http://www.cfl.ca/2015/12/23/westerman-theres-a-lot-of-hunger-in-that-locker-room/

Quote

If the last two years in the CFL have taught us anything, it’s that finding that final ingredient is entirely possible – and sometimes all it takes to go from zero to hero in this league.

The Eskimos did it in 2014, going from 4-14 to 12-6 and then a year later dethroning the Calgary Stampeders atop the West before eventually winning the Grey Cup.

The second-year REDBLACKS only one-upped the Eskimos, going from 2-16 in their inaugural season in the league to winning 12 games, winning the East Division title and appearing in the 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw.

Teams can turn around fast in the CFL and with a new offensive coordinator in the fold and Willy returning from injury, the Bombers are a high-potential candidate to be the team in 2016 that turns it all around – the one that everyone talks about.

“Playing all those games without Drew really hurt us,” Westerman, the West Division’s Most Outstanding Canadian, recalled late in November during Grey Cup week.

“He gives everything he has – his preparation, the way he prepares every game, the way he’s ready to go, the type of person he is,” he continued. “He’s a very high-character guy. He’s always been that guy.

“I’m not saying we lost our confidence but that’s your guy. If you’re a pilot and your pilot leaves the plane, you say ‘alright, who’s the other guy’ – of course there’s going to be a step down.”

This is the Bombers company line it seems to excuse the way the season ended. No more excuses this year if Willy stays healthy. Mr. Walters, be on notice ...

7 hours ago, IC Khari said:

http://www.cfl.ca/2015/12/23/westerman-theres-a-lot-of-hunger-in-that-locker-room/

This is the Bombers company line it seems to excuse the way the season ended. No more excuses this year if Willy stays healthy. Mr. Walters, be on notice ...

Maybe it's on Walters but we need real leadership and good decision making from MOS

While a good/great coach can do amazing things with a team he can't do it alone. This team just doesn't have the players to win a championship like Edmonton and Ottawa did. If O'Shea had the players Ottawa and Edmonton did then I feel confident he would have done much better and probably would have made the playoffs. Walters is the one that has let us down the most (and by extension, Miller). I'm not giving O'Shea a pass here as he has a lot of improving to do but until he has a championship-caliber player roster I can't judge him on his ability to win a championship.

You also need things to go right and catch some breaks on the injury front. We have not been particularly fortunate in that regard.

It's all or nothing this year it seems. If the team fails to improve much MOS and probably Walters are gone.

Talk is cheap. Been hearing it now for 2 years. The time for excuses is over. Just win games. 

What you said - 

13 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

Talk is cheap. Been hearing it now for 2 years. The time for excuses is over. Just win games. 

What we heard - 

9 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

Bah, talk is cheap. Been humbugging it now for 2 years. The time for excuses is over. Just win games.

I'm not ready to fire anyone till I see what they can do with all their resources available.... 

The notion that if everyone stays healthy, is like saying if the wind blows in the correct direction and the sun comes up doesn't necessarily prepare a team to win games. Adequate preparation is one, talent another and depth is critical because injuries are going to happen. This team needs to increase their talent and depth or the same excuses are going to be served up for Christmas dinner in 2016. The difference being heads will then be on the platter.

Normally I would agree that losing the starting qb cripples a team... and then I remember last season where nearly every other team could still move the ball with their 2nd or 3rd string qb....

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

Normally I would agree that losing the starting qb cripples a team... and then I remember last season where nearly every other team could still move the ball with their 2nd or 3rd string qb....

I think if we sign nichols, this becomes a non-issue.  Let him get fully into the offense from the onset and he probably plays like he did in edmonton.  He definitely needs the weapons around him too.  I believe he is miles ahead of what we have had behind our starter in a long time.  IF we dont get nichols on the dotted line, I hope we go after someone with experience as if we have learned anything, we cannot find our own diamonds in the rough behind our starter.  bauer, kelly, mack, walters... You name em, they cannot find a QB like the other GMs for whatever reason.  

With that said, unstable offensive situations are a breeding ground for failure on a rookie or first time QB..  Constant changes, new offensive coordinators, shifting o-lines.. All these contribute to the issues of grooming a QB almost as much as the QB themselves..

 

 

 

 

So you want Nichols to play like he did in Edmonton?...where they sat him down for the 3rd string QB?

Can say what you want about Nichols but.... There is no doubt that he is 100000 percent  better than both Brohm and Marve combined. 

He may not be an elite starting QB but as a back-up, I can think of a ton of guys who are much worse than he is. 

 

And BTW, Edmonton didn't win games because of Franklin or Nichols for that matter, They won because of their D. 

Even when Reilly got back, he didn't exactly light it up, he did enough to win and with Edmonton's D, really, not much really needed to be done by the O.

 

Don't turn the ball over really. 

yes every other team was able to move the ball with a 2nd string qb. But only one team had the misfortune of running the system we ran. As much as the talent of our team effected outcomes. Our system played a larger roll.

On ‎27‎/‎12‎/‎2015 at 5:49 PM, Noeller said:

I'm not ready to fire anyone till I see what they can do with all their resources available.... 

Another Mr Positron post from the same guy. You say I post the same ****? Just what does "all their resources available" actually mean? This team picked their President, GM, scouting staff & coaches just like every other team. You support status quo so how are we at a disadvantage?

Edited December 31, 201510 yr by iso_55

A team *can* win with their backup, but a team shouldn't be *expected* to.

It would've been tough for Edmonton to win 14 games and make it to the Grey Cup (and win it) without Reilly down the stretch -- even with Jones' dominant D.

If Burris didn't survive the season, the RedBlacks wouldn't have won close to 12 games and definitely wouldn't be playing in the Grey Cup.

The Ti-Cats were by most accounts the team to beat in the CFL until Collaros went down. After that, they were doomed.

Yes, it was partly the other pieces on offense, and it almost certainly was because of the playbook. But it's pretty fair to want to see a full season out of Willy before completely sacrificing this whole group.

(Now, if he goes a 3rd season in a row without playing a majority of the games, I think that in and of itself ends up being a problem that the GM and maybe more should answer for -- as a constantly-injured QB is just as bad as not having a franchise QB.)

Yes, in this league...you can have a quick turnaround, with plenty of examples, the last couple of years.   Right.  Fine.

The deal for this organization is to.....just....do....it.    No more idle talk.  No more entries into the tried and true Blue Bomber Excuse Book.

Give us something.....

 

 

 

On 12/30/2015 at 1:21 PM, Goalie said:

Can say what you want about Nichols but.... There is no doubt that he is 100000 percent  better than both Brohm and Marve combined. 

He may not be an elite starting QB but as a back-up, I can think of a ton of guys who are much worse than he is. 

 

And BTW, Edmonton didn't win games because of Franklin or Nichols for that matter, They won because of their D. 

Even when Reilly got back, he didn't exactly light it up, he did enough to win and with Edmonton's D, really, not much really needed to be done by the O.

 

Don't turn the ball over really. 

Nice post, Goalie. Agree with you totally. 

Insert whatever name you like or don't like at the backup QB spot the critical element better be that he is an experienced CFL QB.

On 2015-12-27 at 6:58 PM, DR. CFL said:

The notion that if everyone stays healthy, is like saying if the wind blows in the correct direction and the sun comes up doesn't necessarily prepare a team to win games.

What?

What? what? The belief that a QB or any player is going to stay healthy for an entire season isn't the ay to prepare a team for success. A CFL roster is fluid and in constant flex. If your scouting department and mange net does not have an indepth ready list for all positions you are setting yourself up for failure. 

On December 30, 2015 at 1:10 PM, blitzmore said:

So you want Nichols to play like he did in Edmonton?...where they sat him down for the 3rd string QB?

..and he still had managed to win how many games? (Yea ya yeah defense blah blah, ours is prettt solid too) 

 

like mentioned above, he is leagues better then what we have had here in.. What, 4 years?

On ‎2015‎-‎12‎-‎26 at 4:32 PM, iso_55 said:

Talk is cheap. Been hearing it now for 2 years. The time for excuses is over. Just win games. 

And a big Amen to that remark. The time for excuses is indeed over. Walters and MOS deliver this year or they are toast! End of story!

what happens if they win seven or eight games,  get into the playoffs and lose the semi final game ?

 

Sure hope Walters is bringing in a legit backup, Nichols is not the answer... and why has Brohm not been cut yet?

Willy gets hurt every year - needs to be a plan in place when it happens again... reminds me of heading into our final year with Buck and just expecting him to suddenly stay healthy because of his off-season training regime.

I really would go after Harris if he's out there... maybe even Gale.

1 hour ago, Mark F said:

Edit

 

 

Edited January 3, 201610 yr by iso_55