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Basking in Reflected Glory

August 9, 2009 By Brian Wawryshyn

armchair-quarterback The sports fan can often be described as passionate. They make a considerable emotional and in many cases financial investment in their teams. I myself run websites about my two favorite teams, investing a lot of my time and providing myself with a hobby that I draw enjoyment from. With every win, there is a high. With every loss, a low, but life goes on and you hope the next week your team gives you that high again.

With that emotion, I sometimes find myself taking my sports too seriously, and the emotions of the game getting the best of me. Fans love to feel they have some impact on what their team does. The age of the internet has produced an army of armchair quarterbacks and fans who declare this guy is a bum, or that guy should be fired. There seems to be a point where fans become almost delusional in the effect their comments have on the team they cheer for.

Take this recent quote that appeared on Lionbackers.com following a Lions victory, where a fan states that Wally Buono should thank the fan website for the success of the team versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders last Friday.

“Seems to me he can thank most of the Lion’s loyal and concerned of fans for having lit a collective fire under his arrogant, complacent butt, and started listening to what we have been saying for years about Javier Glatt playing on the outside rather than in the middle. You can be sure that media just saw what we had to say, as a political football and ran with it so to speak.

Notice how well Javy responded to being shook up and demoted, by responding with a whale of a game at the WILL position, and was instrumental in a critical turnover spelling off JoJuan at his old starting spot as a bonus. Who says the armchair critics don’t have something to contribute to this team.

It’s called tough love, careful and reflective analysis, something you’ll never get from Rod Black and Glen Suitor and their bland nauseating lip service.”

Not only does this “fan” claim some credit for the win on behalf of the site he posts on, he himself takes a personal shot at the coach with his comment. Is this a fan, or an individual pumping up his own ego and self-esteem?

A study done in 1976 (Cialdini, R. B., et al. (1976). Basking in reflected glory: Three (football) field studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 366-375.) clearly demonstrated that people associate themselves with positive outcomes of others even when they have no clear connection to those outcomes. The study showed that after a win by their chosen teams, fans would use words like “we” after a win and “they” after a loss. In other words, they take pride in being part of the victories, but distance themselves from the losses.

Football is the ultimate arm chair sport. Missed blocks, bad penalties, interceptions, all provide fuel for the “expert” fan. This isn’t to say fans don’t deserve to have opinions or can’t talk about the plays or mistakes they observed in the game. But often they cross the line from being a fan to being abusive towards players and coaches. Throwing out personal insults, or inferring that they have all the answers. Some of them even promote fellow fans, claiming they should be hired as coaches in place of the professionals hired by the team. Yes, I’m serious.

A common cry from those basking in this glory of others, is that the players don’t care or that they aren’t trying. That is one of the most ridiculous things a fan can state in my opinion. These players are professionals because they do care, they’ve dedicated themselves and their bodies to playing football. With one missed play they can lose their job.They can be here today and gone tomorrow.

We as fans need to remember that to us this is entertainment, not a right of passage to rip and insult players when we see fit. We may think we care as fans but to the players and coaches, this is their every day life. To be a true fan, you need to stick with your team through thick and thin. The memories that sports have left imprinted on our lives will always remain, and they are a gift from those that provided them. Let’s all remember that sports is not life and death. It’s a vehicle of entertainment that we all get to enjoy.

Our kids look up to players as heroes, and we as adults get our emotions sent on a roller coaster ride that takes us to great highs and crushing lows. Enjoy the ride, because in the end it’s just a game.

Den Talk – August 3rd, 2009

August 3, 2009 By Brian Wawryshyn

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The BC Lions returned to the practice field Monday after another loss on their record, and some new faces on the field. With holiday Monday and a beautiful day to take in practice, I ventured down to the Surrey training facility to check out our lethargic Lions.

New faces in town

As was rumored Sunday by @littlemissCFL on Twitter, and posted on BCLionsden.ca, the Lions announced the signing of linebacker JoJuan Armour on Monday, as well as that of former Edmonton Eskimo running back A.J. Harris and defensive end James Edwards. All three players were at practice and it was instantly recognized that Armour was immediately taking on a starting role with the team. The physical Armour, who started his CFL career with the BC Lions, was taking all of the first team reps in Javy Glatt’s middle linebacker position, while Glatt watched from the sidelines. This move was later confirmed by Armour who told the Team 1040 that he was assuming the middle linebacker position.

When asked about the move Glatt told the Team 1040:

“When you lose games, people lose their jobs and they picked me – I’m the guy that takes it and I’ve just got to stay positive about it and help the guys as much as I can, and if I’m here, I’m here, and if not, we’ll deal with that when we get to it. Basically, I was told I’m not athletic enough and I’m a liability in some things. That’s what happens when you lose. A lot of things come out that are negative and you just have to deal with it.”

Glatt can hardly take all the blame for the team’s defensive woes. The defensive line has been at fault as well, and there are questions about the scheme of the defense itself. But the fact remains that something had to change, and the with the Lions giving up an average of 150 yards rushing per game,the middle linebacker position was a good place to start.

Wally Buono explained it this way:

“Well, we’re not replacing Javy, we’re just changing his responsibilities. Part of (the move) was trying to get a spark into this football team. I’m not going to go into issues. At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to function and we just wanted to make sure we address a situation that wasn’t good. We didn’t stop the run in the past two weeks and for us to be better as a football club, we have to do that.”

There was no scheme change, with Armour and McKenzie being joined by Korey Banks in certain situations as the nickleback. It will remain to be seen how much the scheme itself has to do with the Lions lack of success with the run, now that Armour is in the mix.

A.J. Harris didn’t seem to have as much of a prominent role at Monday’s practice, and Martell Mallett seemed to be taking all the first team reps, with Darren Toney and Ryan Grice-Mullen returning punts. According to Lowell Ullrich, Buono confirmed that Harris is here for the time being as insurance behind Mallett, and because Ian Smart was due to have surgery today on his banged up knee. With an average of 5.6 yards per carry last season for the Eskimos and good hands coming out of the backfield, it was not a bad insurance policy to take a chance on.

A quiet bunch

I’ve attended a few Lions practices over the last few years, and one thing was noticeable off the bat at this one, there wasn’t a lot of talking going on. Korey Banks quipped “We still have fans? Really, we still have fans?”, as he jogged out to the practice field, but the usual banter amongst players was muted at best.

Wally involved

Wally Buono took a much more hands on approach in today’s practice, particularly on special teams drills where he was fairly vocal. Buono’s style is usually to sit back and let his coaches run the practice, but obviously desperate times call for a more involved role from the boss.

Logan Watch:

For those still dreaming of the return of Stefan Logan here is an update on his quest to make the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Monday’s Practice Photo Gallery:

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The Elite, The Average and The Weak

July 26, 2009 By Brian Wawryshyn

After the first four weeks of the 2009 CFL season teams are starting to show their true colours. And while there are still some perennial powerhouses at the top, some stronger teams of the past are spiraling to the basement of the league as they struggle to find new identities amongst the changes they have made. Here’s a look at how I see the teams after the first four games of the year.

The Elite

Montreal (4-0)

No doubt they are the class of the East, they always are. This year though they are clearly the class of the league, which couldn’t always be said in the past. The Als look balanced, consistent, and they’ve already knocked off two west opponents, including the Stamps. It’s amazing how the Als restock and reload year after year and never seem to “rebuild”. There should be nothing standing in their way of getting to the Grey Cup (again). Mark Trestman looks like his rookie CFL coaching debut was no fluke. He is respected by his players, and his peers and has his team prepared to play each and every week.

Calgary (2-2)

The Grey Cup hangover appears to be wearing off and the Stamps annihilation of the Lions Friday was impressive and decisive. Henry Burris looks confident, and in my opinion is he best QB in the league right now. The Lions offensive line had no answers for the Calgary pass rush led by Labinjo, and whether that is more of a reflection of the Lions themselves remains to be seen, but this is a solid group and I see the Stamps getting stronger as we go.

The Average

Saskatchewan (2-2)

The Riders offseason changes on defense were supposed to set them back, but they haven’t missed a beat. Picking up Stevie Baggs from Winnipeg was brilliant and their new linebacking core is getting the job done. What’s hurting them is inconsistency on offense and turnovers. Sound familiar? QB Darian Durant looks great on one drive, average the next and downright brutal on others. The Riders have a great back in Wes Cates, outstanding receivers, and their defense is playing well but until they get solid production from the QB spot, they’ll continue to be an average team.

Hamilton (2-2)

As a CFL fan I am loving the fact the Ticats are off to a better start this year. Their latest loss to Montreal was tough, but they were the first club to hold the Als under 40 points, under 30 for that matter, and it looks like O’Billovich is starting to add some nice talent, as we all knew he would after having the time to do so. Quinton Porter is a work in progress, but Kevin Glenn has added a nice backup option off the bench. The Ticat defense looks to be much improved as well, with Otis Floyd fitting in nicely from BC and providing some nice leadership as he did with the Lions. Western teams can’t be assured a cross-over spot this year, and a win over the Lions next week at home could propel this team to even bigger and better things in the East and possibly even a home playoff game which would be outstanding for their long suffering fan base.

Toronto (2-2)

Toronto went the route of the Alouettes and hired a coach with NFL experience in Bart Andrus in the offseason. They also tried to beef up their offensive line with the addition of Rob Murphy from the BC Lions. To date the results have been mixed, and that’s to be expected. Andrus has laid down the law in Toronto with Adriano Belli and more recently Arland “Terrell Owens” Bruce. That move resulted in a big win on the road in Winnipeg. I expect the Argos may continue to improve. They have some nice pieces to work with and a coach with fresh ideas and philosophy’s

Edmonton (2-2)

The Eskimos barely avoided the “weak” category, and only did so with a gutsy character filled comeback in Regina yesterday. After getting it handed to them at home against the Lions, the Eskies could have easily packed it in after getting down 22-0 at Mosaic. But they stuck with it and battled back to take over the game and get a win in a stadium where it’s tough to do so. The Eskimos overhauled defense has been hot and cold. Their biggest issues remain on offense, but that could change if they finally clue in and use Calvin McCarty as their featured back. Ricky Ray has taken a lot of heat from Eskimo fans, but without an established running game, and an average offensive line performance he hasn’t had a chance to be effective.

The Weak

Winnipeg (1-3)

New head coach Mike Kelly made a lot of enemies early on, and from day one I questioned the appointment of Stefan Lefors as the Bombers number one QB. To put all your faith in a QB that has never been more than a backup was dangerous move. Things have gotten so bad the Bombers are now airlifting in Michael Bishop at QB. Can Casey Printers be far behind? Four of the teams next five games are on the road, and if the Bombers don’t solve their offensive woes quickly, their season could be over quickly.

BC (1-3)

Last and possibly least, my own BC Lions. Yes, there have been a ton of offseason changes. But there are still enough veterans on this team that there should have been no excuse for the no-show at home versus the Grey Cup champs,who owned you last season. If they had put up a fight maybe they squeak out of the “weak” label. This team seems to have an overconfidence problem that is reflecting on it’s leadership. Turnovers, missed assignments, dumb penalties…you name it the Lions have done it this season. How many players does Buono have to axe to get his point across? At some point the players in the room have respond and take responsibility, buckle down and play inspired football.

There are questions about the coaches as well, including Buono himself, with many wondering if the game is passing him by. Is he too stubborn to change his ways? Why does he show such loyalty to his coaches, but is quick to axe his players? The defense under Mike Benevides hasn’t been the same since Dave Ritchie retired, and Jacques Chapdelaine continues to call the offense despite his title of receivers coach. At what point to the coaches become responsible?

The offensive line is struggling, there’s a new running back with promise trying to find his way, and QB’s who have zero time to set up not producing. The Lions need to figure it out quickly because at 1-3 and in the West division, there is not a whole lot of margin for failure. It will be interesting to see if the Lions can rebound in Hamilton like the Eskimos did in Regina after their embarrassing loss at home.

Den Talk :: 06.19.09

June 19, 2009 By Brian Wawryshyn

Time for our weekly edition of Den Talk. A weekly round up of the new surrounding the BC Lions. The club played their first exhibition game of the 2009 season and many questions remain surrounding this years editions of the Lions.

The Game :: Lions 30 at Stampeders 37

As far as exhibition games went it sounded like a fairly entertaining contest after the slow first quarter. Neither team came out firing on all cylinders, and with Buck Pierce struggling to get a good drive going, he probably played longer than Wally Buono wanted him the lineup but he got the chains moving late in the first quarter and connected on a TD pass to Greg Hetherington to begin the second.

Jeremy Gibbs had a strong game on defense, swarming around the ball and recording 3 tackles and 1 sack on the night. His performance no doubt left him as the front runner to replace Tyrone Williams.

Emmanuel Arceneaux and Terence Scott and Hetherington were the best receivers on the night while all four quarterbacks had success. Travis Lulay almost rallied the team for the tying touchdown on the last drive of the game but ran out of time. This fresh crop of receivers are impressing enough that former Lion and Arena League standout Jerel Myers was released this week. It will be interesting to see who Wally chooses to remain on the roster after this final week.

The offensive line payed decent on the night, with players switching in and out and playing out of position at times for the benefit of the coaching staff. Jon Hameister-Reis looks to be laying claim to the left guard position thought to be Dean Valli’s to lose. A knee injury at camp has come at the worst time for Valli, but it didn’t keep him out of the game. Both Darren Marquez and Walter Stith looked good at the tackle spots.

The real concern coming out of the game, besides some missed tackles and big plays given up by a raw secondary, was the non-emergence of a presence at running back. Ian Smart continues to look like the best option, but the Lions return game looked inept for the most part without him. Somewhat to be expected trying new personnel perhaps but Buono said he won’t use his featured back as a returner. With Stefan Logan surviving Steeler mini-camp, he’ll now likely be gone until at least September if he comes back at all, so Roy Shivers will have to find some more options, or hope that one of the contenders or a kick returner shows something special on Tuesday.

Time Machine:

The Lions rolled out their retro uniforms from the 1960’s era and I have to say, they look pretty sweet. The helmets, right down to the gray face masks are very slick and the simple white uniform with orange sleeves and back pants complete a very nice nice combination. You can check out Buck Pierce modeling the uniforms on BCLions.com.

Press Props:

Lowell Ullrich of the Province touches on the running back situation.

Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald speaks about Wally Buono’s pursuit of the CFL all-time coaching wins record.

This weeks transactions:

2009-06-19: Deleted from roster: DB B.J. Tucker (I), DB Mil’von James (I), DL Rodney Allen (I).

2009-06-16: Deleted from roster: DB John Guice (I), WR Jerel Myers (I).

2009-06-12: Deleted from roster: DB Donald Brown (I), LB Marcus Richardson (I), OL Vaughn Lesuma (I). Added to roster: LB Courtney Smith (I). Removed from suspended list and added to roster: DB Trestin George (I).

Den Talk :: 06.11.09

June 12, 2009 By Brian Wawryshyn

Welcome to Den Talk. I thought it would be a neat feature for the site to throw a few topics out there for discussion. A random, hopefully weekly column discussing the big issues surrounding the Lions at this time. So, let’s see what we can do for Issue 1 of Den Talk. [Read more…]