Tee it up and kick it off!

They’re down one franchise from last year, yet they’ve not been this popular in years! The Commissioner is walking on one part eggshells and another part broken glass, not sure if he’s going to be around by the time the Grey Cup is handed out in Winnipeg in November. Welcome to that bizarre Canadian tradition known as the CFL. A league that always seems to offer up just as many questions as it can provide answers.

The now eight team loop kicks off another season on Friday night with a televised double header on TSN's marquee program Friday Night Football, the first of all 72 games to be broadcast on either TSN or the CBC this year.

The usual amount of musical chairs has taken place, as familiar faces find new places to ply their trade. Looking for Jason Maas, head down the QEW and stop in at Hamilton he’s the next great hope for a Grey Cup parade in steel town. Kerry Joseph had just finished getting the nation’s capital’s football fans (yes there were some there you know) excited about the future, when the future, became the past and he was picked up like leftovers at a party in something called the dispersal draft. Joseph followed in the footsteps of a CFL legend when he moved from Ottawa to Saskatchewan, same as a guy named Lancaster, oh Rider fans can dare to dream can’t they?

The Argos once again grabbed their fair share of the headlines with a big name signing all be it a controversial one, when Ricky Williams was allowed to play out his NFL suspension year with the double blue, the ink had barely dried on the contract when the Ti-Cats growled and the Alouettes howled over the optics of it all, perhaps because they weren’t fast enough on Leigh Steinberg’s’ speed dial!

The Blue Bombers, back in the East again as the CFL tries to figure out how to keep a team in Ottawa, tried their own version of the refugee claim, as they picked up Onterrio Smith for training camp, but the owner of the Whizzinator couldn’t adjust to the CFL game and was cut from the roster as the regular season beckoned.

The Lions and Stampeders refined their product in the off season, BC losing QB Casey Printers to the NFL and then having to soothe the ego of Dave Dickenson, who they had slighted by trying to secure Printers talents to a longer contract with the promise of the starter’s job. If nothing else, at least now there won’t be a QB controversy in BC, as neither of the back ups is quite ready to challenge Dickenson for the big job. However, with his injury record of late, it will be interesting to see if the relievers end up the starters by the season’s end. The Stamps improved the little things and refined an already solid line up; destined to continue the path they left off at when they bowed out in the playoffs last year.

And then there are the defending Grey Cup champs, Ricky Ray is now the man in charge, without a doubt, but he’s looking at a whole new Offensive line after key retirements in the off season. He had best hope the newcomers are up to the challenge, as it’s his health in their mitts. The Eskies are an older crew this year, which will be cause for concern for a chance to repeat as Grey Cup champs in 2006.

There will be many twists and turns once again in this CFL season, many sitting by waiting to see if the Ricky Williams show is a highlight reel showcase or a train wreck waiting to be filmed. And of course the always verbose Don Matthews will no doubt have a thing or two to say about the state of the CFL as the season progresses, he's already in the CFL head office doghouse over his thoughts on the Williams signing, so don't expect him to keep to himself through the year.

In the end, though it’s a great Canadian tradition that once again takes centre stage across the land. A slightly eccentric friend at times, who makes you nuts with his slightly kooky ways, but in the end is someone you just want to spend some time with,. We all get the chance to get reacquainted Friday night. A chance to begin to share the good times, from Canada Day BBQ’s to Labour Day picnics, over the Thanksgiving Day weekend and right through til the end of November and that party of all parties the Grey Cup. Football’s back, tee it up and let’s kick it off! The fearless forecast

THE EAST
MONTREAL
HAMILTON
TORONTO
WINNIPEG

THE WEST
BC
CALGARY
SASKATCHEWAN
EDMONTON

MONTREAL VS BC ON GREY CUP SUNDAY

BC brings the Grey Cup west from its pedestal at Portage and Main!

The above posting first appeared on my twelve men on the field blog, an occasional look at the happenings of the CFL.