Buono continues search for the right quarterback

Wally Buono finds himself in an unusual position, but the same old questions persist about the B.C. Lions' quarterbacking.
For the first time in his career, the Canadian Football League's all-time winningest coach finds his team 1-5 after Saturday's 27-22 loss to the visiting Calgary Stampeders at Empire Field.
All but one of the losses have been close, but late breakdowns and inconsistent quarterbacking continue to cause difficulties.
“If you were getting blown out every week and you weren’t even in the game every week, I guess it would maybe be not so confusing,” said Buono. “But when you look at what goes on at times, you’re very encouraged. At other times, you just shake your head.”
Especially with the quarterbacks.
Starter Travis Lulay looked strong at times and weak at others, notably when he threw a third-quarter interception that Dwight Anderson returned to the B.C. 10-yard line, setting up Ryan Thelwell's game-winning touchdown.
"Obviously, it's disappointing," said Lulay, who completed 15 of 28 passes for 159 yards. "You're trying to win the football game. It seems we had a little bit of momentum there after a defensive turnover and, obviously, that kind of died and we gave them a short field."
Lulay's interception spelled the end of his night.
Jarious Jackson took over and struggled while impressing at times. He completed eight of 17 passes for 99 yards in his first serious game action since last September. He spent training camp, the preseason and the early part of the regular season recuperating from off-season shoulder surgery to repair rotator cuff damage.
“When the balls are high, you can tell right away that he’s struggling,” said Buono, explaining his decision to pull Lulay. “Jarious had a good week … His quick release was good, but other times you can see why he’s still not 100 per cent.”
Now, with a short week before a game in Regina against the powerhouse Saskatchewan Roughriders, Buono has to decide whether to go back to the sophomore Lulay or gamble on Jarious Jackson or nominal starter Casey Printers, who has dressed as the third-stringer the past three games due to a sore knee.
“If the medical staff clears (Printers) to play, then we’ll have to consider it,” said Buono. “But if they don’t, I think there’s way too much at stake. Between Jarious (Jackson) and Travis (Lulay), we should find one that’s ready to go.”
"We're not going to quit," said Lulay. "It's still early in the season. Obviously, we're in a little bit of a whole ... All we can do is fight and give ourselves a chance to win."
After Buono suffered his eighth straight loss to his former Calgary understudy John Hufnagel, questions arose about the Lions' mental toughness. Receiver Paris Jackson said the Lions have to change their mentality and make sure that losing does not become contagious, although with five straight losses, it might already be.
But, noting that the Leos kept fighting back, Buono insisted his players are mentally tough. He does not plan to make major changes as the changes as he rebuilding club tries to get in position for a playoff spot.
“It’s gonna test our character,” said Buono. “It’s gonna test my character. This is not something I’m enjoying. But I don’t believe that there’s a divine right for winning. I’ve always felt that each week, each win, is tough, and I think my experience and my past are going to keep the waters calm and keep the ship going in the right direction."
That task will be easier if he can find the right quarterback to take the helm.

Defence struggles as Lions lose fifth straight

For a change, it was the defence that let the B.C. Lions down Saturday night.
But the offence also contributed to a 27-22 loss to the Calgary Stampeders at Empire Field.
The Stamps improved to 5-1 while the Lions dropped to 1-5 after suffering their fifth consecutive loss.
With the B.C. defensive line failing to mount consistent pressure, veteran Calgary quarterback Henry Burris took advantage of a secondary that hurt itself by taking untimely penalties.
The telling blows came late in the third quarter as Calgary linebacker Dwight Anderson intercepted a deflected Travis Lulay pass and ran the ball back to the B.C. 10-yard-line. The pick came two plays after Lions rookie defensive back Stanley Franks had intercepted Burris.
Franks, who has been victimized a few times this season, was then the goat as he blew coverage on Ryan Thelwell in the end zone and Burris tossed an easy touchdown strike from the 10. The major gave the Stampeders an insurmountable 27-16 lead.
“We’ve gotta get a (defensive) turnover or two,” said Lions coach Wally Buono. “We got one, it would have been nice to get one or two more.”
Lulay, starting his third straight game in place of the injured Casey Printers (knee), fared well against a relentless Calgary pass rush, but struggled to get the Lions into the end zone. Jarious Jackson, seeing his first action of the season in relief of Lulay in the fourth quarter, could not do much.
Still the game might have gone a different way if Calgary coach John Hufnagel had not won an appeal of an apparent Paris Jackson catch that would have given B.C. the ball on the Calgary 27-yard-line. Although the replay indicated the ball contacted the ground, Jackson had arm firmly wrapped around it when he turned over.
The Lions caught a break when Deon Murphy fumbled a Paul McCallum punt in the late going. But Jarious Jackson threw an interception to nullify the Lions' victory hopes.
"That's the one I wish I could have had back," said Jarious Jackson, who felt he threw the ball well at times.
B.C. did manage a late major by Jamal Robertson -- his second of the game -- in the final minute after a Calgary pass interference penalty in the end zone gave B.C. the ball on Calgary's one-yard line.
But Lions failed to make good on the two-point conversion attempt as Jarious Jackson's pass intended for Paris Jackson went incomplete.
The loss spoiled a stellar effort by Paris Jackson, who made a number of tough catches, and a total of six for 76 hard-earned yards, while absorbing bone-rattling hits that left him shaken up a couple of times.
"It felt good, but at the same time, we didn't win," said Paris Jackson. "It doesn't matter how many catches I get, how many yards I get. The whole thing is about touchdowns ... and making sure we walk off that field with a W and winning."

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Printers frustrates fans again as Lions lose

Casey Printers tormented more than 27,000 B.C. Lions fans on Friday night.
The B.C. quarterback performed brilliantly at times and dreadfully at others as the Lions fell 16-12 to the Montreal Alouettes at Empire Field.
“It was a game that we coulda won, shoulda won let get away,” said B.C. coach Wally Buono, whose team is now 1-2 on the season. “We had opportunities to get points on the board and we didn’t do that.”
Late in the second quarter, Printers looked like the quarterback who was chosen the Canadian Football League’s outstanding player in 2004 as he rallied the Lions from a 6-2 deficit to a 9-6 advantage. With two Montreal defensive lineman running straight at him, he connected with Jamal Robertson on a screen pass for a 14-yard touchdown.
He also took charge in the third quarter as the Lions built a 12-6 lead on a Paul McCallum field goal. But in the final 10 minutes, he suffered a meltdown, overthrowing and underthrowing open receivers as Montreal’s Damon Duval booted three field goals and a punt single to put the Als ahead.
The Lions’ shoddy fourth quarter spoiled a strong effort from a rookie-laden defensive backfield and a rebuilt D-line.
“There was a lot of concern about five rookies on defence,” said Buono. “They didn’t cave. There was a lot of concern about our offensive line, and I thought overall they did a good job.”
But with the game on the line in the closing minutes, Printers tossed three straight incomplete passes, one to Emanuel Arcenaux and pair to O’Neil Wilson. The B.C. quarterback caught a break as Montreal was called for pass interference on second attempt to Wilson, putting the ball on the B.C. 48-yard line.
On the very next play, Printers threw the ball behind Paris Jackson and Montreal defensive back Jerald Brown hauled it in to preserve the victory.
“There was miscommunication with the receivers,” said Buono. “You can’t put the onus just on the quarterback and you just can’t put the onus on the receivers. That’s a part of working together and making sure that … the receiver has an option. The quarterback has to see the same thing. Tonight, too often, that wasn’t the case.”
As a result, the Lions lost a regular season game at home to Montreal for the first time in 10 years – while holding one of the league’s best offences without a touchdown.

Printers completed 20 of 40 passes for a modest 253 yards and the lone touchdown while also tossing two interceptions.
“Everybody played their tails off, and it’s just too bad we came up short,” said Printers.
It might have been a different story if Robertson had not fumbled in the third quarter to set up Duval’s game-tying field goal early in the fourth. But the bottom line is that Printers had to be better.
Fortunately, he did not use a quadriceps injury suffered against Saskatchewan on Saturday as an excuse, noting it slowed him down at times but was fine at others. But he also could have accepted more responsibility for his mistakes.
“You’ve gotta watch the field,” said Printers. “It’s tough to sit back and say what we coulda did and what we shoulda did … It’s just a growing process and we’ll get it together.”
Sooner rather than later.

Lulay says he'll be ready to play if Printers can't go

The 2010 CFL season has barely begun, but the B.C. Lions already have questions about their quarterbacks.
Casey Printers’ playing status is in doubt after he was sidelined with a quadrcips injury with 22 seconds left in the first half as the Lions lost their home opener 37-18 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Printers said he injured his quad just before he was by Brent Hawkins.
“We’ll see,” said Printers when asked if he could play Friday against the Montreal Alouettes. “I just can’t give you a solid answer right now. Something weird kind of popped. It’s just kind of frustrating.”
Printers completed 10 of 14 passes and threaded a 32-yard touchdown pass between two defenders to Geroy Simon in the first half as the Lions trailed just 13-10 at half-time. But backup Travis Lulay, playing behind a new offensive line that struggled, could accomplish little in the second half until he unleashed a 98-year touchdown pass – the longest of his career – to Simon just over two minutes left in the game.
“We got the loss, but I’m not going to pick on myself,” said Lulay. “I’m confident that if I’m up next week, I’ll be good to go.”
Lulay’s long TD pass to Simon was the most electric play of the night and came after some adversity. A few minutes earlier, he had fumbled while being sacked by Hawkins and the defensive lineman recovered the ball and ran for a 40-yard major. Then Lulay was sacked on his next play from scrimmage. But he got up and threw the TD on the following snap.
“The thing that I thought was good about it you got veteran downs,” said Lulay. “You’re finishing the game with a high. That shows you’re not going to quit, that shows some resilience, and that was good to see.”
Especially considering that he might have to start against the defending Grey Cup-champion Als.
“Every week, I’ve been checking all the stats, because you never know what could happen,” said Lulay. “I’ll prepare the same way this week.”

Empire Field home opener mixes old and new

Empire struck back Saturday night.
For many fans and scribes of a certain vintage, the B.C. Lions’ 2010 CFL regular season home opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders evoked memories of Empire Stadium.
With BC Place getting a new retractable roof and out of commission until 2011, the Lions are playing this season at temporary Empire Field, where Empire Stadium once stood. It was the Lions’ first outdoor home regular season game since November 6, 1982.
The first thing you noticed, aside from the scorching sun in the early going and clear blue sky until darkness fell, was the missing scoreboard. It used to hang over the south end stands and even, in the stadium’s final years, had a replay screen that was dodgy but ahead of its time. Now, the replay screen is of much better quality and rests over the north seats.
Other observations: The track, on which Britain’s Roger Bannister edge Australian John Landy ran their Miracle Mile at the 1954 Empire Games, is also gone, the dark green field was as flat as the Saskatchewan prairie – not like the old one with the crown in the middle and slight slopes on each side.
The end zones are much smaller and the fans much closer as a result. But roof support beams on each side still block views, making it difficult for Saskatchewan’s radio crew.
More seats spell higher stands in the north end zone, obstructing views of the North Shore mountains.
And, all of the seats have backs while all of the ones in Old Empire consisted of bleachers. But while Old Empire had a sense of openness, New – crammed – Empire feels like you’re sitting in a giant Bento box.
However, portable stands and all, the new place has an indescribable charm and an old-time aura of a packed house that the former facility failed to produce often – especially after the weakened east stands were condemned in its final years.
A lot has happened in the CFL since then. Don Matthews, first with B.C. and then with a host of other clubs, and Wally Buono, first with Calgary and then B.C. set all-time coaching records. Most of the league’s players careers came and went and a new generation of players merely entered the world. Many of Saturday’s participants were not born or were mere toddlers when the Lions last play outdoors at home.
However, as the presence of Dal Richards and his orchestra might have shown (although the Beefeater Band was nowhere to be seen), Saturday’s game at the New Empire was a testament – yet again – to the endurance of the CFL.
As occurred in the early 1980s, fathers took their sons to games, some moms and daughters went, too – along with grandparents. Next year, the new stadium will be gone – or maybe it won’t be, if political leaders wisen up to the importance of a large outdoor community facility on the PNE grounds.
Sometime in the future, kids will tell their kids about the year they went to New Empire one Saturday night, and something purely personal and highly meaningful happened. They will forget that the Lions played poorly in a 37-11 setback, although it will take Buono a while to get over the chance to win on an historic occasion.
“When you have a game like this in front of a sellout crowd, first game at Empire …,” he lamented afterwards.
Eventually, the bad plays will be erased by time, but the tradition of families going to games together will continue.
And, years from now, enabling that to happen, by mixing old and new with a special twist, will be New Empire’s biggest contribution to the B.C. Lions and CFL in 2010.

Writing for Fanhouse as well as CP

The Stanley Cup and WHL playoffs are keeping me busy these days as I write for The Canadian Press and Fanhouse. Check out some of my Fanhouse posts via the link below.

http://nhl.fanhouse.com/

Here's something I wrote recently on Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings for CP.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2010/04/23/13696971-cp.html