Nov 19, 2020
Greatest Grey Cup Champion: Semi-final - 1997 Argonauts vs. 1948 Stampeders
A Toronto Argonauts offence that steamrolled the competition goes up against a Calgary Stampeders team that could not be beaten in the second semi-final of the Greatest Grey Cup Champion.
1997 ARGONAUTS vs 1948 STAMPEDERS
An Argonauts offence that steamrolled the competition against a Stampeders team that could not be beaten.
WHY TORONTO BEAT OTTAWA
It was hard for anyone to get the best of Russ Jackson in the 1960s. Think of all the other great quarterbacks of that era – like Saskatchewan’s Ron Lancaster and Winnipeg’s Kenny Ploen – that Jackson had to beat. But Doug Flutie is different. No one could manipulate the Canadian game like Flutie. And with Robert Drummond and Derrell "Mookie" Mitchell and Pinball Clemons surrounding Flutie, our experts know not even the great Ottawa Rough Riders could overcome that kind of offensive power.
WHY CALGARY BEAT WINNIPEG
In an age when players routinely played multiple positions on both sides of the ball, our TSN experts love the creative ways Bombers head coach Bud Grant used running back Leo Lewis, quarterback Jim Van Pelt, offensive and defensive lineman Herb Gray, and halfback, safety, and quarterback Ken Ploen. But it’s also hard to overlook the power of a historic unbeaten season, especially when that unbeaten run is powered by legendary players like offensive end Woody Strode, quarterback Keith Spaith and future Hall of Fame running back Fritz Hanson. No team in modern CFL history has won 22-straight games. And our experts weren’t ready to put a loss on head coach Les Lear’s undefeated Stampeders.
WHY THIS MATCHUP MATTERS
The 1948 Stampeders and 1997 Argonauts each set unmatched standards in CFL history. The Stampeders were equally dominant on both sides of the ball and no team in over 70 years has come close to being that good. In 1997, Doug Flutie’s offence in Toronto was a machine that continuously hummed up and down the field. Every great CFL offence of the last 20 years is inevitably compared to Flutie’s Toronto behemoth. On the field of this fantasy matchup, it would be awesome to see Calgary offensive end Woody Strode and running back Fritz Hanson take on 1997 Argonauts linebacker, and Canadian legend, Mike O'Shea.
THE NUMBERS
During the 10 straight games the 1997 Argos won between Aug. 14 and Oct. 18, Flutie's Argos averaged 39.9 points per game. The question is: Could these Argonauts, with all their weapons, break down a historic Calgary defence that gave up just 5.1 points per game? Since Canadian football seasons were extended to 12 games or more following the Second World War, no other defence has clamped down on opponents so completely.