voodoochylde

That was one of the weakest roughing the passer calls I've seen this season .. heaven forbid someone bumps Ray .. heh

I've said it before but I'll reiterate it here .. unless we are going to surround a young quaterback with the resources he needs to be successful then I'd rather us sign a veteran guy ..

Don't mistake my comment about being light along the DL (tackle in particular) as a comment about weight .. it's more about physicality than anything else .. it's great these guys are athletic .. but far too often we see our interior guys being ineffective against bigger (more physical) offensive lineman .. outside of Turner, our tackles don't command respect .. they don't keep interior linemen from moving to the next level (ie. occupying space and keeping guards / center off our MLB - not that Muamba gets off blocks well to begin with .. but that's another story)

Almost every position is represented on our practice roster, including a DB, WR, RB, and a couple LB's. There are only so many spots to go around. Also, I disagree that we have a problem at DT, in fact I'd say we're the strongest in the league at that spot, or close to it. I think, as a defense, we're too light up front. Our tackles get moved around too easily .. and, outside of Bryant Turner, aren't enough of a physical presence. Do they make themselves felt? Are they athletic and pursue well? Yes. Could we get better play there .. absolutely .. but I agree with what you're saying .. only so many spots to go around .. and one of the most pressing areas of need for this team is offensive line .. we *ABSOLUTELY* need to protect whomever it is we line up behind center .. if we want any semblance of an offense next season.

Oh no! Now instead of losing every game for the rest of the year, we might lose every game for the rest of the year! I'll throw back to what another poster pointed out earlier .. it's not as if we've had a lot of difficulty finding impact players at defensive end the last oh .. decade or so ..

Don't mind this trade at all. Am I disappointed that our most dynamic player on defense has been traded? Yes. Am I glad that we managed to get something for a guy who was clearly on his way out of Bomberland? Absolutely. We acquired a non-import offensive lineman .. who is under contract for the next couple of years. As people like to point out, the draft is a crap shoot and we've essentially eliminated some of the guess work in getting a player with a decent body of work at the next level. He's not a rookie. He's not making the jump to the pros. We're not developing a project. We're getting a young player who is only going to get stronger (over the off season and as he puts more distance between himself and his injury). We did all that for a second round draft pick and a free agent import with NFL aspirations. Oh .. we also nabbed a 4th rounder in a subsequent year .. Not a bad day at the office.

I'm usually not down on the organization but this clown show is going to cost us a chance at retaining and attracting good players .. it's going to be a long while before we dig ourselves our of this mess.

I've only been to two games but both times were were just across the street from the stadium, perhaps a 3 minute walk. You must have had a different colour pass. Was it a season pass? Curious, where were your seats? Gold pass here. Same three minute walk and no more than 15 minutes home. Parking has been a breeze since the preseason game. Man that time keeps getting shorter and shorter every time you tell it to me. I think last week you told me it was 20 minutes...now it's 15. If you don't slow your pace you're going to be at 30 seconds soon and all your credibility will be out the window. ...*cough*... ...did I mention I switched offices and you won't be able to find me tomorrow... lol .. It's EASILY the best money I've spent going to Bomber games this season .. Where it used to take upwards of an hour to get to / from CanadInns while living in Royalwood .. it's seriously no more than 15 - 20 minutes tops. It's bloody fantastic. When I can leave my house an hour before kickoff .. drive to the stadium .. park .. go check out the Bomber Store and get a drink and STILL be in my seat with time to spare .. I consider that a win! As for finding you .. I'll log a VIT ticket .. you'll have to come to me .. or you can sacrifice your Saskabushian co-op Student.

I've only been to two games but both times were were just across the street from the stadium, perhaps a 3 minute walk. You must have had a different colour pass. Was it a season pass? Curious, where were your seats? Gold pass here. Same three minute walk and no more than 15 minutes home. Parking has been a breeze since the preseason game.

Just a general thought .. unless the organization is willing to invest in positional coaches on the offensive side of the ball (a dedicated QB coach) with the intent of developing that position, I'd lean toward a veteran QB .. if for no other reason than without adequate support .. the ability for a young guy to flourish here is non-existant .. I feel like we'd simply be running yet another young QB out of town. Guys like Glenn, Burris and Ray (who I don't believe will be available) don't need a whole lot of hand holding .. and might be best prepared to step in here and realize some success.

Typical Sun headline...hardly an exodus!....not so sure it is about the chaotic atmosphere...more like MONEY! The lack of winning and negative atmosphere plays as large a roll in attracting and retaining players as money does .. what incentive does a top tier free agent have to stay in (or come to) Winnipeg when there's little chance of making the playoffs (and making the extra coin associated with a post season birth)? If two contracts are being considered, both offering similar money, what would entice someone to join an organization that's constantly under the microscope and in a state of continual change? There are too many other factors that don't necessarily make these decisions that simple...one example...chance of making the team and being a starter...but in the end it still boils down to money for these guys. If a guy is sitting at home and not working and gets a chance to be on a team in turmoil or not and get a pay cheque...what do you think he would pick? Missed the point of my reply .. what top tier free agent is concerned about whether or not they will be a starter? What top tier free agent is going to be sitting at home? So again, all things being equal .. if I'm a coveted free agent .. being offered two contracts for similar money .. where do I go .. a team that's a hot mess .. or one where there is a winning atmosphere and culture? Sure you can overpay for free agents - offer premium cash incentives - but then you run the risk of being hard up against the cap with little flexbility and depth. No I didn't miss your point...you never mentioned top tier free agent....now you are, and using that to try and change the fact that for players it is follow the $$. Teams do not usually stay in a disorganized state like the bombers have been in this year. So if you really want to say that disorganization rules over $$, then maybe we can agree that $$ comes first, disorganization issues come second given two exact same scenarios with two different teams. *cough* (see bolded comment)

I'd argue that Matthews has already been replaced by Aaron Kelly.

Typical Sun headline...hardly an exodus!....not so sure it is about the chaotic atmosphere...more like MONEY! The lack of winning and negative atmosphere plays as large a roll in attracting and retaining players as money does .. what incentive does a top tier free agent have to stay in (or come to) Winnipeg when there's little chance of making the playoffs (and making the extra coin associated with a post season birth)? If two contracts are being considered, both offering similar money, what would entice someone to join an organization that's constantly under the microscope and in a state of continual change? There are too many other factors that don't necessarily make these decisions that simple...one example...chance of making the team and being a starter...but in the end it still boils down to money for these guys. If a guy is sitting at home and not working and gets a chance to be on a team in turmoil or not and get a pay cheque...what do you think he would pick? Missed the point of my reply .. what top tier free agent is concerned about whether or not they will be a starter? What top tier free agent is going to be sitting at home? So again, all things being equal .. if I'm a coveted free agent .. being offered two contracts for similar money .. where do I go .. a team that's a hot mess .. or one where there is a winning atmosphere and culture? Sure you can overpay for free agents - offer premium cash incentives - but then you run the risk of being hard up against the cap with little flexbility and depth.

Typical Sun headline...hardly an exodus!....not so sure it is about the chaotic atmosphere...more like MONEY! The lack of winning and negative atmosphere plays as large a roll in attracting and retaining players as money does .. what incentive does a top tier free agent have to stay in (or come to) Winnipeg when there's little chance of making the playoffs (and making the extra coin associated with a post season birth)? If two contracts are being considered, both offering similar money, what would entice someone to join an organization that's constantly under the microscope and in a state of continual change?

It's all going to come down to selling (our) potential free agents on our ability to build a winning culture here in Winnipeg .. if Walters / Miller can't do that .. we're going to lose more than Muamba to free agency. And for the record, I agree with Irving when he says losing Muamba would be akin to losing Labatte .. this is a kid that's only going to get better the more he plays ..

I know it's been said before but Knapp and Jones did not look out of place at all last night. That right side of the line has some huge bodies on it and, for only working together for a handful of practices .. the unit played well together. Were there some breakdowns? Sure. But it was heartening to see improved play across the board.

I enjoy listening to Irving .. but Brown was the one guy on the panel who thought the Bombers were playing not to lose rather than playing to win .. what happened last night in the fourth quarter was absolutely gutless.

The problem with Toronto is venue. It's a losing proposition playing in that cavern. They get themselves into a facility more suited to the CFL .. the organization becomes a lot more palatable.

Nano's are absolutely fantastic .. love them. Only thing that I like lifting in more are my INOV-8s or a pair of Chuck Taylor's. (thread derailment over)

I don't like one person owning two teams in the league .. that said .. I cannot fault Braley for doing what no other owner or ownership group was capable of doing .. people might not like to hear it but without Braley .. the CFL would have been in very dire straights.

I like taking the flier on Bilukidi when he did .. middle round seems appropriate .. especially when you have a full complement of draft picks. Mulumba on the other hand was a reach we couldn't afford to take .. hindsight being what it is, it would have been nice if Mack had listened to Walters and taken Edem with that pick.

People had input .. whether or not it was listened to is another matter entirely.

I remember Cal Murphy saying that NI O-lineman are worth their weight in gold. I know it's a simplistic statement but it does demonstrate the mess we're in right now. The cupboards are bare and it could take up to a few years to really fix the problem. And free agency is going to be the first avenue that we'll need to aggressively pursue. Totally agree here. I've said it before but one of the keys to allowing your draft picks to develop (and season as it were) is to have bridge players in place. Unfortunately for the Bombers, we don't have starting linemen playing at a high enough level to act as that bridge. We have to be active in free agency, overpay in some cases (if you have to) but we simply need to put whomever we lineup behind centre in the best possible position to succeed. From there, you draft linemen .. year after year after year. You push the veterans you've signed. You push the practice roster guys. You keep hunting for that diamond in the rough and eventually, the overall depth and quality at the key non-import positions will have improved dramatically.

Change also happened in no small part to the fact that SF had been stockpiling draft picks and had a glut of talent available to them in high rounds of the draft .. good drafting and good coaching .. got the most out of that roster.

It's splitting hairs really as 1/3 (or more) of the LBs in the league are converted DBs ..