Flying flags familiar sight
... but Stamps like playing aggressively
By DAN TOTH -- Calgary Sun
The Stampeders are among the CFL leaders in one category they'd rather avoid. Penalties.
The Stamps have been flagged 74 times for 537 yards through four games, third-most in the league heading into this week's action.
"We don't want to change our style of play. We want to still be aggressive but we can't keep playing the way we're playing because it's hurting us," said defensive back Milo Lewis.
Lewis' old teammates in Winnipeg accentuated that point Thursday night by letting their emotions take over in a 48-17 loss to the B.C. Lions while taking 146 yards in penalties.
Defensive back Terry Ray was tossed from the game after aggressively arguing a late-hit call against him after crashing into Lions quarterback Casey Printers.
"It's a fine line," Lewis said.
"You could see in the Winnipeg game, they went down right after that. We can't put ourselves in that situation. We've got the same type of athletes that are hot-headed, too, but we can't take it that far."
Linebackers Scott Coe and George White, along with defensive lineman Antwone Young, were dealt roughing-the-passer penalties last week against Montreal.
Head coach Matt Dunigan said foolish penalties are an issue he has discussed although he doesn't want to restrict his players' aggressive style.
"(Linebackers) Brian Clark, Scott Coe and John Grace fly around and make things happen ... You don't want to put restrictions on guys you just want them to use their heads in the structure of the game and make everything happen between the whistles, not after," Dunigan said."We address those things on a daily basis."
Coe said it's not an issue.
"No, it hasn't really come up at all," Coe said. "Not at all. We're going to keep playing the way we play. If calls get called, so be it, but we're just going to keep playing the way we play."
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WASN'T ME: Veteran centre Jamie Crysdale is upset about a story that aired Thursday on TSN that he claims suggested he filed a grievance with the CFLPA, leading to the Stampeders being fined $5,000.
In fact, Crysdale merely responded to questions from the Sun about violations by the Stampeders regarding the length of work days. The player or players who approached the CFLPA over the issue were never identified.
