GCn20

I am assuming Penn is not the last casualty here. We have hired 3 to replace 2. Not something regularly done in the Operations Cap era. I sure hope we aren't losing McManus as well.

Wilson, may reward us with loyalty for releasing him early.

Are they? How so?

Darvin Adams and Andrew Harris wish that were true. We played good football in those games, other teams played better. In this last GC we were seriously hampered by ZC's injury.

Not only that we have turned over roster each and every year. People would like to say we never move on from aging players. That is simply not true, Andrew Harris will tell you that. What we don't do is move on without having a replacement ready to go. It is a complete myth that we never move on from players. Some long time Bombers that were very productive but dropped off were replaced. Darvin Adams and Jeffcoat are others just off the top of my head. Last year we started rookies at numerous positions. SMS forced some of that and will this year too, age also caught up with some and we moved on. We will this year too. I have zero issues with returning Biggie and Alexander for instance. Let them compete for their jobs. If they cannot keep up and we are sitting a better player...that's a different conversation.

Couldn't agree more. I really think we have a very good chance of hoisting the Grey on home soil this year. All we can ask management and coaches to do is to get us the chance to do that. The players then have to bring it home. All 3 years we have lost the championship game, many on this forum have let the players completely off the hook and blamed the coaching. While some coaching has been questionable there were ample opportunities for us to win all 3 games if players make plays despite whatever coaching issues there were.

I get that it is frustrating to lose 3 consecutive championship games. There are certainly some improvements that could have been made, I just don't buy into this whole sky is falling nonsense agenda that seems to be permeating the forum. We are a well managed, well coached team with an excellent culture that players want to be a part of. Would I like to see some different roster management...sure....would I like to see some better coordinating in the big games....sure. Do I think these are firing worthy offences on a team that just went to 5 straight Grey Cups....not even remotely. Do I see an end of our ability to legit compete for yet another GC...not even remotely. Do I think players want out because of anything the coaches or management has done or not done....only those that are seeking more playing time or who we can't offer nearly the same money to because of SMS restraints but that is no different even in a GC winning year. The Bombers now have an excellent reputation around the league amongst the players as an organization that will treat you well and provide you with a chance to win, and that includes our own pending FAs.

Twenty five years ago there wasn't social media. Teams weren't coursing guys on shutting the hell up. They are now. I used to be one of the owners of a popular Bomber player watering hole until a few years ago. Had many great conversations with many of the players, they were very guarded as to what they would share and what they wouldn't share and NO ONE talked contract in public. NO ONE. They vented, they discussed a lot of things, but anything that belonged in the dressing room stayed in the dressing room. If someone looked like he was about to spill some beans after a few beers, he quickly got pulled aside by team mates or the subject was very quickly changed by another team mate. Sure they would make little comments about being frustrated by this or that, or how they were hoping to get a better contract next time...but that's as far as any conversation ever went.

We have played excellent football as a team. Are you suggesting we haven't?

Sure....it can happen with people close to and trusted by the player. These are professionals, they know that what they say and what they do can easily end up as talking points on social media or even in the press. They receive this training as players, and are very careful about what they say, and to whom they say it, outside the dressing room. They aren't sitting around airing out team laundry as the public observes.

Baloney. It's probable that players do all of that for sure but it ain't happening in the public gym for Joe Q Public to go run his gams about it online afterwards.

Couldn't agree more. The whole narrative is overblown. It is frustrating as well...but how the bottom of our rosters shake out week to week is not something that is of huge consequence. The whole hanging onto vets too long is also overdone. Sure there might be 3-4 headscratchers over the past few years but it's not like they were costing us. They still played decent football for the most part. It would be gobsmackingly stupid for the Bombers to fire either Walters or OShea. Idiotic.

You don't know squat about what WJ is going to do. NOTHING. You want us to believe he goes around blabbing his mouth like a school girl? Gimme a break. The only people who know what WJ's intentions are right now are living under his roof....and that only IF he has decided himself. Booch you are way overplaying your hand on this one.

Agreed....but WJ has never put a gun to the Bombers head and I think suggesting he would is complete disinformation. He loves it in the Peg, is his own agent, and is highly unlikely to be a guy that bolts to the highest bidder. If he leaves, it would be because we lowballed him.

Says every FA ever. A lot of players weigh who their coordinator will be as a big factor in what team they go to. To some it's more important than to others, but it would be naive to think that it's not an important factor to every FA out there. Though Toller is not part of the group, if OShea knows Wendel than he will know Toller as well.

It doesn't make sense in isolation as fair value. However, could be a player wanting out...could be freeing up SMS because they like the guy behind him on the DC...could be he is a locker room problem...among many possibilities that we as fans do not have access to information on.

Roster was not the issue in our loss whatsoever. Had no impact on the outcome at all.

Never. Some ppl here must be forgetting he's a pending FA and the Riders traded for his rights so they can get 1st crack at him.

I hope he fails miserably. Nothing personal against Buck..but it's the only way he can now help the Bombers.

Definitely some very odd coordinating in the past 2 Grey Cups for sure. RIchie was awful in 23, and Buck was terrible this year. As for other coaching issues, there were mistakes, but nothing that should have cost us the game but did not help for sure. No ya buts....this year especially the preparation seemed lacking. Amar says SMS what SMS? They likely blew up their draft this year so they cannot afford to be bleeding starting NATs now. Money will have to come from Peter to pay Paul, but Betts was pretty much a must re-sign.

I do get it. I just don't believe that one has to starve in order to be considered making less than a living wage. You and I have fundamental differences on what that term means I guess. Are the players attending soup kitchens..no...are they financially struggling at 70k a year...yep...many are.

Fajardo is getting into the best case scenario for himself really. One could argue the Riders might be, because Trevor Harris is almost certainly not going to last the season at age 40, but playing behind an extremely over rated NAT is probably the surest bet.

Why would it irk you? 70k is not a high salary in this day and age. If people get by on less, good for them but that doesn't make the point less valid. I guess it all depends on what you consider a living wage to be. Winnipeg and Saskatchewan the min salary may allow some breathing room, but places like Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Hamilton a 70k salary barely pays minimum expenses. Over half the league plays on a minimum or close to minimum contract, and many guys only a partial min salary between regular game cheques and PR money. This is the economic reality of the CFL and has been for a long time.

Exactly right. Heck even a person making 70k as a CDN resident with a modest house and a modest vehicle is pay cheque to pay cheque these days. It's what 2k biweekly take home or something like that? For sure the meals and services provided by the club are very important. Also these guys are beating the crap out of their bodies for that.

Highly likely he will be released.