January 28, 201412 yr How much will it take to get them in Blue & Gold...$200k per season? More? Or would they only be using us as leverage to drive up their price? I could see a situation where Tsoumpas signs in Edmonton and we end up with Scott Mitchell.
January 28, 201412 yr Author Long term contract with a normal salary and a healthy signing bonus? Ya sure, or just simple annual average salary.
January 28, 201412 yr How much will it take to get them in Blue & Gold...$200k per season? More? Or would they only be using us as leverage to drive up their price? I could see a situation where Tsoumpas signs in Edmonton and we end up with Scott Mitchell. Bomber fans have such a defeatist attitude sometimes. Why not see a situation where Tsoumpas signs with us and they keep Scott Mitchell. I think that Winnipeg is a more favorable destination than many here are willing to concede. Our money is as green as anyone else's, our history is as rich as anyone's, our fan base is easily in the top 2 in the league, our facilities are amongst the best in the league, and our cost of living is very favorable. Lots of the naysayers will point to our recent history, and it does make it a sell job by our management to convince pending FA's that we are changing our act, but I like having natural born salesmen like Miller, and highly respected ex-players like McManus and O'Shea in our corner. The hard part will be getting the first big domino to drop. Whether that is Collaros or Burris or someone else, once FA's see that Winnipeg is spending to improve other players will at the very least give us a lot of consideration. There is something very tempting in being on a team on the rise to a player's competitive spirit. If our management can convince pending FA's that we are serious about turning things around with a big splashy signing right out of the gate, they will take our offers very seriously.
January 28, 201412 yr Tsoumpas is from Edmonton so that could be a good fit for him. As for the original question, I would make either one the highest paid OL in the league. Not saying I think they are the best OL in the league, but we have no, or very little, top end Canadian talent and we need some badly.... even if we have to overpay to get it.
January 28, 201412 yr I'm leary of Tsoumpas's health. Bourke, I'd make the highest paid OL in the CFL seeing as he's a NI tackle. $200,000-$225,000.
January 28, 201412 yr Remember how upset people were when Joe Mack picked Henoc Muamba over Scott Mitchell?
January 28, 201412 yr For years the team could rely on a history of fielding playoff football teams, and above-average ones at that. We were a destination for players looking to win championships. Now every player knows Winnipeg not only hasn't won a GC in twenty-whatever years; AND we have been the worst team in the CFL over the past 4 years. The really difficult thing about being a Winnipeg fan, is that our management from about 2008 onward has not realized that we are not that destination anymore; and that to show FA's a commitment to winning, probably the most favorable way to do so is to open up the chequebook, and pay market value (or slightly above) for some talent. As Winnipeggers, we hate this because we can't stand the possibility that we might overpay for a box of kleenex let alone a top-of-his-profession player. We don't think about what perception we are setting to other CFL players/FA's. I for one am in favour of making an above-market offer to either Bourke or Tsoumpas (in that order), if either hits FA. Show the CFL and the players that we mean business when we say we've changed the regime entirely.
January 28, 201412 yr Remember how upset people were when Joe Mack picked Henoc Muamba over Scott Mitchell? People were upset ?
January 28, 201412 yr Remember how upset people were when Joe Mack picked Henoc Muamba over Scott Mitchell? People were upset ? Lots of them. MItchell was the obvious choice. He was an o-lineman and Henoc was raw in a typically american position. Should have taken the guy who could step in right now and make the OL better.
January 28, 201412 yr Remember how upset people were when Joe Mack picked Henoc Muamba over Scott Mitchell? People were upset ? Lots of them. MItchell was the obvious choice. He was an o-lineman and Henoc was raw in a typically american position. Should have taken the guy who could step in right now and make the OL better. Lots of people are upset about anything the Bombers do. I don't recall Muamba over Mitchell being any better or worse than normal. There were lots of people on both sides of the fence on that one.
How much will it take to get them in Blue & Gold...$200k per season? More? Or would they only be using us as leverage to drive up their price?
I could see a situation where Tsoumpas signs in Edmonton and we end up with Scott Mitchell.