James

Seems pretty straightforward, they will be using a DI spot for the backup RB, who will get some amount of returner duty. Perhaps all. I don't think anyone will dispute that 2011 Messam is a better RB than Volny. Who knows what he is now. He can't hold a job despite being a potential ratio-breaker, so he's probably not really a ratio-breaker anymore. However, for the sake of argument, let's say his superiority over Volny is not in dispute. I don't think anyone will dispute that Volny is a better ST player than Messam, since Messam doesn't play teams. So if Volny is not likely to touch the ball as a RB more than twice a game all season (rewarding the worker bees) but plays 18 snaps a game on teams, which Messam can't replace, and Messam is unlikely to get any more snaps at RB because our DI is outright better, then yeah, Messam is a waste of a roster spot. If his last name was Etienne you'd all be losing your minds about how big a waste of a roster spot he would be. Unless they want to DI a guy like aaron woods for returner and still have a good RB on the roster You know there's one more DI spot on the roster this year, right? It's up to 4. OShea is saying he's using one of those spots on a backup RB. That's why upgrading Volny to Messam is irrelevant. It accomplishes nothing. Cotton needs a rest, Ford goes in. Not Volny. Messam being better than Volny doesn't help the Bombers get better, unless he can play Oline, Dline, LB. Something like that. I'm all about upgrades but there has to be a point. OShea is telling you there is no point. Interesting... I was assuming we were using a DI on DB, LB, DL and Returner. If that returner is Aaron Woods, than we'll need a good Canuck and back up RB. Messam could fit that bill IMO... then we could pull our other import off the reserve for the following game.

What... Like, arts and crafts?

Canadian vs import. Crappy vs exceptional. Start a Canadian somewhere else. where? CFL rosters are always built by slotting in your top canadians then filling imports around them and given the injuries we've had Thomas is one of the best we have. I personally think we would be better off with 6 on offence and one at field corner

How does everyone feel about Richardson? I haven't seen that guy play at all

Canadian vs import. Crappy vs exceptional. Start a Canadian somewhere else.

Seems pretty straightforward, they will be using a DI spot for the backup RB, who will get some amount of returner duty. Perhaps all. I don't think anyone will dispute that 2011 Messam is a better RB than Volny. Who knows what he is now. He can't hold a job despite being a potential ratio-breaker, so he's probably not really a ratio-breaker anymore. However, for the sake of argument, let's say his superiority over Volny is not in dispute. I don't think anyone will dispute that Volny is a better ST player than Messam, since Messam doesn't play teams. So if Volny is not likely to touch the ball as a RB more than twice a game all season (rewarding the worker bees) but plays 18 snaps a game on teams, which Messam can't replace, and Messam is unlikely to get any more snaps at RB because our DI is outright better, then yeah, Messam is a waste of a roster spot. If his last name was Etienne you'd all be losing your minds about how big a waste of a roster spot he would be. Unless they want to DI a guy like aaron woods for returner and still have a good RB on the roster

Boooo towards Thomas over Anderson...

I have no problem with these cuts... Hoping to see Peach and Vega as the DEs come game one I was perturbed about the Nzegwu release when it happened... I was really hoping he'd be the next import pass rusher to dominate in the phill hunt/Alex hall level

Im pretty sure its going to suck With Jake Thomas and Kenny Tate getting a majority of the reps on the dline... but I look forward to it!

What difference does it make? If we're playing decent defence it doesn't matter. Sure sack totals look nice but is rather have a defence that turns the ball over than tally sacks like the 3-15 bombers. his defenses don't turn the ball over either. Maybe if some of the guys we have are natural ball hawks we will... but I have fairly low expectations in this area as well

some more then others its a lot easier to build a dominant defense than offence in an off season.. we needed this to be competitive this year, and IMO we completely threw that out the window when we hired Gary. I sure hope I'm wrong!

sure, if you think 30 to 35 sacks a year is classified as good pressure you'll be very happy this year mike

I think we might find a way to keep all 4

You're also cherry picking a bit, but I'm sure you knew that. It's easy to say that Etcheverry's defense was weak in 2010 (especially their defensive line) after he lost a ton of personnel from the previous season. And hey, they still went to the Grey Cup. None of that makes him a great or even a good defensive coordinator, but cherry picking statistics that have everything to do with personnel that won't be wearing blue and gold makes little sense. Maybe for speculation. But to use it and try to prove anything definitively? Not likely. sure, i was cherry picking... but he still sucks Plus I was tired of everyone saying "hey he got to the cup so he's a good DC" when he was definitely NOT the reason they got to the cup. The fire Etch now crowd...sounds just like the comments posters in the Sun's sports stories Like I said earlier, firing him is not the best move right now. we just need to give him a real short leash and a choke chain

no That's not necessarily true. Who else made Stevie Baggs a sack leader? how many sacks did the other guys get? compared to what we're used to seeing, our defense is going to look pretty craptacular in this area

no

You're also cherry picking a bit, but I'm sure you knew that. It's easy to say that Etcheverry's defense was weak in 2010 (especially their defensive line) after he lost a ton of personnel from the previous season. And hey, they still went to the Grey Cup. None of that makes him a great or even a good defensive coordinator, but cherry picking statistics that have everything to do with personnel that won't be wearing blue and gold makes little sense. Maybe for speculation. But to use it and try to prove anything definitively? Not likely. sure, i was cherry picking... but he still sucks Plus I was tired of everyone saying "hey he got to the cup so he's a good DC" when he was definitely NOT the reason they got to the cup.

In 2010 Etchevary's defence in Saskatchewan was dead last in the following categories. Fewest first downs rushing, fewest yards net rushing, avg yards rushing per game, avg gain per rush, lowest pass % completed, most interceptions. He was also second last in fewest points. He was third last in net offence per game and avg yards offence per game. He was also third last in QB sacks with 38. He does have decent stats against the pass(which I suspected from watching his defences in the past, and because of the way he lines everybody up), but it certainly doesn't make up for how terrible he is in every other area. My "panic" Is not from the pre season games

I don't necessarily think firing him would be a good idea. I think he was probably the best guy to get who was available and willing to come here at the time. I just really would like OShea to put a very tight leash on him and get heavily involved. If that means stepping on his toes and doing things etch doesn't want... Then so be it. Etch has middle of the pack to good defences against the pass... But against the run he is atrocious! The other guys won't need to get more then 200 yards passing to wallop our defence, because they will routinely get 200 yards rushing.

I wish, you'll have your usual bomber supporters who will blindly give excuses and support whoever is on staff bash you and say its way to early, but reality is Etchevary's not a good DC. It was simply a bad hire.With who we have where, I don't see our run game getting any better. I used to think our pass defence would be good, but I'm starting to doubt that to. With Anderson sitting, we only have one, maybe two effective pass rushers on the DLine. Etch has been a successful DC in this league . So has Greg Marshall.

I wish, you'll have your usual bomber supporters who will blindly give excuses and support whoever is on staff bash you and say its way to early, but reality is Etchevary's not a good DC. It was simply a bad hire.With who we have where, I don't see our run game getting any better. I used to think our pass defence would be good, but I'm starting to doubt that to. With Anderson sitting, we only have one, maybe two effective pass rushers on the DLine. It's not blind support. And if it is, then your discontent is blind as well. Maybe he's not a good DC, it's not unlikely by any stretch. But when you're unconventional, preseason isn't going to be where the determination is made His body of work in this league is more than large enough for us to form an opinion on his work. Just because it's only pre season doesn't mean we can't know what we're in for this year. What was Sask's record during his three year tenure as DC? It did include three winning seasons and two grey cup trips.If he can get his defence to buy in then it will be enough to put us in a position to win. That's a pretty decent step in the right direction for a franchise at an all time low if you ask me. Doesn't matter what sasks record was, they were very unimpressed with Etchevary's defence and in 2010 they were second last in points against. They were good despite etch, certainly not because of him. To think otherwise is completely naive and blind faith

I think Brohm is the better QB, but I sure hope he doesn't play much this year

I wish, you'll have your usual bomber supporters who will blindly give excuses and support whoever is on staff bash you and say its way to early, but reality is Etchevary's not a good DC. It was simply a bad hire.With who we have where, I don't see our run game getting any better. I used to think our pass defence would be good, but I'm starting to doubt that to. With Anderson sitting, we only have one, maybe two effective pass rushers on the DLine. It's not blind support. And if it is, then your discontent is blind as well. Maybe he's not a good DC, it's not unlikely by any stretch. But when you're unconventional, preseason isn't going to be where the determination is made His body of work in this league is more than large enough for us to form an opinion on his work. Just because it's only pre season doesn't mean we can't know what we're in for this year.

No, he'll be just fine, the defence will be why we suck IMO

Same her