bigg jay

I agree that a comeback with either back-up was unlikely but putting in a QB who couldn't throw meant we had a 0% chance. Dolegala & Wilson could at least throw the ball so there would have been a very small chance but a chance nonetheless. To me, the coaches are supposed to put the team in the best position to win and they failed to do that. The loss is not on them entirely as way too many players did not show up when they needed to but their decision to stick with Zach sealed the loss.

Yeah I wouldn't read too much into that tweet. He also said he's never asked for anything crazy and expects it to be the same this year/ https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/19/rooting-for-a-returning-roster

The way he played in GC got me wondering if his periodic disappearing acts during the season wasn't by design. He showed (at least for one game) that he could still be a difference maker - we just rarely saw that this year.

Ford apparently has a number of NFL workouts coming up in December so there's a good chance he won't be back (or at least back for the start of the season). I hope Walters can hold some money back for him but not if it means missing out on a FA who would fill a greater need - I'm not too concerned about our ability to find DB's (Ford's passport is harder to replace imo).

They did numb it. "Collaros went the locker room where medical staff numbed the finger and placed five stitches to resecure the tip back in place. Collaros indicated that the numbing didn’t wear off until Monday morning, though he has since regained feeling and some range of motion."

He told Buck and Osh how bad it was and they rolled with him anyway. "Collaros threw on the sideline with Drew Wolitarsky and Chris Streveler, neither of whom were dressed due to injury, and struggled to grip the football. He recalled thinking, ‘****, I can’t really throw’ and relayed that information to offensive coordinator Buck Pierce. After that, head coach Mike O’Shea told him to reenter the game." https://3downnation.com/2024/11/19/zach-collaros-on-grey-cup-injury-i-could-look-inside-my-finger/

Wasn't implying a tandem and without some wheeling and dealing, there's not even an either/or situation, it's just Zach coming back and VAJ goes elsewhere because neither the Lions or Bombers can afford a straight up trade.

Yeah their revised rules state that the CC can intervene when a clear & obvious error had occurred. That was not clear or obvious - TSN had to slow it down & replay it like 3-4 times and even then it was iffy. The call on the field should have stood.

Edmonton was a bit different - the public story when he got fired was that there were philosophical differences which can be interpreted as being run out but they also said not being able to agree on an extension was also part of the reason. I don't think you can say he was being run out if they were trying to extend him at the same time. Players were definitely happy he was given the axe though!

Not run out per se, but his run in BC was... interesting. He ended up resigning for "personal reasons" but there was a lot of criticism of how he handled things there - from player relations to shady contract issues.

Yeah I thought it was interesting when they admitted they'll be over the cap but they don't even know how badly - to me it sounds like they went way over and now have to scramble to get guys to restructure/take cuts before the end of the year. If their players had gotten bonuses for making it to/winning Grey Cup, it probably would have gone a long way to making that kind of thing happen but they got bounced early. It'll be interesting to see what their final number is.

I love Bob but any list of priorities with Jake Thomas on it = trash.

It's not just the 3 in a row for me. It's his performance in 5 in a row, his performance for most of this season and his age. He may be the present of this club but he's not the future. VAJ is younger and has a contract through 2026.

There are very few (if any) elite options available and it's not like we're talking FAJ here. I would say VAJ is the best available right now (Davis or Powell could be down the road but haven't proven it yet).

I'd be OK going forward with VAJ, I just don't see how he lands here without him and/or Zach being willing to redo their deals. Both guys have guarantees (ZC in 2025 & VAJ in 2026) & we wouldn't be able to afford VAJ next year if we have to eat Zach's guarantee next year without sacrificing in other areas.

That's not even debatable - both Zach & MOS have said differently.

I'll allow it. I smile at the idea of them developing their pictures and seeing this kind of thing in the background.😂

He restructured his old deal in 2021 and signed this deal in 2022. I don't think there's been any other changes since - at least none a quick search turns up.

This. MOS said Zach demanded to be put in that situation but at the end of the day, it's MOS who should have made that call, especially once it was very apparent that the injury would not allow him to play at the level he needed to be at. https://3downnation.com/2024/11/18/bombers-qb-zach-collaros-put-in-a-very-tough-spot-after-grey-cup-injury-mike-oshea/

https://3downnation.com/2022/10/18/top-up-the-cfl-mop-blue-bombers-qb-zach-collaros-earns-raise-with-three-year-1-8-million-contract-extension/

Disagree. I was actually impressed with VAJ when he got replaced by Rourke. Can't say what happened behind closed doors, but in public, he was a great teammate. He was one of their biggest cheerleaders on the sideline and never complained to the media (until after the season anyway). You just know Fajardo would have had the world's biggest meltdown if the Al's had stuck with Davis when Fajardo came back from his little injury mid-season.

In 2022 & 2023, we had hope right until the end so it was more crushing. We didn't have that hope last night so it was more anger than anything else for me.

Single game for Schmekel last year. But yeah, it's not to say he can't or won't be back - we just don't have his rights anymore so the ball is in his court.

I don't think it does, otherwise MCI wouldn't have been moved from the PR to the 1 game.

Hubert finished on the PR so I don't think he's part of the plans for next year. Looking at who we stashed on the 1 game in the days leading up to GC, there's some no-brainers but a couple guys I just don't get: Jamal Woods Marquise Bridges Kody Case MCI Kendall Randolph Brian Cole Devin Adams Myron Mitchell Jay Persons Not sure what Case or Mitchell showed that warranted being brought back where a guy like Chris Smith was left on the PR?