2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, Booch said:

36 games of insequantial productivity or impact all the while stunting the development of younger guys...Import and National as well as offering no value on teams....start with this

 

I could suit up again and play 18 games....make the odd play and avoid injury by rarely being involved in the fraccass too...or being a missile bee-lining to the play...not just being in a spot where the play basically runs into after yards are gained

we have 2 guys right now...And Demski isnt a guy who avoids injury either

My fear with Ratio flip is we will see moocho Thomas and Schmeck.....alongside Lawson (who deserves reps) and minimal Adams..Woods..Fox...or another import....and If god forbid Lawson gets hurt...all Thomas and Schmeck.....makes a guy wanna puke

That would be the worst interior dline bar none across the league...even an interior with Jake,,Schmeck....and pic one import and Lawson as the main guys...is worst in league inside

if we do...may be an away gane at this rate

Yeah Demski isn’t often healthy and while he’s played most games he’s not been 100%. But this might be his new 100 at his age and wear. 
 

That’s the worst fear yeah. Full time Jake. 

58 minutes ago, Booch said:

For a QB who relies heavily on trusted vets...and almost under performs without them...and has said himself that Woli is "that guy" for him in many situations...pooching him seems like a bad decision...he would have been perfect also to.mentor Clercius along as well...we saw huge drop off when Woli was missing  with Zc performance 

We saw nothing but better play when Thomas sat out plays...

That’s a good point, woli had long been a go to comfort blanket for zach. Big time plays and when we’ve had other guys banged up he’s stepped up. 

[Mike]

Just to speak to Wolitarsky’s character and just what a good dude he is … few years back, some friends and I went to go see him play at Earl’s on Main and we ended up chatting with him and Streveler … he found out it was my friend’s birthday coming up who loved live music and he offered to come play some songs at his birthday party.

 

Sure enough, few weeks later, Woli was in my basement sitting around with us having some beers while he played the guitar. All-time guy. I’m sad to see him go.

[rebusrankin]

How is Woli at $110,000 a guy we need to move on from? That's a great deal for a starting NI.

[BBlink]

7 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

How is Woli at $110,000 a guy we need to move on from? That's a great deal for a starting NI.

It does seem weird to me. The only thing I can think of is that his injury isn't progressing and that Clercius has taken his spot. Dollars-wise it seems like a fine deal.

[17to85]

Sucks to lose Wolitarsky. Love that guy. However they likely see Clercius as having huge upside (he does imo) so are moving on. 

I'd divorce this decision from anything related to Thomas and just call it what it is.

[HardCoreBlue]

42 minutes ago, bearpants said:

I feel personally attacked right now!

If the shoe fits my friend.

[rebusrankin]

2 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Sucks to lose Wolitarsky. Love that guy. However they likely see Clercius as having huge upside (he does imo) so are moving on. 

I'd divorce this decision from anything related to Thomas and just call it what it is.

Next you'll be telling me not to blame Jake for the cold weather, my car not starting, climate change.....

[SpeedFlex27]

2 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Sucks to lose Wolitarsky. Love that guy. However they likely see Clercius as having huge upside (he does imo) so are moving on. 

I'd divorce this decision from anything related to Thomas and just call it what it is.

I think Clercius won't be here long term. He's from the Montreal area & his family lives there so why would he stay here long term? When he's a free agent, he'll go to the Als. I think long term planning with him will be risky. 

[blue85gold]

Just now, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think Clercius won't be here long term. He's from the Montreal area & his family lives there so why would he stay here long term? When he's a free agent, he'll go to the Als. I think long term planning with him will be risky. 

Players are from all over. Lots of guys play in cities they aren't from.  

There is no long term planning any more. It is contract to contract. 

[17to85]

8 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Next you'll be telling me not to blame Jake for the cold weather, my car not starting, climate change.....

No need to be rash. 

5 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think Clercius won't be here long term. He's from the Montreal area & his family lives there so why would he stay here long term? When he's a free agent, he'll go to the Als. I think long term planning with him will be risky. 

Negativity for the sake of negativity. There's nothing to base this on

[SpeedFlex27]

10 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

No need to be rash. 

Negativity for the sake of negativity. There's nothing to base this on

Past actions by players. I find Quebec players like to play at home if they could. Culture in Winnipeg & Manitoba is different that Montreal or Quebec. There are language barriers. French is a first language & not a second. Lots of reasons to go home for a lot of players from there. Plus the Als would offer him great money to sign as a FA. 

[brett_c_b]

2 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Past actions by players. I find Quebec players like to play at home if they could. Culture in Winnipeg & Manitoba is different that Montreal or Quebec. There are language barriers. French is a first language & not a second. Lots of reasons to go home for a lot of players from there. Plus the Als would offer him great money to sign as a FA. 

You sound like a Montreal Canadiens can who says every French player is going to sign in Montreal in free agency, and then they never do

[Mike]

11 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Past actions by players. I find Quebec players like to play at home if they could. Culture in Winnipeg & Manitoba is different that Montreal or Quebec. There are language barriers. French is a first language & not a second. Lots of reasons to go home for a lot of players from there. Plus the Als would offer him great money to sign as a FA. 

Yeah, just look at Kramdi. 

[Goalie]

12 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Past actions by players. I find Quebec players like to play at home if they could. Culture in Winnipeg & Manitoba is different that Montreal or Quebec. There are language barriers. French is a first language & not a second. Lots of reasons to go home for a lot of players from there. Plus the Als would offer him great money to sign as a FA. 

Yet he went to college in the states. Crazy world. Where French fries are known as freedom fries. 

Edited Monday at 06:16 PM by Goalie

[Stickem]

IF a player is a French Canadian...I would say his preference would be to sign there...AND IF it came down to a few dollars dif in a contract, I think playing at home would be a draw....Not always mind you but lets be realistic...We have a few  on our club that prefer playing at home...see Demski and Brady....I see other players who lean that way for their hometown ...

 

Sad to see Woli go..A lot of fans are going to be unhappy with the decision to let him go...Sometimes moves like these hurt....but that's the world of football and professional sports

Edited Monday at 06:23 PM by Stickem

[Colin Unger]

39 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think Clercius won't be here long term. He's from the Montreal area & his family lives there so why would he stay here long term? When he's a free agent, he'll go to the Als. I think long term planning with him will be risky. 

Even if that's true he's got two more years on his entry level deal here in Winnipeg. That's an eternity for a CFL team hosting the Grey Cup this season.

[Booch]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Guess they want to sign Schoen AND Lawler. 

pretty sure that was happening regardless of Woli's 112k.....to rplace him with another Canadian that has some experience...u paying the same anyway....and to go raw rookie right behind Clercius as the 3 nationals with Demski...thats not a very confident group...especially with a guy like ZC who sucks using new talent.

 

1 hour ago, Goalie said:

Jake was signed so ppl can have something to complain about. That’s obvious by now. What’s he being paid? Bet he took a cut.  As for woli and O guys, outside of Brady, our O sucked. I have no issue with trying different guys on O. All this cash spent on the O and we put up under 20 points most games. Changes on the O side were inevitable. Why ppl pretending our O was any good?  I’ll bet there’s more change there. 

our O sucked more due to scheme...and a declining ZC...not who was catching balls so much....like mentioned before...any pro QB should be able to hit a guy running a route as per the design.....if the design sucks....or the QB is missing...it not on the recievers....and I pretty sure the whole lot of them were not running the wrong routes all the time...over and over...all in unison....and if they were...then again...thats totally on the coaches not correcting it...or finding better players

Jake is making over 100k....Which could have gone to Woli....Saved for part of Ford....Used as part of a high end free agent....and if you think Osh will release him after TC you are very mistaken...He will be slotted in as a "starter" and talked as such in all the training camp articles...Osh will Osh.....100 percent a garuantee

1 hour ago, 3rdand1.5 said:

Wish Woli the best....he was the kinda player fans just liked, seemed like an awesome spirit he did....

 

I am unsure on the Jake and Kyrie re-ups, but believe we made the correct decision on Biggie

 

I am really curious to see what our receivers and o-line will look like...and what the market is on some of these guys...it seems receiver is trending down pretty drastically...but all it takes is one overpay to re-skew it

Biggie...that decision was made for us as he wont be ready right out of the gate...that is the ONLY reason...If they signed Jake...and Wilson who cant play a full season then Biggie was a lock....fate stepped in and made that decision for us

10 bucks says tho that if no-one picks him up...we do by mid season and he will displace a promising new guy

[Bigblue204]

2 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

My response: Simply physically being at work doesn't mean your working.

I have direct knowledge of this

[wbbfan]

48 minutes ago, brett_c_b said:

You sound like a Montreal Canadiens can who says every French player is going to sign in Montreal in free agency, and then they never do

lol I haven’t followed hockey in ages and that still resonates. Great comparison. 
 As I said previously, “going home” is bs 90% of the time. 
 

 

[Fatty Liver]

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Yeah, just look at Kramdi. 

Probably the reason they ended up paying Kramdi $140k, he likely wanted to live closer to his family and Danny Maciocia speaks so highly of him he'd love to have him on his team.

[Fatty Liver]

3 hours ago, BBlink said:

It does seem weird to me. The only thing I can think of is that his injury isn't progressing and that Clercius has taken his spot. Dollars-wise it seems like a fine deal.

Clercius runs good routes and seems to have decent hands, but he doesn't have the mental connection Woli had with Zach providing a target on broken plays, If Zach loses both Woli and Schoen he's going to be pissed.  Maybe Mitchell will help fill some of that void.

[greenrider55]

Can’t believe they released Woli… I personally will not miss him converting every bloody 2nd down possible against the Riders.

Only 29, he’s a no brainer signing for another team.

[BigBlue]

Whats going on with our offensive coordinator? I can not believe Woli type decisions are being made without him ...

 

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Sucks to lose Wolitarsky. Love that guy. However they likely see Clercius as having huge upside (he does imo) so are moving on. 

I'd divorce this decision from anything related to Thomas and just call it what it is.

Clercius is younger, cheaper with good hands and was a very physical player after he got the ball, punishing would-be tacklers. I liked Wolitarsky but...

Edited Monday at 09:38 PM by Tracker

[Colin Unger]

10 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

Whats going on with our offensive coordinator? I can not believe Woli type decisions are being made without him ...

 

It would be pretty wild if the team entered the legal tampering window without an OC in place.   I'm expecting this hire to take place this week.  But I'm not sure that logical timetables are a high priority.