(The Greatest Roughrider Of 'Em All, Ron Lancaster)I see where the Hamilton Ti-Cats have shuffled off The Little General, Ron Lancaster, to the community relations side of their operation -- whatever that is. In my mind it just does not seem the right thing to do to a man who has contributed so much to the CFL as a Player, Coach, General Manager, TV analyst and overall ambassador for the league.
Lancaster, out of tiny Wittenburg College in Ohio, first burst upon the CFL scene in 1960 as a player with the Ottawa Roughriders and he played there for three years sharing the Quarterback position with Russ Jackson before coming to Saskatchewan in 1963.
Lancaster's accomplishments in Saskatchewan are legendary both from a CFL standpoint and a Saskatchewan Roughrider perspective. He was the Green and White's starting quarterback for sixteen years.and the head coach for two. His 288 regular season games played rank him sixth on the all-time list.
The CFL record book is full of his accomplishments, beginning with the 50,535 regular season career yards passing good for third all -time in CFL history. His 333 regular season touchdown passes are second only to Damon Allen and his 3,384 regular season pass completions are good enough for third place on the All-time list. The Riders won 145 regular season games with number 23 pulling the trigger from 1963 to 1978. You have to wonder where the Roughriders would have been without their diminutive leader as there is no doubt that The Lancaster Era was the greatest era in Rider history with thirteen home playoff games, four first place finishes, six second place finishes and, four third place finishes. The brutal truth is that the Roughriders have not finished first since Lancaster left the Saskatchewan scene and have finished second only once in 1988.
The Saskatchewan crew were in the playoffs for the first fourteen years of his Rider career and here is why Lancaster has to be considered as one of the greatest if not the greatest CFL player of all -time as he directed the Prairie bunch to Eleven consecutive Western Division Finals {1966 to 1976}. No Quarterback in CFL or NFL history has ever directed his team to the equivalent of that record. The Riders won five of those finals and were Grey Cup Champions under Lancaster in 1966.
He holds several CFL playoff records as well such as the most touchdown passes {40} thrown ,most yards passing {6676} and most playoff game {20} performances for a quarterback.
Lancaster has been named the outstanding player in the CFL in 1966, 1970, and 1976. He has been chosen as the CFL all-Star quarterback in 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1976 and the Western Division All-star QB in 1966, 1968, 1969,1970, 1973, 1975 and 1976 which is more times than any other quarterback in Western Conference history. He is also a member of the CFL Hall of fame.
As the Head Coach with Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Hamilton he has won 138 regular season games which ranks him fourth in CFL history.
He has four Grey Cup rings, two as a player with Ottawa and Saskatchewan and two as the Head Coach in Edmonton in 1993 and Hamilton in 1999.
There has never been an individual connected with the league who has contributed as much as a player and Coach as The Little General as he was affectionately called during his time in Saskatchewan .
He has had Managerial experience as well as he was the Ti-Cats General Manager for a couple of seasons .and sandwiched in between his playing and coaching years he worked for ten years from 1981 to 1991 as a color analyst on CBC Football Telecasts with Don Wittman and was considered to be one of the best ever at that position as his knowledge and colorful tell it like it is style in delivering his message was something every CFL fan enjoyed.
This man has been part and parcel of the CFL from 1960 till the present which is longer than anyone else and he has always given the task he is performing whether it be playing ,coaching ,managing or analyzing 100% effort.
He cares about this league which comes across very distinctly when you discuss any league issue with him.
The league is missing the boat by letting somebody with Lancaster's knowledge and personal appeal just fade away into the night. There has to be a special place in the League office for him .
Lancaster, out of tiny Wittenburg College in Ohio, first burst upon the CFL scene in 1960 as a player with the Ottawa Roughriders and he played there for three years sharing the Quarterback position with Russ Jackson before coming to Saskatchewan in 1963.
Lancaster's accomplishments in Saskatchewan are legendary both from a CFL standpoint and a Saskatchewan Roughrider perspective. He was the Green and White's starting quarterback for sixteen years.and the head coach for two. His 288 regular season games played rank him sixth on the all-time list.
The CFL record book is full of his accomplishments, beginning with the 50,535 regular season career yards passing good for third all -time in CFL history. His 333 regular season touchdown passes are second only to Damon Allen and his 3,384 regular season pass completions are good enough for third place on the All-time list. The Riders won 145 regular season games with number 23 pulling the trigger from 1963 to 1978. You have to wonder where the Roughriders would have been without their diminutive leader as there is no doubt that The Lancaster Era was the greatest era in Rider history with thirteen home playoff games, four first place finishes, six second place finishes and, four third place finishes. The brutal truth is that the Roughriders have not finished first since Lancaster left the Saskatchewan scene and have finished second only once in 1988.
The Saskatchewan crew were in the playoffs for the first fourteen years of his Rider career and here is why Lancaster has to be considered as one of the greatest if not the greatest CFL player of all -time as he directed the Prairie bunch to Eleven consecutive Western Division Finals {1966 to 1976}. No Quarterback in CFL or NFL history has ever directed his team to the equivalent of that record. The Riders won five of those finals and were Grey Cup Champions under Lancaster in 1966.
He holds several CFL playoff records as well such as the most touchdown passes {40} thrown ,most yards passing {6676} and most playoff game {20} performances for a quarterback.
Lancaster has been named the outstanding player in the CFL in 1966, 1970, and 1976. He has been chosen as the CFL all-Star quarterback in 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1976 and the Western Division All-star QB in 1966, 1968, 1969,1970, 1973, 1975 and 1976 which is more times than any other quarterback in Western Conference history. He is also a member of the CFL Hall of fame.
As the Head Coach with Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Hamilton he has won 138 regular season games which ranks him fourth in CFL history.
He has four Grey Cup rings, two as a player with Ottawa and Saskatchewan and two as the Head Coach in Edmonton in 1993 and Hamilton in 1999.
There has never been an individual connected with the league who has contributed as much as a player and Coach as The Little General as he was affectionately called during his time in Saskatchewan .
He has had Managerial experience as well as he was the Ti-Cats General Manager for a couple of seasons .and sandwiched in between his playing and coaching years he worked for ten years from 1981 to 1991 as a color analyst on CBC Football Telecasts with Don Wittman and was considered to be one of the best ever at that position as his knowledge and colorful tell it like it is style in delivering his message was something every CFL fan enjoyed.
This man has been part and parcel of the CFL from 1960 till the present which is longer than anyone else and he has always given the task he is performing whether it be playing ,coaching ,managing or analyzing 100% effort.
He cares about this league which comes across very distinctly when you discuss any league issue with him.
The league is missing the boat by letting somebody with Lancaster's knowledge and personal appeal just fade away into the night. There has to be a special place in the League office for him .
5 comments:
Just read your comments and couldn't agree more with the information provide.It is a shame so many Rider Fans just don't get how good and colorful Lancaster was along with being very durable.I agree that it appears he is being treated somewhat poorly by Hamilton but maybe at this point in his life he is satisfied with the position.I do wish he would apply for a position with TSN in place of Glen Suitor who is becoming harder and harder to accept as the years go by.In conclusion Lancaster probably the best Rider that we will ever see.
Ya, Regina sure treated Ron with class by booing him off the field during his last game.
The guy is a fossil, let him ride off into the pasture with a cigarette in one hand and a Fudruckers hamburger in the other hand.
I could not agree more. I only saw Lancaster play from 1976 on as I was pretty young then. However, his stats. show what he has accomplished and he (from what I understand) is an even better person. A great guy who just loves to talk football.
Good article. Lancaster as in the past on and off the field, could make a positive impact on the league. Commissioner perhaps?
How about a new post?
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