B.C. Lions slip on banana peels, amuse only Stampeders in Apple Bowl debut (& 11 other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Martyne Vallerand/B.C. Lions

A sold-out crowd of 19,108 showed up to witness the first-ever CFL game at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna on Saturday night, but the performance on the field didn’t live up to the spectacle around it. The B.C. Lions continued to flounder in front of a new group of fans, losing 41-33 to the Calgary Stampeders.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Going bananas

Ever since “Sliding” Billy Watson first performed the act on stage, slipping on a banana peel has been the ultimate act of slapstick. All the comedy greats have used the gag at one time or another — Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, even Adam Sandler.

None ever did it so effectively as the B.C. Lions on Saturday night. Except nobody was laughing, but the Stampeders.

If you believe the Greeks, comedy and tragedy are two sides of the same coin, and the Lions skewed heavily towards the latter in Kelowna. The twisted truth is that this was, on the whole, a much-improved outing from several areas of this team that had previously struggled. The defence showed its first signs of life. The offence out-gained their opponents by nearly 200 yards. Neither aspect mattered one iota because a baker’s dozen of unforced errors left B.C. both embarrassed and defeated.

Good teams find ways to win. At this stage, the Lions are finding excuses to lose. Even the United Fruit Company would deem the casualty rate for these banana peels to be too high.

Special (dis)order

Nowhere was the Lions’ penchant for self-inflicted wounds more painfully evident than on special teams. Cory McDiarmid’s unit has been a quiet weakness through two weeks, shielded from major criticism by failings in other areas. In Kelowna, they yelped at a pitch only achievable by screaming toddlers and dogs after you step on their paw.

The utter ineptitude began on the game’s opening kickoff and was a harbinger of much worse things to come. Kicker Jude McAtamney popped the ball up for a short kick of 44 yards, finding a void in the Lions’ return scheme that must have been obvious on film, and nobody raced underneath it. B.C. was incredibly fortunate that the first bounce went over the top of Kelon Thomas’ outstretched arms and that Kelechi Anyalebechi failed to secure the catch, allowing Silas Bolden to become entangled with him enough to deflect the ball out of bounds with his flailing limbs.

Things never improved. Calgary’s opening touchdown came on a drive where they had been stalled, only for Riley Pickett to jump offside on the punt team and give them an out. Remarkably, Maxime Rouyer would commit the exact same foul in the second half, though the defence was able to make a stop that time. Carl Meyer, normally one of the league’s best punters, also had an atrocious night, shanking one punt for a net field position flip of just three yards and sending another illegally out of bounds. His net average was just 26.1 yards.

Tyreik McAllister broke tackles on virtually every return and generated points directly on two of them. He took one kickoff across the halfway line, which set up a McAtamney for a 57-yard field goal — tying former Lions kicker Steven Shott for the longest ever recorded at the Apple Bowl.  Then, he delivered the dagger with a 90-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Bolden never got remotely close to generating anything quite as exciting, giving B.C. nothing but long fields to work with. His best opportunity ended when his own blocker, Parker McKenna, ran into him as he slipped into a crease. His worst moment, a game-changing fumble, will be discussed momentarily.

I’m not sure I have ever seen such a complete and utterly pitiful performance in the game’s third phase. Every member of the unit deserves a share of the blame, even those with productive stat lines like Pickett and local hero Jacob Bond. Something needs to be done to address this issue as urgently as people have suggested on defence, or the Lions will always be forced to play at a disadvantage.

(Som)back breaking

The Lions had the lead and, seemingly, all the momentum heading into the final three minutes of the first half. Then everything went horribly wrong.

A defence that to that point could have been described as noticeably improved allowed Vernon Adams Jr. his first substantive drive of the game, as he marched 74 yards in nine plays. That was aided by a facemask by linebacker Ben Hladik, part of the 118 yards worth of penalties surrendered by B.C. The end result was a strike to Jalen Philpot to retake the lead, as the Canadian receiver beat Ronald Kent Jr. inside, and Josh Hagerty couldn’t get over in time to help.

In the context of a football game, giving up a drive like that is hardly a death blow, but what came next was closer to fatal. Silas Bolden received the ensuing kickoff and sliced upfield before getting drilled by Carson Sombach. In terms of combined weight, you’d be hard-pressed to find a smaller collision than one between a 160-pound returner and an (allegedly) 194-pound safety, but the former Regina Ram hit like a two-ton truck. The ball came loose, and Calgary recovered.

B.C. put up a valiant fight, but given the field position, points were almost inevitable. Quincy Vaughn plunged in for a touchdown with seconds remaining before the intermission, and the Lions never recovered from the 24-14 deficit.

Those who addressed the media post-game remained vague when it came to the mood and conversation in the locker room at halftime, telling no tales of rousing speeches or butt-chewings. Perhaps those did occur, but the docility of this team at every stage of this game leaves me skeptical that anyone made a compelling attempt to kick them into gear. Head coach Buck Pierce is not the rah-rah type, which could prove his downfall, and at the bare minimum, someone has to fill that void. You can’t collapse to end a half, then respond with only a field goal in the third quarter, and expect to win the game.

Throw-pourri

B.C. was dead on arrival and rotting in the second half, but Nathan Rourke’s eye-catching passing numbers will at least cover some of the stench at the funeral.

The Canadian QB finished the game 32-of-42 for 462 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He also caught one pass on a trick play from Keon Hatcher, which resulted in a 21-yard gain, set up a go-ahead major, and drew the loudest cheer of the night by far. There were some spectacular throws involved, especially considering the pressure he was under, but the real question is: did it really matter?

A sizeable portion of Rourke’s production came in the depths of garbage time, when a comeback was a statistical improbability. Arguably, his most important play was an early mistake, as he had the chance to tie the game in the red zone, but rushed a rollout throw to Keon Hatcher rather than taking the checkdown. The fluttering ball was picked off by Zy Alexander, wasting a prime scoring opportunity.

Of course, nobody with a modicum of lucidity would point the finger at the quarterback right now. However, the narrative around this team has changed in a disturbing way. Entering the year, you could say with confidence that B.C. would always have a chance because of Rourke. He continues to put up numbers, and they have been soundly defeated at every turn. That should scare the daylights out of you if you are a fan.

Mission accomplished

At the risk of making a George Bush reference, the Lions can hang a mission accomplished banner over this resounding defeat in one particular area.

After two weeks of nearly non-existent pass rush, the Lions’ star-studded unit created genuine problems for the Stampeders at times. Mathieu Betts was noticeably disruptive, being credited with one sack and a batted pass. Levi Bell got credit for the other QB takedown, though it was mostly a team effort deep in Stampeder territory. Casey Sayles would have had another, if not for a Deontai Williams penalty down the field.

Those three players, as well as Jonah Tavai, all had other moments in which they collapsed the pocket or made Vernon Adams uncomfortable. His mobility allowed him to escape and extend plays at times, but he exited with a dirty jersey, unlike Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell. That is a heartening sign.

Betts was unaware of what the term “silver lining” meant when I broached the subject post-game, requiring additional explanation. For anyone who doesn’t have English as a first language, the defensive line’s outing is a pretty good example of the idiom.

Wrong headliner

One of the major stories entering this game was the return of Folarin Orimolade to the Stampeders’ defensive line, giving them another elite pass rusher. While Flo did notch four tackles and a sack in his 2026 debut, coming off the edge untouched as Chris Schleuger failed to pull across, he was not the star of the show for the Calgary defence.

That honour goes to Clarence Hicks, who was held entirely off the stat sheet despite a dazzling performance off the other edge. His lone sack was erased by a penalty down the field, but he was constantly in the backfield and turned the heavy-footed Kory Woodruff into a turnstile. Several other Stampeder sacks were mop-up duty from his initial pressure.

That’s not to say the other players weren’t impactful in their own right. Jaylon Hutchings noticeably pushed the pocket, Charles Wiley had arguably the best game of his career, and Miles Brown was dangerous on stunts. All told, the Lions’ offensive line was thoroughly brutalized. Schleuger routinely struggled, Woodruff looked adrift, Dejon Allen couldn’t set a firm edge, and newcomer Josh Donovan was pushed around.

Nathan Rourke can try to take the fall by saying he held the ball too long, but too often, the pressure was in his face immediately. For a team that has outright refused to invest in Canadian offensive line talent, the saving grace is supposed to be having quality American blockers. I’m not convinced that B.C. has ever delivered on that hypothesis, and that got exposed in Kelowna.

One up, one down

In his return from injury, Keon Hatcher had his best performance of the year, hauling in nine catches for 162 yards. He was a legitimate threat down the field and did not seem hampered at all by his hamstring. That is a massive relief, given the Lions’ other ailments.

The story was markedly different for Justin McInnis, who seemed to be a shadow after sitting out every practice this week with a bum ankle. He did catch three passes for 37 yards, but at times, it felt like Rourke was forcing it to a target who didn’t have the juice.

B.C. needs both of their top targets to be healthy if they are going to turn this season around. Hopefully, a week in the Okanagan can perform miracles.

Blooper reel

I’ve picked on rookie cornerback Tyson Russell a lot in this column through the first two games, perhaps unfairly. You could argue he’s actually been the Lions’ best DB to date, though that’s not a particularly high bar.

Unfortunately, he was the victim of the only explosive play allowed by B.C.’s defence in Kelowna, getting beaten in almost comedic fashion. He had great coverage on Tevin Jones down the left sideline, but appeared to misjudge the trajectory of the ball in the air and lunged out in front like he was about to pick off an overthrow. Instead, Jones extended a single hand to stab a pigskin that looked destined to hit Russell in the name plate, making one of the plays of the week.

Adding insult to injury, Ben Hladik ear-holed his teammate while trying to make a play himself, essentially lead-blocking for a 56-yard touchdown catch. It was ugly.

Russell also committed a blatant pass interference penalty in the first quarter, which set up Calgary’s first touchdown. Fellow cornerback C.J. Coldon deserves some criticism there as well, as he blew a tackle on Dedrick Mills near the sideline. Both could stand to take some tackling lessons from Jackson Findlay, who made some of the best defensive plays of the night while playing low in the box.

Warm and fuzzy feelings

Not everything on the field was doom and gloom. If you have a soft spot in your heart for the underdogs, two players who the Lions cut in training camp made a noticeable impact.

In just his second game back after being discarded by the team, Jermaine Jackson had a breakout performance. He caught six passes for 149 yards, scoring one touchdown with exceptional second effort and setting up another late by hauling in a 51-yard bomb. That was a big step forward after an underwhelming outing last week, and it had to feel especially good after being passed over.

Canadian veteran Hergy Mayala also caught the game’s final touchdown pass after being brought back into the fold this week. Given that he was one of B.C.’s top performers through training camp and simply lost a numbers game at the position, you can’t help but feel happy for him.

Fruitful in unity

Kelowna’s time in the CFL spotlight is far from over, with a whole week’s worth of festivities remaining before a second game in the city next Saturday. However, my early impressions were overwhelmingly positive.

Fans from across the interior and beyond showed up in droves, with a robust crowd enjoying beverages and activities in the Fan Zone even three hours before kickoff. The throngs of people only grew as the start time inched closer, creating an energetic atmosphere in the intimate makeshift venue. Lions fans certainly made up the majority, but I would estimate that a fifth of those in attendance were wearing Stampeders gear, which was to be expected with Calgary roughly seven hours away.

There was also a sprinkling of jerseys from across the CFL, featuring players both new and old. The only uniform I didn’t personally spot was the Ottawa Redblacks, though I’m sure there was one out there somewhere.

Any non-traditional venue is going to come with unique challenges and limitations, but the Lions and the CFL should be applauded for what they were able to accomplish at a stadium that sat just 2,300 a few weeks ago. It is clear that a lot of lessons were learned from Touchdown Pacific in Victoria in 2024, which provided a unique experience, but fell short in a number of key areas. To the greatest extent possible, those appeared to be much improved in Kelowna. There were far more food and beverage options available, and more space in which to wait for them, though some tents did run out of beer and the bathroom situation was dicey. The number of different premium or upgraded experiences available showed a lot of creativity in how to maximize revenue with a limited capacity. And on a personal level, I didn’t have to cover the game from a dugout, which was unforgettable but not conducive to good journalism.

It was cool to see owner Amar Doman walking the sidelines, signing footballs and fistbumping fans pre-game, as none of this would have been possible without his passion and commitment. He would have been well within his rights to eschew these added costs and remain on the road for the entirety of the FIFA World Cup, as the Toronto Argonauts have done. Instead, Doman put his team — and his fanbase — before his wallet, which cannot be lauded enough. I can’t wait to do this again next week.

My kind of party

The cost associated with raising a stadium from the ether does have one substantial downside, as the Lions will not have their traditional kickoff concert this year. Doman has spent lavishly to bring in marquee acts like OneRepublic, LL Cool J, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg over the past few seasons, attracting over 50,000 spectators to BC Place for what he has described as a gift to the community.

That’s not to say that there wasn’t music associated with B.C.’s “home” opener. The team is hosting a FanFest all week long at Waterfront Park on the shores of Okanagan Lake, complete with plenty of concerts. Things kicked off on Friday night with former Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle as the headliner.

I am always in favour of the Lions bringing in acts that appeal to the lost demographic of fans, which they’ve done in the past, but those musicians have never been my cup of tea. Great Big Sea is my favourite band of all time. Alan Doyle is my Snoop Dogg. This felt like a special treat just for me.

The opening of the skies prior to the concert could not keep a resilient crowd of like-minded individuals away, and there was nothing but rainbows in the sky by the time Doyle took the stage. The natural amphitheatre is a wonderful venue, and if you happen to be in Kelowna throughout the week, you won’t want to miss out.

Where the sun don’t shine

Given the venue for Saturday’s game, I expected to write something about the Okanagan Sun, particularly with a couple of alumni in Kelon Thomas and Jacob Bond playing in the game. I did not anticipate a section on the Okanagan moon.

Late in the fourth quarter, with the game all but decided, a member of the crowd broke onto the field through the end zone and raced over 80 yards onto the Lions’ half. He was clearly wearing a grey T-shirt with the number 12 on it, but it did not become apparent until he was being wrestled to the ground that he had nothing on the bottom half. The human body might be a miraculous thing, but some of it is best covered up.

There was far too much jangling around as security escorted him slowly down the tunnel. Please, I beg of you, no matter how drunk you get, don’t be the idiot who exposes everyone else to your misplaced confidence.

A week by the lake

The Lions will remain in Kelowna all week before the Edmonton Elks come to town next Saturday. It will be a battle between one winless team and the league’s last unbeaten, with the two clubs playing the opposite roles from what many predicted entering the year.

This is do-or-die for the Lions, in my opinion. We all know the story of 2011, but you can’t rely on history to save you in a tight West Division. A 0-4 start would create a nearly insurmountable mountain to climb, and could place jobs in imminent jeopardy. You have to figure things out now.