Kaffeekränzchen » Bank while 12th place

Here are some notes, stats and observations as we head into semifinal Sunday in the Canadian Football League. Lets start by taking a look at the CFL playoffs over the last 20 years and see if history can help shed some light on some of the questions that come up at this time every year, starting with whether or not the bye week for the teams finishing in first in their division helps them or actually hurts them? Over the last 20 years, the Grey Cup has been won by a first place team 11 times. Of the 40 teams that have competed in the big game over that time, 23 of them finished in first place. Eight times in the last 20 years the game has featured first versus first, so yes there is an advantage for winning the regular season and finishing first no matter how the coach manages the bye week. How much has home field advantage helped for the second place finishers in the last 20 years? It helps them get to the Grey Cup. Second place teams have advanced 13 times, however, it doesnt seem to help them win all that much. Second place teams have only won it six times. What about the third place finishing road warriors over the last 20 years? Of the forty teams that have competed in the Grey Cup in the last 20 years, a third place team has only made it to the big game four times, but of the four appearances have won it three times. Bottom line here is that it is an uphill battle for the third place finisher but if they can run the table, they have won it more than they have lost it. There has been talk all year about how bad the East Division is compared to the West Division which is a theory that will be tested this year due to the crossover by the BC Lions. It should be noted off the top that since the crossover format was instituted in 1996 and first applied in 1997, there have been seven crossover teams (not counting this year) and every time it has been a western team crossing over to the East Division. However, never has a western team advanced to the Grey Cup. As far as the west versus the east in championships, it is almost split right down the middle with the west winning 11 times and the east nine. Notes from the regular season The review of defensive pass interference was implemented because of a missed call in last years east semifinal so after a year, how does the rules committee feel about the new rule? Glen Johnson, the head of officials, has surveyed the rules committee over the last month and said Thursday: Our process to review the implementation of challenging DPI is underway. Were early in the process, but the majority of feedback supports what we have done. It should be noted that now that it is in the rule book, it will take two-thirds of the clubs to vote to remove it. Also, it was implemented because of a missed call in the playoffs. If a coach wins a DPI challenge this year in the postseason, you can bet the rule will not be going anywhere. The sky is not falling on the CFL because scoring is down. There are actually three main reasons why it was a lower scoring 2014 regular season. Football can be cyclical due to the athletes at quarterback. In the days of Doug Flutie, Matt Dunigan, Danny McManus and Tracy Ham to name a few, coaches implemented offences that featured a wide open passing game with no backs in the backfield. This year there have been a total of 28 quarterbacks take snaps; seven of which have made their CFL debut as starters. Also, if you add up the starts of Edmontons Mike Reilly, Calgarys Bo Levi Mitchell, Hamiltons Zach Collarus, Montreals Jonathan Crompton and Winnipegs Drew Willy, you get a grand total of 104 starts. So the first two reasons for lower scoring this year in the CFL is inexperienced quarterbacks and run-first offensive game plans. One of which, of course, has led to the other. The third is that sometimes the defence wins. This year, eleven players were in double figures in sacks and another five were just one or two away from that list. In 2014, defences dominated, which is why for the first time ever a defensive player in BC Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian is a finalist for Most Outstanding Player in the CFL. More offensive game plans feature tight ends, two RBs and a strong run game. Inexperience and injuries at quarterback, in combination with dominant defences, are the three reasons scoring is down in the CFL. On a recent radio interview on CJME Radio Regina, Hall of Fame quarterback Matt Dunigan made a great observation worth repeating. On the topic of quarterbacks in the semifinal games this Sunday; Kerry Joseph in Saskatchewan, Jonathan Crompton in Montreal and Matt Nichols in Edmonton were all backups to Mike Reilly with the Eskimos last year and will be three of the four starting QBs on Sunday. Tim Salmon Angels Jersey . Dr. James Andrews is to operate next week on the 24-year-old pitcher, who made the AL All-Star team last year. Moore will be the first Rays pitcher to undergo Tommy John surgery since Jason Isringhausen in June 2009. Luke Bard Angels Jersey . No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parkers impressive homecoming. The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No. https://www.cheapangels.com/1663j-adalbe...sey-angels.html. Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. Chuck Finley Jersey . -- Billy Donovans bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. Max Stassi Angels Jersey . Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday.Graham DeLaets great round of 62 on Sunday almost didnt happen. Im not talking about how he may not have dropped so many putts or hit so many fairways or greens. Its that he almost missed his tee time. DeLaets sizzling round at the Deutsche Bank has him tied for third place, three shots back of leader Sergio Garcia. Hell go off in the second-to-last group with Steve Stricker. On Saturday, however, with the tournament in a weather delay, he decided to drive his wife, Rudy, to the airport. He got the new starting time just as he arrived at the airport and it was far earlier than he was expecting. "I was in kind of a mad rush to get back to the golf course at that time," he stated. "So at that time I was just kind of hoping to get out here and not miss my tee time. Because I was driving back in some pretty heavy rains going about 30 miles an hour on the freeway." DeLaet got to the course about an hour and a half before his was slated to tee off, which is plenty of time, but not quite as much as the two hours he generally allows himself. "Im kind of a routine guy," he said, "so I definitely would prefer to be here on my regular time and go through everything how I always do. But at the same time, like I said, I wasnt in panic mode. Once I got to the golf course I knew I had enough time." On the course, DeLaet bogeyed his first hole and never looked back. He made 10 birdies on the next 17 holes for the lowest score in his brief PGA Tour careerr.dddddddddddd "It was an incredible day. Its one of those days that it doesnt come along as often as youd like." In addition to his colourful Sligo pants, DeLaet is sporting a beard these days. He said its natural for him to leave the facial hair at this time of year. "Im Canadian, thats what we do in the playoffs, you dont shave until youre done." DeLaets performance has put him once again in a position where he has a chance to win his first PGA Tour stop. Hell try to become the first Canadian winner on the Tour since Stephen Ames captured the 2009 Childrens Miracle Network Classic. Even without a victory, the Weyburn, Sask., product has locked up a spot in the Tour Championship in three weeks, and a place on the Presidents Cup team, which will be finalized this week. Its the latter of those two that really excites DeLaet; it was one of his goals at the start of the year. He was 10th on the list starting this week with the top 10 being named to the team. Tim Clark, 11th, missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank while 12th place Tongchai Jaidee finished 26th at the Wales Open. "It would mean the world to me to be on that team, theres no question," said DeLaet. "But at the same time when Ive been on the golf course Ive been focused on what I need to do and Im proud of the way Ive handled it because there is a lot of pressure on the outside." First, theres a Labour Day finish on tap and you can be sure DeLaet wont be late for his starting time. ' ' '