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Grey Cup - Game Week Thread

Mark H.

By Mark H.
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Noeller
Noeller

Lolololololololol................  

brett_c_b
brett_c_b

Ok Charles Roberts

O2L
O2L

I’m flying in from sunny Los Angeles to the frigid north tomorrow! It’ll be my first Bomber game live since the 2021 Grey Cup despite still having season tickets so I fully plan on losing my voice!

TrueBlue4ever Grand Master

TrueBlue4ever

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Rex_Banner said:
15 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Or my all time favourite, ‘declined, turd down’.

 

 Illegal ‘it to de ‘edd, aff de distance to de goal.  

My all-time fav was when the league didn’t like the sneaky tackle eligible play because defences were hindered, so they made it a requirement that the o-line player had to check in and declare eligibility as a receiver, and the refs had to announce it on the stadium mike so there were no surprises. Bombers in Calgary and the Stamps have that play declared about a half dozen times. Each time Proulx has to go on the mike and say “Calgary number fifty-tree is illegible on display”. The crowd struggled not to laugh, and even Bob Irving in the broadcast booth uttered out loud “Poor Andre” after the sixth butchered attempt at “eligible”. The league actually stopped forcing the refs to announce it over the PA system after that game, IIRC. 

Having said that, my favorite ref to see on the field. 

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Wideleft Grand Master

Wideleft

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Great article.  Partially answers the age-old question of "Why is that guy on the roster?"  

Kramdi’s on-field success brings joy to his grieving family

By: Taylor Allen Posted: 6:20 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023

 

HAMILTON — Redha Kramdi was midway through his first training camp with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers when a phone call changed everything.

His older brother Sami — his No. 1 fan, his role model, and the person who insisted on dropping him off at the airport to wish him luck when it was time to fly out to Winnipeg to get to work — had died in his sleep.

Sami was just 28 years old.

<p>SUPPLIED</p> <p>Redha Kramdi (right) was at his first training camp with the Blue Bombers when his brother Sami (left) died in his sleep.</p>

SUPPLIED

Redha Kramdi (right) was at his first training camp with the Blue Bombers when his brother Sami (left) died in his sleep.

“My rookie season was the hardest year of my life. His void will always be felt in my family because he meant so much. He was the big bro, so he was always making sure that everyone was right – my parents, my sisters, myself. Of course, I miss him every day and this week, I wish he was here,” said Kramdi, a defensive back from Montreal. Kramdi and the Blue and Gold are preparing to play his hometown Alouettes in Sunday’s Grey Cup at Tim Hortons Field.

“He came to every game he could… and unfortunately, he didn’t get to see me play as a pro. But hanging out with some of his friends, they’re like ‘Man, you don’t understand how proud your brother was. That’s the only thing he talked about from the day you got drafted to the day he passed away.’”

When Kramdi — who was chosen 16th overall by the Bombers in the 2021 CFL Draft out of the University of Montreal — returned home for the funeral, Nesrine, the elder of his two younger sisters, assured him that she’d take care of the family. She wanted him to focus on football, and to the best of his abilities, that’s what he did.

“One of my close friends just lost his mom and I told him don’t force yourself to feel good. Feel the pain. And when you feel good, you feel good,” said Kramdi, 26.

“Don’t force yourself to be like ‘Today’s the day I’m going to get over it.’ You don’t get over losing a brother, or losing a parent, you just learn to live without that person.”

A pulled hamstring limited Kramdi in 2021, but the following year saw him establish himself as one of the team’s best special teamers. He even made some starts on defence at dime back (weak-side linebacker). This season, the position is his as he took the job from American veteran Alden Darby, Jr. in Week 7 and hasn’t looked back since.

Kramdi’s ascension has been the absolute best thing for his family.

“When I see how strong Redha is, it makes me stronger,” said Nesrine, who’s making the trip to Hamilton on Sunday with her husband, dad Madani, and 18-year-old sister Aya, in a phone interview.

“We’re in pain, but when we see Redha out on the field, it’s joy. The four hours that he’s playing, we don’t think about (the pain). That’s a way for us to just feel proud because we have so much joy.”

Being resilient is one thing, but his football I.Q. is the biggest reason why the son of Algerian immigrants has been able to climb the ladder and not only start but excel at one of the most complicated positions on the field.

It goes back to his time at the U Sports level when he played under head coach Danny Maciocia — the current general manager of the Alouettes. Every day, Maciocia would call up a handful of defensive players to the whiteboard at the front of the room and ask them to break down a specific play. Most could tell you what their position group should be doing, but all 12 players? Not a chance — unless it was Kramdi being asked.

On one occasion, Maciocia went out of his way to test Kramdi with a complicated formation.

He still managed to knock it out of the park.

“That will always have a lasting effect on me, just the way he went up to the board, took charge, and explained it in detail. I remember vividly that people in that meeting room stood up and gave him a standing ovation,” said Maciocia.

“It was really something that you typically don’t see, even at this level, this level we’re experiencing here this week.”

Als safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy — the East Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian — played for the Montreal Carabins alongside Kramdi and had a similar take on his former teammate.

“I’m always joking with him that when he chooses to retire that he’s going to be a coach or a scout, or a GM someday. He’s really, really into it and he loves it and he’s good at it. He’s got a great football eye. Watch for it, you’ll probably talk to him one day as a coach,” said Dequoy.

“Let’s say you put in the tape from another Grey Cup or something. I mean, at one point, you’re going to look at your phone, but he’s always dialed in on the tape. He’s interested and wants to see what’s going to happen. There’s that curiosity in him that makes him great.”

Bombers safety Brandon Alexander saw that from Kramdi from Day 1.

“He’s one of the smartest guys I’ve been around, and I think he’s definitely one of the most underrated football players in the CFL. I’ve always advocated to find a way to put Redha on the field — for two years now, to be honest with you. Now that he has that chance, I’m excited for him, I’m happy for him,” said Alexander.

An injury prevented Kramdi from taking the field at last year’s Grey Cup, but this week, he’ll be in the thick of things. Considering the note his career started on, he couldn’t be happier to be where he’s at now.

“There’s no words to describe how much my heart is filled with thankfulness,” said Kramdi.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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Colin Unger Proficient

Colin Unger

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10 hours ago, Nolby said:

To be fair to Matt, he was a huge part of turning this franchise around and having it blend into the current run we're on. He doesn't get hurt, we may not even have won a Cup yet.

I agree 100%.  He was a big part of the turnaround.  Not because he was great but because he was an adequate quarterback playing for a team with a long history of lackluster to inept play from the position. And it certainly helped early on in his career for us that he delivered the ball quickly. That changed everything for us. 

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GCn20 Grand Master

GCn20

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19 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

That play should absolutely be illegal imo. 

Disagree. It seems like cheating but it is a very high risk play. Anytime in the speed of action a player attempts this (effectively putting the ball on the ground intentionally) it could result in a turnover the other way. So far, Montreal has done it successfully....until the ball bounces the wrong way one time and the other team recovers it. That will end that play after that.

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greenrider55 Mentor

greenrider55

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7 minutes ago, Booch said:

straight shooter....he couldnt get back here fast enough you can sense in his interviews.

Best receiver in the league by a wide margin imo. The title belonged to Geno Lewis for a time, but KLaw owns it now. Purely based on the fact that he can be covered perfectly by anyone, and he still might make the catch.

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MOBomberFan Grand Master

MOBomberFan

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16 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

#44 dressing for bighill has me very worried. I don't even want him listed as starter. He should be ST and that's it.

We didn't see him make much of an impact filling in for Biggie. At least he didn't stand out in any bad ways. It's our Dline that is going to take over this game I think; Gauthier or whoever else fills in for Biggie just needs to stick to their assignment and the rest will take care of itself

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17to85 Grand Master

17to85

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4 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

We didn't see him make much of an impact filling in for Biggie. At least he didn't stand out in any bad ways. It's our Dline that is going to take over this game I think; Gauthier or whoever else fills in for Biggie just needs to stick to their assignment and the rest will take care of itself

Being listed as the starter is pretty irrelevant anyway, there will be tons of rotation. Clements and Cole will take tons of reps. 

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Bigblue204 Grand Master

Bigblue204

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

We didn't see him make much of an impact filling in for Biggie. At least he didn't stand out in any bad ways. It's our Dline that is going to take over this game I think; Gauthier or whoever else fills in for Biggie just needs to stick to their assignment and the rest will take care of itself

Didn't he have a pretty blatant roughing the passer call?

Edited by Bigblue204
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