TrueBlue4ever

Since the start of the 2000 season, when neither Winnipeg or Hamilton has won a Grey Cup, the Bombers are only 5-18 in games played in McMahon Stadium, including the playoffs. But Hamilton is even worse, at 2-18, with a current 15 game losing streak.

No, that can’t be the reason. I mean, YOU’VE never been banned.

So the Bombers are the "home" team this week, get the home locker room and choice of uniform, and are opting to wear their road whites. Hamiotn will wear their home black on black (or maybe yellow pants, but I'd bet on the former). Bombers were 8-1 in their royal blues this year (only loss in them was to Hamilton, BTW) and 5-6 in their whites (including the playoffs - again, lost to Hamilton wearing the whites) Tiger Cats were 6-3 in their road whites and 10-0 in their home blacks, playoffs included. The team wearing the dark jersey has won the last 8 Grey Cups in a row. All were the "home" team and opted for the home jersey. The Bombers last 2 Grey Cup wins were in their royal blues, but their last Grey Cup in Alberta as the Western representative they wore white, and beat, you guessed it, the Tiger Cats (in 1984). SO, which superstition matters most? The cardinal rule (if Bull Durham taught me nothing else) is that you never mess with a streak, and they are on a playoff winning streak in white right now. But is it more important to mess with the opponent's streak if it is powerful too (Ticats are perfect this year in black), or is it all about you and who cares about the other team's mojo? Or do we just like the blue unit better? Finally, on a personal note, do any MBB posters have their own superstitions surrounding the Bombers, sports in general, or in life? Thoughts and opinions, please. And to answer that last question myself, I don't much go in for superstitions, but there is one biggie for me - whenever I board an airplane I have to touch the fuselage to the right of the entry door (and if there is one there, specifically any logo) with my right hand. Cannot board a plane without doing it, and have convinced myself that doing it is the good luck I need to not die in a plane crash. Once did not do it and literally had to go back and re-enter the plane, and the few times I've had to de-plane and come back, I have to touch the door frame again on the right side. Can't explain it, makes no logical sense, but damned if I'm ever not going to do it.

LAPO CHANGES AND MOVES AWAY FROM WHAT'S WORKING! (so I hear)

Nunes' opening statement today to Sondland was essentially "You are here today to get your character smeared by the Democrat liars on the other side for your testimony". Then Sondland gave his opening statement, the Democrats asked about the substance of his testimony backed up by his e-mail and text chain, and after the break it was the Republicans who spent their minutes in questioning smearing him.

I will never understand the "sexy" factor to fans being the end-all be-all. Nichols has come here and been a winner. Period. Brought the Bombers back not only to respectability but to the top of the West before he got hurt. If you want to diss him, go after his injury history. But people think that this team doesn't follow him and that he doesn't inspire? They were 7-2 and on top of the league with him, FFS!!!! Didn't see any malingerers on the team when he was running the ship. But Big Chris inspires - yeah, all the way to a 4-8 record as a starter the last 2 years. I think people here would fall all over Trevor Harris and his big yardage numbers and not consider that he is sub-.500 as a starter. I swear, if the internet existed when Tom Clements was QB here he would have been run out of town for being too boring and not putting the team on his back with his 3600 yard passing and 24 TDs, oh no don't look at his Grey Cup ring, he's not exciting enough.

My favorite part of the morning - Nunes' face right after Sondland's testimony.

So the GOP defence has now moved to: a) When Sondland asked Trump what he wanted from Ukraine in exchange for the meeting, he said "I want nothing, I want no quid pro quo" (that conversation occurred Sept. 9 - right AFTER the whistleblower complaint became public knowledge) b) Ukraine got a phone call, a meeting, and military aid for ultimately no investigation into Biden in return, so no delivery of quid pro quo (phone call was where quid pro quo discussed, the meeting DID NOT in fact happen, and the aid was released only AFTER the whistleblower complaint leaked) c) No one ever told Sondland directly that aid was tied to the investigations (so you saw Trump with the smoking gun in his hands standing over the dead body on 5th Avenue, but he never SAID he killed the guy, and no one else told you that he did it, so then there is NO MURDER, right?) The goalposts are in the upper deck by now.

If Winnipeg beats Hamilton on Sunday, they will have beaten 3 teams in the playoffs who won a combined 40 games in the regular season, which would tie the record for most won games combined by playoff opponents for a Grey Cup champion. Previously done in 1993 by Edmonton, who beat Saskatchewan (11 wins), Calgary (15 wins), and Winnipeg (14 wins), and in 1994 by BC, who beat Edmonton (13 wins), Calgary (15 wins), and Baltimore (12 wins).

Ten teams in CFL history have finished the regular season with 15 or more wins prior to this year. Of those 10 teams, 5 won the Grey Cup, 2 lost the Grey Cup game, and 3 never even got to the final. Edmonton: 16 wins, lost division final (1989) Calgary: 15 wins, lost division final (1993, 94) Calgary: 15 wins, lost Grey Cup (1995, 2016) Baltimore: 15 wins, won Grey Cup (1995) Toronto: 15 wins, won Grey Cup (1996, 97) Montreal: 15 wins, won Grey Cup (2012) Calgary: 15 wins, won Grey Cup (2014)

Hamilton, the city that smells like Regina sounds.

I have heard Doug Brown talk about turf toe being the most aggravating injury because you can do so little about it, the pain and debilitation is far worse than what you think it should be for a small digit, and even if it "feels" good you need to let it heal past the point of no pain so as not to re-aggravate it (like a groin pull, you don't play once it doesn't hurt, you play 2-3 weeks after it has stopped hurting because no pain doesn't mean fully healed). I know players who talked about wanting to cut off the toe and be able to play instead of being unable to play through the pain and being so frustrated.

Same with me. Picking up a buddy in Brandon, one day trip. Sec. 139 row 27 behind the Bomber bench on the 45 yard line. Tix were resale, $60 below face value each. First road playoff game ever.

I think Westwood actually was perfect in the 2007 game. In fact, except for one game in 2001 (we ALL know which one) he was very accurate in the playoffs. Fat lot of good that did though. The one time we needed him to come through he decides to have his worst game as a pro. What is irritating is to hear Westwood say he knew Roberts was out all night. And I've heard Milt Stegall talk about never winning a ring and say "All I know is that I came prepared and was mentally and physically ready to have my best game on Grey Cup day. Won't speak for my teammates, and I saw some of them take a different attitude, but for my part I made sure I was able to perform at my best on Grey Cup sunday" (paraphrasing but that is as close to accurate as I recall). So, as Speedflex asked, why couldn't these veteran teammates get Charlie in line and keep him in check on Grey Cup week?

We are 54 hours away. Do I sound excited? I feel like I'm getting excited.

Just got my seats too! And 33% off on resale. Saw them win the inaugural Canada Day game, now time to see the march to the Grey Cup.

Wait, didn't this guy get the last one?

I agree that this scheme is totally set up for this week, given how he NEVER showed he was going to throw last week. Simplest way to deal with a "run first" QB (which Streveler really started to become more and more as he progressed as a starter - Hamilton and Sask in their 3rd game against us figured this out, Montreal a little bit) is to spy the QB with the MLB and just ignore everything else. If the RB gets the ball, it is the job of the rest of the line to stop him, MLB keeps spying. So the way to beat that is more option tosses or the late throw. At this point I think very few expect to see a pass from Streveler (and the majority expect a QB keeper rather than a hand-off) when he enters the game. Will be fascinating to see what LaPo has devised to utilize both of his QB's strengths and weaknesses.

Booch, am I wrong that jamming at the line seems to be largely a non-thing in the CFL? Is it solely because of the unlimited pre-snap motion from the receivers, too hard to jam them when they are on the run like that? Or am I not seeing what I think I am not seeing?

First - extremely rare that both your QB's go down in one game. And how often do we ever see a third stringer get into a game? Second - I am not saying Streveler can't throw. But you are presenting a game plan where he is acting like a runner, not a passer. You don't need a second QB on the field with him to make the opposition guard against him running or passing, he can do that himself at the QB position. And with Adams being able to throw as well, and Demski, Harris, and Streveler being able to be in the back field at one time, we already have a system that offers those multiple looks. Don't need to add a second QB to that mix to confuse the issue. Not at the sake of another roster position, anyway.

With the way Collaros has thrown a few into heavy coverage that have been dropped by the opposition, and looking at Fajardo's slower tosses in practice to guard against re-aggravating his injury, I have a hunch we WILL see a pick-6 this weekend. Just a gut call, praying it is the Blue and Gold running one back.

We just have to guard against his patented blind side roll out. Have seen it enough to know that that is his only consistent escape plan. Come in with control and don't overcommit, and he could spin his way into a big loss on a sack.

Depends on how injured. If he was so injured that in hindsight he should not have played, then yes. But an injured Streveler was better than no Streveler and McGuire in his role. I don't see Harker and think "oh boy, this might burn us". Honestly, I think the possibility of Shaq Evans being out is a bigger deal than Fajardo playing at less than 100%.

I don't see that happening. CFL rosters are too small to mess around with a gimmick system like that. When you have to play starters on your special teams, you aren't going to use up a position playing a 3rd QB in a non-QB role. Why have a QB who does nothing but run when you can have an actual running back? If a QB can throw well enough, then make him a QB. If he can't, you don't want him on the team instead of an Augustine or Oilviera.