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The MBB All-time Blue Bomber Team: Tight Ends


The MBB All-time Blue Bomber Team: Tight Ends  

14 members have voted

  1. 1. Who is the greatest tight end in Blue Bomber history? (choose 2*)

    • Neill Armstrong
      1
    • Farrell Funston
      3
    • Bud Grant
      1
    • Bud Korchak
      0
    • Bud Marquardt
      0
    • Ches McCance
      0
    • Jeff Nicklin
      5
    • Ernie Pitts
      12

This poll is closed to new votes

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  • Poll closed on 2019-04-22 at 04:59 AM

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NOTE: There will be 1 winner, but choose 2 players and the second place finisher will go into the run-off for the "5th receiver" position.

NOTE #2: Some of these players careers pre-dated the keeping of stats, so please read the attached personal bios of each as well. Aside from Neill; Armstrong, all are Blue Bomber Hall of Fame members.

 

Here are the bios:

Stats will be broken down into receptions-yards-average-longest-TDs for the career, with the best single season total for each in parentheses with the corresponding year following the career numbers. CFL all-star nominations not awarded until 1962.

 

Neill Armstrong – 44 gp in 3 seasons (1951, 53, 54), 122-2108-17.3-100-19 (56-1024-18.3-100-10 all in 1951), 2 time divisional all-star (1951, 53), led league in receiving yards in 1951, 1 Grey Cup appearance (1953), Wikipedia bio is limited, later would coach the Edmonton Eskimos

 

Farrell Funston – 74 gp in 8 seasons (1959-66), 220-3749-17.0-75-32 (60 rec.-9 TDs both in 1963, 892 yds.-75 long both in 1961, 23.7 avg. in 1959), 2 time divisional all-star (1961, 63), 4 Grey Cup appearances (1959, 61, 62, 65), 3 time Grey Cup champion (1959, 61, 62), team nominee Most Outstanding Player (1963)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/17/farrell-funston/

 

Bud Grant – 64 gp in 4 seasons (1953-56), 216-3200-14.8-62-13 (68 rec. in 1953, 970 yds.-15.4 avg. both in 1956, 62 long in 1954 and 1955, 5 TDs in 1953 and 1954), 3 time divisional all-star (1953, 54, 56), led league in receiving yards in 1953, 1 Grey Cup appearance (1953), CFL Hall of Fame (builder)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/10/bud-grant/

 

Bud Korchak – 82 gp in 6 seasons (1949-54), 94-1572-16.7-xx-14 (34 rec.-7 TDs both in 1951, 551 yds. in 1952, 22.6 avg. in 1950), 3 time divisional all-star (1951 – 2nd team, 52, 53), 2 Grey Cup appearances (1950 ,53)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/18/bud-korchak/

 

Bud Marquardt – 54 gp in 7 seasons (1935-41), no receiving stats available, 3 time divisional all-star (1937, 39, 40), 5 Grey Cup appearances (1935, 37-39, 41), 3 time Grey Cup champion (1935, 39 ,41)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/10/bud-marquardt/

 

Ches McCance – 40 gp in 8 seasons (1937-43, 45), no receiving stats available, 2 time divisional all-star (1940, 41), 7 Grey Cup appearances (1937-39, 41-43, 45), 2 time Grey Cup champion (1939 ,41), CFL Hall of Fame

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/10/ches-mccance/

 

Jeff Nicklin – 54 gp in 7 seasons (1934-40), no receiving stats available, 4 time divisional all-star (1937-40), 4 Grey Cup appearances (1935, 37-39), 2 time Grey Cup champion (1935, 39)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2016/11/11/lest-we-forget-the-jeff-nicklin-story/

 

Ernie Pitts – 194 gp in 13 seasons (1957-69), (NOTE –switched to defensive back in 1965, receiving numbers are from 1957-64, 66), 337-5525-16.4-107-54 (68 rec.-1126 yds.-16 TDs all in 1959, 21.2 avg.-107 long both in 1958), 6 time divisional all-star (1957, 59, 60, 65, 66, 68), led CFL in receiving yards in 1959, 6 Grey Cup appearances (1957-59, 61, 62, 65), 4 time Grey Cup champion (1958, 59, 61, 62)

Bio: https://www.bluebombers.com/2017/04/25/ernie-pitts/

Edited by TrueBlue4ever
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One man’s take:

A very different position to judge in the 30’s-50’s era than today as run blocking and your two-way role on defence were so key as opposed to route running and catching on today’s role, and I won’t repeat the bios I posted. But Pitts was the best receiver of the group and was a two-way all-star multiple times, so he gets my vote. As my runner-up, Grant and Marquand were the receding leaders for the club when they each played, Funston was a key underrated cog in the dynasty years, and McCance’s 7 Cup appearances in 8 years will not be duplicated, but Jeff Nicklin earns my back-up spot for his play on the field (4 straight all-star nods) and his sacrifice off it. His bio says it all. 

Edited by TrueBlue4ever
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7 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

One man’s take:

A very different position to judge in the 30’s-50’s era than today as run blocking and your two-way role on defence were so key as opposed to route running and catching on today’s role, and I won’t repeat the bios I posted. But Pitts was the best receiver of the group and was a two-way all-star multiple times, so he gets my vote. As my runner-up, Grant and Marquand were the receding leaders for the club when they each played, Funston was a key underrated cog in the dynasty years, and McCance’s 7 Cup appearances in 8 years will not be duplicated, but Jeff Nicklin earns my back-up spot for his play on the field (4 straight all-star nods) and his sacrifice off it. His bio says it all. 

You have to think that Funston would have had a huge role in the WING T that they ran.

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1 hour ago, Noeller said:

I'm not even going to vote on this category.....this seems like a poll strictly for the old men who don't like that more recent players have been winning spots.....here, this one is all yours....

Well, in fairness, when you consider the role of tight end in the "modern" era, he's just a bit more important than the equipment manager.   Having said that, I'm waiting for the poll on GOAT equipment manager so I can find out who the go to guy in the 1930's was!

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17 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The Bombers had one TE who was infamous as a suspect in his wife's death but was never proven in court. Brian Jack. What did he have, something like 3 trials?

Pretty incredible story, with a good book to accompany it. (Trial and errors the people vs Brian Gordon Jack)

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No way he is in the running, but I liked Nick Aragki's play in the 80s. He was a big dude in a hybrid TE position and only played for the BB for one or two years (well after his prime with Montreal). He did win the Pate award with us though.

Edited by Pete Catan's Ghost
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2 hours ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

No way he is in the running, but I liked Nick Aragki's play in the 80s. He was a big dude in a hybrid TE position and only played for the BB for one or two years (well after his prime with Montreal). He did win the Pate award with us though.

He played less than one full season in 1987 as he suffered a broken neck mid season. He retired the following season. Arakgi had 43 catches for 534 yards & 2 touchdowns for the Bombers. 

Edited by SpeedFlex27
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2019-04-17 at 11:31 AM, WBBFanWest said:

Well, in fairness, when you consider the role of tight end in the "modern" era, he's just a bit more important than the equipment manager.   Having said that, I'm waiting for the poll on GOAT equipment manager so I can find out who the go to guy in the 1930's was!

For equipment manager it might be Harold "Torchy" Pechet (1948). The Blue Bombers were short players in 1948 and the team agreed to allow Pechet to dress for the August 28 game against Saskatchewan. It was Pechet's childhood dream to dress for the Blue Bombers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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