continued from page 30 entirely. However, look for BC to act like they always do—inconsistent—but just good enough to get that last playoff spot, and cross over into the East. Saskatchewan Roughriders Predicted Finish: fifth place, 8-10. Last year: Finished 6-12, missed playoffs. Poor old Saskatchewan. The greatest football fans in Canada, and quite possibly North America, just never get a break. Two years ago, they had a great offense, but couldn’t stop even an injured turtle,.on defense. Last year, their defense was awesome, but they couldn’t find the end zone, even with a compass. However, with most of their defense intact, and free agent Nealon Greene at quarterback, Saskatchewan should be a more bal- anced team, and could make the playoffs should any of the other Western Conference teams falter. Danny Barrett gets one more shot as coach, but if the team doesn’t make the playoffs, don’t expect him to return. The Roughriders also decided to release troubled receiver Curtis Mayfield, despite his obvious on-field talent. If Saskatchewan played in the Eastern Conference, they would probably make the playoffs. Rider fans are probably ticked off that Winnipeg is now in the West, and unfor- tunately, will once again find their team on the out- side looking in when the playoffs begin. EASTERN CONFERENCE Montreal Allouettes Predicted finish: first place, 12-6. Last year: Finished 9-9, third place, lost in Division Final to Hamilton. Most Montreal fans will tell you they are disap- pointed that Winnipeg has left the Eastern Conference, because this means they've lost a good rival, but don’t believe them. With Winnipeg gone, that basically guarantees them a first place finish, and almost puts a Grey Cup ticket in their back pocket. Their only competition will come from Classifieds © "ither press. >>>SPORTS Hamilton, or quite possibly the fourth seed from the West. Last year, Montreal's season ended horribly, when the team lost eight straight, including the playoff game. But, with Calvillo and Pringle hurt for most of the second half, the team struggled to score, and they hope that both players can remain healthy. Don Matthews has been hired as Coach, and with Pringle, or maybe newcomer Phillips and Haskins in the backfield, and free agent Kevin Johnson added to the mix on defense, Montreal should have no trouble winning the east in a walk. Hamilton Tiger Cats Predicted finish: second place, 10-8. Last year: Finished 11—7, second place, lost in Eastern Final to Winnipeg. Hamilton is an aging team, with many of their players considering retirement. Both Darren Flutie and Danny McManus considered hanging them up, but coach Ron Lancaster convinced them to come back for one more season, and one last chance at the Grey Cup. But Hamilton will have trouble beat- ing Montreal for that coveted spot. They also lost the league’s best defensive player, Joe Montford, who signed with Toronto as a free agent, and they don’t really have a true starting running back. However, their receiving core is one of the league’s best, and you just can never count out a team coached by the Little General. This is one predic- tion | definitely feel safe making: Hamilton will travel to Montreal for the Eastern Final in late November. Guaranteed. Uh, | hope so ... Toronto Argonauts Predicted finish: third place, will miss playoffs, 6-12. Last year: Finished 7—11—1, fourth place, missed playoffs. In the league’s biggest but most lethargic market, the Toronto Argonauts will have trouble convincing anyone from Toronto to come out and attend an Argos game. They don’t have a real quarterback in place, they've lost their best player (RB Michael Jenkins) to the NFL, and their best Canadian receiver, Paul Mazotti, has moved into a front office job. However, their defense, already steady, has been bolstered by the free agent acquisition of Joe Montford, so the Argos will be trying to win every game NFL style 10-7. Wow. Sounds exciting. Regardless, the Argos will still miss the playoffs, due to the cross-over rule (where a fourth seed from the other conference makes the playoffs if they have a better record than the third best record in the East, or vice-versa). Ottawa Renegades Predicted finish: fourth place, will miss playoffs,3—15. Last year: No record, expansion team. Yes, Ottawa is back, after a five-year absence. When Ottawa last played a football game, the team was awful, the CFL was on life-support, and their head office was in shambles. But now, with the CFL back in the black, higher TV ratings, and better crowds (Toronto and BC notwithstanding), Ottawa is returning to the CFL, as an expansion team. And this time around, they are doing it the right way, building their team through the draft, and creating a buzz. Their mascot is a beaver, and sea- son ticket holders get to hang out in the “Beaver Lodge.” And with Eric Tillman as their Manager, Ottawa should have an excellent team in about three years. But for now, they are an expansion team, and in any sport, that means for the first season or so, you’re gonna lose. Their starting quarterback is Dan Crowley, who was actually a third-stringer during his tenure in Edmonton. Ottawa has also stocked their offense with various CFL delinquents, such as Eddie Brown, Jimmy Oliver, and Dave Thomas. Their defense, on paper, looks awful, and the CFL's newest franchise will struggle to find wins. However, it’s great to see Ottawa back in the league, and hopefully, this time around, they won't suck so bad.