TBURGESS

Generally speaking, the less you hear about OL, the better... Usually they practice so far away you can't see much. I remember when they had TC at St Johns-Ravenscourt being ten yards away from the one on ones with the DL. Geez, you could feel the ground shake. They were having a light practice once and a rook knocked off Bill Frank's sun hat. Holy crap, I thought he was gonna explode. Also you could hear what the coach (Joe Faragelli at the time) was saying. I used to love those practices. So close to the action that you could feel it. Great way to pick up tips too when I was young enough to actually play.

If you want good articles... Include the media, don't fight with them. Work with them. Give them what they want. Make their jobs easy. Don't tell them no unless you absolutely have to. Make them an extension of the team. Treat them like friends. Almost all of the articles written this offseason have been positive. Walters understands what working with the media is and he hasn't had a single bad story that I can think of. Miller has only one bad story and that's when he refused to work with the media on the leaky stadium issue. O'Shea hasn't had any bad articles up to now and they've given him the benefit of any doubt. For example: They could have written about how O'Shea flip flopped on Smith over a 2 day period, but they didn't. Now O'Shea says he's going to control the message and no one else will be allowed to talk with the press. That sets up an adversarial situation with the media. When you do that, don't act surprised or complain when the media starts treating you like an adversary.

Why is it that you ALWAYS side with the media? If a coach does something the media doesn't like, he's picking a fight? Why couldn't it just once be that the media is behaving inappropriately? I didn't like it when Kelly tried to control the media. I could see what was coming back then and we all know how that turned out. I don't like it now any more now and I expect the same results. That's called being consistent, not being on the side of the media. O'Shea wasn't in Winnipeg when Kelly made the mistake, but someone who was around then should tell him how it will probably work out. Here's a hint: If you want to control the message, then make sure everyone's on the same page, help the media spread your message and everyone wins. Don't say "I'm going to control the message and everything comes through me". That's not going to help the situation. In fact it's going to hurt it. BTW: It's not inappropriate for the media to want to talk to more than one person on the team. It's done almost everywhere there is a pro team.

Here we go again. Friesen complains about something the Bombers do and the boys on forums go nuts. I get the popcorn out and see if anyone comes up with anything new. It's almost like the folks around here don't know that Friesen is trying to create buzz and he doesn't care if it's negative or positive. Personally, I think O'Shea trying to control the message and the media is a mistake, just like it was when 'He who must not be named' did it. Picking a fight with the folks who write the articles is a no win situation and it will result in negative press, which the Bombers really don't need. I'll chalk it up to a Rookie HC mistake or not understanding how the press, especially in Winnipeg works. At least it will be grist for the forums so things won't get boring around here.

Assuming my 2 line post makes me the guy from BC who is one of the most upset: What the Bombers do matters to me. I wouldn't be here if it didn't. No one here works O'Shea, but that doesn't mean no one here is entitled to an opinion about his decisions. Coaches do more than just run practices. Some of the biggest fans live outside of Winnipeg. Our opinions are as valid as anyone elses. I'm a big Wylie fan. I understand the theory that some Wylie is better than no Wylie. I think this reduces his effectiveness. I can't think of any other professional coach who gets weekends off during the season. I doubt any exist because it's just not a good idea. I want the guy who's making the final decisions to be there all the time so they see everything first hand. I don't think having a Wylie 'protege' running things is the same a having the man himself doing it. I think having fully committed coaches is better than having partly committed ones. I think the Bombers should have dealt with this issue in the press when they hired Wylie, not waited until the fans/media noticed he wasn't there. I find it funny that folks who are most upset and argue are the ones who think that no one should question anything the Bombers do.

I don't like the idea of Wylie being away, especially during during training camp when they are installing the systems and evaluating the players. I don't like O'Shea's quote either. I thought he wanted folks who are fully committed to making the Bombers better. Being away during camp and again during the season isn't being fully committed IMHO.

Damn. I was hoping we'd get Lauent.

In IE8 it's called an InPrivate window. CTRL/SHIFT/P. In Chrome it's called Incognito. CTRL/SHIFT/N.

Just open it in a new incognito window, your number of read articles number goes back to zero.

I know this was meant as a joke, but surely you know that the issue isn't the "free" part. First, the service provided was essentially a shuttle service (Park and Ride), with direct routes to the stadium that aren't provided by the city's regular bus routes. Eliminating this service means people have to take a regular city bus, which from some locations is damn near impossible, and from others is extremely impractical. A system where the fans are asked to pony up the difference between what the Bombers are willing to pay and what the city is asking would be great, if it weren't for the fact that the city said a "pay" shuttle is not possible (for reasons that escape me now). It was meant as a joke... It's sorta 'funny' cuz it's true Everyone agrees that a bus service of some sort is needed. The Bombers don't want to pay for it. The city doesn't want to pay for it. The fans don't want to pay for it. Everyone seems to think it's someone else's responsibility. Bus service in the cities I've lived in (Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, Merida) are similar. Good on some routes, bad on others, and damn near impossible on the rest. Sure, you can take the train in Calgary and Vancouver, but most people have to get to it first, which makes it the same as taking a bus to a second bus to get to the stadium. Some bars in the Canadian cities offer shuttle services to the stadium for a fee. I shake my head and sometimes do a face palm when I see how entitled folks in Winnipeg think they are. you cant honestly believe your bs of winnipegers entitlement, we want decent and more organized transit, thats not entitlement thats a tax payers right, about time our "elected officials" start serving the public instead of there own get re-elected bs. The bombers and the city had a deal and the city completely blind sided the bombers. I think miller wouldnt back down and im glad he wouldnt. Were not entitled were pissed off Talking about BS! You're 'entitled' to free rides to and from sporting events because you pay taxes. Give your head a shake. You don't really believe that do you? You're pissed off because you might have to pay to get to and from games like almost every other CFL fan does (I understand that Edmonton and Ottawa have free rides). The Bombers asked the city to pick up the tab and the transit folks agreed. The City council, who had to actually come up with the money to pay for it, didn't agree. Millar knew all along that it might be voted down and he said so a month or two ago. Now it's time for plan B, which will be announced on Monday.

Just to get this thing signed.... Beer for everyone else. Rum and Coke for me. What kind of beer? I know nothing about beer, so your choice.

Just to get this thing signed.... Beer for everyone else. Rum and Coke for me.

I counter with 5.2M cap this year going up by $75K per year and forget about re-opening up the 'Tied to Revenue' talk in a couple of years. The TSN money isn't going up each year and other costs do go up each year, so the teams are going to have to raise additional revenue on their own to pay for the yearly increases. Rookies don't vote, so min salary raised to 50K with yearly 5% increases. 1K signing bonus per rookie and 6K for the vets cuz they vote. Any competent trainer can do the concussion tests and neurologist's cost money, so counter with a team doctor at every game. I'm not into beer so Rum and Cokes all round. *walks out* and that's why we have labour disputes.

I counter with 5.2M cap this year going up by $75K per year and forget about re-opening up the 'Tied to Revenue' talk in a couple of years. The TSN money isn't going up each year and other costs do go up each year, so the teams are going to have to raise additional revenue on their own to pay for the yearly increases. Rookies don't vote, so min salary raised to 50K with yearly 5% increases. 1K signing bonus per rookie and 6K for the vets cuz they vote. Any competent trainer can do the concussion tests and neurologist's cost money, so counter with a team doctor at every game. I'm not into beer so Rum and Cokes all round.

I'm expecting the league to counter eventually. The players still want too much IMHO. 15K signing bonuses? Really? I guess the guys with contracts finally realized that they don't get anything except a signing bonus this year.

Day 1 doesn't tell us much, but IT'S FOOTBALL TIME AGAIN! I'll take any info folks who are lucky enough to go out to the practice can give me. I don't care if you're a wanna be GM or a Fan Boy or anything in between. Just post your views and let me live vicariously through your eyes. Thanks.

I know this was meant as a joke, but surely you know that the issue isn't the "free" part. First, the service provided was essentially a shuttle service (Park and Ride), with direct routes to the stadium that aren't provided by the city's regular bus routes. Eliminating this service means people have to take a regular city bus, which from some locations is damn near impossible, and from others is extremely impractical. A system where the fans are asked to pony up the difference between what the Bombers are willing to pay and what the city is asking would be great, if it weren't for the fact that the city said a "pay" shuttle is not possible (for reasons that escape me now). It was meant as a joke... It's sorta 'funny' cuz it's true Everyone agrees that a bus service of some sort is needed. The Bombers don't want to pay for it. The city doesn't want to pay for it. The fans don't want to pay for it. Everyone seems to think it's someone else's responsibility. Bus service in the cities I've lived in (Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, Merida) are similar. Good on some routes, bad on others, and damn near impossible on the rest. Sure, you can take the train in Calgary and Vancouver, but most people have to get to it first, which makes it the same as taking a bus to a second bus to get to the stadium. Some bars in the Canadian cities offer shuttle services to the stadium for a fee. I shake my head and sometimes do a face palm when I see how entitled folks in Winnipeg think they are.

Leaning towards the owners offer isn't anti-union. It's pro-CFL. Most folks around here want to see the players get raises and to see some CFL football being played. A 10% raise and a 3K signing bonus is a way better offer than most people on these boards will get this year.

That idea doesn't fly either. Players have 6 months of time that they can choose to use to do anything they want, including having another job. Training is an unpaid requirement of a pro football career. Most professions have an unpaid training requirement too, it's just not in the gym.

That certainly explains why the union gets the financial statements.

A few points of clarity: 1. It's about the money. Most of the non-money issues have already been agreed upon. 2. Profit sharing is by definition about the money. 3. All teams except Regina have submitted their numbers to the players association (See the PA press conference). Not sure why the union thinks its their business though. 4. There is no problem getting young players to sign for $45K a season, and that's just for 6 months work, so no, it's not too low. If the CFL couldn't find players to take the minimum, they'd have to raise it. 5. All professionals have to do work they don't get paid for. In pro sports, that's keeping yourself in top shape. If you don't, you won't make the team and you won't get paid. 6. The players gave up Revenue sharing last contract because there was no revenue to share. Now that there is, they want it back. They will need to give some concessions if they want revenue sharing because the league isn't going to just give it back. (No talk from the player about any kind of concessions) 7. Most Pro leagues don't have revenue sharing, just the top 4. They also have billions of dollars, lots of teams to spread out the risk and only take the best players in their sport. The CFL doesn't have any of those things. 8. The players have been negotiating in the media since talks started. Kind of two faced of them to complain about the league doing it too. 9. Twitter comments bother some and don't bother others. Best course of action for the players is to stop them. 10. Revenue sharing appears to be the hill both sides are willing to die on. The league has deeper pockets, so I expect they win.

Strikes never make any financial sense and this one would make even less than most as the only players getting more money this year would be the ones who are making league minimum. I've read that some players contracts have a % boost based on the new agreement, so those players will also get an increase, but the vast majority of players will get nothing in return for going out on strike. In short, the offer doesn't give each player an x% increase on their current contract, it just increases the total salaries for all players on a team.

Flory's letter is bush league compared to Cohons. I agree with Mike.... get back to the table and get a deal worked out.

It has been a long time since the Als didn't have a Hall of Fame QB. They didn't have one last year and still made the playoffs.