1967 Retirements

1967 Retirements

HC Emil Riddle - Pittsburgh, PA
Teams/Positions: HC Worcester Athletics (1954-1958), HC Louisville Thunder (1959-1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1962)
Awards: 3 Coach of the Year (1954, 1956, 1962)
Record: 82-67-1
It was not a great ending to a fantastic career that Emil Riddle had, but following the 1-11 season, he has decided to step down and call it a career. Riddle’s career started with the Pittsburgh Hammers of the ACFL where he worked his way up to the head coaching role. However, due to some rough seasons in Pittsburgh and disagreements with management, he decided to look for a new opportunity. He would land in Worcester and make an immediate impact taking home Coach of the Year in his first season. He would win Coach of the Year again in 1956 leading the Athletics to a 9-1 record and their long McCallister Cup appearance in the NAAF. After issues arose with the management in Worcester, which included the team trading QB Riley Kiernan and drafting QB Gene Bishop, Riddle left the team and took a job with the Thunder. He quickly made the Thunder into contenders in the West Division. In 1962, he would finally get over the hump and win the McCallister Cup which also went along with his 3rd Coach of the Year. Following the win, he continued to keep the team in contention despite injuries and other issues. In 1965, he would make a run to the final once again but fell short of winning it again. 1966 ended up being his worst season as a coach and knew he was past his best by date. Riddle is one of the best coaches the league has seen. Players loved playing for him, simply because he made them better, he took the time to help everyone on the team. It was too bad he didn’t find more success.

LB Rusty McVee - Brampton, ON - Creator: Thehealthiestscratch
Drafted: 1953 MTL - Round 1, Pick 4
Teams: Montreal Rouge (1953-1956), Long Island Raiders (1957-1960), Providence (1961-1963), Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1953, 1958)
Awards: Rookie of the Year (1953), McCallister Cup MVP (1958), Playoff MVP (1958)
All-Stars: 7 (1954, 1957-1962)
Player of the Week: 8
McVee entered the NAAF with a bang. The hard-hitting Linebacker became an immediate force of terror on the field. So much so that he took home the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, on top of helping the Rouge to their second McCallister Cup. He remained a force throughout the next 3 years, however, the Rouge fell into a rebuild and the LB decided he was done. He would get traded to the Raiders where he continued his reign of terror. He would be the centrepiece of the Raiders’ 3-headed monster of a LB core with Elijah Goldwater and Gene Bensen. He would help Long Island get their first McCallister Cup in 1958, taking home the Playoff MVP and McCallister Cup MVP awards. He continued to dominate with the Raiders, however, the team had to let him go due to the introduction of the Salary Cap. McVee signed with the Gold Stars and helped them reach the playoffs in 3 straight seasons, but did fall just short of the McCallister Cup, losing in the game in 1963. He ended up leaving the Gold Stars after the Cup appearance to return to his home area to play for the Steelheads and got the team to the playoffs in all 3 seasons. McVee finally decided to end his career, which may come as a sigh of relief for many players who feared his hits, a sure sign of respect…I hope. An impressive stat for McVee is wherever McVee went, he also managed to make them into playoff contenders, in his 14 seasons he saw the playoffs in 12 of them.

DL Vernon Spears - New York City, NY - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1954 LI - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Long Island Hawks/Raiders (1954-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1965)
Captaincy: LI - C (1957-1966)
All-Stars: 7 (1957-1963)
Player of the Week: 4
After being selected with the first overall selection in the 1954 draft, DL Vernon Spears had the tough task of replacing the recently traded DL Sean Bowen. It would be hard to do considering the Hawks were heading into a heavy rebuild. However, he very quickly started to get the team moving forward. In just his second season, he would help the Raiders reach the McCallister Cup. He continued to grow and get comfortable in the defence and the team. Many teammates began to highly respect Spears. This is why he was named the team’s first captain in 1957. From there, he played a vital role in the Raiders' success in the late ’50s. He was able to reign in LB Rusty McVee and get the Raiders their first cup in 1958 and then helped with 2 more West Division titles in the following seasons. Unfortunately, the Raiders could not capitalize on another cup win and had to go into another rebuild. However, with Spears leading the way on defence, it did not take long for the team to find their groove again and went to back-to-back McCallister Cups in 1964 and 1965. They took home the ‘65 title, and go Spears to stay on for one last season. After falling short, the league’s longest-serving captain has finally decided to call it a career. 

DL Olympus Heights - Oshawa, ON - Creator: Thehealthiestscratch
Drafted: 1955 ON - Round 1, Pick 5
Teams: Ontario/London Tigers (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 5 (1958-1961, 1963)
Player of the Week: 5
Heights was selected 5th overall in the 1955 draft after the Ontario Tigers traded back from the 3rd spot. They had their eye on the smart and ever-improving D-lineman. It took him a bit of time to truly kick into gear, but by 1958, Heights was becoming a regular all-star. His favourite place to be in the game was in the backfield, stopping running backs in their tracks and giving QB’s a good reminder to throw the ball. During the Tigers’ run of 3 straight McCallister Cup appearances, Heights was a part of one of the more frustrating D-lines in the league that featured, Dee Floyd, William Collins, and a young Richard Blunt. He certainly was important to the Tigers’ success including 2 Cup wins in 1960 and 1963. His friendly, fun-loving personality tied really well to his leadership on the line, keeping everyone focused but having a good time. Heights retires not really knowing what he will do, but it’s very likely we see him either as a coach or in the press box in the future.

RB Clifford Russell - New York City, NY - Creator: GoRedSox96
Drafted: 1956 ON - Round 1, Pick 3
Teams: Ontario/London Tigers (1956-1966)
Captaincy: LDN - A (1961-1965)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 1 (1962)
Player of the Week: 6
Despite being taken with the 3rd overall selection in the 1956 draft, Russell was not the first RB picked. The top RB was Scott Mallard-White, who went to Montreal with the first pick. Russell was not expected to be quite as good as Mallard-White out of the gate, however, he stole the show during the first season, winning the rookie of the year award in 1956. Russell’s explosive running ability made London’s offence significantly better almost immediately. Every play started to feel like Russell could break off for 20+ yards. Russell would consistently put up around 15 touchdowns a season over the Tigers’ 3 year run of McCallister Cup appearances, being a key piece behind QB Riley Kiernan. Russell was important for the Tigers not only on the field but off as well. He was a pure leader that every player looked up to, which is why he served as the teams’ alternative captain between 1961 and 1965. Even outside of the team he was a role model with his consistent work on civil rights and fighting for equality, and initiative that the London Tigers and the NAAF have been in full support of. Russell spent his entire career with the Tigers, winning 2 McCallister Cups. Unfortunately, his career has been cut short, as he suffered several injuries over his last few seasons which hindered his running ability significantly. Russell plans on continuing his fight for rights off the field but has been open to the possibility of returning to football down the line.

OL Sal Valcano - Fort Drum, NY - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 BOS - Round 2, Pick 15
Teams: Boston Independents (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1961)
All-Stars: 4 (1958, 1960-1962)
Valcano was drafted by the Boston Independents, 15th overall in 1955. He was one of the first pieces Boston grabbed to try and kickstart their rebuild. Valcano was not expected to be super talented, but just be a solid piece on the line, but he managed to exceed that. His army background and discipline tied heavily into his ability to get better every day. He became a staple on the line for many years. He earned 4 All-Star nods during the late-50’s and early 60s, during the height of Boston’s most recent success under QB Nathaniel Braddock. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Independents, which did earn him a championship in 1961. He will retire with plans to return home and continue to train and potentially get back to serving.

LB Daniel Carpenter - Toronto, ON - Creator: Wallflower
Drafted: OFU
Teams: Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
Captaincy: TOR - A (1964-1966)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 2 (1964-1965)
Carpenter’s time in the NAAF was quite short overall, but he made his mark. Carpenter came over with the Ontario Football Union when it merged with the NAAF. He quickly signed on to remain in Toronto, where he had been terrorizing the OFU. He is the all-time tackle leader for the Lakers, and well the Steelheads now as well. Carpenter was pretty much the LB Scotty Williams of the OFU with his dominant play down the middle. In his time in the NAAF, Carpenter helped the Steelheads reach the playoffs in all 3 seasons he played. His leadership both on and off the field was super important to the success, especially when dealing with characters such as Rusty McVee. Carpenter will not be the greatest NAAF players ever, but his contributions to Toronto sports and football as a whole is certainly worth mentioning.

DB Lou Lake - Hoboken, NJ - Creator: Dan O’Mac
Drafted: 1955 BUF - Round 1, Pick 6
Teams: Buffalo Blue Wings (1955-1964), Indiana Victors (1965), Buffalo Blue Wings (1965)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1957, 1964, 1966)
All-Stars: 1 (1957)
Player of the Week: 2
The Blue Wings took a shot at a young Lou Lake with the 6th overall selection in the 1955 draft. The guy they got was one with great instincts and he was able to make waves fairly early in his career, getting his one all-star appearance in 1957 during Buffalo’s 2nd championship season. Lake continued to lead by example in the Blue Wings’ secondary completing 10 seasons with the Blue Wings and becoming a fan favourite. After getting his second ring with Buffalo in 1964, Lake was a casualty of some roster retooling in Buffalo and was sent to Indiana. He played a single season in Indiana as a veteran leader with a smaller role. After the year, he stated that unless he was able to play one last season in Buffalo, he would just call it a career. His wish was granted and he signed with Buffalo and played an important role in relief for injuries en route to a 3rd championship win in his final season.

LB Gene Bensen - Springfield, MA - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1955 LI - Round 2, Pick 13
Teams: Long Island Raiders (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1965)
All-Stars: 1 (1962)
Player of the Week: 1
Bensen started his career after being drafted 13th overall in the 1955 draft. He stepped into the rebuilding Raiders team and got a little lost in the waves originally. His shy and antisocial personality caused him to become a little lost, but DL Vernon Spears helped get him up to speed and by 1958 was a key member of the Raiders 3-headed monster. He continued to roll, getting more comfortable with the team and earned an All-Star nod in 1962. However, his career fell off near the end with injuries affecting his ability to be in the lineup. Bensen had another injury this season which pretty much ended his career with the team and he decided that it would be the end come the offseason. He retires as a 2-time champion and a still well-liked member of the Raiders’ history.

DB Ricardo Salvador - Jamaica Plain, MA - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 PRO - Round 3, Pick 18
Teams: R.Providence Gold Stars (1955-1956), Ontario/London Tigers (1956-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 1 (1958)
Player of the Week: 1
The Providence Gold Stars took a chance on a young DB in the 3rd round of the 1955 draft, however, he was certainly a long shot to make it to the roster from the start. After spending the first year and a half on the reserve list, the Gold Stars traded the young player to the Tigers to acquire the famed RB Laurent Brazeau. Salvador immediately jumped into the Tigers lineup and showed what he was made of. While there were mistakes he showed that his instincts served him well and he was able to make plays. The Tigers felt they had a future star on their hands. They were right as Salvador blossomed into their #1 DB for a few seasons which earned him an All-Star nod. He continued to roll, helping the Tigers reach the McCallister Cup 4 times and winning twice. Salvador was a loud and proud member of the Tigers who always seemed to have fun. Though he is still humble and certainly felt that his speed was not where it used to be this season as he was getting beat a little more easily. Thus, he decided to call it a career. 

QB Christian Stewart - Kitchener, ON - Creator: No Name
Drafted: 1952 - TOR.T - Round 2, Pick 10
Teams: Toronto/Ontario/London Tigers (1952-1960), Louisville Thunder (1961), Providence Gold Stars (1962-1963), Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
Captaincy: ON/LDN - A (1957-1958)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1960)
Player of the Week: 2
Stewart was the second QB ever taken in a NAAF draft following only QB Riley Kiernan. However, he did not get to be the starter out of the gate as the Tigers had acquired QB Duane Logan earlier in the draft. Stewart would spend his first 4 seasons backing up Logan before he was given the starting job for the 1956 season. While the season got off to a tough start, he managed to help turn the team around in the second half to make the playoffs for the first time in the team’s history. The next season, he hoped to be even better, however, he struggled a bit more in his second season as a starter and the Tigers missed the playoffs after a solid start. In 1958, the Tigers acquired Riley Kiernan from the Athletics, but Stewart remained the starter going into the season. Unfortunately for Stewart, he suffered a major injury in the first game of the season which allowed Kiernan to take over and not look back. Stewart remained with the Tigers despite not being the starter. In 1960, Stewart stepped up after Kiernan was hurt in the final game of the season. Stewart would lead the Tigers to back-to-back playoff wins, including an OT thriller with the Raiders, to get the team back to the McCallister Cup. Kiernan returned for the championship and secured the team’s first championship. After that season, Stewart was given the chance to explore other options. He would be sent to the Thunder for a season, before going to Providence for two. He never got a starting opportunity and eventually returned to Toronto, where his career started and played 3 years for the Steelheads before calling it a career. Stewart will be remembered for probably the best backup performance in the playoffs as many Tigers’ fans will remember his importance to their first championship. 

QB Rigobert St-Hilaire - Montreal, QC - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1953 - Round 3, Pick 20
Teams: R.Montreal Rouge (1953-1954), Montreal Rouge (1955-1956), Long Island Raiders (1957-1959), Providence Gold Stars (1960-1961), London Tigers (1962-1964), Montreal Rouge (1965), Louisville Thunder (1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1963)
St-Hilaire was not looked at as a great QB option when he was drafted in 1953, but the Rouge liked the local talent and took a chance. It took a bit of time for St-Hilaire to break into the active roster, but he eventually was there in 1955. That season, he saw the field quite a bit with starting QB Lee Rogers struggling throughout the season. The same story in 1956, as he replaced veteran Bruce Woodard halfway through. Unfortunately, Montreal was not keen on him being a long-term option so they traded him to Long Island along with LB Rusty McVee. St-Hilaire backed up QB Lyle Painter for a few seasons in Long Island, being brought in for trick plays with RB Armando Amaro, who also had previous QB experience and would throw it to St-Hilaire. He eventually went to Providence where he came in for an injured Connor O’Rourke for a few games. He would spend 3 seasons in London where he didn’t see the field but got an opportunity when he returned to Montreal due to a Gene Bishop injury at the end of the 1965 season. This past year, he got another chance in Louisville with QB Leonidas Dumont hurt. He had his worse performance and was even replaced by the 3rd string QB Nikolas Diakos. His running ability that made him more of a threat was no longer there and he struggled because of it. He retires being a consistent backup around the league.

QB Caldwell Higgins III - London, ON - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1954 - Round 2, Pick 13
Teams: R.Boston Independents (1954-1955), Boston Independents (1956-1957), Indiana Victors (1958-1960), Worcester/The Athletics/Halifax Mariners (1961-1963), London Tigers (1964-1965), Buffalo Blue Wings (1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1966)
Higgins III was drafted in 1954 to be the successor to QB Larry Larson who was in his final season. However, Higgins did need some time to develop, so he remained on the reserve list until the 1956 season. He would start the seasons as the backup but took over for Brian Meadows mid-season. He performed well enough to be the starting QB going into the 1957 season. The season started well, but after a few losses in a row, Higgins was pulled for QB Bart Swayze. Swayze led the team to the playoffs, but crumbled in their game against the Raiders and Higgins took over for the second half. Boston was not satisfied with their QBs and after drafting Nathaniel Braddock, they sent Higgins to Indiana, where he once again got put in mid-season for Duane Logan and played well. He earned the starting job the next season but was pulled midway through after struggling. After 3 years in Indy, Higgins landed in Worcester. He once again took over the starting job mid-season in his first season. He would be the starter for the infamous The Athletics, though splitting time with Michael Benedict and Buck Murphy. In the team’s first season in Halifax, Higgins had his best career season, helping the Mariners stay in the hunt throughout the season, though they inevitably missed the playoffs. Halifax did decide to go younger so Higgins would sign with his hometown club in London, where he never saw much of the field. He was about to retire last season, but Buffalo called and he would be the 3rd string on a championship squad. An up and down career still ends on a high with a big championship win.

Other notable Retirements
TE Paul McDowell - Cliffside Park, NJ - Creator: Cardiac Cardinal - Drafted: 1955 - ON R4: P27
Teams: R.ON (1955), ON/LDN (1956-1963)*, OTT (1963-1964), TOR (1965-1966)
TE Micheal Bowman III - Albany, NY - Creator: MyTeamIsDr.Pepper - Drafted: 1955 - PRO R2: P10
Teams: PRO (1955-1965), LDN (1965), LI (1966)
DL Chester Avery - Oakville, ON - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: TOR (1964-1966)
S Daniel Perry - Kitchener, ON - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: TOR (1964-1966)
DB Jared Francis - Sudbury, ON - Creator: Cardiac Cardinal - Drafted: 1955 - BUF R3: P19
Teams: R.BUF (1955-1956), BUF (1957-1960), PRO (1961), LI (1962), MTL (1962-1964), LOU (1965-1966)
WR Daniel Irons - Rochester, NY - Creator: Darknes - Drafted: 1956 - BUF R2: P14
Teams: R.BUF (1956), BUF (1957-1966)
RB Don Gregson - Uxbridge, MA - Creator: TigersFan93 - Drafted: 1956 - BOS R4: P26
Teams: R.BOS (1956-1957), LDN (1958-1960), IND (1961-1963), OTT (1964-1965), HFX (1965-1966)
OL Alen Williams - Toronto, ON - Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: BUF (1964-1966)
DB Bob Ellis - Toronto, ON - GoRedSox96 - Drafted: 1956 - ON R3: P19
Teams: R.ON (1956), ON/LDN (1957-1966)
DL Troy Hunt - Williamsport, PA - Creator: Captain Mort 3D - Drafted: 1956 - OTT R1: P8
Teams: R.OTT (1956), OTT (1957-1963), LOU (1964-1965), MTL (1966)

1967 Uniform Updates

1967 Uniform Updates

INDIANA VICTORS

The first decade of Victors’ football has not been the most fondly remembered. The first 8 years are going to be the years fans wish to forget as the team never had a record at .500 or above. They also missed the playoffs in all 8 of those seasons. However, their fortune has turned around in the last two seasons going a combined 15-9 and getting their first playoff win. With the team on the upswing, owner Sammy Kirkdale decided it was a good time for a refresh. While the team will maintain the crest logo as the primary logo, they have introduced a brand new alternate logo. The logo is a torch. Specifically representing the torch that Lady Victory holds at the top of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis. The flame on top, in orange, has been drawn from the shape of the flame from the statue. The main part of the torch is made from the shape of an “I” for Indiana and the groves in the torch make a “V” for victors. The new logo’s main purpose was to give the team a proper helmet logo instead of just the numbers. 

Along with the new logo, the team also will get a fresh set of jerseys. The biggest change will be going from a green helmet to a white one. The new helmet features the torch logo and a 3-stripe pattern over the top with two orange stripes and one green stripe. The 3-stripe pattern matches their crest’s 3-stripes as well. The home jersey sees a much more simple look with just a white and orange stripe around the ends of the sleeves. While the white option adapts the 3-stripe pattern front the helmet and pants. Indiana’s new look aims to be simpler and more unified with all the players now sharing the same helmet look.

CANADA

As mentioned before, 1967 is Canada’s 100th birthday, and to celebrate, all 5 Canadian teams will include Canada’s Centennial logo on their jerseys. Ottawa, Montreal, and London, all included the patch in their usual spots on the upper right side of the uniform, however, Halifax needed a different option with the Captain’s patch and their Richard Paul Heart patch taking up the main spots. They decided to include it on the left-hand sleeve instead. Toronto also used the left sleeve as well. However, the reasoning from owner Jerry Anderson was that he thought it looked really cool over top of the stripes and just wanted to go with that look.

PATCH

HALIFAX MARINERS

LONDON TIGERS

MONTREAL ROUGE

OTTAWA ROYALS

TORONTO STEELHEADS

1967 League Meetings

1967 League Meetings

NAAF

ANNOUNCING THE HALL OF FAME
Last offseason, Stephan Van Fossen, commissioner of the ACFL, announced that there would be the creation of the American Football Hall of Fame. The emphasis was on “American” as  Van Fossen made it clear that anyone connected to hybrid football and more specifically the NAAF would not be eligible to be inducted into the Hall. The decision to exclude the hybrid members was not well received by fans of the NAAF, their players, staff, and owners. NAAF commissioner Ryan Jameson took the decision to heart and acted over the offseason. It was a no-brainer decision for the rest of the owners and players that the NAAF would form their own Hall for Hybrid Football. A building will be constructed in Ottawa, specifically at Lansdowne Park, the old home of the Ottawa Royals and the first place where Hybrid Football was played professionally. Jameson announced that they would call the building the Hybrid Football Hall of Fame. The initial class of inductees will be announced during the lead-up to the 49th McCallister Cup in Ottawa.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN MINNEAPOLIS
A new stadium has been in many city council talks in Minneapolis for several years now. There has been no success to get it through, even to the point where Minneapolis mayor Brad Kennard has just ignored any new proposals. With Twin Cities Stadium getting older and not being the best fit for football (with its usual baseball usage), there has been the urge to build a new spot to better suit football. Recently, a new development has formed and the city council is looking at a proposal from the University of Minneapolis. With the increasing popularity in football at the college level, the University is hoping they can build a new building on campus. 

Hearing of these rumours, Kris Matheson, the one who had been an advocate for a new stadium all these years, has decided to jump in to help. Although he certainly had his own demands or desires with the facility. He said that he would help with the stadium if it meant that it would increase their planned capacity to be able to field a professional team and that it would still have the ability to fit a hybrid-sized field in the stadium. The University certainly liked the idea that it could also bring in more revenue for them as well if they help him get a team to the city. 

With that agreement and the funding increase, as well as the fact the city had a professional team in the GLFL, the city was willing to listen. However, there was immediate push back from Harold Smith, owner of both the Baseball team and the GLFL’s new Minneapolis team, as he liked his monopoly over the professional sports in the city and had quite the attachment to the old Twin Cities Stadium. In fact, throughout the process, he officially cut Kris Matheson out of the football team after letting him in last season due to Matheson complaining that Smith had gone over his head to get the team. Smith’s actions immediately put a stick in the mud. Matheson was now desperate, and he would return to Ryan Jameson and the NAAF looking for support. 

After hearing of the developments, Jameson and the NAAF decided to support the plan themselves. The NAAF has been interested in the Twin Cities for a long time as a market without much in terms of football, however, they never felt that there was a stadium suited for a team. With the new plan, the NAAF has decided to reopen conversations with the city and Kris Matheson about a potential team, however, they will only do so if the stadium plan gets approved. 

The city council is still to vote on the plan, but there is new life in the NAAF heading further west. 

ACFL

VAN FOSSEN’S PLANS FOR ANOTHER ATTACK
The last few seasons have been quite hectic for the ACFL. One of the main causes has been Commissioner Stephen Van Fossen whose pinnacle move has been adding Boston and Rochester to the ACFL. However, favour has certainly turned against him as Boston has continued to lack any improvements in attendance despite the team’s improving success on the field. On top of that, Pittsburgh has continued to lose attendance as well. The Blacksmith’s more successful season (especially at home going 4-2), was the most successful season for a Pittsburgh football team in a decade. The success has seen many fans willing to spend their money on tickets for Blacksmith games versus Hammers’ games. 

Several other owners are seriously questioning if the attack of the NAAF is in the best interest of the league. However, Van Fossen continues to point out how important it is to continue the push for growth and be the top league in North America. The owners certainly agreed that they would want to be the top, they also don’t want that to rip a hole in their pockets. The whole situation was why the owners were considering a vote to remove Van Fossen as the commissioner. However, Van Fossen had one last thing up his sleeve. He revealed the second phase and the “true” nature of his overall plan. It certainly seemed like a gamble, but he maintained that the NAAF has been putting teams in their markets ever since the ACFL formed. Starting with Long Island, which Van Fossen left behind when joining the ACFL from the NYFL, and then more recently Pittsburgh. He even pointed out the move out to Indianapolis and Louisville was a huge push into the GLFL’s territory. He quickly showed that if they can do the same with markets in the north, they could A) take away territory from the NAAF and B) expand their league to be bigger and better. The idea seemed to be enough for some of the ACFL owners to allow Van Fossen to carry on as the commissioner, however, he was still on thin ice. 

With at least a little longer of a leash, Van Fossen would attempt to put his plan into action. He quickly started looking for owners and stadiums in several more northern markets in hopes of expanding the ACFL by 4 teams to get to 14 teams and become the biggest professional league in North America. The first cities he has marketed on the map are Hamiton, ON, a city that lost its team because of the Ontario Football Union’s merger with the NAAF and Hartford, CT, a city that lost its historic team to the relocation of the Long Island Raiders. Both could certainly be valuable markets to the ACFL if it works out, however, one issue could be a lack of great stadium options in both cities (a big reason the NAAF are not in either city right now). Along with those two main targets, several others are being considered: Syracuse, NY, Albany, NY, Worcester, MA/Springfield, MA, Portland, ME, Norfolk, VA, and Scranton, PA. There are a lot of smaller markets in contention, but Van Fossen is getting desperate to find places for teams so he is not taking any options off the table. 

GLFL

MINNEAPOLIS’ FIRST SEASON
The big news this season was the city of Minneapolis finally joining the GLFL and a professional football league. The Minneapolis Black Bears as they would be eventually called. In their first season, the Black Bears’ performed as expected. They were certainly behind the mark compared to the other teams only winning a couple of games. However, the most important mark for success is attendance. This season, the numbers started out well with the first game being a sellout. However, as the season went on, the attendance went down. Many fans complained that certain parts of the baseball stadium were difficult to watch the football game from. Once again adding more fuel to the fire to the new stadium discussion that was covered earlier. Owner Harold Smith is hoping that with more success next season, the attendance shall improve purely based on the success of the team.

1966 Award Winners

1966 Award Winners

Most Valuable Player - QB Charles Lemieux BUF
Lemieux takes home his first MVP award this season after taking the Blue Wings to the top this season in quite the revenge season for the team. He has solidified himself as one of the greats already with plenty of potential to continue to lead the Blue Wings to more success. Also, this marks the 8th straight MVP from the West Division, the last East Division winner is QB Jean Matieau in 1958.

Playoff MVP - QB Charles Lemieux BUF
Lemieux did not have a player of the week award in the playoffs, but his consistent leadership and stellar play earned him the playoff MVP narrowly over S Garet deVale. The dominant performance in the McCallister Cup is what truly turned the tide in Lemieux’s favour to win this award.

Offensive Player of the Year - QB Lyle Painter HFX
Painter has put himself right into many conversations of the best QBs in the league history. After last season’s MVP, he joined the Mariners and took home the OPOY award this season. The Mariners are hoping that Painter can continue his play over the past few seasons to help the team stay as a competitive squad. This is the second time Worcester/Halifax has won the OPOY, the first being QB Riley Kiernan in 1956.

Defensive Player of the Year - S Garet deVale MTL
deVale has always been a stellar piece in the Montreal defence, however, he never was able to find his way to the spotlight until this season. His MVP-calibre season solidifies him at the top as the league’s best safety. The win gives a Montreal Rouge member the DPOY award for the first time since LB Quinton Brewer won in 1951. 

Special Teams Player of the Year - K Ross Poindexter IND
Poindexter was voted by the majority to win the STPOY award. This season he helped the Victors reach their 8-4 mark and showed that he can kick it with the best at the position.

Rookie of the Year - WR Felix Fontaine BOS
Fontaine was far and away the favourite rookie of this season. He had a great season being a key young piece in the Boston offence and likely the future #1 receiver. Fontaine is the first Independent to win the ROTY award. 

Coach of the Year - Dannell Willis IND
Dannell Willis and Maurice Evanson were in a tight race for the award, but Willis will become the first back-to-back coach of the year award winner since Peter McDuffin in 1949-1950 with Boston. Willis’ ability to lead the Victors to another successful season despite losing QB Lyle Painter, shows how important he is to the team.

Breakout Player of the Year - WR Shane Steadman HFX
It was another close vote for the Breakout award, but Shane Steadman’s early lead would stand and the WR would become the second straight WR taking home the award. His fantastic season will show that Halifax has a bright future at the WR position.

1966 All-Stars

WEST ALL-STARS
QB Charles Lemieux BUF (2)
RB Max Tracy TOR (1) 
OL Wally McRose PIT (1)
OL Gregory Farrell TOR (3)
OL Viktor Stahl IND (2)
OL Jean-Baptiste Desjardins IND (3)
OL Emil Jennings LDN (2)
WR Ed Edwards IND (5)
WR Julius Drake BUF (1)
WR Nathan Murray-Lawrence PIT(1)
TE Paul Arturberry BUF (1)

DL William Sanderson BUF (10)
DL Bjorn Sigmarsson LOU (4)
DL Lawrence Armstrong TOR (2)
DL Lonnie Vincent BUF (5)
LB Terrence Patton IND (2)
LB Dallas Dillard LDN (4)
LB Marshall Langenbrunner IND (1)
DB Ezra Power BUF (1)
DB Kelly Kirkland IND (6)
DB Orville Blake TOR (2)
S Johnny Berger LOU (6)

K Ross Poindexter IND (1)

EAST ALL-STARS
QB Lyle Painter HFX (2)
RB Dareion Fields LI (7)
OL Graham Chambers BOS (9)
OL Harrison Ward MTL (4)
OL Forrest Green LI (2)
OL Flint Boyer HFX (1)
OL Ward Briscoe HFX (5)
WR Taylor Karis MTL (3)
WR Shane Steadman HFX (1)
WR Owen Paisley PRO (1)
TE Ryan Hatcher OTT (2)

DL Wayne Baxton HFX (4)
DL Pat Butler HFX (2)
DL Craig White PRO (5)
DL Lucas Kipling MTL (2)
LB William Washington II LI (2)
LB Konrad Aust BOS (9)
LB Victor Falkensteig PRO (1)
DB Neville Falkner PRO (6)
DB Alexander Bradley LI (11)
DB Joe Robinson HFX (2)
S Garet deVale MTL (6)

K Henderson Schumacher (4)

1966 League Leaders

Passing Touchdowns
1 - QB Lyle Painter HFX - 22
T2 - QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 19
T2 - QB Connor O’Rourke PRO - 19
4 - QB Tom Applewhite IND - 18
5 - QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS - 17

Rushing Touchdowns
1 - RB Raymond Green IND - 16
2 - RB Max Tracy TOR - 14
3 - RB Rodney Clark LOU - 14
4 - RB Jimmy Golden BUF - 13
5 - RB Kendall Morgan BOS/LI - 11

Receiving Touchdowns
1 - WR Taylor Karis MTL - 11
T2 - WR Shane Steadman HFX - 10
T2 - WR Owen Paisley PRO - 10
4 - WR Ed Edwards IND - 9
5 - WR Cedric Peterson PRO - 8

Interceptions
1 - DB Neville Falkner PRO - 9
T2 - S Garet deVale MTL - 7
T2 - DB Alexander Bradley LI - 7
T4 - DB Ezra Power BUF - 6
T4 - DB Kelly Kirkland IND - 6

Forced Fumbles
1 -  DL William Washington II LI - 6
T2 - DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 5
T2 - LB Terrence Patton IND - 5
T2 - LB Dallas Dillard LDN - 5

49th McCallister Cup Host - Royals Stadium at Brewer Park - Ottawa, ON - Capacity: 45,210
With Canada celebrating their 100th birthday during the year of 1967, the NAAF has awarded the McCallister Cup to Ottawa, ON. The capital of Canada and home to the NAAF is the perfect spot for this McCallister Cup to celebrate this centennial birthday. 

48th McCallister Cup

48th McCallister Cup

Here's a new field graphic for the game:

Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Montreal Rouge - Anderson Stadium - Toronto, ON - October 2, 1966 - 6 PM ET - Weather: Clear - 10ºC | 50ºF
1st Q
The crowd in Toronto might go down as one of the loudest in league history. With the combination of fans from Buffalo and Montreal, the stadium would not get quiet throughout the opening quarter. It would cause some troubles for the Rouge offence early with a miscommunication almost leading to an interception on the second play from scrimmage. The struggles were not the same for the Blue Wings who came out of the gate using every inch of the playbook. The lesser-used plays by the Blue Wings would fool the Rouge and help Buffalo get down to the 12-yard line. From there, QB Charles Lemieux would hit WR Daniel Irons for a touchdown to make it 7-0 for Buffalo. Montreal was able to get their communication straight, however, the offence was facing pressure. DL William Sanderson was hungry to make an impression and was all over the Montreal backfield having 2 tackles for loss and a sack in the opening quarter. Buffalo’s offence did get slowed down by the Rouge, but they still came away with a K Ryan Perch field goal near the end of the quarter.
BUF 10-0 MTL

2nd Q
The second quarter would begin to have a bit more of a normal flow. Both teams were finding it a bit easier to move the ball down the field. However, they were not moving it far enough to score until Montreal’s WR Taylor Karis broke a tackle and put Montreal at the 24-yard line. Buffalo stood strong on defence, only allowing the Rouge to get a field goal. There was a bit more hope in Montreal now, however, Buffalo was able to counter the field goal with of their own, allowing them to regain their 10-point advantage. Both defences shut down the other team to make it to the break.
BUF 13-3 MTL

3rd Q
The Rouge were hoping for better in the second half. They opened up being a little more aggressive on offence. However, this meant QB Gene Bishop was holding onto the ball a little longer and would lead to another sack from DL William Sanderson. Buffalo’s offence, on the other hand, was able to make a march down the field. RB Jimmy Golden would eventually break through a wide-open hole and bolt into the secondary. The running back looked to have a wide-open field but was stopped at the 8-yard line by S Garet deVale, who never gave up on the play. The play by deVale kept Montreal’s hopes up and they would be able to keep Buffalo out of the endzone. K Ryan Perch made it a 13-point game after that. It still was tough for the Rouge offence, but there was some fight left in them and they would score a field goal to keep the game at 10 points. QB Charles Lemieux certainly understood the situation after not being able to break through to the endzone on the previous drive. Despite being up by 10 they needed to have another strong drive to really put the Rouge on their backs. Lemieux would deliver a beautiful drive that would seem unstoppable. The pinnacle of the drive was when Lemieux would hit WR Zachariah Pembroke for a 46-yard play while escaping player after player of pressure. A few players later Lemieux connected with WR Julius Drake for a huge touchdown to get them up by 3 scores.
BUF 23-6 MTL

4th Q
The Rouge were now truly desperate. They needed to score quickly or else it would be too late. Unfortunately, they still had issues with getting out of pressure. It seemed that any play was being blown up or Bishop was scrambling for his life. Bishop seemed to be both very frustrated but almost scared on every play, certainly a side effect of his injuries in the last two years. It would cost Montreal a lot when Bishop threw an interception right to S Wesley Jones. Jones almost found a break to the endzone but was stopped by RB Scott Mallard-White. It only took a couple of minutes for the Blue Wings to add to their lead with RB Jimmy Golden scoring the touchdown to make it 30-6. Beyond desperate would describe Montreal, as HC Jimmy Sargent had finally started to get OC Tim Bakersfield to dig up the deep playbook. Montreal was trying everything. Eventually, one play would hit with WR Yahui Sun breaking away on a jet sweep. Sun got Montreal within 35 yards for the first time in the quarter. Bishop would inch them closer with a couple of completions. Eventually, Buffalo’s defence would force a 3rd down for the Rouge. Montreal had to go for it. Bishop would drop to pass and this time he connected with WR Taylor Karis who had made a great move on DB Ezra Power and would scramble away into the endzone. Montreal would go for two to keep the dream alive, but Buffalo ended that hope with DL William Sanderson tipping Bishop’s pass attempt and forcing it incomplete. Montreal was still down by 18 and had no hope. Buffalo would manage the clock well and would close out their 4th McCallister Cup win, joining Ottawa with the most championships in the NAAF. 

BUF - 7 QB Charles Lemieux
MTL - 21 S Garet deVale

Injury Report
None

McCallister Cup MVP

DL William Sanderson BUF - 3 Sacks, 8 Tackles, 5 Tackles for Loss, 2 Knockdowns 
Sanderson played an unreal game, he had fallen behind the scenes a bit this season, however, in his first McCallister Cup appearance, he knew exactly what to do. He finally grabs his first title playing one of the best defensive games by any defensive lineman ever.

I also created a graphic to show off a bit of what Anderson Stadium may look like overall aha, I hope it looks cool, might be something I do more of down the line. 

1966 NAAF Champions

1966 NAAF Season

1966 NAAF Playoffs

1966 Division Semi-Finals

Montreal Rouge VS. Halifax Mariners - Mount Royal Stadium - September 18, 1966 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - 23ºC | 74ºF
1st Q
Same teams, same stadium; new day, new stakes. A perfect rematch of last week’s shocking Montreal win over the Mariners would kick off the McCallister Cup playoffs. It was Montreal’s offence that was expected to be held back by QB Mike Key getting his first career playoff start, but those thoughts were quickly thrown out the window. On the third play of offence, Key would hit WR Derek Cross for a massive deep shot. Cross would put the Rouge deep in Mariners’ territory. A few plays later Key would hit WR Taylor Karis on a quick slant. DB Joe Robinson would step up to make a tackle, but Karis spun off him and then dove into the endzone to give Montreal the quick 7-0 lead. The Mariners got off to a rocky start offensively, having trouble communicating with the extremely loud Mount Royal Stadium crowd. It would eventually lead to a miscue that would end up with a DB Jayson Klyde interception. Within a couple more plays, RB Scott Mallard-White punched in a touchdown from 5 yards out to make it 14-0 Rouge.
MTL 14-0 HFX

2nd Q
The Mariners came back from their rough start early in the second. QB Lyle Painter connected with WR Jav Kerrigan for a 22-yard play which would set up a field goal to make it 14-3. Later on in the quarter, Mike Key made a mistake of his own throwing an interception to DB Aquillio Ruiz. However, despite the short field the Mariners would not end up getting to the endzone as the Rouge would step up to make a great defensive stop and keep it to just a K Albert Wickerweaver field goal. The Rouge would recover from the interception with another strong drive that would allow them to add a field goal just before the break.
MTL 17-6 HFX

3rd Q
To start the second half, the Mariners were looking to regroup. QB Lyle Painter would need to step up, to get the team back into the game. Unfortunately, it would not be right off the bat with the Mariners going 2 and out on their first possession. However, they did get the ball rolling soon enough and were in striking range. Painter would eventually hit WR Sam Nash for a touchdown to cut into the Rouge lead. Montreal’s offence was being stuffed by the Mariners. DL Wayne Baxton and DL Pat Butler were putting the pressure on as the two grabbed 3 sacks in the quarter combined. Halifax would end the quarter with another big play from WR Jav Kerrigan who broke free from DB Quentin Xavier. Kerrigan had a lot of open field behind him, but S Garet deVale was able to stop him.
MTL 17-13 HFX

4th Q
It only took a few more plays for the Mariners to get to the endzone. Painter would connect with WR Shane Steadman for the go-ahead score leaving the Mariners with a 17-20 lead after being down 17-6 at halftime. Montreal’s offence continued to sputter with the Mariners' defence stepping it up. As the game was getting closer to the end, Montreal was able to get the ball moving a bit more with some smart play-calling, however, the Mariners stalled out their drive and forced a punt. The Mariners would look to counter with a quick pass to WR Shane Steadman that would give them a first down, however, the Rouge defence made back-to-back stops to force a punt. The crowd was trying to make as much noise as possible, and with the noise, K Albert Wickerweaver would have the punt snapped a split second earlier than expected. He would catch the ball but fumbled with it in his hand before kicking. The mistake gave S Garet deVale an extra second to bolt in and block the punt. Montreal would get the ball deep in Mariners’ territory and they would inch towards the goal line. Eventually, QB Mike Key would hit WR Yahui Sun who snuck out into the flat for the touchdown to give Montreal the 24-20 lead. Halifax now had to counter with limited time left. They would get a couple of first downs to get to midfield. Painter would look to keep the ball moving but would throw an incompletion with DL Hubert Tessier getting in his face. On second down, the Mariners would look to pass again, this time Painter played it safe and hit WR Nick Nacker for a 5-yard pass to make it 3rd and 5. On the crucial play, Painter looked to pass again and the perfect play opened up with WR Jav Kerrigan being open over the top. Painter threw it at him, the ball hit him in the chest and he bobbled it. The ball rolled off the tip of his fingers before he was hit by LB Wilson Rockwood-Barnes. The Rouge would hold on for a huge win sending them to the East Division Final.

MTL - 10 WR Taylor Karis

HFX - 95 DL Wayne Baxton

Indiana Victors VS. Toronto Steelheads - Victory Stadium - September 18, 1966 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 25ºC | 78ºF
1st Q
The first home playoff game for the Victors got off to a great start. The offence took the field and started to move the ball with ease down the field. RB Raymond Green would break off for a couple of strong runs before he would score a touchdown to give the Victors a quick 7-0 lead. Toronto’s offence was not as explosive. Indiana’s defence held them to minimal yards on their first two drives. They would get a solid run from RB Max Tracy on their third drive that would allow them to score a field goal. Indiana’s offence countered the field goal, by getting back to the endzone. WR Silas Peyton broke off a couple of tackles en route to the receiving touchdown to make it 14-3.
IND 14-3 TOR

2nd Q
Indiana’s hot start left the Steelheads in a rough situation to start the second quarter. However, it would only get worse with QB Todd Baker throwing an interception to DB Adam Levesque. Indiana didn’t have to go very far to already be in striking range again. RB Raymond Green would eventually take in his 2nd touchdown of the game. Frustration certainly was getting to the Steelheads who were now down 21-3. Baker would have to take on the leadership role and try to rally the Steelheads. It took a couple of drives, but eventually, he would connect with WR Ben Roland to start pushing into Victors’ territory. However, time was not on their side and they would have to just take a field goal before the half ended. 
IND 21-6 TOR

3rd Q
Toronto started to wear down the Victors’ D-line with the battle upfront. DL Theo Conte would go down with an injury early in the half. Shortly after, DL Brandon Hall also left the game with an even worse injury. With DL Fred Webster already out due to injury, the Victors were short-staffed, having rookies Douglas Jackson and Ron Prumple stepping in to start the rest of the game. RB Max Tracy took advantage. He would run 3 straight plays making up a total of 27 yards, before breaking loose right past Prumple for a 34-yard gain, setting the Steelheads up on the 7-yard line. The Steelheads kept attacking the line and would get Tracy into the endzone to cut the lead to 8. The Victors' offence was also getting shut down after the productive first half. Eventually, DB Orville Blake would pick off QB Tom Applewhite and give Toronto great field position.
IND 21-13 TOR

4th Q
The final quarter would start with another march from RB Max Tracy. Indiana trying to bring more LB’s up to stop him. However, once they did that, QB Todd Baker would take a shot over their heads to WR Edmund Landry. Toronto was on their way to score again. RB Max Tracy would once again breakthrough for his second score, making it a 2-point game. The Steelheads would go for two to tie it, however, Indiana managed to see the pass play coming and DB Kelly Kirkland knocked the ball away from the arms of Edmund Landry to keep the Victors on top. The momentum had shifted massively, but the Victors were lucky to escape with the lead still on their side. It would seem like the perfect time for the Victors to play conservatively and try to not make mistakes, but OC Malachi Knowles knew he had to be aggressive. QB Tom Applewhite was given the go-ahead to take some risks, and it started to pay off. Indy got to midfield and was able to pin the Steelheads with a punt. Toronto would need to make a strong push out of their own end. While the Victors’ D-line was still closer to resembling a well-loved pair of ripped jeans, they managed to contain RB Max Tracy on first down, however, on second down Toronto would get aggressive and try to take a shot. The play didn’t work and S Tom Parrish came up and made a play for the ball, coming down with an interception. Applewhite and the offence came back on the field and they didn’t waste any time. In just 4 plays, Applewhite found WR Ed Edwards for the touchdown to give Indiana a 9-point lead. Toronto was in desperation mode with time becoming scarce. They tried getting Tracy to move the ball, but it was too slow and the Victors were managing to hold him off. Indiana’s defence would fend off the Steelhead attacks and add a field goal to hold on for their first-ever playoff win.

IND - 39 DB Kelly Kirkland

TOR - 33 RB Max Tracy

Injury Report
DL Theo Conte IND - Day-to-Day
DL Brandon Hall IND - 4 Weeks
DL Chester Avery TOR - 2 Weeks

Players of the Week

EDSF: S Garet deVale MTL - 8 Tackles, 2 Passes Defended, 1 Blocked Punt

WDSF: RB Raymond Green IND - 2 Rushing Touchdowns, 113 Rushing Yards

Semi-Final Preview
EAST DIVISION FINAL
Long Island Raiders VS. Montreal Rouge
The Rouge were able to overcome the odds against them against the Mariners without QB Gene Bishop. This week, they get their star QB back in the lineup, which should provide the offence with a boost. S Garet deVale and defence will still have to step up against the Raiders’ offence who will be getting RB Dareion Fields back in the lineup to go along with RB Kendall Morgan. Not to mention Long Island is a tough place to play especially against their defence. I think the Raiders do have the edge as a team and I will take them to make their 3rd straight McCallister Cup.
My Pick: Raiders

WEST DIVISION FINAL
Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Indiana Victors
Indiana has been one of the hottest teams in the league in the last several weeks, however, they do have a tall task against the Blue Wings. Buffalo has won their last 9 games when QB Charles Lemieux is under centre, and they will be playing in front of the loud Buffalo faithful only giving them more of an advantage. Indiana will need to be pretty much perfect in this match, especially with all of the talent the Blue Wings have. Indy certainly has the ability to win the game, but with the inexperience and battered D-line, I think the Blue Wings should be able to return to the McCallister Cup.
My Pick: Blue Wings

1966 Division Finals

Long Island Raiders VS. Montreal Rouge - Long Island Stadium - September 25, 1966 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 18ºC | 66ºF
1st Q
As expected for the Raiders and Rouge battle, defence was going to be the name of the game. Right from the start, the Raiders’ cemented their strong defence, forcing Montreal to 2 and outs on their first 2 drives. However, Montreal was just as committed to stopping the Raiders and also didn’t allow a whole lot. Montreal did start to make up some ground on the Raiders when S Garet deVale would take QB Stanley Troyer down on a safety blitz which would force a punt from deep in their own territory. However, Montreal did try to argue that the ball was fumbled on the play, but the refs ruled him down. The punt didn’t get very far and Montreal was starting at midfield. It didn’t take much to get close enough for a field goal, and K Arthur Kettinger would put Montreal up 0-3. 
LI 0-3 MTL

2nd Q
Following the slow opening quarter, the Raiders would pick things up offensively. RB Dareion Fields found his footing and broke through for a couple of big runs. Pair that with a couple of good pass plays, and the Raiders were knocking on the door of the endzone. With Fields being the centre of the offence for the Raiders, from 4 yards out they would set up to pitch the ball to him, however, they faked it and had RB Kendall Morgan take the ball back in the opposite direction. He reached the ball over the goal line to give the Raiders the 7-3 lead. Montreal would counter later on with their second field goal to make it 7-6 just before the half.
LI 7-6 MTL

3rd Q
The Rouge came out of the break with a bit of fight back in them. The defence got plenty of praise from HC Jimmy Sargent, however, the offence got the heads up that they needed to step it up. QB Gene Bishop answered the call with an excellent start to the second half. He would complete 3 of 4 passes to get the Rouge down to the redzone. Then, RB Hugo Hughes would get the ball out of the backfield and slip past the Raiders’ D-line. TE Hunter Ziegelbauer would step up and make a huge block on LB William Washington II to allow Hughes to get to the endzone and give Montreal the lead. Montreal knew they had to make a statement and would go for 2 to try and make it a 7-point game, but they were unsuccessful. The Raiders were ready to bounce back. They countered the Rouge touchdown with another strong drive leading to a RB Dareion Fields score to retake the lead.
LI 14-12 MTL

4th Q
The final quarter was intense. Both sides continued to look for any opportunity to get points. Early on in the quarter, the Rouge would get a huge play from WR Taylor Karis who would make a stunning diving grab with DB Rutherford Winters all over him to set Montreal up in Raiders’ territory. They would hope to push further, but the Raiders’ defence held strong forcing the field goal attempt. K Arthur Kettinger would not make a mistake and would nail the kick to make it 14-15 Montreal. The middle part of the quarter became a "run-fest" where both teams ran the ball on almost every play. Montreal was trying to kill as much clock as they could, while the Raiders were hoping their best weapon, RB Dareion Fields could get them back into scoring range. Montreal ended up being the team to come out on top in that phase of the game as the Raiders were starting to run low on time. The final minutes of the game would force them to throw the ball. Montreal was prepared, but QB Stanley Troyer was connecting on his passes. The Raiders were pushing into Montreal territory. WR Casey Coleman was able to beat DB Quentin Xavier off the line and had an open field. Troyer would fire a pass at the star WR. It was a bit high, but Coleman reached out for it. The ball landed in his hands for just a split second before S Garet deVale unloaded a shockwave of a hit. The ball bounced straight up and Xavier caught up and got under that ball for the interception. Montreal would kill more time before giving it back to the Raiders with 18 seconds to go. The Raiders would fail to get much on their first few plays leaving them with the only option to try to keep the last play alive. Troyer tossed the ball to Dareion Fields. Fields looked to pick up yards but soon had to toss it back to RB Kendall Morgan. However, Morgan did not get a great grip on the ball and fumbled it. The play would end and Montreal would seal their ticket to the McCallister Cup.

Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Indiana Victors - Milton Charles Stadium - September 25, 1966 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - 10ºC | 50ºF
1st Q
The Victors were in tough heading into Milton Charles Stadium. On top of going against probably the best team in the regular season, they also still had an injured D-line. It did not start well as the Blue Wings took advantage of the weakened D-line. RB Jimmy Golden rolled right through the Victors’ defence and scored a touchdown on the opening drive. The Blue Wings continued to light up the field throughout the quarter with QB Charles Lemieux connecting with WR Julius Drake to give Buffalo a 14-0 lead. As for the Victors, their offence was not getting anywhere. QB Tom Applewhite was struggling, completing only 2 passes in the opening quarter.
BUF 14-0 IND

2nd Q
Indiana had to rely a lot more on RB Raymond Green in the second quarter to just try and get the offence rolling. The plan helped to get some points on the board with an early field goal. However, Buffalo easily grabbed their own field goal to maintain their 14-point lead. Indiana continued to find success on offence and had gotten over midfield. At this point, QB Tom Applewhite got a bit more aggressive tossed a deep ball to WR Ed Edwards. The WR caught the pass and then bounced off of S Wesley Jones and then took the ball the rest of the way for a touchdown. Indiana’s defence was stronger over the rest of the quarter preventing the Blue Wings from scoring again, however, they were lucky to see the clock hit zero as Buffalo started to get into dangerous territory near the end of the half.
BUF 17-10 IND

3rd Q
After having a much quieter 2nd quarter, the Blue Wings were back in business to start the second half. On the second play after the half, DB Ezra Power intercepted QB Tom Applewhite to set up the Blue Wings deep in Victors’ territory. It didn’t take long for RB Jimmy Golden to put up his second touchdown of the game to make it 24-10. Indiana was certainly in a rough spot and it was only getting worse with another 2 and out to follow Buffalo’s touchdown which involved QB Tom Applewhite getting a bit banged up from a sack via DL Lonnie Vincent. Soon enough, Buffalo had another field goal as they just continued to have their way with the Victors’ defence. QB Stanislav Ovechkin did take a few snaps for the Victors while they evaluated Applewhite, but soon enough Applewhite returned to the game. It didn’t make much of a difference as Applewhite threw his second interception of the game to DB Nick Ulbach. 
BUF 27-10 IND

4th Q
While the interception from Applewhite was not ideal, they had gotten into Buffalo territory which still gave the offence a little more hope. In fact, it may have sparked the defence as well as LB Marshall Langenbrunner would knock the ball loose from RB Jimmy Golden forcing a turnover only a few plays after the interception. Indiana would grab a touchdown from their ensuing drive with Applewhite connecting with WR Silas Peyton for the score. QB Charles Lemieux was not shaken by the quick turn of events and continued to dismantle the Indiana defence. He would take the Blue Wings down the field again, getting them down to the 2 before Jimmy Golden scored his third touchdown of the game. The drive pretty much crushed any bit of hope Indiana had left. They would get a late field goal but turned the ball over on downs 2 more times with Buffalo shutting their offence down. The Blue Wings made a huge statement with the win, and after last season where the team somehow missed the playoffs, they were back and hungry for another championship.

Injury Report
None

Players of the Week

EDF: S Garet deVale MTL - 8 Tackles, 1 Sack, 3 Passes Defended

WDF: RB Jimmy Golden BUF - 3 Rushing Touchdowns, 118 Rushing Yards 

48th McCallister Cup Preview
Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Montreal Rouge - Anderson Stadium - Toronto, ON
HEAD-TO-HEAD: W3 BUF 33-22 MTL
The Blue Wings are headed into their 2nd McCallister Cup in 3 years as the heavy favourites to take the win. They have looked unbeatable pretty much all season long with QB Charles Lemieux playing like a true superstar. On top of that, they will practically have home field advantage with Toronto being just a hop and a skip from Buffalo. Now that doesn’t mean Buffalo is guaranteed to win, Montreal has been on a tear of their own and have knocked off both of the East’s supposed title contenders in back-to-back weeks. With QB Gene Bishop back in the lineup, and the defence stepping up big time, Montreal is certainly in the match, however, the odds are still not in their favour as Buffalo is almost too good. I still gotta take the Blue Wings to win it in Toronto.
My Pick: Blue Wings.