Training camp is over .... adjustments have been made  and its time for the opening kickoff

Anybody change their minds on how preseason changed their expectations for this year .... Montreal thrashing Ottawa changed mine .... cutting Willy raise my hopes for the Argos .... Edmonton looks stronger than I first thought and Regina even worse

For the first time in years I am forecasting Winnipeg finishes first in the league  .. just an optimistic hunch .... I forecast these final standings:

Winnipeg

Calgary

Vancouver

Edmonton

Ottawa

Montreal

Toronto

Hamilton

Regina

 

 

 

 

31 minutes ago, Jimmy Pop said:

I hope you enjoyed the 3 point thrashing we took.

Congrats on that nail-bitter 17 point Rider loss. 

 

The infuriating thing about that loss was it could have been a win with so little difference, and the loss was because the team had the same problems it showed in the previous games, all of which could have easily been wins as well. There has to be a point where the issues that are costing the team are addressed, otherwise we will be struggling with a .500 record all season. Almost isn't good enough any more.

Just now, blue_gold_84 said:

You're right. My bad. I'll edit the post accordingly. But what does playing in BC have to do with anything? The Bombers won in BC just last season.

Always tougher to win on the road is the reason. Of course anyone can win at any time, but based on how good Lulay was last week, I just thought he would carry that over in a friendly environment for him.

1 minute ago, tracker said:

The infuriating thing about that loss was it could have been a win with so little difference, and the loss was because the team had the same problems it showed in the previous games, all of which could have easily been wins as well. There has to be a point where the issues that are costing the team are addressed, otherwise we will be struggling with a .500 record all season. Almost isn't good enough any more.

Lots of that going around these days. Good post

39 minutes ago, Ripper said:

Both are loses. You either win or you don't.  It was nice for someone else's team to get to have a backbreaking int late in game and then have their kicker blow a big kick when it mattered most. That's usually how we lose. I feel better about losing to Stamps than I did about losing to Montreal that's for sure.

Should have just ended the post right there.  There is no such thing as a good loss.  This isn't the NHL where you get a point for participation even when you lose (OTL).

1 hour ago, Ripper said:

Both are loses. You either win or you don't.  It was nice for someone else's team to get to have a backbreaking int late in game and then have their kicker blow a big kick when it mattered most. That's usually how we lose. I feel better about losing to Stamps than I did about losing to Montreal that's for sure.

 

 

I wouldn't. Your team did not look like it even belonged on the same field as Calgary and the score really, really flattered the Riders. I would be more upset about my team being thoroughly uncompetitive in a game, doesn't matter who the opposition is. People who argue that league parity does not exist now have a game they can point to as proof.

Edited July 24, 20178 yr by gcn11

@Dave_CHED

BREAKING: Hugh O'Neill is now beardless! #Eskimos #CFL

 

This is big news people! ...............apparently.

Just now, Noeller said:

@Dave_CHED

BREAKING: Hugh O'Neill is now beardless! #Eskimos #CFL

 

This is big news people! ...............apparently.

I'm sure this will be on The National tonight.

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

@Dave_CHED

BREAKING: Hugh O'Neill is now beardless! #Eskimos #CFL

 

This is big news people! ...............apparently.

Speaking of kickers, I can't believe how many kickers in the league have been Bombers:

 

Maher, OTT

Castillo, HAM

Parades, CGY

Hajrullahu, TOR

and of course, Medlock, WIN 

we may not be able to recruit and develop QBs and receivers, but hot damn we are a kicking pipeline 

3 hours ago, ALuCsRED said:

Speaking of kickers, I can't believe how many kickers in the league have been Bombers:

Maher, OTT

Castillo, HAM

Parades, CGY

Hajrullahu, TOR

and of course, Medlock, WIN 

Not only that, they are all damn good kickers.  It's crazy how much CFL kicking has improved over the last 5 or 10 years.

15 hours ago, Noeller said:

@Dave_CHED

BREAKING: Hugh O'Neill is now beardless! #Eskimos #CFL

 

This is big news people! ...............apparently.

even bigger news.... Hugh O'Neill is still in then CFL??

14 hours ago, peggars said:

we may not be able to recruit and develop QBs and receivers, but hot damn we are a kicking pipeline 

and the ironic part is how woefully bad we were at kicker for so many years before Medlock (save for Lirim's rookie season)... 

13 hours ago, Atomic said:

Not only that, they are all damn good kickers.  It's crazy how much CFL kicking has improved over the last 5 or 10 years.

We're long past the days of using a DI spot on a guy like Alex Serna. 

I thought part of the rationale for increasing the number of DIs was due to the fact that there was a shortage of quality National kickers available. 

Just now, DR. CFL said:

I thought part of the rationale for increasing the number of DIs was due to the fact that there was a shortage of quality National kickers available. 

There's nothing wrong with using a DI on a great kicker like Medlock or Maher.  The problem is using a DI on a bad kicker like Serna or even an average one like Damon Duval.

So Apparently Sean Paul is playing the halftime show during the Edm/BC game.  While I'm certainly not a Sean Paul fan, it got me wondering if the bombers (or any club for that matter, especially with the ones struggling for attendance) would we see better turn outs at games if this type of thing was a regular occurance?  how much would you figure it would take to hire a band to perform and be offset by the extra ticket sales?

Edited July 25, 20178 yr by Taynted_Fayth

2 minutes ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

So Apparently Sean Paul is playing the halftime show during the Edm/BC game.  While I'm certainly not a Sean Paul fan, it got me wondering if the bombers (or any club for that matter, especially with the ones struggling for attendance) would we see better turn outs at games if this type of thing was a regular occurance?  how much would you figure it would take to hire a band to perform and be offset by the extra ticket sales?

Sean Paul? wasn't he big once for like a few months in 2004.. I doubt anyone who wasn't attending the game would go just to see Sean Paul.

2 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

Sean Paul? wasn't he big once for like a few months in 2004.. I doubt anyone who wasn't attending the game would go just to see Sean Paul.

yup.  I highly doubt any half-time shows that would be cost effective would really bring in the butts to the seats to be honest..

Just now, Arnold_Palmer said:

Sean Paul? wasn't he big once for like a few months in 2004.. I doubt anyone who wasn't attending the game would go just to see Sean Paul.

yep only song i really remember by him what shake that thing back in 2002. But I'm not talking about Sean Paul specifically,  other then he got me thinking,  but what about other bands?  post game shows either at the stadium(s) or a joint promo for a post game performance by said band at a local venue they may be scheduled to perform at anyways? like Present your game day ticket at the burt and get in free or half off..etc  that kind of stuff. 

7 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

Sean Paul? wasn't he big once for like a few months in 2004.. I doubt anyone who wasn't attending the game would go just to see Sean Paul.

Sean Paul enjoyed a commercial resurgence in his career throughout 2016 after being featured on three largely successful hit singles by Australian singer Sia, girl band Little Mix and classical crossover group Clean Bandit.

4 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

Sean Paul enjoyed a commercial resurgence in his career throughout 2016 after being featured on three largely successful hit singles by Australian singer Sia, girl band Little Mix and classical crossover group Clean Bandit.

Sean is that you?

I can see having a mini rock concert for an hour before the game ..... nothing big name  ... just a local band playing popular enough stuff ..... mutually beneficial for all except for the old fuddy duddys like me

21 minutes ago, SPuDS said:

yup.  I highly doubt any half-time shows that would be cost effective would really bring in the butts to the seats to be honest..

Popular local acts would probably get kids out,  and they would be very cost effective.  They work cheap.

There are lots of them, in every city, that old(er) folks don't know about. All kinds, DJ's,  rock bands, country bands, metal bands, pop bands. Really good bands. All looking for somewhere to play, cause there's a shortage of live music venues, in wpg, and everywhere else.

also, maybe they could coordinate the acts with the casino that brings in really well known acts, that are probably not that expensive. They do one night at the casino. play another night at the football game.

Live music is one of the cheapest things around these days.

Winnipeg could start with  young hotshots The Brothers Landreth,  that band would easily put five hundred or a thousand people in the place on their own.

 

 

Edited July 25, 20178 yr by Mark F

7 minutes ago, Mark F said:

Popular local acts would probably get kids out,  and they would be very cost effective.  They work cheap.

There are lots of them, in every city, that old(er) folks don't know about. All kinds, DJ's,  rock bands, country bands, metal bands, pop bands. Really good bands. All looking for somewhere to play, cause there's a shortage of live music venues, in wpg, and everywhere else.

also, they could coordinate the acts with the casino that brings in really well known acts, that are probably not that expensive.

Live music is one of the cheapest things around these days.

Winnipeg could start with  young hotshots The Brothers Landreth,  that band would easily put five hundred or a thousand people in the place on their own.

 

 

there's also a lot of band on the cusp of big things around canada that would love to play a packed stadium of 20-30K. IIRC The Glorious Sons played Ottawa's home opener at half time a couple weeks ago, and I gotta say I've been digging their music for a while, since 92 started playing them the last few years. I would have probably went to that show regardless of a football game being the main event.

I'd love to seem them or Monster Truck

Wasn't it in the mid-90s that the Bombers were struggling at the gate that they had bands play before the game in hopes up increasing attendance. 

I also recall around 07-08 the Bombers had bands play at the south end tailgate area.

 

39 minutes ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

there's also a lot of band on the cusp of big things around canada that would love to play a packed stadium of 20-30K

yup.  It's a lot of exposure for a young band, and a big thrill to play in front of that many people.