This is just so sad. A great organization, reduced to a joke.
— Danny Austin (@DannyAustin_9) July 30, 2023
There are struggling teams, there are bad teams, there are last-place teams and then there’s the Edmonton Elks, who have become the butt of many jokes.
The CFL, an entertaining product, but continually striving for credibility, are nearly halfway thru their season and the team receiving much of the attention is right at the bottom.
Instead of focusing on the (6-0) Toronto Argonauts, or the top two teams in the West, the (6-2) B.C. Lions and the (6-2) Winnipeg Blue Bombers, it is the (0-8) Elks that are grabbing the attention because they now own a North American pro sports record of 21 consecutive home losses.
How bad are the Edmonton Elks?
21 straight home losses (the biggest in professional North American sports history)
Current 12 game losing streak.
7-33 record in last 40 games.
6-30 divisional record since 2019.
Averaging 17.6 PPG since 2021.Horrible.#CFL #GoElks #Edmonton https://t.co/wxsKzHLtSa
— Dan Rob H. (@danrobh93) July 31, 2023
How does a former prideful franchise go nearly four years (Oct, 12th, 2019) since winning a home game?
If it was 21 straight losses on the road, that could be believable, but 21 in a row in front of your own fans is on a level never seen before.
Last Saturday (July 29th) the Lions skunked the Elks 27-0 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Edmonton became the first team to be shut out twice by the same opponent in the same season (B.C. won 22-0 over Edmonton on June 17th in Vancouver).
Even the Elks Fan Club can not find a way to put a positive spin on this debacle.
I have NHL fans in Vegas checking in every loss. We have fans in Section X throwing our own chants back at us. We have fans selling paper bags in the Tailgate. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the worst we’ve ever seen this team. #SecX #GoElks
— The Elks Herd (@TheElksHerd) July 30, 2023
I usually record CFL games and then fast-forward thru them.
With the Elks, it is incredible each time out for them to find new ways to lose.
With attendance floundering and the team having financial woes this year, it would cost the Elks too much money to fire head coach and general manager Chris Jones but with the pressure building changes had to be made during this bye week.
Former B.C. Lions QB Jarious Jackson, the Elks quarterbacks coach has been promoted to offensive coordinator, replacing Stephen McAdoo (who will be “repositioned” in the coaching staff).
Of course, something had to be done but realistically these moves are nothing more than to try and appease the critics/fans at this time.
The Edmonton Elks are making some changes to their coaching staff after a poor start to the CFL season. https://t.co/3SHGFkbnmm
— 630CHED (@630CHED) July 31, 2023
When Edmonton hosts Winnipeg on Thursday of next week (Aug 10th) we know no matter who is calling the plays or taking snaps behind centre the home-losing skid will hit 22.
The Blue Bombers are coming off that impressive 50-14 thumping of the Lions that began Week 9 of the 2023 season.
I know I am in the minority but I don’t think QB Taylor Cornelius is that bad, however, he is in a bad situation where he was trying to do too much with costly mistakes often the result.
His stats are poor largely because of nine interceptions compared to only four touchdown passes.
To give you an idea of the potential of the 27-year-old Cornelius, in week three against the unbeaten Argos he was 14 of 18 for 135 yards with a TD and no picks in a 43-31 loss.
He also ran twice for 28 yards in that Toronto game.
The Elks are going down in history but I do not think they will run the table, lose their next 10 and become the first CFL team to go 0-18.
Looking at their schedule, they have a chance to win at Hamilton on August 17th but that would not stop the home-losing skid.
Sunday, August 27th, mark it down.
On that day the Elks host the Ottawa RedBlacks.
Ottawa is 3-4 with two overtime wins and a 26-7 victory over Edmonton in the nation’s capital.
The law of averages suggests the Elks will post a victory on that day.
The only problem is the law of averages does not necessarily apply to Edmonton’s once proud football team.
“Shame!” yells 3 paper-bag wearing fans (?) mocking the Edmonton Elks for what’s looking to be a North American pro sports record-breaking string of home game losses. One lady doesn’t like the stunt. Another disturbed fan (@allisonastephen) reacts. #yeg #sports #edmontonelks pic.twitter.com/S0By9gjV8u
— Lauren Boothby (@laurby) July 30, 2023
Taking Note:
Curmudgeonly one gives thumbs down to ghost runner . . . Royals make two trades . . . MacGillivray, Konowalchuk back on the bench https://t.co/2HafbLpfgm
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) August 3, 2023
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
NY Mets GM Billy Eppler says the Mets are not holding a ‘fire sale’ despite trades. So what are they calling it, “a lot of smoke” sale?
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California
A study shows that Dolphins use high-pitched baby talk to call to and calm their young. Recordings of this might be used to stop bench-clearing brawls.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
The Edmonton Elks said this week they are a better team than their record indicates. By the end of Saturday, they fell to 0-8 — hey, at least they can’t be a worse team.
*Comedy writer RJ Currie of Winnipeg
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. After growing up in Winnipeg, he has lived in Prince George for the last 44 years and completed his 10th season as the radio colour commentator on the Prince George Cougars home games. Hartley is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).
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