This morning the Calgary Stampeders Head Coach and General Manager John Hufnagel announced the signing and return of Offensive Lineman Dimitri Tsoumpas. The 2009 most outstanding Canadian nominee will join an already impressive Stampeder O-Line with the likes of Veterans Dan Comiskey and Rob Lazeo. If Dimitri can come in like he did in 2008 the Calgary Stampeders Run Offense will be licking their chops as the Stamps were averaging 134.6 yard per game and they allowed the fewest sacks at 30.

Coming into the 2010 season the #1 thing always questioned or pointed out was would the Offensive Line be able to stay healthy and protect Henry Burris. Through the first 5 games I think the O-Line has been excellant except for the loss in Toronto where they allowed Argos RB Cory Boyd a easy 142 yards. Dimitri comes to the Stamps fresh off his stint with the Miami Dolphins so you know he is in great physical shape and ready to play. Last season Tsoumpas started all 18 games for the Stamps and both playoff games so his health has never been an issue anyways.

Dimitri will be appearing on  The Mike Richards Show on the Fan 960 tomorrow morning at 7:45am

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When head coach John Hufnagel took to the dressing room at halftime, one must wonder what was said. Whatever it was it worked because the Stampeders came out for the second half and played perfect football. Henry Burris looked like the Henry of old and Romby Bryant no longer dropped balls. The two headed monster that is John Cornish and Joffrey Reynolds ran all over the Riders Defence on their way to a 40-20 victory. Another huge key to the Stamps picking up the W was the play of Linebacker Juwan Simpson. He finished the night with six tackles and one crushing sack that sent Durant tumbling to the turf.  The Riders QB was asked about the sack and the constant pressure he felt all night after the game and simply responded “I’m probably pretty much going to sit in the cold tub. Ice the whole body pretty much.”

The win by the Stamps moves them into a first place tie with the Riders with the other two meetings this season set for Mosaic Field in Riderville. This was a huge win for Calgary and their next six games could really allow them to gather some breathing room atop the west.  In the coming weeks the Stamps play BC x2, Eskimos x 3 and the Bombers visit McMahon this coming Saturday. One thing that has plagued this team in the past is looking by teams or games but every CFL fan knows that on any night any team can win. That fact alone is why the CFL is better than the NFL and provides fans 4 incredible,thrilling, edge of your seat games each week.

The stage is set for this Saturday night as the 3-0 Riders head to McMahon Stadium to battle the 2-1 Stamps. So much has been made about the players and the game but the real story is the fans. Rider Nation will be flocking to McMahon wearing and waving their green proudly while Stampeder fan will try and stand their ground. This is the one game of the year where the Stampeders seem like their not the home team as a sea of green floods into town. I’m just wondering how many Rider fans will sit down on Saturday night and have an instant flashback to the last time they were at McMahon watching their Riders. The Saskatchewan Roughriders have won the 2009 Grey Cup….wait there is a flag on the field..too many men Saskatchewan repeat 2nd down. It will be very interesting to see how the mood is early on in the game if Calgary is able to come out with an impressive drive and put some points on the board early. One thing the Riders have shown this year is their Defense is soft and can be taken advantage of with the right plays. If you didn’t think the Stamps offense was already stocked full of talent and a force to deal with, they will add Ken-Yon Rambo to that arsenal as he makes his 2010 debut Saturday night. Ken-Yon has not played since week four last year and he is very  motivated and very excited to play this week. The odds makers are favouring the Stamps by -1.5 and have set the Over/Under at 56.5. Looking at all things on paper and with the weather be hot and dry, this game has high scoring written all over it.