@sportsnag: Rumour around that Jim Barker may be out as GM of #argos That would be a stupid, stupid decision on ownership's part. #ticats #stamps #cfl

 

 

Could be more trouble on the horizon for the East. TOR, MTL, OTT - three potential gong shows.

 

Als have a good OL and Defense.  A solid running back combined with a few completions from 747 Crompton could get them a .500 record

 

Don't forget - they were in position to eliminate y'all from the playoffs - last game of the season

 

 

 

Could be more trouble on the horizon for the East. TOR, MTL, OTT - three potential gong shows.

 

Als have a good OL and Defense.  A solid running back combined with a few completions from 747 Crompton could get them a .500 record

 

Don't forget - they were in position to eliminate y'all from the playoffs - last game of the season

 

An extremely average QB, Green a year older, Carter gone, Garcia will leave, Thorpe may leave, aging defense, lots of FAs, money concerns, power structure between Popp and owner still unclear and, oh yeah, there's Tom Higgins.

 

 

Every year we hear this.  "Montreal is about to be on the decline!"  Never happens.  Maybe they aren't dominant like they were a few years back but they are a playoff team every year.  I have no reason to believe next year will be any different.

Montreal is a playoff team right now because they play in the East.

 

Even with playing the weaker Easter teams more then the Western teams this year, their record wouldn't have earned them a spot if they were in the West.

 

I have no reason to believe they won't make the playoffs next year either, but that doesn't necessarily make them a good team, it just makes them good enough.

I'll be very surprised if Montreal is any better than 6-12 next year.

I'll be very surprised if Montreal is any better than 6-12 next year.

Agreed. Crompton without Carter inspires little to no confidence in me.

Jim Popp likely has as many smarts now as he has had for the past decade or so, so don't count the Als out just yet.

Popp has continually demonstrated the ability to find players.

Montreal is a playoff team right now because they play in the East.

 

Even with playing the weaker Easter teams more then the Western teams this year, their record wouldn't have earned them a spot if they were in the West.

 

I have no reason to believe they won't make the playoffs next year either, but that doesn't necessarily make them a good team, it just makes them good enough.

 

Sorry but none of this makes any sense.

 

They played Eastern teams 8 times and Western teams 10 times, just like every other team in the league.  Furthermore their 9-9 record would have made the playoffs in the West (they swept BC so would have the tiebreaker).

 

As for the last statement, well, I don't really know what that means.  "It doesn't make them a good team, it makes them good enough"?  OK.  I say a team that finishes .500 or better and wins a playoff game while also having a top 3 defence and an all-Canadian OL, is a pretty good team.  But I guess your definition differs from mine.

 

Montreal is a playoff team right now because they play in the East.

 

Even with playing the weaker Easter teams more then the Western teams this year, their record wouldn't have earned them a spot if they were in the West.

 

I have no reason to believe they won't make the playoffs next year either, but that doesn't necessarily make them a good team, it just makes them good enough.

 

Sorry but none of this makes any sense.

 

They played Eastern teams 8 times and Western teams 10 times, just like every other team in the league.  Furthermore their 9-9 record would have made the playoffs in the West (they swept BC so would have the tiebreaker).

 

As for the last statement, well, I don't really know what that means.  "It doesn't make them a good team, it makes them good enough"?  OK.  I say a team that finishes .500 or better and wins a playoff game while also having a top 3 defence and an all-Canadian OL, is a pretty good team.  But I guess your definition differs from mine.

 

 

 

18 games in a season.  5 teams in the West, you play each of those teams 2 times, so that takes up 10 games.  That leaves 8 games to be split between the 3 other teams in the East, meaning you play two of those teams 3 times.    Just so happens that the two teams they played 3 games against is Toronto (which they lost once and won twice) and Ottawa which they won all 3 games against.

 

So they got 3 games against an expansion team, while everyone in the West got two.   That could easily account for their extra win and playoff presence right there.  (So poor wording in they played the Eastern teams more often, they got to play Ottawa more often then most teams)

 

6 of their 9 wins came against Eastern teams, which means 6 of their losses came from Western teams.  If they were in the West, it stands to reason that they would play those teams more and a very good chance of losing more since the competition is that much higher.  Luck of the draw, but it could very well be that they played Edmonton and / or Calgary 3 times instead of Ottawa.  I could also mention one of their Western wins was against a SK team without their starting QB (but this one is probably splitting hairs as those things tend to even out in a season).

 

As for my other statement, in a 9 team league were only 3 teams don’t make the playoffs, if you just squeak into the playoffs with .500 record, it means you are just good enough to make it in.  Sure they have pieces and lots can happen in an off season, but we are talking about this year, and this year they were just good enough …. Just good enough to make it into the playoffs.  In their first playoff game, they got lucky in playing a BC team in a cross over where no team has ever won and with whom the time difference would play the most havoc.  Then they lost to Hamilton.

Maybe you're right but I'll bet that I am and Montreal is good again next year!  As always!

 

 

 

Could be more trouble on the horizon for the East. TOR, MTL, OTT - three potential gong shows.

 

Als have a good OL and Defense.  A solid running back combined with a few completions from 747 Crompton could get them a .500 record

 

Don't forget - they were in position to eliminate y'all from the playoffs - last game of the season

 

 

 

Could be more trouble on the horizon for the East. TOR, MTL, OTT - three potential gong shows.

 

Als have a good OL and Defense.  A solid running back combined with a few completions from 747 Crompton could get them a .500 record

 

Don't forget - they were in position to eliminate y'all from the playoffs - last game of the season

 

An extremely average QB, Green a year older, Carter gone, Garcia will leave, Thorpe may leave, aging defense, lots of FAs, money concerns, power structure between Popp and owner still unclear and, oh yeah, there's Tom Higgins.

 

 

Every year we hear this.  "Montreal is about to be on the decline!"  Never happens.  Maybe they aren't dominant like they were a few years back but they are a playoff team every year.  I have no reason to believe next year will be any different.

 

It did happen and it has happened. And that's not even factoring the financial part.  They are no longer a dynasty and they were life a death to make the playoffs with three other teams. Had all the hallmarks of a messed up org. luckily wins glossed it over  but they are still there.

Yep they were terrible except for all the wins. Classic Ticat fan viewpoint.

 

I'll be very surprised if Montreal is any better than 6-12 next year.

Agreed. Crompton without Carter inspires little to no confidence in me.

 

Popp signed Carter and Green.  No reason he can't sign some new stud receivers next year.  Green is only 30 - should have a few prime years left.  And the defense?  Yes, some of them are getting older, but Popp has proven capable of finding good replacements his entire tenure in Montreal.  

 

Crompton is an average QB.  They probably won't win a Grey Cup with him at the helm unless they are dominant at all other positions (see the Bombers in 1990 with Tom Burgess).  Will see if Popp can find some promising recruits this off-season.

Yep they were terrible except for all the wins. Classic Ticat fan viewpoint.

Never said they were terrible. Many of the factors that contributed to their wins wont be there in 2015. The team has problems and so will TOR and OTT which was the point.

 

Montreal is a playoff team right now because they play in the East.

 

Even with playing the weaker Easter teams more then the Western teams this year, their record wouldn't have earned them a spot if they were in the West.

 

I have no reason to believe they won't make the playoffs next year either, but that doesn't necessarily make them a good team, it just makes them good enough.

 

Sorry but none of this makes any sense.

 

They played Eastern teams 8 times and Western teams 10 times, just like every other team in the league.  Furthermore their 9-9 record would have made the playoffs in the West (they swept BC so would have the tiebreaker).

 

As for the last statement, well, I don't really know what that means.  "It doesn't make them a good team, it makes them good enough"?  OK.  I say a team that finishes .500 or better and wins a playoff game while also having a top 3 defence and an all-Canadian OL, is a pretty good team.  But I guess your definition differs from mine.

 

Most Bomber fans would kill for an okay team... Oops PLAYOFF team!

I might suggest that based on what happened with injuries to QBs this year the best predictor as to success in 2015 is a team's Experienced QB depth. Currently you would have to rank it as Calgary, Edmonton, and then toss a coin as the experience level has a huge drop off.

 

 

Every year we hear this.  "Montreal is about to be on the decline!"  Never happens.  Maybe they aren't dominant like they were a few years back but they are a playoff team every year.  I have no reason to believe next year will be any different.

Not being what they were a few years back is a decline.

 

 

 

Every year we hear this.  "Montreal is about to be on the decline!"  Never happens.  Maybe they aren't dominant like they were a few years back but they are a playoff team every year.  I have no reason to believe next year will be any different.

Not being what they were a few years back is a decline.

 

 

What I mean is that they are competitive every year.  They could have easily been in the Grey Cup this year and even last year as well.

How was Barker as a coordinator and do you think he'd ever consider working here with Oshea?

How was Barker as a coordinator and do you think he'd ever consider working here with Oshea?

Never happen. Barker was in total control of the Argos on field product. He was a CFL exec. I don't think being an OC is what he would do. I think he's pretty well set financially & could just say it's time to retire.

I have not seen any other reports on Barker in the media. Is there any real truth to this?