iso_55

Ben Cahoon was released by BYU as a receiver coach before last season. He'd make a pretty good receiver coach as he knows the CFL really well.

I'd think March 2016 would make the most sense as by that time the coldest of the cold weather would be finished with.

Yes, I know what you mean. Just beefing up the personnel dept & scouting is huge. There does seem to be a different vibe about this team now.

Not only is this big news for Jon Cornish, it's big, big news for the CFL. It's the first time since 1969 (Russ Jackson) that a CFL player won this prestigious award. It means to me that sports journalists down east may be perceiving the CFL in a positive light & it is about time. I believe this is only the third time a CFL player has ever won this award. Congratulations to Jon Cornish. Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Cornish+wins+Marsh+Award+Canada+athlete+year/9265011/story.html

When one team goes over the cap over and over again, does that cause it to cross a line from breaking the rules to cheating? Great question, Jacquie.

Andre Proulx isn't very good. How many years has dat guy worked for the CFL? Tabernac!

Popp isn't a dummy. But it must be frustrating for teams right now. Everybody will be glad when this draft is over.

SPuDS, you had faith in a guy who I & a lot of other people believe tore this organization apart. If anyone had become jaded about the Bombers it was me with everything that has gone on with this team the past few years. I admit that I wasn't convinced Kyle Walters was the right guy to lead this team managerially but listening to him talk about his vision of the team, the way he handles the media & the guys he has hired in the personnel department I decided that I'd give him & now Mike O'Shea my full support because to me, it's a complete clean slate. The team looks to have bottomed out & until these guys show they are unable to do their jobs, I'll be behind them. I'm tired of being a disillusioned fan. I want to feel there is hope in the future. I hope I'm right.

There's also Al Bradbury. He's a young official & seems to be doing an alright job.

That's a valid question. Who knows? Benevides obviously wants to go in a different direction, that's for sure. What I think is that if the Lions have another season like last year It'll be Benevides walking the plank. From everything I've read, Wally believes that the Lions are better than their record indicates.

I get my butt hurt as you say when fans start saying a guy like Stubler is lazy. I just shake my head. We haven't had a coach like that on our team for years & yet some are complaining or now questioning his supposed hiring. The other thing, these guys put in long, long hours everyday during the season. Maybe the guy was just having a bad day. Former Stamps OL coach Dan Dorazio used to get to McMahon Stadium at 3:30 am every morning during the season & I read he used to leave at 7 pm at night. George Cortez would sleep in. He'd come in at 4:15 am & leave whenever many hours later... The life of a coach is a hard one. SPuDs I have no doubt that once Stubler is announced as the new DC you'll be his biggest booster because we know that's how you roll. Smiley, SpuDs... I'm using a smiley here....

You "caught" an Eskimos practice once & watched anywhere from 5 minutes to maybe two hours on the field. You based what you consider is his work ethic just on that. One practice for however long you were there. You never sat in on the defensive meetings. You never saw Stubler break down film. You never saw him conduct a defensive meeting with all of his players in the meeting rooms. You never saw the meetings he conducted with his defensive assistants focusing on getting ready for the next opponent. You never saw the discussions he had with the Esks head coach at the time. You never saw the preparation that he may have done in the Eskimo offices. You don't know what was happening behind the scenes nor do you know what the defense was focusing on during practice that day. But simply based on your observations of one practice his potential hire scares you? We could hire Wally Buono & there'd be fans bitching about that, too. No matter what O'Shea does, someone will always be there to say whatever he does is a mistake. Here's what I think. This is O'Shea's first gig as a head coach. He can't afford to make a mistake & screw up hiring his coaches, especially at the coordinator positions. O'Shea trusts Stubler. He already knows the kind of coach that he is. Also, being an assistant coach in the CFL with the Argos he'd know thru the coaches grapevine if Stubler has become lazy & was just mailing it in with the Lions because he's 64. If O'Shea thinks Rich Stubler is the answer than have a little faith that he knows what he's doing hiring the guy. Stubler has proven he can run a great defense. I think having him here will be a great hire by Mike O'Shea. No offense, but we (you included) all do the same thing here every day. We use limited knowledge to form grand opinions about something we know nothing about. You despised Joe Mack and are worried about Kyle Walters in the same way, but you've never spent any time with them either. No different. No offense taken but I do know a pro coach doesn't just mail it in which is what was being hinted at here. The Lions may have released or fired Stubler for a lot of reasons but I would be shocked if being lazy was one of them. No way Wally & Benevides would have put up with that from anyone for any length of time & he was there for 2 seasons.

You "caught" an Eskimos practice once & watched anywhere from 5 minutes to maybe two hours on the field. You based what you consider is his work ethic just on that. You never sat in on the defensive meetings. You never saw Stubler break down film. You never saw him conduct a defensive meeting with all of his players in the meeting rooms. You never saw the preparation that he may have done in the Eskimo offices. You don't know what was happening behind the scenes nor do you know what the defense was focusing on during that practice that day. But simply based on your observations of one practice his potential hire scares you? We could hire Wally Buono & there'd be fans bitching about that, too. Unbelievable. You are correct which is why I am giving O'Shea the benefit of the doubt. Fact is though seen I've hundreds of practices but never seen what Stubler did that day. He sat on the bench and did not participate at all until his segment came up. I heard him make a joke about not wanting to get up, walked onto the field and right back to the bench when he was finished. I was astonished, never seen it before or since. He just looked like a burn out. I hope it's an anomaly. You should also know then that on different days the defense will be participating more one practice & less the next therefore the DC will be coaching accordingly. CFL practices aren't very hard like they used to be.. There's no real hitting in full pads anymore. A lot of the practices aren't full speed. It's not like it was 30 years ago when coaches would have full contact drills in full pads. Times have changed. I used to bike down as a teenager & go watch the Bombers when Jim Spavital was head coach from 1970 thru the 73 season & those guys hit & hit & hit every practice all year. They were always in full equipment. Spavital was the kind of coach as was his DC at the time who were constantly in players faces screaming & yelling. They were never happy & never satisfied & let their players know it. The four letter words were flying in practice. They ruled by fear. Like I said, times have changed.

You "caught" an Eskimos practice once & watched anywhere from 5 minutes to maybe two hours on the field. You based what you consider is his work ethic just on that. One practice for however long you were there. You never sat in on the defensive meetings. You never saw Stubler break down film. You never saw him conduct a defensive meeting with all of his players in the meeting rooms. You never saw the meetings he conducted with his defensive assistants focusing on getting ready for the next opponent. You never saw the discussions he had with the Esks head coach at the time. You never saw the preparation that he may have done in the Eskimo offices. You don't know what was happening behind the scenes nor do you know what the defense was focusing on during practice that day. But simply based on your observations of one practice his potential hire scares you? We could hire Wally Buono & there'd be fans bitching about that, too. No matter what O'Shea does, someone will always be there to say whatever he does is a mistake. Here's what I think. This is O'Shea's first gig as a head coach. He can't afford to make a mistake & screw up hiring his coaches, especially at the coordinator positions. O'Shea trusts Stubler. He already knows the kind of coach that he is. Also, being an assistant coach in the CFL with the Argos he'd know thru the coaches grapevine if Stubler has become lazy & was just mailing it in with the Lions because he's 64. If O'Shea thinks Rich Stubler is the answer than have a little faith that he knows what he's doing hiring the guy. Stubler has proven he can run a great defense. I think having him here will be a great hire by Mike O'Shea.

Yesterday's man? I don't think so. Not even close. Fourth job in five years. Has to be said. What has to be said? That coaches move around? Look at Don Matthews. How many teams in the CFL did he coach with? Take a look at your boy Kent Austin. In 2006, he was fired as Argos OC. Moved to Sask & won a GC, then on to the Ivy League before coming back to the Ti Cats this year. That's 4 jobs in 7 years. He lost the GC this year so maybe he's "Yesterday's Man" too? Rick Campbell went from the Esks to the Stamps back to the Esks then back to the Stamps & finally got hired as the HC in Ottawa. Mike Gibson was a coach in Winnipeg, went to Calgary & is now the OC in Ottawa. I can give you other examples but you get my drift by now.... Coaches move around. Nature of the business. But to say Stubler is Yesterday's Man because he's moved around, I disagree with.

Yesterday's man? I don't think so. Not even close.

We already had holes. Almost the entire roster needs to be replaced. So, what's one more? Having said that, a good soldier retired today & I wish Pierre Luc Labbe all the best.

I believe the CFL should have a hard cap as CFL contracts aren't complicated because they aren't multi million dollar deals like the other leagues. Therefore a team should be able to move players around within that limit how they see fit. Just as long as they're not over. If they're over then the penalties should be a lot harsher then they are now.

…Me waiting. Like watching the TSN trade deadline show & no trades after 6 hours....

Not one trade so far which is surprising. I thought some teams would have made some moves.

They can't stop him if he wants to go as has been discussed.

So have a lot of players. Not what have you done for me before but what have you done for me lately.

Oh okay, let's bring in Devone Claybrooks & let him be DC with all the other rookie coaches & managers. Holy ****. What do you want?

I have heard that they could be $40,000-$50,000 over. That's what some Rider fans are saying over at CFL Horsemen. They of course, are fine with that.

i'd agree with that... ...if the CFL had a salary cap. however, it does not. Exactly. I hate that they can spend more than us & it helps them win, but there's nothing wrong with going over the luxury tax threshold if you can afford it. I'd prefer the CFL to have a hard cap than the current system. The only league with a hard cap is the NCAA. Unless the penalty is forfeiting games, it's not a "hard cap" IMO. So what do the NHL & NFL have? As I understand it, the NHL disallows any contract that would put a team over the cap, so there's no need for a penalty. That's what I want to see. if you're a buck over the cap & as a result can't sign that player you think will help you win the GC then it sucks to be you.