Booch

Not in same category by any means..thats not what I meant..People here are so hung up on size for certain spots was just saying he is basically same as Singleton size and testing wise. He played all the positions in College so would not be foreign to him, also from my experience playing in the middle is probably the easiest to step into...tho that's just my opinion from playing linebacker but I am sure many here will love to disagree

Stats are so misleading...never a proper barometer. To truly assess you need to know the assignment and watch game film...not TV feeds. This defense was a victim of a ridiculous scheme/philosophy and the lack of the linchpin type guy in the middle..plain and simple. And when you get others over compensating for a weakness..well other parts break down as a result. A good majority of the deep ball and mid to deep middle stuff was a result of the safety pulled out of there to tend to other duties, and no over the top help. For 2 -3 years now we have had to alter and adjust to compensate for the oversight/overvaluing of what we had in the middle..and it is the sole reason we have gone 0ne and out the last 2 post seasons. Good thing we had the talent we did on defense, or else it would have been real ugly. We are basically a middle linebacker and a scheme adjustment away from being very strong, and really I bet Santos-Knox could do the job as he is basically physically the same as Singleton body wise..just doesn't carry a National Birth Certificate

Why would you upset the apple cart if you don't have to? With the possibility of Bond being out now you would then have 2 spots to fill on the line, which could lead to problems with cohesion/continuity/consistency right off the back. As it is now we have our entire starting line back from the last 3 games of the year and the play-oof game...so this is good. Also I'm pretty sure Hardrick wouldn't command huge bucks re-upping yet...have another really strong year or two perhaps then

Big add...and 2 years too...Basically has offence solidly back in place...now to just get that one impact receiver...can't emphasize how much continuity counts for especially on an offensive line

If I was the ARGO'S I would convince him to come on as a "player coach" as the back-up or 3rd stringer at a back-up salary which would be more than an entry level coach salary by a big amount. That way they can go after Franklin..or whomever comes free in free agency to mentor and help develop him..he can be involved in the game day game plan and also be a nice insurance policy in a game when the starter goes down, or the offence is struggling and may need a boost.

which made things even worse due to the fact that he had no contacts or pipeline whatsoever down south to help in recruitment, and the fact that he had zero football experience playing/coaching/developing so when on his scouting excursions how was he supposed to properly assess talent and know what to look for that the common eye doesn't or won't see. Sure a video/highlight reel of a guy looks all fine and dandy but they are generally put together showcasing the positive plays...not the whole story of the guy and thats what he went off of I am certain most of the time. He needed to have contracts and ways and means to access teams 22 man film and go more with that and talks with contacts. Look for what they call "20 footers"...a term referring to all you need to see is 20 feet of game film to know that you have a star/gem

He didn't need to backload Milt...He had to, mainly because he was already caught in that vicious circle. There always some backload going on in SMS systems but not to that extent, and even so...if everyone else is running off a cliff are you going to as well?..I know for a fact from players how he operated and how many guys walked for less money because we couldn't pay them in the actual year they played..a small up front bonus and paltry salary with the carrot of a nice bonus the winter after the season ended didn't sit well...especially with the notion you could get dumped before the bonus came into effect Canadian talent is always there, just more escapes down south now, but regardless you still had to dress X amount of Canadians and compacting era's there was probably more Canadian talent in the CFL then as opposed to now (see more go to NFL now comment above) just we had none because 1) Taman traded away most of our high round picks...continually and 2) we only were able to land aging/marginal Canadians for the most part via free-agency as we were in cap hell (see back loaded contracts) and 3) bulk of our Canadians came as cuts from other teams. Mike Kelly's demise was his arrogance of turfing Glenn and having no real replacement..If he had Glenn year one I bet we were a .500 or above team. And sorry..Taman's weakness was he had no contacts and no real way to bird dog talent...most of the Talent that actually made a difference was referrals from players...and in a few instances their dad's or guys actually calling the Bombers...another fact that I can claim as a fact.

Dealt with Cal Murphy in 1993. Tho like I mentioned I think previously in a different thread that at that time I wasn't able to pass a physical anymore and wasn't insurable, so basically had no hope anymore

nope..

What are you referring to?

you can function only so long sacrificing Canadian talent and tossing away draft picks for over priced and downward spiraling vets only so long...then it comes back to haunt you in a big way and we suffered for it for a loooong time..He also had no network of any kind in the U.S at all. If it wasn't for players (current and past) giving him leads or having guys contact him it would have been real ugly. Also he didn't have an understanding of how to manage a SMS system and to navigate it to allow yourself to maintain a core...extend certain guys when you can and think 2 years in advance. He back loaded so many deals to fit things into a 1 or 2 year window he basically left the team screwed and have no chance to sustain anything...and put the Riders in the same situation we were in , tho not as bad as he was only there for a fraction of the time..

He originally didn't want to even bring him to camp, and when he did said he wouldn't stick around cause his size and specifically that he figured his hands were too small and would just be fumbling all the time. That wasn't posted in the media I'm pretty sure but I can tell you for a fact that it was said and that was his assessment. Also he said that Gavin Walls was pretty much just TCF and would not have any place on the team....what a judge of talent he was. I guess that's what you get when your G.M and for a time main scout/recruiter had no football playing experience, coaching back ground ans was basically a water boy who somehow moved up the chain

and TAMAN initially didn't want to even give him a shot...

There were a lot better optoins at guard than Labatte too...he's past his best before if you ask me

I'm glad we "missed" out on Thorpe actually

No he has made some nice shots...when he had the actually players to make that play via speed/seperation or jump ball ability. For the most part the last year and a bit we used JFG and Coates as that guy...not the ideal type of player for this. Also...just the threat of the guy doing that and being out there a defense has to respect it...if the cheat and break off too soon like they were they will be burned bad regardless of who is throwing the ball

A change in philosophy in coverage, and how we employ the MLB along with the right guy to play it is pretty much the hurdle we need to make to become legit grey cup favorites. All DB'S at the professional level can play man (some better than others) and mixing in more man, with our already aggressive D-line play (which will be better next year I would bet with the returnees one year wiser) and a legit linebacker I can see this defense leading in a lot of categories next year. That tho being with Randle and Heath re-signing but that I think is pretty much just a formality now. Alexander and Walker are going to be good...Heck Walker is what..21??...But they won't make the rookie errors again. If we could find one legit halback via free agency a backfiled of Randle, Heath, Loffler, Mr X and Alexander/Walker as the other and extra DB looks to be very solid. A lot of our over the top problems with the big plays was due to the fact the Safety a lot of the time was vacated and wasn't helping over the top (or being the threatening presence he was year before) due to the scheme of making the plays the MLB should have been making, or was compensating more for the deep middle and flats...poor scheme especially in CFL with most times 5 receivers and a lot time a RB looking to take a pass. Look back at a lot of the big plays...jump balls and what seemed like busted coverage's..there was rarely a safety to be seen anywhere close...that was scheme. Go more traditional...have Loffler in a safety position flowing to the play and coming down over top and you eliminate a lot of the issues..that and the fact in will be in the receivers heads again that number 16 might be flying in to knock them the eff out...you'd be surprised how that will affect an offense

Actually Demski would be a good pick-up by us and I bet Lapo could utilize his skill set very nicely in our system. My hope would be to use him inside and out of backfield ala Drurie and Flanders and line him up all over. Replace that wideside Canadian receiver with an import who can burn and stretch defenses...I would think that White we had on the PR at years end, or Givens could really do well there. Regardless we need that aspect to our offence...just the fact that we don't employ that hampers our offensive game somedays when defenses clamp down on our short/inside stuff...make a team not be able to cheat down, opens up a whole lotta room

I seem to recall to that being said...to look for guys who were good coverage guys...then went with a very passive keep it in front of you zone...

No...I am saying that is the biggest thing...a HC is only as good as his Co-Ordinators...been around enough in different capacities to have a fairly good idea as to what a good HC requires/has for traits..tendencies etc to make him good...or bad...played for both kinds Any HC worth anything is going to want to pick his guys...not inherit them. I was just trying to convey that the HC doesn't have to know some unique and super rare strategy, or have some secret skill to make him win...

Yeah that wasn't a normal every game hit..the fact he got right up was amazing...a similar hit was Loffler of Arceneaux and he got knocked the eff out..same with Roosevelt against Calgary. I wouldn't be too worried about Adams's as being injury prone...and injury prone isn't a real thing..guys are just unlucky.. and their style of play may subject them to more of a chance to be injured. Milt never got hurt cause he always ducked out of bounds and never put his head down to get extra yards, and he will admit it...but Adams is the opposite...he will try and truck a guy...never ducks out of bounds and always fights for yards...leaving himself vulnerable to be hit more..and his teamates love that and feed off it and it makes them better..same with Harris and how he plays...Give me an Adam's any day

To be honest, a head coach and what he does/brings and how he impacts a game is very over rated in these forums and over valued. The players play and 99 percent of in game decisions and and calls are pretty much a given (with the odd rogue cowboy call) and a lot of times discussed among co-ordintors..team spotters and players who's participation has impact on the plays considered...at least in my experiences..and generally if you are not an arrogant doucher who nobody likes and never listens to any ones suggestion or input then you do just fine. Kind of baffles me tho what went on in that EDM game with Mass tho...is he that much of a prick that no co-ordinator or assistant didn't wanna even question his call...or are they all just as dumb...guess we will never know If a guy is just plain dumb and does dumb things consistently well then that when the GM has to step in and get rid of him...and players will stop playing for him. A team wins based on the players they have, and the schemes they run, 90 percent of the time created by the co-ordinators, and sometimes depending on the HC with some of their input...but they trust their staff so usually let them do their job. I have played for HC's who basically put on the headset and let the game play out, offer encouragement, and criticism where warranted and made final say, or asked co-ordinator what they think in certain game situations and then made the call...and were very successful. I bet I could step behind the bench in CGY...WPG...EDM ...next summer as the HC and wheel off a winning season based on the personnel and support staff there by just not being dumb...to manage a team during a game isn't rocket science

On offense we really need to just add one impact big bodied receiver and if can resign Dressler for a mutually pleasing contract for both sides use him as the 3rd option and not the center piece to the offense...unless the game allows for it. We know we are set with Harris and Flanders...Adams is a lock and proven stud...for how we use the Canadian receiver again we are set with Coates and Drew developing behind him so no need to go spend big free-agent bucks there...Givens if back, and a full camp and reps may surprise and I am gonna go on record and say that White who we brought in late may turn into our find of the year. Feoli is nice depth, but getting older and I think not needed if Coates can continue what he did and Drew W progresses as most think he will...he may be a dark horse impact Canadian in the making

5 Bombers: Bryant, Randle, Westerman, Leggett, Heath 5 others: C. Fenner, T. Reed, M. Arceneaux, D. Daniels, W. Powell

A lil surprised with this one so early, but for the right price I like it. I would think he got some upfront money left from this year, so cheaper 2018 cap hit and if this so...pretty good move...we can develop Felix M and not rush him....nice to see a lot of the core coming back before the new year even begins