Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

It’s arguably the biggest Hamilton Tiger-Cat game in the past half decade. On many different levels.

When they tee up the Wilson tonight against the Montreal Alouettes, it will mark the first time in 31 years that Steeltown has hosted a Canadian Football League season opener.

But it’s much more than that.

Tonight’s contest will mark the start of the first full season of club president Scott Mitchell in that role.

It will also mark the Hamilton regular season debut of GM Bob O’Billovich and co-ordinators Marcel Bellefeuille and Denny Creehan.

The 7 p.m. contest will feature the start of the first full season with Casey Printers as the undisputable starting quarterback of the club.

Perhaps more importantly, it’s the first chance for them to bag a season-opening home victory in front of their Ivor Wynne Stadium fans in six seasons.

Anyone around these parts know Hamilton hasn’t exactly started well of late. Indeed, the team’s last season-opening win came four years ago with rookie head coach Greg Marshall at the helm. We all know how that era ended.

Read More…