If by some miracle Toronto decided to protect Collaros instead of Ray...

 

In my opinion, that would be the best possible scenario for the Bombers. A younger QB like Collaros probably wouldn't adjust very well to a subpar OL. Ray could run an offence similar to the one they wanted Pierce to run this year.

 

If they can add / retain some talent on D and have a half-decent running game, this team could be .500 with Ray's ball-control quick release offence.

 

But I dare say it's not going to happen. I think RR will take the Argos into the playoffs with some good momentum (they play us twice, the Als once) and a first place berth. That should translate into a GC appearance.

 

Calgary should come out of the West. While they have an enviable QB situation overall, I think RR is a better starter than any their three. If it's Ray vs. Glenn or Mitchell, I think the Argos will win another championship.

 

RR in Winnipeg...that's almost impossible...

 

Just my 0.02

Seems some people don't understand quite how bad things are right now for the Bombers.  It's not a matter of just replacing the GM and president.  The whole organization is a mess.  When every department is losing employees on a regular basis and you hear former members of the grounds crew, of all people, claiming they had to get out of the "toxic environment"... you know things are bad.  People talk, and players talk especially.  The vibe around the CFL is "Stay out of Winnipeg", and that's not speculation.  It's going to take time to fix everything, and having two rookie Acting executives in charge of everything this off-season is not going to help.  They need to hire a strong, experienced head man to run everything, like a Hufnagel, Buono, or Austin, or it is going to continue to be an absolute circus.

 

 

The Bombers' top 3 QB targets this off-season will be:

1. Collaros

2. Burris

3. DeMarco

That's straight from the horse's mouth this weekend.

Who is the "horse's mouth"?

 

 

Upper mgmt, can't say the name unfortunately.  Very legit source though.

 

 

Who says upper management is around next year, in fact, why should they be?

Seems some people don't understand quite how bad things are right now for the Bombers.  It's not a matter of just replacing the GM and president.  The whole organization is a mess.  When every department is losing employees on a regular basis and you hear former members of the grounds crew, of all people, claiming they had to get out of the "toxic environment"... you know things are bad.  People talk, and players talk especially.  The vibe around the CFL is "Stay out of Winnipeg", and that's not speculation.  It's going to take time to fix everything, and having two rookie Acting executives in charge of everything this off-season is not going to help.  They need to hire a strong, experienced head man to run everything, like a Hufnagel, Buono, or Austin, or it is going to continue to be an absolute circus.

Please tell me more. I'm interested.

Let's assume TO protects ray. They want lose collaros for nothing. What do we give up in a trade for him knowing we still have to sign him?

 

 

Maybe I just haven't watched enough, but what the hell has Collaros done to get all this hype from people?? I really haven't been that impressed, and haven't seen anything to suggest that he can perform outside of this taylor-made offense that Milanovich has. 

I'm thinking most people here like Collaros because he's shown a lot of potential in a small period of time compared to some of the other QB's in the league aside from BLM.  Reilly was similar last year except he played fewer games.  Collaros has shown he has what it takes.  With proper coaching, he could go really far.

 

Your last sentence scares me a bit.

 

Trust me...I'm with you there.  Can you all say "QB Coach"?  I knew you could.  

Let's assume TO protects ray. They want lose collaros for nothing. What do we give up in a trade for him knowing we still have to sign him?

 

How does the trade deadline work now... can you still make trades but neither player can actually play for the teams?  Or can they not even be on YOUR 46 PLAYER roster?

 

I guess maybe if Toronto makes an early exit from the playoffs there might be time to trade for Collaros before the league cuts of all trades after the Grey Cup... not sure how the trade deadline works exactly...

I'll take anyone new, Burris works for me. It's not like we will win the grey cup next season so maybe a stop gap who can stay healthy would work.

 

 

 

Maybe I just haven't watched enough, but what the hell has Collaros done to get all this hype from people?? I really haven't been that impressed, and haven't seen anything to suggest that he can perform outside of this taylor-made offense that Milanovich has. 

I'm thinking most people here like Collaros because he's shown a lot of potential in a small period of time compared to some of the other QB's in the league aside from BLM.  Reilly was similar last year except he played fewer games.  Collaros has shown he has what it takes.  With proper coaching, he could go really far.

 

Your last sentence scares me a bit.

 

Trust me...I'm with you there.  Can you all say "QB Coach"?  I knew you could.  

 

If the Bombers keep Burke why will things change? He didn't want a qb coach this year knowing our qb situation was going to suck with inexperienced players at the qb position so why would he hire one for next year? The man is clueless.

 

If the Bombers keep Burke why will things change? He didn't want a qb coach this year knowing our qb situation was going to suck with inexperienced players at the qb position so why would he hire one for next year? The man is clueless.

 

 

He's already said he would bring in a qb coach if he's here next season.

 

 

If the Bombers keep Burke why will things change? He didn't want a qb coach this year knowing our qb situation was going to suck with inexperienced players at the qb position so why would he hire one for next year? The man is clueless.

 

 

He's already said he would bring in a qb coach if he's here next season.

 

I don't think we can take anything Burke says seriously anymore. He's become famous for saying something then changing his mind later. 

The groundskepers? PM me more.

I do agree we need somebody experienced, Atomic, am curious your opinion of Higgins?

 

Mine is hire Higgins as GM and coach if he wants to coach too, if not let him hire who he wants as coach and hire a quality staff.

 

 

If the Bombers keep Burke why will things change? He didn't want a qb coach this year knowing our qb situation was going to suck with inexperienced players at the qb position so why would he hire one for next year? The man is clueless.

 

 

He's already said he would bring in a qb coach if he's here next season.

 

 

Great, let's keep Burke.  What a brilliant insight!

 

Want players to want to come to Winnipeg?  We can't sell them on a cosmopolitan city, oil money, or a sea of devoted green fans.  We don't have that.  We have a 700,000 person small town with no freeways, oil, or even rapid-transit... oh yeah, and cold-ass winters. 

 

Best we start by wiping the board clean and rolling out the new vision for how the new WFC is going to operate; which has to START with a GM and Coach dedicated to creating a new, winning environment.  This is a city that loves cheap... the problem is that this is a historically bad football club, bad to the point that it CANNOT get better on the cheap.  Atomic is right, the perception of the Bombers out there is not good right now.  We don't have a world class city to sweeten the deal for players either. 

 

We're in a spot where we've either got to spend to remake the franchise and its image, in hopes of attracting key talent; or just continue being cheap and continue bottom-dwelling.  Your move, WFC.

I do agree we need somebody experienced, Atomic, am curious your opinion of Higgins?

 

Mine is hire Higgins as GM and coach if he wants to coach too, if not let him hire who he wants as coach and hire a quality staff.

 

Higgins would have been a good choice several years ago.  I don't know whether he is still interested in the job or has the connections he once had.  Still, he has done it before and is still involved with the league so I'm sure we could do a lot worse.

We could provide Higgins with his own Blue and Gold review booth to watch film. 

That might lead to excessive fining of his own players or he might overturn his own decisions.

We better rethink this.

Higgins would be a great choice. My concern about Walters is do the coaches in the SEC, Pac 12, Mountain West, Big 12, etc know the guy? Would they return his calls if he phoned them? What about NFL coaches or personnel directors? It's great to have contacts in the CIS but we also need a GM who can pick  up the phone & talk to people in the NFL or NCAA if need be. I believe that Walters needs much more experience before he tackles a massive rebuild with the Bombers. He needs to work under a GM who has those connections in order to get to know the people he needs to know in the US.

Higgins would be a great choice. My concern about Walters is do the coaches in the SEC, Pac 12, Mountain West, Big 12, etc know the guy? Would they return his calls if he phoned them? What about NFL coaches or personnel directors? It's great to have contacts in the CIS but we also need a GM who can pick up the phone & talk to people in the NFL or NCAA if need be. I believe that Walters needs much more experience before he tackles a massive rebuild with the Bombers. He needs to work under a GM who has those connections in order to get to know the people he needs to know in the US.

Those are valid points. But Walters has proposed his vision for his office should he become GM. It includes a beefed up US scouting unit to make up for his deficiencies with US connections.

Higgins would be a great choice. My concern about Walters is do the coaches in the SEC, Pac 12, Mountain West, Big 12, etc know the guy? Would they return his calls if he phoned them? What about NFL coaches or personnel directors? It's great to have contacts in the CIS but we also need a GM who can pick  up the phone & talk to people in the NFL or NCAA if need be. I believe that Walters needs much more experience before he tackles a massive rebuild with the Bombers. He needs to work under a GM who has those connections in order to get to know the people he needs to know in the US.

I hear Joe Mack is available..... 

Given the mess the club is in, how do you justify hiring an inexperienced GM?

 

Need to hire somebody with experience such as Higgins or an AGM with several years experience such as McEvoy in B.C. Then you need a quality coaching staff.

 

Higgins would be a great choice. My concern about Walters is do the coaches in the SEC, Pac 12, Mountain West, Big 12, etc know the guy? Would they return his calls if he phoned them? What about NFL coaches or personnel directors? It's great to have contacts in the CIS but we also need a GM who can pick  up the phone & talk to people in the NFL or NCAA if need be. I believe that Walters needs much more experience before he tackles a massive rebuild with the Bombers. He needs to work under a GM who has those connections in order to get to know the people he needs to know in the US.

I hear Joe Mack is available..... 

 

Well, as far as Mack is concerned, stupid is as stupid does.

Why would free agents care about oil money or how cold it is when they aren't playing? Our brand new facility probably doesn't hurt.

If you compare Winnipeg to Regina or Edmonton, please. Regina is a wasteland. If that team was losing then no one would want to play there.

We need to be "responsible" enough to over spend to acquire top notch front office & back office management and the best coaching that money can buy (without being stupid about it).

 

The new stadium I guess has added about 3-5k more fans to each game: spend enough to keep them coming or we will have problems paying for the new facility

 

And we have to acquire the best QB whatever $ it takes .... we just cannot afford not to anymore (and yes, pass on 38 year old QBs)

 

I hope Wade Miller has the authority to do this.

Higgins hasn't been a GM in a decade, I'm not sure he would be my first choice.

Higgins hasn't been a GM in a decade, I'm not sure he would be my first choice.

I think it's closer to half a decade no?