Bombers Rookie Camp/Training Camp/Pre-Season Thread

[Bigblue204]

5 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

O'Shea Jr is as much of a CFL prospect as anyone picked Round 3 on in the 2023 draft aside from the obvious NFL guys teams took fliers on to grab their CFL rights just in case.

Let's just say he was a much more dominant player in the BCFL than many others who were drafted, even in the same position and as a straight up playmaker as a returner.  Now some of those guys have the things you can't teach, like being 6'5 230.  But doesn't make them a football player.

Don't tell Chris Jones that

[BBlink]

As far as I'm concerned the Canadian Mafia get the benefit of the doubt. If he isn't good enough he will be among the first cut.

[JuranBoldenRules]

6 hours ago, Mike said:

Jackson is an interesting one. 30 year old who didn’t play high school football and walked on at Nebraska after a 4 year term as a navy seal.

He’s 31 in July and just finished up his fifth year of eligibility and is trying to make it as a … long snapper? 

Built like a brick **** house.  Think they saw long snapper in his bio from one of the schools, played DL for Buffalo last year.  Bet they are looking at him for the 3 tec spot.

[Noeller]

 

 

[kelownabomberfan]

1 hour ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

O'Shea Jr is as much of a CFL prospect as anyone picked Round 3 on in the 2023 draft aside from the obvious NFL guys teams took fliers on to grab their CFL rights just in case.

Let's just say he was a much more dominant player in the BCFL than many others who were drafted, even in the same position and as a straight up playmaker as a returner.  Now some of those guys have the things you can't teach, like being 6'5 230.  But doesn't make them a football player.

yup he sure lit it up here in Kelowna.  I wish that young man all the best!  Unfortunately it probably will be tougher for him than it would be for everyone else as this is going to look like a Kevin Feterik situation unless he can show that he deserves to be on the roster with his stellar play.  Good luck!

[kelownabomberfan]

Speaking of the Okanagan Sun:

Quote

 

Reigning national champion Okanagan Sun open 2023 season away from home

The CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed former Sun Mike O'Shea Jr. reuniting him with his father, head coach Mike O'Shea Sr.

 

Reigning national champion Okanagan Sun open 2023 season away from home - BCFC - Castanet.net

 

 

[Jesse]

9 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Built like a brick **** house.  Think they saw long snapper in his bio from one of the schools, played DL for Buffalo last year.  Bet they are looking at him for the 3 tec spot.

My first thought was that they're giving him a shot out of respect for his service. That said, as a win now team, if a player can contribute something, the age doesn't matter. We'll see if it becomes anything.

As for MOSjr, it is a little awkward. No matter what, he's a back of roster STer. The kind of guy that people talk about like, "Why is this guy on the roster instead of player x, y, or z?" It just sets up a bad narrative. But, at the same time, the Bombers, more than any other team, recruit guys solely to play ST. Even to the extent of hurting other position groups to keep guys they like on ST. So, if he had a different name, would we have given him the shot anyway? Hard to blame the kid in that scenario. 

[Wideleft]

If bringing Jr. into training camp makes Coach like the organization even a little bit more, I'm all for it.  By all accounts, the players have the utmost respect for Coach, so I think there will be as many people excited for his son (and him) as there will be players grousing about it.

[Bigblue204]

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

My first thought was that they're giving him a shot out of respect for his service. That said, as a win now team, if a player can contribute something, the age doesn't matter. We'll see if it becomes anything.

As for MOSjr, it is a little awkward. No matter what, he's a back of roster STer. The kind of guy that people talk about like, "Why is this guy on the roster instead of player x, y, or z?" It just sets up a bad narrative. But, at the same time, the Bombers, more than any other team, recruit guys solely to play ST. Even to the extent of hurting other position groups to keep guys they like on ST. So, if he had a different name, would we have given him the shot anyway? Hard to blame the kid in that scenario. 

lol what? respect for his service....for another country? I don't...Im not .... you know what...sure

[bigg jay]

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

My first thought was that they're giving him a shot out of respect for his service. That said, as a win now team, if a player can contribute something, the age doesn't matter. We'll see if it becomes anything.

As for MOSjr, it is a little awkward. No matter what, he's a back of roster STer. The kind of guy that people talk about like, "Why is this guy on the roster instead of player x, y, or z?" It just sets up a bad narrative. But, at the same time, the Bombers, more than any other team, recruit guys solely to play ST. Even to the extent of hurting other position groups to keep guys they like on ST. So, if he had a different name, would we have given him the shot anyway? Hard to blame the kid in that scenario. 

Did a bit of reading on him and whatever the Bombers reasoning is, he sure seems like a FIFO-type of guy.  

Quote

“You wish you could have a guy like Damian Jackson with you forever,” coach Maurice Linguist said.

“You probably don’t have the vocabulary and the words to express really how much of a great example he is to what it should look like, and who you should be,” he added. “He’s got the great balance of humility and confidence because he prepares and trains the right way. He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever been around and one of the most selfless.”

https://www.wivb.com/sports/university-at-buffalo-bulls-college-sports/ex-navy-seal-on-ub-football-team-damian-jackson-is-nfl-hopeful/

[Colin Unger]

9 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Speaking of the Okanagan Sun:

Reigning national champion Okanagan Sun open 2023 season away from home - BCFC - Castanet.net

 

 

Is this not the same team we drafted Simonise from?

[bigg jay]

36 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

Is this not the same team we drafted Simonise from?

I don't know if drafting him FROM the Sun is the right way to phrase it.  They were one of many stops he's had before coming to the CFL.  To say he hasn't had the most traditional career path would be a bit of an understatement:

2013-2015 Usports (Calgary Dinos) *ruled academically ineligible for senior year*

2016 - CIF (Chicago Eagles)

2016 - NFL (Cincinnati Bengals) *tests positive for PEDS and gets cut*

2016-2017 - CJFL (Okanagan Sun)

2018 - AFL (Baltimore Brigade)

2018 - Bombers draft him in the 2nd round.

 

[Noeller]

 

[GCn20]

22 hours ago, bigg jay said:

I'd be shocked if MOSJ turns out to be anything more than another body in camp.  He was an undrafted receiver in a fairly shallow draft so my expectations are low.  That being said, if he does manage to snag a spot on the roster, I have no doubt it'd be because he earned it, and not because of nepotism.  

Will other players see it that way if it happens. That's my worry. Look, maybe this is just a nothing burger and MOS and JR just want to spend some time together on the turf and the Bombers said sure. I'm not suggesting that the players necessarily care that the Bombers signed the coaches son, but there will be those whose eyebrows will be raised if he is on the fringe and kept.

19 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

I believe he doesn't cost us a training camp roster spot.  

Signed as a FA, so I believe he does.

[kelownabomberfan]

57 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Will other players see it that way if it happens. That's my worry. Look, maybe this is just a nothing burger and MOS and JR just want to spend some time together on the turf and the Bombers said sure. I'm not suggesting that the players necessarily care that the Bombers signed the coaches son, but there will be those whose eyebrows will be raised if he is on the fringe and kept.

 

Maybe MOS wants to groom his son to be a coach, so this way he gets to see the inside of a CFL training camp from a players' perspective.  I'm all for keeping the OShea bloodline in the Bombers organization if it means years ahead of tough competitive teams who play for each other and want to run through walls for their coach and their team.

[GCn20]

15 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Maybe MOS wants to groom his son to be a coach, so this way he gets to see the inside of a CFL training camp from a players' perspective.  I'm all for keeping the OShea bloodline in the Bombers organization if it means years ahead of tough competitive teams who play for each other and want to run through walls for their coach and their team.

I'm not against having as many O'Shea's around as possible, I just see danger in a perceived notion of nepotism. Handled properly it should be a non-issue.

[Tracker]

26 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I'm not against having as many O'Shea's around as possible, I just see danger in a perceived notion of nepotism. Handled properly it should be a non-issue.

If anything, Junior will have to be demonstrably better than the competition to stick.

[bearpants]

36 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I'm not against having as many O'Shea's around as possible, I just see danger in a perceived notion of nepotism. Handled properly internally, it should be a non-issue.

had to make a slight adjustment there for you...

[GCn20]

1 hour ago, bearpants said:

had to make a slight adjustment there for you...

Oh Jeebus...don't bring back those memories. The PTSD from that only wore off in 2019.

[Nolby]

On 2023-05-07 at 10:01 AM, Jesse said:

Last Bomber to lead the league in sacks was Hunt in 2010.

A little disappointing..

Yes and no. If it's spread out where everyone is averaging decent numbers then it could make the dline scarier. I'd love to see Jj or WJ own the title this year though

Edited May 10, 2023 by Nolby

[WinnipegGordo]

45 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Oh Jeebus...don't bring back those memories. The PTSD from that only wore off in 2019.

Lol. You need to imbrace it like the Bombers have. The intro to Darren Cameron and Ed Tait's Handled Internally podcast includes Kelly's infamous quote.

Edited May 9, 2023 by WinnipegGordo

[Jesse]

56 minutes ago, Nolby said:

Yes and no. It's spread out where everyone is averaging decent numbers then it could make the dline scarier. I'd love to see Jj or WJ own the title this year though

I get the reasons why we haven't had a guy top the list. There's reason it last happened when our team was terrible.

It's still nice to have that guy.

I would also have like Zach to lead the league in passing the last couple of years, but we tend to sit him and MBT took the lead each time. You shrug your shoulders because of the bigger picture, but it would still be nice. 

[Colin Unger]

5 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Maybe MOS wants to groom his son to be a coach, so this way he gets to see the inside of a CFL training camp from a players' perspective.  I'm all for keeping the OShea bloodline in the Bombers organization if it means years ahead of tough competitive teams who play for each other and want to run through walls for their coach and their team.

Yeah I actually thought of that myself. If he ends of being a coach having experienced a training camp as a pro would likely have some benefit for him.

 

[Noeller]

Bud Riley ----> Mike Riley
Osh ------> Osh Jr? 

[Goalie]

If he's good enough he will make the team, if not he doesn't. Right now Osh Jr is just a random dude to me right now... just a body at camp