Okay, so the off season officially begins now that the Grey Cup is over. Lots of topics for discussion in the months to come with the Bombers & the League. A new CBA needs to be negotiated sooner rather than later.  Will there be an eventual agreement or a lockout? How much will the salary cap go up? Randy Ambrosie is on record that wants the cap to significantly go up so that is a positive.  Will Bo Levi Mitchell sign with an NFL or perhaps another CFL team? What about Mike Reilly & Trevor Harris who are also free agents? There's a new start up league called the  AAFL & there are legit concerns that it'll draw star CFL players away or hamper free agent signings with CFL teams. Coaching changes in BC & Toronto. The continuing evolving story of the expansion Halifax Schooners & possible exhibition games in Mexico. 

Edited November 27, 20187 yr by SpeedFlex27

So here's the thing with Lapo, he has some grievances from how his time as Bombers head coach went, he sat out from coaching until he found a situation he wanted to step into, he's already turned down interest in one head coaching position... So clearly the guy isn't desperate to jump at just any chance. He's trying to pick his spot and even if he interviewed with the Riders, I doubt he would have been all that interested in joining a team that had a lot of the same problems as the one he was head coach for before had. That's just asking for another black mark on his resume, which I think he really does want to avoid. He probably woulda stayed right where he was regardless, this really does come across as much ado about nothing. 

43 minutes ago, do or die said:

Riders had 15 TD from D and ST's.  Anyone really think that will happen again?  Or that their O will be good enough to pick up the slack, this year?  

Can't believe they never asked to interview Richie Hall...

16 minutes ago, Floyd said:

Can't believe they never asked to interview Richie Hall...

What would be interesting is will we allow the Riders to interview him. 😁

A new Rider fanbase plan.....

They go with a caretaker, this year....hire Lapo as HC, next year....and Paul brings Streveler with him

 

Just now, do or die said:

A new Rider fanbase plan.....

They go with a caretaker, this year....hire Lapo as HC, next year....and Paul brings Streveler with him

 

Don't laugh, that idea is at the forefront of some Bomber fans theory's right here on this forum. In fact, according to those, we better lock Streveler up long term right now. 

Yeah, that's not a new theory...that was being bandied about last weekend. And definitely makes sense...

I agree, Walters need to locked up Streveler this year. Then we can get another 1st round pick for Nichols next off-season.

 

 

5 minutes ago, do or die said:

A new Rider fanbase plan.....

They go with a caretaker, this year....hire Lapo as HC, next year....and Paul brings Streveler with him

 

They are the kings of wishful thinking. They honestly think that any incoming HC is going to sign a one year dead duck contract...that's sad.

6 minutes ago, do or die said:

A new Rider fanbase plan.....

They go with a caretaker, this year....hire Lapo as HC, next year....and Paul brings Streveler with him

 

"A dream delayed is a dream denied"

6 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Yeah, that's not a new theory...that was being bandied about last weekend. And definitely makes sense...

If they sign their new HC to a one year, dead duck, contract they can kiss any chance of retaining/ recruiting FA's or a QB this year. Might as well hang the forfeit sign on the window, refund the season ticket holders, and tell the league we'll be back in 2020.

You don't throw the season away because you couldn't get permission to interview a guy.

Edited January 24, 20197 yr by gcn11

1 minute ago, Zontar said:

"A dream delayed is a dream denied"

Nice one. Although we can all argue that Lapo is walking on a nightmare if he wants the Rider HC job now.

 

I hear from my inside sources aka my local barista that Steveler is going to the NFL in 2020. Its going to be to Chicago to be their Taysom Hill.

5 minutes ago, gcn11 said:

If they sign their new HC to a one year, dead duck, contract they can kiss any chance of retaining/ recruiting FA's or a QB this year. Might as well hang the forfeit sign on the window, refund the season ticket holders, and tell the league we'll be back in 2020.

You don't throw the season away because you couldn't get permission to interview a guy.

Yeah .. I was just thinking this.  What signal does that send to any prospective player (let alone coaching candidates) about the immediate future of that team .. of their potential future with that team?  Hired to be a stop gap for a single year .. no thanks.

Lapo doesn't own Streveler nor does he handle Bomber contracts, and I am sure when Walter's talks to Strev about an extension, and if (from what it sounds like) he wants to make the CFL his career for the foreseeable future then he will be extended/locked up prior to the end of the 2019 season.

No way..shape or form does lapo leaving in the winter of 2019/2020 signify that we will lose Streveler...also as stated...the Riders will not hire a place holder in hopes of landing "their guy" next year..it would be a detriment to anything they want to build in 2019

 

Rookie GM and placeholder HC.......some plan. 

I think they should just hire Benevides. He's a DC and former head coach. It does nothing to solve the dumpster fire offense but who cares. According to the faithful, they were about to win a GC last year but for the Callaros hit. Easy peasy. 

I would think too Macadoo is sort of a lame duck dead man walking guy there as well....many there say he was only there because he was Jones's BFF 

I would also think...any other team part way through the season who had offensive stats and ineptidude like they did would have made a mid-season change...so pretty certain next year regardless what goes on this year will be an offensive tear down there, and zero stability...hardly a drawing power for any QB to want to sign there this year

I remember when Franklin was suppose to follow Jones over to Saskatchewan. Good times. 

O'Day:

"Well you would be a shepard, caretaker, placeholder, with your staff already picked and no quarterback.....on a one year deal"

Prospective outside coaching candidate:

"Where do I sign"

Dickenson is really the only choice that makes sense - him and McAdoo are locked in for two years - not a lot of HC's that would step in without being able to choose their own assistants

Riders will offer Reilly $600k a year...

2 minutes ago, do or die said:

O'Day:

"Well you would be a shepard, caretaker, placeholder, with your staff already picked and no quarterback.....on a one year deal"

Prospective outside coaching candidate:

"Where do I sign"

Lapo must be seething with anger that he's stuck with a Grey Cup contender... he had probably already called Jamie Barresi...

5 minutes ago, Booch said:

I would think too Macadoo is sort of a lame duck dead man walking guy there as well....many there say he was only there because he was Jones's BFF 

I would also think...any other team part way through the season who had offensive stats and ineptidude like they did would have made a mid-season change...so pretty certain next year regardless what goes on this year will be an offensive tear down there, and zero stability...hardly a drawing power for any QB to want to sign there this year

Best case scenario for them this year is Jennings, Glenn or they pry Franklin away from the Argos, they's hooped.

as sad as it sounds..I think Glenn is their best hope...he can at least perform adequately with minimal surrounding cast, and a poorer OC..whereas Jennings needs great support and a mentor to help him...or he flounders badly..Franklin isn't going anywhere now Trestman is gone...

Even though I realize this would immediately benefit the Riders, I still think the CFL should revisit the cap on management/coach spending. I think it's ridiculous that the a team, even the Riders (may they rot in h), can't replace all their coaches when the GM/HC walks out. 

I also think it's unfortunate for Lapo that he's not getting the chance to hear their pitch and make a decision on his own. However, the Riders put themselves into their own terrible position and it's way too late to expect the Bombers to replace their OC. I wish it worked out for Lapo, though, because I really like the guy. 

Jennings as starter.  Glenn as backup.....who would bring the bailing bucket, quite often....