Most people are familiar with a “Game Ball.” It goes to a player who played exemplary football; someone who went above and beyond. Fewer, are familiar with the “Jock,” an award that goes to an idiotic play.

In a wildly entertaining game that is a warm up to the Banjo Bowl there could be many options for both awards.

Game Ball
You could easily give a Game Ball to Bomber’s quarterback Zach Collaros. Before this game, Collaros had 6 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. People were wondering, what has happened to Zach? Going 12/18 for for 218 yards and a touchdown, that would be the end of Collaros’ night at the end of the first half. If he had played the whole game, it would have been a big night for Collaros.

Or you could go with Castillo, who went 2/2 with both being very long field goals. You could also choose the combination of Bombers punter Sheahan and Hallet. Sheahan, with his Aussie style kicking, caused Saskatchewan’s returner Alford to bumble the ball, and Hallet was right there to scoop it for a Bomber touchdown.

But for me, I will give the Game Ball to a guy that could have been in the running for the Jock, had the Bombers lost…Tony Jones. Jones had an opportunity late in the 4th quarter to with an interception, but could not squeeze the ball. Then on the Riders’ 2 point conversion that would have send the game into overtime, Jones once again gets his hands on it…and again could not catch it. However, this time it would end the game as the Riders failed on their 2 point conversion – they failed to convert after their onside kick recovery. Tony Jones, you get my Game Ball!

Jock
I will just cut to the chase on this one; the CFL and Miles Brown. Brown purposely hit Collaros in the head late, the second time Brown has taken out a quarterback 2024 – hitting a quarterback with an illegal hit. As, I said in my last article leading up to the game, “Protect Zach – Saskatchewan will look to bring the heat and had a hit earlier this season that was suspect on Zach…sorry, I do not respect Saskatchewan and do not put it past them to play dirty. There I said it, no sugar coating it!”

I do not want to hear another single word about player safety until the CFL gets serious about protecting quarterbacks! Rider fans will surely say, “What about the hit on Harris?” All I will say on that one is that the slide was late, and the hit was also a touch late. Actually is was really close. During the game, I thought, “There is no was that is a roughing the passer on Winnipeg.” After watching the replay I thought, “Ok, he slide late, but the hit was a little late; close, but late.”

But the hit on Collaros even had Bombers CEO Wade Miller speaking up, ““At some point, maybe our commissioner will decide that we should protect quarterbacks after the play,” “This is ridiculous and needs to stop. We’ve seen this two years in a row now.”

Jeff Hamilton of The Free Press points to a similar incident in the 2023 Labour Day Classic when Collaros was head-butted by former Roughriders defensive lineman Pete Robertson.

Neither incident led to an ejection, with Miller saying Sunday that stiffer penalties are needed. 

“Any player that hits a quarterback low or in the head after the play should receive a rough play disqualification,” said Miller. “The Saskatchewan player (Miles Brown) now has two such hits this year alone on quarterbacks.”

CFL and Brown, you get the Jock! CFL, you get it for not having a clue how to protect quarterbacks – I am not surprised quarterbacks do not want to slide…they leave their head totally exposed. CFL, maybe you get 2 jocks for allowing this repeat offender to get away with this. And Brown, you get the Jock for not only thinking that a quarterback’s head, or below the knees is a great place to make contact…but to actually do it; twice!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this.

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