1. Kevin Glenn, acquired by the Alouettes on Wednesday, will start at quarterback despite having just two days of practice. Quelle sueprise.
2. Glenn said the biggest challenge has been learning the terminology of the Alouette offence. Route concepts are basically the same across the league.
3. Back up quarterback Anthony Boone gave Glenn his No. 5 – free of charge. Glenn said he bought him breakfast this morning and would find a few other ways to repay the kid.
4. Boone and fellow back up Tanner Marsh were asking Glenn what role he wanted them to play of the sidelines between offensive series – did he want to be left alone or did he want their help identifying coverages. Glenn opted for the help.
5. Glenn seems to have assimilated seamlessly into the Alouettes locker room. He and veteran linebacker Chip Cop were making arrangements with other teammates go to dinner tonight. Glenn knew several Als from his previous travels throughout the league, his role as a CFLPA rep and just the general networking that exists among players. He talked in glowing terms about getting the opportunity to work with Anthony Calvillo.
6. Sunday will be the third time the Alouettes worn their third jerseys when facing the Ticats and the second time this season. Overall, the Als are 3-0 when wearing their greys, 2-0 vs. Hamilton. There will also be a flyover by a pair of CF-18s and more than 500 members of the military will be at the game.
7. Ticat quarterback Zach Collaros is expected to have his knee surgery next week and isn’t on the trip to Montreal. Collaros was on the sidelines for the game against Saskatchewan and played an active role in supporting Jeff Mathews. Head coach Kent Austin said Collaros’ involvement was something that Mathews wanted and he supported. But Collaros needs to get mentally and physically prepared for the surgery and rehab that awaits.
8. There are more than 50 Ticat fans here as part of a rewards program for current season ticket holders who referred new ones. They came by train and are staying in the same downtown hotel as the team (an me.)
9. My Dad lived in Montreal when I was growing up and my visits every summer included frequent trips to Olympic Stadium to watch the Expos – I probably saw more than a 100 games during the halcyon years of Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Steve Rogers and the like. Before today’s media session – the Alouettes have their locker room in the Big O – I stood at home plate and got my childhood nostalgia on.
10. For all the talk about quarterbacks and losing streaks, in the two losses to the Alouettes this season the Ticats have a lost the turnover battle in both games and have a minus five differential against Montreal. The Ticats are plus 17 on the season, best in the CFL.
Some tidbits from the Game Notes:
11. As I wrote yesterday, the Ticats have not won a regular season game in Montreal since Oct 20, 2002, a span of 18 games. It is not the longest CFL road losing streak at a single opponent: Saskatchewan at Calgary (1990-2002), and Ottawa at Edmonton (1984-2015) each lost 20 consecutive regular season road games at those rival cities.
12. If Hamilton can win this week, they would have their best record after 15 games since 1998 (10-4-1).
13. The Ticats are 9-0 in 2015 When scoring 30 or more points, 0-5 when they don’t.
14. The Alouettes lead the CFL with 15 players who have not missed a single start this season. By contrast, Hamilton has only 7 players who have started of their games. (Hickman, Hall, Davis, Lawrence, Harris, Reed, Filer.)
Finally…
15. My plan for the evening: watch football and baseball, eat dinner, watch football and baseball. Sleep, watch football, write about football. And I may or may not have bought a trois couleurs Expos hat.
