Sunday - Grey Cup Live Bloggin' and digiphoto goofin'

BC 6
Montreal 0
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BC is having its offense drives stopped, but appears early on to be toying with Montreal. Paul McCallum good for two of two field goals so far. But the main reason for this particular little blog bit is to mess with some digiphotos. Check the classic Starter hat from 1991 (when the Lions brought Doug Flutie into the CFL and added black/grey/silver into their orange and white colour scheme) Note also the patriotic CFL "eh?" that I painted onto the brim of the hat back in 1992.

See also my orange, grey and white Adidas toque.
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A fumble by Montreal is recovered by BC, who march some more, but are again held by the Als in the strike zone and settle for another field goal.
BC 9
Montreal 0.
(that's the score after one quarter)
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other photo: me and my man Dave Dickenson. Classy guy, plays hard every game. Full body commitment. No Damon Allen hookslide.
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BC just rolled in for a _sweeeeet_ touchdown, by a lightning fast rookie, Ian Smart. Who, it seems, was cut by the Alouettes. Bummer for them.
Score:
BC 16
Montreal 0
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Halftime
BC Lions 19
Montreal 3

Coming up: Nelly Furtado. Where is she from? Victoria, B.C. ! I am going to put in a beautiful photo of this beautiful, and talented, young woman. Here's to hoping nobody thinks I am a 'net perv. I think we should celebrate our own, and I think Nelly is an original talent put over the top lately by the skills of Timbaland. (Not Timberlake)

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Start of third quarter. I decided to look something up at halftime after a funny mention in the first half. Who is Montreal's Offensive Co-ordinator? (Offensive coach?) I thought it was Marcel Bellefeuille, and I thought it was just him. It seems, though, that Marcel, a good guy and brother of an ex-blogger, is in fact the 'Running Backs and Receivers' coach. Then there's Andrew Garven, assistant coach, offence, Steve McAdoo (any relation to Derek McAdoo?) 'Co-offensive coordinator, running game' and Kevin Strasser, Co-offensive coordinator, passing game. If this sounds a tad unwieldy, and you don't believe me, have a look here. QUESTION:
How long must it take this committee of guys to come up with a play? QUESTION (2): Is this formation the result of Don Matthews' departure with some 4 games left in the regular season?
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Good replay challenge by the Montreal Alouettes, who gain the ball on turnover, and BC is spared a touchdown down the field because the whistle was blown (probably a fair call from the referee's angle, and no different from a goal in hockey being denied because the whistle was blown or blowing) Fair enough, and it didn't take too long.
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More photos: Doug Flutie for BC Lions
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More photos: "Swervin'" Mervyn Fernandez for BC Lions, circa 1985. This was a hero of mine playing two on two street football (so, mostly running passing routes) in Prince George BC when I was little. Shout-outs to Marc Pastro, Kris Pastro, and George Gomes.
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BC conceded two points. Score:
BC Lions 19
Montreal 5
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I must put up a worthwhile photo of Geroy Simon!
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Montreal has just mounted a very nice drive and ended it with a touchdown late in the 3rd quarter. You can feel a bit of a momentum shift at the moment. BC offence is back on, and Dave Dickenson is still running it hard.

Recall my earlier blog when I expected BC to win by about one touchdown, covering the spread. That is where things are now. The 4th should be good, just as I also called for: an entertaining CFL game.
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Paul McCallum just hit another nice field goal for BC. But, Montreal had too many men on the field. So BC has a new first down instead. Dave Dickenson missed it though. 2nd and ten... and a missed screen pass, unfortunately, and this is from down low. So out will come Paul McCallum again. And McCallum hit the field goal. And so, we have:

BC Lions 22
Montreal Alouettes 12
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Montreal has now just taken a major foul penalty for a chop block. That's not good.
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BC had a drive stopped, and decided to kick a long field goal. 47 yards. He nailed it. Dead centre and just enough length. This tied him for a Grey Cup record of 6 field goals. Good for him.

BC Lions 25
Montreal 12
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Alouettes at BC two yard line... BC stood it up and kept it outside the plane. They ran it hard again, but it was shut down hard again, with a fumble. BC recovers it! Awesome football stuff here! Woo! And, let us applaud the BC defence, which has of course been overshadowed this year by the awesome BC attack of Dickenson, Geroy Simon, Jason Clermont, Paris Jackson, Buck Pierce, etc. That was HUGE!
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A challenge by the Alouettes, who succeeded on that in the first half. No, no challenge was done. Interesting. The reply is inconclusive. Looks to me like the ball was coming out at the same time as the knees were touching the ground. It would have been very hard to be conclusive about that one, so, I'd say, it is the ref who got off well.
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Three Minute Warning.
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Jason Kralt, ex Bosnia veteran, ex Carleton Raven, ex BC Lion, ex Ottawa Renegade, and ex Sega NHL player on Fulton Avenue (also, a classy fellow) is serving as one of two Honour Guards as the Grey Cup is brought out by the Mounties.
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BC, after recovering the ball low, does not advance very far. They take a time out and choose to concede a safety to ensure safer field position and start Montreal on the Montreal 35.

BC Lions 25
Montreal 14

1:43 to go. Ball is almost picked off on a floaty first down throw by Calvillo. Second down, Calvillo throws it away safely out of bounds. 3rd down, he dodges a blitz, tosses one (crap) to Dave Stala, who pulls it in smartly and then lunges for an impressive first down. Not dead yet at all... but happily, time is ticking and it will take a TD with a two point convert AND a miraculous recovered kick and field goal just to tie. So we're winding down.
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And BC brings it home.

-30-
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And coming up soon, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" over on CTV.