SpeedFlex27

Anyone can start a blog, I've got no interest in that. I'm here for an open exchange of ideas with other fans... people who write blogs wa t their opinions heard without them being open to challenge. As seen by the butthurt here when people call their opinions trash.

And yet... Here you are. Gracing us with your presence, Your Lordship. 
 

Jay Washington needs to be in the debate as well.

They originally built it to hold 42,000 but expanded it for the World Student Games to 60,000 which was ludicrous. I went to the 78 CWG & really liked the place at that size. They should have kept it at 42000. It is Gi-Normous now. 

And yet... Here you are. Gracing us with your presence, Your Lordship. 
 

There is talk about building a new 30,000 seat stadium for both the Elks & Edmonton's Canadian Soccer League team. It would require government money to get it done. I just shake my head thinking they'd actually tear CWS down. Couldn't they renovate it? Reduce capacity to it's original 40,000? Fix the concourses, washrooms & concessions areas to bring it up to modern standards? Add more private suites. I'm not a civil engineer so I don't know if that is possible. However, it's almost 50 years old. So, maybe it is time to get rid of it. The demolition cost would be a pretty hefty bill all on its own.
I think it tells you about the tale of 2 cities if Edmonton built a new stadium for the Elks while in Calgary, the Stampeders are still stuck in that shithole of a facility called McMahon Stadium because the politicians down here just don't give a **** about the CFL.

Or your knees.

I was looking at scores from that season and some interesting facts come out for me:
- Edmonton lost only one game all season - guess who beat them?  Yup, Dieter and Crew, 38 - 28
- I remembered why I grew up thinking "Barnagel" was so good, because Sask came into our barn that year and beat us, one of only two teams to do so at home that year (not counting that uber-crappy Western Semi-Final game).  I remember being very mad after that Sask game.
- We beat Montreal 58-2 that year.  HA HAA HAAA HAAA  I think that game destroyed Vince Ferragamo. 

That's just silly. Of course it's context. A 3 win team was part of the context of that season.
You're also providing context - can we just dismiss it? 

Yeah, Michael Ball doing the Riders. Shits & giggles. Lol. The Little Gnome got fired. Ha, ha. 

MY Mother & father grew up on their farms in Manitoba. Neither of them were excited about gardening but man, could they ever grow things in our very large backyard in the 50's & 60's. There was dill, green onions, tomatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, corn & potatoes. We had flowers around the house & in a flower bed out front.
My Dad planted three crabapple trees in the yard & they gave us fruit for years. Either crabapple pie, jam or wine for my parents or guests (but not me). I loved to eat those crabapples right off the branch. I'd usually stuff my pockets if I was leaving the house. Great memories. then they got into their mid 50's & they decided to stop & my father sodded the back yard.

I'd like to see Jim Barker do a mock draft. At least he knows the players & could probably do a very good job but it's TSN so it'll never happen. Instead we have Hodge.

MY Mother & father grew up on their farms in Manitoba. Neither of them were excited about gardening but man, could they ever grow things in our very large backyard in the 50's & 60's. There was dill, green onions, tomatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, corn & potatoes. We had flowers around the house & in a flower bed out front.
My Dad planted three crabapple trees in the yard & they gave us fruit for years. Either crabapple pie, jam or wine for my parents or guests (but not me). I loved to eat those crabapples right off the branch. I'd usually stuff my pockets if I was leaving the house. Great memories. then they got into their mid 50's & they decided to stop & my father sodded the back yard.

MY Mother & father grew up on their farms in Manitoba. Neither of them were excited about gardening but man, could they ever grow things in our very large backyard in the 50's & 60's. There was dill, green onions, tomatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, corn & potatoes. We had flowers around the house & in a flower bed out front.
My Dad planted three crabapple trees in the yard & they gave us fruit for years. Either crabapple pie, jam or wine for my parents or guests (but not me). I loved to eat those crabapples right off the branch. I'd usually stuff my pockets if I was leaving the house. Great memories. then they got into their mid 50's & they decided to stop & my father sodded the back yard.

MY Mother & father grew up on their farms in Manitoba. Neither of them were excited about gardening but man, could they ever grow things in our very large backyard in the 50's & 60's. There was dill, green onions, tomatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, corn & potatoes. We had flowers around the house & in a flower bed out front.
My Dad planted three crabapple trees in the yard & they gave us fruit for years. Either crabapple pie, jam or wine for my parents or guests (but not me). I loved to eat those crabapples right off the branch. I'd usually stuff my pockets if I was leaving the house. Great memories. then they got into their mid 50's & they decided to stop & my father sodded the back yard.

Agreed. Also the top players by position and dark horses / sleepers post. 
 
I think it’d be fun to have a bunch of media types do their own mock draft. Say barker picks for Toronto, farhan for bc etc. wouldnt be much out side of entertainment but I think it would be fun for 3ish rounds. 

It'd be a bigger blow if they ceased operations.
 
Every team in the West used to be community owned.

I'd like to see Jim Barker do a mock draft. At least he knows the players & could probably do a very good job but it's TSN so it'll never happen. Instead we have Hodge.

It'd be a bigger blow if they ceased operations.
 
Every team in the West used to be community owned.

I'd like to see Jim Barker do a mock draft. At least he knows the players & could probably do a very good job but it's TSN so it'll never happen. Instead we have Hodge.

The CFL Combine last week created little buzz for the upcoming season, most media outlets paid no attention to it at all, including league partner TSN.  This has to be the dullest off-season in recent memory, hopefully they bring back the concept of CFL Week next year in Wpg. and they put some effort into creating a bigger spotlight for their product during the off-season. The league has regressed in this department, the biggest story this winter has been bad boy Chad Kelly and we can't even fight about it anymore! 😄 

A 3 win team making the playoffs is not just conjecture.  You can't just dismiss some of the points Speed made. 

Stellar defensive back. Part of Marv Levy's great 70's Montreal defensive teams. First team All American at Georgia Tech. Drafted by the NO Saints in 1975. Signed instead with Charlotte of the WFL in 1975 & played one season for the Hornets. Signed with the Als in 1976 & played for them thru the 1980 season. He then signed with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 81 before retiring. He was a CFLEastern Conference All Star in 1977, 78 & 81 as well as named to the CFL  All Canadian team as a DB the same years he was an Eastern All Star. Returned 31 kickoffs during his career & over 300 punt returns. He had 22 interceptions as well during his career. He was a real stud. One of the best players in the CFL during that era.

Whatever. The Western Conference was very, very strong in 1981. The Esks finished 14-1-1 for first place, The Bombers went 11-5 & finished second. The Lions 10-6 finishing third & the Riders at 9-7 finished fourth in the West.  Combined, the West won 50 regular season games that year & the East just 21.
In 1981, the Montreal Alouettes finished third in the East & made the playoffs with an abysmal 3-13 record. How freaking embarrassing for the CFL was that? The league's credibility was called into question. The Riders won 6 more games than the Als & were fourth in the West yet didn't qualify for the playoffs because there was no crossover. I remember fans & media crying how things needed to change. However, in typical CFL fashion, I remember the league getting right on it by taking another 16 years before it would allow crossovers in the playoffs beginning in 1997.
What happened to the Riders was a travesty. I'm just glad the Bombers never experienced anything close to that back then. Chances are had there been a crossover, the Riders would have been the Eastern representative in the Grey Cup. Who knows, maybe they would have upset the Eskimos as they barely beat the 5-11 Ottawa Rough Riders that year.
But sure, it was the Riders quarterbacking. It was just average. They didn't win.