kind of surprising, but not really..... news just broke on TSN radio VIA Jeff Hamilton.

He hasn't really seemed engaged this year.  Maybe being under-utilized.  But if he was becoming a problem in the room, whining about not getting the ball, I'm fine with this move!

Get someone in there who actually wants to play!  I'm sure the salary saving isn't going to hurt us either!

Edited August 28, 20196 yr by trueBlue83

1 minute ago, JCon said:

Biggest Chris. 

hoping we will talk about Big Geoff someday

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

The helmet tells the story.

4 minutes ago, Tracker said:

The helmet tells the story.

I was gonna say, look at that helmet! Crackin' skulls. 

On the positive side, we have more room in our cap for CFL returnees. 

1 hour ago, do or die said:

Upgrade

Not sure he's an upgrade but he is someone who has bought into the offense and what his role is going to be on the team.  That's not something I can truly say about Matthews - I don't think he bought into the LaPo offense or was content being a 'bit player'.

Matthews wasn't good. Dropping balls, looked slow. I know it's super en vogue to **** all over our offence but the fact is he was PART of why the offense wasn't good. Glad to see him gone, get Darvin back in the lineup and focus on what we have in house.

2 minutes ago, White Out said:

Matthews wasn't good. Dropping balls, looked slow. I know it's super en vogue to **** all over our offence but the fact is he was PART of why the offense wasn't good. Glad to see him gone, get Darvin back in the lineup and focus on what we have in house.

This Matthews thing was probably like an infected tooth- it hurts to have it pulled but once it is done, you can start healing and get on with life.

Edited August 28, 20196 yr by Tracker

5 minutes ago, White Out said:

Matthews wasn't good. Dropping balls, looked slow. I know it's super en vogue to **** all over our offence but the fact is he was PART of why the offense wasn't good. Glad to see him gone, get Darvin back in the lineup and focus on what we have in house.

Agree, time for Walters to stop chasing yesterday's rainbows and go with the players he has in house, save every penny he can to re-up contracts at the end of the year.

I’d actually be happy with a number of the NFL receiver cuts. Michel or JWL are probably on the more realistic side of things and they could both make our offense better.

Ryan Smith is going to show up on the roster, much like his glitchy TD catch from Willy.

Matthews cap hit wasn’t this issue.  His attitude and production was.  He got zero offers in free agency.  Zero!  I’d be mildly surprised to see him picked up quickly, more likely when PR’s expand if he still wants to play.

1 hour ago, Booch said:

Maybe we see a Dionte Spencer..or Jordan Williams Lambert signing here...Rider's are pretty sure he would bo right back there...but I have my doubts on that

JWL is an odd situation contract wise

Because he appealed - had signed just before the out clause was reinstated- ( I'm using incorrect terms, I know ) 

League and team released him from final year of contract for NFL opportunity,  but Riders retained his CFL rights

I don't fully understand it, but pretty sure that the gist is correct 

no I believe he is a free agent

How is it possible to release a player and retain his rights? That makes absolutely zero sense.

Anyway, this news re: Matthews isn't surprising (SMS and vet cutdown). It is disappointing, though (this was a big deal at the time he signed). He's had a rough season and never really found a fit in the way this offense is set up. He also seemed disengaged at times on the field. I won't surmise whether or not attitude was an issue; that isn't my place. 

Next man up it would seem.

Really disappointed with Matthews. I remember him talking about wanting to be a leader and to be here for years to come in an interview. But actions speak louder then words. He looked slow on the field, and although I want fault him for some of the tough catches he didn’t come down with, you’d expect a guy you’re paying nearly 200 thousand dollars to, to come up with those catches, between the bar fight, and the injuries this doesn’t really surprise me. I think we’ll be just fine. 

We're bashing Matthews a bit now - but in those last two games with Nichols he was 3/4 and 2/3 I think...  then 1/4 with Streveler - who was not accurate at all

Still not understanding the Lawler love - guy was non-existent last two games, can't get open...  same pattern as so many Bomber receivers before him

Would have PR'd Lawler and moved Matthews to SB until we know Adams is legit healthy

 

6 minutes ago, Floyd said:

We're bashing Matthews a bit now - but in those last two games with Nichols he was 3/4 and 2/3 I think...  then 1/4 with Streveler - who was not accurate at all

Still not understanding the Lawler love - guy was non-existent last two games, can't get open...  same pattern as so many Bomber receivers before him

Would have PR'd Lawler and moved Matthews to SB until we know Adams is legit healthy

 

Adams is practicing

Man I was so wrong about Matthews.

I wet my pants when we signed him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up on another team and fluorish though.

 

2 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

after that run by Big Chris to the Edmonton 3 yard line Matthews came running over and offered Strevs a high five and a hand up, and Big Chris just shrugged him off and kind of ghosted him.  I thought "That was odd" at the time and re-watched it several times.  Big Chris is usually the first to give a team-mate a high five/congrats, so it was out of character for him to shun Matthews like that, especially after a big run.  Something wasn't right.

I noticed this too and thought it was odd.

He isn’t a slot receiver destined for short hooks etc. He was always successful downfield on slants and posts where he could use his speed and height. Hurts us when he went to Edmonton and again in Calgary will hurt us again used properly 

Actually, VoR is correct. JWL is Riders' property for 2019.

Odd.

9 minutes ago, Slimy Sculpin said:

I noticed this too and thought it was odd.

https://www.cfl.ca/games/2600/winnipeg-blue-bombers-vs-edmonton-eskimos/#videos

At the 2:55 mark of the video.  They cut it off just as Strevs is getting up and ignoring Matthews' celebratory hand.

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

The helmet tells the story.

His hair?

Check out a picture of his knuckles sometime.

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

I confess that I was a bit rattled by Matthews' release coming so soon after the Harris debacle. I was excited to see him signed by the Bombers, but between injuries, lackadaisical performance on the field, and his salary, I do not know if the team had much choice. I am hoping that these two events do not unsettle the team to the point where we get swept by the Riders. WE do not know all the behind-the-scenes stuff, and Walters has done a damned good job of managing the roster. I also hold some hope that there is a coup signing soon. 

I have never been in a professional locker room but I expect a guy who is not living up to the paycheque is resented a bit and giving him the boot might actually be seen as a positive move.