WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- There is no mistaking a feeling of resentment in Canada toward Baltimore's highly successful first-year CFL team.
A week ago, the Toronto Argonauts openly accused Baltimore coach Don Matthews of falsifying his injury list.
This week, Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach/general manager Cal Murphy has referred to Baltimore as "God's gift to the CFL."
And when Matthews declined hotel reservations made by the Blue Bombers, a Winnipeg official complained about it on radio. (Matthews opted not to return to the same hotel that housed the CFLs when they lost here in July.)
The issue became even more overblown when two Winnipeg radio personalities phoned Matthews to tell him there were no rooms available at his hotel of choice. It was only after Matthews transferred the call to marketing director Arnold Epstein that the gag was exposed.
What concerned Matthews more than hotel accommodations, though, was the loud music that blared from the public address system at Winnipeg Stadium late in the July loss. Down by seven on Baltimore's final offensive series, quarterback Tracy Ham could barely get his no-huddle plays called because of the noise.
Matthews said he thought the music was inadvertent, but nevertheless asked team owner Jim Speros to see there was no recurrence.
Matthews was told league owners voted unanimously -- Speros included -- that playing music fell under the domain of marketing
and was up to the discretion of the home team.
Rattling the master
The CFLs think they can rattle Winnipeg quarterback Matt Dunigan. "When things don't go his way, he tries to force the ball," said rush end O. J. Brigance. "He tends to go in the tank a bit."
Cornerback Karl Anthony saw a rare side to Dunigan in Baltimore's 57-10 blowout on Oct. 29.
"I think he was frustrated in the first half," Anthony said. "In the third quarter, he couldn't do anything. After Tracey Gravely's interception, the next series he stayed on the bench. The offense was on the field waiting for him and he just waved at them."
Miscellaneous
Wide receiver Walter Wilson was cleared to play with his slight shoulder separation and will start. . . . Each player on the winning team today gets $2,500. That's on top of the $1,900 first-round winners got. Grey Cup champions get $12,000 each. . . . The Bombers tentatively will make three lineup changes. Ken Burress replaces Lawrence Hatch at left cornerback, Keilly Rush replaces Loyd Lewis at defensive end and wide receiver Jamie )) Holland replaces Tim Daniel.