Bombers Rookie Camp/Training Camp/Pre-Season Thread

[BBlink]

33 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I'm extremely interested in the kicking situation.  I feel the incumbents don't have any particular advantage, including Castillo as an incumbent.  In fact my gut feeling is that Liegghio won't be on this team...and I think some people are going to be surprised that teams aren't beating down his door to sign him up either.  The global punters that came north this year are ridiculously good.

Good call. I think we're going to be getting to that point where our coaches and management need to make some tough calls on the vets to keep our success going. The right calls. When you have really good players in your lap and you let them go because of loyalty to the current players...it's possible that Staton and the two global punters are better than the incumbants

[Fatty Liver]

BC just released former Bomber DE Alex McCallister who looks like a Willie clone, may be worth taking another look if they're not happy with their crop of new DE's.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Fatty Liver

[Mark H.]

The front 7 also feels like an area where vets will shake loose, or at least get their reps reduced.

[JCon]

We're going to be surprised by the outcome of the kicking game. But there are some bigger questions in some bigger names, leaders, in this team. We can't even evaluate them because they're not practicing or practicing much. 

We should have some pushing Biggie this year. We should have some pushing the Jeff-Ends. We should have some pushing Wilson. 

I'm worried about the defensive trenches. 

[Rod Black]

13 minutes ago, JCon said:

We're going to be surprised by the outcome of the kicking game. But there are some bigger questions in some bigger names, leaders, in this team. We can't even evaluate them because they're not practicing or practicing much. 

We should have some pushing Biggie this year. We should have some pushing the Jeff-Ends. We should have some pushing Wilson. 

I'm worried about the defensive trenches. 

Wilson’s inability to stay healthy might be problematic for him. I like the guy, but …would management be willing to move on…

[JCon]

1 minute ago, Rod Black said:

Wilson’s inability to stay healthy might be problematic for him. I like the guy, but …would management be willing to move on…

No, and I think that could be a problem this year. 

[Bigblue204]

3 hours ago, Rod Black said:

Who is George santos? 

Indeed 

[17to85]

48 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

Wilson’s inability to stay healthy might be problematic for him. I like the guy, but …would management be willing to move on…

they'd move on if they had a replacement at his level. So the onus there is on what Walters and Co. brought in. 

[Jesse]

16 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

He wasn't given a week off, or he would have been back on Monday. Back on Wednesday means 1 practice or just the walk through before Friday's game. 

Practice spots aren't that valuable or they would have suspended Bighill etc. which they didn't.

MOS said he needed some extra time. That's more likely to mean to heal than to go home to his family. It certainly doesn't say here are your choices. 

Any vet on any team who gets suspended day 1 is likely to have physical problems, that includes Bombers. 

They could have suspended him after day 1 when they found out he 'wasn't ready yet'. That's similar, but not the same as not passing the physical, but not similar or even close to the same as here are your choices. 

For the above reasons, your story, although not impossible, is very much improbable. One might even go as far as to call it out to lunch.

 

I think that if it was a health/injury issue, Grant would have stayed with the team (like Bighill).

7 hours ago, 17to85 said:

they'd move on if they had a replacement at his level. So the onus there is on what Walters and Co. brought in. 

Which is odd, because I don't see a whole lot of contenders that have been brought in over the last couple of seasons.

And, even if you had complete faith in the health of the LB's and the Jeff's, you'd still think they'd want to bring in rotational/depth pieces for guys all in the their 30's. 

[Wideleft]

11 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I'm extremely interested in the kicking situation.  I feel the incumbents don't have any particular advantage, including Castillo as an incumbent.  In fact my gut feeling is that Liegghio won't be on this team...and I think some people are going to be surprised that teams aren't beating down his door to sign him up either.  The global punters that came north this year are ridiculously good.

Punting position up in the air

Friday night match against Roughriders final audition for trio of kickers

By: Taylor AllenPosted: 5:00 PM CDT Wednesday, May. 31, 2023

 

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are still struggling to solve their punting situation after 18 days of training camp and a pre-season game.

If anything, things are more complicated than ever as Global punters Jamieson Sheahan and Karl Schmitz both impressed in last Saturday’s exhibition game at Commonwealth Stadium against the Edmonton Elks.

The pair had four punts each, with Sheahan’s going for an average of 48.3 yards per kick and Schmitz’s travelling 49.5 yards.

Canadian Marc Liegghio, the team’s punter the past two seasons, sat out the Edmonton game but will get a chance to show his stuff on Friday at IG Field against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the preseason finale.

Head coach Mike O’Shea admitted Wednesday this has been one of the most challenging position battles to judge in quite some time.

He was asked what the deciding factor is going to be.

“I don’t know yet. At some point I’ll know what that factor even is, but I don’t know yet,” said O’Shea, who also added they’re still trying to figure out how they’re going to split the reps between the specialists on Friday.

“They’re all good, they’re all great guys, they all fit. There’s the numbers, style, and gut (feeling). It’ll just come down to that, probably.”

At 36 years old, the Bermuda-born Schmitz is the best story of the group. Saturday was his first game action since Aug. 24, 2015, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave him a look in a preseason contest against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Schmitz struck his third punt in Edmonton almost perfectly as it hit an opponent’s foot at the two-yard line before taking a strange bounce into the end zone and out of bounds for a single.

“As much as you prepare and practise, there’s nothing like that game experience. Fortunately for me, it was just like riding a bike again,” said Schmitz, who was chosen in the second round of the 2023 CFL Global Draft. Sheahan, who hails from Australia, was chosen in the first.

“There’s really nothing too complicated about punting. You just make sure you’re limber and you keep it as simple as possible and you let the hours and hours of training take its course and then you just live with the result.”

O’Shea has been adamant throughout camp that age will not play a factor into the decision.

“He can pound the ball. It just comes off his leg so well. He is obviously in impeccable shape. He takes care of his body and practises his craft, it’s pretty neat,” said O’Shea.

“I don’t put a lot of stock into age, especially at that position, because we’ve all witnessed Lui Passaglia, Bob Cameron, Troy (Westwood), Trevor (Kennerd), like all these guys kicked for a long time.”

While he won’t admit it, there’s more pressure on Liegghio now than ever before. With Sheahan and Schmitz proving they can get the job done, Liegghio needs a strong showing Friday or else it could be his final game in blue and gold.

“You feel it’s your job and that’s what I’m thinking going into this game. I’m just going to continue doing what I’m doing,” said Liegghio.

“I feel comfortable. This is my third year here now and I’ve got the lay of the land and everything. I’m just going to go out there, do my thing, and not really think about anything else.”

This is Liegghio’s first training camp where he’s had to scratch and claw to make the roster. His Canadian passport, and the fact he can also kick field goals if something were to happen to Sergio Castillo or Chandler Staton, could end up giving the 26-year-old the edge over the Global legs.

“He came out on the first day and had to make a couple adjustments, but he’s been spot on since,” said O’Shea when asked what he’s seen from Liegghio.

While most veterans dread training camp, Schmitz has been all smiles. After years of training and attending kicking camps to no avail, the 6-4 Schmitz couldn’t be happier just to be in the mix for his dream job.

“It’s really out of my hands, so as long as I just do my job and let the rest play out as it does then I’m happy with the result,” he said.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

[Booch]

10 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

BC just released former Bomber DE Alex McCallister who looks like a Willie clone, may be worth taking another look at him if they're not happy with their crop of new DE's.

yeh...I liked him here and fared well in his one game....was a roster issue at the time that we didnt retain him....and likely a roster issue there in B.C as they are heavy with Canadian ends there.....not cause he is not good enough...I'd bring him in immediately....and he would likely still have a good grasp on what we do, so getting up to speed would be minimum

I also like what Scmidtt brings with his punting...I could see him being one of the globals and the punter out of the gate until he shows he is not performing good enough...Really hate burning a DI on a kicker but based on the gut wrenching the last 2 yrs, I cant see us going unproven at placekicker this yr....Stanton looked super smooth and legit....but.....its a different beast when the real lights come on....I as well could realistically see Leggz offered a PR spot to start the yr...will he take it is the big question?...I say he will...guess we will see in less than a week how she all shakes out

[GCn20]

17 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

He wasn't given a week off, or he would have been back on Monday. Back on Wednesday means 1 practice or just the walk through before Friday's game. 

Practice spots aren't that valuable or they would have suspended Bighill etc. which they didn't.

MOS said he needed some extra time. That's more likely to mean to heal than to go home to his family. It certainly doesn't say here are your choices. 

Any vet on any team who gets suspended day 1 is likely to have physical problems, that includes Bombers. 

They could have suspended him after day 1 when they found out he 'wasn't ready yet'. That's similar, but not the same as not passing the physical, but not similar or even close to the same as here are your choices. 

For the above reasons, your story, although not impossible, is very much improbable. One might even go as far as to call it out to lunch.

 

Nothing out to lunch about it, and it is something the Bombers have done many times in the past by their own admission. Your Bighill comparison is not valid because the team will reach out to the player and see if they agree to be added to the suspended list. MOS spoke at length about this on the coaches show during TC last year. When suspended the player does not receive his TC per diem, but is free to go home until whatever date they agree upon. Bighill may very well have been approached and said no I wanna stay in camp.

Edited June 1, 2023 by GCn20

[bigg jay]

This team must have some discipline issues because Neufeld has now been added to the suspended list, per the CFL transaction pages. 😉

[Bubba Zanetti]

As much as O'Shea makes it sound like the punting is wide open, i cant fathom any scenario where Liegghio isnt the week 1 punter. The fact that he's a decent punter, his passport, he can place kick in an emergency, and the amount of time they have invested in him means he sticks around IMO. No way he's cut and they go with a global/American punter.

[bigg jay]

Brandin Bryant released by the Bills.  I hope Walters is checking to see if he wants to come back up north again.

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1664257675461378049

 

[Jesse]

1 minute ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

As much as O'Shea makes it sound like the punting is wide open, i cant fathom any scenario where Liegghio isnt the week 1 punter. The fact that he's a decent punter, his passport, he can place kick in an emergency, and the amount of time they have invested in him means he sticks around IMO. No way he's cut and they go with a global/American punter.

No way they’re gonna keep him if someone is clearly better, either.

[Booch]

16 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Brandin Bryant released by the Bills.  I hope Walters is checking to see if he wants to come back up north again.

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1664257675461378049

 

was just gonna say....get in his ear....that would solve a huge hole in the defence....

[bearpants]

12 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I'm extremely interested in the kicking situation.  I feel the incumbents don't have any particular advantage, including Castillo as an incumbent.  In fact my gut feeling is that Liegghio won't be on this team...and I think some people are going to be surprised that teams aren't beating down his door to sign him up either.  The global punters that came north this year are ridiculously good.

Let's say you're correct and the teams sticks with Castillo and a global to punt... how does that effect the roster composition?... Castillo has to be DI'd and the punter just counts as one of our two globals? No effect on how many Canadians dress?

[Booch]

Just now, bearpants said:

Let's say you're correct and the teams sticks with Castillo and a global to punt... how does that effect the roster composition?... Castillo has to be DI'd and the punter just counts as one of our two globals? No effect on how many Canadians dress?

correct....the global requirement is 2....and Castillo takes a DI spot.....same as how we rostered Medlock, but at that time only needed 1 Global on roster

[Bubba Zanetti]

21 minutes ago, Jesse said:

No way they’re gonna keep him if someone is clearly better, either.

Im no Liegghio fan, but he was 5th best in punting average last season. Unless one of these other guys is the second coming of Bob Cameron Liegghio isnt going anywhere.

[bearpants]

2 minutes ago, Booch said:

correct....the global requirement is 2....and Castillo takes a DI spot.....same as how we rostered Medlock, but at that time only needed 1 Global on roster

So all the people saying that Leggs will make the team because of his passport... that's actually irrellevant because Castillo taking up the DI spot is the only thing that really matters... and that still happens whether the punter is Leggs or one of the globals

[Booch]

14 minutes ago, bearpants said:

So all the people saying that Leggs will make the team because of his passport... that's actually irrellevant because Castillo taking up the DI spot is the only thing that really matters... and that still happens whether the punter is Leggs or one of the globals

Pretty much....and playing the Global punter allows us to use say Murphy on the roster...or one of the safety prospects instead of on a Canadian punter....I really like the flight and hang of the punts that Schmidtt kicks

[wbbfan]

Man Bryant and McAllister would be awesome. I’m not getting my hopes up for Bryant. But I could see mcallister get picked up. 

[Booch]

1 minute ago, wbbfan said:

Man Bryant and McAllister would be awesome. I’m not getting my hopes up for Bryant. But I could see mcallister get picked up. 

if all of a sudden we had a dline rotation of the Jeffs and Mcallister...Bryant/Thomas/Lawson/Thomas and eventually Hansen mixed in...we'd be doing just fine....Especially now with that Nationalized Canadian rule...we could have sets that would just give teams fits

[TBURGESS]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Nothing out to lunch about it, and it is something the Bombers have done many times in the past by their own admission. Your Bighill comparison is not valid because the team will reach out to the player and see if they agree to be added to the suspended list. MOS spoke at length about this on the coaches show during TC last year. When suspended the player does not receive his TC per diem, but is free to go home until whatever date they agree upon. Bighill may very well have been approached and said no I wanna stay in camp.

You have nothing but a made up story that has a bunch of holes in it. You're assuming your ideas are facts & confusing 'What Ifs' with proof. 

Have the Bombers sent players home and put them on the suspended list? Yes. Did they do it in this in Grants case? Maybe? Is that proof? Nope.

Have the Bombers offered to give players the first week off and let them go home? Maybe? Did they do it in this case? Maybe? Is that proof? Nope.  

Is your story possible? Yes. Doesn't that make it true? Possibly. Does it put the Bombers in the best light possible? Yes. 

It's your MO. Take a possibility that puts the Bombers in the best light possible, say that's what happened, then argue with anyone (No it's not JUST me) who asks for proof.