Mike

Alright, here goes. First thing I do is do whatever it takes to convince the board that they need to open up the chequebook for Dave Dickenson. If I'm given the ability to hire whoever I want, I hire him to be the next head coach. I'm keeping Walters as assistant GM and I'm confirming the hiring of Rick Worman as my director of player personnel. Next thing I'm doing is getting on the phone with Jim Barker and offering him the same deal Buono got last year for Reilly. Seen as how we do not have a second rounder in 2013, I'm offering our 2015 second rounder, I'll swap thirds in 2014 and to make up the difference, I'm flipping him an extra fourth in 2014 in exchange for Collaros. Next up, I'm prepping for the expansion draft. Protections: QB: Collaros Canadians: Henoc, Neufeld, Greaves, Watson, Pencer, Kohlert Americans: Washington, Terrell Parker, Wild, Matthews, January, Anderson, Turner, Sears, Jarvis Jones and Desia Dunn. I prepare myself for the Redblacks to take either Swiston or Poblah and then in the second round of the non-import protection, I keep Cauchy, Etienne, Volny, Jake Thomas, Labbe (because I show my veterans some love) and whoever they have not taken between Swiston and Poblah. Moving along, I've now got to survey the situation across the league and see how my roster stacks up. Looking at our list of free agents, I'm going after Henoc, Kohlert, Etienne and Labbe as my priority Canadians and Matthews as well as Brandon Stewart and Wallace Miles as my priority imports. I'd look across the league to fill some holes on the offensive line and maybe some secondary help but other than that, I'm probably going to scout new talent for competition in my other areas. At running back, I'm looking for a guy who can catch out of the backfield as a safety valve for my young QB. At receiver, I'm probably satisfied going into the season with the group I have but I'm definitely looking down south for talent seen as how it's a position we could always upgrade. On the offensive line, I have to imagine myself going into the year with a 3 NI offensive line and I'm looking across the league to see if there is the potential to upgrade my entire interior. While I've protected Neufeld and Greaves, I'm certainly not writing their names in pen on my depth chart. I'm also ready to push Jones at RT with a guy like Pencer. Dimitri Tsoumpas is a specific name I'd target to upgrade at guard. Defensive line, I'm not too worried. Kenny Mainor can come back or he can go but I'm at least offering a deal. I'm on the phone with Darren Gill constantly getting updates on Bilukidi and I'm very willing to let a guy like McAdoo compete with some young guys from the US on the line. Zach Anderson+Bryant Turner are pretty solid in my interior. Linebackers, I like my depth for once. Secondary, focal point during offseason scouting. Also not opposed to bringing in some veterans here if Jovon is not around or I'm unable to resign Stewart. Kicking, I'm working hard to sign Liam Higglyjiggly or whatever and I'm also taking a long hard look at Mike Renaud. This might be a spot where I look to teams around the league to see what's available. Neg list work ... I'm getting guys like Armanti Edwards and Denard Robinson off my list and I'm letting Rick Worman scour the US for QB prospects. I'm also getting the word out to agents that this is not Joe Mack's house anymore and there's no reason to be apprehensive about coming to Winnipeg. No more refusals to play here. Pipeline players ... I want updates on Stephen Alli and I want to get Robertson and Aprile inked to deals ASAP. DiCroce needs to be back in camp as well. Canadian draft ... Knowing I have second overall and knowing a serious need is a center with long term potential, I'm putting Pierre Lavertu from Laval at the top of my draft board.

While that sounds great in theory, you better hope that's not how the Bombers operate.

I wouldn't say history proves otherwise. The entire reason my dad bought season tickets 14 years ago was because they BEGGED him to come back after the Reinebold era left them on life support.

I have a hard time believing most guys would go through an open door for Burke, never mind a wall. The only place I'd go for Burke is on a bus, just to avoid being thrown under it.

very debatable. never mind that this team still had Boltus as it's #2. Tough to argue that point.

I agree. Buying tickets is a personal decision. You can't apply it to an entire fanbase. I won't be buying season tickets if Burke is in charge but that doesn't mean I expect a given percentage of people in my position to do the same.

I don't want to feed the troll... but the bait is irresistable... I know A LOT of season ticket holders; and at least 50% are waiting to hear whether or not Burke will be retained before renewing. Sure, they're bitching about the price increases... but they're football fans that will suck it up and buy season's because they love football and the Bombers. Don't kid yourself. There is NO REASON why a team in the CFL's only new stadium since SkyDome shouldn't sell out every game in its first year; especially given half-decent weather. The fact that we DIDN'T... is a result of an extremely poor product on the field. On-field product is Burke's responsibility. People will pay through the nose to watch winners with whom they have a strong attachment. Ever been to a ball game in Boston or New York? We haven't had a winner in a long while, and attachment is starting to dwindle... HAHAHAHA First: Been here a long time pal, not a troll. Secondly, if you thought my post was trolling you neither understand the definition of trolling nor comprehend the common sense of my post. Thirdly, communities like this forum are the vocal minority. It's true. Listen to any broader forum and you get much more generalized opinions with many people sympathetic to Burke. Fourthly, I made no judgements about Burke. I believe he will be fired. I believe massive changes are needed. But keeping Burke will absolutely not result in there being 20,000 fans at Bombers game. That just won't happen. Product on field means more. And finally, your logic makes zero sense. The Bombers did not sell out their second home game. No one thought the team was horrible. They nearly beat Montreal at home and did beat them on the road. Will *some* fans turn in their season tickets? Yes. Ofcourse. Will *some* fans be angry and resist buying tickets? Yes. Ofcourse. But will the sky fall? Nope. Too many Chicken Little's on here. I wouldn't really call the Winnipeg Sun comments page a broader forum.

and you'd get turned down. a third pick and a maybe-next-year-pick isn't worth as much to the Argos as having Collaros as a shield to our other players in the dispersal draft... ie: the guys we protect because he gets taken would be worth more to us than a 3rd rounder. this is very true and many people keep overlooking that. Before you think we can just go to Toronto and say "hey, either take our lowball or lose him for nothing", remember that he holds his value in that allowing Ottawa to take him will allow them to protect their 7th and 8th best non-import. Then again, is that worth it to let him go to a division rival? So many moving parts.

How long is the re-apply process? And will they wait for him or sign someone else? Well, they just signed Kheeston Randall who was a 7th rounder in 2012 so I'm guessing they're NOT going to wait.

Okay, let me approach this in a different way then. Woodruff was a pending FA last year. He plays the same position as Patrick Neufeld and we already know this management team (Walters included) had Neufeld as their #1 target last year. We now have Neufeld. Why would we target Woodruff? I know you're likely just being stubborn on purpose, but don't you think it's a lot more likely that he'd mention a guy who is a pending free agent and a player at a position of need than a guy who we didn't rank over a player we have already acquired last year?

and yea sure we have solid depth on the dline but dont you think we make room for bilukidi? he is gonna be a solid additionto the front 7, at the very least more effective then one of thomas or arguably more valuable then Anderson or Gilmore.. no? I was referring to the Bengals, not the Bombers. Bengals fan here.

Except Woodruff signed a 3 year deal in December, so it's not him. You gotta remember that these are just casual comments being made by Burke, they don't need to be taken so literally.

Count me in as a guy who is willing to get fleeced for Collaros. Hell if I was Walters, I'd bend over before picking up the phone to call Toronto. Just in preparation.

Pretty sure the guy with a concussion is Tsoumpas. He signed a 3 year extension after the 2010 season so the timing seems right.

Miller is starting to lose me.

considering I told you the source in confidence that's a stunningly dickish thing for you to write. Doubt it of you want but that's pretty low. Class act mike. Just to clear it up, I still don't buy the story and I'd like to point out you volunteered that information without me ever asking for it but I did miss the part of your message where you asked me not to mention it, so I've edited my posts.

Until it happens, at which point you'll be in full support.

What rumors?

Just checked my Twitter feed ... apparently the permit Bilukidi had to work with the Raiders is non-transferable. Has to re-apply and then can sign.

oh my

Unless he makes a huge impact, Bilukidi won't be a Bengal beyond 2013. Atkins is on IR for the year, but we have plenty of depth on the line when he's healthy and there probably wouldn't be a spot for Christo.

Just as a point of comparison ... Burke coached 28 games with a point differential of -310 Jeff Reinebold coached 33 games with a point differential of -283 6 more losses, 1 less win and he still didn't get destroyed as badly as Burke. And Reinebold is the benchmark for futility around these parts.

Tim Burke by the numbers Record as head coach: 7-21 Point differential: -310 Two possession losses: 15 20+ point losses: 7 30+ point losses: 4 40+ point losses: 2 10+ point victories: 3 20+ point victories: 1 Average margin of defeat per loss: 18.28 points

Joey Elliott still played better than Hall did. Higher peaks, lower valleys but even as a major Elliott guy I'd say Hall is more consistent.

I'm the exact same way. If Burke is back, I'll be committing to tickets on a week by week basis in 2014. These words speak volumes, given that they're written by people who care enough about the Bombers to post regularly on a dedicated fan forum. I'm in the same boat. Unwilling to commit my $$ until I know if Burke is retained. To be honest, the fact he hasn't been canned yet floors me. It's just tough for me ... my dad and I have had season tickets for 14 years now and this was the first year I missed a single game. I went 13 years without missing a single home game for any reason at all. I'm used to being the guy that goes out to the lake late on weekends if there's a game, I'd miss birthday parties, family events, my own sports, anything just to make sure I didn't miss a game. And this year, they managed to just completely kill my interest. A brand new stadium and I couldn't be bothered to attend after the Banjo Bowl. I went yesterday just to take pictures on the field for the last time, but I was anything but interested in the game itself. It's not going to take much to bring me back as a full time supporter but keeping Tim Burke just isn't going to cut it.