TrueBlue4ever

Actually it has happened a few times. In a 14 game-or-more season, there have been 13 seasons where a team has won 2 or less games (as far as I have researched it; there were seasons of minimum 10 games where a team won 1 or 0 games). 6 times a coach has survived not only that full season but coached the following year in part at least. Here is the list, some very notable names: Winnipeg has done it twice. In 1964 they went 1-14-1. They retained their head coach. You may have heard of him. Yes, it was Bud Grant, and he followed it up with a Grey Cup appearance in 1965. In 1970 Jim Spavital was in his first year and went 2-14. But they kept him around until 1973 and he got them to the West Final at home in 1972 (incidentally, that was the last time the Bombers finished first in the West and hosted the West Final). Saskatchewan went 2-14 in back-to-back years in 1979 and 1980. Ron Lancaster was coach for both full seasons, so he both survived and was purged after a 2 win year. He also shows up again after he was let go following Hamilton’s all-time worst 1-17 season in 2003 (but he made it through the entire season). Rick Campbell, as the Ottawa RedBlacks inaugural coach in 2014, was retained when they went 2-16 in his first year. Rather than tying the can to him, they stuck with him and were rewarded with a Grey Cup appearance the following year and won it all two years later in 2016. His GM was also Marcel Desjardins, so he knows something about patience and loyalty. The Alouettes also have 2 entries on the list. In 1967 Kay Dalton went 2-12. Undeterred, the Als stick with him and watched him “improve” to 3-9-2. They still held on to him and he went 2-10-2 in 1969 before they finally had enough at season’s end. Finally, in 1982 Montreal went 2-16 with their new head coach Joe Galat, but he hung around for another 4 years after that. Other than Bud Grant, interesting to note that all the coaches who survived the 2 win or less season were in their first season as head coach when it happened. Of the 8 times a coach was fired during or directly after a 2 win or less season, none of them were in their first year with the club as head coach. All this to say if LaPolice is let go any time before the start of next season (assuming the club wins at most once more this year) it would be unprecedented in CFL coaching history.

Wasn’t Nick Benjamin also a notorious dirty guy who was universally despised back in the 80’s? Lots of knee shots to vulnerable players to my memory.

Maybe the Dems feel that if they attack him and eliminate him politically through incarceration, it would please their base but not motivate them to get out to the polls in the future, while it would completely alienate the conservative base and fuel a payback at the polls. Also, Trump’s track record is losing the popular vote twice, losing the House, and then losing the Presidency and the Senate, so why get rid of a loser opponent? If he runs they can count on a huge anti-Trump vote again, and if he doesn’t then he is the sleeping bear that did not poke, and the Republicans would likely split between the moderate faction and the Cruz, Gaetz, Boebert, MTG full-on MAGA buy-in crowd, opening a bigger path for the Dems (wonder if they would go so far as to start a 3rd party?). Or it’s just typical Democrat spinelessness to stand up in the face of bad faith politics and “hope” their “we go high” morality wins out, which it never seems to have in the past.

Good lord, no one is firing LaPolice 6 games into his tenure. That would be Joe Mack levels of dickishness. He clearly was the choice of management, axing him one third of the way into a season with a team everyone reasonably predicted going in was extremely weak would be a sign of ownership failure, not his. And who knows exactly who pulled the strings on the Nichols-Arbuckle swap and why. If you take Desjardins at face value, it was a commitment and contract issue, but who knows. If LaPo had that much power that he could make GM moves, then he has the power to be around for at least this year. Not sure anyone truly believed Nichols would have not recovered from a hit two years ago and was playing with what sure looks like a dead arm. Toronto certainly didn’t or they would not be have signed him. And again, taken at face value, the scuttlebutt is that he was released rather than receiving an off-season bonus that was due as a pandemic cost-cutting move. But again, the only ones who know for sure are the management of the Argos and RedBlacks.

Weird Wednesday game tomorrow. Hamilton at Ottawa. When (if ever) do the RedBlacks win another game this season?

Aaaannnddd………here we go again. Banjo bowl is done. Could we lock this thread and stop this please?

Maybe the word “believe” should have interpreted as “accept”. I was in San Fran too, and a lot of folks in the fandom and on the club were happy to ignore the noise surrounding him when he played for the Giants and was a star there. Perhaps my socIal circle was different from yours. Both could easily exist. Both violated the policy, both got 2 game suspensions. From a black and white static punishment point of view, they are equal. From a subjective morality point of view, it will completely depend on who is answering the question.

Not sure if this is sarcasm or legit, but it seemed odd they gave him 2 games and then delayed the extra game for a week and a half when the entire incident including the abuse was one thing all at the same time. Why not give out 3 games all at once?

Do you think the league “manufactured” the extra game suspension for abuse because they wanted to discourage future players from refusing the test by making the suspension worse than testing positive?

Just like no one outside Canada bought Ben Johnson’s “tainted water bottle” original excuse, no one outside San Francisco believed Barry Bonds, no one outside the USA believed Carl Lewis or Lance Armstrong, and no one else outside Winnipeg believed Andrew Harris. Fan bases are funny that way.

When you lead the league in both total punts and total kickoffs which we do), you would expect to see higher tackle numbers. The league average punt return is 9.2 yards, our punt cover team gives up a 10.6 yard average. Our kick coverage is 19.7 against, the league average return is 20.4. So I’d say our coverage is average (hence my C grade).

Nice to know we can still laugh about this stuff.

How about her? At least when she misses I would be distracted by something else and not care. Or this guy? Would solve our “international” roster spot. Although now that CFL gambling is allowed, we might get into a “Pete Rose” situation

Our usual sellout, but our banner raising home opener (and first league game in 2 years) could not draw over 30,000, and our other 2 home games were the 2 lowest attendances in IG Field history (save for one ice bowl game). Compared to the rest of the league, we are an A (us and Riders are miles ahead of any other fan base) but compared to our own past standard of excellence, this year I’d rate us a C-.

Not giving up the ball may not warrant an upgrade in your mind, but fumbling (or dropping passes or throwing interceptions) would certainly warrant a downgrade. And protecting the ball should negate a rating of absolute failure. Having said that, here are my ratings: Letter grades are as compared to the rest of the league (A league best, B above average, C average, D below average, F league worst), number rankings are overall proficiency (eg. 10 superlative, 5 ordinary, O abysmal) QBs A/A+: If Collaros is not the #1 QB in the CFL, then he is 1A right along side Michael Reilly. After a slow start the offence has definitely stated clicking in the last 2.5 games. McGuire is solid on the sneaks and as holder on kicks (as far as can be seen) and his one pass was a beauty. Overall proficiency number around a 7.5. Scoring down league-wide, and Collaros has yet to crack 300 yards on any game, and only over 252 twice. Not explosive, but mostly controlling and protecting the ball, and above all, winning. The offensive recipe that won us the 2019 Cup. Running backs A-: Harris pro-rated over 7 games would be leading the league in rushing again, and he is a good bet to sit atop the mountain again by season’s end. Oliveira had a coming out party but stalled since. The backfield pass game is down, except when Demski slots in. Overall top tier in the league and solid production (playing with the lead so much has boosted numbers with more touches late to kill the clock). 7.5 proficiency (better than it appears since we don’t need to rely on it as much as in the past, so it looks more invisible) O-line A+: not a coaching expert, so can’t dissect it completely, but good rushing totals, low sacks, rarely stuffed on 2nd or 3rd and short, and still the same personnel that has been the league’s best for the past 3 seasons. Best in the league, 9.5 proficiency. Receivers B-: definitely trending up since the second half of the LDC, a fully healthy roster now looks more dangerous. But early on lots of drops cannot be ignored in creating the grade. Compared to other teams in the league, in the top half but not tops overall. Lawler the best early but faded as others stepped up. Adams still good for the home run shot, but still only seems to get 3-4 targets a game instead of 8 or 9. Demski has been the receiving MVP to my mind and makes the biggest impact plays, needs to get involved early in a game or sort of disappears. Bailey took a lot of (too much) heat early but has been better since game 3. Wolitarsky dependable when he gets the ball but largely forgotten so far, would classify as a disappointment so far. Proficiency 6 (but a bit higher in last 2.5 games - still no WOW! performances by any of them in any game except maybe game 1 Lawler). D-line A+: if Stove was healthy all year, cue the Ralphie A+++++etc ranking. Game wreckers indeed. Willie J can seem like he’s not there at times, but then always make the big impact play to run the game on its head. Jeffcoat has been more consistently stellar and also makes the big plays too, he is pushing for team and league defensive MOP in an absolutely stacked line-up. Run defence the only blemish at times, but for every big run of 9 or more yards there is a tackle for a loss. Proficiency 9. Linebackers B+: Bighill alone is A++ here, brought down by the others. Almost hard to grade his teammates since Adam is such a dominating visible presence. Proficiency Bighill 10, the rest 7. DBs B: That we replaced Rose and Sayles and have not dropped off significantly something. To have not really dropped off much at all is a whole other level of impressive. Still, lots of tackling issues keep this grade down if we look at the whole body of work and not just the last few games. They benefit a lot from the pressure in front of them, when QBs have time to throw they can get picked apart at times. Proficiency 7. Return game D+: Words like “brutal” and “cut him now” as unfair in my mind, but stays don’t lie, he is near the bottom of the league in average return. No breakaway speed and cannot make the quick acceleration when he hesitates to find a hole. But he does not fumble and gets positive yards, so he has been serviceable while Grant was out. And I do not see our blocking schemes doing him any favours. Aside from Dedman and Williams Jr. though, have not really seen returnees lighting up the league anywhere. Proficiency 4. Kick coverage C : we certainly hit hard, and Mike Miller is a heat seeking missle, but we have given up some big returns too. Again wondering g how much blocking schemes are affecting both sides of our return game? Proficiency 6.5. Punting. C-: Liegghio has looked good is spots, but his average is near the bottom of the league, and he still kicks some between the hash marks or out of bounds when he shouldn’t. Proficiency 6.5 Kickoffs D- with Crapigna, D with Liegghio, C+ with Mourtada, overall D : not deep enough, not enough hang time, we have given up some big returns. Mourtada in limited viewing provided a solid upgrade Proficiency 6 FGs F: Enough already said here in other posts. Proficiency 3 (take away the Calgary win and it dips to a 1, the last 2 weeks it has been a 0).

So it’s the holder’s fault. I knew it! Cut McGuire!!!!!!!!!!! Wait, that’s not what you meant?

Since Liegghio is here no matter what as the punter, keep Ali around and let them battle in practice until one consistently outshines the other. Mourtada’s kickoffs were a big improvement over Liegghio, and his kicks were all pretty much straight (save for FG attempt 3, which was wide anyway off his foot). I still see his only issue being alignment off the hash mark, so let him correct that, or in the alternative direct the snap closer to the centre of the field. Liegghio’s problems seem to be more than one thing (hooking his kicks, striking the ball too low and scooping it up short) and he is distracted enough with kickoffs going short or out of bounds and punts not landing between the hash mark and the side lines. If Ali cannot correct this seemingly one problem, then yeah he is done, but we have two weeks of practice to let the coaches work on it.

So, any guesses on when a winner will be announced? Will we know by tomorrow morning? With mail in ballots it feels like results take longer than ever to be confirmed.

I swear I think you deliberately miscount the syllable rule on purpose to make my OCD brain explode! Love the content though.

I don’t totally buy that. Others post negative things and can get pretty hardened in their stances too, but they don’t take the vitriol TBurg does, and often right off the bat (“of course you’d think that”), or get labelled a contrarian as quickly. Having said that, I don’t think anyone is as CONSISTENTLY oppositional as TBurg seems to be, so maybe there is a reflexive need to be bothered by it since we know what is coming. Not sure I’d call it attitude, but that’s a semantic issue. Sometimes it would be nice to see either side walk away from the argument rather than doubling down, but hey, it’s the internet.

That’s a pretty accurate post. And when one poster actually argued about TBurg’s stance that Harris should have been kicked out and said (paraphrasing) “I think it should be an ejection, but it’s so on brand for you to be anti-Bomber” then they basically admitted they agreed with him but didn’t like that it was him that said it. Still, TBurg does know how to push buttons and the doubling down sometimes leads to exaggeration and loss of credibility for the original point - at least to these eyes. Give credit where credit is due though, was correct to express concern about Liegghio being handed the kicking job uncontested in camp. Hopefully the robust debates can continue without name-calling, knee jerk reactions, faux bullying, and can focus on the issue and not the poster. Also hope if a line gets crossed (it’s an internet opinion blog, expect it at some point) we can all have thicker skin. Peace out, we’re 6-1, and TLDR.

The problem with this approach is what people were complaining about in weeks 1 and 2. If we are on the 35 yard line and it’s 3rd and 5, 6, or 7 etc. as opposed to 3rd and 2, going for it is not really an option. And punting rather than banking points is a recipe for failure. Kickers today need to be able to go out and make 50+ yarders from time to time rather than conceding that they can’t reach this distance. The 3rd and 2 scenario from makeable range has not been as common as the 3rd and long from makeable distance this year. O’Shea has agreed that trotting out his kicker to try a 50 yarder is not always best, but conceding the 40-45 yard try is my worry.

So other than offence, defence, kicking game, and return game, we are fine! Whew. (What’s our record again?)

He was highlighted because that’s who Harris passed. Nothing more complex than that. And fairly standard in sports when someone climbs the list to show others on the list.

Everything?