So basically the general thoughts that I have been hearing around this and other Bomber boards as well as from fans of the other teams in the league is that the Bombers are basically the consensus last place team for this season. I realize that most of the time these pre-season predictions are pure garbage and that on paper, the Bombers do have their work cut out for them but looking over the other teams in the league, there are pressing questions for every team based on personnel and why the positions in question for the Bombers are thrust into the limelight while other team's concerns are largely ignored, I'm not entirely sure. It's probably mostly due to the fact that our QB situation is by far the most questionable in the league and that is obviously very important but I'd like to take a moment or two to go through the questionable areas of the other teams in the CFL.

 

Montreal:

 

First of all, I'm not going to say that Calvillo one year older is primed for a decline because we say it all the time and it never happens. It's going to happen one day, but to say it will be this year is very premature. There is no doubt that on offense, these guys are set. At OL, QB, WR/SB and RB there is no real issue. Whitaker had an injury plagued season which could be considered a question mark because of his style of play and Messam isn't an everyday tailback at this point in his career but for now, let's say the RB position is solid. You could make an argument that they need to replace Brian Bratton at WR but Bratton was the epitome of painfully average so I can't imagine even a downgrade of their 4th option is that big a deal.

 

The real questions are at HC and Defense. As far as Dan Hawkins goes, Marc Trestman's success in this league was a large exception to the rule. Popp has proven to be prudent when hiring Head Coaches, but history shows us that rookie Head Coaches rarely step in to immediate success, especially those with no previous CFL experience. I feel like this is something frequently overlooked.

 

On Defence, there are even more questions than the Bombers have had. Let's remember that this was a below average Defense a year ago and they have lost their most steady DB from a year ago in Seth Williams. Other than John Bowman, their D-line is incredibly unproven with A-M Cash, Scooter Berry and Ejiro Kuale by all accounts going from LB to DE. I'm not saying that these guys do not have the potential to be good but with the three of them plus John Bowman coming off a down year, why do these guys get the benefit of the doubt when the Bombers' D-lIne with two proven players in Turner and Hall plus Mainor who has had success in the league has everyone fearing for their lives? Even Gilmore has about as much experience as both of the Montreal DTs for this season.

 

At LB, SAM and MLB are obviously not a concern but with Kyries Hebert moving to WILL, is this really an upgrade over Rod Davis? We all remember how painfully average Hebert was at LB when he was here, and now he's 33 years old and no doubt slower. The secondary probably has the most questions of all. Anderson and Williams are gone, replaced by Geoff Tisdale (who had a terrible year last year) and Byron Parker (who has clearly lost a step and is in the downstroke of his career). Neither of these guys put any fear in my mind. Billy Parker and Jerald Brown have been good but not great players for the Als in the past but they are now 32 and 33 respectively this season and are above the age when DBs begin to decline. It's not like these guys were consistant All-Stars at the position anyway. I am under the impression that at S they are using either M-O Brouilette or Mike Edem. Edem is a raw rookie who has talent, but is still completely green and Brouilette is a special teams guy who I relate to Labbe playing MLB. This should be an exploitable area.

 

My goal for these posts is not to say that these teams are terrible, because they aren't. I just want to point out that every other team in the league has question marks, some have pretty significant ones. I will move on to the Argonauts in my next post.

I just want to point something out. It's literally impossible to compile the depth you're looking for in the CFL. You can't offer players the dollars or the playing time they covet if they're good enough to be considered "good" depth. You pay your starters and then you fill out the squad.

 

Also ... backup long snapper? What?

 

So, you take a shot at me for asking who will be our long snapper if Cvet gets hurt... and then mention that Pontbriand can do it.  That's funny!

 

I actually feel better about that now - I had no idea Pontbriand had ever done that.  We've been spoiled by Cvet and that one year when he went down was, um, painful.  Was that the Kelly year...  it might be...  I mean I want a 'backup LS' precisely for the fact that we don't have to airlift Matechuk halfway through the season.

 

So anyway, don't try to make my post more negative that it actually is... and, no, the type of depth I'm looking for is not impossible...  we have had two years to draft or secure an MLB backup to Muamba.  I cheered for Labbe in 2011 but it is clear he just cannot cut it.  That's really ALL I am asking for at this point.  A decent NI backup for Muamba... if Stephan stays healthy, that is a big step.

 

Same thing with Kowalczuk - the guy can't snap... I just wanted to see Greaves or someone getting reps at C and also have another prospect, like Dunn, on the 46 or PR who can snap - getting the QB the ball is kind of critical.

 

The receiver depth is fine with me...  but again, its wait and see.  Wait and see translates to 'suspect'...

 

Then again, our depth at RG is fantastic!  Go Swiston!

This is something I really disagree with. I think people take for granted how hard it is to field 7 quality NI starters let along backups that can be adequate starters. Labbe is far from perfect but he is a very good special teams guy who in an absolute pinch can play defence. Too much has been asked of him in the past but to say he is part of the reason for suspect NI depth is pretty unfair. I won't speak for Carter or Etienne (yet) and I am the furthest thing from a Poblah fan (oh how I wish we had Ted Laurent) but at the very least Poblah and Kohlert are serviceable depth guys at worst. 

 

The bottom line is, our NI talent is far from the bottom of the league and is consistently improving. We have 7 NI starters that don't bring the team down (Swiston over Morely would be nice but for now, I can live with it) and there are young guys in the pipe. To expect us to have not only 7 NI starters that can play but also world-beating backups is pretty unfair. Just put it this way, who is backing up Emry in Montreal? Brian Ridgeway? Nicolas Boulay? Exactly.

 

If there is a case to be made for ANY of our guys 'losing a step', I believe it is Labbe late last season and again this pre-season.  He is not the ST performer he used to be.

 

Brouillette is their main backup at LB in Montreal... so they have a proven top player (albeit with concussion trouble) plus Boulay and Verdon/Dublanko or whoever...

 

So you have a 'starter' who can perform at a top level at SAM or MLB or S as the main backup plus two more young guys... plus Edem who should develop as S or SAM

 

Probably a bad example to pick Montreal...

 

Its not just the bombers...  I would say

 

Suspect - Bombers, Hamilton, Edmonton

Good - Calgary, Sask, Montreal

Mid-range - BC, Toronto

Montreal, Toronto, and Hamilton have the three best QBs in the league and all have huge question marks on defence.  I think there's gonna be some  offensive fireworks in the early going, before the defences settle in.

 

Montreal is the most intriguing team to me right now.  With a rookie head coach, a completely rebuilt defence, a new offensive scheme, and a greying AC, seems like they could be 12-6 or 6-12.

You don't think Lulay is Top 3? I'd argue he's better than one of the qbs you mentioned. Like Burris. 

We've been spoiled by Cvet and that one year when he went down was, um, painful.  Was that the Kelly year...  it might be...  I mean I want a 'backup LS' precisely for the fact that we don't have to airlift Matechuk halfway through the season.

 

It was 2010 when Cvet was out. What was wrong with Taylor Inglis?

You don't think Lulay is Top 3? I'd argue he's better than one of the qbs you mentioned. Like Burris.

 

I think it's pretty damn close.  Just looking at last year, I'd give Hank the edge over Lulay.  He put up huge numbers, cut down on his picks, and started every game.

 

Definitely the three Eastern pivots + Lulay are the top four in the league.

It was 2010 when Cvet was out. What was wrong with Taylor Inglis?

no kidding... Taylor Inglis was great for us.

Fans hate Mack because they hear TSN, their local media & the national media following the CFL grinding on him all the time. Look at the negative reaction of that 52-0 loss on TSN & the things Schultz & Climie were saying about the Bombers. Well, that same feeling was prevalent here as well. That loss looked especially bad when you add it to the 6-12 season last year. Then Mack's firing of LaPo & the way it was handled, the beating we took in Regina the next week &  Mack refusing to talk to the media for 4 days after that loss turned media & fans against him. During the Stamps  broadcast last week one of the radio commentators said while discussing the loss in Hamilton, that the only way the Bombers will get better is if Joe Mack gets fired because he's the team's biggest problem. People in other cities hear that & believe what the media says. believe  me, Mack is not well liked & perceived as incompetent as well as aloof in other CFL cities.

 

I don't hate Mack.  I just don't think he's good at his job.  But that has nothing to do with what TSN or Paul Friesen tells me to think. 

no kidding... Taylor Inglis was great for us.

 

 

Yeh I thought Inglis might have pushed for Cvetty's job in 2011

I don't hate Mack.  I just don't think he's good at his job.  But that has nothing to do with what TSN or Paul Friesen tells me to think. 

I can totally respect the opinions of people who don't like Mack for certain things, because at least they can justify their opinion whether I agree or not. It's the people who don't know football from a hole in the ground that hate Mack that I just don't get.

 

My family and friends chat me up all the time about the Bombers, even when they don't know much about our team, never mind Mack himself... they can't name any starters or prospects he's dug up, draft picks or trades he's made, anything to do with Mack at all... except they KNOW that Mack is a problem and has to go. Makes me shake my head, and reinforces my belief that the media in our city has a lot to do with the negativity displayed by the 'casual fan.' The win/loss record obviously has something to do with it, too, but that can't be completely pinned on an individual (imo).

 

I'll share my brief Mack moment. It was I think August or September 2011 and I find myself standing behind Joe Mack at Costco. After a short but pleasant chat he tells me that they (he and his staff) want to do something special for this city, and that big things are coming. Sure enough, that year we find ourselves at the top in the East and went to the GC. At no point in time did I get any sense of the terse or pugnacious attitude everyone seems to think he has. I think he was a bit surprised somebody even recognized him, and was happy to interact with a fan. Anyways, I can confirm that Joe Mack is in fact a human being; he does not have horns, a tail, or a pitchfork, and there was no lingering smell of brimstone or decay anywhere.

People are saying Mack is an awful person ? Not sure its an argument that actually exists. Generalizing but it boils down to two things.

 

1. Fans have a problem with him over his failure or perceived failure to improve the team.

 

2. Media has a problem with him because over the majority of his tenure he has made himself unavailable or unhelpfull. They also have no choice but to report on the lack of success.

 

Both, generally, are fair game.

That is true, however The Winnipeg media were used to a GM who would report even their latest bowel movement.

That is true, however The Winnipeg media were used to a GM who would report even their latest bowel movement.

That's really the biggest thing, Taman was the local medias best friend. He told them so much about what was going on and Mack runs things in his own way and that doesn't include keeping the media in the loop as much. It's funny really. Kelly and Mack do have one thing in common, they both want to control the message rather than letting things out in the media first, the difference is that Kelly came out brashly stating it while Mack just went ahead and did it without announcing his intentions. 

I just want to point something out. It's literally impossible to compile the depth you're looking for in the CFL. You can't offer players the dollars or the playing time they covet if they're good enough to be considered "good" depth. You pay your starters and then you fill out the squad.

 

Also ... backup long snapper? What?

 

The league's backup long snapper is working on an oil rig right now checking his messages, waiting for an injury.

no kidding... Taylor Inglis was great for us.

 

we signed him for nothing after edmonton cut him, got a great season out of him, then traded him back to edmonton for two draft picks (Volny in the 5th and Liam Mahoney in the 6th) and he played one more year for them and then retired. 

we signed him for nothing after edmonton cut him, got a great season out of him, then traded him back to edmonton for two draft picks (Volny in the 5th and Liam Mahoney in the 6th) and he played one more year for them and then retired. 

 

Right... I forgot about the trade back to Edmonton for what was essentially a free pickup.

Hamilton:

 

Is Kent Austin a proven HC? I suppose to some he is and to some he isn't. He won a Grey Cup as we all know but that season as a whole was fairly average and they did run into some favourable circumstances. His NCAA career was fairly lacklustre but that probably has little to do with how successful he will be in the CFL. In my heart, I believe he will be an upgrade over Cortez (but how could he not be?) but I also thought Cortez would be a good fit last year. They have a rookie DC in Orlondo Steinauer and as terrible as Cortez was last year, the one thing no one can dispute is that he ran a great offense. It is probably a good thing for the Ti-Cats that he is gone, but they will be implementing a new offense which could easily not be as potent as it was last year, especially considering the fact that their offensive personell is not nearly as good as people make it out to be.

 

I'll start with Hank Burris. No one can dispute the career year he put up last year but that's the thing, it was his best statistical year in his career at age 37. The years prior to his change of scenery had been a steady decline and he is only becoming less and less mobile with age. People talk all the time about Calvillo being primed for a down year but I have heard little speculation that Burris will struggle. Frankly, a mobile QB at that age who had a "resurgance" after a few bumpy seasons is a prime candidate to disappoint. Of course I could be way off here but all those facts combined with the loss of Chris Williams and Avon Cobourne (who as underwhelming as he was as a runner, was a great blocker and an above average receiver out of the backfield) leads me to this possible conclusion.

 

I am also not even remotely sold on Chevon Walker as an every down RB. He had a sensational start to the season using his premiere speed but between getting hurt and becoming VERY underwhelming after the first few games, leads me to believe he isn't the second coming that TSN wanted us to believe. When compared to Cobourne, his blocking is atrocious and he isn't the between the tackles runner that is generally successful in the CFL. He does have great speed and is a good receiver out of the backfield but in my mind he is in a race with Hugh Charles for the worst starting tailback in the CFL and it's not really close.

 

At receiver, without Chris Williams these guys are not scary. I'd like to remind everyone that their number one import receiver is Bakari Grant. He's solid as a number two or three I suppose, but does he compare to Edwards or Matthews? He may even be just barely on par with Denmark. Fantuz was a sure-handed but slow SB who wasn't so sure-handed last year. Signs do point to a bounce back from him, but as of now he is not the dominant SB he was in his one great season. Giguere is no better than Poblah at this point in his career and Onrea Jones is the epitome of painfully average import receiver. Greg Ellingson had a good pre-season but does that mean anything at this point? Questions galore here.

 

I won't go into too much detail about the O-line. The interior should be good with Hage, Wojt and Dyakowski backed up by Husband and O'Neill but import tackles Marc Dile and Brian Simmons have been average for the couple years they have been around.

 

All I've been hearing is how much the defense has been improved this offseason. Sure, they couldn't get much worse than they were last year but other than McCollough, I don't really see it. They added Shomari Williams and Brian Bulcke to the defensive line. How those additions get anyone enthused will be an eternal mystery to me. As of right now, as far as I can tell the starting ends will be Greg Peach and Brandon Boudreaux. Both are decent if unspectacular players but both were also the ends for most of last year's debaucle on defense. Williams and Bulcke should sub-in at some points but as of right now, they are both overpaid NI spot starters. Terrence Moore looked good in spurts at tackle last season but the season before, so did Robert Rose and he washed out of the league last year after the obligatory couple of games for Saskatchewan. Torrey Davis is starting the year on the injured list but he will also be in the mix at tackle.

 

I have an immense amount of respect for Jamal Johnson at linebacker and he is really one of only a few really solid spots on this defense. Markieth Knowlton was once the premiere SAM in the CFL and was a deserving defensive player of the year a few years back. The last two seasons have been rough on him, however and he is at this point merely average at his position. The good thing about this group is that they no longer employ the abomination that was Kevin Eiben, but the third LB spot will either be Simoni Lawrence and MLB or if Johnson plays MLB, Ricardo Coclough at SAM and Knowlton at WIL. Both of them are former Eskimoes and had some success last season but neither are the big name free agents that everyone always hopes Joe Mack brings in.

 

In the secondary, I'd first like to discuss their starting safety James Patrick. I realize this guy is a "big name" and that gets people all hot and bothered but I can't stress enough how atrocious this guy was last year in Saskatchewan. He was never a strong tackler and made his money on turnovers much like Jovon Johnson. When the INTs stopped, the poor tackling became a bigger issue and his cover skills are in decline. He is most certainly a shaky part of this secondary. Evan McCollough and Dee Webb are both good players and should be solid parts of the secondary for the new few years. I imagine Ryan Hinds will probably start at corner and two years ago when he was a regular starter, he was a real nice place to attack every game. Based on what I read on the roster, the other starter at DB will be Delvin Breaux. I'm not saying this guy is not going to be good, but how in the hell would we know at this point? At least Demond Washington has some CFL experience.

 

I didn't even realize how many potential problems the Ti-Cats will have until I went through in all in my head. This is a team that many people have fighting for first place in the division (as per usual). I personally just don't see it. I realize that some of these questionable spots will probably work out for them but looking at the big picture, other than QB and mayyyyybe LB (but that's questionable) where are these guys better than the Bombers? And don't say Punter even if it's true.

 

Riders next.

Your Hamilton run down is my favourite of the ones you've done so far. Good stuff in there and touches on a lot of points no one seems to want to bring up.

Very good write up.  I tried to "Like" it but apparently I've hit my Like quota for the day.  The Man doesn't want me to Like anything else for awhile.

 

I actually think Ricardo Colclough is going to be very good for them at SAM, he impressed me last year, he's a player for sure.

Very good write up.  I tried to "Like" it but apparently I've hit my Like quota for the day.  The Man doesn't want me to Like anything else for awhile.

 

I actually think Ricardo Colclough is going to be very good for them at SAM, he impressed me last year, he's a player for sure.

if you liked him so much you should have taken him in fantasy football

if you liked him so much you should have taken him in fantasy football

 

... 

People are saying Mack is an awful person ? Not sure its an argument that actually exists. Generalizing but it boils down to two things.

 

1. Fans have a problem with him over his failure or perceived failure to improve the team.

 

2. Media has a problem with him because over the majority of his tenure he has made himself unavailable or unhelpfull. They also have no choice but to report on the lack of success.

 

Both, generally, are fair game.

 

so as a GM, Obie in Hamilton sucked almost as bad or worse, yet you didn't see sports-writers like ****** Madani or slapnut Zurkowsky bashing Obie on Twitter etc.  I just don't get the excuse that Mack is hated purely for his record, or that he's somehow been some bad guy to the media.  It just doesn't add up.

so as a GM, Obie in Hamilton sucked almost as bad or worse, yet you didn't see sports-writers like ****** Madani or slapnut Zurkowsky bashing Obie on Twitter etc.  I just don't get the excuse that Mack is hated purely for his record, or that he's somehow been some bad guy to the media.  It just doesn't add up.

Didnt say media "hated" Mack for his record. They criticize him for his chronic lack of availability.

Hamilton:

 

Is Kent Austin a proven HC? I suppose to some he is and to some he isn't. He won a Grey Cup as we all know but that season as a whole was fairly average and they did run into some favourable circumstances. His NCAA career was fairly lacklustre but that probably has little to do with how successful he will be in the CFL. In my heart, I believe he will be an upgrade over Cortez (but how could he not be?) but I also thought Cortez would be a good fit last year. They have a rookie DC in Orlondo Steinauer and as terrible as Cortez was last year, the one thing no one can dispute is that he ran a great offense. It is probably a good thing for the Ti-Cats that he is gone, but they will be implementing a new offense which could easily not be as potent as it was last year, especially considering the fact that their offensive personell is not nearly as good as people make it out to be.

 

I'll start with Hank Burris. No one can dispute the career year he put up last year but that's the thing, it was his best statistical year in his career at age 37. The years prior to his change of scenery had been a steady decline and he is only becoming less and less mobile with age. People talk all the time about Calvillo being primed for a down year but I have heard little speculation that Burris will struggle. Frankly, a mobile QB at that age who had a "resurgance" after a few bumpy seasons is a prime candidate to disappoint. Of course I could be way off here but all those facts combined with the loss of Chris Williams and Avon Cobourne (who as underwhelming as he was as a runner, was a great blocker and an above average receiver out of the backfield) leads me to this possible conclusion.

 

I am also not even remotely sold on Chevon Walker as an every down RB. He had a sensational start to the season using his premiere speed but between getting hurt and becoming VERY underwhelming after the first few games, leads me to believe he isn't the second coming that TSN wanted us to believe. When compared to Cobourne, his blocking is atrocious and he isn't the between the tackles runner that is generally successful in the CFL. He does have great speed and is a good receiver out of the backfield but in my mind he is in a race with Hugh Charles for the worst starting tailback in the CFL and it's not really close.

 

At receiver, without Chris Williams these guys are not scary. I'd like to remind everyone that their number one import receiver is Bakari Grant. He's solid as a number two or three I suppose, but does he compare to Edwards or Matthews? He may even be just barely on par with Denmark. Fantuz was a sure-handed but slow SB who wasn't so sure-handed last year. Signs do point to a bounce back from him, but as of now he is not the dominant SB he was in his one great season. Giguere is no better than Poblah at this point in his career and Onrea Jones is the epitome of painfully average import receiver. Greg Ellingson had a good pre-season but does that mean anything at this point? Questions galore here.

 

I won't go into too much detail about the O-line. The interior should be good with Hage, Wojt and Dyakowski backed up by Husband and O'Neill but import tackles Marc Dile and Brian Simmons have been average for the couple years they have been around.

 

All I've been hearing is how much the defense has been improved this offseason. Sure, they couldn't get much worse than they were last year but other than McCollough, I don't really see it. They added Shomari Williams and Brian Bulcke to the defensive line. How those additions get anyone enthused will be an eternal mystery to me. As of right now, as far as I can tell the starting ends will be Greg Peach and Brandon Boudreaux. Both are decent if unspectacular players but both were also the ends for most of last year's debaucle on defense. Williams and Bulcke should sub-in at some points but as of right now, they are both overpaid NI spot starters. Terrence Moore looked good in spurts at tackle last season but the season before, so did Robert Rose and he washed out of the league last year after the obligatory couple of games for Saskatchewan. Torrey Davis is starting the year on the injured list but he will also be in the mix at tackle.

 

I have an immense amount of respect for Jamal Johnson at linebacker and he is really one of only a few really solid spots on this defense. Markieth Knowlton was once the premiere SAM in the CFL and was a deserving defensive player of the year a few years back. The last two seasons have been rough on him, however and he is at this point merely average at his position. The good thing about this group is that they no longer employ the abomination that was Kevin Eiben, but the third LB spot will either be Simoni Lawrence and MLB or if Johnson plays MLB, Ricardo Coclough at SAM and Knowlton at WIL. Both of them are former Eskimoes and had some success last season but neither are the big name free agents that everyone always hopes Joe Mack brings in.

 

In the secondary, I'd first like to discuss their starting safety James Patrick. I realize this guy is a "big name" and that gets people all hot and bothered but I can't stress enough how atrocious this guy was last year in Saskatchewan. He was never a strong tackler and made his money on turnovers much like Jovon Johnson. When the INTs stopped, the poor tackling became a bigger issue and his cover skills are in decline. He is most certainly a shaky part of this secondary. Evan McCollough and Dee Webb are both good players and should be solid parts of the secondary for the new few years. I imagine Ryan Hinds will probably start at corner and two years ago when he was a regular starter, he was a real nice place to attack every game. Based on what I read on the roster, the other starter at DB will be Delvin Breaux. I'm not saying this guy is not going to be good, but how in the hell would we know at this point? At least Demond Washington has some CFL experience.

 

I didn't even realize how many potential problems the Ti-Cats will have until I went through in all in my head. This is a team that many people have fighting for first place in the division (as per usual). I personally just don't see it. I realize that some of these questionable spots will probably work out for them but looking at the big picture, other than QB and mayyyyybe LB (but that's questionable) where are these guys better than the Bombers? And don't say Punter even if it's true.

 

Riders next.

Quibbles.

 

Everything you said about Austin's CFL cred can be said about Milanovich but I doubt anyone would say that too.

 

It was Creehan that did most of the alienating here not Cortez. Creehan lost the defense in training camp and never got it back. As a result it infected the whole team.

 

 More than one player has commented how it has been like night and day compared to last year.

 

Gable will be starting. Not as fast as Walker but a better pass catcher and blocker.

 

Burris ' steady decline ? His only real bad year was 2011 bookended by great years. If you can demonstrate how he's so much less mobile I'd be interested in seeing it. (as opposed to just saying it)

 

IMO you're underrating Bulcke who will be starting. Overstating Williams only to knock him down ? Austin said he would probably be a rotational guy.

 

Who are the "people" that are picking HAM to challenge for first ? All I've seen is third or last, not that it matters.

 

Not a bad summation, a few straw-man arguments though.

The east is totally up in the air...  Toronto is in the best position but still a ton of new guys.  I really think we will be fighting for a crossover or in a slug race with Ham and Montreal.

 

Note:  Oh yeah, Taylor Inglis...  I was trying to remember the Kelly OL that was supposed to be our next LS/C, whatever...  I now feel a lot better about our depth - forget my concerns that our NI depth was 'suspect'.