voodoochylde

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.

Fleecing or nothing, he's one of the few reasons this team has for fans to actually show up or tune in and watch. Don't settle for a token draft pick if you're moving him, make whoever wants him pay if they want him. 

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.

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.

I'd argue that Matthews has already been replaced by Aaron Kelly.

It's certainly a nice sentiment, and how much an individual values such things will vary from player to player. One thing is for sure though: these guys aren't signing with any team out of the kindness of their hearts. They need to get paid, and making the playoffs is a big part of maximizing your earning potential. Fact is, as long as the Bombers are in a tailspin they'll have a harder time attracting (or retaining) quality players with options.

The decision to kneel at the half is totally who Burke is.
And that decision, at this time, in the overall picture of where the Bombers psyche is right now, was exactly what we didn't need.
How many jaws dropped when the return team hit the field?
How many more jaws dropped when we saw we were kneeling?
There was a chance to win. 2 plays, maybe three.
I don't care who you have at QB, you go for it.
You play to win.
You play to win.

What gets me is they still had a timeout as well.
 
If Burke just planned intelligently, they start at their 35 with 24 seconds left. Then they'd need what, 30 yards in 24 seconds to have a shot at a single? 40 yards to give it a shot at a field goal? With a timeout remaining, you have at least one play call where the whole field is at your disposal.
 
You can't be assuming as a head coach that your QB is going to throw an interception or fumble the ball. If that's the best assumption you can make about him, don't even put him out there in the first place. Use those 24 seconds to stretch the field, it's enough to get 3 plays off especially with that timeout in your back pocket. At least TRY. No one is going to be mad at you if you try and fail, we're already all aware that our team blows. But not even trying just makes you an absolute coward.

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. 

For team in this current state a guy like Reinders you have to call and attempt to bring.

Said this in the game day chat yesterday .. we have the most raw group of QBs on our roster yet no single person dedicated to coaching up that position .. we want to develop a QB for the future .. surround that person with resources to be successful.

Unless we're going to spend some money on a QB coach, trying out all these newbies is a waste of time.  They may as well just grab someone who's proven.  You can't expect these young guys to grow without someone teaching them what they're doing right and what they're doing wrong and how to correct their mistakes.

Really wish the CFL could step in and impose suspensions .. stuff like this reflects poorly on the league.

Not suggesting the ban hammer come down right away (have to let due process take place) but guys, found guilty, need to be dealt with.  Not saying these two are in this case .. was simply making a more global statement (should have probably been more clear .. it's what happens when you post quickly and run to a meeting).

Link here

Yes and no.  They couldn't force him, but they could have encouraged him.
 
The Lions work very closely with the teams in the BC junior league to identify players, and council them on career path options.  They also provide large levels of funding, as do the Stamps, Eskies, and Riders.  The Bombers have supported the Rifles, but not to the same extent.
 
Most players coming out of high school don't realize what their options are.   Wally knows that he can put a territorial protection on a player in the BCFC, so he encourages young players to play junior.  He backs it up with invites to training camp.   BC had 4 junior players in their camp this spring.
 
Mack doesn't know who the Rifles are, and didn't know there was a way to protect players.   Walters understands the process; he attended the Rifle dinner this spring (The Reinbold Roast).   IIRC, he sat with Brett Carter at that dinner.  (The Rifles put a player or coach at every table).
 
If Wally says to a high school player "we've got an eye on you, you should play for the VI Raiders"  That kid is going to listen to the pitch.   Hopefully Walters will work with the Rifles the same way.    If Walters finds a diamond in the local community, and he helps that kid develop with the Rifles, he can protect him.
 
The UofM Bison are a great program, and a great option for many, but not for all.  There are some talented football players who aren't academically suited for university.   Some may be better suited to the UofW or to RRCC.   The Rifles can provide options for these players.   From the Bombers viewpoint, they have to draft players from the UofM, and those players can be drafted by any other team.   The rules for junior are different.

Disagree with this entirely.  We're too impatient here in Wpg with QB's and being ineffective in the short-term.  Need to leave him in there to try to work through the kinks, and see if he can develop.  The Bombers and Walters need to see a body of work from Goltz... he's a developmental passer, he's not going to show you enough in small, segmented periods of time to form a basis for judgement. 

I know what you're saying but I'd still take Tsoumpas over anyone on our offensive line. 

Would Buono also like to take a jab at Mike Kelly? Because I'm sure Walters would hear him out ...  

what in the actual ****

I prefer to use the toe wedge myself .. hides the LOFT I have with other clubs (Lack of F'ing Talent). ;-)

Given the fact that Kelly could step into the lineup (after a week?) and was instantly more productive than Pierce was with his opportunities .. I'm not upset by this in the least. 

Given the fact that Kelly could step into the lineup (after a week?) and was instantly more productive than Pierce was with his opportunities .. I'm not upset by this in the least. 

Funny that the arbitrary number you chose was 240. Let's break it down then:
 
Those 5 games:
 
HAM: 33-43, 406 yds, 1 TD, 0 int
BC: 20-42, 256 yds, 0 TD, 1 int
SSK: 19-33, 241 yds, 0 TD, 0 int
MTL: 17-25, 335 yds, 3 TD, 0 int
CGY: 22-33, 284 yds, 0 TD, 4 int
 
If those other three non-POW games are your idea of a good game, I don't know what to tell you. So he's a guy who can rack up great stats against laughably terrible defences. He also had 134 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD all year. And in his 10 appearances in 2012, he threw for zero touchdowns 7 times. His TD-INT ratio was 5-12. That's MARGINALLY better than Pierce has been in 2013 (he's at 2:6 right now). He was 0-7 against teams not named Hamilton and Montreal. 
 
I try to be neutral when I look at stats and draw my conclusions based on the numbers I see. I never hated Elliott, I never really liked him. I've always been sort of meh. But wow, outside of his two great games, his stats are just awful. And two great games is only one more than Troy Kopp and Ryan Dinwiddie had.

The only way you get anyone worth their salt to take the GM job in Winnipeg is A) you throw a tonne of cash at them AND B ) give them term.  Nobody in their right mind is going to uproot their lives and come here given the mess this team is in unless you make it worth their while.  Serious candidates will simply laugh at a "prove it" deal.