‘We wuz robbed’: Ticats

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This article was published 01/12/2014 (3999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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VANCOUVER — A CFL season that saw officiating become a major storyline ended with the biggest call of the year going against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The Stampeders will be holding a Grey Cup parade in a few days, but many will argue it should be Hamiltonians going to work with hangovers this week.

And if you thought the push for better refereeing in the CFL was going to be strong this off-season, wait until Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young has his say.

The Tiger-Cats wouldn’t say it on the record Sunday, but the word “robbed,” was getting tossed about liberally when tape recorders were turned off.

The Tiger-Cats took every shot the Stampeders hit them with and stayed on their feet, only to knock themselves out just as they were about to grasp victory and a championship.

History will say the Stamps won the 102nd Grey Cup by a score of 20-16, but with just over one minute to go in the game a touchdown was taken off the board that would have put Hamilton ahead 23-20.

“Huge,” said Tiger-Cats coach Kent Austin about the penalty call that negated Brandon Banks’ 90-yard punt return for a touchdown. “Good for (the referee).”

Banks corraled the punt and sped across the field, beating the coverage to get around the edge then flew down and hit what he thought was pay dirt in the Stamps’ end zone.

Back around his own 20-yard-line, however, a flag lay on the field. Tiger-Cats linebacker Taylor Reed had been penalized for an illegal block.

Replays showed the infraction took place after Banks had beaten Calgary’s Karl McCartney, the man Reed blocked.

“I shouldn’t have put it in the officials’ hands. I take full responsibility. It’s my fault,” said a morose Reed.

Banks stormed past the media muttering, “I ain’t talking to nobody,” and disappeared into a circle of supporters outside the Tiger-Cats dressing room.

Austin remained silent on the specific play, but wouldn’t let overall CFL officiating off the hook.

“I’m on the record as saying we have to be better. We can be better and we have to be better. It changes lives. It’s important,” said Austin. “I know this. A lot of stuff happens on every special teams play. Some gets called and some doesn’t.”

The Stampeders made enough plays to win, and officiating plays a role in every game. This is by no means a tainted victory for Calgary. But they left the door open and Hamilton just about walked through it.

The storyline all week was Calgary (15-3) in all likelihood blowing 9-9 Hamilton out of the BC Place dome.

“They’re the best team in the league. To get that close and then have it taken away like that, well it stings,” said Tiger-Cats offensive lineman Brian Simmons. “To tell you the truth, I’d rather come in and get blown out and have them stomp us. Losing like this, it’s painful. It hurts. And it will for a long time.”

Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was near perfect in the first half but it didn’t translate into a ton of points and Calgary led 17-7 at the half.

Hamilton’s defence came to life in the second half and held the Stampeders to just three points. Calgary’s league-leading rusher Jon Cornish was mostly silent, running for just 25 yards on nine carries.

“I was the MVD today — most valuable decoy. I’m happy to be that. If they want to game plan to shut me down, I’m thrilled to be standing here as champion,” said Cornish.

Banks’ return was one of the greatest non-plays in Grey Cup history and if not for the flag, would have made this game an all-time classic.

“It was the greatest play that never happened,” said Ticats defensive back Brandon Stewart.

This will be a season to forget in the CFL but the finale was one to remember.

But maybe for the wrong reasons.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless