bearpants

Wouldn't Toronto love to have a "problem" like this....

After all the **** this team put them through last year? Gonna take a while to build up some goodwill. The games were so bad last year that even the diehard fans were having trouble sticking it out until the end, how do you think the casual fans reacted to that? They'll take a wait and see approach and the first couple games are likely to be low attendance. If they show some back bone and maybe even win some games early in the year fans will come back, but they gotta earn the support back at this point. 

Yeah and my point is that when you are showing up for work with a hangover every day, Friday doesn't really matter.

Try watching re-runs of Seinfeld and tell me they're not still funny! 

I think that if Brohm is the #2, he'll be the least popular guy in Manitoba -- he'll be unjustly standing between Robert Marve and the starting job.

IMO I think we should start abbreviating Nationals 'NI' as in Nat-Ionals.... makes sense to me 

IMO I think we should start abbreviating Nationals 'NI' as in Nat-Ionals.... makes sense to me 

2 big things here... if Messam wasn't Canadian, no one would care... if we weren't so desperate for NI talent, no one would care... I find it hard to believe we're not at least looking into him, but I'm not blown away about the thought of not signing him...

I'll keep it simple.... encouraging start, lots of things to like about this team.... still lots of work to do, especially on D.... NI situation even more concerning with the loss of Newman for the year.... hope we can find a few FAs or pluck a couple guys off PRs...

Last year, yes, I agree that is the way it plays out.  This year?  OShea has not been conventional or safe.  Hall as backup is the smart safe choice, the high percentage play.  Marve spending 2 years on the sidelines holding clipboards and charting plays is the conventional route.
 
If Marve does anything in Calgary like what he did here I'd put the odds at 2 to 1 Marve starts the season as backup.  OShea is rewarding performance and nothing else.  Some might say that he's not looking at the big picture if he does something like that.  He'd probably say performance is the big picture.
 
As for me, I've just seen too many guys flame out because of the difficulties they have understanding the CFL.  Marve holding that clipboard for a year or two is how I'd approach it, but I'm not getting the big bucks or wearing the headset.
 
Hopefully we never have to see our backups play anyways.  Except for those games when we're up 70-0 and the cheerleaders have already dragged Willy off to the dressing room with 10 minutes left.

Bob Irving @BobIrvingCJOB
Anybody who thought CFL players wouldn't ratify CBA doesn't understand our grand old football institution!

OK, I did it anyways...
 
2013: (1) Mulumba, (2) Robertson, (3) Fitzgerald, (4) DiCroce, (6) Stephen Alli, (7) Billy Pavlopolous 
2012: (1) Pencer, (3) Aprile*, (3) Biukidi, (4) Rene Stephen, (4) Jake Thomas
2011: (1) Henoc, (1) Jade, (3) Brendan Dunn, (4) Swiston, (5) Volny, (6) Liam Mahoney
2010: (2) Watson, (4) Chris Smith, (4) Woodson, (6) Greaves  
 
Bold = still with team
Italics = good player, or high potential
*traded for Bucknor, so still valuable
 
Please let me know if I missed anyone/pertinent details... I know Kito Poblah should fit in there somewhere but I forget where cuz he was a supplemental pick

You'll never confuse me for a Kevin Glenn fan but Hall is nothing in any way, shape or form like Kevin Glenn.

No the problem isn't "mack made a bad pick".... every GM has done that.... the problem is Mack traded up with the initial condition being that his guy would be available (Jabar Westerman) but when BC traded up to 2, we all knew who they were taking... yet Mack completed the trade anyways.... then he selected a guy we could've easily got at 9 or 10 or wherever we were originally scheduled to pick... and the other problem is he made the exact same mistake prior year with Jade.... I have no problem picking a guy you like but why not trade down, gain more picks, and still get the guy you want.... drafting 101, a class Joe Mack apparently flunked!

I'm excited to see what he can do this season as well. I don't know if this is a bounce back season for him though. I think he his bounce back was in the second half of last season.
 
I'm prediciting both he & Moore go for 1k this season.

2012 was a pretty weak draft year. That being said Matt Norman, Shamawd Chambers or Kirby Fabien would have been preferable to Pencer. Of course, hindsight is always 20-20.

and Mike points out another reason I don't typically talk about previous regimes... the facts get jumbled in my mind over the years 

Swiston is still with the team.

two plays by WIlly stood out to me...
 
1) I didn't like that deep ball to Moore.... even if the throw was on target Moore was still lined up to be destroyed by the safety.... Willy just needs to recognize that coverage over the top...
2) loved when he handed off to Cotton (maybe it was Grigsby?) and then took off in front of him to block.... it does make me a little nervous to see the starting QB as a lead blocker but still love the determination in the red zone...
 
Overall, a pretty solid effort... I can't remember the last time I left the stadium feeling ok about a loss...

Unless Brohm steps it up against Calgary I have a hard time believing the depth chart to start the season isn't (1) Willy (2) Hall (3) Marve...

I'm a little late to the party on this.... I don't think we woulda got him but I'm disappointed to hear we didn't even get in on the Laurent sweepstakes.... I understand the reasoning, but then again conventional CFL wisdom says you never pass on quality Canadians if you can get them.

I'm a little late to the party on this.... I don't think we woulda got him but I'm disappointed to hear we didn't even get in on the Laurent sweepstakes.... I understand the reasoning, but then again conventional CFL wisdom says you never pass on quality Canadians if you can get them.

Lawless writes/says some questionable things from time to time but he would never be dumb enough to bad mouth Bob Irving on the radio... Irving is a legend arond these parts and Lawless respects that

Duthie would probably be the best replacement... I think he and most of the NHL analysts are sticking around so it would depend on his NHL on TSN obligations.... regional people like Lalji or Orlesky probably aren't in the mix but a guy like Scianetti could be considered.... I think I'd be happy if Rob Black was just not involved in the CFL at all...

Lawless writes/says some questionable things from time to time but he would never be dumb enough to bad mouth Bob Irving on the radio... Irving is a legend arond these parts and Lawless respects that