Game #1
Edmonton Eskimos vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009
Place: Commonwealth Stadium - Edmonton
Kick-off: 7:00pm (Mountain Time)
Television: TSN
Radio: 630 CHED Edmonton (Bryan Hall & Dave Campbell)
           CJOB 680 Winnipeg (Bob Irving & Blake Dermott)
Game Sponsor: Sawmill

Overview

Re-tooled, re-engineered or re-loaded – whatever tag you want to put on the ’09 edition of the Edmonton Eskimos, one thing is for certain: this team is decidedly different from the squad that one year ago finished fourth in the West, crossed over to the East and bowed out to Montreal in the East Final.

Danny Maciocia left the sidelines, moved upstairs to the GM’s office and immediately began “Extreme Eskimo Makeover”. 

Longtime assistant, former player and perennial head coach in-waiting, Richie Hall, finally got the call to take the reins of a CFL club.  He assembled a staff that is long on CFL coaching and playing experience. The defence is led by Jim Daley, he of the long and successful coaching career in Canada. He’s joined by Hall of Fame linebacker Danny Kepley, an eight-year veteran of the staff, and former ‘Rider and Cleveland Brown Stacey Hairston, who makes the jump to the pro ranks after 12 seasons at Ohio Northern.  

Second year Eskimo assistant Noel Thorpe adds the responsibilities of Assistant Head Coach to the role of Special Teams Coordinator. He’s joined by Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach Rick Worman, Running Backs Coach Terry Eisler and a pair of newcomers, Offensive Line Coach Jeff Bleamer and former All-Star and future Hall of Famer Jason Tucker, who makes the jump to the coaching ranks after suffering a career ending neck injury in 2008.  

While Richie Hall was bringing a new look to the sidelines,  “Dealin’” Danny Maciocia worked the phones and landed the two biggest fish in the free agent waters – linebacker Maurice Lloyd and non-import running back Jesse Lumsden.  Also added via free agency were special teams standout Graeme Bell, defensive back Scott Gordon and offensive lineman Kyle Koch.  

The Esks were equally as active on the trade market, bringing in CFL vets – Kai Ellis, Kitwana Jones, Kelly Malveaux, Jason Nugent and reacquiring Joe McGrath, lost to Saskatchewan in free agency. 

There are 20 players who will wear the green and gold for the first time in ’09.  The team they’ll face tonight bears little resemblance to the one they met in the East Final on a frigid November Saturday afternoon in Winnipeg.  The Bombers, led by former Eskimo assistant Mike Kelly, boast no fewer than 5 ex-Esks – Stefan LeFors, Brock Ralph, Siddeeq Shabazz, Fred Perry and Keyuo Craver.


Notables

• This is regular season game 1001 in Eskimo history (582-400-18…home 334-158-7…road 247-242-11). Record vs Winnipeg is 88-76-3 (home 51-30-2…in Winnipeg 37-46-1).
• Richie Hall and Mike Kelly will coach their first regular season CFL game as a Head Coach
• This is the first time in nine years that two rookie head coaches have made their CFL head coaching debuts against each other.  The last time was in 2000 when John Huard's Argonauts beat Danny Barrett's Roughriders 36-28 in Regina.  In '99 Charlie Taaffe's Alouettes beat Jim Barker's Argonauts 15-12 at Molson Stadium.  Before that you have to go back to 1967 when Leo Cahill's Argonauts beat Kay Dalton's Alouettes 14-7 at Molson Stadium.  Before that, you have to go back to at least the '40s.
• This is only the fifth season opener played at Commonwealth Stadium in the past 14 seasons.  The Eskimo record is 1-2-1 in those previous home season openers.
• This is the 17th season opener vs. Winnipeg.  The Eskimo record is 8-7-1 vs. Winnipeg in season openers.  Last time it happened was in 2007 and ended in a 39-39 tie.
• Ricky Ray needs five rushing TDs to tie Damon Allen for 9th on the Eskimo All-Time List (70).