Basement battle a turning point
Calgary needs win to keep hopes alive
The Calgary Stampeders would love tonight to test the old adage 'misery loves company.' The only CFL team without a home win this season, the 1-5 Stamps would cherish a victory in the Basement Bowl.
Apparently slipping out of sight in the West, clubbing the visiting 2-4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers would drag down a division foe, keeping alive faint hope for a playoff spot.
"We need to get a win," said receiver Wane McGarity, whose club meets Winnipeg for the first time this season.
"These fans have been great. All year they've been great -- the past year or so that I've been here -- so we definitely have to get a win here to show that we're trying to turn this thing around and make this thing for the better. A win would help that."
Not only are the Stamps trying to snap a five-game losing skid, the club is trying to recover from fumbling away last week's game in Ottawa, one of the worst blunders in recent CFL memory.
"We're 1-5 but we don't feel like we have a 1-5 team, that's the main part about it," said McGarity, fifth in the league in combined yards (850).
"We know we can go out there and compete with everybody, we just have to go out and put it together for four quarters. The new system will help. Offensively, we will be improved."
GM-head coach Matt Dunigan insists despite the team's failure to find the win column since June 20, his coaching staff is determined to find a cure while avoiding further turmoil.
"We've got solid guys here committed to what we're doing. Solid coaches committed to what we're doing," said Dunigan, who this week fired offensive co-ordinator John Jenkins.
"I think the guys will stay on track regardless but we're doing everything we can so we don't get into that situation."
On the other side of the ball, Winnipeg quarterback Khari Jones is feeling the heat as well. He's been pulled in favour of backup Kevin Glenn in their last two losses.
With a 2-4 record and coach Dave Ritchie on the hot seat, Jones wants to have a good performance.
"I'm trying to be myself regardless of what happens," Jones said. "I still have a lot of confidence that we can play good football. Hopefully, I get that opportunity to go out there and enjoy it.
"It seems like every week, there's something going on and this week is no different. Calgary has had their problems this year as well and we've both been struggling.
"We definitely need a win. We have to play hard in every aspect of the game and put all that other stuff behind us."
