There is no doubt that the Lions have struggled this season, a fact underscored when they nominated their kicker as their Most Outstanding Player nominee - and no offense to Paul McCaullum.
He's second in the CFL in scoring and making 89.4 of his field goals while also handling punting duties, proving he's recoverd quite well from havng loads of manure dropped on his (neighbour's -- oops) -- lawn in Regina for missing that 18-yard chippie against BC in the 2004 playofs. But if your kicker is your best player your team isn't very good.
McCallum won't win the award though. Everyone knows that. And not just because it's expected that Calgary quarterback Henry Burris will the West's nominee at the CFL awards during Grey Cup week, most likely in a showdown with Montreal's Anthony Calvillo, who has won the award two times running.
No, Burris is convinced all the Western nominees are doomed because of the Eastern media bias. Apparently still smarting from losing to Calvillo in 2008 when Calgary went 13-5, Burris does not have his hopes up and he's blaming football reporters East of Winnipeg:
"The Eastern media think a football is a round puck still," Burris said this week. "Until they get their brains right, I'm (applauding) the Western media.
"Last year rubbed it in more when people said Montreal was the best team. They were last year, so people said they deserved all the awards. Calgary was the best team in 2008, so why didn't we win all the awards?
"I don't get into the hoopla. We know how the media is in the East. "
Burris' rant is nicely disassembled by Andrew Buchholtz here.
Me? I don't care really, though if I had a vote I guess I'd look pretty hard at the fact that Calvillo and Burris have thrown for roughly the same number of touchdowns (32 to 37, respectively) but Calvillo's thrown just seven interceptions to Burris' 20.
By the way, if you want to see what Burris looks like with a black bra on, click here.