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I know you guys aren't necessarily wrong with all the hand wringing and complaining.... But man it's tough reading so much depressing **** about the team. I'm not ready for the good times to end.

What a ******* joke

Even us armchair coaches and gas can see the roster issues and thr problems it caused last season... to continue with the same old same old as if it wasn't a problem is why people are getting angry. There is no need to play on hard mode. None at all. Build the game day roster properly and stop wasting spots or expecting too much from over the hill vets.

Rosery is the prime example of a guy they could have called up when Brady went down. He played well in preseason. Knows the offense and *could* have come in in a pinch. The other thing that bothers me about our roster is that we are completely unable to pivot away from having a NI at RB. We've invested so heavily in that position but have NOTHING in the way of an adequate backup if something catastrophic happens.

A couple of thoughts: Unless they are worried about Wallace being poached off the PR or Eli is still too hurt to play more than a handful of snaps a game, then Wallace being the 7th lineman on the active roster makes absolutely zero sense. I'm not thrilled about the deletion of Woods from what was a largely effective unit last week. I'd feel more comfortable with a guy like Rosery backing up (hell starting over) Augustine vs. Chris-Ike. In an ideal world, we have a much more well rounded back step in to that role and Augustine simply rides the pine. I'm not too upset over Bighill's insertion. We have the horses there to make a change in game if he's labouring. The question is will we make the change? (the answer is likely no). Can I say I don't like Mitchell being on the roster, period? That opinion won't change until he does anything remotely productive offensively or on special teams.

So the same **** that cost them last season. Mos buddy... it's oknto not have a million linebackers and it's ok to not need 7 OL and it's ok to not dress a receiver who won't take any snaps. Stop doing this on hard mode.

Rough. No Brady (which is the right choice, even if he could have played banged up) Only 6 DL. 9 “Linebackers” O. Wilson, Mitchell and Wheatfall all on. This one really bugs me actually. The one unit that’s been performing consistently well in preseason and last week is the DL. Why handicap them? It’s clearly the strength of the team right now.

Nah, at least 75% of this board believes, at least to some degree, that the roster use has not been good and that it's literally costing us games, and arguably the past two GCs. You don't have to fully ***** and moan about it, but almost everyone understands this to a degree...

You’re not really arguing against a point anyone is making. The majority of people here aren’t concerned about the individual decline of players. They’re concerned that we’re not doing anywhere near enough to prepare for that decline / put the best lineup we can on the field.

It’s absolutely not based off one Week 1 loss. It’s based off a gradual decline since the end of 2022.

I agree tho...MCI will be fine....right coaching...res...experience.....not worried there, but he's not the back-up RB yet...but his physical skills and body type can't be ignored...he will get there

This tells me all I need about you. There's a reason so many backs wash out of professional football (or are reduced to being just an early down thumper) .. they can't pass protect to save their lives. The CFL, by it's nature, puts a premium on backs who are multi-dimensional. Chris-Ike hasn't demonstrated that here. Augustine has never really demonstrated that here. There's a reason why Harris played over Brady .. and a reason why Brady earned the role over Augustine later.

Or ya know... just play Eli there...

The old adage is that special teams are a sign of your depth... well I'd agree. Our depth has taken a massive hit the last few years for a variety of reasons and teams have been poor. Not a coincidence in my opinion.

“It’s the process” Except it’s not. The (16-21) successes resulted from Walters bringing in high level FA’s, not building ground-up with the same guys. The Jesse Briggs of the world alone get you the same results as the 14/15 teams had. Medlock, Dressler, Harris, Willie ect were all-stars before they got here. Walters doesn’t get enough credit for the cups and MOS gets too much. There, I said it.

First out in lock of the week this year has to fight him

not based on 1 game this yr...based on the same kind of stuffing going on over 2 yrs now also the younger guys on the roster won't be the reason for decline...It's "some" of the aging guys...not all....but a good portion of the aging/inadequate/no use other than special teams guys filling spots here for no other reason than that they have been here a while, and we have a hard time of late moving on, and actually trying to get continually better on the fly I want to see Steveler when brought in used in the actual offence....not just totally obvious designed runs....let him show he is an actual QB so that when he comes in...teams don't just load the box....that and actually use option when he is in...and some trickery. If ZCgoes down...or just keeps turning up the suck....Strev needs to have actually ran the offence before that....forward thinking and preperation for the unknown/ineviteable...things this staff has been ignoring and over looking

You just can't expect mid 30s guys to carry the team like they did when they were early 30s. Just not going to happen, and until oshea realizes that and builds his roster around that we will be playing on hard mode.

Don't get me wrong, I do think he's going to ride Collaros until the wheels completely fall off and, as a fan that just wants to see us remain dominant, that's disheartening but am I "extremely bothered" that O'Shea feels the way he does about Zach? Not at all. It doesn't surprise me in the least especially when you consider the success the two have enjoyed together.

I just looked at the lineup again. One injury on the DL tomorrow and we are absolutely screwed.

wow....all I can say..... Thats just sad....and I am sure his reasonings when asked after will be a utter joke We know all week...actually even before last weeks game that BO is a huge question mark...and this is what we come up with at RB??....along with 3 complete newbie recievers to compliment and take the load off.... made our front 7 weaker big time...then add a likely out of game shape Biggie in to compliment it and who's to say he even remotely 100 percent...the fact he was put on the 6 immediately and not just 1 gamed tells me all I need to know there and Papi Oshea just took his que froma loved vet that "i good to go" just like in Grey Cup. I always want us to win, but don't get me wrong here as I hope we get spanked so this bucket of puke isn't justified and glossed over by a win over the perenial sad sack redblack's...and we get all the "see Osh is a genius...he knows what he doing" We win it's because some guys have game of their season and go right off...or a couple guys who are unknowns take Ottawa by surprise...or Dru just stinks and we know how to negate him from 3 yrs of grooming him.....or a combo of the 3....a win in spite of everything that will just justify this stupidity right thru the seson

He won’t ever change. Same moronic decision making with the roster that cooked us last year. Ayers barely played all game last week and now we add Biggie and he suddenly becomes more essential than keeping the one unit that DID succeed last week fresh? I’m over it, man. Just such flawed decision making.

This is where most people are. No one is saying the team is complete ****, just that they need to alter their approach to maintain the competitiveness for as long as they possibly can. Need to be proactive and always be looking to get better. We all want this to continue, we all want to keep sitting on top of the mountain looking down on everyone else. That's why the passion about the topic.

I was gonna say if we're gonna bring in Ellingson we may as well have kept Milt on....

After following this thread for the better part of a week... I am to believe that: -The Bombers have fallen off a cliff -We are no longer a good team -MOS is a **** coach -Collaros is a **** QB- not even above average or even average- just ****. -Our run game is garbage. -Buck pierce is a **** OC -Younger is alright, but nothing to write home about. -Our Offence is **** -Our practice roster is ****. -Our Specialty teams is trash and **** at the same time. -Our Defence is borderline garbage and out of shape. -We cut all star players to retain old fat vets that just take up space and serve no purpose other than being ****. -There is sooo much rust- probably from all that ****. -Our LBs are old, broken and... ****. -We don't have enough DLmen so after the 1st quarter- they're gassed and tired ****. -No RBs- even BO is kind of ****- now he's injured ****. -Our Receiving core is too old, too expensive and are being paid too much for being ****. -Our oline outside of Eli and the GOAT are- you guessed it, ****. -DBs - new and raw ****. -Kicker and punter- **** -Special teams- yup, ****. - KR? 'fraidy fumble **** ****. -Team is in real trouble. No way it will improve, because of all the above. Jesus... this is bumming me out.

Rosery is a great example of the lack of preparation here. Guy who got the most reps in pre-season games at tailback. Plays well. Gets cut. Chris-Ike likely will need to play some tailback tomorrow and no reps for him. We bring in a guy who wasn't in anyone's camp to chase kicks and maybe play some fullback. Watch him get injured tomorrow. All these guys busted up coming out of camp....so we didn't go hard to get ready for the season, and we have a half dozen guys on the 6 game. They really need to do some thinking on how to run an effective training camp. I expect a loss this week. Ottawa's season and home opener. We are still the franchise with the target on our backs. No one is having a let down against us.

And lost us 2 grey cups. Is the goal to win 14 games or grey cups? No ones pushing the panic button here, people are saying wade and or Walter’s should intervene before it gets any worse. If you think this is panic mode, we better not lose this week, or the next home game. You’ll see panic mode from the average fans, and an attendance dip, and our team getting booed off the field. Also cost us any hope of improving through the tc pre season process this year and last year.

Waiting for Garbutt to come back, no one else left in the hopper.

I will say - I’m excited to see Wheatfall play. I think he’s going to do well and I think we’re going to wonder why he didn’t start the year instead of Wilson.

good teams tweak...transition and work guys in over the yr..and aren't afraid to put a new "better" guy in at any point in season...as they earned it and cleary are better as opposed to rewarded....just look at 2019 as an example...late season adding Maston and Taylor...and how it turned us around....we used to do it....what happened?....

I think we’re going to see a lot of Feltmate and Clercius tomorrow.

and boundary corner..then safety are probablythe easiest to learn...not RB Clericus is a stud as well...and would have preferrred we used him as 5th guy....and eliminated the need for canadian depth on dline...just the fact alone thathe scored as one of the highest in grip strength ...including lineman and linebackers is reason enough to give him the hance to be a solid possesion guy and not a fumble risk....all you want in a 5th guy

so just watched that...Is he a) truly that clueless b) playing dumb with questions c ) just an all around arrogant jagoff? How do you have no clue about what happened in that pathetic loss there last yr....you not review anything?....then say late in game we couldn't tackle Crum?...what is it? And it was obvious our 5 dlineman were totally gassed, as well as an inferior Briggs....and thats why we couldnt tackle... How do you not have a pulse on your team, and a knowledge..or keen understanding what thier injury status is in the week leading up to the game...thats something you as a HC should be all over and already implementing a plan just in case during the week....with your coaches...and not just going by what player says on game day, or when you have to produce a depth chart and just basically winging it then...like what the bloody eff?!?! we saw how well that worked in last years Grey Cup Same with non commital answers, or lame ones like "he caught the punts well in practice"...really?...He more than anyone being a former player, ST co-ord should know first hand fielding a punt when you know there no risk of getting decapitated is nothing like in a game....such a piss poor reasoning and basically a veiled answer covering the fact that once Smith went down they had no plan B I go to camps and combine preps teaching long snapping and have guys who can fire a bullet...in practice but in a game just can't do it .....so irratating nd asked about if when they lose...if it changes their process...and he had no clue....like maybe start coaching and be a friggin hard ass and see what and how they "prepared" and suggest or make a change...as these one off losses....are all too common now....some of whatever "process" we are using isnt getting it done now that we have an aging roster, and some less than optimum guys occupying spots. This is not a case per say of a coach losing a room....more of one it seems has no clue on his room and is relying too much on things that worked 3..4 yrs ago.....this is almost becoming a joke...and jokes on us

Why would I be upset about a coach who thinks highly of a quarterback that helped him win back to back Grey Cups, helped lead a team to 4 in a row and will be an integral reason why O'Shea will cement himself as the all time leader in wins by a Bomber coach?

we will have gassed out a couple guys from over-use....and having to give an interior guy extra reps outside...won't help in keeping them overly fresh either....the ol rob Peter to pay Paul scenario....and this falls smack dab at the feet of having a poor PR and selection of guys you kept for injury issues.....apparent at RB too.....KR...even receiver...Josh Johnson is probably the best guy ready to make a impact...but he behind 2 other guys that obviously have some trait...or said or did something that has a coach all giddy....I havn't seen it....and know others havnt either...

It's not the roster I would have fielded but I do think the roster critique has become a meme at this point. There are holes but, when you look back across O'Shea's tenure here, there have always been holes in the game day roster and there's always been a reliance on his guys. This hasn't changed. I've said it before and will say it again, it's his best and worst quality. I think the real criticism is with the practice roster and Mike has already thrown out many of my own concerns there so I won't rehash them.

For any team to pretend that Johnny Augustine or Jake Thomas are the best options you can put on the field regardless of passport is insulting to its fans, quite frankly. This is exactly why I take pause now when people say O’Shea is still the best coach in the league. I’m not really sure how much evidence there is to point to of him coaching much of anything.

The RedBlacks offensive line isn't particularly good and Dru is a known commodity. I fully expect the trio of WJ, Haba and Adams to be disruptive and make things hard for him. My big concern is the secondary - will we see improved chemistry / communication over last week because the Holm / Ford side struggled - Ford in particular (and don't get me wrong, I really like the kid).

Dru Brown is going to be tearing it up by the end of the 3rd against that gassed out DL. Aside from the awful roster building, I think it’s time to talk about how Collaros contract was the beginning of the end of our dominance. You can’t keep a dynasty going paying half a mil to one player, especially one in their mid-30s. That’s why you develop the next one and move forward.

Truthfully, and people aren’t going to want to hear this, the only way this turns around is when we move on from MOS. He is who he is at this point and while I think he’s owed the opportunity to prove this theory false, I don’t think he’s got it in him to make the adjustments required. Too far away from his philosophy and too many tough “human” decisions. He’s not going to cut bait from a Brandon Alexander or an Adam Bighill or a Jake Thomas. That’s such a big part of what made him so great for the time when it worked. But now that it won’t work, it’s going to be an equally big part of his undoing. Realistically, I think the only way we move on without him stepping away is a failure that can’t be ignored during the host season. And if nothing changes immediately, that’s exactly what we’re going to see. The arrogance, the belief that this is still 2020 … that’s what is going to sink us. It’s not even up for debate anymore that we don’t do everything we can each week to win football games and the belief that our good is good enough needs to stop, but it won’t. It might not be a sudden fall off the cliff but the fall is coming whether we like it or not.

If we’re bringing in past receivers. Terrence Jeffers-Harris is available and he’s only 35

Not here you don’t

We have to go back to basics when rebuilding this team. Draft offensive & defensive linemen. Actually start to seriously develop a qb we intend to keep to take over from Collaros. Build up the linebackers & FFS find a returner.... Unfortunately, that won't start until this next off season. O'Shea may nix the idea & stay with his vets until they no longer can play. I can't see a proper rebuild starting until we get a new head coach. By then, it may be too late.

I should clarify what my opinion is … I don’t think we’re about to fall off a cliff immediately. I just truly believe that we’re going to do absolutely nothing to stop it when it does happen.

I don't think he's very impactful. Rather keep the 3 we have on the roster. He just looks like a freak so he gets a lot of attention.

Having family and friends in Calgary I appreciate the position you are all in but out of respect for Rich (and our wishes for the forum), let's not turn this into a policy / political discussion.

I have a feeling that Brady wont be playing. Even if he is healthy, I can see them sitting him out as he's only practiced a couple of days all camp and season so far.

Argos are an organization who are always looking for "the next one" .. it keeps the team competitive both on the field and from a salary cap perspective. I still think Oakman has a tonne of juice but the Boatmen have a deep defensive line.

The first telling sign will be what specific adjustments he makes for this coming Thursday.

I’d love to see us bring in Shawn Oakman but there’s zero chance we do