TBURGESS

If that's what you think I'm saying then you're choosing not to understand. I started saying that the we and Calgary look like the top two teams. That's nothing like the sky is falling. We're making at least 7 changes to starters this year and that's before the new guys get a chance to show what they've got and before any injuries. We're replacing all stars with backups. We're still without a second go to receiver. CFL teams are built around their lines and their Canadian talent. We took big hits to our O line and our Canadian talent. We stuck to our spreadsheet max numbers so we only managed one top end FA signing and a second level player. Luckily, the rest of the teams in the West also lost good players and are making several changes. I'd say the BC is the only western team that looks to be better now than they were last year. Good enough to keep us in 3rd again? We'll see, but even if that happens, the sky isn't falling.

Couture started 2 games in 3 years. He's mostly been used in the short yardage team. That's not being a starter. It's being a backup who has had to start a couple of times due to injury to the starters. Foketti's an import who has also started 2 games in 3 years. If we have to start him, we have to start an extra NI somewhere else. I hope that doesn't happen unless the CFL reduces the number of NI starters required. Gray's a prospect. None of the above would be starters if Chungh/Goosen were still around. Being 'close to being a starter' isn't being a starter. It isn't being as good as the starter. It's not being an upgrade over last years starter. 'Not out of the realm of possibility' isn't the same as it's probable. We didn't plan on getting Bighill. We didn't save SMS room to get Bighill. We lucked into getting Bighill. If it wasn't for Double-Doosh taking the money and running, we wouldn't have had the SMS money for Bighill. Matthews ended up in Calgary last year because they obviously valued him more than we did. We didn't go hard after him, which was a mistake IMO. I doubt we're waiting for him to shake free this year. Goosen didn't take over from an all-star. I like Woli, but heir apparent to Dressler and better than him too? That's what it would take for him to be an upgrade. I'm guessing you think Peterman could be the 3rd NI receiver? He'd have to add 500 yards to last years output, which is more than 3 times his yardage to get to Woli's last years production. That's what would have to happen to make Woli/Peterman a ratio upgrade.

I wouldn't have re-signed Dressler, but we still have to replace him. We know Coulture/Gray's names, but they haven't been starters before and they wouldn't be starters this year if we'd been able to keep Chungh/Goosen. Randle was a SMS decision IMO. He didn't have any problem finding a new job, neither did Fogg (although I don't think he's a big loss) for that matter. We could have afforded JSK and Loffler, especially considering we didn't manage to sign any of the top receivers. I think JSK was worth more than we offered. Loffler matters because of his passport and because we lost 2 other starting NI's. I roll my eyes at fans who think we can magically replace 3 all star NI's with their backups and not miss a step. Not sure why you're bringing Bighill up. Great signing, but not an upgrade from last year. Bombers aren't the only team in a good spot to pay NFL cuts or rejects.

I'm wondering where they mark the ball. Start of the slide. End of the slide. Likely can't hit a sliding QB, but maybe when he's touched? Is diving forward a slide? Is slowing down a football move or giving up? Is pretending to slide, then taking an extra 4 or 5 yards when the defender slows up OK? There's a lotta wiggle room here for QB's and a lot of chances for fans to complain about the spot and the calls.

He should spend whatever time it takes to try and solve the big issues like Montreal, Toronto and the CFLPA. GM's don't know how much money they have to spend, but the have to offer contracts anyway. Think that makes for a better CFL? IF eyes meant money, then OK, but more eyes don't automatically mean more money. It just means more eyes. IF he doesn't get a TV deal in Mexico and Europe then it's all been for nothing. You must be a big Nero fan.... keep on fiddling while Rome burns or in this case keep on fiddling with stuff that might not ever matter while letting the big problems fester.

Maybe the Commish will be outta town. Latvia this time?😄

No, I think he should focus on what's important right now over what may be important somewhere in the future. I disagree. Media attention isn't worth anything unless it increases viewership or revenue. Mexican and European eyes on the CFL doesn't do either.

CFL 2.0 is a dumb thing to waste time on when Montreal might have to be taken over by the league, Toronto can't get enough folks out for the team to make money. and the new deal hasn't been signed with the CFLPA yet. Those should be the Commish's priorities.

I forgot about Rose, so it's 7 down and 2 up. Gray is a rookie who has never started a pro game in his life.

Calgary and Winnipeg look like front runners ATM. Neither look to be as good as they were last year due to losing bunch of good players We lost 7 starters for various reasons (Chungh, Dressler, Fogg, Goosen, JSK, Loffler, Randle, including 3 NI's who were all stars of some type) and brought in 1 upgrade, Jefferson. BC's got to be better with Reilly, Grymes, Chungh and the guy folks love to hate Carter. I don't see anyone on the list that they'll worry too much about replacing unless they lose Elimimian to SMS issues. BC was the same as Edmonton last year and they took the Esks QB. It will be interesting to see if they can play with the top 2 teams or if they are fighting it out for a playoff spot. Edmonton did the best they could after losing Reilly. I like the receivers they brought in. They weren't losing because of offence, it was their defence that stank, so guys like Dean, JSK and Orange should help. If the defence can drop the points against by 7-10 from last year, they got a chance for a western playoff spot. If not, it's 4th or 5th. Riders won on defence last year and it won't be as good this year. They needed to upgrade their receivers (Watson and Arceneaux are over the hill) and O line and I don't see that they did that. I see them dropping way down in the standings, maybe out of the playoffs.

I didn't find it that cold. Even opened my jacket up in the 3rd Q. Everyone was crammed in so tight, we were all sharing body heat and keeping each other out of the wind. That and the 'Hot Chocolate' we were passing around kept us very warm indeed.

Too bad for the players. Some will get CFL jobs, some will get XFL jobs, some will get Arena league jobs, but most will be out of pro football completely. Any good OC's available for the Ottawa job?

It's not assuming anything of the sort. PLAP likely didn't even get a chance to interview or get an offer so we'll never know if he'd have taken the job. Truthfully tho, I'd say he'd seriously look at a taking a job that paid more money in US$ and gave him a 2 year contract. More US college sports eyes on his work might be a stepping stone to even more money and free education for his kids. Worse case scenario is that he could come back to the CFL and interview for HC jobs.

Ottawa wouldn't let Elizondo interview for the Riders HC job. He took the first opportunity to get out of town. Good thing that Trestman wanted him instead of PLAP or else we'd be the team looking for a new OC today.

How many folks in Winnipeg would be willing to pay to watch an NFL preseason game? Would the Bombers be able to even half fill the stadium? I kinda doubt it.

Agree with most of what's been written. I liked DB Lee too.

They sign a contract saying they will participate in all drills before they get their plane ticket. Don't want to participate... don't sign and don't go. Simple as that. Frankly, not participating after you've said you would is a huge red flag for me. I wouldn't draft them until the 3rd round or later, and yes, I know that means I wouldn't get to draft them at all.

Challenges shouldn't be used for 50/50 calls! They should only be for obvious mistakes. In which case, they could all be handled by the eye in the sky. (That would have fixed the Saints problem for sure) Coaches will use as many challenges as they have. Just look at the mess we were in before the league took 'extra' challenges away.

Don't like refs calling intent. I doubt they will get it right most of the time. More challenges = more fishing attempts late in games. Don't like that at all. I like the 'Eye In The Sky' getting more involved, but I worry that it will slow the game down. 25 yard penalties? 2 majors and you're out? Yellow and Red cards for the soccer fans too? Absolutely no need for QB giving themselves up whistle, just slide feet first. No need for any of the new kicking rules. Just unnecessary changes that make it more difficult for the refs and the average fan.

An average of Canadian Starters vs American Starters, by position, would make the most sense. Even NI starters vs Imp starters makes more sense than average NI vs average Imp without QB's.

I couldn't care less if there are any NI QB's in the league, but if there are, then they should be considered NI's. If that means teams roster one, just to have an extra DI, so be it. They'll pay dearly if they ever need to use the NI QB and he isn't good enough. As for having a 4th QB spot designated just for a NI... That's a hard no from me.

My take: We're talking about not guaranteeing jobs for the 9 or 18 worst NI's in the league. It won't make any difference to the current Canadian stars. It won't make any difference to most of the Canadian starters. 1 or 2 a team may get pushed out of starting spots. If a Canadian is better or equal to the American he's competing against, the Canadian still gets the job. Teams could roster more NI's than they have to. It won't matter to most fans, just the super fans like the folks around here. Average fans likely don't even know how the NI rules work. It doesn't mean that only certain spots will be Canadian. Having a NI RB is the same as having a NI LB or an NI OL. It will reduce the difference between NI and Import salaries for the same positions. It will reduce the salaries of some NI's. It will increase the skill level without additional cost. It will decrease the problems that occur when a NI starter gets hurt. It should make for better football overall.

CFL, CFLPA could lower the number of Canadian starters: sources - https://3downnation.com/2019/03/16/cfl-cflpa-could-lower-the-number-of-canadian-starters-sources/ I'm both happy and surprised at this.

I'm old enough to remember the territorial protection in the CFL. Teams paid for players college and they got very involved at the high school level to find the best prospects early on. There were always home town hero's on every team. It was a great system, especially in the west.

The quality of NI's gets a bit better every year. The best go to the NFL at least for a while. What we need is ENOUGH good NI's to have 7 or more starters on each team. There aren't enough of them to go round, let alone enough good NI's to fill every teams NI needs. That's why Canucks are paid so much more than imports.