TBURGESS

If it's true then WOW. Did not see that coming. Banks has done everything you want from a vet since they signed him. Sounds like Wally was right yet again. I can't see any team giving up anything for Banks. Too bad about the signing bonus. That's gone for good. Don't care about losing Kito. He wasn't producing anyway.

We went hard after Collaros, but even more money didn't trump Hamilton's advantages and we went hard after Burris but were outbid by a large margin (Ottawa overpaid IMHO). The Bombers aren't on record saying Willy was their first choice. After we lost out on Collaros and Burris O'Shea said that MacManus liked Willy. That morphed into Willy was our first choice all along, but not until after we lost out on the other two. It really doesn't matter in the long run if Willy was #1, #2, or #3. What matters is Willy is the one we got. and he's looked great so far.

What a great game to watch if your a Bomber fan! Opening drive of the season's a TD. When was the last time we did that? Willy had time. Threw some great balls. Looked more like Ray than Ray. Only blemish was the Int. Etch's defense looked spectacular tonight. I don't think it will last game to game, but it sure was great to see tonight. Kelly had a career night. Looked way better than I and many others thought he would. Got the breaks and Toronto took way too many penalties. Toronto's noname DB's looked horrible. Mistake after mistake. Our receivers look a lot better when the QB can get them the ball in stride. Best I've felt about a Bomber game in years. Great job by all involved.

Great game by Willy. Best QB'ing since Khari was playing well.

I blame the media, Friesen most of all. Stupid negative articles.

O'Shea wasn't protecting some state secret. He was being given an opportunity to recognise those players who'd worked their butts off to earn the starters spots and to get some much needed good press. He chose instead to verbally give the middle finger to the media. There is a group around here who applaud that, and call it leadership, but I'm not one of them. Lets just agree to disagree because saying anything negative about O'Shea these days is like saying anything negative about Mack in the IMWT days. It's just going to start arguments from mostly the same folks.

I guess you misunderstood the question he was asked. The media wanted to know who the starters were. O'Shea refused to answer the question and fed them hackneyed 'They are all starters' response.

There are starters and there are backups on every team, the Bombers included. The starters have earned the right to be called starters and the backups hope to earn that right. The starters and the backups know who they are. The opposing coaches know who they are. Everyone who watches tonight's game will know who they are. It's no big secret that the coach has to protect. To me calling everyone starters is the same as giving everyone a participation ribbon in grade school.

This right here tells me that no matter what, even if we have a perfect head coach, you won't like him. Because a perfect coach won't tell you what you want to hear in public. What you're failing to acknowledge is that there's a difference between "saying nice things" and "saying nice things *in public*" ... he's a no nonsense type coach by all accounts, if you trust the players he has coached in past and present. But in the public eye, when everything needs to be cool, calm, collected and balanced? He's not going to give the media anything to run with. And that's how it should be. But you'll never acknowledge it because you can't get 100% guaranteed confirmation that he ISN'T like that in the locker room, despite every single account telling you that he isn't. I acknowledged that there's a difference between what's said in public and in private in the second sentence of the post you quoted. It's you who's failing to acknowledge that you don't know actually what's being said in private. O'Shea has been completely one sided in his public comments, not balanced. Most of it's BS and everyone knows that. I'm not expecting insider tips, or dirty laundry, or info that could hurt the team. I am expecting more than 'everyone who makes the team is a starter' or the Alfred E Neumanesc and 'what me worry' statements. I don't dislike O'Shea and given time, he may become the next good CFL HC. In fact, it's the 'Only say good things' that I dislike and those who think that's leadership.

Why do you equate being honest with publicly trashing players? I'm not expect him to 'throw anyone under the bus'. Just tell the truth and cut the BS. I don't know what O'Shea does in private because I'm not there. I respectfully submit that you don't know either. I certainly hope he's different behind closed doors. I haven't listened to the coaches show. I haven't read anything he's divulged on these sites from the coaches show either. I do know that everything else O'Shea has said in the media is 'super positive'. He tries to turn every negative into a positive no matter how much of a stretch it is or how silly it sounds. Everyone knows that all the players who made the team aren't starters. That's like giving everyone participation ribbons. Unless O'Shea is brain dead, and I personally don't think he is, he has to be concerned with parts of the team. The whole idea that saying nice things will somehow make the team better is ridiculous.

I have played sports and I have a pretty good memory. No one would suggest Wally B or Don Matthews are Suzy Sunshine's and they are two of the top coaches ever in the CFL. Players tend to tune out folks who only say nice things just like they tune out folks who yell at them all the time. Players don't need a cheerleader. They need someone who they can trust to tell them the truth. Huffer and Austin know this. Hopefully O'Shea does too. Leaders aren't the guys who only say nice things. They are are the ones who always 'Do the right things'.

Not to beat a dead horse (although I'd love to)... but isn't that what a leader SHOULD be doing? cc: Tim Burke Nope. Being Suzy sunshine doesn't win games or influence people.

MOS speaks highly of every player he wants or is on the team.

Having a quality QB in the CFL trumps a lot of problems, but I still can't see Ottawa ending up with more wins than Winnipeg unless Willy turns out to be the next Goltz/Elliott/Brink/Hall/AnyWpgQBInTheLast5Years.

I surprised to see that some folks think that saying nothing but positive things is leading. It's not. Leaders need to be able to sell the dream. Present a plan. Get buy in. Be honest with everyone (Not just sunshine and rainbows). Ensure everyone takes personal responsibility. Show they are on the right track. Progress towards the shared goal. Burke failed at all of them, except the honesty part, and folks around here are raking him over the coals for that. Face it folks. We didn't have the talent on the field, in the coaching staff or in management. Replacing a HC mid -season, especially when his team finally showed a little something in a game is a bad idea. Taking on a job you know you are doomed to fail at out of a sense of responsibility is both dumb and somewhat heroic as is being honest to a fault.

Not sure why anyone's reacting to this. Other than the 'I didn't really want the job' line, it's the same things Burke said when he was the HC.

Best List Yet.

Logan

I'd take a healthy Richardson over Bryant any day of the week. Unfortunately, he's not healthy. I'd wait a while and then bring in Richardson for a look see.

If Bryant is an upgrade over any of out Import receivers, we're in trouble.

I hope we don't bring him in, and I love experienced guys.

Because he's on the PR, not a FA?

I think it's a poor decision that will alienate the media and that's something you really don't want to do when your team isn't a powerhouse. I thought the league dictated who had access to the locker room, but I guess not. Grab the popcorn and lets see how this plays out.

Preseason QB stats mean about as much as preseason records do. In other words, not much at all.

Close, but not quite. Carrying a NI kicker means and extra DI, not an extra starting Import.