17to85

Seems to me that sets the dominos in motion with repercussions on nearly every team as assistants will be moving around. It's going to be a hell of a ride seeing who lands where, lot of coaching staffs will look a lot different next year.

The problem with Wiecek is that he doesn't really give a **** about the CFL. He'd rather be doing his horse racing or curling than covering the Bombers and because of that despite being a pretty good writer his pieces on the Bombers are very lacking in substance. Are you saying that Winnipeg -- capital of Manitoba -- Free Press reporter -- the guy who writes articles -- Paul Wiecek is a good -- as in capable -- writer? In a technical sense yes, it's the content that is the problem with him when it comes to the Bombers.

Did you happen to notice how much better the linebackers looked this year compared to last? I don't think that is a coincidence at all. As a positional coach Creehan is good, as a defensive coordinator not so much but let's not use that to say he's not good at coaching a position. Who had the secondary this year? I've mentally blocked this year after about August to be honest; just recall our back end was highly underwhelming. Was that Creehan's mastery? Carl Franks was DB coach. I dunno if he was any good or not but I am thinking that when it comes to being a coordinator Creehan is a bit lost when it comes to the back end just based on the iffy coverage here and the terrible coverage in hamilton with him there. Probably why he and burke work well together. Burke knows the secondary and Creehan can handle the front 7.

The problem with Wiecek is that he doesn't really give a **** about the CFL. He'd rather be doing his horse racing or curling than covering the Bombers and because of that despite being a pretty good writer his pieces on the Bombers are very lacking in substance.

I am mostly interested in seeing how Jones and Hervey work. Seems to me that Jones has some management ambitions as well so if Hervey continues to be a clown do we see a power struggle?

I'd love Dressler. SB's that can have great hands, repeatedly get open, and separate from coverage at an elite level are not common. Stegall and Geroy come to mind. Dressler's got the potential to be in that class. I get that freakishly athletic WR's come out of college all the time now... but 17to85 among others is famous around here for debating the merits of arm strength vs. technical proficiency and smarts for a QB. When do we start the conversation about technical proficiency vs. freakish raw attributes for a WR? If a guy like Dressler wants to talk to your club because it's closer to home for him and he's leaving his current club... I try my best to take that shot. It's not about not wanting a guy like that, it's about not breaking the bank on a guy like that. If you are going to spend whatever it takes to get a free agent then make it in a more impactful position. quarterback, a top NI something like that. Finding a receiver who can get you over 1000 yards isn't that hard.

Did you happen to notice how much better the linebackers looked this year compared to last? I don't think that is a coincidence at all. As a positional coach Creehan is good, as a defensive coordinator not so much but let's not use that to say he's not good at coaching a position.

You know that's not true. Guys like Friesen are just trolls and will always spin things as negative as possible. Mark my words, when the Bombers next win the Grey Cup Friesens article is going to be titled "All Down Hill From Here"

a guy making lame puns is a lot different than what the tsn panel does.

No they will not. Might get one years grace period but it won't be any more than that. As it should be. In a nine-team league where six teams make the playoffs, it should only take one year to contend for a playoff spot, which is usually 8 - 9 wins, and 2 years to contend for the Grey Cup. We're not talking about a 30-team league where half or two-thirds of the teams don't make the playoffs That's ridiculous, you have to take a more in depth look into things than simply wins and losses, especially when the Bombers are moving into a 5 team conference with stiff competition. I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Bombers should be competitive and be able to win 8 games minimum next season. Other teams can do it, why not the Bombers? Saskatchewan went from 5-13 in 2011 to 8-10 in 2012. TIcats improved from 3-15 in 2008 to 9-9 in 2009. Stamps went from 4-14 in 2004 to 11-7 in 2005. Argos improved from 3-15 in 2009 to 9-9 in 2010 and from 6-12 in 2011 to 9-9 with a Grey Cup victory in 2012. Those are some recent examples. Bombers have an added advantage of reigning in the other teams this season with the expansion draft because the 10-12th best imports and 7th and 8th best non-imports on all those other teams are better than the Bomber equivalent. Talent discrepancy between all the other teams and the Bombers should narrow ever so slightly but every little bit helps. Bombers will have ample opportunities to improve the team this off-season. They said they will be a player in free agency. Well that better consist of more than trading and signing Zach Collaros to a contract because if that's all they do, they will end up like Edmonton - a team with a good Qb and little else. Sign Harris - he will help with Canadian content immensely. Sign Dressler - our receivers aren't anything great and he would immediately become our No. 1. Sign a halfway decent O-lineman - yeah, even someone like Picard who is on the downward side of his career. He 's better than our current centre and better than bringing in garbage like Dewitt last year. Our current line is too young or not good enough, take your pick. Time for some effective change there. Sign free agents for our secondary. Ours was crap most of the year and made up mostly of midgets. No real gamers back there since 2011. If free agents aren't an option then scour the States for a few that are taller than 5'9". I'm tired of this attitude that it takes "at least 2 years to rebuild." This attitude seemed to be rubbing off on Burke as that is what he said at the end of this season so he can leave for all I care. That's a loser attitude and excuses slow progress. If the team makes some good free agent signings and fills in the rest with some talented players from the down south no reason they can't make the playoffs. yeah just like that sign everyone on your wishlist easy right? Except it's never that easy. Chances of getting 1 impact player in free agency are low never mind multiples. Yes you can turn things around in one season, but it doesn't always happen and if there isn't a huge turn around in record you can't judge solely on that. When you're a team with so little continuity and no quarterback expecting a quick turn around is just setting people up to fail.

Gene Principe is awesome and shame on anyone who doesn't enjoy the clowning.

Disagree. Not necessary. We can do better in FA With a re-thinking of our offensive game plan, and a real QB, we can use guys like Miles for possession and Denmark for that big play. But these are just examples. We've had no problem finding "that receiver guy" in the past, we've just had problems getting him the ball. Just look at all the years we didn't win with Milt Stegall because the o-line wasn't good enough or we didn't have a good qb.... there's other places to break the bank, not at receiver. I'd take Dressler on the team, but not at any price.

No they will not. Might get one years grace period but it won't be any more than that. As it should be. In a nine-team league where six teams make the playoffs, it should only take one year to contend for a playoff spot, which is usually 8 - 9 wins, and 2 years to contend for the Grey Cup. We're not talking about a 30-team league where half or two-thirds of the teams don't make the playoffs That's ridiculous, you have to take a more in depth look into things than simply wins and losses, especially when the Bombers are moving into a 5 team conference with stiff competition.

Weston Dressler is a free agent and he certainly is an impact player. Bombers should throw the bank at him. $200,000 + easy. We would have our number one receiver. I'd rather not break the bank on an american receiver truthfully. Think there's better places that kind of spending could help more.

The media in the USA is largely controlled by 2, maybe 3 companies...Disney has a lot, as does Clear Channel...Fox owns a TON.....there's a pretty serious monopoly down there, tho it's more to do with radio than TV, but still.... Saw a neat infographic about that a while back, 6 companies own something like 90% of the media in the states. That includes radio, TV, movies, newspapers, just ridiculous.

Good luck to them with that. BC next year then Winnipeg, Hamilton and Ottawa will be in line for those and by that point it will have been right around 10 years since Calgary or Edmonton hosted and you gotta think they would be due. Montreal will be in line to host again at that point as well.

I just want to see a team that competes every week and has a chance to win games. After a year and a half with Burke I forget what it feels like.

What substance do you think is lacking from their broadcasts? What do you want to see that they aren't doing? It's more what they're doing that bothers me than what they aren't doing. Too much time devoted to sensationalising everything. They seem to care more about dissecting at length any little thing trying to make it into a controversy or talking about anything in the league other than the game they are broadcasting. Too much focus on the panel being entertainment rather than a supplement to the game that they are showing. But that's sort of everything now, thanks to the 24 hour news cycle. PJ Stock and Glenn Healy are just as guilty of that, and Kypreos is the worst. I like Tim and Sid, but they are so far over on the "entertainment vs substance" scale that anything TSN does pales in comparison. yeah it's so pervasive and I absolutely hate it. PJ Stock and Glen Healy are nearly unwatchable as well.

No I want you to explain your reasoning and I don't see you doing that. It's not about wanting someone or not wanting someone else, I just want to know why you think Maas is better than Khari and all you've done is make a statement and backed it up with vague comments hoping that is enough, it isn't.

and you have ways of backing this up? Cause I am not sure I buy that a guy with an average arm and average mobility was getting by purely on his talent. Hell most of what Khari was successful at was recognizing what a defence was doing and making the play to take advantage of it, sounds like a guy succeeding with his brains to me. Not to mention that I believe the qbs basically had to function as offensive coordinators in 2000 anyway.

What substance do you think is lacking from their broadcasts? What do you want to see that they aren't doing? It's more what they're doing that bothers me than what they aren't doing. Too much time devoted to sensationalising everything. They seem to care more about dissecting at length any little thing trying to make it into a controversy or talking about anything in the league other than the game they are broadcasting. Too much focus on the panel being entertainment rather than a supplement to the game that they are showing.

explain why

No they will not. Might get one years grace period but it won't be any more than that.

Bob Mckenzie is the only tolerable one on TSN and that's only based on the fact that he is a very reliable source for rumours. The rest of them are useless beyond belief. Hype is more important than substance for TSN these days.

There is no way anyone can think that what Rogers does is the best there is. I think they are well aware that what they do is the cheap version befitting a regional only broadcaster. The real concern is that they just stick with the same out of company loyalty.