[MERGED] Drew Willy Watch And Fine Discussion

[gbill2004]

Part of me wants him to play this week, but the other, logical part of me, says Willy should at a minimum, sit vs Montreal. Bombers can likely win against the Als without Willy. It's a long season and concussions are a serious matter. I'm sure Willy wants back out there ASAP, but I hope the Bombers don't rush him back. Willy's long term health is most important here.

Will be an interesting week following Willy's status. I'm sure there will be lots of speculation and practice updates.

I guess the positive sign are he reports that Willy was watching the second half from the tunnel. Suggests he was mentally alert. Big sign will come in the next few days and whether he has any headaches or other post concussion signs.

[Adrenaline_x]

Not sure how spearing to the head is not a penalaty.. But slapping a players head with your hand is.

[Jesse]

No way to assess one way or the other at this point. He was obviously assessed at the half and it was deemed he could - at least - stand on his own. That said, he was standing in the dark tunnel and not coming out into the lights. That could be because the lights bothered him, or because he didn't want to be out among the crowd after he had been ruled out.

Bottom line is neither the team or Willy himself has a timeline on this. If it is a concussion of any seriousness you just have to wait it out. I hope he's back soon though, you don't wish lingering concussion symptoms on anyone.

[kelownabomberfan]

I thought I saw Willy on the sidelines in a ball cap in the second half?

[Goalie]

Willy was by the tunnel. Probably didn't wanna cause a distraction

[TBURGESS]

Willy was in the back of tunnel where it's darker in the second quarter with his uniform on.  My guess is he was seeing how the lights and noise would affect him and the results weren't positive.  The cameras didn't show him at all in the second half so my guess is he was going through the concussion protocol behind closed doors.  I'd be more likely to believe that it wasn't serious if I'd seen Willy on the sidelines in his civvies in the second half.

[gbill2004]

On Twitter it sounded like Willy watched the entire second half from the tunnel.

[rebusrankin]

I hope he is back soon. I suspect its at least one game, given our luck, I fear a month.

[Nolby]

I hope he is back soon. I suspect its at least one game, given our luck, I fear a month.

could be a minimum, could be a week because he was just knocked out..who knows. I guess we'll just have to wait and see for the diagnosis.

[Doublezero]

I really hope Drew Willy suffers no long-term side effects from that shot to the head.

MOS reiterated how tough Drew Willy is. Last season, Bombers didn't manage him well, I don't think.

He came back after suffering many hellacious hits and was actually a liability with happy feet and that deer in the headlights look.

I don't know what the answer is, but Bombers are looking to pay him $400k next season so you've got to protect that asset and bring along a solid #2.

I say rest him, let him watch from the sidelines for maybe even longer than he wants the next few games, while the O, hopefully, gets its chops up.

[TrueBlue]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 3, 2015

 

WINNIPEG, MB –  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers would like to advise media of an update regarding the injury to quarterback Drew Willy, sustained last night in the game against Hamilton. Drew continued to see team medical staff this morning, and is currently day-to-day, while continuing to be evaluated. His status for next Friday’s game against Montreal is unknown at this time.  Coach Mike O’Shea will update Drew’s status during the team’s next media availability on Monday, July 6.

 

[bearpants]

Without question... Drew Willy's health is my number 1 concern from last night's game... yes there was plenty of bad last night, but a lot of it can be fixed with practice or bringing in competition.... Drew Willy is the only irreplaceable member of this team...

 

If he sits out next week to rest and get to 100% for Calgary I'm ok with that...

 

Also any word on if the league is reviewing that hit? Clearly he projected head first right into Willy's jaw... seemed pretty textbook to me...

[kelownabomberfan]

That reminded me of the hit Kuale laid on Buck a few years back.  Or the time Buck got creamed by Craig Butler. Or the time that Edmonton linebacker (can't remember his name) nailed Glenn.

[Dascow]

Not sure how spearing to the head is not a penalaty.. But slapping a players head with your hand is.

 

I sit close to the field close to the Bombers bench during home games.  After half time, when the refs ran on to the field, Kyle Walters made a beeline for them and started chewing them out.  He looked absolutely pissed. (Which he should be.)  From the time that they ran on the field to the moment when they lined up the kick-off, Walters was giving them ****.  You could tell that the refs were trying to ignore him, but every now and then they would turn back and say something back.  To be honest, I liked what I saw from Walters in that moment, because it's exactly what I wanted to do.

 

I think because of Walters chewing out, the refs were not going to take any chances and so that's why they finally woke up and called that slap to the head.  (Because that slap to the head is a penalty.)

 

I was kind of proud of Walters after seeing him do that. (And embarrassed for the league for not calling the head to head on Willy.)

[WBBFanWest]

The hit was helmet to helmet certainly, but when I watch the replay  it seems pretty clear that he was coming in to finish the tackle and due to WIlly being pulled down just happened to end up helmet on helmet.  Nasty hit, but no intent to injure.

[TBURGESS]

On Twitter it sounded like Willy watched the entire second half from the tunnel.

Could be true.  It wasn't shown on TV though and O'Shea said Willy watched the 2nd quarter from the tunnel, not the rest of the game.

[Mark F]

This head shot crap makes me angry. O'Shea's remark that Willy is tough annoyed me. 

 

We all know Drew is tough, we saw him get killed last year more than enough times. That tough guy mentality is out of date when concussions are involved.

 

 

First of all, the play was over, Willy was going nowhere. The play was over. 

 

I don't think the players intent matters at all. That should be irrelevant. It's far too difficult to determine that in most  cases. 

 

 

If a player throws one punch, he's ejected, not matter how slight the harm.But nail the QB with your helmet, maybe cause permanent injury, and you get to carry on? 

 

absurd.

 

I watched Calgary Hamilton, you could see how careful the Calgary D players were, to avoid hitting the Quarterback on the head. 

 

 

to me this is simple.

 

If the qb gets hit on the head or neck by a defenders helmet, the defender should be suspended. on the spot. thrown out of the game.

 

end of story.

 

 

We all know by now what happens to people with these head injuries.

 

This league needs to stop this, or I'll be losing interest in the CFL.

 

And Willy was out cold. For a while. He shouldn't play next game

[WBBFanWest]

First of all, the play was over, Willy was going nowhere. The play was over. 

 

I don't think the players intent matters at all. Too difficult to determine that in some cases. 

 

 

If a player throws one punch, he's ejected, not matter how slight the harm.But nail the QB with your helmet, maybe cause permanent injury, and you get to carry on? 

 

absurd.

 

to me this is simple.

 

If the qb gets hit on the head or neck by a defenders helmet, the defender should be suspended. on the spot. thrown out of the game.

 

end of story.

 

 

We all know by now what happens to people with these head injuries.

 

This league needs to stop this, or I'll be losing interest in the CFL.

What you are proposing might sound good in theory, but at game speed helmet to helmet is going to happen.  If you suspend every player every time, you might as well just say "no hitting the qb" because what defender in his right mind is going to aggressively go after a qb knowing that if there is helmet to helmet, he is automatically gone.  The "throwing a punch" analogy is just silly because the last time I checked, people don't tend to accidentally throw punches, so clearly, yea, throw a punch and you can be gone.  Apples to Oak Tree comparison there.

 

It sucks to see this happen but it is part of the game and a hazard that every player recognizes.  I could see a penalty for H2H infractions, similar to contacting the kicker, intent doesn't matter, just the result.  But a suspension/ejection should only happen if there is clear evidence that it could have been avoided or was done with an intent to injure.

[Dascow]

 

First of all, the play was over, Willy was going nowhere. The play was over. 

 

I don't think the players intent matters at all. Too difficult to determine that in some cases. 

 

 

If a player throws one punch, he's ejected, not matter how slight the harm.But nail the QB with your helmet, maybe cause permanent injury, and you get to carry on? 

 

absurd.

 

to me this is simple.

 

If the qb gets hit on the head or neck by a defenders helmet, the defender should be suspended. on the spot. thrown out of the game.

 

end of story.

 

 

We all know by now what happens to people with these head injuries.

 

This league needs to stop this, or I'll be losing interest in the CFL.

What you are proposing might sound good in theory, but at game speed helmet to helmet is going to happen.  If you suspend every player every time, you might as well just say "no hitting the qb" because what defender in his right mind is going to aggressively go after a qb knowing that if there is helmet to helmet, he is automatically gone.  The "throwing a punch" analogy is just silly because the last time I checked, people don't tend to accidentally throw punches, so clearly, yea, throw a punch and you can be gone.  Apples to Oak Tree comparison there.

 

It sucks to see this happen but it is part of the game and a hazard that every player recognizes.  I could see a penalty for H2H infractions, similar to contacting the kicker, intent doesn't matter, just the result.  But a suspension/ejection should only happen if there is clear evidence that it could have been avoided or was done with an intent to injure.

 

 

I could not disagree more.

 

The game has changed.  The CFL is making an effort to protect the QB at all costs.  Part of that effort is to get rid of the head to head hit, when the QB is in the pocket.  The onus is now put on the defensive player to exercise more control. The defender in this case launched himself, as Drew was falling backwards.  When you launch yourself like that, you are giving up control for the chance at a big hit. That is a play in the past that would have been called.  In fact I have seen much less called.  That's just how the game has changed.

 

Intent is irrelevant.  Either it is a head to head shot, or it is not.  In this case, it clearly was.

[17to85]

The fact that there was no flag on the play was disgusting, the fact that TSN went out of their way to never mention that it was a head shot is disgusting as well. Not one person on the broadcast brought up the missed flag there. 

[max power]

Of all the ridiculous penalties that get called in CFL games, I can not understand how our quarterbacks specifically keep getting nearly decapitated with nary a penalty flag to be seen. 

[Goalie]

Regardless of intent or not it was a head shot. Plain and simple. They call that a penalty 99 times out of 100.

[Engelwood]

I could see if he was standing up straight it being a penalty but he was twisted and his head was at hip level and he was already going to make a form tackle. If he was straight up and down still he would have hit him in the stomach to ribs, it sucks but  I see where the ref is coming..

[rebusrankin]

Watch the replay, headshot. Should have been kicked out. In 2015, you err on the side of caution.

[17to85]

I could see if he was standing up straight it being a penalty but he was twisted and his head was at hip level and he was already going to make a form tackle. If he was straight up and down still he would have hit him in the stomach to ribs, it sucks but  I see where the ref is coming..

Intent doesn't matter for the flag on that play. He hit Willy right in the ear hole should be an automatic flag. I mean it's a flag if a guys hand accidentally brushes a qbs helmet. There's not grey area here, either the guy is hit in the head and it's a flag or he wasn't hit in the head and there's no penalty. Fines and suspensions sure you can argue about that, but there 100% should have been a flag on that play because you can not strike the qb in the head under any circumstances.