Burke has picked this hill to die on. Remains to be seen if he keeps it. BTW, Matt Nicholls is starting tonight in Edmonton. Reilly meanwhile is putting on a brave face. He would have been the starter here.... Chose to go to Edmonton. Goofy career choice.
Oh yeah and as good as my actual SEATS are, holy **** is the environment around me AWFUL. I think my section is being sponsored by the River Ridge Nursing Home. The most excitement I saw from other fans was a dude shaking his cane at the field. For real.
-- I missed the first five minutes because of traffic
-- My hamburger had no toppings because they ran out
-- Desia got a quickname nickname from me. Is. As in Desia Is Dunn. Cut him tomorrow, he was horrendous.
-- The best thing McGee did all day was get hurt.
-- Etienne had a couple nice grabs, as did Carter.
-- Hall was by far the best QB and all this talk about how they took Buck out to protect him makes me sick, it`s pretty obvious teams are just going to gun for him until he gets knocked out.
-- Apparently missing five minutes means you don`t see ANY starters, I think the only first unit guy I noticed on the field was Jovon. Maybe Stewart once or twice.
-- Massey and Kennedy both impressed me as returners, McCree can follow Dunn as far as I`m concerned.
-- Wendell Brown was all over the place but still ... how can I honestly try and say ANY linebacker impressed me.
-- David James looked on. And then off. And then on. And then off. Too inconsistent.
-- Marty Markett probably will not make the team but he needs to stick around on the PR. He will be a very good replacement at CB WHEN the time comes, I just dont think that time is now.
-- Marcus Hyde is FAST. JT Gilmore is HUGE. Like both of these guys on the line.
That`s about all I remember for now. Oh yeah. Doug Brown sucks as a radio personality. Maybe he should go commentate a funeral, seems better suited for his personality.
I do want to let the site settle a bit and let the bugs as well as features that people like or dislike come out. We also want to find that balance to remain reactive to what people would like and refine the site as we go forward.
I am going to put up a poll with some of the new suggestions people have come up with. Some of these seem to be split among people (for example there are people who like the color scheme and those who would like it changed to blue and gold), so I thought I would set this up to gauge what the overall reaction is of the member base.
Some changes are also easier to do then others, so I'll try to be reactive to what people want, but can't always make promises. Also things like adding a new logo and changing the color scheme of the site need photoshop changes to do it, which I totally suck at, So we will probably be recruiting some help if these are highly desired.
I tried to pull this list from the existing topics, if there is any other feature you'd like up for a "vote", post it here.
You should be able to choose more then one option and change your picks after you submit them (in case we add another option that you would also look). Let me know if you can't.
the fact that they were willing to go to arbitration with this tells me that they have no interest in just releasing him so I can see them making him sit out the year just for pure spite. Williams really might have screwed himself over here, once you start throwing up red flags like this teams are a lot less forgiving of **** in the future.
Calgary Stampeders 2013 Season Outlook:
The 2012 season was both a successful & trying season for Head Coach John Hufnagel & his team. Not only did the Stamps make it to the 100th Grey Cup game in Toronto but the team had to do it without Drew Tate for the majority of the season. Hufnagel not only won with backup qb Kevin Glenn at the helm but with Jon Cornish taking over the starting tailback position from veteran Joffrey Reynolds.
Multiple changes in personnel, injuries & success... a strange combination that produced a winner in Calgary. Hufnagel may have done his best work as a head coach under adversity in 2012. Lets take a look at the team a bit more closely.
Offensive Line: Dmitri Tsoumpas remains the anchor on the Stampeders offensive line. One of the best guards in the CFL, he brings leadership & stability to the offensive line. His play makes the others around him better.
At center Jon Gott is developing into a top CFL center & if he stays injury free he should become one of the best at that position in the league.
The Stamps have two major question marks on the offensive line going into this season. First, the health of former University of former Calgary Dinos, Indianapolis Colts Offensive Tackle & Super Bowl champion Dan Federkill who retired after the 2009 season because of concussion issues. Will he be able to return to form, stay healthy by avoiding more concussion issues & become a full time starter eventually?
The other question mark is OT Spencer Wilson. He battled thru back injuries at the end of last season. He is looking to bounce back in a big way. At best, if one or both of these guys can get into the starting lineup, it'll free up one & maybe 2 Americans to play other positions. At worst, they will add to the depth on the offensive line in 2013.
Stamps got a boost when their 2013 second round draft pick, Offensive Lineman Brett Jones signed with the team when he failed to qualify for medical school at the U of R.
Receivers: The Stamps have one of the most dominant & physical receiver in Nik Lewis. An extremely physical player with soft hands & a linebacker mentality who loves to dish out punishment blocking or crushing defenders when he lowers his shoulder on contact & tries to run them over.
Stamps may have two of the best young receivers in the CFL in Maurice Price & Joe West. Both have a knack of getting open & picking up yards after the catch, With a year of experience under their belts they may be ready to challenge for starting spots along with veteran receiver Marquay McDaniel.
Stamps suffered a blow when it was revealed that wide receiver Johnny Forzani would be lost for an undetermined amount of time after surgery on his right foot which was injured late last season.
Others looking to crack the lineup are two journeymen CFL receivers in Jabari Arthur & Chis Bauman along with former University of Calgary Dinos slotback Anthony Parker.
Running Back: At this position it's Jon Cornish & everybody else. He will be the starter & unless he is injured, Cornish will be one of the dominant running backs again in the CFL this season.
The battle for the backup position will be an interesting one between former Dino Matt Walter who played very well when he got the opportunity & the oft injured but talented & speed burner LaMarcus Coker.
Quarterbacks: John Hufnagel has named Drew Tate as the starter for 2013. But starting positions are fleeting things. Pro football is a success oriented business. Tate, coming off an injury plagued 2012 season still has a lot to prove if he is going to hold onto that coveted starting position this coming season. He has to stay healthy. The other is being able to consistently play well when he does start. This may be the most important season in Tate's career & may define him as a starting qb in the CFL.
Kevin Glenn came to the Stamps in 2012 after a disappointing 2011 season in Hamilton & seemed content to be Tate's backup & mentor helping him adjust to a starting role in 2012. However, a dislocated shoulder & later a broken right wrist allowed the cool & collected Glenn to take over as starting qb where guided his Stampeder teammates to the 100th Grey Cup game. Glenn, the old pro still covets the starting qb position this season but understands that for nowTate is the starter. Glenn knows he has to be ready if called upon to lead the team again in 2013.
Perhaps the most intriguing player on the entire Stampeder roster is second year qb Bo Levi Mitchell. Showing poise & confidence beyond his 22 years, when Mitchell did have to come in at the qb position he played very well. He should only improve & be even better this season.
Defensive Line: Anchored by Defensive End Charleston Hughes the DL is looking to improve over the 2012 season where they looked very good at points during the season & almost invisible other times. Injuries & inconsistent play slowed this unit down last season.
The loss of Canadian DT Brian Bulcke to Hamilton in free agency this past winter hurts but the Stamps went out & signed CFL veteran DT Etienne Legare in his place from the Eskimos which will help.
The Stamps are looking for a matching book end for Hughes & that may be former Blue Bomber, Rider & Ti Cat Defensive End Stevie Baggs. Stamps are hoping he can return to his form of 2009 when he was a force with the Riders. If he has overcome a nagging calf injury he may very well do that. If Baggs does return to form look for the Stampeders defensive line to be one of the team's strengths this coming season.
Ben D'Aguilar, the Stamps first round draft pick this spring is expected to get some playing time on the defensive line but as he is noted as being a Special Teams Demon, most of his playing time will come on that unit.
Linebackers: The linebacking corps will again be anchored by Mac Linebacker Juwan Simpson although he battled through injuries especially later in the season. Rookie Deron Mayo came in & played very well in his place in the Western Final so Simpson may be pushed. However, if Mayo makes the team, I expect him to start the season on the practice roster.
At the Sam Linebacker postion, the versatile Keon Raymond is expected to have another huge season for the team. Raymond is a CFL prototypical Sam Linebacker. Quick enough to cover the back out of the backfield or dropping into pass coverage & tough enough for run support. He can play corner & defensive back if needed & also return kicks & punts if needed.
At the Will Linebacker, the steady veteran Malik Jackson holds down the other spot.
Defensive Back: A veteran group that provided steady leadership to the Stampeder defense with players such as Quincy Butler, Fred Bennett, Brandon Smith & Eric Fraser. An interesting battle may be developing at free safety between Fraser & & second year player Keenan McDougall. Fraser signed a new deal in the off season but Keenan may be ready to push the veteran in training camp.
Defensive back Demetrice Morley is returning from injury where he missed the entire 2012 season so throwing him into the mix just makes this unit stronger.
Special Teams: Stamps have the best one two punch in the kicking department with punter Rob Maver & placekicker Rene Paredes. Both players were CFL All Stars & Paredes is coming off a season where he averaged 92% in the field goal department.
As far as returning punts & kickoffs, the Stamps have the dangerous Larry Taylor who is capable of returning a punt or kickoff all the way from any point on the field.
Prediction: The Stampeders have talent & depth at almost every position. They have a great head coach in John Hufnagel who is a stickler for detail & preparation as well as three veteran coordinators.
If Calgary can avoid the injury bug that plagued this team in 2012 they are more than capable of not only returning to the Grey Cup but winning it. Look for the Stamps & Lions to battle it out for supremacy in the CFL's West Division in 2013.
iso_55 got a reaction from Blue-urns in Buck's Rusty But Healthy
iso_55 got a reaction from voodoochylde in under construction: CFL Teams Review/Preview Thread