The BC Lions have added another key potential free agent Thursday evening with the announcement that the team has re-signed place kicker and punter Paul McCallum.
General Manager Wally Buono is thrilled to have the 19 year veteran and CFL record holder for consecutive field goals back in the lineup.
“Paul has been one of our most consistent and dependable players since coming here in 2006,” said VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono. “He has been one of the very best at his position and this is a very important signing for the club.”
Wally Buono has his work cut out for him when he returns from his annual Hawaiian vacation later this month. several BC Lions are about to become CFL free agents this off-season and more are in the option years of their deals.
The Lions potential free agent list is as follows:
WR Emmanuel Arceneaux*, DT Aaron Hunt, OL Andrew Jones, RB Jamall Lee, WR Robert Long, CB Dante Marsh, K Paul McCallum, LB Anton McKenzie, DT Khalif Mitchell, DB Ryan Phillips, WR Anthony Russo
Here are the remaining teams and their potential free agents this off-season:
MONTREAL
S Etienne Boulay, LB Marc-Olivier Brouillette, CB Mark Estelle, G Scott Flory, LB Ray Fontaine, DE Jermaine McElveen, DL Jeff Robertshaw, LB Walter Spencer,DB Paul Woldu
TORONTO
QB Dalton Bell, DB Matt Black, DE Alex Buzbee, LB Kevin Eiben, DE Ben Ishola, FB Jeff Johnson
OL Rob Murphy, CB Byron Parker, OL Dominic Picard, S Willie Pile, LB Jason Pottinger, OL Taylor Robertson, CB Jordan Younger
HAMILTON
FB Agustin Barrenechea, LB Isaac Brown, WR Matt Carter, DE Justin Hickman, T Jason Jimenez, DT Matt Kirk, K Justin Medlock, OL Simeon Rottier, DE Garrett McIntyre*, DB Jason Shivers
WINNIPEG
QB Buck Pierce, QB Alex Brink, QB Joey Elliott, WR Aaron Hargreaves, WR Greg Carr, OL Brendon LaBatte, OL Glenn January, OL Steve Morley, OL Andre Douglas, LS Chris Cvetkovic, DT Don Oramasionwu, S Brady Browne, S Ian Logan
DE Phillip Hunt*
SASKATCHEWAN
RB Graeme Bell, RB Wes Cates, SB Jason Clermont, WR Andy Fantuz, RB Stuart Foord, LB Jerrell Freeman, CB Nick Graham, DE Brent Hawkins, DB Tristan Jackson, P Eddie Johnson, WR Cary Koch, DB Leron Mitchell, OL Marc Parenteau
CALGARY
LB Marc Calixte, P Burke Dales, WR Arjei Franklin, DB Brandon Isaac, OL Tim O’Neill
EDMONTON
FB Mathieu Bertrand, RB Chris Ciezki, LB Rod Davis, RB Samuel Fournier, OL Kyle Koch, DL Etienne Legare, RB Calvin McCarty, WR Andrew Nowacki, DE Greg Peach, LB Mark Restelli, K Derek Schiavone
The 99th Grey Cup championship may be sold out but if you’re willing to do a little sleuth work and have a bit of luck, you could win tickets to the big game as well some sweet VIP perks.
Tourism Vancouver is giving away two tickets to the Grey Cup, along with two nights accommodation, and VIP access to Doolin’s Irish Pub and the Roxy Nightclub.
Here is what you need to do:
A Mystery Man will be wandering the streets of Vancouver AND Winnipeg starting Tuesday, November 22nd between 8am and 7pm, until he is caught.
To win, the winner must be the first person to find him and say the secret phrase. The secret phrase can only be found on the Tourism Vancouver Facebook Page.
Exclusive clues to the “Mystery Man’s” location at certain times during the day will be shared by with us and other selected bloggers. Since we’ll be mobile during Grey Cup, we’ll be tweeting our clues so you will want to follow us @BCLionsDen. All our contest clues will be tagged with #YVRChase
You should also follow the @GreyCupChase Twitter account to make sure you get all the latest information in case we get caught up in the festivities.
Full contest details can be found on Tourism Vancouver’s Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/InsideVancouver
Good luck and happy hunting!
Here are your clues for Tuesday Nov.22nd:
Here are your clues for the day. Some are minor hints but the picture clues should give those hunting a good idea of where to find the Mystery Man.
1. At 8:30am the Mystery Man will be having breakfast somewhere in the city.
2. At 10am, the Mystery Man will be roaming the streets near the Harbour Centre.
3. At 12:30pm the Mystery Man will start thinking about having lunch somewhere.
4. At 2pm the Mystery Man will head towards Stanley Park.
5. At 4pm the Mystery Man will grab a drink to warm up.
6. At 5:30pm the Mystery Man will do some shopping downtown.
7. At 7pm the Mystery Man will pack it in for the night.
Ask anyone and everyone you see, they could be the mystery man!
This series of blogs will take a look at some of the best parties of Grey Cup week as we count down to the Vancouver event, November 24th to 27th. In this edition, we take a look at the event that puts the “social” into party, the very popular Touchdown Manitoba.
The province of Manitoba is known for its parties known as “socials” and every year at Grey Cup they throw their biggest party of the year, affectionately known as Touchdown Manitoba. The unique aspect to the party is that unlike most of the parties at Grey Cup it is held during the day, providing a great party option for those looking for an early start on Friday’s festivities.
Touchdown Manitoba was established after a successful 1991 Grey Cup Festival in Winnipeg. The organizers decided they wanted to keep that spirit going at future Grey Cups and the event was born. That spirit is in the form of a traditional Manitoba social and it’s become one of the most popular events of Grey Cup week.
Like other parties at during the week, Touchdown is a melting pot of CFL fans from all teams coming together to celebrate Canadian football in the spirit of the Grey Cup. The event obviously has a Blue and Gold theme and some of the CFL’s most loyal fans come from the Manitoba capital and surrounding areas. With the resurgence of the Bombers, this year’s event should be a great one. You may even run into a little swagger!
You can expect to see a few Bombers players/personnel, great live entertainment and enjoy some traditional Manitoba rye bread, kobasa, cheeses and pickles for some much needed party fuel. Tickets are available now and will also be available at the door in limited quantities, which at this time may be your best option.
There are tables and chairs at the event, another unique aspect compared to other parties, but get there early if you want one as they disappear quickly once the doors open.
The event charges an $18.00 entry fee, which includes:
- Live music by headliner band Faith & Desire as well as a DJ to keep you dancing all afternoon.
- A limited-edition Touchdown Manitoba 2011 lapel pin (while supplies last).
- A delicious “social buffet” with all the traditional delicacies – rye bread, kobasa, cheese cubes and dill pickle spears. (while it lasts).
- Appearances by cheer teams, including the Labatt Blue Lightning Dance Team.
- A Choice Auction, with loads of great PRIZES!
- Get your picture taken with the Grey Cup!
Website: http://www.touchdownmanitoba.com/
When:
Friday November 25th, 1pm to 6pm
Where:
Exhibition Hall “C” (East Convention Level)
Vancouver Convention Centre
1055 Canada Place, Vancouver BC
We’ll see you, at Touchdown Manitoba!
This series of blogs will take a look at some of the best parties of Grey Cup week as we count down to the Vancouver event, November 24th to 27th. In this edition, we take a look at the party that sets the bar for the rest, the always popular Spirit of Edmonton.
If you’re a Grey Cup regular, you know all about the spirit of Edmonton. If you’re a Grey Cup rookie, you soon will. There is one party that all others strive to emulate and that is the fine event put on nightly during Grey Cup week be the fine folks at the Spirit of Edmonton.
The Spirit is the melting pot of CFL fan fellowship, where fans from all teams come to gather and celebrate Grey Cup week. The event promotes the City of Edmonton as a great place to live and do business as well as promoting the CFL and the Grey Cup Championship and the Edmonton Eskimos football club.
Volunteer Coordinator and Web / Social Media representative Neil McCulloch says the Spirit is the benchmark for all other CFL parties for a few simple reasons.
“We treat each guest as a friend, family and with respect. Our hospitality suite offers awesome value to our guests, great entertainment, a friendly CFL environment and no cover charge, ever!”
The spirit was formed in 1974 and started as a typical Grey Cup room party. It has expanded over the years to what it has become today. McCulloch says the there are typically between 150 to 250 volunteers that help with the event depending on what city the event is in.
When asked what surprises the party has in store for Vancouver in 2011, McCulloch wouldn’t spill all the beans, but did indicate social media will have a role, particularly in keeping fans informed about lineups.
“We have a few kept secrets for Vancouver this year but, I can tell you is that our social media will be the way to find out what’s happening prior to and during Grey Cup. Live Twitter and Facebook updates letting people know what entertainment is coming up and letting our guests who are not in our room how long the line-up really is. We are also going to have a new feature in our room, Mojo Photo. Mojo Photo is best described as a “old school” photo both whereby guests can take their pictures in the CFL garb and a few other trinkets, goofy hats etc. as a takeaway with the Spirit logo on framed around their picture. There will be a minimal cost for this as the service is being provided by a 3rd party.”
If there is one drawback to the Spirit, it has become very hard to get into on Friday and Saturday night. So much so that the event has now opened it’s doors two hours earlier on thise nights to allow more people to get to attend. If you want to attend on these nights, you’ll likely have to get in early and be prepared to stand in line. Follow the Spirit on Twitter (@spiritofyeg) for lineup updates and possible wait times!
The Spirit of Edmonton runs nightly during the Grey Cup festival.
Where:
Sheraton Wall Centre – 1088 Burrard Street
Entertainment:
Live bands, cheer teams and various other appearances.
Cash bar, and various food items for purchase.
Schedule:
Thursday: 4:00pm to 1:00am
Friday: 2:00pm to 1:00am
Saturday: 2:00pm to 1:00am
Admission: Free, must be of legal drinking age to enter.
***Footnote***: Due to BC Liquor Laws you will need a ticket to gain access to the Spirit of Edmonton room this year. There are a couple of ways to do this.
http://spiritofedmonton.com/uploads/hospitality-room-invite.pdf
Click on the lick above and scan the QR code on your mobile device, or print the ticket and present it at the door. There is still no cost to enter, but this will be required thanks to our lovely BC governments archaic policy on liquor. Spread the word about this because a lot of people will not know about this.
Behind every great team is a great support staff and the BC Lions are no exception. Whether the players are on the roster or on the practice squad, they need to be kept in top physical condition. That’s where BC Lions strength and conditioning coach Chris Boyko comes in. Boyko is a fitness and personal training guru who has many private clients in addition to his job with the Lions.
Former Lion Emmanuel Arceneaux, now with the Minnesota Vikings flew to Vancouver this off-season, just to work out with Boyko.
We recently had the chance to speak with Chris about his duties with the Lions, his business of training athletes on many levels and his passion for his own love of martial arts.
BCLD: Chris, thanks for talking to us. Let’s start with a description of your duties with the football club and how you became involved with the team?
CB: Thanks for the opportunity to give some insight to what happens behind the scenes. As a strength coach and a member of a 5 man training room/equipment staff, I have many duties but my main focus is the players. All 5 of us Billy, Benjie, Kato, Gavin and myself do our best to make sure the players are well prepared to go into battle! My duties can be challenging but its simple. First, to get all players ready to use there talent to the best of their ability. Second, to get injured players back on the field as quickly and safely as possible, and third to develop the practice roster players and to have them ready for the possibilities of getting into the lineup.
I became involved with the team after years of being a personal trainer to up and coming athletes, including CFL players. I would design in-season and off-season programs for players years before I was a staff member and had some communication with Billy throughout, so when the position opened up 4 years ago I was on the list as a candidate and needless to say I attacked the opportunity!
BCLD: Can you tell us the difference between working with different types of players? Like for instance obviously with receivers you want them to maintain speed while being strong, offensive linemen you want bulk and power combined with agility. How do you approach things as a coach for different positions?
CB: I work with many different types of athletes who play different sports as well, and the first and most important factor is that every good trainer must know their athlete because no two athletes are the same. So when I have guys at different positions and body types I pay close attention to each athletes movements, his strengths and weaknesses and his primary function on the football field. So basically I assess my athlete! But even before that, I get info from Billy regarding previous injuries, and recruiting info from Wally and other coaches on specific attributes that need to be improved. So my approach is based on having a communication relationship with my player. Obviously he has talent or he wouldn’t be here, so I want to know what programs he followed in the past or in college or previous team to get a better understanding of my athlete, from there I work him into my program accordingly, then the quest for improvement begins! I will get each guy who works with me as big, strong, fast and explosive as possible based on his own capabilities. I have a certain expectation of the type of athlete that can be a champion, I will bring that quality out in my athlete.
BCLD: Describe your working relationship with long time Lions trainer Bill Reichelt. Obviously when players are injured team doctors and Bill are actively involved in the treatment that player takes. Are you involved from the start or does your role kick in once the player is ready for rehab?
CB: My working relationship with Bill is fantastic! We work very well together. Bill is an amazing athletic trainer and therapist. Bill is cool as ice in the hottest situations, and I do my best to follow his lead. First there is always time invested in going over the players that we have and the injuries to watch out for based on a history of our athletes. By the time training camp hits, Bill has already briefed me with an advantage. At that point I develop injury prevention programs. So yes, I am involved from the start, however when injuries happen during the season the athlete goes through Bill and the doctors first and then depending on the severity of the injury I begin active rehab based on what Billy and the doctors authorize. As we know injuries can be inevitable in contact sports so my goal in my program is to lessen the severity of these injuries so that my guys can stay on top of their game.
BCLD: You often tweet about players on the practice squad coming in for training sessions at the facility. I know these guys are professionals, but is it a challenge to keep a player on the practice roster motivated?
CB: Yes I do often tweet about practice squad players and their training success. First I can’t tell you how much I appreciate and respect the guys who are still grinding away to become a better athlete! And even though they are pros I can see that motivation for some begins to fade. But we are blessed to have each other in this environment. It is definitely a challenge at times to keep the PR guys pumped up! There comes a time that produces a negative thought I call THE ENEMY, when a PR guy may think he dosnt have a shot in ever playing a game during the season, and that’s where I come in! I am passionate about not ever giving up! So this is the point I get across to my players, I always tell them to BE READY! Because things can change so quickly. Before you know it your the guy expected to fill in for a fallen soldier. I usually develop a close relationship with some of these guys due to the fact that I spend more time with them during the week and when the team travels I stay with the slightly tweaked guys and the hungry guys fighting for a shot! I fully appreciate every drop of blood and sweat that my guys shed for me and I won’t stop grinding with them, its an honour.
BCLD: How closely do you work with veteran players like a Geroy Simon? Obviously he’s been doing this for a long time and is in great shape year round. Does a player like Geroy still get input from you or is he pretty much left to do what works for him?
CB: I work closely with a lot of the veteran players throughout the year but Geroy and I have been training together for over 6 years. Geroy hired me as his personal trainer in 2005 to get him ready for the 06 season and that led to an outstanding player award, new record and a Grey Cup championship! Since then we have had a lot of success with my program. Geroy is an unbelievable athlete, he never seizes to amaze me with the things he does on that field. Geroy is a unique man with unique training needs and I feel I have developed a training style that fits. Geroy treats his body like a finely tuned machine and stays in shape year round, and as geroy would tell his teammates ” that’s the difference between being good and being great”
Even though Geroy has been around a long time and has a lot of experience in training for football, we both have an understanding that when it comes time to train even the most elite athletes can benefit from having a trainer guide them to a higher level of performance. It’s because of all the experience we have together that makes the training process so successful. Geroy knows his body and I know Geroy’s body! So when I develop the program, I know what needs to be improved. The human body goes through changes year after year in this sport so the program has to evolve along with the athlete.
There is certain things that Geroy likes to keep in his training because he knows they work for him, but he is a true pro and still is open for input because he is a competitor and wants to always improve! I can tell you that Geroy is one of the hardest workers on the field and in the weight room/ track. The up and coming athletes should use his work ethic as a manual for athletic success. Its an absolute honor to be his trainer and his friend! I am definitely a Superman fan!
BCLD: I understand you do other training besides working for the Lions. Do you have individual clients in other sports?
CB: Yes I do other training besides the Lions. My passion for developing athletes of all ages has put me in a position to be a conditioning program designer for the youth program at GAME READY FITNESS, in addition to that I am the strength and conditioning coach for a high level of athletes for the India Field Hockey club, youth soccer and high school football teams. My amazing wife and I run our company BOYKO ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT and cater to team, group, fighter and individual personal training.
Photo by: www.masiphotography.com
BCLD: Can you tell us a little bit about your passion for martial arts? Do you have a desire to, or do you compete in UFC type events?
CB: I have a burning passion for martial arts! I am deeply rooted in the lifestyle of a martial artist, I have been training since I was 12 years old in different fightings arts. Starting with tae kwon do, kung fu, and muay thai. I have been in many fighting tournaments, form competitions and in the ring fighting muay thai. I have been blessed with great trainers that have prepared me to fight here in Vancouver, Vince at WKX years ago and recently Master Song at KAI SING THONG MUAY THAI. I believe that if you want to be the best you have to train with the best! I absolutely love UFC and mixed martial arts. I still 100 percent have a desire to compete as a fighter and I don’t know if I will ever lose that, its such a part of me! I train hard year round, always developing new methods of improvement to add to my tool box. I also enjoy training other fighters when I am not preparing for a fight. I am a peaceful warrior, but my mind, body and spirit are ready for war.
BCLD: Chris, thank you for taking the time to give us a glimpse of your role with the BC Lions. Best of luck to you and the club in your pursuit of a Grey Cup in 2011 and with all your goals and ambitions for the future!
CB: A big thank you to you and everyone who is interested and supports us as we pursue a Grey Cup title in 2011! The pleasure is all mine. Talk to you soon!
Following a great night of football at BC Place where the BC Lions took a share of first place in the CFL west, some fans are complaining that the game was blacked out on standard definition cable.
Boo hoo.
You have a brand new stadium and a team playing in it’s biggest game in a long time and you can’t get off your butt and head to the stadium? The team hasn’t had a blackout in over a year and a half, and it hasn’t exactly resulted in sold out games. It seems there is always an excuse for “fans” not to buy a ticket. It’s too hot, it’s too cold, it’s not the NFL, it’s the Lions, I can afford a Canucks ticket but the Lions are too expensive.
I’m sick of it.
The CFL is a gate driven league. They don’t have a huge TV deal that ensures a profit for each team before a ticket is sold. They count on ticket revenue to be profitable and to run their business. Do you provide your services for free?
There seems to be a sense of entitlement by BC football fans that they should be able to sit on their couch and not contribute to that business model. I have no sympathy for them.
In a day when more and more households have high definition TV, where the games are not blacked out, it’s really not that hard to see the game anyway. If you can’t afford a ticket, and you don’t have HD, you could head to a friends, a bar or a restaurant like Boston Pizza to watch the game. If you’re outside the GVRD the game isn’t blacked out anyway.
The real question you should be asking yourself, is why didn’t I buy a ticket to one of the biggest football games this city has seen in three years?
I realize there are people that simply can’t afford to go out to a game or can’t afford HD cable. People that are REAL fans of the BC Lions that would kill to be in the stadium if they could. Unless you’re one of those people, I really have no time for you sense of entitlement.
The Lions are great value for your entertainment dollar. Many of their players are making less than some of the fans complaining about blackouts.
If you were there last night you would have witnessed a record be broken and a great moment on the final play of the game. I’m pretty sure the 30,622 that were there got their money’s worth.
The Lions next game is October 29th versus the Edmonton Eskimos and will be another big battle for playoff positioning in the West. Good tickets are still available.
Found this pregame report on Vikings.com, the official website of the Minnesota Vikings, who play the Dallas Cowboys in preseason action today. According to the writer, former Lions receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux is among the third tier of receivers trying to make the team:
“One of the position battles still raging is at WR, where the top 3 are set (Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin and Michael Jenkins) but the next two or three are still open. I’m not sure if the Vikings will keep five or six WRs, but either way there are jobs still available. We won’t count anyone out, but the guys I’ll be watching tonight are Devin Aromashodu, Greg Camarillo, Juaquin Iglesias and Jaymar Johnson. The next tier of guys are Manny Arceneaux, Stephen Burton and Andre Holmes. Aside from performance in the offense, another factor in determining which players will earn roster spots is special teams. Johnson can increase his value by proving effective in the punt return game, while Aromashodu has increased his value by making a pair of special teams tackles.”
Wishing the best of luck to Manny today and hope he gets a shot to show his stuff.
A recent video by Global News BC takes a closer look at the massive roof project at BC Place and gives an update on the construction.
With today’s news that the 99th Grey Cup championship is now officially sold out, we thought it was time for another photo update on the facility where the game will be played. BC Place (soon to be renamed) is really starting to take shape and football fans across Canada are going to be in for a treat when the big game goes down in November.
The fixed fabric portion of the roof is now being installed and every day it seems a new section or two is added.
New progress appears to show that the interior finishing is also well underway, with what appears to be the installation of the new seats. Unless the seats are covered in some sort of wrapping, tthere would appear to be two different colours of seats. One a reddish/orange/maroon colour and the other grey.
From the exterior, looking from Science World, you can really see the shape of the building and can start to visualize the finished product. In the early stages many people suggested the design was ugly and going to be an eyesore. My opinion was wait to see the finished project before making your judgement. Looking at the photo below, I personally think this design is going to become an attractive focal point of our skyline, much more so than the previous roof.
With our time at Empire Field winding down, BC Lions fans and Vancouverites are going to soon have a first class state f the art stadium to attend events in once again. It all starts on September 30th, when the BC Lions take on the Edmonton Eskimos in the first sporting event to grace the new facility.
Personally, I can’t wait! Stay tuned for more updates!
