comedygeek

CanWest was mostly Leonard's baby. Creswin was David's. Philanthropy/CMHR was Gail's. One is still a success. One has faced adversity/problems/detractors, but is happening and has changed our cityscape. One is a distant memory. Good job, Leonard!

Volny is certainly a capable NI backup, so that wouldn't be an issue IMO. If he's willing to test free agency, we absolutely have to take a run at him! What a treat it would be for our (hopefully) new young QB to have a guy like Harris to dump to when the heat is on. (Plus, the local marketing side of things would be HUGE. Look at how many Harris supporters make it out wearing Lions jerseys in town!)

In the history of my time watching the game of football, I've never seen a "short yardage specialist" so terrible at gaining short yardage. The fact that the Bombers bother to bring in Boltus at all in those scenarios shows their ineptitude right there. Even if you argue that Goltz is in the dog house and there's no way he'd come in, they'd be better off doing a direct snap to Fitzgerald and hoping for the best in that scenario!

So apparently 30% of Winnipeggers are utterly nuts!

The fact that you say we "claim" to be fans implies that some of us are not meeting what your definition of a "fan" would be, which annoys me.Just because I'm not willing to let the Bombers run their team like garbage and be accepting of it does not make me any less of a fan. ok, lemme change the wording to devoted fan... better? thick and thin. i dont get how you guys can just walk away or turn it off.. It is cute how you think apathy is something one chooses. its weird you think it isnt. This season has pretty much made me sick to my stomach at times and ive never once considered not going whenever i can, watching or taping when I cant or listening on the radio.. I chose to not be apathetic to my team... you telling me you and others are incapable of doing so? It's not the losing. It's how they're losing, how things are continuing to be run, and how there's no certainty that things are even going to change come the off-season (yet alone before then). All I can think of these days during Bomber games is what better things I could be spending those 3 hours on. And I'm a guy who my Bomber fan friends would consider the "hopeful" or "optimistic" one. But there comes a point where life is worth more than just spending 3 hours watching a sh*tshow with no accountability to the hard-earned money from the largest season ticket base this franchise has ever seen. It's sad, and that sadness leads to apathy. Last Saturday I went out for dinner with my girlfriend and then watched some world-class improv. I listened to a few minutes of the game while I was in my car in between destinations, and that was enough. Frankly, I think I had a much better evening than any Bomber fan watching or listening to that football game. If that makes me less of a fan -- even though everyone I'm friends with knows I bleed Blue and Gold, I was first in line for the first round of license plates, I have been a season ticket holder for several years, and I proudly hang a 1984 team poster on the back of my bedroom door that I actually remember getting autographed by Chris Walby (which, at 2 years old, is one of my earliest memories as a human being), then so be it. I guess I'm not a devoted Bomber fan.

Don't put any of that blame on the apathetic fans. If people on a forum like Morning Big Blue are apathetic towards this team, that falls completely on the Bombers. If, God forbid, Tim Burke is back as head coach next season, I know I'm not alone as a diehard fan and season ticket holder in saying I'm completely done with this team. I'll watch the CFL, because I love the game of Canadian football, but I won't be cheering on this insanity. That itself would be insane!

I envision some kind of "option-year", where the player can try out for the NFL while a CFL team maintains his CFL rights. What a ridiculous concept. Would never happen in the CFL!

Damn. No entries. Sorry I couldn't get to it, but I'm very happy with the end result so I guess it all works out!

Yeah, who won? I love it! Didn't have time to create my own, unfortunately (stupid 70 hour weeks 'n stuff) but I don't even know if mine would've looked as good. It's bold, clean, has the right colours, and the perfect placement of the helmet. A+

Dude, you just aren't reading people's posts/replies. Nobody is questioning that part of his article -- they're questioning the ridiculousness of thinking anyone in their right mind would trade a QB currently starting for a 1st place team (BLM, Collaros) for an upcoming free agent NI MLB. It's just a crazy, amateurish argument. You don't need to be "connected" to know that it's a Madden-esque suggestion that is either a) proof he knows nothing about professional football, or just wants to get uninformed fans all riled up thinking the Bombers are dumb for not making the trade (because if Lawless wrote about it, then it's obviously a trade that's on the table). This is what people will believe, and he feeds into it, and it's irresponsible journalism.

The secondary was okay because Durant was under so much pressure. I can't honestly think of a single play Suber made today that warranted any praise. What I don't like about him is how he seems to arrive late and then pile-on head-first just to make his hair extensions flop around. He might think it looks cool but I think it looks ridiculous. Then try harder. I can think of two late in the 4th quarter where they tried to get Dressler the ball and Suber was there in good coverage to break it up. I can think of one where the receiver had to knock the ball away from him to prevent a pick, I can think of a knockdown... Suber was good today to suggest otherwise is just ignorance. The front line was good today. To suggest otherwise is just ignorance. Sheesh. Do you really think Durant tested him today? He's been getting lit up all year. I maintain that it was the pressure our front line put on Durant that helped Suber today, not anything special Suber was doing. Let's just hope that our D can put in that kind of performance the rest of the way or else Suber will revert to the form he's been showing all year. Bryant Turner after the game: "The DBs covered their butts off today. Every sack is accountable to the DBs because they didn't give up nothing today. I love 'em. I love 'em." See, it goes both ways. The secondary helps give the line more time to get the sack. The line playing strong helps the QB rush throws giving the secondary better positioning, etc. A defensive effort like this is definitely across the board.

I was told it was a screw-up by Reebok and that the team was furious about it. Is this the first ever case of a team playing a game with different jerseys on different players? So weird.

Especially after Elliott's comments after the 52-0 shellacking in the LDC last year, when he said "well I played ok" or something to that effect. Exactly what I was thinking of. I was/am an Elliott supporter, but I'd much rather a player take ownership (even if it's not their fault) than try and paint a rosy picture on a turd.

I park in the Jysk parking lot right beside the crosswalk (with button) on Pembina. Safe crossing Pembina, and then a 15-minute-or-so walk to the stadium. I've found this to be a very good option, but then again, I was burned by the Exhibition Game Park 'n Ride fiasco, and so have purposely avoided it since. (Sounds like the Downs has improved. Does anyone who takes that route know if it still stops at a couple places on Grant before hitting the stadium? ie. Grant & Laxdal)

Really appreciated the leadership of Goltz taking ownership for the loss, too. Not a lot of QBs would do that -- especially young ones. Hell, can you imagine Calvillo out in Montreal saying some of the things Goltz said post-game? He played a great first half, had some glimpses of poise in the second (taking the botched snap in for a 40+ yard TD), and then tried to do too much and went off his assignments. He can learn from that. Anyone who questions his accuracy didn't see that ridiculous throw to Watson in the first half. That was way downfield, totally on the money, and it's clear he just needs to play a string of games and gain some confidence to cut down on some of the over/underthrows (which I think are more mental -- given when they come in the game -- vs. physical).

So what about all the guys that signed extensions with the Bombers during his regime? Were all of them idiots? Some of them could've tested the market and possibly even made more money at the time, but chose to sign here. It goes both ways. All I'm saying is that it wasn't complete ineptitude. We were terrible more than we were good, but a team doesn't start off a season 7-1 and eventually make it to the Grey Cup game with the kind of behind-the-scenes chaos some are implying was happening. Yes, there was some weird decisions and even many bad ones, but it's really convenient to be able to come out with all this stuff when the other side can't (and probably won't bother to) defend themselves.

Exactly, it's not a fair evaluation for the players when the coaching is this poor. But then who coaches? If you fire Burke and Creehan, who comes in at HC and who comes in at DC? Would they -- at this stage of the season -- actually be any better leaders/teachers in order to help audition for next season?

Shhhhh.......... it doesn't work that way around here. Don't you know, the only way to develop a QB is for him to take starters reps, wtf does MB know anyways. Enough to go with Max Hall as starter this week. Is it possible that his comment referred to Goltz still being able to develop via increased reps in practice? Maybe once he really got to extensively go through 2013 game film, he realized that even all things being equal, Pierce doens't give us the best chance to win.

Campbell has been my choice for a couple years now. He's one of the few guys out there who has experience coaching all 3 facets of the game, plus he has some pretty good family pedigree. (Not to mention a history of mostly success in the CFL.) Yes, he's mostly a defensive-minded coach, but he also spent a season coaching the RBs in Calgary and has spent a lot of time coaching special teams as well. As for Dave Dickinson (who I'd also like, but don't think we could get) -- I didn't realize he was Craig's brother. Could that connection be a help or a hinderance to convincing Dave to take up the HC job here? I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a Higgins GM/HC regime, though. It would be stability, which would be a good thing.

Who cares about all this, anyway? Honestly, can anyone know that Goltz or Hall can't put up Reilly-like numbers in their 9th CFL start? Maybe if Hall plays the rest of the year and is still putting up 200-yard games, we should return to this argument. But we're still not talking about a Ricky Ray or Henry Burris. We're talking about MIKE FRICKIN' REILLY -- a QB who is just now starting to find his groove as a CFL QB. (And in this city, especially with the coaching we have -- which we would've had if Mack had somehow, miraculously brought Reilly to Winnipeg -- Reilly would've probably been replaced at starting QB putting up the numbers he did in his first 5 games in Edmonton. Because we don't give our QBs time to grow anymore. We release them or swap them out after a few mediocre games.)

So which is it? Did Mack spend his whole time here playing it safe, or did he spend his whole time here taking chances? Because everyone for the last 3 years has been on him about making "off the board" draft picks and taking chances on guys that weren't the slam dunk (some panned out, some took a while to pan out, and some are average). I think we can also agree that signing Buck Pierce prior to the 2010 season was a massive chance he took, too. Yes, when it came to throwing money at free agents, he didn't take very many risks (or, he made some offers, but didn't risk as much as other teams and thus lost out -- again, many of those decisions turned out to be the right one). At this stage, there's no way I can defend the Joe Mack era. I feel we had (mostly) terrible coaching during his entire tenure here, we've started to revamp and improve the O-line (which while I think sets us up for the long run, did not allow us to be successful over the last 3.5 years), and obvioulsy dropped the ball in the QB department (for a variety of reasons not necessarily all attributable to Mack, but certainly not free of his choices/influence, as well). But his intensions -- to slowly and patiently build depth to this Football Club that could set us up as a winner for years to come -- were on the money. Unfortunately, he didn't start with a team the way the other standard bearers had. Jim Popp started with a stacked all-American team with the Stallions in 1994, and only had to replace depth with depth moving forward. They continually have enough talent that the depth they bring in has time to grow into a starting role. Oh, and Tracy Hamm followed by Anthony Calvillo. Wally Buono came into a B.C. Lions team in 2003 great receiving talent (Simon, Clerement, Thelwell) and brought Dave Dickinson back to the CFL. He's kept them in it by finding talent, developing it, not overpaying vets or bringing in high-priced, flashy free agents. John Hufnagel inherited a team in 2008 with Henry Burris, Joffrey Reynolds, and that insanely good receiving corps. He also had a coach (himself) coming off coaching the likes of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Eli Manning in the NFL. He's built a solid nucleus, and out of the 3 definitely takes the most chances on free agents and draft picks (some that pan out, some that don't), but he started his regime with enough talent already returning in order to win a championship in Year 1. Joe Mack inherited a mess of missing draft picks, no QB, a faltering O-line with one solid player, and no Canadian depth. Admittedly, he couldn't fix things. He probably shouldn't have had to model this franchise after Montreal and B.C. when we didn't have the talent yet to be so catious and long-term thinking. He should've done everything he could've to bring that big talent in first, and then worried about building stability from there. I still say the calm, rational approach where you only take a few big chances each year and for the most part trust your own eye for talent and that of the team you assemble below you is the most effective approach. It's kept the Als and the Lions in it for almost every year over the last decade (and more for the Als). Too bad it couldn't have possibly worked here.

You keep comparing fans disliking Buck to fans running Glenn out of town. But there are so many differences. The year before Glenn was "run out of town" (which, really, he wasn't -- some fans were disappointed, but I guarantee Berry would've stuck with Glenn) he was an East MOP and put up some very strong numbers in guiding us to a Grey Cup appearance (and sadly missing that game). Buck "brought" us to the Grey Cup TWO years ago (not one), but his numbers were considerably worse and we rode our Swaggerville D to the big game in 2011. He also missed most of the 2010 and 2012 seasons with injuries, and several games in 2011. Here's Glenn's stat line the year he was "run out of town": GLENN, K 2008 WPG 293 454 64.5 3,637 92 20 4.4 20 4.4 85.6 Not the best TD to INT ratio, for sure, but okay yards considering he missed some time with an injury, and an average QB rating. Now here's Buck Pierce's stat line this season: PIERCE, B 2013 WPG 66 108 61.1 854 65 2 1.9 5 4.63 72.8 2 TD to 5 INT, an awful QB rating, and not impressive yardage. Just for fun, let's look at the stats in each of their Grey Cup years (keeping in mind that we have endured an extra year of Pierce mostly being injured in between). GLENN, K 2007 WPG 388 621 62.5 5,117 67 25 4.0 13 2.1 93.2 PIERCE, B 2011 WPG 261 411 63.5 3,348 92 14 3.4 18 4.4 82.0 That TD to INT ratio is super telling, not to mention the 5000 yard season from Glenn. Fact is, as others have said, it's not remotely an apt comparison. (Not to mention comparing an unknown in Stefan LeFors -- who hadn't played a game for this team and had only played a handful of quarters prior, to guys like Goltz and Hall -- who have at least shown with this team that they're no worse than Pierce, is a bit off.)

Penton's article this morning says we should expect Pierce behind centre this week. Sigh. This team never learns. I'm just so defeated. My exact sentiments. At least I don't have to go to another game until the Banjo Bowl. Ugh.

All you have to do is look at Reilly's stats for his first 5 games of the season to see that it takes time for a young QB to get comfortable with players and an offense before he starts to put in games like Reilly has the last 2 (which still aren't perfect by any means). We've got people on this board saying Goltz is useless after two starts. There was even some mention of Hall for sure not being a CFL QB after one start. And unfortunately, while that kind of thinking is less common on a board like this, it's way too common amongst the general fanbase. Patience is a non-existent concept. Patience doesn't always pay off, certainly, but having none pretty much never pays off. I hope Bellefeuille picks his guy (I'd still say it should be Goltz, but Hall is fine, too) and just sticks with him for the last 11 games of the season. Let's see if we have ourselves a starting QB for next year and beyond, and let's see them actually develop.

I'm thinking Dickenson and Howell are the only coaches who should stay past the 2013 season. As for who replaces who, it all depends on the head coach. Nelson might be a great pick, but his style may clash with whoever is the new head honcho. We need people in key positions who not only have experience with the Canadian game (and a history of at least some success), but who work well together. While I agree with some of the sentiment on this site that a lot of our problems come down to coaching, I think on the defense (especially in the secondary) talent is big issue. So whoever gets brought in, we need to improve the talent of our secondary and probably linebacking. I'm very satisfied with our D-line and hope we can keep those guys around.