Courtesy Calgary Herald:

The CFL is not the place to go if you’re easily threatened by change. If you’re a sentimentalist, Canadian football will break your heart. Whether you believe in evolution or creationism, you’ll fill your boots the way time and players disappear in Mark Cohon’s loop.

As proof, simply consult the Calgary Stampeders defence as we head into the 2008 preseason. Look upon the verdant fake tundra of McMahon Stadium tonight and say to yourself, “Gee, I don’t recognize many of the guys on our defence.” You will not be alone. No, there will be more cases of mistaken identity tonight than 10 dinners with the Sedin twins (which one is Henrik, anyhow?)

Harken back a few short years ago when the Stampeder defence was a bulwark against the offences of the league. Denny Creehan’s defence was stacked with all-stars such as George White, John Grace, Brian Clark and Scott Coe at linebacker. In the defensive line, big Sheldon Napastuk, Rahim Abdullah and Demetrious Maxie were a veteran group long on savvy and malevolence. The DBs were a larcenous group.

And now? All gone, like so many Julie Couillard boyfriends. Even in a league that has transition tattooed on its posterior, the wholesale changes wrought upon the defensive side of the ball have been . . . well, wholesale for red-and-white. As the team takes the field against Edmonton for a little pretend game tonight, you may recognize Trey Young, Randy Chevrier and the injured Terrence Patrick from two years ago. But after that — don’t forget to invest in a program.

In part, it’s because of the evolution away from Creehan’s 3-4 package and the athletes the demanding defensive co-ordinator wanted and toward the kind of athlete desired by new DC Chris Jones (late of the Alouettes). In another part, the house cleaning is due to the restraints placed upon teams by the CFL’s new salary management system.

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