Angelo Mosca reacts to the cheering crowd, during a half-time CFL ceremony in Hamilton on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015. The Tiger-Cats are retired the former great's jersey #68. (CFL PHOTO - Dave Chidley )
Mosca stands larger than life
Steve Milton, who co-wrote Angelo Mosca’s autobiography, began the Ticats legend’s halftime number retirement ceremony with a suitable quote.
“I’m used to standing next to people larger than me, but tonight I’m standing next to someone who is larger than life.”
Halftime of Thursday night’s game featured a special tribute to Mosca, who played the majority of his 15-year career with the Tiger-Cats. The ceremony celebrated Mosca the player and the person, both of whom were the definition of what Hamilton is about. Mosca’s legendary career with the Ticats will never be forgotten, now forever emblazoned on a flag in the northwest corner of Tim Hortons Field next to Bernie Faloney’s #10.
It’s safe to say that Milton was not exaggerating by calling Angelo Mosca larger than life.
Bryan Hall shows off shades of Mosca
On Tuesday morning at Ticats practice, Angelo Mosca and Bryan Hall shared a special moment. Hall was introduced to Mosca as a player out of his own mould, a player who played the game the way that the Ticats legend did. The Massachusetts-born Mosca poked fun Hall for his Kentucky accent, but shared some advice with the young defensive tackle and it seemed to strike a chord in tonight’s game.
Hall was a big-time performer in the second half of the game, making two massive plays for the defence. In the third quarter, the American defensive tackle batted a pass at the line of scrimmage which turned into a Simoni Lawrence interception. He followed that impact play up by bursting into Montreal’s backfield in a second-and-short situation on the next drive, hauling down the Alouettes ball-carrier and forcing an Als punt. Hall’s two-year career in the CFL is 13 years short of Mosca’s, but he certainly earned the comparison in Thursday night’s game with a strong performance from start to finish.
Johnny Sears Jr. noticeable in return
Johnny Sears Jr. made his return to the Tiger-Cats lineup after a six-game stop on the injured list. Sears was noticeable in the return from his hiatus, making one key play in particular. As the clock in the second quarter was ticking down, the Ticats were up against the ropes. Following a Brandon Banks fumble, the Als had marched the ball down the field for a touchdown, following that with another forced and recovered fumble deep in Ticats territory. With 2:43 to go in the first half, the Als were threatening to score again and take a two-score lead heading into the break. Sears changed all that with a forced fumble of his own, ripping the ball free from Brandon Rutley’s hands.
The late-quarter fumble prevented the Alouettes from taking a commanding lead into the half, instead giving the Ticats an opportunity to put some points of their own on the board. Thanks to Sears’ strip, the Ticats entered the half trailing by a manageable five points, rather than a potential 14. On top of that key play, the veteran defensive back made six tackles in the game, making a key contribution in his third career game in the Black and Gold.
Medlock gets it done from deep
Justin Medlock has been a consistent performer all season as the Ticats kicker, and his leg was another key factor in the game on Thursday night. Medlock connected on three of three field goals on the night, hitting from 37, 48 and 49 yards. The Ticats kicker has been exceptional from inside the 50-yard line this season, missing just one kick of less than 50 yards through nine games.
The Ticats may not have got the victory, but the kicker who accounted for 11 out of their 23 points was nothing short of exceptional on the night.
Ticats crippled by penalties
The Ticats never seemed to manage to get a flow going in Thursday night’s tilt with the Alouettes, and a lot of that had to do with the penalties that plagued the team all night. The total of 12 penalties alone was far from insurmountable, but it was the situations that the penalties came in that hampered Hamilton against the Als. Too often the penalties that the team took resulted in extended drives for Montreal’s offence or created an uphill field position battle for the Ticats offence. The 106 yards of penalties were no doubt a critical and detrimental factor in the eventual loss to the Alouettes.
Mathews shows nose for the end zone
Jeff Mathews has attempted just seven passes for the Ticats in his young CFL career, but nine games into his rookie campaign the young quarterback has found pay dirt three times. The rookie quarterback found the end zone for a third time on Thursday night, punching the ball in from two yards out. Mathews topped off his touchdown run with what has become his signature touchdown celebration, heaving the ball into the West grandstands after breaking the plane. The Cornell Alumni, who stands 6’4″ and 224 pounds, is a formidable force at the goal line, and he’s proven this year that he has a nose for the end zone in the tough goal line situations.
