CFL - 2024 Regular Season - Discussion Thread

[sweep the leg]

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Edited June 19 by sweep the leg

[Goalie]

Bighill I feel in a limited role if you maybe just let him be a linebacker and not pretend he’s gonna get to the qb on a blitz or cover wrs is ok but I dunno. Seems a step or 2 behind and he was a step behind last year also. BA and Neufeld tho are very done. Neufeld said he doesn’t need training camp in one of his interviews, didn’t exactly but implied he didn’t. He needed training camp.  Although he’s playing beside kolo and a new tackle so maybe it’s a combination there. 
 

Thomas? Dude was done 3 seasons ago as a starter type who gets tons of reps. In a limited role perhaps he’s useful still but limited like Jackson limited. Cut him. Sign Bennett. Problem solved. Not saying Bennett is god but don’t think he’s washed like Thomas is. 

Edited June 19 by Goalie

[wbbfan]

9 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Bighill I feel in a limited role if you maybe just let him be a linebacker and not pretend he’s gonna get to the qb on a blitz or cover wrs is ok but I dunno. Seems a step or 2 behind and he was a step behind last year also. BA and Neufeld tho are very done. Neufeld said he doesn’t need training camp in one of his interviews, didn’t exactly but implied he didn’t. He needed training camp.  Although he’s playing beside kolo and a new tackle so maybe it’s a combination there. 
 

Thomas? Dude was done 3 seasons ago as a starter type who gets tons of reps. In a limited role perhaps he’s useful still but limited like Jackson limited. Cut him. Sign Bennett. Problem solved. Not saying Bennett is god but don’t think he’s washed like Thomas is. 

He’s the most useful of hey two. Primarily playing an intermediate zone reading the qb and flowing to the ball away from ol 

[Goalie]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

He’s the most useful of hey two. Primarily playing an intermediate zone reading the qb and flowing to the ball away from ol 

Plus you need some veteran presence and Biggie is a good dude on and off the field so you need a couple of those guys around still. Can’t just go 25 new guys. Maybe Biggie Stan and Willy can be our “grizzled vets” but then u got demski and Brady also, the hometown local stars. It can work. We got a good base without a neufeld or Alexander or Kyrie even. Jake etc.  Alexander and kyrie should be easy to replace with a linebacker and DB. Neufeld and Jake, gonna have to sign a guy prob cuz those are starter types currently 

Edited June 20 by Goalie

[SpeedFlex27]

I've seen this twice going back to the 60's. The downside of a veteran football team that suddenly loses more than they won. Dominant for years & then in one off season becoming the door mats in just one season.

The first was the end of the Bomber of the Bomber dynasty of the 50's & early 60's. Head Coach Bud Grant knew it was over & moved on to a better opportunity in Minnesota. Took his best assistant coach in Johnny Michaels with him. Left his worse (Joe Zaleski) to take his place as Head Coach. Within a season or two we were lucky to win 3 football games.

We were bottom feeders for 4 seasons until Don Jonas got here. The other was a few years later, we lost Mack herron, Jim Thorpe & other players & went from Grey Cup contenders to bottom feeders again even faster. Grey Cup contenders in 1972 & falling to last place with an anchor attached in 1973. Of course, it doesn't mean it'll happen again but the same signs are there. I just hope I'm wrong. When you step off the cliff, the fall is very hard & fast.

[JohnnyAbonny]

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I've seen this twice going back to the 60's. The downside of a veteran football team that suddenly loses more than they won. Dominant for years & then in one off season becoming the door mats in just one season.

The first was the end of the Bomber of the Bomber dynasty of the 50's & early 60's. Head Coach Bud Grant knew it was over & moved on to a better opportunity in Minnesota. Took his best assistant coach in Johnny Michaels with him. Left his worse (Joe Zaleski) to take his place as Head Coach. Within a season or two we were lucky to win 3 football games.

We were bottom feeders for 4 seasons until Don Jonas got here. The other was a few years later, we lost Mack herron, Jim Thorpe & other players & went from Grey Cup contenders to bottom feeders again even faster. Grey Cup contenders in 1972 & falling to last place with an anchor attached in 1973. Of course, it doesn't mean it'll happen again but the same signs are there. I just hope I'm wrong. When you step off the cliff, the fall is very hard & fast.

I’ve seen it twice in my lifetime too. 

The 1995 Bombers fell off a cliff hard after 15ish or so winning seasons. They’d kept Matt Dunnigan instead of Danny Mac 2 years prior, but Dunnigan bolted for a new American team, and the Cal Murphy Bombers never recovered. They had a losing record and a one and done playoff appearance. 
The next year they brought in an aging Kent Austin to try and right the ship but it was too late, a 68-7 playoff loss cost Cal Murphy his job. 
 

The second time was in 2004, same story as now. 
Aging former MOP QB, most of the impact players on the team over 30. Only difference is back then we kept getting outbid for our own FAs/our guys coming back from the NFL. 

We wouldn’t have retained Schoen or Brady (or anybody) in those years. 

They couldn’t/didn’t want to pay Geroy Simon and Arland Bruce coming back from the NFL and let Brian Clark go to the stamps, among other poor outcomes. 

Had some younger talent in TC but Ritchie hated rookies, which was his downfall. He kept guys like Wickman, McGriggs, Elowonibi way too long. 
 

At least we got a couple cups out of this run before the leadership decided this place is Brigadoon in the off-season. 

Edited June 20 by JohnnyAbonny

[GCn20]

16 hours ago, Goalie said:

Bighill I feel in a limited role if you maybe just let him be a linebacker and not pretend he’s gonna get to the qb on a blitz or cover wrs is ok but I dunno. Seems a step or 2 behind and he was a step behind last year also. BA and Neufeld tho are very done. Neufeld said he doesn’t need training camp in one of his interviews, didn’t exactly but implied he didn’t. He needed training camp.  Although he’s playing beside kolo and a new tackle so maybe it’s a combination there. 
 

Thomas? Dude was done 3 seasons ago as a starter type who gets tons of reps. In a limited role perhaps he’s useful still but limited like Jackson limited. Cut him. Sign Bennett. Problem solved. Not saying Bennett is god but don’t think he’s washed like Thomas is. 

Thomas was never a starter type imo. He just doesn't have the gas in the tank. He didn't earn the nickname Fatboi because of his cardio.

[HardCoreBlue]

4 hours ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

I’ve seen it twice in my lifetime too. 

The 1995 Bombers fell off a cliff hard after 15ish or so winning seasons. They’d kept Matt Dunnigan instead of Danny Mac 2 years prior, but Dunnigan bolted for a new American team, and the Cal Murphy Bombers never recovered. They had a losing record and a one and done playoff appearance. 
The next year they brought in an aging Kent Austin to try and right the ship but it was too late, a 68-7 playoff loss cost Cal Murphy his job. 
 

The second time was in 2004, same story as now. 
Aging former MOP QB, most of the impact players on the team over 30. Only difference is back then we kept getting outbid for our own FAs/our guys coming back from the NFL. 

We wouldn’t have retained Schoen or Brady (or anybody) in those years. 

They couldn’t/didn’t want to pay Geroy Simon and Arland Bruce coming back from the NFL and let Brian Clark go to the stamps, among other poor outcomes. 

Had some younger talent in TC but Ritchie hated rookies, which was his downfall. He kept guys like Wickman, McGriggs, Elowonibi way too long. 
 

At least we got a couple cups out of this run before the leadership decided this place is Brigadoon in the off-season. 

A great reminder that this is why we enjoy and live every BB good/great moment we can.

[JohnnyAbonny]

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Thomas was never a starter type imo. He just doesn't have the gas in the tank. He didn't earn the nickname Fatboi because of his cardio.

At the very beginning of his career maybe. He had a hell of a motor in 2012 

[Booch]

2 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

At the very beginning of his career maybe. He had a hell of a motor in 2012 

or did it just seem like it cause we had a weak arsed squad?

That whole draft....yikes....Took Poblah with the supplemental and lost our first rounder for it...then traded 2 second round picks to get 3rd over all pick and grabbed Tyson Pencer...and rounded out the draft with Johnny  Aprile...Bilikudi..Rene Stephan and Jake...yikes

[JohnnyAbonny]

Just now, Booch said:

or did it just seem like it cause we had a weak arsed squad?

That whole draft....yikes....Took Poblah with the supplemental and lost our first rounder for it...then traded 2 second round picks to get 3rd over all pick and grabbed Tyson Pencer...and rounded out the draft with Johnny  Aprile...Bilikudi..Rene Stephan and Jake...yikes

Could very well be lol. 
Those Joe Mack drafts were the lowest level of terrible 

[17to85]

Evvvvveeeerrrryyyyyyone was adamant that Poblah was going to be a star at the time. 

[Goalie]

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Thomas was never a starter type imo. He just doesn't have the gas in the tank. He didn't earn the nickname Fatboi because of his cardio.

I don’t view him as a starter type either but it appears the bombers still do. 

[JCon]

I wouldn't go so far as to call the brother fat, I mean he got a weight problem. What's the dlineman gonna do? He's Acadian.

[Booch]

1 minute ago, JCon said:

I wouldn't go so far as to call the brother fat, I mean he got a weight problem. What's the dlineman gonna do? He's Acadian.

I'll give him props...he looks to be "svelter" than last yr...

[Atomic]

Jake Thomas was always good at coming in late in the game and taking advantage of OL that had already been beat up for awhile. He is and was a rotational piece, not meant to start and play the majority of snaps.

[Arnold_Palmer]

1 hour ago, Booch said:

or did it just seem like it cause we had a weak arsed squad?

That whole draft....yikes....Took Poblah with the supplemental and lost our first rounder for it...then traded 2 second round picks to get 3rd over all pick and grabbed Tyson Pencer...and rounded out the draft with Johnny  Aprile...Bilikudi..Rene Stephan and Jake...yikes

In comparison in 2019 we got desjarlais, kongbo, Brady, Eli, Hallett and Exume. Man that was a solid draft for us.  

[Booch]

Just now, Arnold_Palmer said:

In comparison in 2019 we got desjarlais, kongbo, Brady, Eli, Hallett and Exume. Man that was a solid draft for us.  

Killer one

[johnzo]

8 hours ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

I’ve seen it twice in my lifetime too. 

The 1995 Bombers fell off a cliff hard after 15ish or so winning seasons...The second time was in 2004, same story as now.

Had a mini version of this in 2007 - 2008.  Went from a Grey Cup finalist to an 8-10 semifinal road team because a whole bunch of veterans underperformed.

[Mark H.]

2 minutes ago, johnzo said:

Had a mini version of this in 2007 - 2008.  Went from a Grey Cup finalist to an 8-10 semifinal road team because a whole bunch of veterans underperformed.

And TC was also run country club style for the veterans.

[JuranBoldenRules]

22 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Done as high level impact players, but both could serve as contributing players.

Yeah I don't really think there's a spot for an American LB or DB to be "contributing players."  You need guys who are playmakers across the board.  Gotta hope they are lined up next to a "contributing player" and not someone who is just going to run by them.

[JohnnyAbonny]

1 hour ago, johnzo said:

Had a mini version of this in 2007 - 2008.  Went from a Grey Cup finalist to an 8-10 semifinal road team because a whole bunch of veterans underperformed.

Those were the peak years of my obsessive fandom..Rough times lol 

[rebusrankin]

Curious to see how Dru fairs against Montreal's D tonight. Als D looks legit.

[wbbfan]

2 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Curious to see how Dru fairs against Montreal's D tonight. Als D looks legit.

Same here. Also how legit the two teams that beat us so far in the regular season are. 

[wbbfan]

16 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Those were the peak years of my obsessive fandom..Rough times lol 

Think my early peak was post 01.