Playoff Bound

[Atomic]

4 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

You'd rather stay in the West then the East for the playoffs?

Gonna have to beat the Stamps either way so I don't see what difference it makes

[holoman]

3 minutes ago, Atomic said:

Gonna have to beat the Stamps either way so I don't see what difference it makes

So much this.  Plus...wouldn't you want to beat the stamps then see what garbage rolls in from the East?

[do or die]

The path to true righteousness is never easy.   Besides, this town could use a home playoff game.

[kelownabomberfan]

Just now, do or die said:

The path to true righteousness is never easy.   Besides, this town could use a home playoff game.

now you are just getting greedy.

[Atomic]

Of course if we did get the home playoff game, everyone will be at the Jets game so 24-25K would probably be an absolute maximum in terms of attendance.

[LeBird]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

What's crazy this season is that there are now 3 Western teams who have clinched playoff spots.  No Eastern teams.  No Eastern team has a .500 or better record.

Just like old times....

There could very well be four Western teams in the playoffs. That does not leave much for the poor guys near or East of the center of the Universe.

[deepsixemtoboyd]

On 2016-10-10 at 6:42 PM, iso_55 said:

We'd never have got there with Willy starting. The Willy backers here can argue otherwise but no way. Nichols doesn't put up stunning numbers like Reilly or BLM but he's steady, efficient, understands LaPo's offense, makes quicker reads & has a quick release thereby avoiding being sacked. Willy holds onto the ball too long trying to make decisions where to throw & panics when the pocket collapses. We saw that all game long today.

As much as I rooted for Willy, I have to agree with this analysis. Earlier this year, after about 5 wins for Nichols, Doug Brown wrote a column contending that Willy and Nichols' passing yards - after 5 games each - were about even, and so suggesting that Drew could be inserted again and also enjoy success. But this totally ignored the fact that Willy had thrown most of his yardage well AFTER the game was out of reach...garbage time, whereas as Nichols' yards came in the thick of tight games. In addition, Nichols' TD-INT ratio was 8-1 to Drew's 5-4, the latter including a pick six that finished us in our second game against Calgary. Finally, Nichols' long-ball accuracy has been damn fine all season whereas Drew hardly hit (or even attempted) a long ball. No, while I still like Drew (met him once in the T.O. airport and he seemed like a very decent guy indeed) and he MAY yet enjoy success in this league, there's no question that Nichols has been way stronger and the difference. My beef is how long it took Coach O'Shea (another very likable dude) to put Matt in there. I actually hold Coach significantly responsible for Willy's deterioration. Drew started VERY strong in '14, but after getting the *&^% kicked out of him for 1.5 seasons (with Coach stubbornly refusing to give him the relief he so desperately needed - afterall, what is the purpose of acquiring a qualified back-up?), his confidence was finally shot. I'm old enough to remember a guy named Cal Murphy who wasn't afraid to pull his hall-of-famer, Tommy Clements, to change up the rhythm, and put in old Hufer' when it was required. Hell, we won a Grey Cup that way!

[White Out]

On 10/10/2016 at 8:57 PM, 17to85 said:

Good thing they fixed the OL by putting in 3 americans finally right? Cause you're fooling yourself if you think that hasn't changed the complexion of the team immensely. 

Serious question. Does Willy get another CFL win as a starter before he inevitable has to retire because no one wants him anymore, even in a back up role?

[iso_55]

Milanovich anoints Willy his starter like MOS did here. That's 2 head coaches that put their trust in a guy who has never proven that he is a starting qb. Lots of guys have wished they could have coaches like that & never did. He's been extremely fortunate that way while others haven't.

As far as the line being better for Nichols than for Willy, it's true but too bad. Professional sports is a tough business. No one said that it would be fair & that everyone around them would be good players. Willy still has been well paid for what little body of work he has done as a starter. It's up to him to show he can actually play & make a difference even on the worst team & he hasn't shown anything.

[ddanger]

19 hours ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

A very appropriate place for "Canada's team" to practice.

Say what we will about the Roughies......and we sure will lol......but they really are Canada's football team. We go away every winter for a few weeks, and everywhere we go, be it south or west to Hawaii, we ALWAYS see someone wearing their green Rider stuff. The only Bomber stuff I ever see is on my back, and never see any other team bling.

[Mike]

11 minutes ago, ddanger said:

Say what we will about the Roughies......and we sure will lol......but they really are Canada's football team. We go away every winter for a few weeks, and everywhere we go, be it south or west to Hawaii, we ALWAYS see someone wearing their green Rider stuff. The only Bomber stuff I ever see is on my back, and never see any other team bling.

They're only everywhere else because they can't stand to stay where they're from.

[Kluchk]

17 hours ago, Atomic said:

Of course if we did get the home playoff game, everyone will be at the Jets game so 24-25K would probably be an absolute maximum in terms of attendance.

I completely disagree. If the Bombers get a home playoff game, I can assure the game will sell out. You don't go that many years without a home playoff game and then have an empty stadium. Have some more faith in your fans.

[Super Duper Negatron]

8 minutes ago, Kluchk said:

I completely disagree. If the Bombers get a home playoff game, I can assure the game will sell out. You don't go that many years without a home playoff game and then have an empty stadium. Have some more faith in your fans.

Bomber playoff games are historically poorly attended. I would bet 25K is a reasonable guess.

[deepsixemtoboyd]

20 hours ago, do or die said:

The path to true righteousness is never easy.   Besides, this town could use a home playoff game.

 

20 hours ago, Atomic said:

Gonna have to beat the Stamps either way so I don't see what difference it makes

The difference is this: I would rather play the Stamps in Toronto (after dispatching of easier prey down east) in a one-game-winner-takes-home-the-hardware than play them on their home turf in November with Messam hauling the rock AFTER bashing our brains out for 3 hours against a tough BC or Edm side only a week before.  That said, I do like Do or Die's "path to true righteousness" quote. That's some sweet, almost philosophical stuff, man.

Edited October 12, 2016 by deepsixemtoboyd

[do or die]

Well, I now realize that watching this team, in a lot of years.....was simply testing my zen.

[Atomic]

31 minutes ago, Kluchk said:

I completely disagree. If the Bombers get a home playoff game, I can assure the game will sell out. You don't go that many years without a home playoff game and then have an empty stadium. Have some more faith in your fans.

2007 East Semi Final - attendance 22,843

Previous home playoff game was in 2003, a 4 year wait.  This time it's a 5 year wait so maybe that will be the 11,000 fan difference, I don't know.

2008 East Semi Final was not a sellout either, at 27,493.  2011 East Final had over 30K, but that year season ticket sales were at an all-time high and Swaggerville had the city invested in the team.

So I guess we'll see!  I'd love a sellout but I'm not counting on it.

[ddanger]

21 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

yeah 24K attendance is nothing to brag about.  I was hoping to see attendance improving by now.

24k attendance on a day that was pretty nice was a sad statement. A lady I know who's been a STH for decades calls them "jumpers". On when things are good, off when things are bad. And the jumpers missed a great game!

[17to85]

Doesn't matter where they play. Gotta win 3 games to be champions and that more than likely involves beating the Stamps so it'd be all the sweeter to kick their asses in Calgary. Just win baby. 

[Taynted_Fayth]

a home playoff game at IGF would be sweet,  it's pretty loud there as it is for a reg game, i could only imagine how deafening a playoff atmosphere will be like

[Atomic]

49 minutes ago, ddanger said:

24k attendance on a day that was pretty nice was a sad statement. A lady I know who's been a STH for decades calls them "jumpers". On when things are good, off when things are bad. And the jumpers missed a great game!

It's really all about the season ticket base.  The crowd doesn't vary much from that.  When there are 26K season ticket holders, the crowds naturally are a lot better than when there are <22K like there are now.  The amount of people buying tickets on a game-to-game basis is only like 3-4 thousand.  It's gotta be a pretty special event such as Banjo Bowl or Milt Stegall day to get more people out.  Maybe the West semi will do it, maybe not.

[Noeller]

I'd love to see a home playoff game, and I'll haul my fat ass 13 hours back home for it. That'd be a hell of a weekend. It's also a long weekend, as Remembrance Day is the Friday...

[Goalie]

I'd love to see a home playoff game. Win this week and it increases the odds of it happening quite a bit. Could almost start printing the tickets. 

I would guess that it would depend on the weather. But I'd imagine anything over 25k would be a good crowd. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

3 hours ago, ddanger said:

Say what we will about the Roughies......and we sure will lol......but they really are Canada's football team. We go away every winter for a few weeks, and everywhere we go, be it south or west to Hawaii, we ALWAYS see someone wearing their green Rider stuff. The only Bomber stuff I ever see is on my back, and never see any other team bling.

It's a popular item at the dollar store.

[tacklewasher]

23 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

It's a popular item at the dollar store.

Geez. They'd have to pay me a lot more than a dollar to wear one.

[Chaosmonkey]

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

It's really all about the season ticket base.  The crowd doesn't vary much from that.  When there are 26K season ticket holders, the crowds naturally are a lot better than when there are <22K like there are now.  The amount of people buying tickets on a game-to-game basis is only like 3-4 thousand.  It's gotta be a pretty special event such as Banjo Bowl or Milt Stegall day to get more people out.  Maybe the West semi will do it, maybe not.

 

Has the team ever been near 26k season ticket holders? I thought they only broke 20k a few years in the old stadium, and I don't know how many they added in the first year of the new stadium, but to me, 26k seems pretty high.