Change of fortune

It was David Braley day in the Canadian Football League on Saturday.

Okay, it wasn't an officially-declared day for Braley, but both of his teams were playing. His B.C. Lions, a team potentially headed for first in the West Division, were in Saskatchewan. Later in the day his Toronto Argonauts team, which has the worst record in the CFL but is still mathematically alive for the playoffs, was at home to play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

And the Braley Bunch won, albeit in dramatically different fashion.

The Lions totally dismantled the Roughriders, 42-5, winning their fifth in a row with possibly their best overall game of the season to improve their record to 6-6. The Lions beat a team which had won three in a row.

The Argos eked out a 25-24 win over the league-leading Winnipeg Blue Bombers in what was easily the ugliest game played this entire season and improved to 3-9.

The Lions don't look anything like the team that started off the season with a 0-5 record and were 1-6 before making their stunning turnaround. The acquisition of receiver Arland Bruce from Hamilton has been pivotal for the Lions' change of fortune. Bruce had a modest debut playing with limited time to practice since the trade, but what he's done since proves his value as one of the best receivers in the CFL. He has 24 catches for 379 yards and five touchdowns.

To put this in perspective, the Argos' top receiver, Andre Durie, a converted running back, only has 521 yards and he's played 12 games.

How good would Bruce, the onetime Argo, have helped Toronto had they gone after him when Hamilton made him available to every team? Only B.C. wanted Bruce and it cost the Lions a third round draft pick next year and a conditional third round pick the following year. It is already proving to be a bargain. When Bruce is on his game and focused, there are few better receivers in the CFL.

There are many reasons beyond just Bruce for the Lions' revival. Young quarterback Travis Lulay, in his first full season as a starter, has settled down after some trying times earlier in the season. The receivers are catching passes that were inexcusably falling through their hands. The defence has been changed from three down linemen to four and there's been some key player personnel moves, too.

All combined, this is the reason why the Lions are succeeding.

The timing is perfect. They are returning to B.C. Place next week a year and a half since their stadium was renovated, and the venue is expected to feature some impressive changes. The Lions play host to the Grey Cup this year and it wouldn't be a stretch at this point to forecast them playing in the championship game.

The Lions play in recent weeks, combined with the re-opening of the stadium, could translate to ticket sales. And make no mistake about it: Braley may have buckets of money, but he doesn't like to lose - and not just on the field.

So, the timing of the Lions' renaissance couldn't have been better.

As for the Argos, well, that's another story. They beat a Bombers team that during the game lost its two starting quarterbacks and top two running backs to injury. With a healthy squad, the Bombers would have surely pummeled Toronto. They are 8-4. A year ago they were 4-14.

Last year in Braley's first year owning the team, the Argos had a respectable 9-9 season following two previous seasons in which they won a combined seven games with three different coaches. The Argos posted a stunning upset over Hamilton in the East semifinal and head coach Jim Barker, who was given the general manager portfolio after being awarded coach of the year honours, had high hopes going into this season. But everything that could possibly go wrong has happened, although Toronto's victory on Saturday proved the football gods have mercy.

The Argos missed a 39-yard field goal inside the final minute, but the Bomber returner couldn't make it out of the end zone, giving Toronto the go-ahead - and what would become game-winning - point. The field goal was actually a re-kick because someone in the crowd blew a whistle after the kick, which hit the upright. So the Argos received a second chance and still didn't get it right.

This was a microcosm of the overall game. Late in the fourth quarter, the press box announcer said that due to an irregular number of plays the final statistics would be delayed. It was one bizarre play after another, but when the game ended and the Argos won, fireworks erupted inside Rogers Centre. The game attracted an announced crowd of only 19,108, many of them Bombers fans.

The Argos play host to the Grey Cup next year and there will surely be some major changes to the team unless Braley's team from the East somehow pulls a stunning reversal like his team from the West. It is highly unlikely.

But for day anyway, the man who owns both teams had reason to rejoice. It was a great day for the Braley Bunch.

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.