not repeated as Grey Cup champions since 1997, and it is not going to happen for Montreal this season.
