I actually agree with Lawless if a trade can be done. Here's the full article:

Glenn January is Winnipeg's best offensive lineman, but could trading him make the Bombers a better team in the long run? Photo Store

Kyle Walters can't be handcuffed by the past or the current appetite for victory here in Winnipeg. Walters needs to be free to chase more than a .500 record and some good feelings this summer.

All things being equal, the Blue Bombers should get spanked tonight in B.C. by the Lions, but for Walters a second loss on the season should only affirm the fact his roster is thin, light on Canadian talent and still in the very early stages of a rebuild.

A rebuild in the CFL doesn't have to take five years but it does require some basics and putting a stopwatch on the process doesn't speed it up. Walters got a quarterback this offseason and the early returns suggest Drew Willy is a pivot the Bombers can build around.

Now it's time for Walters to be clear-eyed and realistic and keep his eye on the true objective and not be swayed by the ups and downs of a season that will almost certainly end short of the ultimate goal.

Do what is needed to get to the real destination, no matter the pit stops in between.

Walters isn't interested in being the next Blue Bombers executive that won a few playoff games but never a Grey Cup and if he has to deal with short-term pain to reach his goal he should do what he thinks best. Walters needs to operate in a vacuum and external considerations be damned.

Wade Miller wants and needs to win games now. Mike O'Shea wants and needs to win games all the time. Walters has a bigger prize in mind and to do this he might have to ignore the wants and needs of his two most important colleagues.

The Blue Bombers roared out to a 3-0 record and the fan base became swollen with pride. So did lots of the folks around Bomberland. But Walters wasn't fooled and when his club got spanked last week by the Edmonton Eskimos. It only underscored what he already knew: The Bombers are better than last year's team but have a long way to go before they can be called contenders.

Tonight's result against the B.C. Lions, whether it's an unlikely win or the expected loss, won't change this. The same goes for limping into the playoffs this season. Such a result would only cover up blemishes that eventually must be solved for the Bombers to be a legitimate power again.

Don't be fooled by the club's 3-1 record. It's a mirage. The Bombers have major flaws that the score of their first three games masked.

Remember the 7-1 start in 2011 that resulted in a Grey Cup appearance and predictable loss? That team wasn't as good as its record suggested and eventually it crashed.

Walters must be honest with himself and continue to evaluate and turn over this roster. It's not that strong and he knows it.

If one believes Walters has been unable to undo all the damage previously inflicted on his organizational roster they are wrong. Walters has been on the job less than one year and he's done a lot. But the job has really only begun.

The Bombers are thin on Canadian talent and have a major issue along the offensive line that can't be fixed overnight.

Walters needs, in his own words, to "overspend on Canadians," in free agency and use the draft to improve his team's largest weakness which is its national (formerly non-import) status.

The Bombers will start three Americans on the offensive line again this week. Not a winning formula in the CFL and the way this trio and their two Canadian counterparts got pushed around last week it's obvious not just the Canadians on the line need to be looked at but also the Yanks.

Glenn January has been a good player for Winnipeg and he's far and away their best offensive lineman. But he may serve a bigger purpose for the club wearing another team's uniform. One good player does not a line make. And if taking the best part out of a weak unit can lead to improvement of the whole, it has to be considered.

If Walters is approached with a deal similar to last season's international (formerly import) defensive lineman Alex Hall for Canadian guard Pat Neufeld involving January and a useful Canadian or a draft pick coming back, he'll be wise to take it.

The only reason January is singled out is he's an international of value that could collect a meaningful return. The Bombers don't have many of those.

Losing January would hurt, but in some ways he's being wasted here in Winnipeg. He can't carry the offensive line by himself and this isn't a group that needs a tweak. It needs an overhaul and January could be a catalyst.

The trade deadline is a long way off on Oct. 15 and Walters will have lots of time between now and then to gauge his club and the level of interest in some of his players.

Certainly it's too early to start selling assets. But it's also too early to be getting carried away by a thimble of success.

Not when a gallon full of the good stuff is the true goal.

"Walters needs to operate in a vacuum and external considerations be damned."

 

He's plagiarizing his own articles now.  He used the exact same sentence with Cheveldayoff's name last month.  Word for freaking word.

 

So how does his average evening go?  Does he back away from his laptop after writing this and think "Goshdarn I am so smart!"?  "Watch me enlighten the masses!"

 

Spending 2000 words stating the obvious doesn't make this any less stupid.  It sets a new standard for stupid.

 

Walters should also try and trade some beads and smallpox blankets for prime real estate if the opportunity presents itself.  External considerations be damned.

Injury and depth issues are the mother of necessity. When need overcomes value things sometimes happen

 

Yes, when need overcomes value you trade from a position of weakness and make a bad deal.

 

But you're right, that would qualify as something happening.

 

Injury and depth issues are the mother of necessity. When need overcomes value things sometimes happen

 

Yes, when need overcomes value you trade from a position of weakness and make a bad deal.

 

But you're right, that would qualify as something happening.

 

 

I believe he is referring to the needs of other teams.  In other words, nobody is falling over themselves trying to acquire January but if a contender loses two or three import OT's and the deadline is approaching... might be able to swing a deal that brings back more than January would normally be worth.

speaking of 'trade'... per Kirk, he heard the Bombers is shopping Suber.

 

He's had some of his best games against the Allouettes.  Maybe Popp will give us something for him.

 

Of course if it's not a starting offensive lineman with a Canadian passport, Walters failed.

 

External considerations be damned.

 

 

Injury and depth issues are the mother of necessity. When need overcomes value things sometimes happen

 

Yes, when need overcomes value you trade from a position of weakness and make a bad deal.

 

But you're right, that would qualify as something happening.

 

 

I believe he is referring to the needs of other teams.  In other words, nobody is falling over themselves trying to acquire January but if a contender loses two or three import OT's and the deadline is approaching... might be able to swing a deal that brings back more than January would normally be worth.

 

 

Based on previous posts I am unwilling to make that assumption.

I'm not about to defend his entire body of work but I don't see why there is such a backlash about this article.

 

What I took away from it is that despite the recent success of the Bombers a long term vision is needed for long term success, which may mean trading a valuable International for a decent National on the OL (which is clearly not impossible, despite the opinions of some posters, given that, as Lawless points out, Hall and a pick were recently traded for Neufeld).

 

My major problem with this article is that Lawless was sunshine and rainbows during our 3 game win streak, and after one clunker against Edmonton (which, by the way, every CFL team will put up at least a couple clunkers this year), we're overachievers that should expect to miss the playoffs.

 

Huh?  So O'Shea's leadership, the new players brought in, the new schemes instilled, and the general culture change will not amount to anything, and Lawless knows this already?  And Miller, Walters, and O'Shea are now working with different goals in mind?  Is Paul Robson calling the shots again?  The 3-1 record is a mirage, and Willy's outstanding passing games to start the year were anomalies?

 

Give me a break.  This article is complete horseshit.  Of course every GM looks to opportunities to improve Canadian depth.  But they look to win with the rosters they've assembled over all else.

I'm not about to defend his entire body of work but I don't see why there is such a backlash about this article.

 

What I took away from it is that despite the recent success of the Bombers a long term vision is needed for long term success, which may mean trading a valuable International for a decent National on the OL (which is clearly not impossible, despite the opinions of some posters, given that, as Lawless points out, Hall and a pick were recently traded for Neufeld).

 

We traded arguably the best defensive end in the league to the team hosting the Grey Cup in exchange for an injured backup Olineman.  And we had to give them our second round pick to make that deal happen.

 

It's still a win-win trade for the most part, but are they likely to be making that trade for an NFL bound player unless they are going all in on winning the Cup during their host year?  Significantly less likely.  It's moot; Hall is gone for both teams, they have the depth to replace Neufeld, they won the cup, we have a good enough but not great guard which still might be an upgrade from last year sadly.  But to completely ignore the context and circumstances that created this perfect storm for the trade to happen is foolhardy.  Which is exactly what Lawless is doing.

 

Here's what we could probably get for January - a backup Dlineman.  Something in the Ryan Lucas range.  So he'd play, and he'd help for sure, but he'd not solving any ratio issues for us.  And we still have to replace January.

 

"Walters needs to operate in a vacuum and external considerations be damned."

 

He's plagiarizing his own articles now.  He used the exact same sentence with Cheveldayoff's name last month.  Word for freaking word.

 

So how does his average evening go?  Does he back away from his laptop after writing this and think "Goshdarn I am so smart!"?  "Watch me enlighten the masses!"

 

Spending 2000 words stating the obvious doesn't make this any less stupid.  It sets a new standard for stupid.

 

Walters should also try and trade some beads and smallpox blankets for prime real estate if the opportunity presents itself.  External considerations be damned.

 

Yer on to him.  He's got a boatload of these articles already written, he was just waiting impatiently for the Bombers to turn the corner into familiar territory, which is his comfort zone.

I'm curious what Lawless would have said if we beat Edmonton last week. 

 

What will he say if we beat BC tonight? 

 

It's unfortunate that this is the type of stuff that gets out to the masses, someone said it best, lawless is no more than anyone of us on here, he just gets paid for spewing his crap, where we all do it for "fun". If we could trade January for a starting Canadian, i'm pretty sure we'd do it but reality is, not gonna happen. 

 

You know what the biggest problem Winnipeg in general has, sorry i should say the Winnipeg Sports Scene has in general, guys like Lawless.. Dude's pretty much trying to force Kane out of town with the Jets and has since he first got here and now, the bombers who are 3-1 and nobody expected that, if you said you did, you are fooling yourself cuz none of us expected them to be 3-1 after 4 weeks, hell 1-3 probably would have been the popular choice but 3-1 and now its time to blow it up and trade our "best" olineman, that's arguable in my opinion, he's our best International Oline, i'm not convinced he's our best Olineman though, I think Greaves is and i'm gonna say, Morley being more versatile (can play all 3 positions on the line, guard, centre, tackle in a pinch) are better overall... but what a crazy suggestion, 3-1 and it's time to blow it up. LOL.

 

No wonder players don't want to come here, no wonder coaches in the past have said thanks but no thanks to coming here, some like to blame the BOD and things like that, nah man, its the media for sure, nobody wants or deserves the crap that some of these media types spew about them. Our biggest problem here is the media, they are just lacking so much and look to sensationalize and look to just cause problems when really, there are none, (there are some but) like i said, we are 3-1, same number of wins in 4 weeks this year as we did all last season, we ain't gonna lose 15 in a row lol, the team has made progress, blow it up? isn't that what we did in the off-season? 

 

I'm still under the impression that if we went 18-0, won the grey cup then next season went 17-0 to start the season and lost our last game playing backups, that some members of our local sports media would find a way to crap on the team.

I'm not about to defend his entire body of work but I don't see why there is such a backlash about this article.

 

What I took away from it is that despite the recent success of the Bombers a long term vision is needed for long term success, which may mean trading a valuable International for a decent National on the OL (which is clearly not impossible, despite the opinions of some posters, given that, as Lawless points out, Hall and a pick were recently traded for Neufeld).

 

This has got to be Lawless's forum Nick.   

 

GET HIM BOYS!

alex hall was a dominant defensive end that makes a huge difference, so much so, you know how good hall is? he's currently in camp in the NFL...

 

January would not get you what alex hall got you, not in a million years, cuz regardless of what some think, January is not a dominant tackle, he's an average at best tackle... Listen, Glenn January the person, great guy, The football player though? He's really not that good, How many International Tackles are there in the league? Where does January rank on that list? If theres 10, i bet he's ranked 10th. Just saying. 

 

Alex Hall last season was arguable the best or 2nd best Defensive End in the league, Glenn January is not Alex Hall... Just cuz January has been here a long time doesn't mean he's one of the best tackles in the league, just cuz he's won "all star" awards or whatever, means nothing, wasn't jovon johnson an all star last season? 

 

The other side if... January and Morley have been the only constant players on our oline the last what? 3 4 5?? years, the oline hasn't been good in what? 3 4 5 years?

 

Maybe January and Morley to an extent are actually part of the reason why our Oline hasn't been that good. 

alex hall was a dominant defensive end that makes a huge difference, so much so, you know how good hall is? he's currently in camp in the NFL...

 

January would not get you what alex hall got you, not in a million years, cuz regardless of what some think, January is not a dominant tackle, he's an average at best tackle... Listen, Glenn January the person, great guy, The football player though? He's really not that good, How many International Tackles are there in the league? Where does January rank on that list? If theres 10, i bet he's ranked 10th. Just saying. 

 

Alex Hall last season was arguable the best or 2nd best Defensive End in the league, Glenn January is not Alex Hall... Just cuz January has been here a long time doesn't mean he's one of the best tackles in the league, just cuz he's won "all star" awards or whatever, means nothing, wasn't jovon johnson an all star last season? 

 

The other side if... January and Morley have been the only constant players on our oline the last what? 3 4 5?? years, the oline hasn't been good in what? 3 4 5 years?

 

Maybe January and Morley to an extent are actually part of the reason why our Oline hasn't been that good. 

No Jovon Johnson was a bust last year...hence why he is gone!

alex hall was a dominant defensive end that makes a huge difference, so much so, you know how good hall is? he's currently in camp in the NFL...

January would not get you what alex hall got you, not in a million years, cuz regardless of what some think, January is not a dominant tackle, he's an average at best tackle... Listen, Glenn January the person, great guy, The football player though? He's really not that good, How many International Tackles are there in the league? Where does January rank on that list? If theres 10, i bet he's ranked 10th. Just saying.

Alex Hall last season was arguable the best or 2nd best Defensive End in the league, Glenn January is not Alex Hall... Just cuz January has been here a long time doesn't mean he's one of the best tackles in the league, just cuz he's won "all star" awards or whatever, means nothing, wasn't jovon johnson an all star last season?

The other side if... January and Morley have been the only constant players on our oline the last what? 3 4 5?? years, the oline hasn't been good in what? 3 4 5 years?

Maybe January and Morley to an extent are actually part of the reason why our Oline hasn't been that good.

Ill give you morley but to suggest january sucks is flat out wrong.. American tackles dont last as long as he has in this league if they are bad or even average.. Average gets a canadian tackle the starting job where as to be an american tackle (especially one protecting a QBs blind side) has to be at least considered good.. I think your undervaluing the hell outta january..

So a team that starts three imports on the O-line is going to trade the only one that is actually good?

Sorry Garry

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U43Ate3Itjs

Glad to eat my words #bombers

— gary lawless (@garylawless)

July 26, 2014

Sorry Garry

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U43Ate3Itjs

 

I love the progress in the line but there is a lot of work to do ... a lot

 

and when Greaves gets back, I would like to see Neufeld go over to tackle leaving Knapp at the current guard position

If that's the best Lawless can come up with to improve this team, then mental midget is a very apt description for Mr. Lawless. Good bloody grief.

Just like Lawless predicted - what a 'spanking.'

 

For BC.

if we had Mike Richards, we would have won 36-6

Glad to eat my words #bombers

— gary lawless (@garylawless)

July 26, 2014

 

He does know how to eat.

Trade January for Canadians, Trade Willy for Americans, trade the Canadians for more Americans and then trade the more Americans for less Americans and then cut the Americans and trade the Canadians. Recipe for success.

Trade January for Canadians, Trade Willy for Americans, trade the Canadians for more Americans and then trade the more Americans for less Americans and then cut the Americans and trade the Canadians. Recipe for success.

Who are we getting from the Habs for January and what are we getting from Rochcester for Willy?

 

Trade January for Canadians, Trade Willy for Americans, trade the Canadians for more Americans and then trade the more Americans for less Americans and then cut the Americans and trade the Canadians. Recipe for success.

Who are we getting from the Habs for January and what are we getting from Rochcester for Willy?

 

 

I tell you who they're not getting. Someone named Stanley

 

/ohsnap

Idiotic article. Complete fantasy. Thank god we won tonight or there would be thousands of fairweather fans clamoring around the water cooler Monday giving credence to this notion.