The Ghost of Mike Kelly

That’s the great thing about the Canadian Mafia. Its solid top to bottom, and it starts with Don Wade Miller, who won’t even consider letting Walters go after what he has accomplished. It would be a PR disaster for one, and we have the money to pay him. He’s got a good gig here. This is his baby.

Hopefully Bryant, like Medlock, being toward the end of their careers (Whilst still being top-notch!) decide that they don’t want to bounce around the league, and settle here on rolling 1-year deals until they are ready to hang em’ up.

Chris Streveler on a 3-year.

For Reilly to be that high surely you must be basing it off his pedigree over the last few seasons, in which I’d certainly rank Nichols above the likes of Adams, Fajardo, possibly Collaros and even Dane Evans—who looked terrified and whiny in the Big game, lost all composure.

Only 2 cups in the last 10 years. Feels more like 4-5 since they always seem to be there. Kind of a disappointment from the eyes of a Stamps fan, no? Definitely a solid franchise, but need to win a few more to be called the ‘Patriots of the North’ as I’ve heard some call them. Then again after 29 years, I’d gladly take 2 cups in 10 years. 😇

If not Nichols, then who do we go for. Arbuckle? Small sample size. Masoli? Like Nichols had a bad injury—also too small sample size? I’ve heard it said he’s the next Casey Printers in terms of one season wonders. Only time will tell. This organization likes to grow from within. Between Streveler and McGuire, chances are our future GC winning QB is one of them. So if all we need is a bridge to hand the ball of to them for when they are eventually ready to lead, I don’t see anyone else more suited for that temporary role than Matt Nichols. Collaros, sure. But I dont think its worth losing our 1st over, and you get the sense he wants to head home to Ontario.

O’Shea entered this year playoffs 1-3. Now he’s 4-3 with a Grey Cup, which, is the identical record to Dave Dickenson over in Calgary. Nichols is 1-3 for us in playoffs. But as Osh has shown, it can all change like that.

There’s no telling that to be true. His numbers and 7-2 record could suggest otherwise. I think this team was going to win it all this year regardless. A cumulation of the Canadian Mafia’s vision and hard work all coming together. However Nichols got hurt and didn’t get his just desserts, prompting Walters to swing a trade for a like-for-like replacement. I fully believe this was our year regardless.

Which is valid, unless you have a QB who is made of glass and is one hit away from potential retirement. Luck plays a role in everything. We were unlucky to lose Nichols the way we did on what looked to be a pretty routine hit. then made one helluva trade for a great QB in Collaros who is one headshot away from god knows what, and got lucky that he didn’t get hurt. Oh, and we are lucky to have a guy like Walters to have pulled that trade off. I am also drinking lucky.

What Collaros did in those 4 games was pure magic. But they were extraordinary circumstances, where you can almost pin it down to divine intervention as to how everything worked out with the storylines, luck and the bought-in motivated performance of every single player on the team. To think he would play that way all of next season is a bit wishful, IMO. He would have bad games, and is susceptible to injury. Say what you want about Nichols, but he’s given us 4 straight winning seasons since he has arrived. And he did win a difficult semi-final in Regina last year. He deserves a go at it on his terms, to try and win the whole damn thing with himself at the helm. With Buck as (potentially) our OC, and a bit of a chip on his shoulder watching another QB win the cup on his team, Nichols could be a whole different monster next year. I would not write him off just yet.

Sorry, Paul.

I wonder if there is a loophole in this whole first rounder business. I wonder if we signed him after FA if it would still cost us anything. I doubt it? I’m pretty sure it only applies if we RESIGNED him prior, but I could be wrong. What he did for us has been spectacular. Regardless if he stays or go, he goes down as a Bomber and Winnipeg legend. What a trade.

Another thing I hope Osh takes into consideration. He’s already 3rd all-time in wins for the Bombers (56). Behind Cal Murphy (86) and Bud Grant (102) Win the cup on Sunday and a few more winning seasons and who knows? The guy could one day be cast in bronze outside IGF—its not that far-fetched.

Well one can assume LaPo is as good as gone for an HC role elsewhere. That could free up some $$$. Who knows, maybe Hall leaves as well and we extend O’Shea as a HC and slap the DC role on him too? As for Toronto, they still haven’t fired Chamblin. They are still paying Jim Popp also. Don’t know how much room they have to spend, but I’m confident we could match it and probably beat it. Money wouldn’t be the issue. It’s if O’Shea’s desire to go home is greater than his desire to turn his Bombers into a dynasty.

Just because LaPo has that kind of continuity with what he wants out of a QB with his throws, doesn’t eliminate the fact that the QB still has to make his reads and decide which target to throw to. What we are seeing with Collaros is a willingness in the LaPo offense to use the medium-deep route more, and if the pocket collapses to escape pressure and still make those throws. Whereas Nichols seems to prefer dumping it off to his ‘safety route’ once Darvin or someone doesn’t seem open downfield and/or the pocket collapses before he gets a chance to make that call. Or he’ll throw it out of bounds. Decision making and maybe confidence (Collaros is on fire) being the ultimate difference between the two. But overall I still think Nichols and Collaros are cut from a similar cloth.

I have a blank home jersey that will be fitted with a #8 Collaros on Monday. You simply can’t go wrong, it will always be relevant and legendary. Arguably best trade in CFL history when he pulls it off on Sunday (/positive energy)

Probably not. But Collaros looked pretty flat in Riderville. Could he sustain his current form over a whole season and then into Playoffs? Or would he end up being Nichols 2.0?

Augustine looked fine while Harris was suspended. I think our success on the ground goes beyond him. Although PED or not, I do think Harris is a great back.

If LaPo leaves this offseason, I wouldn’t mind seeing what Nichols can do under a Buck Pierce offence. Or Collaros for that matter. So long as Buck starts every team meeting with the words “Slide Feet first.”

To play devil’s advocate for Nichols.... he started the year with us 7-2, first in the West. He finished with 15 TDs and 5 INTs with just short of 2000 passing yards. Had he not gotten injured, you could argue him being on pace for the West MOP nominate. (Fajardo was 18-8 4300 yards. Nichols was on pace for 30-10 4000) If we resign Zach and he equalled those Nichols numbers next season, we would all be singing his praises. The problem with Bomber/Winnipeg fans is we get bored. We want change for the sake of change. Look at those calling for the heads of MOS and Walters, even though we’ve posted 4 consecutive winning seasons and are now in the GC, but people still want change. Prior to Nichols, do people remember the QB situation? Or the coaching situation prior to the MOS stability era? It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we went into next season with Nichols and Strevs, in fact Nichols might operate with a chip on his shoulder depending on this Sunday’s outcome...

The problem with Nichols is he’ll air it deep and everything is fine. But as soon as he throws a pick, or a few deep balls don’t work, he goes back into his shell. Its not that Collaros is 1000 times better with the deep ball, its that he’s more confident of himself it seems to keep slinging it out. Plus his ability to escape pressure and not just tuck and roll/toss it away, allows for much more when it comes to the deep ball. Nichols stats to start the year were insane, but he never sticks with it and falls back to safety-blanket things that will only get you so far (see 2018 west final).

In terms of the way the offence was run as a whole (pre-Collaros) you could probably have Speedy Banks out there and he would look relatively average with very few touches. Collaros comes in and now we see Adams and Demski’s games elevated—that’s because we have a proper quarterback airing it out to them. None of this timid pass offense that we’ve shown the vast majority of the season. IMO Adams is a bonafide 1000 receiver on any other team in the league this season.

They will serve beer 80% air and 20% iron.