Because I was out of town, I'm skipping the week 7 roundup (which is now ancient history). On to week 8 in the CFL:

Even though [b5987f30]Atlantic City[/b5987f30] (5-2) dominated [b5987f30]Albany[/b5987f30] (4-3) in terms of ToP (36:16-23:44), total yards (353-265) and won the turnover battle (1-0), they still needed QB Colin Sawyer to engineer a 96-yard TD drive in the last 2 minutes of the game to eek out a 22-21 win at home. Albany's RB Archie Chasser single-handedly kept this game close, with a gritty 24-122-2 TD performance.

Alan Spearman's 4-yd TD plunge in OT capped a 72-yard drive and secured a 23-17 win for [b5987f30]Hartford[/b5987f30] (5-2) over division rival [b5987f30]Boston[/b5987f30] (5-2). Hartford overcame three James Oberg INTs and 10 4th-quarter Boston points. The Yankee Division now features three 5-2 teams.

This week's edition of the [b5987f30]Charleston[/b5987f30] (6-2) - [b5987f30]Durham[/b5987f30] (3-4-1) rivalry was one for the record books, and will undoubtedly be the stuff of nightmares for their respective defensive coordinators. Durham pulled out a 47-36 win that saw the teams combine for over 900 total yards. Most of the damage came through the air, as both Hurst and Kimber went over 300 yards. Kimber, in particular, was on fire today, posting a nifty 15/26, 343, 4TD-1INT day.

[b5987f30]Long Beach[/b5987f30] (2-5) built up an improbable 23-0 lead late in the 3rd quarter against [b5987f30]Denver[/b5987f30] (5-2), and then withstood a furious Marcus Garibaldi comeback to win 23-17. Don Terrell's 34-162-1TD day fueled the Long Beach effort.

[b5987f30]Honolulu[/b5987f30] (8-0) managed to pull off a 20-13 win over division rival [b5987f30]Arizona[/b5987f30] (3-4) despite losing star QB Randolph Kranz late in the 2nd quarter. The score was tied at 10 when Kranz went down, and amazingly Arizona was unable to stop backup QB Carlos Burton, who threw for a TD and engineered another FG drive. Arizona's Freddie Matthias continues to perplex league experts, who think he has the talent to be one of the best QBs in the league. His 15/36, 126 yd, 1TD - 2INT performance today kept everyone scratching their heads, wondering when (or if?) he will finally realize his potential.

Butch Fulton and Seymore Barre appear to be finally hitting their strides for [b5987f30]Sacramento[/b5987f30] (5-3), who beat division rival [b5987f30]Huntington Beach[/b5987f30] (4-4) 31-21. Fulton's 35-134-1 TD day continues a streak of four straight games of solid efforts from him, including 487 rushing yards, 305 passing yards, and three total TDs. And Barre's sprained knee couldn't stop him from a 22/25, 236 yd, 3TD-1INT performance, easily his best game of the year.

[b5987f30]San Antonio's[/b5987f30] (4-4) struggles continued today against [b5987f30]Tampa Bay[/b5987f30] (6-2), with the latter beating the former 24-7. The Stingers appear to have trouble getting Ernest Lorenzo assimilated into the offense, as his 2 INTs and 8 sacks today would suggest. The score might've been respectable had Stinger's kicker Alvarado not missed all three FG attempts (from 36, 49 and 54). Tampa's defense deserves credit for taking advantage of San Antonio's weaknesses and making things relatively easy for their offense.

[b5987f30]Seattle[/b5987f30] (4-3) barely survived a spirited effort from downtrodden [b5987f30]Las Vegas[/b5987f30] (0-8 ), and needed two Darrell Styblo FGs in the last 96 seconds to secure a 16-13 win against the league's only winless team. Despite having offensive weapons Charles Dever and Burt Liszkiewicz at their disposal, Seattle couldn't score an offensive TD. Their only TD on the day was a 45-yd interception return by S Ernest Cobb.

And finally, [b5987f30]Boise[/b5987f30] (4-3) looked every bit the division contender as they defeated [b5987f30]Tucson[/b5987f30] (5-3) 26-24. Boise

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Ring of Fire Division Champions - 2009, 2011-2026, 2028-33
Western Conference Champions - 2011-2013, 2016, 2017, 2019-2022, 2024, 2025, 2028, 2033
CFL Champions - 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025

Where is the love? CHI gets its 1st win in a down to the wire game and we get elsewhere. The CFL viewing audience just doesnt appreciate toilet bowl games between bottom bumping franchises.

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The Charleston-Durham rivalry almost always ends up with high-scoring barn burners. Have those two ever produced a boring game together?

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Division winners in 2003, 2012, 2016, 2019
147-122-3 regular season record
3-5 playoff record

[quotea069a95="dberner30"]Where is the love? CHI gets its 1st win in a down to the wire game and we get elsewhere. The CFL viewing audience just doesnt appreciate toilet bowl games between bottom bumping franchises. [/quotea069a95]

I, for one, always appreciate some bottom bumping.

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Ring of Fire Division Champions - 2009, 2011-2026, 2028-33
Western Conference Champions - 2011-2013, 2016, 2017, 2019-2022, 2024, 2025, 2028, 2033
CFL Champions - 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025

[quote58f9000="3ric"]The Charleston-Durham rivalry almost always ends up with high-scoring barn burners. Have those two ever produced a boring game together?[/quote58f9000]

Agreed. Being in this division is fun if nothing else than because I notice these epic battles ...

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[quote04219c5="wademoore"][quote04219c5="3ric"]The Charleston-Durham rivalry almost always ends up with high-scoring barn burners. Have those two ever produced a boring game together?[/quote04219c5]

Agreed. Being in this division is fun if nothing else than because I notice these epic battles ...[/quote04219c5]

No crap, everytime you think your team is up - a division rival comes in and knocks you back down. It keeps everything extremely competitive and you can't ask any more than that..

Now Wade, we have another game coming up soon and you know it's going to be Epic..

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omaha arrowheads

JJ Smitty's Record
Atlantic Division Champions - 2007, 2008, 2010, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2028, 2035, 2037, 2039, 2044, 2046, 2047
Eastern Conference Champions - 2008, 2039, 2047
CFL Champions - 2008, 2039, 2047

The Atlantic Division is still the best division in the CFL.

I still remember this final minute in the 2008 divisional playoffs:

Score: Charleston (SC) 28, Durham 17.

4-06-CHT48 (01:03) DUR 1 Kimber pass completed to 80 Browning for 10 yards.
Tackled by CHT 26 Lucas.
DUR called time out.
--
1-10-CHT38 (00:55) DUR 1 Kimber scrambled for 6 yards.
Tackled by CHT 50 Westbrook.
DUR called time out.

2-04-CHT32 (00:46) DUR 1 Kimber pass completed to 82 Volpe for 32 yards and a touchdown!
Conversion Attempt: DUR 1 Kimber pass completed to 86 Jalbert.

Score: Durham 25, Charleston (SC) 28.
DUR 4 Snell kicked off (onside) 16 yards from the DUR30. DUR 52 Stambaugh recovered the kick.
--
1-10-DUR46 (00:27) DUR 1 Kimber scrambled for 6 yards.
Tackled by CHT 31 Duncan.
DUR called time out.

2-04-CHT48 (00:20) DUR 1 Kimber pass completed to 86 Jalbert for 35 yards.
Tackled by CHT 50 Westbrook.

and time expires before another play is run.....get OUT OF BOUNDS, JALBERT!

Charleston goes on to win CFL Bowl VI.....ah, the memories....

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Just for the record injuries have once again descimated the Stingers this year. After a great start, our defense has been continually riddled with injuries each week and the bye week can't get here quick enough.

The stingers will make some more noise again soon!

[quote8399f6b="Fonzie"]
Butch Fulton and Seymore Barre appear to be finally hitting their strides for [b8399f6b]Sacramento[/b8399f6b] (5-3), who beat division rival [b8399f6b]Huntington Beach[/b8399f6b] (4-4) 31-21. Fulton's 35-134-1 TD day continues a streak of four straight games of solid efforts from him, including 487 rushing yards, [b8399f6b]305 passing yards[/b8399f6b], and three total TDs. And Barre's sprained knee couldn't stop him from a 22/25, 236 yd, 3TD-1INT performance, easily his best game of the year.[/quote8399f6b]

[quote4209dca="Joe"][quote4209dca="Fonzie"]
Butch Fulton and Seymore Barre appear to be finally hitting their strides for [b4209dca]Sacramento[/b4209dca] (5-3), who beat division rival [b4209dca]Huntington Beach[/b4209dca] (4-4) 31-21. Fulton's 35-134-1 TD day continues a streak of four straight games of solid efforts from him, including 487 rushing yards, [b4209dca]305 passing yards[/b4209dca], and three total TDs. And Barre's sprained knee couldn't stop him from a 22/25, 236 yd, 3TD-1INT performance, easily his best game of the year.[/quote4209dca]


[/quote4209dca]

Oops. That should read [i4209dca]receiving[/i4209dca] yards, of course.

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Ring of Fire Division Champions - 2009, 2011-2026, 2028-33
Western Conference Champions - 2011-2013, 2016, 2017, 2019-2022, 2024, 2025, 2028, 2033
CFL Champions - 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025

Hmm, why do you think I traded the farm for Titone?
(and still managed to get a very good deal for Matthias afterwards too, I might add...)

Matthias is great on paper, but somehow does not deliver on a consistent basis. Granted, he never had great offensive weapons while in Detroit, but still...

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Former Detroit Vampire owner

Great Lakes division champions -2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025
Eastern Conference champions - 2005, 2006, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
CFL Champions - 2021, 2023