Jaxon

I know, it was meant with a tone of levity.

I guess this opens up a spot in Montreal for Kaepernick 😎

I've taken my kids to Grey Cup since they were little. I've got 3, but they're all adults now. Usually 1 at a time, unless the Bombers were in, then the budget got shot and it became a family event. Back then it was the parade, local museums and family oriented events more so than the team parties and pubs. We've had some great weekends over the years, and we still do some local attractions in addition to the parties and pubs. With a 10 year old, Calgary is a much better choice than Regina. More to do, plus you won't have the restaurant line-ups and waits that can be tough on a youngster. If it were me, I'd rent a car and hit the mountains for a day. Good for you on taking your kid. I've been doing it for years and never have regretted it.

Prior to today, we were very young, much younger than last year (Stastny, Hendricks, Enstrom, Mason all replaced by younger players) Now with Hendricks back and the addition of Hayes, we have more mature team. I think overall we had a decent day, and we are a better hockey club than we were yesterday. Last year I was speaking with some business associates in Edmonton, and they were saying how much losing Hendricks hurt their team, as they lost a "go to" guy in the locker room. They went on to explain that while McDavid is a phenom on the ice, they also needed that locker room guy who's been through it all to talk to. The NHL is full of guys in their mid-twenties with the pressures of that age, compounded by the travel, fame, and public recognition. I don't know how a 28 year old, expecting his first child, could go to a 20 year old captain for off-ice advice. It can be tough to go to a coach as it is a bit of an admission that you aren't handling things well. A seasoned vet, who isn't the captain or star player, can provide some sage advice for real life problems. I think the Hendricks add, given it's low cost, was a good one.

I'm excited to see what Hayes can do for us. I like his size and grit, and we need more experience on this very young team. Against that, Lemieux and a 1st rounder is a very high price to pay for a "Rental" who becomes a UFA this July. If they can extend him, or if we can go all the way, then it's all good. Otherwise I'm hesitant to giving up 1st round draft picks for a short term run.

Yes, they went from 3000 to 3900 rooms, which is still about 4000 short of what they need for an event of this size. Winnipeg has 7600 rooms, and it's a challenge here.

I hope you are correct, but I just don't think Regina has enough hotel rooms to host the Grey Cup. I've been to 20 cups, and the last 16 in a row. I've been to 2 in Regina, but I couldn't get hotel rooms either time. So had to drive in from Yorkton or Brandon. Just went to the game, not my normal extended visit to parties/pubs etc due to lack of rooms. The last one in Regina was the worst Grey Cup I've been to by far, dis-organized, chaotic, and it wasn't the usual National Event, it had the feel of being strictly a provincial event. I'm aware that there are many Grey Cup regulars from across the country that feel the same way about Regina hosting. I'm hoping the new stadium rectifies some of the problems, but if I can't get a hotel room, it's likely that my streak will be broken. I booked my Calgary room months ago, as I usually book 1 year in advance. Caveat to this rant: if the Bombers are in, I'm going.

I agree. I like Matthews, or the possibility of Zylstra later on. I'd also consider Roosevelt if the contract was structured for performance due to injury history.

source?

who is HIM?

I don't disagree with you, but if I were Edmonton, I would throw that number at BLM, if he comes, your fans are satisfied, if not, you push Calgary's numbers up preventing them from using money elsewhere.

The Esks were willing to match BC's offer for Reilly, so I suspect they will offer that same amount to BLM

In my real life, I've negotiated many union contracts on behalf of my company. Some have been here in Winnipeg, and some out in B.C. Some negotiations dragged on for months, and some got settled quite quickly. Generally speaking, if both sides come in with reasonable positions, and listen to each other's concerns, solutions can be found quickly. At the end of the day, both parties have more in common than have in opposition to each other. The difficulties lie when someone's ego takes over, or they dig in their heals to "win" the argument regardless of the long term result. So long as they stay focused on the big picture of growing the game, attracting fans, and putting a quality product on the field, while remaining fiscally prudent, they will get it done. If it boggs down into "More for me and less for you", then their will be problems. Some of the best results, for both sides, have been reached in contracts that we've settled in 1-2 days. It is folly to think that longer negotiations really achieve more in the long run. That being said, each negotiation is unique, and I fully appreciate that there can be sticky issues that need to be resolved.

IIRC the previous "franchise" player situation was called the "Marquee" player. It was a bust that drove up costs for clubs without any real overall benefit. The difficulty was that every team felt that they needed to designate one guy as their marquee player, otherwise their fan base would assume that their club wasn't competing. I'd rather see them bump up the minimum so that the journeymen players get better rewards for their pain and efforts. Personally, I'm not overly worried about the XFL and the AAFL. I've seen too many various attempts south of the border, and they've all gone bust. I just don't see them attracting crowds at the gate nor significant TV following.

The Jets moving back is a significant factor. Prior to Jets 2.0, I tried to be a Moose fan, but got thrown off by the call-ups to the NHL. Seemed like it was a forgone conclusion that you would lose your top scorer, best defenceman, and your goalie to the parent club. I had no allegiance to the Vancouver Canucks, so it was like you were losing your top talent as the playoffs approached. Now I see it differently, as I'm a Jets fan, so my perspective is different. Back then I was one of the people who wanted a WHL club instead of the IHL-AHL team. Now I see the Moose as an affordable way to watch the future Jets.

Rose should be traded to Saskatchewan. He would fit in well there.

Big NO THANKS to that. I'd rather see Olivera (UND) or Taylor (Western) come in. (I know, Taylor is still Edmonton property, but he's way better than Lyles)

I still have confidence in both Matt and OSH, and I never boo the home team. That being said, I'm also a firm believer in getting your backup QB some playing time. It's very rare in the CFL for a team to not have to use their #2 at some point in the season. Whether winning big, or losing big, there is a time to put in your #2, and that was in the 4th qtr on Friday night. I'm confused by the decision to put Matt back in, especially mid-series. Matt took a couple of big hits after that as well, which is a concern. The 18 game CFL season is very long, and physically demanding. You don't need to have your starting QB taking extra punishment. You also need to get some reps for your #2 when the opportunity arises. Also, players need to staff off of social media, especially after a loss. No good will come from it.

Wow. What a come back by the Argos. MBT looked good under pressure.

For me it's all the Bomber games, 12 regular season Jet games (plus some of the playoff tickets) Maybe 1-2 Goldeye games, and no to the Moose. I will likely buy some Valour FC tickets next year.

I was hoping that the Tanev deal would be longer than 1 year. I like his energy. Hopefully they will re-up him for a longer term. Looks like both sides went short term to avoid arbitration and maintain some good will. Trouba is likely going to be traded as soon as a decent deal can be arranged. I think that he has used up all of his chances here. Good player, but after the hold out and now arbitration, I don't think he is in the teams good graces, and this team is built on character and chemistry, so I don't see a spot for him.

Really? A sure handed RB fumbles the ball and you blame the coach? That is on the players, not the coach.

I'm still upset by this loss as well. My opinion is that it is more on the players than the coaches. It's easy in hindsight to look back at the 3rd down gambles and criticize the call, but in all honesty, I was thinking "go for it" both times. By doing so, the coaches showed confidence in their players, but the players failed to deliver. While I wasn't happy with the defence not getting the stop when we needed it, I would suggest that this one falls on the offence. It's not very often you can win in this league with 17 points, and to get shut out in the 2nd half was the difference. (Especially with all of the turnovers) I still have great confidence in this team and the management, but the players need to learn how to finish their opponents off when they have the chance.

I voted "No" as I believe this is Osh's decision. A board and senior management should not micro manage a head coach. GM and the board get involved in selection of the HC, but they should leave the assistant coaching decisions for the HC to make. I have great confidence in Osh and believe he will take us to the promised land.