It was, of course, another abysmal performance by the Hamilton Pussy-Cats.
If you follow the CFL at all, you likely anticipated that since this is the most pathetic team in contemporary professional football — and quite possibly even the most pathetic in the long history of professional football.
What you could not have expected, however, was that the team that broadcast the Pussy-Cats’ embarrassment against the Argos yesterday would emerge with an even more inept display.
CBC’s coverage of the Labour Day not-so-Classic in Hamilton was, without question, the worst broadcast of a CFL game in years. In fact, it was the worst I’ve ever seen. And, believe me, I’ve watched tens of thousands of CFL games on television over the decades.
This is the final season of the CFL on CBC, and let us thank the heavens for that. The network really doesn’t seem to care any more.
If it did, I suspect it wouldn’t have:
• Flashed the word “touchdown” across the screen — not once, but twice — when the Argos failed to cross the goal-line yesterday.
• Played three in-game audio clips from the Argos’ Chuck Winters, who was wearing a microphone but didn’t utter a word in any of them.
• Allowed Steve Armitage to call the play-by-play. This guy makes CBC cohort Bob Cole sound like he’s in the prime of his hockey announcing career.
Armitage told viewers that Jamall Broussard returned a kick for the Argos even though it was clearly Dominique Dorsey, even though Broussard has never returned a kick for the Argos and even though Broussard wears No. 81 while Dorsey wears No. 34.
Armitage also wondered on the air whether Charlie Taafe would be yanked as the Ticats‚ quarterback in the second half. Thing is, Taafe is the Ticats coach.
There were more Armitage blunders, plenty more, but there isn’t enough space here to list them.
Look, we all make mistakes in journalism, but Armitage has goofed up so many times this year that the networks use of him is mind-boggling.
For the mystified TV audience, the inexcusably sub-par broadcast yesterday surely obscured the Ticats many deficiencies. But the homers at Ivor Wynne Stadium watched in dismay again as Hamilton’s QBs did diddly-squat (which explains why management is pursuing ex-CFL-star-turned-NFL-discard Casey Printers).
Michael Bishop, returning as the Argos QB after a wrist injury, was efficient and competent. You might be inclined to conclude that the Argos are for real again because of the way they played yesterday.
One can’t be sure, though. I mean, if you can’t look good against the Pussy-Cats, you’re pathetic yourself.
In three-plus decades as a columnist and broadcaster, Marty York has built a network of solid contacts and a renowned reputation for his hard-hitting, groundbreaking style. The tradition continues in Metro Sports.
