Ten Reasons to watch the 2011 CFL Season

The CFL season approaches and there are many things to look forward to. The League has grown coast to coast in the last five years and has started to really gain the country’s attention. Here are ten things that should spark your attention in 2011.

10-Road Warriors: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be looking for a road win this season. In 2010 The Bombers went 4-14 and that included 0-9 away from Canada Inns Stadium. I don’t think I’ll throw in the Campbell guarantee, but Week four in Toronto could be the ice-breaker.

9-BC Bound: The West Coast province hosts the Grey Cup at season’s end and expectations are as high as they were to start 2010 with Travis Lulay. Wally Buono will give the ball to Lulay as long as he’s healthy. It’s what he does with it. The Lions 2011 season rests in his hands.

8- Four for Four: Can Marc Trestman make it four Grey Cups appearances in four seasons? If he does, the NFL has to take notice, no matter what the outcome is. It could be the end of a very short era.

7- The Return: (Including the pre-season) The Ti-Cats host the Alouettes three times before making a trip to Percival Molson Stadium. But Avon Cobourne will want to prove something to the Alouettes in their building. There will be a lot of Montreal fans that are excited for the Cobourne return on September 11th. Expect Avon to bring his best game in Montreal, just to prove a point to Jim Popp.

6-The Next Level: For the two top passers last season, Darian Durant and Kevin Glenn, its time to pick up their game. Durant needs to prove he can win the big game. As for Glenn, he needs to perform his best when facing the Alouettes and be a force that has to be contended with. They have proven it with numbers, now its time to prove it in games that will get their franchise to the next level.

5- TV Timeout: After watching HBO’s 24/7 with Pittsburgh and Washington and of course The NY Jets and Hard Knocks I’m excited for TSN’s the Extra Yard with the Toronto Argonauts. Sports live documentaries are the way to go. It’s a 4-part series that goes form now until Labour Day and is scheduled to start on Sunday July 3rd.

4-Touchdown Atlantic: It may just seem to be a meaningless mid-season regular season game in Moncton on September 25th between Calgary and Hamilton but TD Atlantic is a whole lot more. It’s an experience like no other that many CFL fans feel is a must go. It actually has a grey Cup feel and breaks the season up in two.

3-Rush to the Top: To me it’s a three horse race for the rushing crown; Fred Reid vs Joffery Reynolds vs Cory Boyd. Avon Cobourne could make a run but I’m not sure he’ll get enough carries in Hamilton, a problem he saw in Montreal. These top backs will attempt to power through many defenses and put a show on a weekly basis.

2- Record Breakers: CFL history could be made by some of the all-time greats still in the game. B.C.’s Geroy Simon needs only 1155 receiving yards to jump into #2 spot behind Milt Stegall. Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo can become Pro-Football’s all-time passing leader if he surpasses 4220 yards. If he manages to stay healthy it should be an accomplishable feat. He’d eclipse Warren Moon, Brett Favre and Damon Allen in doing so.

1-Special players: The CFL kick-returners are a special breed and the crop hasn’t been better with the Als Tim Maypray, Calgary’s Larry Taylor, Toronto’s Chad Owens and Hamilton’s Marcus Thigpen. Each one of them except Taylor, who did not play enough in 2010, had two MFG returns last season alone. Any kick, any time, start counting the TDs.