Dascow

Obviously Willy will be the starter next year. If the new OC came in and argued against that, I would fire him on the spot. The Bombers will win a Grey Cup with Willy in the near future. He is our franchise. Doublezero, go buy your Willy jersey now while you still can, because by this time next year they will be out of stock! (A sea of Willy’s @ IGF… )

What about a guy like Tommy Condell? Could we steal him from the TiCats?

That says more about the quality of our receiving corps behind Moore than a compliment to Moore. I would say that the lack of production overall this year by the receivers is more due to the lack of a quality OC and having to use back-up QB's for most of the season. If you were to extrapolate Moore’s numbers for a full 18 games, he would have close to 1100 yards for the season. That would be good enough for 6th overall in the CFL. Moore is not worth the money he is currently getting, but to say that he is not a #1 receiver is just not accurate. Does he deserve #1 money in spite of the fact that he gets injured way too often? That’s another question all together. But I am sure that in his mind and his agents mind, the answer would be yes.

I would just like to point out that Nick Moore, despite all of his injuries this season, is still the Bombers leading receiver in terms of catches and yards. So I would assume that the odds of him taking #3 money are fairly slim.

That's bad news for the Bombers play-off hopes.

So what's your point? Are you saying that adding Muamba wouldn't improve the run defense?

This is not Hurl's first year as a starter. He started last year for the Riders. Compare Muamba’s second year stats to Hurls second year stats. It’s not even close. Hurl is fine against the pass, but awful against the run. OK Muamba stats for 2013 106 Defensive Ttackles 18 Special Teams Tackles 1 Sack 1 Interception 0 Fumble Recoveries Again he has 5 games to play and while he won't get 106 tackles he may end up 55-65 .The question is Muamba worth 120k more than Hurl a year. As for his play against the run it's tough when our DL cant handle other teams OL and they can get to him at will. Tough to make a tackle a RB when your getting caved in. The Bombers give up on average 115 yards per game and are 8th of 9 in total rushing yards given up. They are also 8th of 9 teams in yards per carry. So yes, I would spend that money to get an elite national MLB. The biggest difference between Hurl and Muamba is that Muamba can make tackles at the line of scrimmage or on the other side of the line, whereas Hurl makes every tackle 5 or 10 yards down the field. Then when you add the fact that Muamba is a special teams demon and that this team is in dire need of one of those, then yes, I would have spent that money.

For comparison 2012 first year Muamba played MLB 65 Defensive Tackles 20 Special Teams Tackles 3 Sack 0 Interceptions 0 Fumble Recoveries Not a big difference when you consider that Hurl still has 5 games to play this year This is not Hurl's first year as a starter. He started last year for the Riders. Compare Muamba’s second year stats to Hurls second year stats. It’s not even close. Hurl is fine against the pass, but awful against the run.

Again, I have to disagree with your statement that Hurl is playing well. (It seems like I am disagreeing a lot in this thread…lol) I understand that I am very much in the minority here, but based on what I have witnessed, Hurl is not playing well.Based on what I have witnessed, he just doesn’t have the talent. I have been keeping an eye on Hurl for the last few games, and for the game against Calgary when the defense was on the field I was focusing on Hurl.I wanted to see if maybe he had improved. What I saw in the Calgary game was not good.Hurl’s biggest problem is that the second he gets engaged with a lineman, (or a fullback), he is finished.He gets eaten up by blocks and ends up 5 or 10 yards down the field by the time he is free. If he makes a tackle, which is rare for him, it’s 5 or 10 yards down the field. When he is playing gap control, which actually wasn’t as often as I thought it would be, and the run is to his gap, he gets blocked and the defense gets gashed for a huge run. When he is free to slide down the line of scrimmage and follow the flow of the offense, he usually ends up over running the play. Again, I understand that I am in the minority here, but based on what I saw last game, Hurl has not really improved.He is still a liability. One area that he did a good job in was pass coverage.He gets good depth on his drops and that has allowed him to make some big hits in the middle of the field and to create some turnovers. So to be fair, he’s only a liability when it comes to run stopping.

I've heard this from a few different posters and I could not dissagree more. One of this team’s greatest needs is better National, (Non-import), talent.How many star national players do we have on this team after Westerman?This team is lacking elite national talent and yet they are willing to drop out of the running for Muamba? (Again, that's assuming that it is the Bombers choice to drop out.) It just doesn’t make sense to me. The Bombers need to try and find 7 elite nationals to start and then fill in the gaps with internationals everywhere else. That's because it's easier to find elite internationals in every other position. So it doesn't matter where those nationals play because the gaps can be filled with internationals everywhere else.

But that's my question: Does he not want to sign here, or are the Bombers not willing to pay him? If it's the latter then they are making a huge mistake. If it's the former, then I completely agree with you.

Big mistake by the Bombers. When you have a chance to sign an outstanding Canadian starter, you do it. @ 200k a year, it's worth it. This will come back to haunt us. I guess my question is, are the Bombers out because they don't want to spend the money on him, or does Muamba just not want to come back?

There was a call either last year or two years ago that was made against the Bombers that was so obscure, that I had never heard it called before that game and I haven't heard it called since. Damn, I wish I could remember what that ridiculous call was...

There is no remedy. We just have to suck it up like we have multiple other times this has happened in the last 5 years. I would really like to know what the stats are for the last 5 years of statements made by the league for blown calls, per team.

This is kind of the point. If that incorrect call was made in the 2nd quarter, then people wouldn't be blaming it as the reason the Bombers lost the game. Yes it was a horrible call. Yes it probably cost the Bombers points and potentially cost the Bombers the win or a chance to go to OT. But it wasn't the only reason why we lost. But that's the thing. If that call gets made in the 2nd quarter, then the Bombers would at least have a chance to make up for it. When that call happens on 3rd down with 40 seconds left in the game, it takes the game out of the Bombers hands and into the refs. You make that call at that time at that spot on the field and you basically give the other team the game. At that point they had a chance, but that chance was taken away.

I can't disagree with you. What you are describing is the big picture and you are very much correct. Within the big picture there are always pivotal moments that help shape the big picture. I can understand when the Bombers screw up and shape their own destiny, in regards to a playoff birth, but when the refs step in at a pivotal moment and directly effect the game, it leaves a bitter taste. Let the players screw it up for themselves...lol.

1. I agree with you that it's not a conspiracy. However, it was not a nothing game for the Bombers. The Bombers are fighting for their playoff lives. Montreal is one win ahead of them right now and BC is even with them. They are still in the playoff hunt, so no it's not a meaningless game for the Bombers. But I agree with you about it not being a conspiracy theory. It's just bad reffing. 2. If the Bombers would not have been called for no end, who knows what would have happened. The Bombers could have scored a TD on the next play, or they could have thrown a pick. We have no way of knowing that now. So by that logic, the refs didn't take away a win for the Bombers, but rather they gave it to Calgary. In other words they took away any chance the Bombers had at scoring either a TD or a much higher percentage field goal for the tie which essentially gave the game to Calgary. Under normal circumstances I don't ever blame the ref for a loss, but in this case I just can't see any way around it. They had a very negative impact on the game at the most crucial time. They gave the game to Calgary and in the end it may cost the Bombers a playoff birth.

Do they sell milkshakes anywhere in the stadium? I like milkshakes.

What about the guy leading the league in sacks? Good point! How about the second thing, (The first being a healthy QB as Noeller pointed out), this team is missing is a second top flight Canadian starter. I guess my point is, when you have a chance to attain a top flight Canadian, you do everything in your power to get him. For me, this is kind of a no brainer.

The one thing this team is missing is a top flight Canadian starter. Henoc is a top flight player and I hope the Bombers are doing everything within their power to sign him. To do otherwise would be incredibly foolish.

If he is a Christian, I would be worried.Why? If his name was Daniel he'd be okay.

The problem with the Lawless article is that it lacks nuance. He treats Miller/Walters/Oshea as a single entity, which they are not. It is possible to fire only one of those three. I have no problem with firing a head coach after 2 seasons. Every other team in this league has done that, and much worse to be honest, and it hasn't stopped them from winning a Grey Cup. Greg Marshall was hired in 2011 as the head coach of the Riders and was fired 8 games into the season. Cory Chamblin took over in 2012 and won the Grey Cup in 2013. They saw the change that needed to be made and they didn't hesitate. I'm not saying that Wade Miller needs to fire O'Shea, but I am saying he needs to think long and hard about it. Walters on the other hand, I think needs to stay. You cannot judge a GM after only 1 1/2 years. (I'm not counting the little bit where he took over for Mack.) I said it when Mack was here and I'll say it now while Walters is in charge, a GM needs at least 3 to 5 years to be properly evaluated. Firing your GM every 2 years is really bad for the club. That's why it's really important to get it right when hiring a GM because he's going to be there awhile. I think Walters has shown enough so far to stick around. There are definitely things that he is doing, or isn't doing, I am critical about, but I still think he deserves more time. At least 3 years. Wade Miller is the obvious one for me. You can't fire your CEO after one year because of one hiring that you don't like. There is a pecking order. First goes the head coach, then the GM. Then and only then can you even contemplate getting rid of him. After the second GM gets fired and there's still no Grey Cup, then I would contemplate firing him.

I heard the league is going to implement the “forward pass”. Feels kind of gimmicky to me…

Yes a very reliable source with the Bombers told me that. I hear that every year. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Is Willy expected back this season or is he done till next year?