2024/2025 CFL (non-Bomber) Off-Season Thread

[WinnipegGordo]

 

 

[Noeller]

#Prayers4Woogie

[coach17]

Does anyone subscribe to just TSN+ , and know if it includes all cfl games? I really don’t care for much more on TSN and Plus is less than half the price of a monthly TSN subscription. 

[Fatty Liver]

3 hours ago, coach17 said:

Does anyone subscribe to just TSN+ , and know if it includes all cfl games? I really don’t care for much more on TSN and Plus is less than half the price of a monthly TSN subscription. 

Tried it last year, week one I realized they don't stream all CFL games and it's not even close.  CFL+ with a VPN you'll be able to watch about 95% of the games, I think the CTV games are blocked for some reason.

Edited June 5 by Fatty Liver

[Goalie]

So bombers made the right move moving on from Woli. 

[Booch]

Just now, Goalie said:

So bombers made the right move moving on from Woli. 

I think they did already last yr...he could have returned before yr was out and playoffs but they stayed with Clercius

Prob could have...should have in a couple other spots...maybe game 1 Osh will throw us all a curve and do it

I like the week 1 bye as with quite a bit of turnover...possibly a bit more and installing a new O.C into the mix it's like extended training camp..plus allows guys like Lawson...Parker..Schoen that Lil extra time to be fully up to speed

[wbbfan]

3 hours ago, Goalie said:

So bombers made the right move moving on from Woli. 

Injuries happen; it's not predictable. In his first five seasons as a starter, he missed a total of nine games. Last year he missed 8. I don't think injuries were a big factor in moving on from him. I think it's just the case that Clercius was ready to step into the same role for drastically cheaper and offer brilliant upside. 

Sometimes you make a move that isn't good on paper at the time, woli (ended up signing cheap), stove, lawler, that ends up working out in the end because guys don't stay healthy or have a pile of issues. Other times, you make moves that are good on paper, bringing Lawler back, not chasing Couture, not chasing Desjarlais, that don't work out because of unforeseen issues or replacements not going as well as expected. 

I'm a big believer that luck is the residue of hard work. A lot of our moves end up being fortunate, even if they weren't seen as great moves at first, because the front office is always grinding. 

3 hours ago, Booch said:

I think they did already last yr...he could have returned before yr was out and playoffs but they stayed with Clercius

Prob could have...should have in a couple other spots...maybe game 1 Osh will throw us all a curve and do it

I like the week 1 bye as with quite a bit of turnover...possibly a bit more and installing a new O.C into the mix it's like extended training camp..plus allows guys like Lawson...Parker..Schoen that Lil extra time to be fully up to speed

Probably right. Woli would play on one leg with no hands if you let him. And he'd still provide a more reliable target than a ton of guys. Personally, knowing what Woli got, I would've walked away from Demski and moved Woli/Clercius into a heavier targeted role, while saving in the range of 125k in salary. But I do get moving on from Woli.

 It'll be really interesting to see what we want from WRs this year. Previously, Bourgoin, who was basically a clone of Lapo, seemed to have a big impact on the WR types. 

From what little Hogan showed in camp and PS, I'm certainly expecting a more dynamic passing game with more YAC and more sweep/motions again. 

[17to85]

So for me moving from woogie to clercius is just identifying a young guy who is quickly surpassing the vet and moving on... which is what good teams do.... so what the **** is the excuse on defense at a couple positions?

[Atomic]

26 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

So for me moving from woogie to clercius is just identifying a young guy who is quickly surpassing the vet and moving on... which is what good teams do.... so what the **** is the excuse on defense at a couple positions?

I was really surprised we pulled the trigger on that one. When I heard Wolitarsky wasn't coming back, I assumed he was done with football. Clercius looked really good last year... Hoping that continues into this year. I see him developing into that really clutch second down type receiver who you can count on to make the play.

[Jpan85]

Terrible news just as he gets a GM job

 

 

[Booch]

2 hours ago, 17to85 said:

So for me moving from woogie to clercius is just identifying a young guy who is quickly surpassing the vet and moving on... which is what good teams do.... so what the **** is the excuse on defense at a couple positions?

 

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

I was really surprised we pulled the trigger on that one. When I heard Wolitarsky wasn't coming back, I assumed he was done with football. Clercius looked really good last year... Hoping that continues into this year. I see him developing into that really clutch second down type receiver who you can count on to make the play.

Cause as much as many don't wanna agree or believe it....Osh favors the Canadian player....and a lot of time it's not for the better of the team...but it butter's his own bun just fine tho

[Fatty Liver]

22 minutes ago, Booch said:

 

Cause as much as many don't wanna agree or believe it....Osh favors the Canadian player....and a lot of time it's not for the better of the team...but it butter's his own bun just fine tho

Like it or not Canadian players form the nucleus of most teams, they are the continuous thread that passes on knowledge of the game and team culture to new arrivals year after year.  The good ones are hard to find, but once a team signs them they tend to hold onto them as long as possible,  even if they only play ST.  Americans players come and go as they're a more common commodity, most last 2-3 years before being replaced or moving on to other teams.  There are exceptions like Willie, Stan and Biggie who recognize the benefit of staying in one place and take advantage of the opportunity to bond with the community, but most Imports don't ever achieve that status.

O'Shea is a fan of stability, so he tends to hold onto all of his players longer than most and create a family atmosphere that actually includes families, it's difficult to view that practice as being a negative.

 

 

[rebusrankin]

That news about Ted sucks.

[JuranBoldenRules]

3 hours ago, 17to85 said:

So for me moving from woogie to clercius is just identifying a young guy who is quickly surpassing the vet and moving on... which is what good teams do.... so what the **** is the excuse on defense at a couple positions?

Everyone has a shelf life for sure.

Wolitarsky's salary was not bad though.  Our depth of Canadians on O is pretty bleak so even if we got 9-10 games out of him would have been worth it IMO.

We're Nic Demski waking up with a stiff neck away from starting a 2025 5th round pick at slot.

[HardCoreBlue]

29 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Like it or not Canadian players form the nucleus of most teams, they are the continuous thread that passes on knowledge of the game and team culture to new arrivals year after year.  The good ones are hard to find, but once a team signs them they tend to hold onto them as long as possible,  even if they only play ST.  Americans players come and go as they're a more common commodity, most last 2-3 years before being replaced or moving on to other teams.  There are exceptions like Willie, Stan and Biggie who recognize the benefit of staying in one place and take advantage of the opportunity to bond with the community, but most Imports don't ever achieve that status.

O'Shea is a fan of stability, so he tends to hold onto all of his players longer than most and create a family atmosphere that actually includes families, it's difficult to view that practice as being a negative.

 

 

I get what you're saying but we are told ad nauseum that professional sport is business and in the business world the literature, the major thought leaders stress to stop running your organizations like you're family with one another because that's not how high performing organizations effectively run.

Edited June 6 by HardCoreBlue

[Fatty Liver]

5 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I get what you're saying but we are told ad nauseum that professional sport is business and in the business world the literature, the major thought leaders stress to stop running your organizations like you're family with one another because that's not how high performing organizations effectively run.

 

It's different, in most businesses the employee lives with their family, in professional sports the players often live far away from their family and support networks.  Team full of young transient single dudes is going to behave much differently than a well established team loaded with married guys that already have kids.

[HardCoreBlue]

1 minute ago, Fatty Liver said:

 

It's different, in most businesses the employee lives with their family, in professional sports the players often live far away from their family and support networks.  Team full of young transient single dudes is going to behave much differently than a well established team loaded with married guys that already have kids.

I'm just telling you what sport executives, professional athletes say on a day to day basis, sport is business.

[Booch]

1 hour ago, Fatty Liver said:

Like it or not Canadian players form the nucleus of most teams, they are the continuous thread that passes on knowledge of the game and team culture to new arrivals year after year.  The good ones are hard to find, but once a team signs them they tend to hold onto them as long as possible,  even if they only play ST.  Americans players come and go as they're a more common commodity, most last 2-3 years before being replaced or moving on to other teams.  There are exceptions like Willie, Stan and Biggie who recognize the benefit of staying in one place and take advantage of the opportunity to bond with the community, but most Imports don't ever achieve that status.

O'Shea is a fan of stability, so he tends to hold onto all of his players longer than most and create a family atmosphere that actually includes families, it's difficult to view that practice as being a negative.

 

 

no **** sherlock....tell me something I dont know....but 22 to 19 is hardly a nucleus.....I stand by what I said tho...He favouts an inferior Canadian a lot when he could play a better american and not effect ratio

2ND yr and beyond Americans can pass on the same knowledge....and so can coaches and in all reality...the really good Canadians are for most part U.S highschool prep guys, and NCAA trained collegiately, so this knowledge transfer is kind of a mute point

Good football players..athletically and amateur trained are just good players...fan of stability too has it's range and limits....hasnt panned out to well last 3 yrs when it mattered.....Argo's bring in new guys yearly...and in the time Osh has been HC here have won more cups than us...and handed our ass to us in last with all our "stability"

41 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

 

It's different, in most businesses the employee lives with their family, in professional sports the players often live far away from their family and support networks.  Team full of young transient single dudes is going to behave much differently than a well established team loaded with married guys that already have kids.

maybe in the 80's and 90's....

[GCn20]

On 2025-06-06 at 5:01 PM, HardCoreBlue said:

I get what you're saying but we are told ad nauseum that professional sport is business and in the business world the literature, the major thought leaders stress to stop running your organizations like you're family with one another because that's not how high performing organizations effectively run.

Who says that exactly....told ad nauseum by whom? Who are these major thought leaders? I agree that business is business but I have worked in the corporate world and as a private business owner and I can tell you that continuity/team building/business culture is very much preferred over turnover. Performance must be evaluated, but it can't be done in isolation and without weighing the impact the change will create to the workplace as a whole. Glue guys are glue guys, and that impact must be weighed when assessing their performance. I have fired guys in the past that I deeply regret firing because shortly after I came to realize that I had minimized the impact they brought to the overall employee satisfaction of my business. Did I replace them with someone who performed certain aspects of the job at a higher level....yup....did it hurt morale and cause grief for me and hurt others performance...yup.

Edited Wednesday at 01:42 PM by GCn20

[HardCoreBlue]

22 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Who says that exactly....told ad nauseum by whom? Who are these major thought leaders? I agree that business is business but I have worked in the corporate world and as a private business owner and I can tell you that continuity/team building/business culture is very much preferred over turnover. Performance must be evaluated, but it can't be done in isolation and without weighing the impact the change will create to the workplace as a whole. Glue guys are glue guys, and that impact must be weighed when assessing their performance. I have fired guys in the past that I deeply regret firing because shortly after I came to realize that I had minimized the impact they brought to the overall employee satisfaction of my business. Did I replace them with someone who performed certain aspects of the job at a higher level....yup....did it hurt morale and cause grief for me and hurt others performance...yup.

You haven't heard numerous professional Athletes in many sports say when they're traded away or a teammate is traded away/cut or they are called out for their performance etc etc that they understand this is a business and its ruthless? I certainly have.

Adam Grant for one.

No where did I discount the importance of Glue Guys but Glue Guys need to perform as well. It's not one or the either, i.e., they're great in the lockerroom but not so much on the field. You can have both.

[Booch]

41 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

You haven't heard numerous professional Athletes in many sports say when they're traded away or a teammate is traded away/cut or they are called out for their performance etc etc that they understand this is a business and its ruthless? I certainly have.

Adam Grant for one.

No where did I discount the importance of Glue Guys but Glue Guys need to perform as well. It's not one or the either, i.e., they're great in the lockerroom but not so much on the field. You can have both.

glue guys is an over used and overstated thing....all teamates are and should be glue guys

[GCn20]

48 minutes ago, Booch said:

glue guys is an over used and overstated thing....all teamates are and should be glue guys

Yea....and the yellow brick road is all sunshine and lollipops. Gimme a break. Not all team mates are and glue guys. Should they be? In a perfect world.....we do not and never have lived in a perfect world. 

[GCn20]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

You haven't heard numerous professional Athletes in many sports say when they're traded away or a teammate is traded away/cut or they are called out for their performance etc etc that they understand this is a business and its ruthless? I certainly have.

Adam Grant for one.

No where did I discount the importance of Glue Guys but Glue Guys need to perform as well. It's not one or the either, i.e., they're great in the lockerroom but not so much on the field. You can have both.

When I hear guys say "it's a business" in the sports world it is almost certainly about money. Do guys get cut for diminishing returns....yep....we axed a few this year alone. However, one would have to be without an iota of team building awareness to know that you don't axe every glue guy at one time. I know Booch hates the term, but it is as real as it can be. Talent alone does not dictate roster, and only a moron of a GM and HC would build there team based solely on on-field talent. Same as a businessman must balance the culture of his workplace, so too does a football team.

A happy team is a motivated team. A motivated team is a winning team. I get that from arm's length a lot of us don't understand the optics of some of our roster keeps but that is almost certainly because we don't have a good enough view. When a guy like JT is kept on the roster, there is more at play than what we see on the field. A player can have a very positive impact on a team overall and we will not know about it because the only aspect we see is on the field. If you think that professional athletes are different and that doesn't matter you are dreaming in technicolor. We have no idea what JT's impact is on morale for that team and more importantly what his absence would do to it. In a year we moved on from Bighill and Alexander at skill positions because their diminishing returns are far more weighted to on field than leadership, it is perfectly understandable that we would keep a Jake Thomas on the roster whose diminishing returns on the field are far more easily offset.

[Booch]

12 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Yea....and the yellow brick road is all sunshine and lollipops. Gimme a break. Not all team mates are and glue guys. Should they be? In a perfect world.....we do not and never have lived in a perfect world. 

okay...whats a glue guy?...define

It's a totally overstated term/idealogy....you dont need all this glue over talent...

1 minute ago, GCn20 said:

When I hear guys say "it's a business" in the sports world it is almost certainly about money. Do guys get cut for diminishing returns....yep....we axed a few this year alone. However, one would have to be without an iota of team building awareness to know that you don't axe every glue guy at one time. I know Booch hates the term, but it is as real as it can be. Talent alone does not dictate roster, and only a moron of a GM and HC would build there team based solely on on-field talent. Same as a businessman must balance the culture of his workplace, so too does a football team.

A happy team is a motivated team. A motivated team is a winning team. I get that from arm's length a lot of us don't understand the optics of some of our roster keeps but that is almost certainly because we don't have a good enough view. When a guy like JT is kept on the roster, there is more at play than what we see on the field. A player can have a very positive impact on a team overall and we will not know about it because the only aspect we see is on the field. If you think that professional athletes are different and that doesn't matter you are dreaming in technicolor. We have no idea what JT's impact is on morale for that team and more importantly what his absence would do to it. In a year we moved on from Bighill and Alexander at skill positions because their diminishing returns are far more weighted to on field than leadership, it is perfectly understandable that we would keep a Jake Thomas on the roster whose diminishing returns on the field are far more easily offset.

we obviously were not happy and motivated last 3 yrs then....We moved on from Bighill as he isnt physically ready to play yet...and we knew he wouldnt be....but if he wasnt hurt do you really think he wouldnt be here?...I dont

And I just waiting for the re-signing of him in the summer as nobody has yet...and him bumping a better...younger player off the roster...his injury made it easy for Osh to say we moving on

[rebusrankin]

The we don't have enough information or a good enough view is a load of crap imo. Coaches make mistakes too.