The Winnipeg Football Club announces today that Tim Burke will not return as Head Coach in 2014.

 

“We thank Tim for his passion, hard work and professionalism throughout the past year and a half he has been in this role, and for his tireless efforts over the past three seasons with the Winnipeg Football Club,” says President and CEO Wade Miller. “If an opportunity does arise for him to join our staff as a defensive coordinator, our organization would definitely be open to exploring this with Tim.”

 

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in Winnipeg and am grateful for the opportunity this franchise gave me. The fan support in this city and province is just really remarkable and it is one of the greatest things I can take away from this experience in Winnipeg,” said Burke.

 

Burke joined the Blue Bomber coaching staff prior to the 2011 season in the role of Defensive Coordinator, before taking over on an interim basis in August of 2011 and officially being named Head Coach on November 1, 2012.

I'd like to hear from one of the tight-asses on the board, did they dictate how much money Mack had to spend on players and coaches, did he not have a choice and had to recruit the players he did, why didn't we have a full staff of coaches etc etc.

I hate when the spending on players topic comes up. The cfl has a salary cap which includes a salary floor. Every team spends the same on players within a couple hundred grand. It wasn't what they spent, it was how they spent it.

Also Miller said before that Walters had the power of the GM while he was interim GM. He was out here making trades and signings and giving pressers. But suddenly he can't so the Burke presser because he's not really the GM?

I don't know if it's an ego thing but miller shouldn't have been the one making the announcement. It should have been Walters. And if he can't so it because of his title then relieve him of his duties.

 

 

 Anyone who thinks this team had the horses to compete and was only held back by coaching is out to lunch.

And anyone who thinks coaching wasn't the single biggest issue with this team is similarly out to lunch. 

 

What other team in the CFL would you take our roster over?

 

Did I say that the roster was the most talented in the league? I said coaching was the #1 issue and it was. It made the talent that is here look much worse than it actually is. 

I'm not as angry about the coaching as some, but one thing I do know: All this talk about the roster being SO bad, and Burke had nothing to work with.....bullshit. Mack brought the roster leaps and bounds from where Kelly left it. By no means were we a GREAT team, but it's not like Burke had absolutely nothing there. I'm not gonna throw Mack under the bus for this one.

Well the difference between floor to ceiling in the SMS is like $400K, the average CFL salary is $83K, so I could sign some really decent players with $400K.

Well the difference between floor to ceiling in the SMS is like $400K, the average CFL salary is $83K, so I could sign some really decent players with $400K.

I think it's $200,000.

It has been noted SEVERAL times that we were a "cap team", as was everyone else in the league...

$4.4 - $4.0 for 2013

 

There is no ******* way the Bombers are a cap team and the only way I will believe that is when I see a list of every players salary on that team.

Keep only a half-dozen players?

 

Holy undervaluation of a CFL roster Batman

I'm not as angry about the coaching as some, but one thing I do know: All this talk about the roster being SO bad, and Burke had nothing to work with.....bullshit. Mack brought the roster leaps and bounds from where Kelly left it. By no means were we a GREAT team, but it's not like Burke had absolutely nothing there. I'm not gonna throw Mack under the bus for this one.

The truth is somewhere in between. We had a combination of the worst talent in the league & a bad coaching staff, possibly the worst in the CFL. Edmonton's in that conversation; Reed seemed to lose his sanity as the season went on and made some very strange decisions. His "consequences" rant is up there for the worst coach media scrums I've ever seen.

 

17to85 wouldn't (couldn't) answer the question so I'll put it to you, what other team's roster would you take ours over?

Keep only a half-dozen players?

 

Holy undervaluation of a CFL roster Batman

Yeah...we weren't that bad.

 

I'm not as angry about the coaching as some, but one thing I do know: All this talk about the roster being SO bad, and Burke had nothing to work with.....bullshit. Mack brought the roster leaps and bounds from where Kelly left it. By no means were we a GREAT team, but it's not like Burke had absolutely nothing there. I'm not gonna throw Mack under the bus for this one.

The truth is somewhere in between. We had a combination of the worst talent in the league & a bad coaching staff, possibly the worst in the CFL. Edmonton's in that conversation; Reed seemed to lose his sanity as the season went on and made some very strange decisions. His "consequences" rant is up there for the worst coach media scrums I've ever seen.

 

17to85 wouldn't (couldn't) answer the question so I'll put it to you, what other team's roster would you take ours over?

 

 

I get your point and truthfully, I wouldn't take any roster over ours but that's not a testament to the overall level of talent. Take QB out of the equation and I'd put our roster up against a handful of others around the league.

Does Edmonton have better NIs? Henoc is miles ahead of any NI they dress for starters.

Does Edmonton have more talent?

I hate when the spending on players topic comes up. The cfl has a salary cap which includes a salary floor. Every team spends the same on players within a couple hundred grand. It wasn't what they spent, it was how they spent it.

Also Miller said before that Walters had the power of the GM while he was interim GM. He was out here making trades and signings and giving pressers. But suddenly he can't so the Burke presser because he's not really the GM?

I don't know if it's an ego thing but miller shouldn't have been the one making the announcement. It should have been Walters. And if he can't so it because of his title then relieve him of his duties.

Edit...

I'm not as angry about the coaching as some, but one thing I do know: All this talk about the roster being SO bad, and Burke had nothing to work with.....bullshit. Mack brought the roster leaps and bounds from where Kelly left it. By no means were we a GREAT team, but it's not like Burke had absolutely nothing there. I'm not gonna throw Mack under the bus for this one.

Well Miller sure has & if you're a Miller supporter you have to somehow get your head around that. He's done nothing but throw Mack under the bus. The way he talks I think he finds what Mack did contemptable.

On one of the final cjob coaches shows Burke said the Bombers were significantly below the cap.

On one of the final cjob coaches shows Burke said the Bombers were significantly below the cap.

And that would make sense, this year, as we haven't extended FA contracts like we have in the past. 

This year, with the dispersal draft looming and the new CBA coming up, it's no surprise they're below the cap.

What that means to me is there is no reason why we can't make a huge splash come FA time in February. For the first time in years, it is exciting to know that we will be.

I like the idea of Khari here, *IF* he gets experienced Coordinators.

 

Would love Burke as DC, wouldn't mind Kavis either. A guy like Worman as OC would be good too. Have to keep Craig as STC.

 

I wonder If we'll make a push for Glenn if Khari is HC. I would be pretty happy

 

I'm not as angry about the coaching as some, but one thing I do know: All this talk about the roster being SO bad, and Burke had nothing to work with.....bullshit. Mack brought the roster leaps and bounds from where Kelly left it. By no means were we a GREAT team, but it's not like Burke had absolutely nothing there. I'm not gonna throw Mack under the bus for this one.

The truth is somewhere in between. We had a combination of the worst talent in the league & a bad coaching staff, possibly the worst in the CFL. Edmonton's in that conversation; Reed seemed to lose his sanity as the season went on and made some very strange decisions. His "consequences" rant is up there for the worst coach media scrums I've ever seen.

 

17to85 wouldn't (couldn't) answer the question so I'll put it to you, what other team's roster would you take ours over?

 

It's a bullshit question and you know it that's why I didn't answer it. 

to be fair... i had misgivings about Pinball being made Toronto's HC... that worked out ok.

 

mind you, he had stud coordinators and position coaches. he also didn't come in with an existing track record of being an average (at best) coach.

This is what I was wondering about in another thread.  Pinball didn't strike me as much of an Xs and Os type of guy, but he did seem like the type of coach who could get the most out of his players - they would run through a brick wall for him. 

 

Khari could be the same kind of coach.  No way of knowing for sure right now.  However, if the Bombers are not able to hire the appropriate experienced coordinators then it will be that much more unlikely Khari will succeed...assuming he becomes head coach in the first place.

With exception to Edmonton and Ottawa. I'd take every CFL roster over ours right now.

 

BC - has the talent both on O and D, IMO the biggest problem there is Chapdelaine, which is why I'm shocked that some people want him here as the HC. Jacques is a product of the talent that Wally finds, and IMO it seems like every season BC has offensive issues until Wally tells Chap to get it together (happened again this season).

 

Edmonton - Reilly and Stamps that's about it.

 

Calgary - Really don't see the need to discuss this one.

 

Saskatchewan - Overall has a better roster than ours, but very little depth, so maybe I wouldn't want their team.

 

Toronto - Offense without question, defence no.

 

Hamilton - Yes, their D has vastly improved over last year, and their still young, so I suppose "what can they do next year" is the question ?

 

Montreal - Without question a talented group, even with Calvillo potentially retiring, it's still a solid roster.

 

Ottawa - ????? Guess we'lll have to wait an see.

Khari would rank as an inexperienced OC so who might u suggest he then hire as an experienced one?

The biggest concern everyone should have is all these apparent hires taking place without a GM. Is there a flaw in this process?

If Khari hired an OC such as Worman or Berry with experience, a DC with experience like Reed, an OL coach with experience who's a teacher hypothetically Wylie would that offset his inexperience and allow him to be successful?

I would suggest people might examine Worman's resume. It is a road map of short tenures spread over an atlas. Perhaps that isn't necessarily a positive indication.