BigBlue

Line coaches must be frustrated ... top rated at teaching blocking and looking like ... well you know Bell* knows there are rolling pockets, play action schemes and a dozen other ways to play this wide field game Its like being redcoats in the revolutionary war lining up like pigeons to be shot by the guerilla revolutionaries disgusted regret here at Bell* ... a total inflexible conservative who knows little about war tactics or strategy

"You know, I'm really starting to notice ... as much as people say we have homers, we sure do have a ton of gloomers as well." Can a Bomber fan express frustration and disappointment without being kicked out of True Blue Club ... or being named a Negatron? To be considered loyal do we have to make ourselves a "homer" and at all costs avoid being labeled a "gloomer"? For an all-tolerant-society, and on this posting board in particular, there is a whole lot of judging, bashing and gaffing going on. Does the semi-anonymous nature of the site help us realize who we really are, instead of what we would prefer to appear as? Isn't it true that all of us have a good and bad side ... A mix of human nature? I for one would like to see a greater appreciation for all the differing points of view about our ball club. And isn't it true that those who call out a poster as a negatron are themselves the biggest negatrons of all? I believe we have a fantastic discussion board here at "Morning Big Blue" and that is absolutely wonderful that we can give, politely, full vent to our wide range of emotions about our beloved Blue. Isn't it great that we have a place to compare analysis about the progress of our football club? So who are the negatron's, homers and gloomers, really?

Based on this season's performance only, here is how I would rank these 9 CFL QBs 1. Ray 2. Levi-Mitchell 3. Reilly 4. Durant 5. Willy 6. Glenn 7. Burris 8. Collaros 9. Crompton How do you see it?

Moore ... Denmark ... Cotton ... Leggett ... Turner ... Anderson ... Washington ... Stoudermire ... Hajrullahu ... You know, I'm really starting to notice ... as much as people say we have homers, we sure do have a ton of gloomers as well. Moore ... Denmark ... Cotton ... Leggett ... Turner ... Anderson ... Washington ... Stoudermire ... Hajrullahu ... in addition to my mention of Randle & Wild That's a list of our better players but how many are going to be a western all-star (or 2nd team) this year: Hajrullahu possibly... Randle surely I think ... Leggett will be beaten out by Breckenridge but he is good ... Stoudermire might be the best in the league but won't get the votes this year ... Moore has been a bust this year ... Denmark might get in on stats but he has not been a dominating player ... Cotton is still unproven as promising as he looks ... Turner & Anderson & Wild will at best get honorable mentions ... Washington I hope My guess is we get 3 on the western all star team this year ... how many of the rest would be on a 2nd western team is how many are "above average" ie 1st or 2nd out of 5 teams Do we get more than 3 out of 26 or so players as western all stars?

That's BS. You can be a fan and not have season tickets even if you can afford them.Yeah you're just not as good a fan. That's bs big time ... A huge chunk of season ticket holders only go to get drunk and to party with each other and completely ignore the game. I am the opposite of a drunken fan but a devoted fan I am - - for over 50 years a Bomber diehard - - And I am always "depressed" for 3 days after a Bomber loss ... I am just tired of the lack of talent on our club and the inability of our management to build the club into something special ... how many above average players do we have on the club right now: Randle, Wild and maybe a couple others ... Why is that? What is going to change for next year? I am not buying season tickets next year because I care too much and the disappointment ruins my week ... I am just getting too old to not be happy because of my ball club

I am tired of hearing that we have players with "great potential" and a "core to build around". We are a very mediocre football club at best and "them" is just the facts. "Rebuilding" is just another term for a clueless management team that does not know how to recruit or hire. For 25 years I have waited and watched and hoped. I am just tired of it. Any temptation to buy season tickets next year have gone out the window. I am a single-game buyer until we finish in first place. Results are all that matter to me. Make all the off season moves you want, if it is just a marketing ploy I am not interested. I feel like I have been had, like at a travelling circus, but one that doesn't go anywhere. In the stock market, you do not jump on the bandwagon until a trend is firmly in place. I don't see no trend. Bah, humbug!

I hope Etch & Bell are released after our last game and before the season ends ... it will send a strong message and get our recruiting season off to a good & early start

Could McManus be promote to OC? He at least knows what it takes to win ... is he not rather high on the confidence / credibility scale?

I blame the coaching staff BIG TIME for another failed season! Eight straight losses, one of the worst losing streaks in Blue Bomber history, is the last thing I expected after a five and one start. I blame Marcel Bellefuille for being average, unimaginative and unable to adjust. If you don't have the talent at receiver you can at least run timing packages and short stuff. You do something about the unbelievable number of sacks we took this year – – it has more than just a little bit to do with schemes and strategy. There is nothing worse than being average when it is "the slight edge" that wins ball games. As I watched tonight's game I just hated how bad our special teams have been this year. We lost the game tonight on punt returns and kickoff yardage. Our special-teams head coach (MOS) has got to do something for next year. The worst problem was defense and Gary Etchevery. When you run a gambling defense, like he has, you have to have a lot more sacks and interceptions to compensate for the occasional big plays we give up such as occurred this evening and in too many ball games this season. Further, when your personnel requirements dictate using small fast players, instead of the best talent, I am thinking one thing: STUPID! As for Michael O'Shea, I believe we have a real leader. But MOS has to put the best performers on the field (rewarding them and demonstrating fairness and equity) instead of his personal favorites (Kroneyism and fear of your judgment). He has lots of time to get better assistants and coordinators for next season, and, at least now, he does offer some hope of a few good seasons for the next 2 to 3 years. I am not so concerned about talent (and we certainly do need some big upgrading there) as I am concerned about the inadequacy of our coaching-coordinator personnel. And we have to listen more to Danny McManus more. Kyle Walters is doing great with Canadian recruiting but we got failing grades for our US side. I am absolutely disgusted with our coaching staff.

Then lets have Marvel(my + ? nickname for him) in there more often

I'd take him over Desia Dunn in a second. But my guess is he probably goes to Saskatchewan. please explain why Sask

"The problem is that Watson is declining though" I disagree ... good as ever

I don't see any sign of aging in Burris at all ... He is still "Hank" but as good as ever

The point of this thread was to get Watson blocking less and receiving more ... so it deteriorates into trading Watson for a roll of duct tape!

Depth is just another component of progression, it is neither a reason nor an excuse. Depth is something that is primarily built in offseasons though, can you honestly expect depth to get better during a season? It's not bloodly likely since injuries deplete depth like clockwork during a season. Depth is built whenever you add another quality player .... they don't have to be save up for training camp .... and if no one is threatening your job you have to work harder to overcome complacency ... to dig that little bit deeper

The big thing is after this long losing streak they are actually about to make a change or two ... some change is our last best hope of turning our season around ... we were spending too much time resting on our early season laurels .... what doesn't grow atrophies

lol

Wouldn't it be nice if... we could win by a margin We could do it against Ottawa .... and have the luxury of playing Brohm in the 4th Q We should have been leading Hamilton by a lot Wouldn't it be nice if... we didn't need 4th Q heroics

" He might bounce around for another 3-4 years" are you insane ... that's a career for most players .... he is our best blocker at receiver and reliable .... problem is we use him as a blocker too much and a receiver not enough .... he is in his prime now

Trade Durant for Burris straight up !!!

We started well this year with a five and one record so I understood that the Bomber coaching staff did not want to make changes, other than to plug a hole due to injury. However in the last seven games, we have only won once. Yes we've done a little tweaking, adding a couple of Canadian prospects, and signing or trading for defensive line replacements. But by and large, I have not personally seen any real attempt to upgrade our personnel on the field. Are we really unable to locate a better receiver or halfback? Why are we so complacent about our long snapper situation? Can we not find linebackers and defensive ends that fit our schemes? Have we decided to just "stand pat" until next spring's training camp? Would it really kill us to outbid another CFL team for the veteran returnees who did not make it in their NFL tryouts? It's a time honoured CFL tradition to bring in American prospects over the course of the summer. Many such prospects have helped their new teams immediately and had a real impact on the outcome of the season. I say some, not all. What have we done in July, August and even September; I am not not talking October: Signing practice roster players with the intention of making change in next year's training camp is fine. But what about right now? Our current management and coaching have a very specific philosophy in how they have been running the club since the season opened. I can't quite identify what it is but my intuition tells me it is not in the realm of conventional CFL wisdom. I can smell it and it frustrates me. Yes we have upgraded this team over last year and I am sort of happy about that; on the other hand, how could any team stay as pathetic as we were in 2013? I am disappointed. Other than normal maturing that comes with experience, what has this club done to improve itself since its first victory in July? Personnel changes and trades are one thing. But I am wondering about everything and anything that can be done to develop our football team. Is it just me? Or is there something I don't know about?

Anybody know whats going on as of Sundays practice?

Why discuss what's proven ... it's the unknown that is intriguing

The point I am trying to make the most in this thread is that we need to free up Corey Watson to be mainly a receiver instead of mainly a blocker. If Fitzgerald can take over the blocking chores all he needs to do as a receiver is occupy a SAM or a D B. He doesn't need to be fast; he can run the short routes where all he needs to do is keep his body between the back and the ball. There will not be a lot of players who will be able to reach around his rather large physique.. I'm sure Fitzgerald learned to do this playing slot back in college. And if they choose to ignore him (as no worthwhile threat), he has good hands and he will catch the ball. From time to time he will even rumble down the field with that there pigskin.

Here's Wylie's history from the Bomber website: "Under Wylie’s watch, Oakland’s offensive line improved the Raiders from one of the worst in sacks given up, to the top five in the NFL. In 2010, Wylie coached the offensive line for the Denver Broncos, improving the Bronco’s rushing average to 4.7 yards per carry during the second half of the season. As an NFL assistant with Arizona, Tampa Bay and Chicago, he paved the way for seven offensive linemen to earn Pro Bowl berths. He also coached tight ends with the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. Before returning to the NFL in 2010, Wylie spent the 2009 season coaching the offensive line of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, helping lead them to a division title and a Grey Cup appearance. In his two year with Winnipeg (2007-08), the Bombers’ offensive line allowed the fewest QB sacks (27) in 2007 and the second-fewest (29) in 2008, and saw him coach in the 2007 Grey Cup. During those three seasons, Wylie had CFL all-stars at every position on the offensive line." How would you grade his performance so far this year?