Songs for the CFL: a musical East Division preview

With the CFL season set to kick off Thursday when the Toronto Argonauts host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, it's time to take a look at how things stack up for each team. A few years ago, we compared each CFL team to different musical artists, and this year, we're looking at the teams in relation to specific songs. We've previewed the West Division already; now, here's a look at the East Division in predicted order of regular-season finish. We'll have more predictions for what will happen this season on 55-Yard Line Thursday.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Arkells - A Little Rain

It shouldn't be a surprise that we went with Arkells here, considering both how great and approachable this Juno-winning band is, how they've already done a Ticats' anthem and a Grey Cup pre-game show, and how we compared them to the team in 2014, but there are plenty of songs that could have worked from them. New song "A Little Rain" seems the most fitting, though, as it talks about optimism in the midst of struggles. The Ticats made it to the Grey Cup in back-to-back years in 2013 and 2014, with only a punt return flag stopping them that latter year, and looked set to make another run last year before losing quarterbacks Zach Collaros and Jeff Mathews. Jeremiah Masoli did well to take them to the East Final, but they were edged out there by the Ottawa Redblacks, which seemed like yet another hard-luck story.

While the chapters of their life might take them by surprise, there still could be a plot twist coming. The Ticats haven't let the penalties, the injuries and the general bad breaks they've faced bring them down. They've suffered some significant losses this offseason (including defensive linemen Brian Bulcke, Justin Hickman and Bryan Hall to Toronto, receiver Bakari Grant to Calgary, DBs Brandon Stewart and Mike Edem to B.C., kicker Justin Medlock to Winnipeg, and offensive coordinator Tommy Condell, who quit for personal reasons), but they're holding up on everything that they're not and looking around at everything that they've got. There's a lot of talent on this team, new (Chad Owens, Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Demond Washington, Brian Simmons), old (Collaros, Brandon Banks, Terrence Toliver, Ted Laurent, Linden Gaydosh), and coaching (OC Stefan Ptaszek in particular is an interesting addition), and when they're good, they should hit the ground running.

Prediction: 12-6, first in East

Toronto Argonauts: Drake - Started From The Bottom (language warning)

The proponent of "The 6" seems like a logical choice for the Argonauts, especially given how they're trying to emphasize their local connections with new marketingcampaigns around their move to BMO Field and their hosting of the Grey Cup. Beyond that, "Started From The Bottom" is an appropriate song for the Argos considering the struggles they've been through in the past few years. Things are looking pretty good for them at the moment, though; the team's under new, deep-pocketed ownership, they have an exciting new stadium that should cause less scheduling issues and provide a better home-field advantage, and they've signed a bunch of big free agents for the first time in a while. Free-agent additions such as LT Josh Bourke, DB Keon Raymond, the aforementioned defensive linemen, and more have their roster looking impressive, and there are strong moves on the coaching side too, such as the hiring of veteran CFL DC Rich Stubler. If QB Ricky Ray can stay healthy and keep the offence clicking, it could be a great year for the Argos. Now the whole team's here, and they'll hope the on-field success stays the same through the money and the fame.

Prediction: 10-8, second in East.

Ottawa Redblacks: The Tragically Hip - Bring It All Back

There's been a ton of interest in The Hip's farewell tour following the news that singer Gord Downie has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and while it's for much happier reasons, there's also been a surge of interest in the Redblacks. Their rise from worst to first in the East last year in just their second season of existence was remarkable, and they've become one of the most-discussed CFL teams. This song fits well with them, too; here's the part of "Bring It All Back" that feels particularly appropriate: "You got what you want/You wanted release/Can you be appeased?/Can you bring it all back to me?"

The Redblacks lost offensive coordinator Jason Maas this offseason, as he left to take over the head-coaching job in Edmonton, and their demand for compensation started a whole CFL coaching controversy, but was ultimately denied. The team's now looking to move on without him and has hired long-time CFL veteran Jaime Elizondo (previously the Argos' receivers coach) as the new OC, but there are still going to be plenty looking back at the Maas move, especially if the Ottawa offence doesn't click as well as it did last year. The Redblacks have some great pieces, including four receivers who hit 1,000 yards last year, and the reigning league Most Outstanding Player in QB Henry Burris, but there are questions about how long the 41-year-old Burris can continue to turn back time and how well this offence will keep working. There are defensive questions too, especially with the departures of top pass-rushers Justin Capicciotti and Shawn Lemon (both to Saskatchewan in free agency).

Prediction: 9-9, 3rd in East.

Montreal Alouettes: The Gaslight Anthem - I Could'a Been A Contender

If there's any CFL team that's been dancing on this killing floor for years, it's the Alouettes.They were the dominant East Division team from 2000 to 2010, finishing first in that division eight out of those 11 seasons, appearing in eight Grey Cups and winning three (in 2002, 2009 and 2010). Since then, though, things have been a bit rougher; they haven't been back to the Grey Cup, and although they did finish first in the East once (in 2012) and made two trips to the East Final (2012 and 2014), it's been a particular struggle since legendary QB Anthony Calvillo hung up his cleats after the 2013 season, with the team going through a whole grocery list of quarterbacks since then.

Calvillo's now their offensive coordinator, and while they seem to have settled on veteran Kevin Glenn at QB for now, there are still plenty of talents like Vernon Adams waiting in the wings. None of the QB options are necessarily that inspiring, though, and while they have some impressive receivers (including S.J. Green and Duron Carter in his return from the NFL), the depth chart looks pretty weak at many other positions. This team also seems to have a lot of older players who seem to be trending down a bit. They were going to get them Broadway stars, but a lot of those stars haven't really worked out in Montreal, and there's a storm front coming in. We'll see if the Alouettes can defy the odds, or if it proves to be heart attacks and broken dreams tonight for their fans.

Prediction: 5-13, last in East, outside of playoffs.

Also check out our West preview, and stay tuned to 55-Yard Line for much more ahead of the CFL season!