TrueBlue4ever

Wow, the schedule maker sure gave the Bombers an advantage with 3 games against the Elks this year. 😏

True enough. It’s weird that despite all the troubles this season, the one game we needed the kicks to win, we got them. I would have been more worried if Mourtada was duck hooking them, but it seemed to just be an alignment issue. Like I said, short leash for sure. For sure if we lose a game on kicking, then the pressure mounts.

The RedBlacks are far from a winning team right now, though. No question it is a conservative strategy, we’ll see at game’s end of it is a winning one.

Given the struggles they have had scoring this year and how decent their defence has been, taking the points is not a bad idea against this Elk squad.

Well, he said the right things at practice about working on his angles and getting the mechanics right. Frustrated he let the team down, will only worry about what he can control. Felt like he hit the ball well, but needed to get the angles right, the bye week helped him get extra practice In to work on that. I would think he’s on a pretty short leash, but it has been only one game. Not sure we can truly judge his ability to handle pressure after 60 minutes. And the last kicker we ran out of town after a disappointing year is the same guy we are begging to get back now in Lirim H. At 6-1 with three kickers on the roster we can afford a little patience and don’t need to blow it all up just yet.

No worries.

Aside from the obvious talent infusion, it cannot be overstated how important the continuity in the front office and coaching staff has been to developing a consistent culture. Wade Miller came in and wasn’t afraid to step on toes to get the business side working, but knew to let the football ops do their thing without him being overbearing and without threat of firing if it wasn’t fixed quickly. Kyle Walters was freed of the shackles of Joe Mack, and brought in McManus and Goveia as assistants and they built slowly but deliberately. Mike O’Shea brought in at the same time, and given the time to grow into the job, despite fans screaming for his head many times after the 5-13 season, the BC playoff loss in 2016, the home playoff loss in 2017, the West Final loss in 2018, even up to halftime of the 2019 West semi. O’Shea brought in LaPo and Hall to head up his offence and defence, and instead of fearing that he might be replaced by another former head coach (as he was once asked by the media), he embraced the wealth of knowledge they brought to the table and saw it as an asset to have 3 de facto head coaches on staff, even (again) when games screamed for changes with every setback. Hard to believe now, but Hall had his head on a platter as much as LaPo did in 2019 until the final 30 minutes against Calgary. Promotions came from within for line coach, special teams, and QB coach to OC, showing loyalty and continuity. All this to say that PATIENCE (a dirty word to sports fans, especially in a 9 team league where turnaround can happen quickly in either direction) to allow the parts to mesh has gotten us to where we are today, and that culture shift starts from the top down, when egos are shelved and all know they have security to build it up the right way.

Evans will be the 5th QB this year making his first ever CFL start. QBs still getting beat up at staggeringly high rates in the league.

https://3downnation.com/2021/09/27/redblacks-move-matt-nichols-dominique-davis-to-six-game-injured-list/ And Trevor Harris is not on the Elk roster despite being pulled off the six game IR. If we thought last week’s RedBlack-Ticat game was unwatchable………yeesh!

Yup.

https://www.cfl.ca/2021/09/27/steinbergs-mmqb-handing-mid-season-awards/

You win the internet for today.

Sorry, did not see your one from last week, thought I would take a league-wide look. Was going to process the defensive players today at some point, unless someone wants to take a crack at it. Main question - who of Jefferson, Jeffcoat, or Bighill would be the Bomber nominee, and if they chose top 3 league-wide instead of east and west division winners, would the Bombers have all 3 contenders as the finalists?

That’s why Collaros would become the 5th QB and 8th overall.

MOP team nominees (all full season projections are for an imagined 18 game season) BC - Lucky Whitehead edges out Michael Reilly. QBs usually get more attention here, and Reilly has some very good numbers (pro-rated over a full season, 4,782 yards, 74% completion percentage, 26-3 TD-INT ratio, and an almost video game-like 117.8 passer rating), but Lucky on pace for 92 catches, 1,710 yards, 10 TDs. Cal - Kamer Jordan takes it with the QB injury and minimal running game. On pace for a 100 catch season. Edm - James Wilder Jr. on pace for just shy of 1,500 yards on the ground. Sask - Cody Fajardo is still the straw that stirs the Riser drink, despite decent years from William Powell and Kyran Moore carrying the load with Shaq Evans out. Fajardo on pace for over 4,200 yards and a 72.3% completion rate, as well as 738 yards rushing. The 18-18 TD-INT ratio is not good though. Wpg - Quite a case could be made for any one of 3 Bomber defenders to be up for this award, given how much defence has propelled this team to the top of the standings, especially in the first 4 games while the offence found its footing. But this is almost exclusively an offensive prize, so Zach Collaros is the easy choice. Projects to 4,452 yards, 70% completion rate, 26-10 TD-INT ratio, and 105.3 passer rating. Tor - With the QBs splitting duties and no real receivers jumping off the page, give it to John White IV Ham - With all the offensive injuries, the biggest offensive threat has been returner Frankie Williams Jr. Ott - Good luck finding an MOP in this motley crew on offence, so unless a defensive player gets picked, return threat Devonte Dedman has been a lone standout for them. Mtl - William Stanback is head and shoulders above all others on the team, on pace for a league-beat 1,854 yards rushing. West nominee - Wins and losses are a factor when considering award winners, so Zach Collaros would be my nominee (funny that if Lucky Whitehead gets selected for BC, Collaros is the favourite, but if Reilly gets chosen, he might beat out Collaros since the writers look hard at stats and Reilly has better numbers across the board). East nominee - William Stanback takes this running away (pun intended). Winner - Collaros becomes the 5th Bomber QB and 8th Bomber overall to be named the league’s best. And if the league did what I wish they did and made it a top 3 nominees, multiple selections for one team allowed, then it would be Collaros, Reilly, and Whitehead as the finalists. Thoughts?

So two interesting (?) uniform notes. Jets are still wearing helmet advertising decals this season, and despite the arena re-branding to Canada Life, Bell still gets the ad space on the lids.

Honestly, U2 has not put anything at all of worth out since 2004, and Bono’s preaching actually detracts from their music for me, but they do know how to put on a concert. Coldplay is in the same vein. Again it is all personal choice, I don’t need edgy defiance in my band, just give me an enjoyable tune. I don’t need a band to be more than that to appeal to me. And Fully Completely was my Hip album of choice.

How did you know? Actually I am the same age as Johnzo, but grunge in general never did anything for me. I did like Pearl Jam, but I didn’t get the whole “angst of a generation” vibe, and I thought the “Kurt Cobain as the troubled messiah” narrative was weird. Plus I could never understand what his lyrics were. I was more influenced by the late 80’s, and more into the top 40 stuff rather than alternative rock. U2 was obviously big for me.

By coming of age, do you mean teenager? College?

Enjoy your week of chanting “We’re number two, we’re number two!”

Ooooooo, shot fired!

Never got the fuss over this band. Personal taste I guess.

You should try drinking. It keeps Do or Die calm. Might help your frustration. Better for us that the Riders won, since we have the season series against them. Puts us more in line for first in the West. And I would much rather face Fajardo than Reilly in a one game playoff scenario.

Credit where credit is due, you did self-own it. And given that awful pick by Fajardo, not the worst prediction. But seen too much weird stuff in my life in the CFL to call a one score game over with more than a minute left.

Random question, is two touchdowns in 2 seconds a CFL record?