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You are here: Home / Archives for Andrew Harris

The BC Lions Den Pawdcast: Episode 68

October 29, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

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The BC Lions Den Pawdcast: Farhan Lalji – TSN

How sweet it is to be podcasting after a big BC Lions win? Brian and Mojo bask in the glow of a Lions victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that has the Leos post-season destiny in their own hands once again. Jonathan Jennings continues to impress and the team played well in all phases of the game for the first time this season.

TSN’s Farhan Lalji stops by to talk about the Lions, including the future of Andrew Harris and Travis Lulay.

Follow our guest::

Farhan Lalji: @FarhanLaljiTSN

This show was recorded on October 27th, 2015.

Never miss a show! Subscribe to the BC Lions Den Pawdcast on iTunes.

Filed Under: 2015, BC Lions Den, BCLionsDen.ca Pawdcast, Featured, Podcasts Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, Brian Wawryshyn, CFL, Farhan Lalji, Jonathan Jennings, Mojo Kemp, Podcast, Travis Lulay, TSN

Simply Not Good Enough

September 14, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

Let’s get something clear right off the top; I’m a BC Lions fan. Before being a blogger or podcaster, I’m a fan of this team to my core.

Which is why it pains me to write this piece here on 3DownNation.com. I don’t want to rip my team, even though there are many times in my 8 years of blogging about the team that I’ve felt like doing so. Usually after a loss I wait until the next day to write to let a cooler head prevail, but this one burned.

In the end, I pay my money just like you do, and after what I sat through Sunday afternoon at BC Place, it’s time to vent. It was embarrassing for the fans, it was embarrassing for the organization, and if you aren’t embarrassed and pissed off, then there is something wrong. In the almost 40 years I’ve followed this team I have never left a game feeling so frustrated.

The Lions held the ball for just 18:15. No, that’s not one of my famous Twitter typos…18:15. The offence was unimaginative, couldn’t execute the original game plan, and were unable to execute any adjustments that were made. More than that, it was lifeless, with guys moping their way off the field and moping around on the sidelines.

Andrew Harris had 4 carries for 3 yards. He left the building without showering or speaking with reporters.

How can you blame Harris for blowing off steam? In a game where you start your backup QB, starting his first CFL game, you completely abandon your biggest (and at many times this season only) offensive weapon? It hasn’t just been this game either, the run blocking has been horrible for at least 3 games. They aren’t being nearly physical enough on the line, or they simply aren’t capable of doing it.

On one play in the 3rd quarter Harris released out of the backfield and was wide open 15 yards downfield with no one around him and John Beck didn’t even look at him.

Emmanuel Arceneaux who got into it on Twitter with Jovon Johnson of the Redblacks earlier in the week, had another ball thrown his way intercepted simply because he didn’t put up a fight for the ball. You’re familiar with walking the walk, right?

The offence of George Cortez was putrid. Granted there were times when the players on the field were responsible, but by and large this offence has fans thinking life with Jacques Chapdelaine, heck even Khari Jones wasn’t so bad after all.

Jeff Tedford was brought here with the reputation of being an offensive football innovator. If that’s the case it’s time that he display some of that, whether that means he takes over the offence or not. But Cortez doesn’t have the attention of the players, and last year in Saskatchewan his offence was horrible after Darian Durant went down, even though he had two great running backs at his disposal.

Defensively you can’t be too hard on the Lions who didn’t allow a Redblacks touchdown in until the 3rd quarter. But being on the field for 41:45 of the game was simply too much and Burris picked them apart in the fourth quarter. However, the penchant for giving up first downs on 2nd and long continued and when Mic’hael Brooks left the game the seas parted in the Lions defensive line.

Change is Needed

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Wally Buono is facing the biggest issues this club has had during his tenure. Have he and his scouting staff done a good enough job scouting players? The Lions used to regularly find diamonds in the rough, but the pickings have been slim the last few seasons. They haven’t built up the Canadian depth on the offensive line, they draft players they never see, and they can’t seem to find dominant defensive linemen despite other teams doing so on a regular basis.

Buono has earned the right to ride this out and certainly can’t be a happy man after what he saw Sunday. In the past he hasn’t been afraid to make a bold move to shake up his locker room and you have to wonder if he’s reached that point now. Whether he makes a change in the coaching staff or cuts a veteran, something needs to be done to send a message to the players and the fan base, that the current results aren’t nearly good enough.

With the Lions dressing the youngest team in the league, many playing the CFL game for the first time, no one was expecting them to dominate. But they did expect there would be progress, growth and at the very least a team that played hard. That has hardly been the case so far, and with two games coming up in Alberta, the Lions season could be on life support in two weeks.

As I wrote a couple weeks ago, it may be time for David Braley to sell the BC Lions. The Lions will tell you that Braley gives them what they need, which sounds fine, but we need an owner that will give them more than they need. At this stage in his life Mr. Braley isn’t likely to invest a large sum of money in something he doesn’t plan to own much longer. His investment in marketing has been poor based on the numbers.

The same face painted fans are plastered on posters on repeat, season ticket prices keep going up for less perks and a subpar product on the field. Sunday’s crowd of 19,833 (not a chance that many were there) is a clear sign that off the field, the Lions have a huge task staring them in the face. It’s something they should have seen happening 4 years ago.

All of the work that Bob Ackles did to bring back fans has been eroded. Many of those fans that came back were long time Lions fans and since then, the team has done little to engage millennials. They refuse to or are unwilling to fight for tailgating, something that young fans would be interested in, even though they have lots around the stadium if they chose to put in the work to secure them for such a purpose. But it’s too much hassle, and they would rather take the easy way out and promote their street party as the place to be.

Under Dennis Skulsky the Lions fan base is dwindling, the numbers don’t lie and many fans feel alienated from the team. Other team’s host fan forums with their season ticket holders. A no-holds barred, tell us what you’re thinking event. The Lions don’t seem to feel the need to give their ticket holders the same courtesy (except ones that don’t renew) and I’ve sent e-mails that don’t even get the courtesy of a reply.

And so this is where we find ourselves. A once perennially competitive CFL franchise that is struggling on and off the field. Every team rebuilds and I’ll be here to ride this one out and all Lions fans should be too. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this team, not only now but in the future unless some important changes are made.

You and the Lions should be too.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, CFL, David Braley, Dennis Skulsky, Emmanuel Arceneaux, George Cortez, Jeff Tedford, Ottawa, Redblacks, Wally Buono

The Lions Notebook: Bye Week Edition

August 27, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

With the BC Lions one game shy of the halfway point in their season and on their 2nd and final bye week of the season, I thought it was time for another edition of the Lions Notebook. Obviously the Lions would like to be better than the 3-5 record they sport, but there is still time to turn things around and make a run in the second half of the season. The question is, can they?

No Defence no Hope

The Lions offence has taken its fair share of heat over the first 8 games of the season, but if the Lions can’t get their defence sorted out, things could continue to remain bleak. Defensive coordinator Mark Washington is likely bunkered down this week trying to figure out ways to get this defence turned around. The Lions are averaging 134 yards rushing allowed per game, and they are second last in the CFL in passing yards allowed.

They also can’t seem to get stops on 2nd down and are staying on the field way too much. It would help if the offence could sustain more drives, but the Lions haven’t demonstrated any consistent results against the run or the pass. At times they are getting pressure on the quarterback, but they aren’t getting sacks and often not getting containment either.

Time for Travis to Step Up

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Let’s face it, you have to be thrilled that Travis Lulay is still playing, especially with the luck that has hit many of the league’s top pivots this season. What you can’t be thrilled with is how the offence has for the most part sputtered along.

One can’t simply point the finger at Travis Lulay, because outside of Andrew Harris he’s had plenty of help stalling drives. The Lions offence has been extremely one dimensional; shut down Harris and you will beat the BC Lions.

We all knew that Lulay would need some time to readjust to game action. But 8 games in should be enough to hope that Lulay can elevate his game in the second half and help get the offence going. The Lions have to find ways to get other players involved. They need to stop going for the deep ball they’ve done nothing to help set it up. More shirt quick passes, try to get everyone involved which will take the pressure off Harris and prevent other teams from loading up the box to shut him down.

Time for Manny to Show

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Reviews of “The Manny Show” have been mixed so far this season. The main knock on Manny Arceneaux seems to be that when a pass is contested, he doesn’t come down with the ball. Arceneaux made some comments following the Montreal game that are likely to end up in the Alouettes dressing room next week. Not respecting your opponent when they beat you in all three phases isn’t the best lesson to teach the young players on the team.

Manny is one of the hardest working Lions off the field, but he needs to use the gifts that he’s been blessed with to have the same tenacity on it to become the impact player the Lions want and need him to be.

Lions Family Mourns the Loss of Vic Spencer

The man that co-founded the BC Lions has left us. Victor Spencer has passed away at the age of 90.

“If football in British Columbia has a father then it’s Victor Spencer,” said Lions’ president and CEO Dennis Skulsky. “Without his vision, his efforts and his love for our great game, it likely would have been many years before British Columbia had a professional football team to call its very own”.

Spencer was the driving force behind securing BC a place in the Western Interprovincial Rugby Union which became the West Division of the Canadian Football League.

It took Spencer and his partners 3-years of hard work to get the Lions approved by the other teams in 1953 and in 1954 the BC Lions debuted at the brand new Empire Stadium which played host to the Empire Games the same year.

Spencer is a member of the BC Lions Wall of Fame, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the BC Football Hall of Fame.

On behalf of Lions fans, our thoughts and condolences go out to the Spencer family.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, CFL, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Travis Lulay, Victor Spencer

Andrew Harris’ journey with the Lions has him at the top of the game.

August 15, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

harris_940x400The BC Lions will enter the fortress of Tim Horton’s field Saturday and will be considered the underdog by many.

There was a point in the life of Andrew Harris where he was an underdog as well. In 2004, Harris was a 17-year old kid from Winnipeg who left home for the west coast to play junior football, after a chance to go to Wilfred Laurier University fell through because of his grades.

Harris made the most of the move not only on the field but off it. On the field he was unstoppable as a running back for the Vancouver Island Raiders. He was so impressive he caught the eye of Wally Buono, who wisely added him as one of the club’s territorial exemptions and the rest has been history. In 2008, while playing for the Raiders, Harris practiced with the Lions and as you can see why by this highlight package from that season.

It was with the Raiders that Harris would inherit his number 33. His good friend and teammate, Aaron Niedergesaess, was killed in a car crash midway through the 2008 season. Harris took over the number of his friend as a tribute and has worn it ever since.

Off the field, the move to BC forced Harris to grow up fast. He was on his own for the first time with real life responsibilities to manage.

He became a father and was determined be the best he could be to his daughter Hazel, after not having a father figure in his own life until meeting his own dad for the first time in 2014. It was an introduction that went well and the two remain in contact as they make up for lost time.

Harris has become one of the faces of the franchise and at 28 years of age has grown beyond his years, now a veteran leader of a Lions locker room that is the youngest in the Canadian Football League. He’s laying down roots in Vancouver as well, moving to the city full-time after years of returning to Winnipeg in the off-season. This year he opened a restaurant in Vancouver (Meat City Sandwiches) with former teammates Jon Hameister-Ries and Andrew Jones.

2015 has seen Harris return with a vengeance on the field and he’s easily in the early discussions for top Canadian and league MOP. He looks stronger and more powerful than he’s ever been. Starting Canadian tailbacks are a rarity in the CFL, a position often reserved for American players and having one is a luxury that is a ratio breaker for any CFL club.

Heading into week seven, Harris led the league in yards from scrimmage, touchdowns and rushing but it’s not only his play on the field that has been impressive. He seems to have matured a little more and is thriving with the amount of work he’s getting in the Cortez/Tedford offence.

Harris is also in the final year of his contract with the Lions and to date there has been no news of an extension. The Lions likely wanted to see how Harris would come back from the ankle injury that ended his year in 2014. That injury was serious one and even had Harris questioning his future in the game.

“It’s indescribable, to be honest with you, because there was a point when I thought I wasn’t going to play anymore. I felt I was done. I was just emotionally out of it. I was just thinking: this might be the point where I can’t play anymore.”

That test has been passed with flying colours, so Lions fans will be waiting anxiously for news of an extended agreement of their star running back. Andrew Harris seems to thrive in big games, and their biggest test of the season comes Saturday at Tim Hortons Field.

He’s been the underdog before, and done just fine.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, CFL, Vancouver Island Raiders

Lions fall to Argos as discipline, decisions and execution falter.

July 25, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

Andrew Harris' first half performance wasn't enough to defeat the Argos. Photo: BCLions.com
Andrew Harris’ first half performance wasn’t enough to defeat the Argos. Photo: BCLions.com

You would think after 7 years of doing this social media thing and covering the BC Lions I would know better than to tweet something out of frustration walking out of BC Place stadium Friday evening, following the BC Lions 30-27 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

Sorry yes the defence was horrible in the 2nd half. But this loss is on Tedford. Momentum shifted on the dumb 3rd down gamble. #BCLions

— BC Lions Den (@BCLionsDen) July 25, 2015

I am a blogger, podcaster, and CFL social media enthusiast, but I am also a huge fan, not only of my Lions but also of the league as a whole, and sometimes the fan part of me takes over my emotions. Usually after a loss I wait 24 hours to let my thoughts process before I blog or tweet much, but Friday was one of those nights where frustration got the better of me.

I stand by my tweet that the 3rd down gamble by Jeff Tedford was a mistake. There was no need for such a gamble up by 11 points, regardless of whether or not you wanted to spark your offence. To say that if it had been successful it would have been genius is something we can’t know for sure. What we do know is it gave the Argos half a field to work with and they made the Lions pay.

Where that tweet went wrong was saying the loss was on Tedford, because when you break down the game, there was plenty of blame to go around and yes, you win as a team and you lose as a team.

Dumb penalties that continued Argos drives played a huge part and it seems to be some of the same culprits. Alex Bazzie’s roughing the passer call allowed the Argos to spark their offence and give QB Trevor Harris the confidence he needed after throwing two interceptions earlier. Josh Johnson took a bad face masking penalty in the 4th quarter that combined with an illegal contact penalty to put the Argos instant field goal position.

The offence, which looked so lethal in the first quarter simply dried up in the second half. Unable to react to the adjustments made by the Argos at half time, the Lions simply couldn’t get into a rhythm. The Argos brought a lot of players up to the line of scrimmage to focus on Andrew Harris and no one else stepped up to counter it.

For whatever the reason, perhaps the Argos record against the pass so far this season, the Lions decided the deep ball was their only option in the second half. Lulay is still struggling to find the right touch and over threw receivers at critical times.

Manny Arceneaux had a drop, Austin Collie had a drop and has anyone seen Shawn Gore? You may as well have put his picture on a milk carton the last two weeks. The bottom line is this team needs players other than Andrew Harris to step up when opponents focus on shutting him down. They have to be made to pay for that approach.

Defensively it was a nightmare for the Lions in the second half. No matter what happened on first down, Harris and the Argos found answers on 2nd down to keep drives alive. Every receiver seemed open when they needed him to be and Harris delivered balls on target as he was pressured little by the Lions front four.

This is a young team, and let’s hope they learned some valuable lessons against the Boatmen. A 21 point lead early in a CFL game is nothing, and the young Leos learned that the hard way.

Let’s also give some credit to the Argos here. Their half-time adjustments were outstanding and went unanswered by the Lions. Trevor Harris showed why he had the highest rating of any QB heading into the game and collected himself nicely after the two early turnovers. The Argos have weathered the storm on their extended road trip to start the season and have now set themselves up nicely in the CFL East.

Where are the fans?

Just 20,085 fans were in attendance Friday and that has to be concerning for the Lions. It’s a good thing the upper bowl was closed or the optics would have been horrible. Traditionally the Lions always seem to start slowly attendance wise and build as the season goes on and Toronto has never really been a big draw.

That said, the Riders game should have been a sell-out based on previous years, and it seems that the Lions are receiving very little in walk up numbers, leaving just the hard core fans in the building.

Everyone knows the impact that HDTV has had on live sporting events and there seems to be something to the theory that the success of the Seattle Seahawks have carved a place into some of the Lions’ fan base.

Beyond the obvious, the Lions need to engage the younger fan. Look around the league in places like Ottawa, where football is seen to be “cool” again. So many young people there are getting hooked on the Redblacks. Their marketing is outstanding and they make their fans feel part of the big picture. Yes, the Redblacks are the new cool thing in town, but you have to admire the ways they are getting to the younger demographic.

You can’t roll out ads every year with the same face painted fans and expect to make progress. Reward the loyalty of your season ticket holders. Hand out pins for 5-10-15 years of support. Create a “Wall of Fans” where long time season ticket holders have their name engraved on a plaque and added to it. Make your fans and their families feel part of something special.

A competitive winning product would help of course, and the last two seasons at BC Place haven’t always provided that. But something needs to change, because whatever the Lions are doing doesn’t seem to be working.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, CFL, Jeff Tedford, Toronto Argonauts, Travis Lulay

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