Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

But O’Billovich, who discovered Aaron Lockett and league punt return leader Ian Smart for the B.C. Lions, believes the two import receivers he hopes to sign from the Cats’ recent free agent camp outside of Tampa on Sunday may just get the team its first punt return touchdown threat since Earl Winfield collected the lofted leather back in the mid-1980s.

“There are two receivers we like and they’re both punt returners who are very quick,” O’Billovich said, adding the Cats also found two running backs and a pair of defensive backs. The GM won’t name the pair until he has them inked.

Read More….

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

It’s a lasting image from the rather forgettable 2007 Hamilton Tiger-Cat season.

As bench boss Charlie Taaffe put the Tabbies through their paces on the Ivor Wynne Stadium turf, their kicker would be doing one-legged hops up the stadium steps. No one ever saw Paul Osbaldiston attempt this. Or any other kicker in the Canadian Football League, for that matter.

The extreme practice sessions for Nick Setta proved worthwhile. While the on-field product was terrible, the club’s experiment with its first American place-kicker and punter proved a great success.

Setta proved a different sort of Cat. But in good ways. The 26-year-old Lockport, N.Y., native, who signed as a free agent in December 2006, would lead the league in field-goal percentage (84.9), finish fifth in punting with a 44-yard average and bang in the Canadian Football League’s longest iron-splitter of the season, a 53-yard effort.

Read More…

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

The new face of the Hamilton Tiger-Cat franchise has filled soup bowls for the poor, built houses for the homeless, phoned season-ticket subscribers and yesterday drove the lane to score points in a charity basketball game.

Actually scoring points is what Casey and his sunshine band of Ticat promotional, media and community staff have been doing a lot of.

During and after a Cops and Cats charity basketball tilt yesterday against the Hillfield-Strathallan Trojans, quarterback Casey Printers was mobbed by throngs of smiling school kids.

During a break, he threw foam hammers into a sea of outstretched hands. On the court all eyes in the packed Michael DeGroote Gymnasium were on him, particularly when he tried but missed on three spectacular dunk attempts.

Read More…

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

Bob Young continues to lose significant sums of money on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a scenario that will continue for at least another two or three seasons.

But as the ebullient owner approaches Season Five of his five-year plan to restore the franchise to greatness, he remains as committed as ever to the project.

And that commitment and optimism shines through Young, who took his worst public clawing this off-season since taking over the bankrupt Canadian Football League franchise five years ago.

A few thousand of the 17,000 season ticket subscribers were left howling when the club opted to change the pricing structure for premium seats at Ivor Wynne Stadium for the upcoming season. The major price increases have been put in effect, notwithstanding the fact the Tabbies have missed the post-season in five of the past six seasons.

Read More…

Courtesy Hamilton Tiger-Cats.com:

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that the team has signed import offensive lineman Charles Thomas and import wide receiver Montiese Culton.

Thomas, a 6-5, 315-pound native of Nashville, Tennessee spent four seasons (2003-06) with the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he started 72 regular season games and seven playoff games.

Culton, a 6-2, 180-pound native of Dallas, Texas, played four years at Tulsa, recording 88 receptions for 1,340 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 44 games. After turning pro, Culton signed with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and spent the 2005 season on the team’s practice squad.

Read More….

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

For the next few years, Duane Forde will analyze CFL games for a national network.

But don’t be surprised if, one day, he’s analyzing them for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

TSN’s announcement this week that the former Ticat fullback will be a primary commentator in its expanded CFL package derailed, for now, the development of an intriguing idea within Hamilton’s front office.

For several weeks, Cats president Scott Mitchell and general manager Bob O’Billovich had been quietly talking to Forde about the possibility of working under Obie in the Hamilton football department. The position, de facto assistant GM, would have been created especially for Forde.

While no one involved would confirm the concept, it’s easy to deduce that Forde would have been groomed to seamlessly take over the club’s reins at a future date.

“I didn’t have any specific structure in mind,” Mitchell said of the Forde discussions. “This was more about how highly I thought of Duane. But I’m excited that he’s taken the TSN job, because he’s now working full time in the CFL. He’s the absolute consummate professional, and I think it’s great to have him so deeply involved in the league.”

Read More….

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

The Tiger-Cats are short on experienced Canadian receivers; and speedy Pat Woodcock is looking for a new football home in the East.

The Ticats are expected to announce the addition of the veteran Canadian slotback shortly. Woodcock, who spent the past two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, sought and was granted his release last month in order to pursue his wish to play closer to his Ottawa hometown.

Hamilton GM Bob O’Billovich confirmed yesterday Woodcock, who will turn 31 next month, has agreed to a pact with the Tabbies for one year plus an option .

“He was looking to come East. He has experience. And, with us trading Brock Ralph to Edmonton, he (Woodcock) was a legitimate receiver and an experienced guy. He has legitimate speed,” O’Billovich said.

Read More….

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

The last time the Hamilton football brass attended the league’s annual meetings, they excitedly returned to Steeltown with one quarterback’s name on their lips.

During the 2007 Canadian Football League meetings in Montreal, then-GM Marcel Desjardins pulled the trigger on a major trade, sending disgruntled defensive halfback Jason Goss to Edmonton for receiver Richard Alston, Canadian running back Nicolas Bissailon and the rights to a young, promising quarterback named Timmy Chang.

When the Tiger-Cat brass returns from this year’s annual league meetings in Calgary tonight, it’s a safe bet there won’t be the same excited mumblings about the former University of Hawaii quarterback.

Indeed, a report out of the Winnipeg Free Press this week indicates GM Bob O’Billovich has talked to his Winnipeg counterpart Brendan Taman about shipping Chang west.

Read More…

Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

The quarterback of the Hamilton Tiger-Cat defence is set to become a Steeltown fixture.

Ticat middle linebacker Zeke (And Destroy) Moreno will continue to torpedo opposition running backs and slotbacks for another three seasons the club announced yesterday.

Moreno, who completed his first season in the Canadian Football League after six spent in the National Football League, has inked a two-year pact plus an option with the club.

Meanwhile, the club announced two-year pivot Richie Williams, who became firmly established as the club’s number two quarterback last season, has re-signed a one-year plus an option pact.

Read More….

Courtesy TSN.ca:

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have locked up linebacker Zeke Moreno and backup quarterback Richie Williams with contract extensions announced Wednesday.

Moreno’s deal covers two years, plus an option while Williams signed for a year, plus an option.

“We’re looking forward to having those guys back in the fold,” Ticats general manager Bob O’Billovich said during a conference call. “They’re going to be important cogs in helping us to get on the winning track this year.”‘

The moves were part of a busy day in the CFL.

The Toronto Argonauts dealt towering offensive lineman Steve Morley to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for slotback Nathan Hoffart in a deal involving Canadian-born players. And the Edmonton Eskimos released veteran receiver Pat Woodcock.

Read More….