Latest news with #Stampeder
Calgary Herald
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
LATEST STORIES BY DONNA SPENCER, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Dedrick Mills, Vernon Adams Jr. power Stampeders to season-opening win over Tiger-Cats Mills rushed for 94 yards on 17 carries, while quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 19-of-28 pass attempts for 284 yards, in his highly anticipated Stampeder debut. Calgary Stampeders Sudbury's Tracy Fleury, Team Homan repeat as Canadian women's champions Rachel Homan's dominance of women's curling continued on Sunday with a 6-1 win over Manitoba's Kerri Einarson to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. February 24, 2025 Sports Tyler McGregor leads Canada to gold at para hockey worlds Canada dented the United States' recent dominance in para hockey with a 2-1 win for the gold medal in Sunday's world championship final. May 13, 2024 Local Sports Paralympic skier Marcoux retires CALGARY — Decorated para alpine ski champion Mac Marcoux announced his retirement Wednesday, but he isn't done with sport. February 7, 2024 Local Sports Byfield named to Canadian U18 team, prepares for big year with Wolves CALGARY — Quinton Byfield is a bow-tie man. The Sudbury Wolves forward collects them. At 16, Byfield was an integral piece in Sudbury's 48-point turnaround with 29 goals and 32 assists in 64 games, followed by three goals and five assists in eight playoff games. July 31, 2019 Local Sports Hefford, Keith to enter Canadian Sports Hall of Fame CALGARY — Two Kingston athletes, one of whom made her mark on the ice and the other in the water, will be part of the class of 2019 entering Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in October. May 23, 2019 Local Sports Lambton County players devastated by CWHL's demise The collapse of the Canadian Women's Hockey League plunges the future of the female game in Canada into disarray, at least in the short term. April 2, 2019 Local Sports Team McDonald stays in hunt with two wins BRANDON, Man. — The wins are coming, but they're not coming easy for Alberta at the Canadian men's curling championship. March 8, 2019 Local Sports Wes Forget honours curling heroes; Team McDonald makes playoffs BRANDON, Man. — Wes Forget's old-school backswing is part homage to his curling idols, but part practical, too. March 7, 2019 Local Sports One league on Hefford's mind as she takes over at the CWHL's helm As a hockey player, Jayna Hefford strove to make her league viable and respected. She's now in a position to do that as its leader. July 27, 2018 Local Sports
Global News
a day ago
- Sport
- Global News
Calgary Stampeders set to start new CFL season with Vernon Adams Jr. at QB
The road back to the CFL playoffs goes through Vernon Adams Jr. in Calgary. The Stampeders acquired the quarterback from the B.C. Lions a month after their worst season in two decades concluded in 2024. Calgary finished last in the CFL with a 5-12-1 record. 5:05 New Stampeders quarterback The Lions choosing Nathan Rourke their No. 1 pivot, and Calgary looking for an upgrade after two and a half seasons of Jake Maier brought the 32-year-old Adams to a team looking for a turnaround in 2025 after missing the post-season for the first time in 19 years. Story continues below advertisement 'He's Vernon Adams, he's Big-Play VA, so he's going to bring Calgary back to where it used to be,' predicted receiver Dominique Rhymes. 'He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately." Adams denies B.C.'s preference for Rourke injects extra motivation into him as a Stampeder. 'No, not at all. I'm blessed, I'm grateful,' the Californian declared. 'I'm happy a team wants me and I'm here. It's the start of a new journey and it's great.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The five-foot-11, 195-pound pivot led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the conversation for Most Outstanding Player in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August. CFL quarterbacks often get disproportionate credit for wins and blame for losses in a team game, but there's no denying the position's importance in a three-down league. 'One twelfth, but quarterback play is vital,' said Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, a former CFL quarterback himself. 'I don't need fancy plays. Make plays, sure, but do what is required to win. He's done that in his career. He is definitely a guy that is a winner and finds ways to win ball games even sometimes when he maybe he's not having his best stuff. Story continues below advertisement 'I really believe halfway through the year, he was odds-on favourite to win the MOP last year and injuries kind of derailed it. Careers are weird that way. They definitely take you from one city to the other. I think he's happy to be here and we just got to provide him the support so he can be Vernon.' New Stampeder quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukop has had a close view of Adams' career since Prukop played for Montana State and Adams for Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference. Both men eventually transferred to Oregon, with Prukop a Duck a year after Adams. The two men continued to circle each other in the CFL before crossing paths at Lions training camp last year. 'Vernon's a veteran in the CFL, but this is his first year in this playbook,' Prukop said. Story continues below advertisement 'His ability to pick up this playbook in the way he has and have the details in this play book has been something really impressive. That has not surprised me. I saw his professional habits when we were together in B.C. 'I don't want to say he's a gamer in the sense that he does not do well outside of a game, but he has an extra gear on game day. When you couple that with his professionalism and being a true pro, and then he has that extra gear in game day, if the pressure is on, if the score is tight, he's the guy you want in your huddle.' Since throwing his first CFL pass for the Montreal Alouettes in 2016, Adams has amassed 16,190 career passing yards with a 64-per-cent completion rate. He's thrown 86 touchdown passes, as well as 54 interceptions, while rushing for 24 touchdowns. 'My thing was I threw too many interceptions,' Adams said. 'Just want to make sure I'm protecting the ball and getting my playmakers the ball. Let them do the rest.'
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Calgary Stampeders seek turnaround in 2025 with quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.
CALGARY – The 2025 CFL season will be a proving ground for the Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders want to show themselves and their fans that the team has what it takes to get back into the playoffs after falling short of the post-season for the first time in 19 years. There will be unprovens in starting jobs for the Stampeders from the defensive backfield to the return game to punting to offensive short-yardage situations. Players have the chance to make a name for themselves and raise their CFL stock. 'We've got maybe a different type of athlete,' said head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, who enters his third season in the dual roles. 'We do have more size. We've got to find playmakers. It does feel like the guys believe that we have the pieces in place. It's about going out winning games and if we can put it together on that field on that new turf, we'll be a happy group.' Calgary opens at home Saturday against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who won two Grey Cups and two CFL Most Outstanding Player awards as a Stampeder. Vernon Adams Jr. makes his Stampeder debut Saturday. Calgary acquired the 32-year-old quarterback in a trade with the B.C. Lions, a month after the Stampeders closed out their dismal 2024 campaign. 'He understands that he is on the pedestal and all eyes are on him,' Stampeders receiver Reggie Begelton said. 'But at the same time, we win or lose as a team. In that locker room, we have his back no matter what.' Adams led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the MOP conversation in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August. Jake Maier, who replaced Mitchell and is now with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, didn't have much success in Calgary with 11 wins over two seasons. But Calgary's defence was also the worst at stopping the rush and 537 points against was the second-worst in 2024. 'First thing for the offence, we've got to not turn the ball over as much,' Dickenson said. 'We had too many of those interceptions and costly ones, and for a multitude of reasons though, not necessarily just quarterback play. 'Defensively, we've got to stop the run. Then special teams, to me, just effort and execution. The execution maybe needs to be better.' The latter department falls to Dickenson's older brother Craig, who was Saskatchewan's head coach for four years. He takes over for Mark Kilam, who, after 15 years as Calgary's special teams co-ordinator, is Edmonton's head coach. Bob Slowik was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive co-ordinator after Brent Monson was hired by Hamilton. Pat DelMonaco starts his sixth season as offensive co-ordinator. But seven new position coaches on Calgary's staff represent a seismic shift for a football club known for coaching continuity and retaining position coaches for multiple years. But finishing last in the CFL prompted the shake-up of a franchise accustomed to playing high-stakes games in November. 'We've had to put it behind us. It's easier because there's really not a lot of guys here from that team,' Dickenson said. 'We don't even really talk about it. We understand history is history and it's certainly something that'll always be there for the guys that were (here) in 2024, but it's certainly a big-time different team. 'We're just a young team and also an inexperienced team, so every day, you have to make it count. What I mean by that is every practice, every meeting really has to count.' Begelton, who signed a contract extension that would make him a Stampeder for a ninth season in 2026, feels the Stampeders are ready for a turnaround in 2025. 'Energy, vibes, you can't deny something when you feel it,' Begelton said. 'There's belief here. 'We know what it takes. We've got a lot of veterans on this team that have been here and been on winning teams, and they know what it takes.' 2024 record: 5-12-1, fifth, West Division Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Did you know?: New quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukup played for Oregon the year after Vernon Adams Jr. did. Key additions: QB Vernon Adams Jr.; REC Dominique Rhymes; REC Tevin Jones; RB Jeshrun Antwi; DL Folarin Orimolade; LB Gary Johnson Jr.; LB Derrick Moncrief; DB Damon Webb. Key losses: QB Jake Maier (Saskatchewan); QB Tommy Stevens; OL Sean McEwan (Saskatchewan); Punter Cody Grace (Edmonton); LB Micah Awe (B.C.); LB Cam Judge (Toronto); DL Mike Rose (Saskatchewan). Players to watch: Dominique Rhymes has chemistry with Adams Jr. from the season and a half they were teammates with the B.C. Lions. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
National Post
05-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Former Roughriders OL Chris Best bled green after being punched in the face
All it took was a punch in the face for Chris Best to bleed green. Article content Article content Once a Calgary Stampeders season ticket holder, Best — a longtime Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive lineman — remembers a play from his early CFL days that made him dislike the team he grew up cheering for. Article content 'My first pre-season game, I got punched in the face by a Stampeder and that was the end of all my Stamp allegiances,' said Best, a Calgary native who spent 10 seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Article content After being drafted by the Roughriders in the first round, fourth overall, in the 2005 Canadian Football League draft, Best played 114 regular season games over a decade with the Green and White. Article content He was part of two Grey Cup championships (2007 and 2013) and this week, Best was announced as part of the Class of 2025 to be inducted into the Roughriders Plaza of Honour. Article content Best will formally be enshrined with longtime assistant coach Alex Smith Sr. on Sept. 13 during a halftime ceremony at Mosaic Stadium when the Roughriders host the Montreal Alouettes. Former running back Steve Molnar, whose 2024 posthumous induction is being deferred to 2025, will join the duo. Article content 'This is an incredible honour, for sure,' said Best, the team's most outstanding offensive lineman in 2011. 'You always kind of dream about that. Article content 'I was lucky, I played with a bunch of guys who went into the plaza, and I remember going to the plaza dinners, and what a big deal it was. So, this is incredible.' Article content After being drafted out of the University of Waterloo, Best went back to school for two years before making the jump to the CFL in 2007. Article content 'It certainly was a battle of the start but it was also a heck of a time to learn from some incredible players I played with,' said Best. 'We had a bunch of vets coming in and I remember when I first got drafted in 2005, I told the GM at the time, Roy Shivers, I was like, 'I'm going to school for two years.' Article content Article content 'He's like, 'That's fine. We've got a bunch of vets. We can wait for you.' Article content 'So I certainly would have loved to play more my first two years out there, but I learned a whole lot from a really good group of people. I don't know if I would have had that same success if I had immediately jumped out there without necessarily knowing what I was doing as much. So, you know, a little seasoning may have helped me there. And it definitely kept me out there for a long time. I think it all worked out in the end.' Article content In 2007, Best was part of a championship-winning team in his first season with the Roughriders alongside Smith, who remains the longest-serving coach in club history having worked for the Riders from 1997 to 2012.
