bluto

That's where I am. Fair play to the Champions, but I don't see them as better than us in any way other than the result of the East Final. Yeah, that too. And lets remember that Ouellette, Peters, Hendrix etc were unknown FAs just a year or two ago.

We have 3 interior DL studs under contract, so it'll be fine. Like I said, the only sport that we didn't have a top quality backup was cover LB. So right now looking at our team, that position and its backup is our biggest hole.

We pretty much were built by recruitment and free agency, so... There's reason to think we're still the team to beat in our division. We have a star QB. All 7 of the best O-Line are back. We have very strong Canadian players and depth. All of the departed players (save one) had a backup that demonstrated over the final third of the season that they are starter calibre on a winning club. Circle of life.

Not difficult to have seen this outcome coming. We had lots of guys on first time contracts that were due a raise. We had several guys who were to be "best in category free agents". We had depth enough to field two teams and compete (which we did. So with the realities of the cap upon us, Pinball/Magri/Russell have chosen to put their faith in their recruiting. They've been ridiculously good at it, so I can't even second guess them. But losing 5 defensive starters, 2 key offensive contributors and the best 2 ST guys in the league is a BIG ask.

No evidence to support the Argos adding payroll.

Deonta McMahon. Excellent for change-of-pace. Not an every down back, imo. Also Jevon Leake (gone). But it is Adeboboye that may take the job. Applying for a TSN gig?

Is it weird to go 16-2 and then rebuild? We so far have lost the league's best Cover LB, DB (and maybe the 2nd best as well), Kicker, Import RB and Returner...

Maybe we bring in new American talent... or maybe what they saw in week 20 at Mosaic has them thinking.

I'd figured that AJ was gone to Saskatchewan. Sucks. If anyone knows someone in the local wrestling loop out there to introduce him to, he'd likely appreciate it.

Special players get special contracts. It's actually a good value at the price. And if there are incentives on top of the reported figures, it's still a value buy for me.

What time do you get out of bed??

And Brandon Barlow is off to Hamilsmell. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-hamilton-tiger-cats-agree-to-terms-with-dl-brandon-barlow/

Gutted about Pickett.

The Argos are bringing Hajrullahu back to go Canadian at kicker is some consolation to losing Bede. I know that Leake won the ST MOP, but for me it was Bede. The whispers about the Elks for him are interesting. I'd wondered if Montreal might be a fit for him (he's french).

It's Friday and my work week is done and the singlemalt is flowing. I can't see any way that this could go wrong.

Or 14 of them. Yeah.

You guys don't remember the fires being linked to climate change in the news every day? I don't think I'm misremembering that. Edit: I conflated his wanting CC blamed for the media having blamed it. My bad.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/brian-pare-pleads-guilty-to-setting-quebec-wildfires-1.7084669 Helluva way to advocate for climate change.

Do you imagine that that has actually happened?

I think that the "Big Guy" said that line.

As God is my witness I thought turkeys could fly.

Others may yet head to the rectangle (or other places). Consider how any of these names could make an impact for virtually any other team: Bede. Brissett. Coxie. Daniel. Hendrix. Jones. Leake. Oakman. Ouellette. Peters. Pickett. Richards. Tate. I trust the group who build our roster to do the right thing for us.. but dang it's going to be a nervy few weeks.

That's about 5 veterans with significant contracts who have opted to re-structure this offseason. That's likely how we got Wynton McManis back for 2 more years. (still some very big decisions to go)

@SpeedFlex27 My dad (who we lost last year) always said "That's the thing about Father Time, he is undefeated." ...and also, those aren't grey hairs in my beard... they're f*****g blond, ok??

I was thinking the same. I've got nothing to back that up other than it just feels like a very Alouettes thing to do. And not everybody will be in for Schoen... My team has FA/Salary issues aplenty without trying for that sort of move.