"I hurt my poor little finger!"

First, terrible news that Anthony Calvillo has decided to take the rest of the year off to care for his wife, who was just diagnosed with lymphoma. It's a courageous and respectable decision, and the Alouettes are to be commended for allowing him to take a leave of absence.

Practically, it means that Jason Maas will start as quarterback when the Als take the field at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Saturday.

As for Friday nights games, the B.C. Lions surprised nobody by beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Lions locked first place in the West Division, and Dave Dickenson even took a few snaps, threw a touchdown, the usual.

Even better was that Casey Printers left the game in the first half because HE HURT HIS FINGER.

I swear I could hear him wailing as he walked to the sidelines to have his hangnail looked at. "WAAAAAAH! My finger! WAAAAAAH!"

Of course, as soon as he was off the field, the Ticats scored a touchdown. How to take it to those B.C. Lions who done you wrong, Casey.

Then, with Saskatchewan playing a bunch of second stringers, the Edmonton Eskimos did their best to win a game and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They had the lead - a good lead - heading in to the fourth quarter, but just didn't have enough to wrap it up. So the Eskies are out for the season.

CFL weekend roundup

The Argos beat the floundering Alouettes, the Lions beat the Eskimos (and unless the Eskies win their last two games and the Alouettes lose both of theirs, that's it for the green and gold this season; good analysis over at Twelve Men on the Field), and the Stampeders decided to rest Henry Burris, and lost to the Blue Bombers, establishing that maybe they need Burris to win (and, therefore, that it may have been a good idea to rest him and his shoulder).

Then, in the sole CFL Sunday game, Saskatchewan managed to beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which does nothing to establish whether they can win against a real football team with a healthy quarterback.

And did you hear? Lenny Kravitz is the half-time headliner at this year's Grey Cup game in Toronto. (Check out the nice Kravitz photo over at Rouge For the Win.)

CFL, NFL, a little golf

On Friday night, the Toronto Argonauts took another step toward securing a playoff berth, and the Eskimos came another step closer to elimination.

Bad news for the Eskimos, too, as Ricky Ray left the game with a separated shoulder. Now I may hate Ricky Ray, but I don't wish injuries on anyone. Except maybe Rex Grossman.

More on him later.

What does it mean that quarterbacks in the CFL are dropping like flies? Burris? Out. Ray? Out. Printers? Out.

Not to mention the Lions, but they always seem to have depth in the quarterback position, and Jarious Jackson is playing like a starter.

Note to Hamilton: Need a quarterback? Talk to Wally Buono.

The Lions crushed the Stamps on Saturday, solidifying their hold on the West. The Riders helped the Bombers and the Argos by taking a game from the Als. Next week's Thanksgiving games will likely set the playoff picture.

In the NFL today, I'll be watching the Bears against the Lions, more to see if Brian Griese can put the final nail in the coffin of Rex Grossman. Today, everyone is a Bears fan.

And I can't be the only one excited about what Favre is doing in Green Bay. After last year I thought he should just retire, but he seemed to know that another season would give him a chance to leave on a high note. This season, everyone is a Packers fan.

Finally, as I settle in for a day of watching football and golf (so glad that the weather stinks so bad today), I can only say this: Go, Mike, go!


LUNCH: probably pizza

Stamps are rolling, Ticats are sucking

Burris and the Stamps just may muster together a season after all. Over at Twelve Men on the Field, a great rundown of the crushing defeat they laid on the lapsing Roughriders.

But the best story in the CFL this weekend is how badly the Hamilton Tiger-Cats stank in their game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They barely managed to find 4 points. Tom Canada, Bombers defensive end, personally sacked Printers four times.

Ha, ha ha! How's that, Printers? What do you think of your sleazy agent now?

Given his arrogance in the press conferenes last week, when he puffed up his chest about coming in to "lead" the Ticats, I'm pleased as punch that Printers' pride was bruised.

You can't just step back into the CFL and expect that because you spent a few months in the NFL, people are going to sit back and revel in your glory. Remember, you were ignored while in Kansas City, Printers. Maybe now we know why.

Still hoping the Leos can heal themselves up before we get too far into the second half of the season. Even though they stomped all over the Argos this weekend, as it stands now, the Stamps look to be chasing first place in the West.


LUNCH: hot dogs

Eskies don't fold a lead. For a change

Well, fancy that. After dropping first half leads in each of their last three games, the Eskimos managed to play an entire game this week, pounding Montreal and keeping a faint hope of the post season in sight.

Montreal, for their part, were awful. After a solid effort against the B.C. Lions last week - the Alouettes had me wondering if I was watching an NFL game, actually: Brady to Payton, Brady to
Thurman - the Alouettes secondary let Ricky Ray and Jason Tucker eat them alive. They scored on the first play of the game. How can you let that happen?

Ricky Ray, for his part, passed the great Warren Moon for total passing yards for an Edmonton Eskimos quarterback. I hate Ricky Ray.

Jason Maas ended up coming in to relieve Brady, and helped the Als notch a few points, so as not to be completely embarassed. Wonder what Maas thought of being back in Edmonton. He'll probably be on Whyte Avenue tonight.

On a somewhat related note: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are starting Casey Printers against the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Saturday. 'Cause Timmy Chang was so masterfully horrible against Toronto last week. Timmy!


LUNCH: PBJ sandwich and some potato chips