Blue Bombers -- 2025/26 Offseason -- Discussion Thread

[Booch]

2 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

You are just hating for the sake of hating. None of what you are saying is anything but worst case scenaro. Tons of players have gone straight from playing into position coaches. You are suggesting he knew nothing of technique in 13 years of professional ball? Baloney. That's completely untrue. Whether or not he can teach what he know is 100% unknown. You cannot with any credibility say he will be a bad coach anymore than anyone can say he will be great at it. None of us can know that. The coaches have identified him as a potentially good coach, and this is something that has been suggested about him for many, many years by many of the players who have played with him, They have stated that JT knows the game and knows the position and was a leader out there. Why have such a hate on for JT? Did he sleep with your woman or something?

not hating....its from my coaching involvement...and experience...if a guy cant teach/show/ the basics...how's he gonna master harder things right out of the gate...and we cant afford another dud hiring basically because we like to take the easy route or maintain fav's

And yeah..I am saying it...where have you seen him use any technique...show hand skills...even a swim/icepick move....I have never...physically I dont think he even able to do it to be honest...so how he gonna demonstrate 

And agree with the point nobody can say he will b good...or bad....but why take that chance?...If anyone here thinks that of all the possible coaches in th football universe that this was the best choice...Your bloody idiots...no offence....but you are....and I'm sure by coaches who identified him as good it's more than likely "coach"...and the rest fell in line

Any player who is a pro more than 3 yrs should know the game, and the position....and I would the best option....much like with players...not the same ol same ol.....this aint the best option

And it's got nothing to do about hate...but skill/worthiness/best option

 

[GCn20]

5 minutes ago, Blue In BC said:

Is Lofton better than Randolph? IDK, maybe he is but he's a free agent coming off a season ending injury. I don't know when he'll be healthy to play or if he can attend TC

Adding an import RB on the AR costs us a DI and that is not likely unless he's the returner ( Logan if Vaval doesn't return ). We could add one on the PR as well. We haven't added any import RB since the end of the season. That may be telling whether we stick with a Canadian back up as the primary in game situation.

We missed adding Sankey but his SMS might have been expensive. Not sure how the Lions managed that. 

 

Sankey is not that great of a MLB.  He is great against the run and sucks against the pass....even worse than T.Jones. Why would we replace T Jones with his more expensive doppelganger.

2 minutes ago, Booch said:

not hating....its from my coaching involvement...and experience...if a guy cant teach/show/ the basics...how's he gonna master harder things right out of the gate...and we cant afford another dud hiring basically because we like to take the easy route or maintain fav's

And yeah..I am saying it...where have you seen him use any technique...show hand skills...even a swim/icepick move....I have never...physically I dont think he even able to do it to be honest...so how he gonna demonstrate 

And agree with the point nobody can say he will b good...or bad....but why take that chance?...If anyone here thinks that of all the possible coaches in th football universe that this was the best choice...Your bloody idiots...no offence....but you are....and I'm sure by coaches who identified him as good it's more than likely "coach"...and the rest fell in line

Any player who is a pro more than 3 yrs should know the game, and the position....and I would the best option....much like with players...not the same ol same ol.....this aint the best option

And it's got nothing to do about hate...but skill/worthiness/best option

 

We had experience in Patterson. He was the worst DL coach we've had maybe ever. You would prefer we kept him? Some guys are natural coaches some aren't. It's not necessarily experience that counts the most in that regard. Just because JT didn't display much tech doesn't mean he doesn't know it. His whole career was about effort, not tech, he wasn't physically built or skilled enough for it. Doesn't mean he can't teach it to those that are though. Like I said, many of his ex  and current DL team mates have raved about what he brings to the table cerebrally. Maybe that can translate into being a good coach if he can articulate it. 

I'm not saying he is necessarily a great pick for the job, what I'm saying it that this is not a move we can criticize right now. Not without bias anyway. 

Edited 2 hours ago by GCn20

[Booch]

8 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Problem players? Why cause he aged out and he was asked to do too much at his age? I don't follow your logic here? JT executed the plan he was given to the best of his ability...how is that a problem player? As for Hogan having the best RB in the league, yes that certainly helps but he also helped develop BO into that. BO didn't enter the league as the best. You guys are literally hating on JT himself because the coach tapped him on the shoulder to go in and play and he did. I understand not liking him being on the field but you guys need to tone down the overall Jake hate. He's a 13 year retired veteran now who is taking an entry level coaching job for the only team he ever played for. Why are you inventing narrative about this?

problem position I think he meant....and choosing the worst, least skilled of the bunch to lead the group now as a coach....effort and trying hard to execute even tho you aren't good enough shouldnt equate to being a coach....right off your last snap...maybe perenial league all-star who had exceptional skill...."and tried hard" 

But none the less this move isnt gonna kill the season....but is a weak typical move and reeks of an Osh thing and still inability to let guys go and make tough decisions....Especially with Hogan...who was basically a mental health cher leader for BO more than actually showed him anything...No reason we couldnt have moved on....just another example of rewarding failure

[GCn20]

1 minute ago, Booch said:

problem position I think he meant....and choosing the worst, least skilled of the bunch to lead the group now as a coach....effort and trying hard to execute even tho you aren't good enough shouldnt equate to being a coach....right off your last snap...maybe perenial league all-star who had exceptional skill...."and tried hard" 

But none the less this move isnt gonna kill the season....but is a weak typical move and reeks of an Osh thing and still inability to let guys go and make tough decisions....Especially with Hogan...who was basically a mental health cher leader for BO more than actually showed him anything...No reason we couldnt have moved on....just another example of rewarding failure

Player quality does not equate to coach quality. There is no correlation whatsoever. Quit trying to sell that as a reason to criticize this move. One has nothing to do with the other. 

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, Rex_Banner said:

Good plan.   Put hogan specifically as the coach for the one area he was the most horrible at last year.   And Jake Thomas coaching.   Feels like two giant steps backwards to me, but I hope I’m wrong.   

I had a dream (nightmare) that JT came out fully dressed with player/coach on his nameplate. 🙂

Good luck JT. Hope you find your calling with this.

[Booch]

6 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Sankey is not that great of a MLB.  He is great against the run and sucks against the pass....even worse than T.Jones. Why would we replace T Jones with his more expensive doppelganger.

We had experience in Patterson. He was the worst DL coach we've had maybe ever. You would prefer we kept him?

he also had the worst collection of guys in league to work with too the last few yrs....so hard to say...I do know Patterson is a well respected and experienced coach both sides of the border...But he chose to retire so was out of our hands ....he did quite well in 2021 as the coach when we had talent to utilize.....Grey Cup ring and dominate defence cant be argued there

I agree with SANKEY...More holes in his game than T.Jones and yes as bad as T.Jones is in space he way better than Sankey....so why pay Sankey premium cash when we can get the same for less....Now if we can grab McManus tho....you do that

[GCn20]

6 minutes ago, Booch said:

problem position I think he meant....and choosing the worst, least skilled of the bunch to lead the group now as a coach....effort and trying hard to execute even tho you aren't good enough shouldnt equate to being a coach....right off your last snap...maybe perenial league all-star who had exceptional skill...."and tried hard" 

But none the less this move isnt gonna kill the season....but is a weak typical move and reeks of an Osh thing and still inability to let guys go and make tough decisions....Especially with Hogan...who was basically a mental health cher leader for BO more than actually showed him anything...No reason we couldnt have moved on....just another example of rewarding failure

Tell that to Patterson. You guys keep suggesting that OSH never moves on from anyone, until he does and then pretend it didn't happen. Hogan may have been a mental health cheerleader but it worked and quite frankly BO needs it.

1 minute ago, Booch said:

he also had the worst collection of guys in league to work with too the last few yrs....so hard to say...I do know Patterson is a well respected and experienced coach both sides of the border...But he chose to retire so was out of our hands ....he did quite well in 2021 as the coach when we had talent to utilize.....Grey Cup ring and dominate defence cant be argued there

I agree with SANKEY...More holes in his game than T.Jones and yes as bad as T.Jones is in space he way better than Sankey....so why pay Sankey premium cash when we can get the same for less....Now if we can grab McManus tho....you do that

McManus is the best for sure. We can dream.

Edited 2 hours ago by GCn20

[Booch]

6 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Player quality does not equate to coach quality. There is no correlation whatsoever. Quit trying to sell that as a reason to criticize this move. One has nothing to do with the other. 

a group of godplayers can make a lousy coach look good, just as much as lousy players can make a good coach look bad....I know you like to defend Osh and challenge me, but in a pivitol yr for us and one where we may need a lot to go right to get us on track again...dumb move....and I sute there were better options...heck I know there were...

3 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Tell that to Patterson. You guys keep suggesting that OSH never moves on from anyone, until he does and then pretend it didn't happen

McManus is the best for sure. We can dream.

Patterson choose to retire...and was known actually during the season it was his last...even further shows that we had a long time to bat names around...and this was best we came up with

Edited 2 hours ago by Booch

[GCn20]

Just now, Booch said:

a group of bad players can make a lousy coach look good, just as much as loisy players can make a good coach look bad....I know you like to defend Osh and challenge me, but in a pivitol yr for us and one where we may need a lot to go right to get us on track again...dumb move....and I sute there were better options...heck I know there were...

You might be right, you might be wrong. None of us can know with any certainty right now as to how well JT can do. Anybody saying they know for sure he will fail or succeed is straight up showing bias. Hey, if the DL shows no improvement I'll call for his head. Bombers first....always. What I won't do is not give him a chance.

4 minutes ago, Booch said:

a group of godplayers can make a lousy coach look good, just as much as lousy players can make a good coach look bad....I know you like to defend Osh and challenge me, but in a pivitol yr for us and one where we may need a lot to go right to get us on track again...dumb move....and I sute there were better options...heck I know there were...

Patterson choose to retire...and was known actually during the season it was his last...even further shows that we had a long time to bat names around...and this was best we came up with

Maybe he is exactly the coach we need and this turns out to be a great hire. Right now that is as feasible as him failing. Every coach who ever becomes a coach is because someone saw something in them and took a chance. Let's give him that chance too before declaring this a poor hire. He's off the field now....no reason to dislike him anymore.

[Booch]

Just now, GCn20 said:

You might be right, you might be wrong. None of us can know with any certainty right now as to how well JT can do. Anybody saying they know for sure he will fail or succeed is straight up showing bias. Hey, if the DL shows no improvement I'll call for his head. Bombers first....always. What I won't do is not give him a chance.

oh I agree...100 percent.....but my point is...is this the best we could have done??....thats an unequivocal hell no!....Thomas prob still wanted to play but Walter's may have taken that option away from Osh....so Osh offered him this....we shall see tho how it turns out....but if the DL improves it will be from players brought in and not some new crazy moves JT came up with never seen before to catch olines off-guard, and taught them to the guys, or some funky new scheme to revolutionize how dlines play in pro football 😁

 

[3rdand1.5]

JT...has bled blue for a long time....will he make a good coach...who knows..hopefully he will. 

Congrats to him on a new position...

Hogan staying on is meh to me, but going back to RB coach, is probably a much better fit for him

 

As to next signing, I am hopeful it's Nuefeld

[17to85]

Honestly Booch has hated Jake Thomas for years, even when he was a serviceable backup player. Just hates guys with limited athletic ability who succeed anyway. 

I say give Jake a chance in this role and see how he does with it.

 

[Tracker]

35 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Player quality does not equate to coach quality. There is no correlation whatsoever. Quit trying to sell that as a reason to criticize this move. One has nothing to do with the other. 

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

[bigg jay]

38 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Problem players? Why cause he aged out and he was asked to do too much at his age? I don't follow your logic here? JT executed the plan he was given to the best of his ability...how is that a problem player? As for Hogan having the best RB in the league, yes that certainly helps but he also helped develop BO into that. BO didn't enter the league as the best. You guys are literally hating on JT himself because the coach tapped him on the shoulder to go in and play and he did. I understand not liking him being on the field but you guys need to tone down the overall Jake hate. He's a 13 year retired veteran now who is taking an entry level coaching job for the only team he ever played for. Why are you inventing narrative about this?

Problem player might not have been the correct term - biggest liability is probably more suitable.  My issue isn't with Jake the person, it's the player that never showed a ton of skill (even in his younger days) now being responsible for coaching up others in an area that we desperately need help.

He absolutely may turn out to be a great coach but let's not act like he was some great superstar back in the day and he's just no longer the player he once was.  The drop-off from prime Jake and 2025 Jake is not that severe and he was closer to his prime 7 years ago when we first tried to move on from him.  The fact that he lasted 13 years is a testament to his dedication but also a damnation of our scouting/drafting.

[Brandon]

Can this team grow a pair of balls and cut loose guys.      Hugely disappointed in this bull crap.       Sign Jake + Hogan to fill the Buzz and Boomer costumes if you don't have the balls to say "good bye".     Massive steps back on this club.   I'm at the point of cleaning house at the top.  

Have we ever heard anything remotely that suggested that Jake Thomas was big in the film room and while limited on physical abilities he had the brains and the ability to dissect plays on the field.    Come on now this is a joke.

Hogan f'd up big time... soooo we bring him back?  A complete joke.  

[Rich]

10 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

https://www.thesportster.com/entertainment/top-15-horrible-athletes-who-made-great-coaches/

[Brandon]

11 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

Lots of examples of this.  Most coaches played at least in the minor leagues.   

 

[MrFreakzilla]

14 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

Bill Belichick

[Noeller]

I never even had an issue with Jake as a player, in terms of talent... He was just used far too much in later years. In his younger days he was more than serviceable. In more recent years he was fine in a limited capacity but Prime Doug Brown minutes was asking way too much. 

[GCn20]

12 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I never even had an issue with Jake as a player, in terms of talent... He was just used far too much in later years. In his younger days he was more than serviceable. In more recent years he was fine in a limited capacity but Prime Doug Brown minutes was asking way too much. 

Yea...and somehow we are holding that against him and using it as a knock on him personally.

18 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Can this team grow a pair of balls and cut loose guys.      Hugely disappointed in this bull crap.       Sign Jake + Hogan to fill the Buzz and Boomer costumes if you don't have the balls to say "good bye".     Massive steps back on this club.   I'm at the point of cleaning house at the top.  

Have we ever heard anything remotely that suggested that Jake Thomas was big in the film room and while limited on physical abilities he had the brains and the ability to dissect plays on the field.    Come on now this is a joke.

Hogan f'd up big time... soooo we bring him back?  A complete joke.  

I have heard a lot of chatter over the years that suggest that Jake was VERY good in the film room. Like a lot ...and I'm surprised you haven't.

51 minutes ago, Booch said:

oh I agree...100 percent.....but my point is...is this the best we could have done??....thats an unequivocal hell no!....Thomas prob still wanted to play but Walter's may have taken that option away from Osh....so Osh offered him this....we shall see tho how it turns out....but if the DL improves it will be from players brought in and not some new crazy moves JT came up with never seen before to catch olines off-guard, and taught them to the guys, or some funky new scheme to revolutionize how dlines play in pro football 😁

 

As long as Younger is our DC, the DL is not ever going to re-invent the wheel around here. 

29 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

I already did. Ryan Dinwiddie. Hell, Corey Mace even...he was about the same player as Jake Thomas talent wise. There are tons really. Any other sport? Pretty much every NHL coach almost. 

Edited 1 hour ago by GCn20

[Pete]

37 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly Booch has hated Jake Thomas for years, even when he was a serviceable backup player. Just hates guys with limited athletic ability who succeed anyway. 

I say give Jake a chance in this role and see how he does with it.

 

Totally agree, the biggest factor isnt what Jake haters here think, its who the players respect and listen to

[Stickem]

Thomas has true grit and staying power and was clearly the reason he hung around so long...He certainly wasn't the most talented at his position BUT maybe he can translate some of that desire and grit into some of our younger more talented  D line players....It could be what some of them need to put them into a highly successful future ...We'll see ....I say give JT a shot ......

[Bigblue204]

35 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Cite one example in football (or any other sport) where a poor player went on to become a great coach.

dinwiddie

I'm blown away by the uproar over a couple positional coaches lol. Here's a hint guys...they don't really have that big of an impact on players abilities. Scheme and drills baby. Thomas isn't going to turn Lawson into the next Doug Brown and he isn't going to help re-invent Jefferson...but here's the thing...no one is. Hogan isn't the reason BO is a freak of nature and he won't hold him back either. ****** relax boys

[Gail]

2 hours ago, Booch said:

Hogan back...why....pointless

Couldnt cut ties with useless Thomas so have him coach?...??...Like wtf....with all his coaching experience and all....the least adept technical/skill guy we have...so have him coach?...makes sense to me...what a joke...those 2 moves just take the shine off of what so far has been a good off-season...but not a shocker...

Jake should be great at showing rookies what not to do.

[17to85]

Look at it this way.... Jake Thomas didn't get to the CFL from his god-given natural ability so presumably he was very receptive to coaching along the way. Now maybe all those lessons he learned are things he can pass along. 

Or maybe the hate brigade is right and he will be terrible. It remains to be seen, i just know that retirement into coaching isn't an out of left field thing for players like Jake Thomas.