ROBSERVATIONS: 3-and-3 from '93 … my favourite Riders games … "the sheriff" is back in town … and inveterate Immaculate Gridding
12/14/2024 11:29 AM
Oct. 23, 1993 was a banner day for touchdowns and "touch 'em all, Joe!"
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Kent Austin was directly linked to six touchdowns just a few hours before Joe Carter hit a World Series-winning home run for the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the afternoon, Austin threw three touchdown passes and ran for three other scores to help the Roughriders defeat the Calgary Stampeders 48-45 at Taylor Field.
It was the best CFL game (virtually) nobody remembers.
That evening, Carter's walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies gave the Toronto Blue Jays their second successive Major League Baseball championship.
When Carter's line drive cleared the left-field fence, legendary Blue Jays announcer Tom Cheek memorably exclaimed: "Touch 'em all, Joe!"
As far away as Regina, people were dancing in the streets. (Trust me. I had Albert Street fan-reaction duty for the Regina Leader-Post on that celebratory Saturday night.)
It has always rankled me that:
• My beloved Montreal Expos were not the first Canadian team to win a World Series. I wish Carter, World Series hero, was a discussion about Joe and Gary.
• The Roughriders/Stampeders classic of 11,375 days ago has been rendered an afterthought, because a football game — or a sporting event of any description — does not get any better.
Imagine my elation, then, when recent circumstances provided me with this opportunity to highlight the gridiron gem of 10/23/93.
Last Sunday, the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen became the first NFLer to throw and run for three TDs in the same game. He accomplished that feat in a 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The clock had barely hit 00:00 at SoFi Stadium when I went on Twitter/X/whatever and pointed to Austin's 3-and-3 from '93.
That got me thinking: Are there any other precedents in CFL history?
My immediate response was an emphatic, authoritative "I have no idea."
Hence an inquiry that was sent to CFL statisticians Steve Daniel and Jeff Krever.
The response was prompt and eye-opening.
Austin, as it turned out, was the first of three CFLers to register hat tricks in passing and rushing touchdowns in the same game.
Austin stood alone until Aug. 17, 2007, when Calgary's Henry Burris registered a 3-and-3 in a 45-45 tie with the visiting B.C. Lions.
The Stampeders — the common denominator in this discussion — were also involved in a classic contest that was played on Sept. 8, 2018.
Michael Reilly posted a 3-and-3 to help Edmonton defeat Calgary 48-42 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Rewinding to the 1993 game, both starting quarterbacks figured in six TDs, rushing or passing.
Doug Flutie threw four TD passes and scored twice himself while helping Calgary rebound from a 35-10 halftime deficit.
The game was tied 45-45 before Dave Ridgway settled matters with a 34-yard field goal. Robokicker split the uprights with six seconds remaining in regulation time.
Flutie (who threw for 547 yards) and Austin (546) were the central figures as the Roughriders and Stampeders combined to establish an enduring CFL record for passing yards in a game (1,093).
As a capper, the Roughriders-Stampeders shootout produced the uncontested best description of a play ever to appear on an official stats sheet.
After Ridgway's go-ahead field goal, there was enough time for one final play, which began when Calgary scrimmaged the ball on its 35-yard line. Here is what unfolded:
"Flutie to (Brian) Wiggins, followed by a potpourri of pitchouts, laterals, fumbles, handoffs and such until everyone on the field except Gainer and two security guards touched the ball. Eventually a lateral to (Karl) Anthony brings an end to the play and the day. Amen!"
MY FAVOURITE GAMES
My tweet/X/whatever of last weekend prompted the following response from Sheldon Jones: "I was there. What an insane game. I don't know if that was my favourite regular-season game or if it was the 2010 home opener."
The latter game, played on Canada Day, ended with Saskatchewan registering a 54-51 overtime victory over the visiting Montreal Alouettes. Darian Durant threw for 481 yards and five TDs, including the game-winner to Weston Dressler, while spearheading the Roughriders' rally from a 33-12 deficit.
Sheldon's response prompted me to reflect upon my favourite regular-season games. Oct. 23, 1993 ranks second on my list, behind …
Oct. 29, 1978: Ron Lancaster's final game. It was perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. At Commonwealth Stadium, the Little General engineered one final comeback before signing off as a player. During the fourth quarter, he entered the game — in place of his heir apparent, Larry Dick, who had started at quarterback for Saskatchewan — and threw a touchdown pass to Joey Walters to create a 26-26 tie. Bob Macoritti's convert put the visitors ahead for good. As a punctuation mark, Lancaster scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak. Legendary defensive lineman Bill Baker, also playing in his final CFL game, subsequently sacked Warren Moon for a safety touch. Saskatchewan 36, Edmonton 26.
The Edmonton fans celebrated as energetically as a pocket of Saskatchewan supporters, yours truly included, at Commonwealth Stadium. Did I mention that it was perfect? Oh, good!
Best game of this millennium: July 1, 2010, as touted by Sheldon.
Two gems from 2024: Saskatchewan opened this past season with back-to-back come-from-behind wins. On June 8, the Roughriders overcame a 21-8 fourth-quarter deficit and won 29-21 in Edmonton. Trevor Harris threw three TD passes to Shawn Bane Jr. during that thriller. Eight days later, the Roughriders trailed 20-7 at halftime and 30-20 in the fourth quarter before rallying for a 33-30 victory. The visitors scored 10 points in the final 46 seconds at Tim Hortons Field, where Brett Lauther kicked a 43-yard walk-off field goal.
"A TRUE PRO"
The recent re-signing of Harris — the West Division's All-CFL quarterback this past season — has elicited excited reactions from his teammates.
"We've got the sheriff back in town," receiver Mitch Picton said. "We're very excited that Trevor's going to be back in green.
"He's a fantastic quarterback and a true pro in every sense of the word."
Another true pro seconds the notion.
"We all respect his leadership," said defensive tackle Micah Johnson, who is coming off an All-CFL season.
"He's a good dude, a good locker-room guy. He talks to everybody. He's in every group. I know all of us in the group chat are excited about it."
As they should be after a season in which Harris threw 20 touchdown passes in 11 starts.
He exceeded 300 passing yards in six of those games, working in collaboration with first-year Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller.
"In football, continuity is one of those things that kind of gets swept under the rug," Johnson said.
"You think you can just amass this great amount of talent and turn it into a championship, but it doesn't really work like that.
"Just to be able to have that continuity and camaraderie and know what we're getting, it's awesome.
"It means a lot and I think it will show up on the field next year."
IMMACULATE GRID
It all began innocently enough. On Monday afternoon, Director of Communications Arielle Zerr asked me if I was aware of immaculategrid.com.
Nope.
She directed me toward the website and, well, I'm hooked.
One can click on a variety of sports and be presented with nine empty squares that are surrounded by team logos or categories.
In hockey, for example, you may be asked to find a commonality between "Edmonton Oilers" and "New York Rangers."
(Wayne Gretzky. Nailed it!)
Or, you might be asked to think of someone who played for the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes (previously the Hartford Whalers).
Al Tuer!
And sometimes — more often than I should admit — I find myself stumped and staring at the screen.
Hockey and football are also part of the gridding obsession. Although the football version is NFL-oriented, I have been able to inject some green and white flourishes.
Consider the inclusion of my all-time favourite Denver Broncos player (receiver Steve Watson) and a former Roughriders running back (Robert Holmes, a link between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers).
Another Roughriders connection: Rhett Dawson (Tennessee/Houston and Minnesota).
Jon Ryan (Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers) is an easy one.
Ditto for Jim Marshall (Minnesota, Cleveland), Barry Wilburn (Cleveland, Washington), Will Blackmon (Green Bay, New York Giants, Jacksonville, Washington), Crezdon Butler (Pittsburgh, Arizona, Washington, Buffalo, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Detroit) and …
I told you this was addictive!
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Rhett Dawson, Jessica Gelowsky, Steve Watson, Wanda Harron, Dave Harron, Michael Kay, Troy Casper, Jacob Carr, John Knisley, Brent Kobelka, Ed McQuarters, Evan McFeeters, Jacqueline Hurlbert, Rebecca Perigny, Maks Korchinski, Peter Mayne, Michael Chmielewski, Ashley Prest, Terry Prest, Celina Philpot, Cindy Fuchs, Ben Riche, Ace Saflor, Liam Richards, Bryan Schlosser, Bev Novenski, Micah Johnson, Mitch Picton, Brett Lauther, A.J. Allen, Craig Campbell, and Dr. Wladyslaw Wojcik. (Are we done? Good. Back to gridding …)
