Wednesday, July 27, 2005
IN THE TRENCHES
Trying to win where it's loud
By Marc Pilon
(Courtesy of the Barrhaven Independent and ottawacitynews.com)
We lost a tough game 29-21 to the Edmonton Eskimos in Ottawa last week.
They are a good football team, and when it comes right down to it, they made fewer errors than we did. One of the things I keep talking about every week is the character on our Renegades team this year. A lot of people thought we were down and out, but then, we get a safety, and a few minutes later Kerry Joseph finds Pat Woodcock all alone in the end zone. Suddenly, we are down by just eight points, and we had the ball at the end of the game.
We just had too far to go in too little time.
We were able to pull off our come back against Montreal on Canada Day, but in B.C. two weeks ago and against Edmonton last week, we had momentum but we just ran out of time.
In addition to playing defensive tackle, I also handle our long snapping duties. On punt team, I was up against Randy Spencer a few times. I like to mention the local players in for the kids and high school players out there to let them know that there are guys in Ottawa who work hard and get scholarships and get to play in the CFL.
Randy is from Barrhaven and he played at Merivale High School. He worked hard in school, got to go down to Weber State, and now he_s in his third year in the CFL as a defensive lineman.
There are a lot of good local players in the CFL, and kids playing minor football and high school football should know that guys like my brother Jeff and I, or Pat Woodcock or Pat Fleming or Randy Spencer or Scott Gordon or several other CFL players all came up through the same system they are in.
We're 2-3 now, but the positive thing is that we have proven we are already a better team than we were last year, and we are much better than we were coming out of training camp. Soon, we will start to win those close games that we can_t quite pull out now.
Our next game will be in Saskatchewan (Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. Eastern time), and it is a game I am really looking forward to.
Saskatchewan came into this season with the top ranked offensive line in the league, and even though Kenton Keith is hurt, Corey Holmes is also a good runner. They have two very good guards, which is a key part of their running game. They love to run the ball, and my forte is stopping the run. That is why I am really excited about this game. I like the interior game and getting down and dirty against the other teams' line.
After losing 44-18 to Calgary, Saskatchewan is like a wounded dog backed into a corner. They are going to be tough and hungry and they will play like they have something to prove to their home fans. That alone will make this a great game. What surprised me about their loss was that Calgary ran the ball very well against them. Joffrey Reynolds is a good running back, but we controlled the line of scrimmage when we played Calgary. Something worked for them though, and it is up to our offense to see if we can do the same.
Another big part of their running game is quarterback Nealon Greene. He is a dangerous open field runner, and they do some creative things with him like a quarterback sweep and an option play. He is not a guy that will beat you deep too often -- he loves to dump the ball off and nickel and dime his way down the field. We will have to make sure to contain him and keep him in the pocket, which will limit his effectiveness against us.
Aside from loving to play against the run, the other thing I like about playing in Saskatchewan is their fans. You_ve probably all heard of Oakland_s Raider Nation and how crazy their fans are. Saskatchewan is like Canada_s equivalent of that. They are well educated fans who really know their stuff, and they know every player and his background. They are loud and they are passionate, and when you go in there to play, the best thing you can do is to score early and take control and try to get them out of the game. The quieter they are, the easier it will be for our offense.
When we had playoff games in B.C. Place with the Lions, it was loud because it was a dome. Calgary was really loud in the playoffs, and so was Edmonton, but Saskatchewan is very loud all the time. One thing I noticed about Saskatchewan fans when I played in the Western Division was that they travel with their team.
Their fans are everywhere, and there is a strong loyalty to that team among the people who have left Saskatchewan who are all across the country. Sometimes I think that they have more fans across the country than any other team in the CFL. They are fun fans. They will sit behind your bench and let you have it and bring stuff up about your career you might have even forgotten about. It_s part of the game, and I would rather here that than have them at their loudest when our quarterback is trying to call signals.
The other thing to get used to there is the wind. It is really windy in Regina, and the Riders are very good at playing the clock and the wind advantage. It changes the kicking game and can really affect your game plan.
It's tough to beat them at home, but it can be done and we are going into Saskatchewan and looking for a win this week. Our next home game is August 11 when Saskatchewan comes back to play us here.
Hope to see you there. If you haven't been to a game yet, you are missing some good football and a lot of fun.
Take care,
-Marc
NOTE: Defensive tackle Marc Pilon's diary of the Renegades season appears each week in the Barrhaven Independent and at www.ottawacitynews.com
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