The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 17

the Ottawa Journal Monday, October 21, 1974 uiiniiiinimiiuitiiiuiniiiiiiiiiiniiiiHiiiititiiiiiiiiiiraiinniiniuHiuiiiiniiimiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiuiiiiniiiui Bombed by Als i 3 ffiderrftad Wredv' no fnn Brancato says it all in a word I It was, in the most charitable terms we can contrive, most unfortunate turn of events and it might serve some purpose to look at yesterday's foul deed at Laos- dowmi Park in the context of the whole week. "Plans were being made for Moe Racine which WaS VeSterdaVi find shnlllii nuntlnn n'shl nun tdit MnaH aim puiv-cic apeecn, in rencn ana men glish, and trotted off the field, and that was about the last good thing a RougnRider did all day. Anywaymere of a festive auy in-a- minor way perhaps, about getting cranked up for the big ujoai ou vjiumay, BLarimg wim jvioe most unrorgenaDle hour just before the gamef then on from there to rollick-; victory over Montreal, a share of vfirst place in the" east; a season's high crowd in the pews encouraged by the spirited entertainment and. with interest revitalized, i and then on to the evening party for Moe at the Embassy West, also owned by David Loeb. Oh it Was all laid I jjow jygj becautious'abour saying 'mean and nasty things about the Rough Riders because even after i some of their most inept performances, some of the players seriously think they should be patted on the back given a cookie and told what grand tittle fellas they -are.

Failing that, they blame the press for declining interest, never considering that the same press was in business last year, and the year before, and so on, when they set attendance records. But 1 it's not" their Mustn't be mean how. Cant be that bad .1.. Perhaps too; even that sarcasm is unfair, because only a few blected and we don't count Doug Collins because he's a mischievous guy who shoots at random just to have some fun and riffle some feathers. He's considerably Smarter than the others who complain in such childish and petulant terms.

However, we were going to detail the atrocities perpe fated by the Rough-Riders yesterday but that would -take too much space; And for what purpose?" i We can onlv submit that the Rough Riders can't be as i Bad as they looked yesterday. They just unloaded a crash- ing clinker and they don't understand it any more than you do. In the first half, Ottawa made, two first downs and 17 yards Passe-were poorly- Those few erf target were dropped, and the Alouettes were knocking the Ottawa lines sff tie bait easily, and consist: Wy.iv;,;'" By game's merciful end, the Riders had made seven 1 'first downs and 107 yards total, and their performance put in inind of the the Three Stooges. Remember those i guys they'd, be building a house, and the guy with -the I I -ladder would swing around and belt his winger, and then the tMrd party would fall over the two of them. i We had that yesterday, backs tripping over their, own 1 tackles guys leaving the ball on the ground for.

enemy agents to pick up and trot hi for touchdowns all the things. One got the impression at times, that if the Alouettes were to vacate the premises, the Riders might beat: each other to death, charging around without compass or rudder. secure A The Alouettes, on the other hand, hadn't won a game 'in their last four and so they were giffig ho and ready to play. Jimmy Jones threw the iall exceptionally well. When he didn't, his receivers made circus catches, for completions, Ferrughelli careened about the old park like a runaway tram and the Als pulled out the old extension "play wherein the quarterback rolls to his almost i like; the-W the, first tackle and then laterals rah up some acceptable miieage on Itot hairy, old play, and Johnny Rodgers was putting in some telling blocks' to spring the runners.

-V Rodgers also caught a few passes, including one for a touchdown, and looked to be a complete football player, -anxious to earn his money. So the Alouettes looked extraordinarily good, and mat made Ottawa's performance look particularly poor. So the Alouettes nave ls points and first place locked. second with 14 and, since the Argos lost in Calgary assured of a playoff spot The Riders have one game remaining, in The Ti-Cats and Argos have two each to play, against each other, so either one of those clubfi can still make it depending on those two games, but both of them can't But the Riders are in, and they backed Jn yesterday on the Calgary win. The Riders were disconsolate; about their effort, because they had the season's largest crowd for the 24,149, and they've been lamenting small turnouts all season.

So they get a big crowd to witness the battle for the lead and phew. they loosed a fragrant frolic -v Coach George Brancato is nothing if not direct. He went on at length about how bis Riders were beaten physically along the lines, about how the Alouettes were sharp and hungry and aggressive and how his playmates were not Assistant Coach Tim Dimitroff told the players to "try to forget it have another game to go and then the playoffs. and there's nothing we can do about, this one now." And surely nobody can believe the Rough Riders are that bad a football or perhaps, the Alouettes that good. So the only sensible course for them is to try to forget It.

And then Branca ta eaid: "The harder we tried, the worse we got We got pressing trying too hard, and things just got worse. I can't explain it of those days." Then collecting himself, he summarized the afternoon in the words of a revered old Italian sports philosopher: "We stunk." Then for emphasis. "stunk." Rather a pithy summafion, first place I we thought tnnnmnniiuimnnnimimiminiiHmiimiinnminiiinnnmninmminffliin By GERRY REDMOND Journal Sports Staff After two straight laughers Ottawa Rough Riders outdid themselves -with a comedy hour Sunday at Lansdowne Rkters were good in-Hamilton two weeks age and No thoughts Moe Racine By EDDIE MacCABE Journal Sports Editor It Was a beautiful sunny, crisp autumn afternoon, if you can; buy that- Canadian weather line; bloody cold, in plain terms if you can't Moe Racine was at centre-field with his his wife Donna and four kids, end this was his day of recognition for 17 years of solid and sometimes spectacular service as a Rough Rider tackle '-'r WHAT HE GOT And since the first question, after such affairs, is "what did he we'd better tell you. CFL reieords Eastern Conference WJLIF-A Montreal Ottawa Hamilton i 2 310 234 18 7 8 0 241 24114 6 8 0 242 270 12 8 1 238 277 11 Toronto Results Sunday Montreal 28 Ottawa 0 Calgary 21 Toronto 18 Games Oct 27 Hamilton at-Toronto Montreal at Saskatchewan Western Conference W' LT A Edmonton 8 5 1 229 12 17 B.C. 8 6 0 291 Saskatcaewan 8 7 0 288 287 16 Winnipeg 7 7 0 228 297 14 Calgary 9 0 234 277 10 RespHs Sundry Edmonton Xi Winnipeg 10 Calgary 21 Toronto 18 i Results Saturday Saskatchewan 24 British Columbia 21 Game Saturday British Columbia at Edmonton Games Sunday Montreal at Saskatchewan Winnipeg at Calgary BILLS' SOLD OUT BUFFALO fAPl Buffalo BilH announced Saturday that a-Wi sss against Chicago Bears bas been sold out giving the club, five sellouts this year.

won in a breeze. Last week they were even better against Winnipeg, won easily and for fun. Sunday they had no fun at all against the Montreal Alouettes but for fans with a sense of humor the whole per-formahce was so bad it was I MOE. KACINE "He got the key to the city, and a framed scroll, from Mayor Benoit; the Rough Rider players gave him a family portrait done by pho- tographer Jon Joosten; he' got a stereo set from the North American Life fjomnanv. his job; he got airline tickets for two to Hawaii, and return, from Canadian Pacific; his wife Donna got a gold charm bracelet with a -foot-' ball and a Ro charm, from Alvea all his kids got Roi Gruen wa plied by Loeb Downto piete SKimobile his kids: the YMCA each member of the familv a year's membership; Marcarie Herve St.

Amour, of Hull. gave Moe a suit, tie and coat; the Alouettes, with GM Bob Geary, acting, gave him a set of Olympic coins; the Football Writers of Canada gave him an ornamental plant for his office, and the Otttwa Football dub will install new metal goalposts and football paraphernalia" at the Cornwall High School, Moe's alma mater. Cornwall Mayor Lumley presented Moe with a City' of Cornwall Watch, and his old coach and' nlavera nf the 1 Cornwall team came up with Number retires with him And Moe's first pro coach, Frank Clair, now the Rider GM, thanked Moe for "all the great years" and promised Mm that when "you retire, that number you're wearing, No. 62, will be retired with igh Rider, Jewel lers! ash Rider tches. sun- aoabr Sales; com- tJS to all ij "'I us -ft- i (Photo by Stan Lithwick) cialist earlier in his career won the Eastern scoring title in 1966.

He was honored twice by the. Palestre National in Montreal, end also woi. the coveted Gil. 0. Julien award.

He was on four Grey Cup teams, he was all-eastern tackle in 62, '64 and '66 aiid was all Canadian in 1972, so he's had it all and then some, and he told the crowd yesterday: "I thought last year, in Toronto, when we won the Grey Cup, that it was the greatest day of my life, but today I'll remember all my life." And he thanked the fans, the organizers of bis day, and his team mates and coaches, and left it at that So we went by his party last night to thank him for the pleasure he has afforded us, publicly and privately, over all the years, and to hear him say again: "No I'm not planning 'to retire yet" and then Weir got in there and we woundup going at it" The ejection from the came draws an automatic fine. don't know if I got my money's worth or not," Schuette said. "It seemed so at the time; Maybe payday I'll think differently." day mostly Despite 'these appearances don't want them, to happen "I though I heard a a send-off however. Moe but they do. We couldn't set tie," he said.

"Maybe it was Racine -has no immediate plans of retiring. He still likes to play, he is still sound of limb and wind and he still can play, and Wayne Smith told Urn last nightf 'You'd be crazy to quit. i You've still irot It" I Moe liked bearing thsti and i sr cWi so if me time comes when he- does retire, it'll come when" some young buck funny. For those concerned, like the coaching staff, it but then as they say, it hurst more when you have to laugh. Riders lost it 28-0 and from the opening kickoff weren't in the ball game.

The Alouettes bad designs SAYS THANKS has his comes into camp and takes i job. There's been a parade of them over the years, and not a one of them came even close, Last night at the Embassy West, mere was a party for the Racines, and iey presented Moe witb a wig and gave him some good-natured shots, and a lot of his old playmates were there to see him honored euvs like i 1 1 Archambault, Doug Specht, Marv Bevan, Bill Sie. kierski, Bob Simpson, Whit Tucker, Dave Thelen and a lot more; The party was set up by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pullen, aiid emceed by Lally Lalonde.

Has had it all Over all the vears. Racine has been an exceptionally du- rable and reliable performer. He stays in shape the year round, he's a good-living man who does smoke and drinks only moderately and so in 17 years, he has missed only nine football games, Racine was a field goal spe-' Hurts The injury list was tongf; Sunday but the hurt was to, the Rough Riders' pride, John Bledsoe picked up hamstring pull the first time he carried the ball for the" Riders. There were, several minor twists, and snralns and ouches but the 284 defeat at on first place, came to play and played well. They were alert and aggressive.

They came off' the ball quicker, hit "harder and Just did everything better than the Riders. So they're first in the CFL and are now assured of that Riders are in the playoffs because the Toronto the hands of the Alouettes Kerry Marbury explained hurt Riders' pride more than the strange play when he their bodies. rf tossed the ball on the ground "Games like that after catching a Jerry Keel-said Tonl Schuette. "You tog pass. going i couldn't do any-" me crowd but I thought mere thing right Either way.

a whistle and I was sure. "It was rough out there but; the play was over." it's the result that hurts." It wasn't and Harris Schuette was in the thick of- picked up the bafl ad ran 43 the major war when he squar-; yards for Montreal's, final ed off with Glen Weir late fat touchdown. the game. "I can understand," Gerry "Bonnett came in late on Organ claimed. "I was right Keeling," he said.

"He gave beside, him and I thought-the' him a spear job. You can't let play was dead too. I could people go at your'quarterback have picked up the ball be-, like that. 'fore Harris' but' I walked "I gava him a spear back away from It, -v. Argonauts lost too, so Ottawa will now finish either second or third.

Few good things But the Toronto result was one of the few good things that happened to Riders Sunday. The day started off well enough, good weather and a crowd. There were 24,149 ki the park for Moe Racine Day and that 'part of the program came off, just fine. Dillon O'Connor sans the BJiftenriirflne-voice-but-then -it; was-time to- play football- and nothing went right after mat "All week 1 thoudit we'd be, ready," coach George Bran-, cato said. "I thought Satur- day we were ready.

I thought nm Innlred readv iitst before the we weren't "i inuxw ripht fmm ttw kickoff. They went down the field with the ball and we didn't do a They just beat the hell out out of us knocked us off the line. The sweeps, the inside Stuff that shouldn't go anywhere. The linebackers weren't there heU, nobody was mere. "You can't blame any one guy.

Nobody was ready." And as Brancato said, that was painfully evident right from the beginning. Alouettes marched with the opening kickoff into Rider territory and when they finally dowla Riders" found themselves ta rt i from-their own five yard line. Two plays went nowhere but Riders got a first down when Mike Widger was called for interfering wim Jim That was one of two' first downs Riders made- in the first half. Enough towin All that did was give Riders two more plays before punting and Als moved in from the Ottawa SO for a 38-yard field goal by Don Sweet And right there that was enough to win the ball game. Riders started in the new "power John Bledsoe, Art Rreen and Kerry Mar- bury lined up behind Cassata.

It lasted until the second series when Bledsoe got his hands on the ball for the first time. He took a screen pass for nine yards but pulled a hamstring and was gone for the And that was it for the But it wouldn't have mat-' tered -what -formation Riders i used, It was a day when everything happened to them and all of it. bad. There were good passes dropped, bad passes thrown, people falling 'do tripping over, each, The defence couldn't contain the Alouettes aid the offence couldn't move the ball. They let Jimmy Jones romp in for an easy touchdown, and handed Alouettes another when Kerry Marbury casually tossed the ball on the ground thinking the play was over and Dick Harris ran it in for a major.

And mat's the way it went Right from the start to pride "There are a lot of quick' whistles in the league and you get used to them. They blew thev play dead when Tommy Pullen caught one like that earlier. It was the same thing. They called that one and let the other go." Bledsoe was disappointed over the pulled hamstring injury. "I felt good," he said.

"I felt ready and then the first time I carry the ball it happens. I never in my lite ever 1 had a hamstring pull before." Steve Ferrughelli was the leading rusher for the Als with 101 yards to-pur him over 1,000 for the season. Riders had little or no. running, 22 yards for Art Green wasthebest Jimmy Jones went all the way at quarterback for the Als, rushed lor 58 yards and was good on 10 of 18 passes. Rick Cassata hit on three of 11 for 24 yards and Keeling seven of 16 for 79.

Rick Cassata fired an early strike to Rhome Nixon and Nixon just dropped it on the Montreal 40. That was one of the few good passes Cassata threw in his first half stint His next one was off the target and Phil Price intercepted and lugged it back to the Ottawa 28 and Jimmy oones men- nit Rodgers in the end zone be-hind John Kntspe for the 1 i Sets up major Mnrhiimr tTMprl ft cuMn nnA fell down, Cassata missed Tommy-pullen--r--r-punt. Riders got a first down in the second quarter at the Ottawa 35 but Cassata then missed Green and threw behind Pul- len. He missed Nixon and then Organ on the 'next series 1 and both were open and he threw: an interception to Tony. iTouaiooi on me next Als tapered off to a field goal and a single in the ond quarter to run it to 14-0 at the halt and when Riders started again it was Jerry Keeling at quarterback.

I don't blame Brancato said. "He wasn't sharp but the way we. were going it. wouldn't have mat- what he did. We thought Keeling might get us going but when you're having that kind of a.

day it doesn't matter what you do." Also stayed on top of Riders in the second half too and if anything Riders just kept getting worse. Jones. danced down the. sideline from 2S yards out for a touch-: down and three Riders, Jerry Campbell, Dick Adams and Bill Palme were there and came up Green moved out. on a)' screen pass and tripped over Moe Racine.

Jim Foley made a great catch on the Montreal 25 on the final play of the third quarter to get Riders within range of something for the first- time in the ball i game but the drive stalled on the 10 and Rod Woodward's pass on a fake field goal at- tempt turned into an intercep- boo by Mac Evans. And so it went Keeling hit Nixon deep at the Montreal 20 yard line and it was six points but again Nixon dropped it IFnal touch Keeling then went short to Marbury 10 yards worth to the Ottawa 43 for a first down i but Marbury fell catching the i ball. Nobody touched him, the whistle' didn't go. But Marbury thought the 5 play was dead. He tossed the ball to the ground in the gen- eral direction of the referee and started for an Ottawa i huddle.

Everyone stood I the ball and ran the 43 yards for a touclKlown and it was 280. It was the final touch in the comedy of errors and but not I funny to the Riders. Feelings were running high. Riders were trying but in try- ing harder just kept getting worse and the frustration of it an oLaiicu aiiuw law ul uie ball game. Players were having words, Nixon and Harris, Kruspe and Chuck Zapiec a half), dozen brief encounters.

The only open warfare came when Pat Bonnet took a shot at a fallen Keeling and Tom I Schuette rushed into the fray. He got'in a lick at Bonnet but wound up fighting Glen Weir. I Both Weir, and Schuette were tossed out of the game. It was anger and frustra-1 tion and Riders had reason to be angry and frustrated. They logged only nine first I downs to Montreal's 20, 32 yards rushing to.

Montreal's 203, a total offence of 105 yards to Alouettes 291.. Steve Ferrughelli rushed for 101 yards for the Als to 1 bring his total to more man 1 1,000 yards for the season, Rodgers caught three passes I for S3 yards and blocked a ton. Jones ran for 58 yards and threw the ball well, 10 completions in 18 throws. "The main reason we beat Ottawa," said Montreal coach I Marv Levy, "is mat the players went out and knocked tne Riders' lannies on. The Riders bad a bad dav hut that happens to all It sure happened to Riders Sunday, 1 1.