M.Silverback

You never win those kind of challenges. Waste of a challenge

Zach Collaros come back story starting next week to the Grey Cup? Who’s with me?

He can throw

BLM is very good. Obvious. We need a new OC but football is much easier with an elite QB. We haven’t had one in forever

On a positive note we’re hanging with the best team in the league

He’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever seen. Such a competitor. Not sure taking that many hits is sustainable though

Good reminders that it is normal for a QB to take some time to develop in pro football. And I am in the camp that I think Steveler could be a good starting CFL QB. That said, if I'm Kyle Walters, I'd still consider multiple options next year at QB. Unless we go a run in the playoffs and win the Grey Cup, there's no way I'd sit back and just say we're going with Nichols or Streveler. Any and all options - Masoli, Evans, unknown QB, Sean (jerry) McGuire ... I'd take the position if we're one and done in the playoffs that the QB job is basically open.

I like Streveler, and think he has a chance to be a good starting CFL QB. He's not there yet, but, he's young and inexperienced. I've heard the intelligent thing too about him. That can mean a few different things for a QB. In part, it's how well you understand offenses and defenses in the QB and film room. But there's also the on field intelligence - how well do you take that knowledge and apply it on the field when things go to crap. Do you have pocket presence, vision, ability to make quick decisions. That's the key. If you're great in the film room but can't execute on field, you become a valuable back up QB. All that to say, I hope Streveler develops that type of on field intelligence. Right now, he's struggling with that, which is one reason why he's throwing untimely interceptions, and missing wide open receivers.

Finally, Lapo and O'Shea are making coaching decisions based on reading MBB.

But Lapo has done studies and 60% of the time that play works every time.

I hear ya. And I agree with much of what you're saying. But, I think in today's world of pro sports, with fans having so much access to information, and so many chances to engage with the team, you're missing an opportunity as an organization if you don't try at least to give the fans a little more. Whether it's through your team website (which the Bombers do pretty well), social media, or pressers. I think O'Shea is pretty good and similar to other coaches. I just think there's a missed opportunity when everyone and their dog knows on social media that the Bombers were inquiring about QB's, and you flat out deny it. This isn't 1980 where we had to wait three days after the fact for any information to come out about anything around a team. Play ball. Get with the times. They all knew Justin Dunk and others had inside information. Go with it a bit with a "we're always trying to find players to help our team" comment. Gets the fans speculating, excited, engaged, maybe thinking about buying some tickets. Even Paul Maurice will once in a while reference some article or analytics discussion that has been posted somewhere. I enjoy that as a fan.

Yup. I totally agree with Petermann over Demski. Any opportunity the guy gets he produces. Not to side track this discussion into an O'Shea chat, but, that to me is my biggest frustration with him - loyalty to players/coaches when better options exist. Not sure what goes on in the dressing room, but, the ones I've been in coaching youth ball, every player knows when a back up should be playing over a starter. And that's disruptive.

Not really, but kind of. Overall, O'Shea I think does a pretty good job with the media. He's not Paul Maurice, but he's pretty good. The media has a job to do. And sometimes that job is to ask annoying, obvious questions. Coaches definitely need to be discreet. They're never going to share everything, nor should they. But, this is a business that relies on fans buying tickets. So, once in a while, coaches have to give the media/fans something. Fans now are well informed, so being too glib can come across as condescending. With the Collaros thing, I agree O'Shea shouldn't spill the beans to the media. But, maybe a stock "we're always looking at ways to improve our team" sits better with the fans than "no, we're not considering that option at all". In other words, as fans you might be tuning into Trevor Knight in the playoffs fans! Anyone want to renew their season tickets for next year?

Anyone know what Gray's injury is? To me he's an upgrade at either guard position. Also - broken record time - I've seen enough of Lucky. Not a CFL caliber receiver. He's a returner, period. And the big gadget plays he broke seems like a million years ago. I'd play Bailey and sit Lucky. Not sure who has the man crush on Lucky - Lapo or O'Shea.

Cliche, but, you are what your record says you are. As you indicated, at this point we're an average team. And overall we've been average with O'Shea at the helm. Is it the coaching or personnel? Both? Either way, as an organization it's tough to sell six years of average to the fan base. You can kind of do it in the NFL with 32 teams - tell the fans hey, 8-8 is pretty good considering. In the 9 team CFL , long term average kind of sucks. Some changes need to happen, and will happen. May or may not involve O'Shea leaving.

Could be. Might have been when old buddy Muamba did the after whistle ankle twist to Streveler. All class that guy.

That's fair. I mentioned his connection to Winnipeg, versus his "love" for Winnipeg, as some others have. But, you're right, ultimately given the choice of more than one opportunity, any HC will choose money, term and the situation (i.e. contending team versus team in the crapper; stable management and ownership, etc.) over any type of loyalty or connection to a city.

Exactly. And, this is what you do as a GM when your starting QB goes down for the year and you're a playoff team. You have to. We were literally two hits away from having to play Trevor Knight or Darvin Adams at QB. You're basically negligent as a GM if you don't do something. I too feel more comfortable about our situation today than yesterday. Not delusional like this takes us to the next level, just comfy knowing I will not have to watch Trevor Knight potentially play at McMahon Stadium in November.

Agree. And things are fluid. So much can happen between now and the off season. Lots of potential moving parts with coaches, QB's, etc. The important thing is that Miller and Walters hopefully know that unless we go on an incredible playoff run, change must happen. Even then, change must happen. I can't see them trotting out the same HC, coordinators, QB's next spring saying "nothing has changed, but things will be different now". My predictions are O'Shea ends up in Toronto - partly his choice, partly the Argos going hard after him, partly the Bombers leaning towards different options - and Khari ends up in Winnipeg. I think his connections to the city, Miller, trump sticking around in Montreal. And basically most of the assistants are then gone. I think somehow Buck sticks around.

I'm good with firing Lapo. And Hall. But, shouldn't the coach who supported them so long take some of the heat for this? It's not as if this season's struggles are a surprise. I bet you could go back on this board one year ago and find almost the exact posts dumping on Lapo and Hall. Shouldn't a good head coach take some of the blame for doing the same thing but expecting different results? Not an easy decision for Walters, Miller and all. I'm just saying, if I were them, I'd seriously consider cleaning house. Or at a minimum, new coordinators and O'Shea on a short new contract, which he may not accept.

I like O'Shea. But, it looks like given the way the Bombers are going, we're one and done in the playoffs. So, that takes O'Shea's overall record to around .500 regular season (I get the first two seasons he had a bad team), and 1-4 in playoffs. So, I'm curious, at what point as an organization do you say, that's not good enough? I don't know specifically who I would want as a potential replacement, but, I do know as Wade Miller or the Bombers board, I'd have a hard time selling this to the paying fans. As a ticket paying fan myself, I'm not really satisfied with basically continuing down this path of mediocrity. And even if he's a good coach, and he is, maybe he's not the right coach for us right now. His particular flaws are not serving the Bombers. I think the players and organization might need a new voice and some fresh eyes. Happens in sports all the time. Happened with the Alouettes. Could happen with us with a change.

Agree. But, if he does nothing, and the Bombers continue to tank with Streveler, you know the narrative is going to be "why didn't he trade a late round pick for __________ ?"

But, GM's can hire and fire any or all coaches on a staff. HC only. HC and all assistants. HC and some assistants. Do you think any HC arbitrarily hires or fires any assistants without advising GM's? I disagree, unless you're in that echelon of Pop or Belichick. My initial "goal posts" were that this off season Kyle Walters needs to put on his GM hat and tell HC O'Shea that Hall and Lapo have to go (assuming the Bombers slide continues - disregard all of this if we somehow win the Grey Cup). If O'Shea agrees, they collaboratively look at options. Perhaps Walters gives O'Shea a bit more input into the final decision. If he disagrees, two options - fire O'Shea; or O'Shea stays on board, but Walters overrules his decision a la Rick Spielman with Gary Kubiak.

I don't think there's "double reporting", or a carved in stone org chart. GM's and head coaches work collaboratively to various degrees in all sports. Some coaches, like Popovich and Belichick wield as much or more power than the GM's. Because they've earned that. In most cases, the GM is higher in the "org chart." HC's hire assistants and coordinators, but never in a vacuum. One because of their status in the organization. Two because who they hire may impact player personnel decisions for the GM. Masai Urjiri hired a couple of assistant coaches who were tight with Kawhi Leonard to appease Kawhi. I'm sure he ran it past Nick Nurse, but in the "here's what we're doing sense", but not in a "do you approve?" sense. Plus, let's say a GM has plans to go after a specific free agent. Maybe a top QB. You can bet that GM is going to discuss with the HC who would be a fit in terms of OC for that big investment before they hire one. No sense hiring LaPo if in a fantasy world Patrick Mahomes decides he wants to play in the CFL for the Bombers. Vikings GM Rick Spielman hired Gary Kubiak as an "offensive consultant". Most reports indicate that this wasn't a Mike Zimmer HC decision, this was a GM "I need you to stay out of the offense, and possibly have a HC succession plan" decision by the GM. HC's definitely seek out, talk to and recommend assistants. They may even be given the autonomy to hire some lower level ones outright - maybe the receivers or DB coaches. But, I'd say they definitely discuss coordinators or lead assistants with the GM's and get buy in pretty much every time, unless your're Pop or Belichek. Assistant coaches also often stay on after a HC is fired. The Raptors kept some after Dwane Casey. In fact the GM promoted one.