Latest news with #WestDivision
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Elks-Lions game features first CFL opening-week meeting of Canadian quarterbacks
It will be a historic CFL first Saturday night in Vancouver. The B.C. Lions will host the Edmonton Elks at B.C. Place in the season opener for both teams. This will mark the first opening week featuring two Canadian starting quarterbacks (B.C.'s Nathan Rourke, Edmonton's Tre Ford) since 1968 and the first time it's occurred in the same game. The 2025 season will kick off Thursday night with the Ottawa Redblacks visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Friday night, the Toronto Argonauts begin their Grey Cup defence in Montreal versus the Alouettes before the Calgary Stampeders entertain the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday night. Also of note in Vancouver, B.C.'s Buck Pierce and Edmonton's Mark Kilam will make their CFL head-coaching debuts. Rourke, 27, of Victoria, rejoined the Lions last season following NFL stints with Jacksonville, New England, the New York Giants and Atlanta. He was the league's top Canadian in 2022 with B.C. Ford, also 27, was Edmonton's '22 first-round pick out of Waterloo. The Hec Crighton Trophy winner from Niagara Falls, Ont., was 9-9 in 18 starts over the last three years before signing an extension with the CFL club this off-season. Ford and Kilam are looking to lead Edmonton to the CFL playoffs for the first time since 2019. Pierce joined the Lions following 10 seasons as an assistant with Winnipeg, helping the Bombers make five straight Grey Cup appearances, winning in 2019 and '21. Some other season-opening facts: — The overwhelming majority of players on CFL rosters are veterans. According to the league, just 67 of the 493 total players on teams are in their first year (13.6 per cent) compared to 93 at this time last year. — Players have an average of 41 games (2 1/2 seasons) of CFL experience and 22 starts. — The average age in the CFL is 28.2 years. Ottawa Redblacks versus Saskatchewan Roughriders (Thursday night) At Regina, the Redblacks struggled mightily on the road last season, posting a 2-7-0 record. But they were 6-3-1 versus West Division rivals. Dru Brown begins his second full season as Ottawa's starter and will have veteran receiver Eugene Lewis available. Lewis finished last season with touchdown catches in Edmonton's final eight games, leaving him two short of Terry Evanshen's league record. Veteran Trevor Harris gets the start for Saskatchewan, which is looking to improve upon last year's 5-4 home record and 4-3 mark versus East rivals. Pick: Saskatchewan. —- Toronto Argonauts versus Montreal Alouettes (Friday night) At Montreal, Davis Alexander begins his first full season as the Alouettes' starting quarterback. He was an impressive 4-0 last year while incumbent Cody Fajardo — who's now in Edmonton — was injured. Veteran Nick Arbuckle, last year's Grey Cup MVP. is slated to start for the new-look Argos, who begin their title defence without many of the faces that played prominent roles in last year's championship. Chad Kelly, the CFL's 2023 outstanding player, continues to recover from the serious leg injury he sustained in last year's East Division final. Pick: Montreal. —- Hamilton Tiger-Cats versus Calgary Stampeders (Saturday night) At Calgary, Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell chases his first regular-season win at McMahon Stadium, where he played so many years with the Stampeders. A victory would be Mitchell's 100th in the CFL and come in his 141st career start, making him the fastest player in league history to achieve the milestone. Veteran Vernon Adams Jr. makes his first debut with the Stampeders, who are looking to return to the CFL playoffs after missing out last year for the first time since '04. Pick: Hamilton. —- Edmonton Elks versus B.C. Lions (Saturday night) At Vancouver, no one was busier this off-season than Edmonton general manager Ed Hervey, who added the likes of defensive linemen Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith, defensive backs Royce Metchie and Tyrell Ford and offensive lineman David Beard. Conventional thinking suggests it will take time for the Elks to mesh. Both starting quarterbacks are athletic and dual threats. This one could be close, so the edge should go to the home team, especially with veteran kicker Sean Whyte. Pick: B.C. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Elks-Lions game features first CFL opening-week meeting of Canadian quarterbacks
It will be a historic CFL first Saturday night in Vancouver. The B.C. Lions will host the Edmonton Elks at B.C. Place in the season opener for both teams. This will mark the first opening week featuring two Canadian starting quarterbacks (B.C.'s Nathan Rourke, Edmonton's Tre Ford) since 1968 and the first time it's occurred in the same game. The 2025 season will kick off Thursday night with the Ottawa Redblacks visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Friday night, the Toronto Argonauts begin their Grey Cup defence in Montreal versus the Alouettes before the Calgary Stampeders entertain the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday night. Also of note in Vancouver, B.C.'s Buck Pierce and Edmonton's Mark Kilam will make their CFL head-coaching debuts. Rourke, 27, of Victoria, rejoined the Lions last season following NFL stints with Jacksonville, New England, the New York Giants and Atlanta. He was the league's top Canadian in 2022 with B.C. Ford, also 27, was Edmonton's '22 first-round pick out of Waterloo. The Hec Crighton Trophy winner from Niagara Falls, Ont., was 9-9 in 18 starts over the last three years before signing an extension with the CFL club this off-season. Ford and Kilam are looking to lead Edmonton to the CFL playoffs for the first time since 2019. Pierce joined the Lions following 10 seasons as an assistant with Winnipeg, helping the Bombers make five straight Grey Cup appearances, winning in 2019 and '21. Some other season-opening facts: — The overwhelming majority of players on CFL rosters are veterans. According to the league, just 67 of the 493 total players on teams are in their first year (13.6 per cent) compared to 93 at this time last year. — Players have an average of 41 games (2 1/2 seasons) of CFL experience and 22 starts. — The average age in the CFL is 28.2 years. Ottawa Redblacks versus Saskatchewan Roughriders (Thursday night) At Regina, the Redblacks struggled mightily on the road last season, posting a 2-7-0 record. But they were 6-3-1 versus West Division rivals. Dru Brown begins his second full season as Ottawa's starter and will have veteran receiver Eugene Lewis available. Lewis finished last season with touchdown catches in Edmonton's final eight games, leaving him two short of Terry Evanshen's league record. Veteran Trevor Harris gets the start for Saskatchewan, which is looking to improve upon last year's 5-4 home record and 4-3 mark versus East rivals. Pick: Saskatchewan. — Toronto Argonauts versus Montreal Alouettes (Friday night) At Montreal, Davis Alexander begins his first full season as the Alouettes' starting quarterback. He was an impressive 4-0 last year while incumbent Cody Fajardo — who's now in Edmonton — was injured. Veteran Nick Arbuckle, last year's Grey Cup MVP. is slated to start for the new-look Argos, who begin their title defence without many of the faces that played prominent roles in last year's championship. Chad Kelly, the CFL's 2023 outstanding player, continues to recover from the serious leg injury he sustained in last year's East Division final. Pick: Montreal. — Hamilton Tiger-Cats versus Calgary Stampeders (Saturday night) At Calgary, Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell chases his first regular-season win at McMahon Stadium, where he played so many years with the Stampeders. A victory would be Mitchell's 100th in the CFL and come in his 141st career start, making him the fastest player in league history to achieve the milestone. Veteran Vernon Adams Jr. makes his first debut with the Stampeders, who are looking to return to the CFL playoffs after missing out last year for the first time since '04. Pick: Hamilton. 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. — Edmonton Elks versus B.C. Lions (Saturday night) At Vancouver, no one was busier this off-season than Edmonton general manager Ed Hervey, who added the likes of defensive linemen Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith, defensive backs Royce Metchie and Tyrell Ford and offensive lineman David Beard. Conventional thinking suggests it will take time for the Elks to mesh. Both starting quarterbacks are athletic and dual threats. This one could be close, so the edge should go to the home team, especially with veteran kicker Sean Whyte. Pick: B.C. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Riders look to build off solid 2024 season under head coach Corey Mace
REGINA – After reaching the West Division final in Corey Mace's first season as head coach, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are looking to take it to the next level in 2025. Mace replaced Craig Dickenson for the 2024 CFL season following 6-12 records in 2022 and 2023 campaigns that ended with seven-game losing streaks. The Riders responded to Mace, who joined the team after two seasons as defensive co-ordinator for the Toronto Argonauts. Mace believed the Riders needed a new culture that went beyond football, building a family relationship between the players, coaches and organization. While there were growing pains, the players bought into Mace's plans. After finishing the regular season in second place in the West, the Riders defeated the B.C. Lions 28-19 in the division semifinal before falling 39-22 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the division final. Although the Riders fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the Grey Cup, Mace feels the experience gained during the 2024 season will help the team moving forward. 'For us, just looking at the end of last year and having that experience in a big game, on the road in a hostile environment, I think that stuff is important,' Mace said. 'Being in those bigger games, having that experience, you understand what to expect. We also need to focus on executing on the details. 'I felt we missed (some details) in that last game (West final), and that's everybody, myself included. I think we understand the recipe. We've just got to make sure that we're diligent with the ingredients.' The Riders, who will host the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday in the regular-season opener, were successful last season despite injuries to a number of key players including quarterback Trevor Harris, offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick and running back A.J. Ouellette. Hardrick and Ouellette, Saskatchewan's top free-agent signings in the off-season, were expected to bring their Grey Cup pedigree to the Riders lineup and lead on and off the field. But Hardrick suffered a season-ending quad injury in Week 6 and a mid-season hip injury limited Ouellette to eight regular season games. Harris went down with a serious injury for a second straight season with a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee. While Harris was able to return for the playoff run, he was limited by the injury which hadn't fully healed. As part of his preparation for the 2025 season, Harris received platelet-rich plasma injections in his injured knee to accelerate healing while reducing the need for anti-inflammatory medications. Harris received the injections from his brother Cody Harris, a certified physician assistant. Entering his 13th CFL season, the 39-year-old Harris is confident the Riders can take the next step. 'We've got a group that's very motivated and that has potential. You try and temper your expectations, but I think this group can do some special things,' said Harris, who had limited playing time in the pre-season. Ouellette also made some changes in the off-season, opting to cut some weight to become quicker. After playing last season at 225 pounds, the five-foot-nine Ouellette dropped to 200.6 pounds in March. His plan is to play this season at 205 to 210 pounds. 'I was looking to get faster, just trim off some of the fat and work on some top end speed with the coaches as the gym. I did some strength training, just more isometric work trying to keep everything healthy,' said Ouellette. A 1,000-yard rusher for the Argonauts in 2023, Ouellette said he was frustrated by his injury issues last season. 'It was defeating not being able to play a single game the way you wanted to. Even when I came back at the end of the year, I didn't feel too good, just good enough to get the job done.' Also caught up in last year's injury bug were a number of offensive linemen. The Riders were forced to commit to the 'next man up' mentality as the offensive line shuffled players almost on a weekly basis. A similar situation seems to be brewing this season as two starting offensive linemen have gone down with injuries. Centre Sean McEwen, signed as a free agent from the Calgary Stampeders, suffered a torn ACL in a one-on-one drill early in training camp and will be out for the season. Guard Phillippe Gagnon, who joined the Riders from the Montreal Alouettes as a free agent, tore his bicep on May 19 and will be sidelined indefinitely. Despite the injuries, Hardrick believes the offensive line is more than capable of doing its job. 'It's not a panic issue at all,' he said. 'It's definitely not something that you that you want to happen. We're looking at everything is perfect, not perfect as in someone got hurt, but perfect as an opportunity that's presented to us, and we have opportunity to rise to the challenge. 'Logan (Ferland) is a great example. Last year he didn't complain. He was at guard, and he went right to centre. He said, 'Huddle up.' We didn't talk about it again, they just did their jobs.' 2024 record: 9-8-1, second, 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?: Harris will wear Caddix Cleats this season. The patented SuperStuds design reportedly lessens wear and tear on ankles and knees by reducing rotational force on all types of playing surfaces. Key additions: QB Jake Maier (Calgary), CB Tevaughn Campbell (Jacksonville NFL), OL Sean McEwan (Calgary), OL Phillippe Gagnon (Montreal). Key losses: DL Anthony Lanier (Toronto), OL Peter Godber (Ottawa), WR Jerreth Sterns (Winnipeg), WR Ajou Ajou (Indianapolis NFL) Players to watch: Harris, Ouellette, DB Rolan Milligan, DB Marcus Sayles, WR KeeSean Johnson. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
2025 CFL Grey Cup odds for all 9 teams
2025 CFL Grey Cup odds for all 9 teams The CFL season kicks off Thursday, June 5, with QB Trevor Harris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting QB Dru Brown and the Ottawa Redblacks. Below are BetMGM Sportsbook's 2025 CFL Grey Cup odds as of the evening of June 3. The defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts open their season Friday, June 6, at the Montreal Alouettes in a rematch of last year's Eastern Final. Toronto has captured the Grey Cup in 2 of the past 3 seasons (2022 and 2024), with Montreal taking the title in 2023. Calgary hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday, June 7, marking the Stampeders debut of QB Vernon Adams Jr., acquired in the offseason. Adams' former team, the BC Lions, welcome the Edmonton Elks later that day to wrap up the Week 1 schedule. Lions QB Nathan Rourke looks to bounce back from a disappointing CFL return last season following a brief stint in the NFL. The defending West Division champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who lost to the Argonauts in last year's Grey Cup, are off Week 1 and will open their season at home against the Lions Thursday, June 12. The Argonauts are the preseason favorites to win the title, listed at +325 odds by BetMGM Sportsbook. The Alouettes and Blue Bombers follow at +425 each, with the Lions and Redblacks next at +650 apiece. Below are the 2025 Grey Cup odds, provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Last updated Tuesday, June 3, at 11:16 p.m. ET. Favorites Toronto Argonauts +325 (bet $100 to win $325) Recent Grey Cup champions Montreal Alouettes +425 +425 Winnipeg Blue Bombers +425 Could they? BC Lions +650 +650 Ottawa Redblacks +650 +650 Saskatchewan Roughriders +750 The long shots Hamilton Tiger-Cats +1000 +1000 Calgary Stampeders +1500 +1500 Edmonton Elks +2000 Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @corey_a_scott on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. Access NFL coverage: BetFTW | TheHuddle Fantasy Football | BearsWire | BengalsWire | BillsWire | BroncosWire | BrownsWire | BucsWire | CardsWire | ChargersWire | ChiefsWire | ColtsWire | CommandersWire | CowboysWire | DolphinsWire | EaglesWire | FalconsWire | GiantsWire | JaguarsWire | JetsWire | LionsWire | NinersWire | PackersWire | PanthersWire | PatriotsWire | RaidersWire | RamsWire | RavensWire | SaintsWire | SeahawksWire | SteelersWire | TexansWire | TitansWire | VikingsWire | DraftWire | TouchdownWire | ListWire
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
1,408 traffic violators stopped in their tracks
traffic violations road safety reckless driving Traffic West division cracks down on violators: Rs.7.38 lakh in fines in 1 dayThe Traffic Police of the West Division launched a special operation targeting various, resulting in the registration of 1,408 cases and the collection of Rs.7,38,700 in fines, on Monday. The crackdown aimed at curbing dangerous road behaviour such as triple riding, driving against one-way routes, violating no-entry zones, and unauthorised to the data released, a total of 45 cases were booked for triple riding, resulting in fines of Rs.22,500. Violations involving driving against one-way roads led to 114 cases and penalties amounting to Rs.58,500. The most common offence was parking violations across all categories, with 240 cases registered and fines totaling Rs.1,36,400. Meanwhile, 210 cases were filed for entering no-entry zones, collecting Rs.1,05,500 in fines. In addition to these, 795 cases were booked under other traffic violations, contributing to a significant Rs.4,16,800 in drivers and riders caught during the crackdown were educated about the importance of following traffic rules to ensurefor all. Authorities have confirmed that such special operations will continue in the coming days, reinforcing strict compliance and reducing accidents caused byA 19-year-old was booked for reckless driving after he was caught performing a wheelie on a public road in broad daylight on Old Mysore Road within the limits of the Magadi Road Traffic Police part of a special operation launched on the same day to curb dangerous driving, a team from the West Division was patrolling the area when they spotted the youth, identified as Janakiram, riding a scooter with its front wheel lifted off the ground, a stunt commonly known as police promptly intercepted the vehicle and seized it on the spot. Following a preliminary investigation, an FIR was registered against Janakiram under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for endangering human life, Section 129 of the Indian Motor Vehicles (IMV) Act for not wearing protective headgear, and Section 189 of the IPC along with 177 for furnishing false information.A high-speed crash on the upper side of the BGS flyover claimed two lives and left two others seriously injured In the early hours of Tuesday. The incident occurred around 1.30 am near the Ganesh Temple when two motorcycles to police, Mani and his friend Akash were riding a bike at high speed when they lost control and crashed into an electric two-wheeler ahead of them. The impact threw both riders off the bike. Mani sustained a leg injury, while Akash suffered severe injuries to his face, head, and legs. He was later declared dead at Victoria electric two-wheeler was being ridden by Afzal and Qasim, who also fell due to the collision. Afzal dead, Qasim critical after the bike accident.
