Around the CFL: Als have had Toronto's number in East final

By Fred Williams Nov 11, 2006, 19:25 GMT

Montreal, QC - The Montreal Alouettes will have history on their side Sunday when they face the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division final.

This marks the fifth straight year Montreal and Toronto have met to decide who will be the East representative in the Grey Cup. Montreal, though, has won three of the four previous meetings.

The only exception was 2004 when Toronto won and went on to beat the B.C. Lions in the Grey Cup.

Montreal won the three-game season series 2-1, including a 24-20 decision in Toronto on October 28 that clinched first place -- and the right to host the final -- in the East Division.

However, the visiting team has won the last two East Division finals, Toronto in 2004 and Montreal last year.

CFL ALL-STARS: The league announced its 2006 all-star team this week, with B.C. Lions receiver Geroy Simon the lone unanimous selection.

Simon led the CFL with 105 catches for 1,856 yards and 15 touchdowns and is the overwhelming favorite to be named the league's outstanding player. Simon is the West Division nominee for the award and will be up against running back Charles Roberts of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who led the league in rushing with 1,609 yards.

B.C. led the way with seven selections to the team, including defensive end Brent Johnson, the former Ohio State Buckeye who led the CFL with 16 sacks and is a finalist for the league's top defensive player and outstanding Canadian awards.

Calgary and Winnipeg both placed five players on the team while Saskatchewan had four. Toronto had three players named, one more than Edmonton. Montreal had one.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had no selections.

DAMON MUM: Toronto Argonauts quarterback Damon Allen has refused to talk about being replaced in the East Division semifinal by backup Michael Bishop.

Bishop came into the game in the fourth quarter and threw two touchdown passes to lead the Argos to a come-from-behind 31-27 win. As a result, Toronto will meet the Montreal Alouettes in the division final Sunday for the fifth straight year.

But all week, Allen has refused to talk about the move even though Argos head coach Mike Clemons has said repeatedly this week that Allen will be the starter against Montreal.

The Argos will have receiver Tony Miles in their lineup Sunday. Miles had missed the club's last two games with a foot injury. But fullback Jeff Johnson won't play due to a heel injury suffered against Winnipeg. Toronto native Jason Gavadza, who was on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad when they won the Super Bowl after the 2000 NFL season, will replace Johnson in the lineup.

Toronto also re-signed tackle John Feugill this week. Feugill played for Toronto in 2003 and '04 but was released prior to last season when Jerome Davis beat him out for the starting job. Davis is nursing a rib injury and if he can't play, then Feugill will be activated for Sunday's game

MILT'S STATUS: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will spend another anxious offseason wondering if veteran receiver Milt Stegall will be back.

Stegall will celebrate his 37th birthday in January, but enjoyed a solid 2006 season. Despite missing time due to injuries, he finished fourth among CFL receivers with 79 catches for 1,289 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 100-yard TD grab during a game with Edmonton. He finished the season with 136 career touchdowns, one short of the league record that's shared by Mike Pringle and George Reed.

But the record is secondary to Stegall. He has always stated that winning a Grey Cup was his top priority. For all the awards and honors Stegall has earned in Canada, the former Miami of Ohio star has never played on a Grey Cup-winning team.

Winnipeg made huge strides as a team this year, though. After missing the CFL playoffs in 2005, the Bombers finished third in the East with a 9-9 record before losing a heart-breaking 31-27 decision to Toronto in the conference semifinal last weekend.

BURATTO FIRED: Offensive coordinator Steve Burrato paid the price this week for the Calgary Stampeders' abrupt departure from the CFL playoffs.

The Stampeders dropped a 30-21 decision to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Division semifinal last weekend. The loss was a bitter pill for Calgary, which posted a 10-8 record to finish second in the division and was also a stellar 8-1 at home this year.

But Saskatchewan forced seven turnovers, including four interceptions against former Roughrider quarterback Henry Burris.

Burrato was praised this season for the imagination and versatility of Calgary's offense. The Stampeders not only led the CFL in rushing, averaging 134 yards per game, but used an abundance of formations and schemes to confuse opposing defenses. They finished first overall in total yards, averaging 382 per game, and were second in the league in scoring, averaging 25.4 points per game.

Burris also thrived in Burrato's offense, finishing first overall in touchdown passes with 23 and third in passing yards with 4,453 yards.

© 2006 The Sports Network