quote:

---

Stampeders' run ends with Grey Cup win

The Calgary Stampeders avenged their 1999 Grey Cup disappointment with a convincing 27-19 win over the heavily favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

MONTREAL -- The Calgary Stampeders, who got hot when it counted at the end of the season, upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27-19 in the 89th Grey Cup game before 65,225 at Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

For the Stampeders, saddled with a losing regular-season record, the win was sweet vindication after a week of hearing about Winnipeg's high-powered offence and stingy defence.

It represents Calgary's fifth Grey Cup, with previous titles in 1948, 1971, 1992 and 1998.

Calgary quarterback Marcus Crandell was named MVP while Stamps defensive back Aldi Henry, who made a crucial punt block, was chosen top Canadian.

After holding off early Winnipeg pressure, Crandell threw touchdown passes to Marc Boerigter and Travis Moore, while Mark McLoughlin added a pair of field goals.

A key blow came at 5:37 of the fourth quarter, when Henry -- a Montreal native -- blocked a Bob Cameron punt that linebacker Willie Fells recovered for a Calgary touchdown.

The Bombers struck right back, when Milt Stegall leapt to steal a Khari Jones pass from two Calgary defenders for a 23-yard TD reception with 5:32 left to play.

But two late drives failed and the Stampeders put the game away with a 24-yard McLoughlin field goal with 48 seconds left.

Jones also threw a TD pass to Arland Bruce in the third quarter, but the Bombers were hurt by kicker Troy Westwood's one-for-four on field goals.

And to rub salt in Winnipeg's wounds, Calgary players one-upped the Bombers' trademark end zone dances with a routine that involved spinning the ball like a top on Bomber turf.

For a second year in a row, a team that went just 8-10 in the regular season ousted the team that was thought to be the CFL's best. The Bombers went 14-4 this season behind Jones, the league's outstanding player.

“This team never gave up all year long. Nobody believed in us, we believed in ourselves,” Crandell told CBC after the game.

“It's a wonderful feeling for us all.”

Added receiver Vince Danielsen: “We didn't get any respect all week from the Bombers. This is the most rewarding Grey Cup.”

And throughout a nervy but nonetheless entertaining defensive battle, the second-largest crowd in Grey Cup history -- surpassed only by the 68,311 at the 1977 game in the same stadium -- roared equally for both teams.

“It just came down to a few big plays,” Jones, who was punished by the Calgary defence all game, told CBC. “And we weren't able to come up with them.”

The Bombers looked ready to trample the Stamps from their opening drive, on which Westwood was good on a 29-yard field goal 3:57 into the game after Jones overthrew Bruce in the end zone.

A second drive stalled on the Calgary 31 and Westwood, shaky on kicks all season, missed wide for a single at 7:20.

The Stampeders shot back with Antonio Warren's 37-yard punt return, but Kelvin Anderson handed the ball back on a fumble on the next play -- again putting the Stamps in trouble

But another Westwood attempt, this one from 41 yards, struck the left upright for no points, leaving Winnipeg up only 4-0 after the first quarter.

That's when Winnipeg lost its focus, allowing Crandell to lead a drive for a 42-yard field goal 9:49 into the second quarter.

On the Stamps' next possession, Crandell hit Boerigter on a 68-yard TD pass at 12:15. Less than two minutes later, he made a nine-yard TD pass to a wide-open Moore for a 17-4 halftime lead.

All the while, the Bombers looked discombobulated, with Jones overthrowing receivers or watching Milt Stegall and Eric Blount drop passes.

But the Bombers regrouped and scored on their opening drive when Jones hit Bruce with a 23-yard TD pass at 4:07, to show they meant business, the receivers opted not to do their dance.

But the Calgary defence rallied and Westwood missed again, wide right, from 53 yards.

---

quote:

---

Ah yes, the CFL, the league I don't give a rats ass about. Thanks for starting this thread man, I bet a total of 3 people care

---