Mr Dee

As I sit here drinking my blue juice, with dew diligence, I find I'll have to digest this latest piece of information. I should have a response in about 6 1/2 weeks.

I have a hunch you don't want to know what my gut feeling is.

If he does something similar, it would be in a wading pool.

You answered your own question.

This is part of the very change in the culture of the team that we have been aspiring to. Make a statement, and stick to it. Making that payment when so many have criticized the whole procedure must be very rewarding for those involved. "It won't be done", many had said, and I'm glad the Bombers, led by Miller, proved them wrong. Besides, it's going to drive Nate nuts, and that alone is worth it.

You simply can't put a value on our very own Prius, Byfuglien. He has already shown his value this year..big time. Injury to your top 4 D? No problem. Take a forward, and throw him back on D. Every team can do that, right? No matter how long Byfuglien wears a Jet sweater, he has already stamped this team with his mark and made the Jets a more entertaining team. As to whether he goes back to forward? I doubt it, at this point. Too many D injuries to wait out and re-condition. They'll be in playoff battle at that time. But it really doesn't matter, as our hybrid player can make a difference on D as well, his very own Buffer zone.

I have a hunch you don't want to know what the little voices in my head are saying.

Ask SJ Green.

The initial shot went up and over the goal and net, hit the upper glass, bounced back, hit the top of the net, the back of the goalie, as he moved backwards, and in. Some people think it was a fluke goal. It was not. It was the puck, being disgusted at the home town bias in the play-calling, finally revolting and making sure the callers in the booth got what they deserved…angst. *TSN is blacked out for me. I watched the Minnesota feed through Apple TV.

When you're inflicted with gangreen, your usefulness decreases significantly.

This just in……………………... This pretty well explains no MLB under the Bomber tree today.

Whenever I'm not there, that's when I read too.

That O'Shea could not see that or perhaps chose not to intervene is worrisome. O'Shea ought to have had enough experience to know the Etch's "system" was deeply flawed from day one. That's not really accurate. As much as Etch's system is flawed, it worked very well for us in its initial stages and MOS certainly cannot be blamed for smiling…as long as we were winning. The problems arose much later and only were really a problem because our offence got bogged down time and time again. We had our chances to win a few more games last year and our defence was not the source of that failure to win. Having said that…thank goodness that system is gone. But hasn't that always been the indictment of Etch's system? It works well for a little while, but once OC's have enough film, it stops working. So again, that really should not have been a big surprise to O'Shea, because a lot of us we saying that when he was hired. Personally, I had some small hope that maybe Etch had matured enough to realize that there's a reason that "traditional" systems are used the most, but sadly it seems like he still suffers from "I'm the smartest guy in the room" syndrome. We had a head coach a few HC's ago that had the same sort of opinion about himself. He lasted a year too. Yes, that system is flawed.. but my point was we were winning with it and O'Shea couldn't really be blamed for not meddling too much with it. Other problems arose and helped cause our downfall… penalties…a listless offence…turnovers…injuries, I don't know any system that can withstand the perfect storm of events, at the same time, to a 'new' team playing under suspicious circumstances. Too much for a flawed team to withstand.

That O'Shea could not see that or perhaps chose not to intervene is worrisome. O'Shea ought to have had enough experience to know the Etch's "system" was deeply flawed from day one. That's not really accurate. As much as Etch's system is flawed, it worked very well for us in its initial stages and MOS certainly cannot be blamed for smiling…as long as we were winning. The problems arose much later and only were really a problem because our offence got bogged down time and time again. We had our chances to win a few more games last year and our defence was not the source of that failure to win. Having said that…thank goodness that system is gone.

Compare the DCs available this year to the experienced group that were available last year and you'll have your answer. Remember, we were courting Rich Stubler for that position and he chose Calgary…not a bad choice actually, as it's a successful team, and he remained closer to his home. Hiring Etcheverry was "settling" for an experienced DC. We "settled" for an experienced receiver (Romby) and we "settled" for an experienced MLB (Kuale). I sure hope we're over "settling" for personnel.

Throw out everything you need to know about fundamental football when following Etch's system. It makes perfect sense. Just ask him. Or ask Kim, as she was there. Sweet music with a tone deaf DC. Yes, our players were athletic and could pursue a fleeing antelope, but that was part of the problem, pursuing, instead of stopping. And positioning? Well, Kuale had that down pat. He could pose and strut with the best of them. Last year we had a lot of good players try to play in a system that pretty well had them play by reaction, and most of the time, they did make plays. That speaks to the talent we put out there. But not practising against the run? Nothing good could be garnered from that…except running yardage…for the other team. We'll already be ahead of last year, with a new maestro who uses all he knows about football. At least, that's my slant on it.

How can I forget now?

More like fixing their original

As I see it, we're already ahead…no matter who we hire for DC. And I'm talking over the last two years. We'll have a credible, fully functioning, recognized defence, all ready for an experienced co-ordinator to make his mark. Can't wait to see Anderson, Leggett, Johnson, Turner, Randle, Bucknor, Washington? Wild?, Newman, Unamba, Sears?, Booker, Harlan and the rest of the boys under their new DC. Bring in the boys Mr. Walters.

The QB coaching issue will be looked at carefully, no doubt, as that remains a huge part of our game going forward. This is a pivotal year for Drew Willy. He no longer has the benefit of '1st year QB label' to fall back on. Hopefully he can work with whomever is named as QB coach whether it's still Dahlquist or Khari…and Khari would be nice. But let's remember that a QB coach can't teach a QB pocket presence and that's what Willy has to re-establish if he's going to remain #1. Willy's "awareness", in the pocket, wasn't great to begin with, and it suffered greatly as the year went on. Hence…he contributed to his own sack fate. Hopefully Willy is rejuvenated, this spring, and he and MB mesh with an improved offence.

Hamilton stands to lose: Brandon Banks, M Bowman, Delvin Breaux, Greg Ellingson, Samuel Giguere, Bakari Grant, Nic Grigsby, Justin Hickman, Dan Lefevour, Luke Tasker and Greg Wojt……Antonio Coleman DL, Mark Dile OL, Marc-Antoine Fortin DL, Stephen McGee QB, Timothy O'Neill OL, Taylor Reed LB, Hamilton has extended Lee Norwood. The Ti-Cats are virtually out of 2014 cap room, so their signings are R/rec Quincy McDuffie, DE Adrian Tracy RB Sam Ojuri Winnipeg stands to lose: Brian Brohm, Desia Dunn, Johnny Sears, Glenn January, Demond Washington, and Ian Wild……R Bryant, B Carter, Mike Cornell, Gord Hinse, Aaron Kelly, Dan Knapp, Devin Tyler, and Carl Volny. Winnipeg has extended Troy Stoudermire, Chris Greaves, Pat Neufeld, Maurice Leggett, and Derek Jones, and have re-signed Zack Anderson, Paris Cotton, Matt Buchnor and Josh Portis…so far. If you think Hamilton is that much further ahead than Winnipeg in talent, I would suggest they lost a little ground lately.

Don't you just love how the CFL takes so very good care of their fans… ….I mean, how hard would have been to keep us informed about the waiver draft?