HardCoreBlue
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Posts posted by HardCoreBlue
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Forget last year - with trestman, he was a fullback playing like a slotback - he will be used the same way again...
Laugh all you want, lavoie is not a traditional cfl fullback... I'd love to have him on the bombers - I see nick lewis-type potential imo
Not sure how you can compare Lavoie to Nik Lewis at all. Their skill set is entirely different.
I don't know if you can compare anyone to Nik Lewis. He is one of my favorite guys to watch when they catch him on the sidelines after a big play or a contoversial ruling. He's friggen hilarious love him or hate him.
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... which probably means nothing to you.
... Until you read that he is a 23 year old Canadian who started with the Argonauts as an intern two years ago.
Local boy who was a high school star. A 2 year starting QB from the U of Guelph (so he and Walters likely get on well). He's been Barker's star pupil for the last few years.
As a Canadian QB who has made a career out of football, he'd be a good role model for anyone on this forum's son who may also like to transition into a CFL career if he doesn't get a serious look at QB because of his birth certificate.
Quite impressive and as you say, good motivation for any young players who may be more suitable for coaching.
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Does anyone else feel with Edwards' retirement (and I DO NOT mean this as a critique of Edwards AT ALL) the Bombers now have essentially achieved a "clean break" from the "old guard" leadership-wise? Burke and Crowton and their assistants are gone. Buck's gone. Jovon, BStew, and Hefney (key Swaggerville guys) are gone. Muamba and Edwards are gone (but I don't believe they were the problem). O'Shea's in with new(ish) co-ordinators. Willy's the QB. Nick Moore has been brought in to be a #1 SB. Korey Banks and 2 other DB's have been brought in.
If Walters' goal is to change the culture, one would think that with all of the key moves made this offseason, that he's shed the locker room of a great deal of the "old guard." Only question I have is whether or not we've brought in enough new leadership to fill the void.
Team should be interesting this year, and should have a whole different attitude and personality... when vets like Jovon are allowed to walk without even an offer, it sets the tone.
I hear what you're saying and I agree. Going in a different leadership direction for sure and will be very interesting in what tone is set and how accountability is shared with all of this staff and player turnover.
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One of the franchise’s all-time greatest receivers – Terrence Edwards -- announces his retirement today, after seven seasons with the Blue Bombers, and nine in the Canadian Football League.
“I’ve had a great run in this league, and made countless friends and memories I will forever cherish,” said Edwards. “This city and the Blue Bomber organization has been so good to my family and me, and I just cannot thank them enough for everything they have done. Also, I would really like to acknowledge and thank the fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The support we get as players is amazing, and that is one of the best things I will take away from my time in Winnipeg.”
After joining the Blue Bombers as a free agent in May of 2007, Edwards went on to an illustrious career in a Bomber uniform, hanging his cleats up sitting 4th all-time in receiving yards (7,200 yards), and 10th in yards from scrimmage (7,273) as a Bomber. In all seven seasons, he never failed to gain at least 500 receiving yards and pushed his CFL career totals to 508 catches for 7,637 yards and 47 touchdowns by the end of 2013. Edwards produced five, 1,000-yard seasons in Winnipeg, and a total of 24, 100-yard games, second only to Milt Stegall among all-time Bombers receivers.
“Terrence will retire today as one of the best receivers in the history of this franchise. He was a leader of the club’s offence for many years, and players like him simply do not come along every day. He was a special player in our league, and we thank him for everything he has done for our organization,” said General Manager Kyle Walters.
Edwards was named to the Division All-Star team three times and twice to the All-CFL team. He led the club in receiving in 2007, 2010 and 2011, with the 2010 campaign marking his career-highs of 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns. Edwards played in three Grey Cups recording 11 receptions, appearing once as a rookie with Montreal in 2005, and again in 2007 and 2011 with the Blue Bombers.
“Terrence Edwards has been a consummate professional for the Winnipeg Football Club throughout the past seven years, and I would personally like to thank him for representing our club with class, hard work, and a burning desire to be successful,” said President and CEO Wade Miller. “He may be hanging them up, but he will always remain a member of the Blue Bomber family.”
Edwards first joined the CFL late in the 2005 season when he signed with the Montreal Alouettes. He played his college football at Georgia, where he set numerous records and remains one of the best receivers in Georgia Bulldogs history.
If you're readiing this Terrence, thanks for all the years of entertainment and being a true blue bomber. You're part of an elite group.
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I'm not talking about his OC talents...I'm talking about his crappy recruits he got them to bring in. Boltus was one...there was another one from Hamilton. A WR...I can't remember his name.Oh great, another one of Bellefeuille's recruits. Yay...cause those have worked out so well for us.
cmon give the guy a chance. let see what he got during TC.
You must mean Aaron Kelly, who was nothing short of amazing for us down the stretch.
Odd how a few highlight reel grabs equate to people thinking he was amazing.
Seems an odd contradiction in a way. (highlight = not amazing)
I think fans were just waiting for something, anything to happen, and some of those catches were a breath of fresh air.
I think more of the issue, at least for me, is improving our success in having potential turn into reality. With certain players, you know what you get, they either are stars, their functionally average, their role players or they get cut. But with others there's that 'he could be better' feel that takes more of an investment of time, energy, money and focus. Over the last while we haven't had the returns of this effort knowing there's always going to be busts. Also, imo, compared to most other teams, we've sucked royally at having depth to cover off our injuries. No depth, no success.
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Starting off on a good foot with a new teammate 101.
"Sup, coach killer"
Not to mention the fact he answers back, "Sup".
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If you're working with someone - obviously no phone. But I use mine for music (no ipod, just use grooveshark...). Otherwise, I think I would go insane. I too don't really understand people who text though.
And wait, dudes really blow dry their nuts...? Gross...
At the gym I went to in Winnipeg before we left, they had a sign by the hair dryers that said, "Please use for intended purposes". They also had a sign by the couches that said, "Please do not sit naked on the couches". True story.
Pal of mine In downtown TOR Goodlife says there are signs asking members not to have sex in the stalls, showers. Killjoys.
Hmm why?
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Both may not have berm very successful as HCs but have been effective as assistants.
Jim Daley's time his past. His last stint as a special teams coordinator was woeful to say the least. That being said, here's more news if you will about the Argos coaching staff...
Casey Creehan and Will Plemons both on #Argos new coaching staff under DC Tim Burke. #Bombers
Burke implied and sometimes even more than implied it was our lack of talent for our woes. I guess he and Creehan get a second kick at the can with the Argo's defense. So, if the Argo defense shites the bed this year, or at the very least regress from what they achieved last year, is it now on them or can they continue to use the lack of talent reason (excuse to some)? Or will they come up with another explanation, new system, players left, injuries, head coach etc etc?
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If you're working with someone - obviously no phone. But I use mine for music (no ipod, just use grooveshark...). Otherwise, I think I would go insane. I too don't really understand people who text though.
And wait, dudes really blow dry their nuts...? Gross...
At the gym I went to in Winnipeg before we left, they had a sign by the hair dryers that said, "Please use for intended purposes". They also had a sign by the couches that said, "Please do not sit naked on the couches". True story.
Other than that, how did you enjoy your time at the Wellness Centre on Leila?
It was awesome save for that :-)
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If you're working with someone - obviously no phone. But I use mine for music (no ipod, just use grooveshark...). Otherwise, I think I would go insane. I too don't really understand people who text though.
And wait, dudes really blow dry their nuts...? Gross...
At the gym I went to in Winnipeg before we left, they had a sign by the hair dryers that said, "Please use for intended purposes". They also had a sign by the couches that said, "Please do not sit naked on the couches". True story.
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Hacker Defense...nice.
Since Glenn left our organization unceramoniously during the start of Kelly's tenure, I've never been THAT upset that he left even though Kelly took a risk and lost. He obviously would help upgrade our QB options but I do feel his presence and demeanor on and off the field (his tweet the most recent one) has it's drawbacks that don't fit well with the type of culture, the type the approach, the type of attitude Miller, Walters and company are appearing to want to create for this team. I'm probably in the minority as a BB fan but I really don't want him back if I had the choice.
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Much rather we bring in Congi and Liri to camp as our kickers.
I'd rather bring Palardy back than Congi. Yuck. Same problems, "accurate" kickers with no leg. If they aren't hitting 90% inside 40, they are killing you with lousy kickoffs and lack of range.
Biggest pet peeve I have with kickers. If they can't provide reasonable consistent kick-off distant, then no thanks.
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expect him to end up in Winnipeg
I would have thought Ottawa if anywhere but having him here for training camp tryout with no guarantees can't hurt for us.
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If there's a single position in the CFL that I don't think is worth using recycled goods, it's the running back position.
This is, by far, the most ruthless position to play in the CFL in terms of sticking.
- SPuDS and JohnnyOnTheSpot
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Glenn won't be a Bomber.
Plus I don't think he wants to be a Bomber.
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If Ettiene wanted to play here.. or we determined to play her, then why didn't he resign last year or earlier this year? If one of your FA hasn't resigned yet this close to FA, either the club didn't want him, the FA didn't want to move or they didn't agree on money and he was going to FA...
Not excited about willy... We now have another Backup on the team.. I don't think willy has shown any more then Hall given that Willy played behind a championship oline and offence... Hall, not so much.
Danny McManus disagrees with you. He might know a little something, something about quarterbacks.
He might know something about being a cfl qb in the league a few years back..
But he doesn't have a history (yet) for succesfully spotting and developing cfl QB.. Time will tell and Danny mac was a great HOF QB.. but that doesn't always translate into be a great scout, mentor, etc. I'm hoping he's right.. But i've been hoping for 5 years that the "pros" knew what we needed, could scout, sign and assign roles that players could excel in.. But it hasn't happened yet..[/quote
Jeezus can we just enjoy this for a while Debbie Downer
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Sorry guys, whenever I hear Walters, I think of Kevin "Lizard" Walters, who was Adler's producer at CJOB.
I was once so thoroughly disgusted with the Adler show and the commercials that I sent Lizard a huge (well written) rant explaining why I think he sucks -- and he actually responded and asked me to remain a listener.
So to that end, Kevin, I mean, Kyle Walters, is now Lizard. And he is the worst GM in the league.
Ya kno, it doesn't surprise me one ounce that you already think this without even getting out of the off-season..
Stay classy bud. Keep the faith!!
Forget class, sell me on all the great things that have transpired this off season.
Granted, he still has many months to make it happen, but so far are you honestly impressed?
Or are you just being "positive?"
Oy. Can we sell you on the fact that we avoided a giant albatross of a contract on Burris; and that Hamilton and Kent Austin were a flashier sell for Collaros instead?
Way too early to be passing judgment on Walters. The mess that Mack left the organization in... pile on all that you want. But way too early to judge Walters.
Fair response and I appreciate you indulging my question.
Still, he could've easily over paid for Burris and just cut the guy next year.
I am fine with Glenn, but Desjardins is going to anally pound us for him. And Lizard is going to have to take it.
Which is a great idea if you're looking to solve one problem by creating another one. If that's how he thinks business is done, he'll quickly develop a reputation that is just as bad as the one we have now. We're trying to rebuild our image as an appealing football club to join up with. Signing guys only to cut them a year later for no reason other than money troubles is not how you establish that.
.... as opposed to the reputation the OTT management group has after the Glenn thing?
No one gives a shite about "reputation" -- they care about money, wins, and opportunity.
And I seriously doubt anyone would say "they signed a rock solid personality like Henry Burris and then turfed him after just a year. That guy was all class and deserved so much better!"
No one? If your answer is yes, then you're misguided. First, evidence suggests organizations with horrible reputations are the ones who usually don't have the money, the wins and the real opportunities over a sustained period of time. Second, organizations reputations are built by the individuals who manage and lead it. If these individuals, even if their highly skilled in their craft, predominatly lack in the areas of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills sets, it significantly affects the reputation of the organization, ergo, the ability of the organization to attract quality people, from a player perspective, from a management perspective, from a sponsor perspective etc etc. Reputation affects an organizations bottom line no matter how you spin it, some more than others, but plays a part in the equation of success.
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I'm so glad we aren't overpaying for a QB, I'd much rather have no one at all. The name of the game is not winning, it is saving as much money as possible. Save save save.
What exactly were you expecting Henry Burris to win for us?
And yes...Walters should be sure to sign Steve Myddleton, the mystical free agent NI OL, just give him a blank cheque.
It is going to be a couple years of rebuilding in terms of NI's and QB's. That's the price we pay for relying on Buck Pierce for 4 seasons, wasting picks on Etienne's and Pencer's. If this rebuild isn't done right and we chase mediocre players like Burris to the detriment of developing better players, it will take even longer.
But if the fans sit through two more years of medirocity there won't be any fans left to pay the bills...
Pierce was a stop gap to help fill the void while we looked for / developed a future starting QB.. it didn't happen.. The qbs that we had failed to perform and have been cast off.
If you are okay with 2 more years for 4-14 - 6-12 years you will be mightly lonely in the stands..
The major fallacy spewing from yourself and a few others is that Burris and a couple free agents in this year's market are going to change the fact that we are the worst team in our division...they won't.
Need to rebuild this football team from the ground up, starting with management and coaching, now on the field.
Simple yet sophisticated. Absolutely bang on.
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In my opinion, Hank took the easy way out here.
Tons of money, play for a team that has no pressure on them to be successful at all.
In Winnipeg all the pressure would be on him to turn around the offence, and make the team successful again. Winning is expected/demanded in Winnipeg. In Ottawa showing up is probably good enough.
Great point. Never thought about that.
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Well, put me in the "shocked" column.
We must absolutely be considered a joke of a franchise for Burris to not come here. He'd rather sign with a team that offers direct competition? Good lord.
The idea of Henry Burris never really appealed to me, my first choice was always Collaros but for the Bombers to skip out on Collaros and identify Burris as their #1 choice and then NOT get him?
This is the worst offseason.
Actually I'm looking at it the other way. My first thought in seeing yet again another headline of missing out, in this case the headline that Burris will be signing in Ottawa, is motivation. Motivation to build a culture that players/coaches want to come/stay here. After the last few shite years of mismanagement at all levels, what did we expect? It's time to right this ship, look at the players we have who want to play here and use that as motivation. This year we turn the corner in moving back to respectability, mark my words.
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Salary cap is 4.4 million as of right now.
You have to pay 46 guys + a practice roster. Once you factor in your ~10% for injuries and wiggle room + the practice roster money, I'd say you get left with around 3.75 to play with for salaries. Close enough to get a working idea anyways.
Even at 3.75, you could afford to pay your starter + backup QB a total of probably about 500k. Leaves you 3.25 for 44 spots, that's still an average of almost 75k a player.
I mean really, let's try and figure it out
Starting QB - 350k
Backup QB - 150k
7 starting Canadians - Average of 125k
Then you consider how many guys on the roster are guys who make minimum money (a backup RB, Canadian special teamers, etc) and it's easy to see how you can spend big money on more than one or two or even a handful of guys.
Great post. That being said I still believe paying a soon to be 39 year old wildly inconsistent quarterback is extremely short sighted even if it doesn't handcuff us financially. I just don't see the point in investing money in a QB that by the time he is ready to ride off into retirement, the team will be in a position to compete for a championship. I think it also delays the development of whoever will be #2 on the depth chart for the season whether that be Willy or someone else.
Because in addition to making this franchise consistently competitive long term, Walters, O'Shea and co. are tasked with making this team respectable NOW - like, for this upcoming season.
I know some will disagree, but we just can't be okay with another 3 win season. To even try and make this team consistently competitive and challenging for the Cup, we need to gain some ounce (sorry, litre) of RESPECT from around the league - and we're not doing that until we win some damn football games. Burris needs to be brought in because he's the best available right now - Willy or any other QB is a non-factor at this point b/c they're still FA. Not getting Burris, and potentially not getting Willy would be an absolute disaster for this team - going in with some sort of Hall, Goltz and newbie combo? Puh-leaze!
I don't think you'll find anyone who thinks Burris will win us a Cup, or that he's the long term solution - but he absolutely makes us a FAR better team the second we sign him.
If we sign Burris, Goltz gets released? If we don't sign Burris, Goltz gets what? Outside of the money, what does Burris really think of our organization? Does it matter what he thinks? I think it does, but it's hard to measure tangibly. I'd rather go get Willy and keep Hall, who are both newer to the CFL, work hard on upgrading our o-line and offensive schemes to fit these guys and throw the dice. But hey, if Burris wants to come here, embrace the province and the fans and prove to the ***** cats that it was a mistake, then I'm all for that as well if it results in a playoff position and some grooming our our back-ups. Hopefully both scenarios will result in a win-win not a lose-lose. Would a third scenario actually be that we still have Hall and Goltz as our one-two come training camp?
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We have the worst fans in the league, bar none, for restlessness and complaining. No question, they've caused the club to do some really stupid things because they have zero patience for a true rebuild.
No kidding. No other fanbase has been forced to endure the brutality we've seen over the last two+ decades. Other fanbases don't have as much to complain about as we do.
Again, we're not hiring the right people if they let fan complaints dictate personnel moves. Get somebody with a good plan and a set of balls who can make a plan & stick to it & maybe the fans will have less to complain about.
Ah yes. Two posters taking opinions out of their butts and presenting them as facts. What evidence do you have that that the fans here are the worst in the league? Do you actually take the time out to look at how other fans treat there teams..and I don't mean watching a game here or there on TSN and looking and listening to the crowd on TSN and basing your judgement on that. I mean really looking - visiting fan forums, reading newspaper articles written in that city about the team, being at that team's games to the get the pulse of the fans. Somehow I doubt it.
What stupid things have the fans caused the Bombers to do?? Please tell me. Fire Doug Berry? No, because he had lost the locker room. The players were tuning him and his ridiculous out-of-control sideline rants out. The fact he hasn't been hired as a head coach since and has lost two jobs as OC proves the Bombers made the right decision. Fire Mike Kelly? Ha! Guy who was fired because of his lack of professionalism both on and off the field, his callous disregard for our free agents and draft picks, his poor handling of the QB position. Getting into a fight with his girlfriend was the last straw. Firing Joe Mack? A guy who hadn't been with a CFL organization for nearly 25 years and we were foolishly led to believe would turn this franchise around. A guy whose only saving grace with the Bombers was bringing in decent import talent from the US, and really no better than the average Gm in the CFL at that when you think about it. Our O-line was crap when he came, crap when he was fired; our Canadian content was crap when he came and only slightly less afterwards (still worst in the league) and our Qbs were crap when he came and still crap when he left (Hall is a decent backup who can start the occasional game). Joe Mack was the Ol Gill of the CFL - couldn't sell the good players on the Bomber organization if he tried - see Brendan Labatte, Greg Carr and Mike Reilly.
Were the release of Brink or Elliott on the fans' lack of patience? Consider this - no one picked up Brink and kept him on a roster for very long. Joey Elliott had to pay his way to BC for a tryout and was released a few games into the season only to be picked up again because of injuries to two of their QBs. He might be back as a third stringer only due to circumstances. Wally's criticisms of Elliott was pretty damning. So it doesn't seem like any of the managers and coaches in the league think too highly of our ex-Qbs otherwise they would be kept on some CFL teams and groomed to at least be a semi-competent backup. Geez maybe that's the reason these QBs were released by the Bombers - not due to fan pressure to see immediate results, but because their talent level and/or their abilities to take instruction and handle pressure are not at a level needed to be a starting or even backup QB. I would apply this label to Goltz as well.
The only reason the media and fans appear harder on this team than other cities (and that's debatable) is due to the 23 year Grey Cup drought. HOw incompetent can a franchise be to not win one Grey Cup in a 23 years in a 8 team league? The last ten years have been especially embarrassing - something like a .350 winning percentage. Those results rest on the BOD making questionable hires over the past decade and a half and in turn, the management they hire making questionable coaching hires themselves. Jeff Reinbold, Mike Kelly, Joe Mack, Tim Burke, Creehan. These guys were truly terrible at their jobs and yet the blame lies at the feet of the fans? More like the blame lies at the feet of the organization, the managers and coaches hired, and the crap talent brought in at most positions to compete.
So please provide me with some specific examples as to how our fans have prevented us from going into a true rebuild? Because this is a 9-team league where all the GMs have access to the same pool of players (the majority of CFL teams are American) from down south deemed unsuitable or lacking the talent to make the cut in the NFL. Rebuilding or rather reloading is something that should only take a year or two at most. This isn't the NBA, NHL, MLB or the NFL - rebuilds in the CFL do not require 3 - 5 years..at least they don't if upper management hires a GM and coach who are capable of bringing in adequate talent, something that Joe Mack was unable to do. It certainly is not the fans fault that he couldn't identify and sign the proper talent.
Testify!
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I'd be fine with Willy and Hall battling for reps, maybe ask Barker what it would take to pry Trevor Harris out of Toronto depending on how ready they feel Gale and Portis are to backup Ray.
No need for Burris, we're going to suck this season either way.
Jessuz, really. I sure hope not.
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Why is people jump from player to player as if they become the Ben & Jerry's flavour of the day? You better hope that management has a more tempered plan with a solid contingency if things don't work out. The knee jerk reactionary. Impulse nature of fans better not migrate into the strategy of team management. Zac didn't work out and all of a sudden , he wasn't good enough or so and so didn't like him any way. Then it's Hank's turn and then it may become Willy's turn to be the favourite son....for a minute. Stop falling in love and getting your hard broken. It is time to see if it fact this team has a management plan and if they can follow through.
Actually, based on what I've read overtime on this site when it comes to our QB situation or any other situation for that matter, there's very few posters like you described here, which btw I find a bit exaggerated. It's an emotional game for the fans too, cut people some slack, actual blue bomber fans (e.g., the ones who have NEVER said I give-up on this team) can safely say they've been very patient with how this team has been managed over the last few years. The luxury of being a fan (i.e., no real accountability with team results) is we can be armchair QB's as much as we want. That's the beauty of being a fan.
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He's got that look that seems to be whispering through his clenching teeth, "Their f****ng going to kill me, call someone, send help"