JuranBoldenRules

The problem with Toronto is venue. It's a losing proposition playing in that cavern. They get themselves into a facility more suited to the CFL .. the organization becomes a lot more palatable. The bigger problem is that there is no venue as of the end of the 2017 season, notwithstanding any behind the scenes wheel spinning. Also that the franchise has a 2 decade record of financial futility.

The Argos only hope is MLSE. Hopefully the league doesn't allow a group like Cynamon and Sokalowski who were bankrolled by the rest of the league and flubbed away any hope the Argos had of having a football facility to play in. I feel like the league will end up operating the Argos.

It's nearly impossible to call plays based on who is on the field and who is not when guys are rotating. Labbe already plays in some of our 2nd and long packages, so it really won't make a difference, Sherman essentially takes the dime role. We will have more NI's on the field than necessary for many plays.

You're probably right. That transaction probably just indicates that the Argos let him go to join our roster. Last time I can remember us starting two American tackles the same week we brought them in was in 05 when we brought in John Feugill and Dan Goodspeed. Feugill had played with the Argos before though. At least one of those guys turned out, hopefully one of these two does.

Matt Norman stunk at guard. BC was extremely desperate and he stood in relatively well. They didn't really have another option, and they've been in that position where they are tossing guys to the wolves for several seasons now, including bringing in a guy who had essentially been banished from the league (Jesse Newman), dressing a coach who had been retired (Kelly Bates), bring in a 450 lb'er who couldn't play on the worst line in the league (Kabongo) and Angus Reid, who they've been trying to replace since 2009. Norman is a good fit at centre because he is never going to fire out of his stance and move someone, at his best he'll get in the way and maybe seal a gap in the run game at least get his ass toward the ball, but you hardly see BC run anything but off-tackle because to try to hide their OL.

Too bad they couldn't bring in at least one tackle with some CFL experience given they'd be playing after two practices. Even if these guys are supremely talented it could be a mess out there, although that wouldn't stay too far from the norm.

Carter and Black don't play defence. McCullough couldn't even hold a gap last week when the Argos ran the ball down their throats in the 4th quarter. Don't apply for a scouting job with the Bombers this off-season please!

That's kind of an ignorant take. Starting a guy who's arguably a top 5 NI LB in the league is a disaster, but starting a guy who was a hardly above average CIS DB at safety is a good idea? I am assuming that you misread and are not referring to Labbe as a top five NI LB... This isn't a witchunt for Labbe... its just that we already went down this road in 2011 and it cost us dearly. He is just too slow, that's the way it goes... Name 5 NI LB's who are better defenders than Labbe. Emry, Muamba, Pottinger and Yurichuk? Maybe. Brouillette? As a DB/SAM, ya. Hurl? Can't play D yet. Plesius? Probably too fat to play LB in the CFL. With Butler playing LB now you can put him in the 5. That's a hybrid spot though, he doesn't really play in the box, essentially a nickelback or roving safety. He'd be comparable to Brouillette. DB's.

I wouldn't expect Reinders to be ready to play this season, at least at a professional level. He's a freak of nature trying to learn how to be a football player.

That's kind of an ignorant take. Starting a guy who's arguably a top 5 NI LB in the league is a disaster, but starting a guy who was a hardly above average CIS DB at safety is a good idea? I am assuming that you misread and are not referring to Labbe as a top five NI LB... This isn't a witchunt for Labbe... its just that we already went down this road in 2011 and it cost us dearly. He is just too slow, that's the way it goes... Name 5 NI LB's who are better defenders than Labbe. Emry, Muamba, Pottinger and Yurichuk? Maybe. Brouillette? As a DB/SAM, ya. Hurl? Can't play D yet. Plesius? Probably too fat to play LB in the CFL.

That's kind of an ignorant take. Starting a guy who's arguably a top 5 NI LB in the league is a disaster, but starting a guy who was a hardly above average CIS DB at safety is a good idea?

Dirty IMO. He wasn't in a position to make a form tackle, he took a terrible route to the ball and he stuck his facemask out as Kackert had him turned inside out, essentially a headbutt. Textbook headshot, principle point of contact is Kackert's head, even worse that he led with his own head. Dangerous for everyone involved including Brackenridge, doesn't belong in any sport. Maybe the Argo guys on the field didn't really see it, and Brackenridge ran to his sideline right away, but something as stupid and dangerous like that should have immediate repercussions.

Boatman is upper body (slow reaction time), mid-body (no bend in the hips) and lower body (no foot speed).

We suck either way. Volny can at least block someone in the pass game. Ford is 50-50.

Maybe Thomas should work on converting to OL over the off-season. Could extend his career.

He's had a bad injury history but I would jump on that one - he would be an instant upgrade Injury history? Weekly paper cuts to stay on the injured list, sometimes really deep ones to go on the 9 game?

Randle looks very talented, receiving and returning too. Same body as Roberts...except there's videos of him training on YouTube.

Start with "find a billionaire owner who can use millions in yearly losses on operations as a tax write-off" and we'll have a chance to fulfill the rest.

I don't think the premise of trading Muamba is the one that's being criticized here, it's the idea that a pending FA who was a pain in the ass to get signed to an entry level deal with an agent that lots of GMs won't give the time of day to who has already said he'll be a pain in the ass to sign this time has the kind of value that he could bring in a qb that is actually going to make a difference. It's that plus he wasn't even motivated enough to research enough to find out that one of the guys he mentioned us trading for is ALSO a pending free agent (Collaros) that makes me hate this article. And that the optimistic projection is that Ray is out until the middle of October. Collaros could be starting playoff games, but I guess that doesn't matter if you have a shot at a very good Canadian linebacker.

It's embarrassing to have either starting for us in a league where every team has a young QB winning games for them. Hall isn't good enough, and it's useless to compare him to Goltz, he is clearly a more refined passer but still woefully deficient. Couldn't score a TD against a quarter of prevent defence, constantly throwing at the safety, not setting his feet and having his passes float and flutter. This season is done, we should treat the rest of the season as an extended exhibition and find out if there is any QB in town currently with a future in this league.

If Hall has a "quick release," it must be opposite day. He's more decisive in the pocket than Goltz, that does not equal a quick release, and Hall doesn't have one.

Nobody doubts that Muamba is likely going to test free agency on both sides of the border. Kyle Walters just said it publicly last week.

Well...when you write a column that is akin to writing "Byfuglien doesn't want to be a Jet, Trade him for Crosby or Giroux," how much respect do you deserve.

Maybe. I would say you are under-valuing Muamba's worth to the rest of the league though. He is a very good player with the chance to develop into an all-star. A playoff team won't trade a player off their 42 at this point of the season, let alone their current starting QB. If Muamba hits the market he'll have offers from 9 teams, but that doesn't really equate to trade value in Week 13. At best we'd get a draft pick. Look at the guys we just acquired...Parenteau, not playing, Foster, not playing.

Just brutal analysis. For someone so "connected," he writes like a guy who's been stuck behind a screen playing Madden where you just hit "sign" and the guy is on your roster. Our city should trade for some sports columnists who aren't ham-fisted. In the CFL, and most pro leagues, if you are offering, you are unlikely to get value. Mitchell and Collaros could very well be starting for their teams into the playoffs, and they are both on 1st place teams. If you think a team is going to trade a QB that is winning games for them for a linebacker at this point of the season, you're crazy. There isn't going to be any significant trade market until after the Grey Cup.