TrueBlue4ever

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

Comedy geek, I got the FREE buddy voucher tickets, but have already offered them out to another party. And no, I'm not charging them money for a ticket I got FOR FREE. However, if they fall through, I'd be happy to offer them up to you as I have no need for the extra tickets myself (using my own 2). I'll know by day's end if they are committing to them or not, so I'll p.m. you if the tickets open up.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

That 5 channels thing is a bit of a myth. They have TSN 1, which is just the new name for TSN. TSN 2 is the same as it has been since it was created - secondary programming to complement TSN when two live events are shown at the same time. TSN's 3, 4 and 5 are really just regional channels (for Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal) that broadcast the same thing as TSN 95% of the time, and almost always only deviate when there is a local event (Jets, Sens or Habs hockey) shown only in that region (then we get blackouts of TSN 4 and 5). So they really are still only using 2 channels for TSN - the most I've ever seen is 3 different types of events on the different channels that you would consider "national" broadcasts. Kind of a pointless exercise expanding the channels like that, IMO. And despite what TSN and my cable company promised me, I don't get all 5 channels with the same cable subscription I had signed up for when they only had the 2 channels. My former TSN feed has now become TSN 3, and I don't have access to the main network anymore! Fortunately, as noted above, 95% of the time it isn't a problem because they are showing the same thing on 1 and 3 (and 4 and 5 for that matter).

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

Comedy geek, I got the FREE buddy voucher tickets, but have already offered them out to another party. And no, I'm not charging them money for a ticket I got FOR FREE. However, if they fall through, I'd be happy to offer them up to you as I have no need for the extra tickets myself (using my own 2). I'll know by day's end if they are committing to them or not, so I'll p.m. you if the tickets open up.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

I can think of worse things. Like shaming someone for being poor, and calling them an embarrassment.

Simple math, there are 9 teams so one team has to sit out each week, since we play each team twice (at least) every team gets 2 byes over the course of the year. Impossible to eliminate one bye per team unless the schedule has that goofy "sandwich a third game mid-week between the 2 normal weekend games" stretch and make every CFL team do it.
 
Easiest way to shorten the season and keep a reasonable schedule with reasonable rest (i.e. 6-8 days) between games: shorten the season to 16 games. Every team plays every team twice (one home, one road) and gets 2 byes. 18 week schedule instead of 20. Season starts Canada Day week (last game of the week played no later than July 1), Labour Day week therefore is week 10, regular season is done before Halloween, playoffs end no later than November 18 every year. This is how it was before 1986 (they actually had 4 pre-season games then too, but it was felt that 4 exhibition games were too many and weren't profitable enough to justify the expense).
 
Of course, extra "real" games mean extra revenue, so the league will not ever want to shorten the schedule back to 16.

Yah, I know, just trying to temper the MBB circle jerk mentality of "his brother is great so he must be great - we have to sign him" that was prevalent when Henoc Muamba was around (or when Brett Cameron was going to be the next CFL all-star punter, so we had to trade up to draft him). Sign him if the skills (and any off-field baggage issues) justify it, not because he shares DNA traits with another player. Family ties do not ensure greatness, just ask Brent Gretzky.

The Banjo Bowl game was not as close as the score indicates. The 'Riders were up 27-8 at the half as a result of a blocked field goal touchdown return and a Dressler punt return TD because of an absolutely brutal missed call by the refs on a blatant hold. The Bombers only got back into it when Durant got knocked out with the elbow injury. But the 'Riders exposed the bad o-line (5 sacks) and weak run defence (196 yards, 6.3 yards per carry) that gave every other team a blueprint on how to beat Winnipeg for the rest of the year. Only a late fumble gave the Bombers a chance to steal the win, but Willy threw deep on first down and overthrew the receiver for an INT. Another late turnover gave him another shot, but this pass was even more forced and another INT. To be fair, he was being rushed all second half on his passes due to poor protection, but those throws were on him (which he admitted afterwards). Hopefully he won't be shell-shocked from all of the hits he took last year and he will display the patience he showed in the early comeback wins, and it goes without saying the line protection needs to be 100% better this year to give him any chance.

For all the love Marve gets on this board, the repeated message from the media and what the coaches tell them is that Brohm has basically been locked into the #2 position barring some major collapse, and with Marve flat out saying he's leaving for the NFL next year, I can't fathom the club using up what amounts to a developmental roster spot on a guy who wants to bolt at season's end. I know his scrambling and enthusiasm score big on the emotional love scale from the fans, but keeping him doesn't seem to be the logical move unless he's the clear #2 and pushing for top spot, which by all accounts from those who make the decisions, he isn't.

I will disagree strongly here. I'm not going to jump up and down and praise Tim Burke, so no one try to twist my words here, but remember that he was handed the position as head coach after LaPolice was fired. He was not hired to be the head coach, he inherited the position, and as the defensive coach many of the same posters on this board who rip him now loved him and felt he should take over from LaPolice before the firing occurred. He was handed a sinking ship by an obstinate GM who bristled at any perceived or actual criticism (true story: I was invited to a pre-season Bomber luncheon where Bob Irving was emceeing and he referenced the struggles of the 2012 season to the crowd and said "Good luck Joe Mack, hopefully we'll see better times ahead this year". Mack barked back "Gee, thanks, Bob" in the most dismissive, sarcastic way he could, and then under his breath - but not so quietly that I couldn't hear him the next table over - something that sounded a lot like "glass bowl") and stubbornly held to the belief that his way, which was opposite to everyone else's thinking, had to be the right way. Burke had seen Mack throw LaPo under the bus for his failed roster, saw the players assembled by Mack not giving any effort, and decided to preserve his own future career by calling out those lazy players. Unprofessional, sure, but it was in keeping with the whole tone of the organization at that time.
 
A Bomber beat reporter went into the locker room after a tough loss just before the week long bye (this was I believe just before LaPo got the axe) and said that 25% percent of the players were upset about the loss, 25% were laughing and goofing off, talking about where they were going to go drinking that night, and 50% had their packed bags with them and were talking about their plans for the week off starting that minute. That tells you a lot about the attitude and commitment of that team right there. That assembling of "talent" falls on Joe Mack and Joe Mack alone, who though bringing in "athletes" and not football players was the way to build a team. Burke did not rise above that mess, for sure, but that does not make him anywhere near "the worst Bomber coach by far". It just makes him an astute judge of player talent and character (or lack thereof in this case) who recognized that he was next to get thrown under the bus by his GM and refused to roll over and die, but instead called out those players (and by extension, his GM) to keep alive the hope of coaching in the future. That stance, however unseemly, got him re-hired in Montreal.
 
The stink of that Bomber regime will forever rest on the shoulders of Joe Mack. But, as was so eloquently put by saskbluefan 2 years ago in another post:
 
"The thing is there are a lot of people on this board with so much credibility capital wrapped up in Joe Mack that they can't admit what a dog of a roster this is.  So whatever shortcomings Burke may have need to be blown 10x out of proportion in order to blame him rather then the lack of talent on this team for the disaster this year has become."
 
And I'd put Mack's flaws in drafting, player assessment, letting free agents walk, failure to stockpile Canadian talent, inability to find a long term solution at quarterback or a back-up plan in place in the event of a Buck Pierce injury, and his overall refusal to learn from his own mistakes ahead of his acumen in hiring coaches. But we can agree to disagree.

The Banjo Bowl game was not as close as the score indicates. The 'Riders were up 27-8 at the half as a result of a blocked field goal touchdown return and a Dressler punt return TD because of an absolutely brutal missed call by the refs on a blatant hold. The Bombers only got back into it when Durant got knocked out with the elbow injury. But the 'Riders exposed the bad o-line (5 sacks) and weak run defence (196 yards, 6.3 yards per carry) that gave every other team a blueprint on how to beat Winnipeg for the rest of the year. Only a late fumble gave the Bombers a chance to steal the win, but Willy threw deep on first down and overthrew the receiver for an INT. Another late turnover gave him another shot, but this pass was even more forced and another INT. To be fair, he was being rushed all second half on his passes due to poor protection, but those throws were on him (which he admitted afterwards). Hopefully he won't be shell-shocked from all of the hits he took last year and he will display the patience he showed in the early comeback wins, and it goes without saying the line protection needs to be 100% better this year to give him any chance.

I will disagree strongly here. I'm not going to jump up and down and praise Tim Burke, so no one try to twist my words here, but remember that he was handed the position as head coach after LaPolice was fired. He was not hired to be the head coach, he inherited the position, and as the defensive coach many of the same posters on this board who rip him now loved him and felt he should take over from LaPolice before the firing occurred. He was handed a sinking ship by an obstinate GM who bristled at any perceived or actual criticism (true story: I was invited to a pre-season Bomber luncheon where Bob Irving was emceeing and he referenced the struggles of the 2012 season to the crowd and said "Good luck Joe Mack, hopefully we'll see better times ahead this year". Mack barked back "Gee, thanks, Bob" in the most dismissive, sarcastic way he could, and then under his breath - but not so quietly that I couldn't hear him the next table over - something that sounded a lot like "glass bowl") and stubbornly held to the belief that his way, which was opposite to everyone else's thinking, had to be the right way. Burke had seen Mack throw LaPo under the bus for his failed roster, saw the players assembled by Mack not giving any effort, and decided to preserve his own future career by calling out those lazy players. Unprofessional, sure, but it was in keeping with the whole tone of the organization at that time.
 
A Bomber beat reporter went into the locker room after a tough loss just before the week long bye (this was I believe just before LaPo got the axe) and said that 25% percent of the players were upset about the loss, 25% were laughing and goofing off, talking about where they were going to go drinking that night, and 50% had their packed bags with them and were talking about their plans for the week off starting that minute. That tells you a lot about the attitude and commitment of that team right there. That assembling of "talent" falls on Joe Mack and Joe Mack alone, who though bringing in "athletes" and not football players was the way to build a team. Burke did not rise above that mess, for sure, but that does not make him anywhere near "the worst Bomber coach by far". It just makes him an astute judge of player talent and character (or lack thereof in this case) who recognized that he was next to get thrown under the bus by his GM and refused to roll over and die, but instead called out those players (and by extension, his GM) to keep alive the hope of coaching in the future. That stance, however unseemly, got him re-hired in Montreal.
 
The stink of that Bomber regime will forever rest on the shoulders of Joe Mack. But, as was so eloquently put by saskbluefan 2 years ago in another post:
 
"The thing is there are a lot of people on this board with so much credibility capital wrapped up in Joe Mack that they can't admit what a dog of a roster this is.  So whatever shortcomings Burke may have need to be blown 10x out of proportion in order to blame him rather then the lack of talent on this team for the disaster this year has become."
 
And I'd put Mack's flaws in drafting, player assessment, letting free agents walk, failure to stockpile Canadian talent, inability to find a long term solution at quarterback or a back-up plan in place in the event of a Buck Pierce injury, and his overall refusal to learn from his own mistakes ahead of his acumen in hiring coaches. But we can agree to disagree.

I will disagree strongly here. I'm not going to jump up and down and praise Tim Burke, so no one try to twist my words here, but remember that he was handed the position as head coach after LaPolice was fired. He was not hired to be the head coach, he inherited the position, and as the defensive coach many of the same posters on this board who rip him now loved him and felt he should take over from LaPolice before the firing occurred. He was handed a sinking ship by an obstinate GM who bristled at any perceived or actual criticism (true story: I was invited to a pre-season Bomber luncheon where Bob Irving was emceeing and he referenced the struggles of the 2012 season to the crowd and said "Good luck Joe Mack, hopefully we'll see better times ahead this year". Mack barked back "Gee, thanks, Bob" in the most dismissive, sarcastic way he could, and then under his breath - but not so quietly that I couldn't hear him the next table over - something that sounded a lot like "glass bowl") and stubbornly held to the belief that his way, which was opposite to everyone else's thinking, had to be the right way. Burke had seen Mack throw LaPo under the bus for his failed roster, saw the players assembled by Mack not giving any effort, and decided to preserve his own future career by calling out those lazy players. Unprofessional, sure, but it was in keeping with the whole tone of the organization at that time.
 
A Bomber beat reporter went into the locker room after a tough loss just before the week long bye (this was I believe just before LaPo got the axe) and said that 25% percent of the players were upset about the loss, 25% were laughing and goofing off, talking about where they were going to go drinking that night, and 50% had their packed bags with them and were talking about their plans for the week off starting that minute. That tells you a lot about the attitude and commitment of that team right there. That assembling of "talent" falls on Joe Mack and Joe Mack alone, who though bringing in "athletes" and not football players was the way to build a team. Burke did not rise above that mess, for sure, but that does not make him anywhere near "the worst Bomber coach by far". It just makes him an astute judge of player talent and character (or lack thereof in this case) who recognized that he was next to get thrown under the bus by his GM and refused to roll over and die, but instead called out those players (and by extension, his GM) to keep alive the hope of coaching in the future. That stance, however unseemly, got him re-hired in Montreal.
 
The stink of that Bomber regime will forever rest on the shoulders of Joe Mack. But, as was so eloquently put by saskbluefan 2 years ago in another post:
 
"The thing is there are a lot of people on this board with so much credibility capital wrapped up in Joe Mack that they can't admit what a dog of a roster this is.  So whatever shortcomings Burke may have need to be blown 10x out of proportion in order to blame him rather then the lack of talent on this team for the disaster this year has become."
 
And I'd put Mack's flaws in drafting, player assessment, letting free agents walk, failure to stockpile Canadian talent, inability to find a long term solution at quarterback or a back-up plan in place in the event of a Buck Pierce injury, and his overall refusal to learn from his own mistakes ahead of his acumen in hiring coaches. But we can agree to disagree.

Fill in the blank. Should the Bombers lose tonight, it would mean ________:
(A few options to get you all started, or choose your own)
A ) No way do we make the playoffs
B ) No way do we win another game this year
C ) Just another week of Mike 'O Shea saying he is not worried about the team, no need to overreact, they just need to correct a few things
D ) Just another week of Mike 'O Shea saying he is not worried about the team, no need to overreact, they just need to correct a few things - but fans now openly start to question how out of touch he is with the reality of the situation (and by extension, his competence as a head coach)
E ) Everybody relax, it's unfortunate but we are still in this thing
F ) The sky is falling, this team is not any better significantly than last year, the 5-1 start was a total mirage because no one took us seriously, we are still the doormats of the league with major holes that will take years to fix, and management has done nothing better than last year's train wreck
G ) The fact that this thread exists shows how I need to get off the sauce - no way do they lose tonight
H ) The fact this thread exists shows how much of a knife edge this team is on right now because this once unthinkable scenario (a 1-11 team beating us) is now frighteningly possible or even probable(we are the best bet in the CFL right now for the Redblacks to win against given the last 7 weeks of play, despite the fact they have lost 9 in a row).