Lets put it to a vote across Canada. Brandon McCarthy Jersey . With B.C., Edmonton and Calgary all winning, the competitive balance between the two divisions does not exist. Would it not be more interesting and easy to follow if there was a single group of nine teams? Im a traditionalist, as I do enjoy the East/West rivalries if both divisions are good at the top. But at 2-4, the East-leading Argonauts are the sixth best team in the CFL and the league standings should reflect that. If the playoffs were to start today, Hamilton, Ottawa and Montreal - all at 1-5 - would be out. The five West teams would all be in with one East team. Good! If two West teams are in the Grey Cup, I have no issues with that as long as theyve earned it through the regular season and through the playoffs. For me, one division of nine teams is more visually attractive and easier to follow. Yes, the bottom three will have concerns over ever being able to catch a playoff spot and theres a chance that by early October, a team or two would be out of the playoffs completely. Well, welcome to big boy football - where if you dont win, you lose your job. Its no different than any other chosen profession of pressure and performance. One division of nine teams gives exceptional clarity of who is good and who is not with a quick glance of the sports page. I like it! And if youre a Roughriders fan, you have to like your team coming off a road win in Ottawa and a road win in Winnipeg. I didnt think they could continue the turnovers for a third game in a row. Next up is a home game against Montreal and 5-2 is quite realistic. Two players stand out in Regina. John Chick is having a heck of a year. It is the combination of physical ability, polished technique and excellent effort that makes him excel. What will happen as were closing in on midseason is that teams will design packages of protection to make sure he keeps his distance from quarterbacks. Thats when you know youre good - when a tackle gets help from a running back or when a tight end is lined up beside the tackle. I look for Richie Hall to move Chick around pre-snap so what a team plans can be seen as the game progresses. The other is Jerome Messam. With over 100 yards rushing in one half of football, he is a true power back with a unique level of elusiveness. And the time to shine is now. And this is the team to do it with because George Cortez will never abandon the run. From Anthony Allen to Hugh Charles, from Will Ford to Messam, theres a job dangling with the Riders for someone to take. With Canadian citizenship, ratio-buster Messam has the inside lane in a sprint to be the No. 1 guy. In Montreal, it was Edmonton that controlled everything in their game. With three plays, 54 yards and a touchdown, the Eskies were ready to play - especially when you add 191 yards rushing. On the other side, Troy Smith ran 65 plays so the contingency of coaches and advisors have a lot of good video to work with. Smith only completed 44 per cent of his passes but I counted five dropped passes which would have taken him over 50 per cent. And I could have found another five catchable footballs to take him to 60 per cent. I still think Smith can lead, perform, and most importantly improve this year and still make it a good year in Montreal. That late touchdown was so important to end the talk of going 52 offensive possessions without a touchdown. When that is embedded in your mind you press to get it out of the mind. With Hamilton, the challenge is to keep confident at 1-5 and that can be tough to do. The Ticats have now lost four games they could have won and you use it that to learn and move on. With a home game against Calgary on Saturday afternoon, it does not get easier. But with a win, perception changes. In Vancouver, the Lions have won two close games and Kevin Glen threw for 400 yards. Many will want Travis Lulay back ASAP, but I would wait until Sept. 5 in Ottawa. It would become a nice 10-game season for Lulay and that little extra week or two helps him get back and be more productive. In the second half of the season, B.C. could be a very good team. Which brings me to a not so good team in Ottawa. The 38-17 loss on Saturday night was pure logic in real time. The battles are threefold in the nations capital. First, beat the opponent every week. Second, dont beat yourself every week - which is as difficult to master as beating any opponent. And third, finding new talent to inject and perform for the team. The other eight teams have players that have been around a while and are dependable and consistent. The Redblacks have not played enough games to make that type of conclusion with the present roster, so they must continue to evaluate until the coaches confidence builds up. They dont think they have an 18-game starter on their roster. They know it. Its a tough challenge because it can take two years to find 12 on offence and 12 on defence you really are solid in every way. No one said this was going to be easy. Success never is. Phil Niekro Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. Orlando Cepeda Jersey . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. http://www.thebravesteamshop.com/Braves-Greg-Maddux-Kids-Jersey/ .com) - Even on the day his New Hampshire football team became the nations top-ranked team two weeks ago, coach Sean McDonnell conceded something about the team they replaced at No. Canadian Milos Raonic came up short in his bid to reach the mens final four at Roland Garros, dropping a 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-4 decision to Novak Djokovic of Serbia on Tuesday. Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., fired 21 aces but converted only one of two break opportunities in the match, which also lasted two hours 22 minutes. Raonic, the first Canadian man to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal in the post-1968 Open era, stalled in the third set but managed to break Djokovic as the second seed was serving for victory at 5-2. Djokkovic closed it out two games later when a Raonic forehand sailed wide. Jose Ramirez Jersey. The last Canadian to reach a mens singles semifinals at a Grand Slam was William Johnston at the 1923 US Championships. Robert Powell (Wimbledon, 1908) is the only other Canadian to reach a mens singles semifinal. Djokovic is a six-time major champion but he still needs to win the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam. He reached the semifinals at Roland Garros the last four years, but only made one final, losing to Rafael Nadal in 2012. ' ' '