2022 Off Season - Back 2 Back Champs Edition

[MOBomberFan]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Where was the CFL or the Stamps? You mean to say they both couldn't have donated the money needed to replace the stolen equipment?? I heard the amount need to replace helmets, shoulder pads & soft pads was between $25-30,000. Nope. Let's not help kids in a CFL community to grow the sport first. Let's talk about growing it in Europe, instead. 

They should be able to do both, it's a shame the CFL or the Stamps couldn't or wouldn't step up. The Bombers just announced a $100k donation to local football AND are trying to make Hansen the highest paid global in the league but the league is so eager to shoot itself in the foot when it comes to mandatory minimal salaries for globals. I don't understand their position on this salary thing.

[TrueBlue4ever]

Again, what is preventing the Bombers from declaring that Hansen is an International and paying him more?

[17to85]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

bantam team I helped start here in Calgary back in 2005 called the Falcons had their equipment stolen out of their storage shed about 3 years ago. Everything was taken. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment gone. The equipment was not insured because the club couldn't afford the premiums. A fund raising effort was started to replace the equipment but it felt well short. The team folded. Kids had to play elsewhere. 

Where was the CFL or the Stamps? You mean to say they both couldn't have donated the money needed to replace the stolen equipment?? I heard the amount need to replace helmets, shoulder pads & soft pads was between $25-30,000. Nope. Let's not help kids in a CFL community to grow the sport first. Let's talk about growing it in Europe, instead. 

I believe I remember reading about that and was disgusted that the stamps were nowhere to be seen in terms of helping.

[MOBomberFan]

Just now, TrueBlue4ever said:

Again, what is preventing the Bombers from declaring that Hansen is an International and paying him more?

I think the only hitch is then having to find a new Global to replace him. The talent pool seems a bit thin so far, you'd think stripping the designation from the program's greatest success story so far would be counter productive

There is going to be a talent gap between the most promising globals and your average American prospects. The best globals will reach such heights that they are too good to play for minimum but not good enough to beat out the next warm American body at their position and then what's the point of having this token global spot if it can't be filled by the best globals? And I'm not pooping on this global position, it's not like it's taking away a position from someone else, but if someone excels at the spot why not let them get paid for it?

[SpeedFlex27]

7 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

I believe I remember reading about that and was disgusted that the stamps were nowhere to be seen in terms of helping.

So was I. Not even a peep from the CFL. Over a hundred kids had to play football out of their area displaced. A lot didn't want to play anymore. 

4 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

I think the only hitch is then having to find a new Global to replace him. The talent pool seems a bit thin so far, you'd think stripping the designation from the program's greatest success story so far would be counter productive

There is going to be a talent gap between the most promising globals and your average American prospects. The best globals will reach such heights that they are too good to play for minimum but not good enough to beat out the next warm American body at their position and then what's the point of having this token global spot if it can't be filled by the best globals? And I'm not pooping on this global position, it's not like it's taking away a position from someone else, but if someone excels at the spot why not let them get paid for it?

Globals don't take away from Americans. They take Canadian positions. 

[TBURGESS]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

So was I. Not even a peep from the CFL. Over a hundred kids had to play football out of their area displaced. A lot didn't want to play anymore. 

Globals don't take away from Americans. They take Canadian positions. 

Global's don't take away from either, they are a group on their own.

[SpeedFlex27]

23 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Global's don't take away from either, they are a group on their own.

I would argue that it does as even if the 2 Global positions were split that would mean one at least 1 more Canadian player on a roster. That would mean between 9 & 18 jobs for Canadian players.

[JuranBoldenRules]

10 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Again, what is preventing the Bombers from declaring that Hansen is an International and paying him more?

Because he’s great for a Global but which American would you have sat for him last year?

[TrueBlue4ever]

5 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Because he’s great for a Global but which American would you have sat for him last year?

So if he is the worst on the roster, what’s the issue with him being the lowest paid? If he isn’t the worst then doesn’t that help expand the global initiative by changing his designation and bringing in another Global? Maybe that was the intent of establishing a salary for them. How many. Canadians make more money than a better American player because we have ratio rules which make them required and thus more expensive because of supply and demand? 

Edited April 22, 2022 by TrueBlue4ever

[MOBomberFan]

10 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

So if he is the worst on the roster, what’s the issue with him being the lowest paid?

The league shouldn't dictate who a team is giving pay bumps too. We could give him a raise and he could still theoretically be the 'lowest paid and 'worst on the roster' if it fits in our caplet us do it. The arbitrary cap makes no sense in building the program. It tells guys they can become victims of even middling success by hurdling the low bar of 'good enough to play teams and see some snaps'

 

 

15 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

If he isn’t the worst then doesn’t that help expand the global initiative by changing his designation and bringing in another Global?

Really don't follow your logic here. If the idea is to showcase global talent why would you take the designation away from the first guy good enough to bring attention to globals only to fill the position with some new exotic bench warmer?

Good thing for the ratio (welfare for Canadian offensive linemen basically). If Canadians lost their National status for wanting raises they'd all lose their jobs to the next American kid every time. If Globals have to lose their status to be able to get a raise we may as well scuttle the whole program.

[JCon]

1 hour ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

So if he is the worst on the roster, what’s the issue with him being the lowest paid? If he isn’t the worst then doesn’t that help expand the global initiative by changing his designation and bringing in another Global? Maybe that was the intent of establishing a salary for them. How many. Canadians make more money than a better American player because we have ratio rules which make them required and thus more expensive because of supply and demand? 

Yes, we should just churn global punters, like the other teams. That will grow the CFL internationally!

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

Regardless of origin, Hansen is a big time component of the last 2 championship seasons. As a valued teammate/team member, there is no way the league should be dictating his wage. It’s OK to throw a gazillion dollars at the Lawlers and Dukes of the league but Thiadric can’t get a bump? Bullshit!

[TBURGESS]

Hansen isn't the worst player on the team. He's on the teams and he's in the D rotation. He's basically an extra DI & should be paid as such.

[Fatty Liver]

Do we know that it wasn't the CFLPA that required the salary cap on global players, to keep them at the back of the bus?  Messing with the ratio always involves negotiations from both sides.

[Mike]

3 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

Do we know that it wasn't the CFLPA that required the salary cap on global players, to keep them at the back of the bus?  Messing with the ratio always involves negotiations from both sides.

Yes we do

[Noeller]

https://3downnation.com/2022/04/22/despite-recent-success-zach-collaros-believes-bombers-wont-have-difficulty-finding-motivation/

Beautiful family, back-to-back Grey Cup rings, a shiny Most Outstanding Player trophy on his shelf, and the highest paid contract in the CFL, you might say that Zach Collaros has it all.

In a sport where you need to stay hungry, it is only natural to question how the Blue Bombers’ starting quarterback is staying motivated after gorging himself on success. But as Collaros and his Winnipeg teammates gear up for a run at a rare Grey Cup three-peat, finding fuel for their competitive fire has never been an issue.

“For me personally, I’ve always kind of embraced the role of the underdog. I wasn’t really highly recruited and all those things, so I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder and I think a lot of the guys on our team are built the same way,” Collaros explained in an appearance on 980 CJME’s The Green Zone.

“Talk to Adam Bighill or Willie Jefferson, you can go on down the line. Even Stanley Bryant, who is maybe going to go down as one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever play our game, but he comes from humble beginnings as well. I think we’re a group of people that are built that way, with the chip on their shoulder, so I don’t think it’s going to be hard for us to find motivation.”

Nonetheless, it has been a topic of conversation among members of the Bombers’ veteran core. As many negotiated returns to Winnipeg this off-season in order to chase a chance to become the first team to win three straight CFL titles since the Edmonton dynasty of the late 70’s and early 80’s, the internal chatter on the topic was already helping to set the tone.

“During the entire free agency period, the group of guys that were signing back were all in a group chat saying we’ve got to continue to find an edge. It’s been in the back of our heads really since the week after the Grey Cup celebrations,” Collaros acknowledged. “I think a lot of us knew we wanted to be back here. It’s hard in our profession to not think into the future and get excited about the next season, so we’ve been talking about it.”

The Bombers can no longer claim to be slept on by fans or the media, they have rightfully claimed the status as the league’s flagship franchise and enter the season as the unanimous Grey Cup favourite according to Ontario sports books.

However, the roster has undergone serious changes this offseason, with workhorse Canadian running back Andrew Harris and league-leading receiver Kenny Lawler highlighting a long list of departures that also includes Darvin Adams, Steven Richardson, Alden Darby, Drew Desjarlais, DeAundre Alford, and Jonathan Kongbo.

Those who remain will have to pick up the slack while drawing their edge from chips on the shoulder established long before they were champions.

“Again, it really comes down to just doing our jobs and trying to do them at as high a level as possible,” Collaros added. “I think we have the right group of people to do that, but it’s the CFL, it’s football, the game changes every week and year to year, especially with the one-year contracts. It makes it that much more difficult, but we’re really excited for the season.”

[Booch]

Nice to read tho that this year they want to get Grant more involved in the offence...couid be a dangerous guy getting the ball in his hands in the open field

[SpeedFlex27]

15 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

So if he is the worst on the roster, what’s the issue with him being the lowest paid?

He's not the worst player. He deserves to be paid what he's worth. The Randy Rule needs to go.

[Booch]

Hansen was a very effective special teamer as well as rotational piece on the defense...if there was an injury issue in game he'd be more than adequate replacement seeing more reps.

He also had more value than some first and second year Canadians and should be making more ..and I would go even as far as saying he prob has better contribution as a whole than guys like Gauthier and Briggs too...don't get me wrong both are great players for their role and can start in a pinch and take rotation snaps...but Hansen does exactly what they do ..plus has more impact when on defense. Too bad he is stuck in that salary pergatory and really should be rewarded as a Global if he can make more...and teams he groom and develop a guy to that point should be as well

[Bigblue204]

18 hours ago, Booch said:

Nice to read tho that this year they want to get Grant more involved in the offence...couid be a dangerous guy getting the ball in his hands in the open field

I agree...though I do hope he's working on ball security. 

[Tracker]

56 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

I agree...though I do hope he's working on ball security. 

Pretty sure he wears a jock,

[BigBlue]

On 2022-04-22 at 5:00 PM, Noeller said:

Andrew Harris and league-leading receiver Kenny Lawler highlighting a long list of departures that also includes Darvin Adams, Steven Richardson, Alden Darby, Drew Desjarlais, DeAundre Alford, and Jonathan Kongbo.

Those who remain will have to pick up the slack while drawing their edge from chips on the shoulder established long before they were champions.

when I look at the roster now plus a couple of US recruits likely to make the club, our roster might actually be stronger this year than last. We do have guys who have been biding their time and are ready to go: RB, G, REC, on O: D by contrast  has just lost 2 or 3 very good players but will be covered off by the rotational players from last year - - then think of the guys trying to get off the practice roster; they have had  extreme tutors to direct their high potential

Some how recently each year we keep adding a couple of out standing rookies (thank you Danny McManus). The press has their eyes on what they can see, the past; the coaches know what they have been developing on the bench and especially the practice roster.

My only concern: just 2 QBs on the roster... Dru Brown gives me no comfort no matter how management rants and raves about his talent. I would like to see a fallen star QB come here for rejuvenation... how much would that cost?

https://www.cfl.ca/players/ 

[BBlink]

Did you forget about Prukop? 

[17to85]

Last year they were talking about how tough the secondary would have it losing rose and Sayles. Wound up dominant anyway. That's what good teams do. Replace good players with other good players.

[Zach Schnitzer]

Who’s going to the GC celebration today? Would love to meet ppl from here