3 stars plus HH broken esks streak edition

[Jesse]

I'm going to do the unobvious guys (Matt and Andrew go without saying)

1. Randle: In the post-game show, Walby and Westwood said they could not give Randle their "defensive player of the game" award because no one throws his way. Well guess what dinguses, that means the CB is performing exactly the way he should. Randle never gets his due, but in the past three games has a FR for a TD, a sack, and an INT. All-Star who will never be recognized for it league wide.

2. Thorpe: Really comes on strong late in games for first downs and, like everyone else last night, was piling on the YAC.

3. Paul LaPolice: The guy has been crapped on around here and TEP for a long time. Even people going so far as to question the offence will Khari and Milt. But the guy is creative, matches perfectly with Matty and Andrew and co. and is having a steller season. I've been putting some thought into it, and it's possible we may not see any HC changes this off season, so maybe we even get to keep Paul around.

HH: Flanders: I feel guilty for even thinking it, but I've often wondered what could be if we didn't have Andrew Harris at RB. Now, I don't need to wonder because we're getting the best of both. Fladers' contract has to be up at the end of this season, but I wonder if there's any way this two-back system can be carried forward, and if it could continue to be this successful. 

[Judd]

Regarding lapo it wouldn't surprise me if he extended as OC/asst HC. He wants to be in Manitoba, is doing what he loves and is the highest paid coordinator in the league. That's about as good as it gets without being HC.

Edited August 18, 2017 by Judd

[bearpants]

5 minutes ago, Jesse said:

I'm going to do the unobvious guys (Matt and Andrew go without saying)

1. Randle: In the post-game show, Walby and Westwood said they could not give Randle their "defensive player of the game" award because no one throws his way. Well guess what dinguses, that means the CB is performing exactly the way he should. Randle never gets his due, but in the past three games has a FR for a TD, a sack, and an INT. All-Star who will never be recognized for it league wide.

It's funny, I heard that "analysis" too and said to myself*... "that's exactly what makes him our defensive MVP"... he completely takes away one side of the field... probably our best defensive player and one of the best (and certainly most underrated) CBs in the league...

*my wife was in the car too but I assume she wasn't listening to me...

[bearpants]

9 minutes ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

I'd also like to give an honourable mention to all the people dressing up for games and making it look like a "Let's Make a Deal" taping.  That person in the north end zone in a full bear costume get's top marks as it must have been hot AF wearing that all night.  some other costumes I saw were the Legion of Doom bomber fan, the ultimate warrior bomber fan,  horseface bomber fan, and up near the section we were in a guy painted up in gold with a #69 "Goldmember" gold bomber jersey with gold hat and gold cane 

There is also a guy in, i believe section 209, wears a #1 "First Down" Jersey and sports a foam #1 blue finger, there is likely not a fan in the place that gets as excited for a first down as this guy, was making my son laugh all night - such as if there was a delay in the refs calling a first down, he would jump up and cock his foam finger like a gun just eagerly waiting to celebrate another  good stuff!

Also of note... the Blue Bastard was in attendance last night... he's a friend of a friend of mine... I think he's posted here before...

http://www.bluebastard.ca/

 

[Jesse]

1 minute ago, bearpants said:

It's funny, I heard that "analysis" too and said to myself*... "that's exactly what makes him our defensive MVP"... he completely takes away one side of the field... probably our best defensive player and one of the best (and certainly most underrated) CBs in the league...

*my wife was in the car too but I assume she wasn't listening to me...

Well played sir, well played.

To your other point though, exactly right. This is the kind of thing that tells me the league's broadcasters and pundits don't actually watch the games. They see the games they cover while they're sitting up in the press box with their buddies, and then go by the stats page for their "analysis".

[Rod Black]

5 hours ago, bearpants said:

It's funny, I heard that "analysis" too and said to myself*... "that's exactly what makes him our defensive MVP"... he completely takes away one side of the field... probably our best defensive player and one of the best (and certainly most underrated) CBs in the league...

*my wife was in the car too but I assume she wasn't listening to me...

I'll assume your wife wasn't driving. Or is she one of them "modern" women that has to have a drivers license? 

[BomberBall]

I agree with all of the praise for Thorpe.  I would like to see a play go to him, like a slant, where he can catch the ball in stride.  Dude would be a real nightmare to bring down with a head of steam built up.

Edited August 18, 2017 by BomberBall

[Nash00]

It's hard to find much fault in any one particular player from last night, the guys played a great team game for 60 minutes. There were definitely things that need to get cleaned up, like penalties, but as many have stated already most of the Esks yardage came via the long ball and some pretty contested throws at that. I doubt that you can sustain much success hoping Duke Williams can catch a ball in 2x coverage after it hits him in the helmet as he's falling down.

Run defense was a little spotty again yesterday though and it's slowly becoming more of a concern for me, especially as it comes in conjunction with the secondary starting to round into form. If we can get our run D back on track and the secondary continues to gel then we can really become a force.

Finally, I was a big Lapo doubter when he was hired but it's hard to argue with the results he has given us so far. He really plans to his players strengths and puts them in a position to succeed. Yeah, there will be times where the gadget play comes in a situation where it wasn't warranted like last night but no one complained when we pulled out 2 trick plays in one drive against BC last year because they both worked. Sometimes you get burnt on those but when they connect it's a huge momentum swing.

TL;DR - we're awesome

[SpeedFlex27]

17 hours ago, Judd said:

so many detractors about him on this very site all year. totally laughable. absolutely an elite receiver.

I will say this here & now. I said that Adams isn't  a good YAC receiver. I said that he can create separation & make the circus catch but goes down easily when hit.  Was I ever wrong!! I apologize to Adams even though he probably never read what I said. Glad I was wrong. Adams is among the elite best in the CFL. 

Edited August 18, 2017 by SpeedFlex27

[Mr Dee]

Quote

Run defense was a little spotty again yesterday though and it's slowly becoming more of a concern for me,

Before last night we ranked 5th in rushing yards and 2nd in rushing yards allowed. 

93.6 rushing for per game....77.6 rushing yards allowed per game. 

I'm not as worried as you.

[Booch]

Adams was always good at yac yards..

[Fatty Liver]

2 minutes ago, Booch said:

Adams was always good at yac yards..

He did put on some muscle in the off-season and has become much more grittier.

[blitzmore]

Thoroughly enjoyed that game...Still worried about Sam Hurl though...he really showed his lack of speed on a couple of plays. 

[SpeedFlex27]

Linebackers need major upgrade. Except Leggett.

[wbbfan]

18 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Sure.  But they wouldn't put a guy there they didn't trust to handle the ball off kicks.

Some truth to that, you expect any WR or RB not to be a complete durp with returning. Though we have seen some pretty awful returners over the years. 

 

16 hours ago, Rod Black said:

Great game. The 3 star segment on MBB is fantastic. I would really really like to see anyone channel Cactus Jack again for the original flavour of a true happy honker award.  It's super to include an HH,  it means so much more with lengthy verbiage and creative efforts, with all due respect to those that mention possible HH awards. 

cactus is before my time, i only remember bob doing pbp. Any one that remembers whipping out a lesson for us younger bomber fans would be great. In general, im long winded enough. 

17 hours ago, Judd said:

so many detractors about him on this very site all year. totally laughable. absolutely an elite receiver.

Not just him, but sooo much negativity and doubt about the talent level of our WR core. Now we cant even pick who should sit for dressler when he comes back. 

[Noeller]

@BobIrvingCJOB
This is the Best looking Bomber team I've seen since the Khari Jones days--sorry 2011 squad.

 

Well, it's settled, then........

[Goalie]

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Linebackers need major upgrade. Except Leggett.

Wild would be a huge upgrade on Knox. Have to live with Hurl cuz ratio. 

Wild over Knox and Alexander over Roc and i feel better

Could go CDN CB cuz how much worse we he be instead of Roc but.. Who? 

Replace Hurl with American MLB but wont happen 

Edited August 18, 2017 by Goalie

[SpeedFlex27]

31 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Wild would be a huge upgrade on Knox. Have to live with Hurl cuz ratio. 

Wild over Knox and Alexander over Roc and i feel better

Could go CDN CB cuz how much worse we he be instead of Roc but.. Who? 

Replace Hurl with American MLB but wont happen 

We always used to start 8-9 Canadians when we were shitty. What about now? Are we at 7 or still going that route? 

[Mark H.]

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

We always used to start 8-9 Canadians when we were shitty. What about now? Are we at 7 or still going that route? 

Goossen, Chungh, Harris, JFG / Coates

Westerman, Hurl, Loffler

That makes 7 regular starters 

Thomas, Ekatakie, Corney rotate  on the DL

[Atomic]

5 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Goossen, Chungh, Harris, JFG / Coates

Westerman, Hurl, Loffler

That makes 7 regular starters 

Hurl, Corney, Ekatakie rotate on the DL

Did I miss anyone? 

Jake Thomas!

[Noeller]

19 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Goossen, Chungh, Harris, JFG / Coates

Westerman, Hurl, Loffler

That makes 7 regular starters 

Hurl, Corney, Ekatakie rotate on the DL

Did I miss anyone? 

Ekakatie was on the 2-Man last night with Foketi, fwiw.... 

[Mark H.]

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

Jake Thomas!

And listed Hurl twice - sacrilege! 

[TrueBlue4ever]

On 2017-08-18 at 0:47 AM, Rod Black said:

Great game. The 3 star segment on MBB is fantastic. I would really really like to see anyone channel Cactus Jack again for the original flavour of a true happy honker award.  It's super to include an HH,  it means so much more with lengthy verbiage and creative efforts, with all due respect to those that mention possible HH awards. 

OK, I did the whole "Cactus" rambling thing last year. Was not easy to crank out a wordy piece mainly because I wouldn't come on the boards until about 48 hours after a game (learned that is the best way to stay sane after a win, or especially after a loss, because the knee-jerk reactions inflamed by emotion were a bit much too take for me), and the spontaneity had passed, but I will not shy away from a challenge. I will skip this week since the moment has passed (BTW, Cactus would have picked Randle for that huge INT which led to the late TD in the first half - flipped the game) but will give it a go next week (hopefully promptly too). Remember that the HH is not the unsung hero or underrated performance, it is all about the "something special, a little extra" which basically is one play that stood out during the course of the game, maybe has impact, maybe did not, maybe was an example of the larger game as a whole. Example: last week, against Hamilton, Matt Nicholls throws a block when Harris reverses field, with 2 minutes left in the game and the Bombers up by 20!!! Totally unnecessary, pretty meaningless in the grand scale of the game, but what a moment to show how tight this team is and how much of a leader he is. That is happy honker worthy.

So see you all next week. Hope I can rise to my own challenge (now to work on the Haiku - Johnzo is brilliant for getting that going too, between that and Odds and Sods, this place is gold for creative post-game commentary).

Edited August 19, 2017 by TrueBlue4ever

[Tracker]

13 hours ago, Mark H. said:

And listed Hurl twice - sacrilege! 

He's that worthy of comment.

[Mark F]

The  first  star must go to the five offensive lineman.

Opened up holes,  protected well, provide toughness, and team spirit.

Nichols, Harris, Adams, Thorpe, all very good, but

 The top O line in the league is what makes it all work.

so  that makes...

.2 stars each. times 8 games played = 1.6 stars each.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Mark F