It’s here! It’s here! It’s finally here! Professional football! Yes, it’s not the NFL but I am rejoicing all the same that I finally have something to tide me over until September arrives. Once again, I’ll be recapping the games from previous weeks, and previewing the current week’s coming games for the rest of the summer and fall – looking forward to one of the most riveting seasons in years from the CFL.

WEEK 1 RECAPS

Hamilton 42 vs. Toronto 20: Yes, I’ve already fucked things up for Week 1. This game happened last night, technically, the first-ever home game for the Argos at BMO Field, their new (shared) digs with Toronto FC. Chad Owens, longtime Argonaut, also made a homecoming, now dressed in the black and yellow of the Tiger-Cats for the very first time, and scored a touchdown. Hamilton started Jeremiah Masoli at QB due to Zach Collaros still being out from his recovery from a torn ACL that occurred last September. Turns out that even with Masoli in, the offence didn’t miss a beat, as he went 27-37 for 318 yards and 3 TDs. The score was close temporarily in the 3rd quarter when Toronto made it 23-20 from a Ricky Ray pass to Vidal Hazelton for his 2nd TD of the game, but the TiCats pulled away after that. The one scary moment of the game was when Argos special-teamer Jermaine Gabriel had to be stretchered off after trying to make a tackle on Hamilton returner Brandon Banks, but he was waving as he was carried off and had been pushing to walk off the field under his own power, so looks like he’ll be alright, fortunately.

PICK: Toronto (I did select before the game, promise!)

RESULT: Hamilton

WEEK 1 PREVIEWS

Montreal vs. Winnipeg, Friday, June 24th, 8:30 PM EST: Longtime vet Kevin Glenn, now playing for his 8th CFL team, beat out rookie Vernon Adams (of Oregon) for the Als’ starting job at QB, which will hopefully bring the stability they’ve desperately needed at the position since legend Anthony Calvillo retired. Winnipeg has gone through a ton of roster turnover, but with starting QB Drew Willy healthy once again, they now have a serious arm to lead their offense. New free acquisition and stud RB Andrew Harris was looking doubtful earlier in the week for the Bombers, but he’s been ruled good to go and says he’ll be playing. The Alouettes and Blue Bombers played once in the preseason, with Winnipeg winning 36-13. Granted, it’s just a preseason game and of course we can’t read much into it, but all the same, Montreal remain the underdogs in this first matchup of the season.

PICK: Winnipeg

Ottawa vs. Edmonton, Saturday, June 25th, 7:00 PM EST: The Eskimos are the only team the REDBLACKS have never beaten in their two seasons thus far in the league; it’s also a rematch of the 2015 Grey Cup, which saw Edmonton come out on top 26-20. Adding to the intrigue is the presence of Jason Maas, the Eskimos’ new head coach, who was hired away from Ottawa after the end of the season in a firestorm of controversy over compensation for the hire. Ottawa remain the underdogs in this game; the loss of starting RB William Powell for the entire season, which happened in their first preseason game, will also hurt the team greatly. Rookie Travon Van (University of Montana) will get the start in Powell’s place.

PICK: Edmonton

Calgary vs. B.C., Saturday, June 25th, 10:00 PM EST: Wally Buono has returned as coach of the Lions after previous coach Jeff Tedford resigned, after only a year on the job; Buono was the man who last led the Lions to the Grey Cup, in 2011. He’ll be busy managing his coaching and GM duties jointly, and while he’s a great football mind, his roster is in dire need of some help. QB Jon Jennings is a nice story after a breakout year last season, but aside from him, the roster, particularly on offense, is sorely lacking. Calgary manhandled BC in the West semifinal last year, winning 35-9 on their home turf, and the team has much of the same look this year as it did last. Bo Levi Mitchell has a cannon arm, and RB Jerome Messam is one of the most explosive runners in the league. Barring something disastrous, Calgary will win again without too much trouble.

PICK: Calgary

BYE: Saskatchewan

Game Picks This Week: 0-1

Game Picks This Season: 0-1