2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[Fatty Liver]

1 hour ago, Booch said:

he needs to be more intrusive and not worry about the "nice guy" mystique and take control at times...It's part of the job....Our unwillingness for anyone...be it HC ..GM or even prez step in and if anything just say "why" to some of our decisions has ultimately cost us 3 Cups...and before anyone says "yeah but injuries"...well dressing hurt guys...not pulling guys who got hurt and not replacing them in game....and unwillingness to adjut to the game flow...instead just keep hammering away with a flawed scheme and showing no faith in any back-ups to step in...and step up...killed us...and was a conscious decision by...at end of the day..the HC....It's okay to bench guys...replace hurt guys....tell a co-ord to get his **** together or he gonna take control.....

 

or ...maybe the wise ones can look at it a different way eh?...Who the eff keeps a coach in place who has failed in 3 straight championships...for reasons that were common in all 3?...there is that angle as well when head is pulled out of sand and blue glass removed

If we were to move on and replace our HC....And due diligence was used in picking one...who is not a moron....an assbag...or Chris Jones...we will be just fine...maybe better...we wouldnt fall off a cliff....

The Bombers are currently the most successful franchise in the CFL, they sellout multiple games in a row, the stands are always full, people are having a fantastic time, food, beverage and merchandise sales are up and they've had a winning record finishing first in the West the last 4 seasons and going to the GC the last 5.  I believe Wade Miller is happy with all the measurables.

What are you hoping to accomplish by firing O'Shea, achieve one move victory per season?  In what way is he damaging the brand or the franchise? 

[Noeller]

Would be an absolute epic disaster to lose Osh right now.... But we'll see how this year goes. 

[Arnold_Palmer]

9 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Would be an absolute epic disaster to lose Osh right now.... But we'll see how this year goes. 

Yeah we’ve had 8 consecutive 10 win plus seasons, the only two teams with active streaks are Toronto with 3, and Montreal with 2. We’re by far the most successful team in the last decade. 

[Noeller]

It would be equal to Calgary letting Buono walk... Completely ridiculous.

[wbbfan]

16 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Would be an absolute epic disaster to lose Osh right now.... But we'll see how this year goes. 

I wonder if it wouldn’t be easier and more effective, if (and only if) we continued to back slide and can’t get out of it, to replace Walters. 
 Find a gm who can reign in and push mos to develop and improve. Remove and prevent crutch players (we all know the names) and maybe improve our free agent approach. (If we falter I think it’s fair to expect our quantity over quality approach this year failed too) 

2 minutes ago, Noeller said:

It would be equal to Calgary letting Buono walk... Completely ridiculous.

One day every coach leaves, and it’s virtually never a good way out or an immediate upgrade for long term coaches.  When it happens it’ll probably lead to a further down turn and rebuild. Mos is still a pretty young hc though. If he can take another step forward it will go far and he could be here for another 10 years. 

[17to85]

Honestly i think the gm has already started addressing things. 

Oshea still has plenty of rope.

[JuranBoldenRules]

Really easy to always say that there's some mystical coach out there that would be a better fit.  We've been through generations as CFL fans watching teams including our own who keep believing that.

Hufnagel, Grant, Mathews, Buono, O'Shea

That's the order of CFL coaches by winning percentage.

Let's pull our collective heads out of our asses.

[17to85]

Pretty good company considering the mess oshea walked into.

[Booch]

4 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Which is usually not the case when someone takes an HC job - usually there is rebuilding to be done

That would be the difference - if O'Shea were let go

YOU wouldnt have to rebuild...if you had a solid roster....not much would be needed...and safe to say we do....its how you use said roster, and organizationally how we do business....wouldnt change...so yes we'd be just fine

Mike Oshea....all th good and positive he brings...he isn't the BlueBombers and sucess dies without him...nope

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

He must 100% put the team's best interest before his agendas and ideals, but he won't unless he is forced to. 

 

In the past, nice guy "player" coaches had a shelf life. You'd see discipline and execution slip further and further until teams would move on, usually to a stricter guy. But in modern pro sports, that heavy-handed type of head coach just doesn't work anymore, so it doesn't exist. You have shades of nice/strict but nothing close to the guys 20-25 years ago. And coaches don't have the power to use practice to reel in such issues anymore. 

 I think Mos position with this stuff is a crossroads that many coaches in pro sports are at. I don't think anyone knows what the next step is, but in the meantime, moving further into the stricter, higher accountability side would be a big improvement. 

 

For a rebuilding team, firing a coach is easy. Because the expectation resets. For a playoff/contender, it's a really hard situation. You need to know you have access to a guy who is turnkey at that level of winning. I don't think that is available today. And I am sure the team is not willing to risk a rebuild. The only ways out for Mos are for someone unexpected to become available and the change is made, most quits/leaves at the end of his deal, or the team collapses into a rebuild. I don't think any of those are likely. Though the most likely one is a collapse. We do not have the roster flexibility to absorb more than maybe 1 all-star caliber injury and still stay in the race. 

I played for nice guy coaches...who after 7..8 yrs and not evolving....started to slide...and then fade out with a firing...and life went on...teams had success...some even better success....not a shot at Oshea...just a fact of pro sports coaching....every damn one has a shelf life whether people wanna believe or not...and many have been let go to the shock and shagrin of fans...media....it happens...and it will here too...its not being a hater...just reality...and another flop this yr with same themes as last 3....its time

2 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Where ever one fits along the spectrum of how they feel about MOS that no one could get around, releasing him at this moment in time would be an optic nightmare.

nobody saying right now....but I wouldn't even consider an extension for him till after the season is over....and more of the same....why would we?...and maybe that unknown and possibility of a non rehire would be the elixir needed to have a bit of a shift on how he manages some things...and a bad attitude and less than optimal effort because he didnt get rewarded a new deal prior to current expiring is good reason to also walk away....like a player has to...earn your next payday...no player is gonna get premium pay based on 5 yrs ago work when he has shown decline in the last 2..3...same goes for a coach

Edited 23 hours ago by Booch

[rebusrankin]

I'd like MOS to change some things (country club training camp, hanging onto aging vets) but wanting a coach to change some things isn't the same as wanting him fired. I don't want MOS fired. This has been Rebus's mini Ted Talk.

[17to85]

Coaches are hired to be fired, just the nature of the business....however now ain't the time to be talking about firing oshea. Nothing is so far gone it can't be corrected.

[Noeller]

I know that there's context needed here, but go back to the coaches between Ritchie and Osh, and tell yourself circa....whatever year...... That in 2025, the Bombers had won the West 4 years running, regularly decimated the Riders, went to the GC 5 years in a row... Won 2 of those GCs.......

....and there's a call to fire the HC.....

As JBR said, heads from asses, please...

[SpeedFlex27]

4 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Every team is thinner in the offseason than in camp; that is for sure. And every team is wanting, probably needing to hit on at least 1 rookie this year. 

But we are certainly thinner than most contenders. Toronto isn't banking nearly as much on rookies, they are banking on returning role players taking a step forward and becoming starters and all-stars. Which is a world of difference. Imo, of last year's playoff teams, we have the least ability to absorb injuries at the top end of our roster. Our ability to replace guys at the bottom is pretty strong, though. 

It's always easier to replace bottom end guys with more bottom end guys. It's the top end that's the problem. We haven't replaced anyone of note on the top end because for some reason the Bombers decided to be active in free agency by keeping the team's wallet in Walters pocket. .

We have a bunch of B list receivers that we hope at least one develops into a star player at a cheap price since Kenny Lawler went to Hamilton.

Our OL lost a big chunk in the off season with Liam Dobson & hasn't been replaced.

The DL still needs at least one DT that makes a difference but we've been waiting for Walters to do that now since the end of 2021. 

We finally replaced Janarion Grant with Peyton Logan so we'll see if he is the answer on returns since Grant was inexplicably allowed to leave.

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Coaches are hired to be fired, just the nature of the business....however now ain't the time to be talking about firing oshea. Nothing is so far gone it can't be corrected.

It doesn't get corrected, though. That's the problem. And whenever these things do get discussed publicly by the Bombers, you get the typical Osh smirk saying he'd do it over again. That's not a sign of a coach learning from his mistakes. It's just plain stupid arrogance. 

[wbbfan]

3 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly i think the gm has already started addressing things. 

Oshea still has plenty of rope.

That’s true on both counts imo. I think Walters has potentially been adjusting to this. I wonder how much but I think we will really see this year. 
 

3 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Really easy to always say that there's some mystical coach out there that would be a better fit.  We've been through generations as CFL fans watching teams including our own who keep believing that.

Hufnagel, Grant, Mathews, Buono, O'Shea

That's the order of CFL coaches by winning percentage.

Let's pull our collective heads out of our asses.

Qft. Do you think GMs are more replaceable in the cfl today than coaches? 
 

2 hours ago, Booch said:

YOU wouldnt have to rebuild...if you had a solid roster....not much would be needed...and safe to say we do....its how you use said roster, and organizationally how we do business....wouldnt change...so yes we'd be just fine

Mike Oshea....all th good and positive he brings...he isn't the BlueBombers and sucess dies without him...nope

I played for nice guy coaches...who after 7..8 yrs and not evolving....started to slide...and then fade out with a firing...and life went on...teams had success...some even better success....not a shot at Oshea...just a fact of pro sports coaching....every damn one has a shelf life whether people wanna believe or not...and many have been let go to the shock and shagrin of fans...media....it happens...and it will here too...its not being a hater...just reality...and another flop this yr with same themes as last 3....its time

nobody saying right now....but I wouldn't even consider an extension for him till after the season is over....and more of the same....why would we?...and maybe that unknown and possibility of a non rehire would be the elixir needed to have a bit of a shift on how he manages some things...and a bad attitude and less than optimal effort because he didnt get rewarded a new deal prior to current expiring is good reason to also walk away....like a player has to...earn your next payday...no player is gonna get premium pay based on 5 yrs ago work when he has shown decline in the last 2..3...same goes for a coach

Nice guy leadership in sports is the hardest archetype to maintain successfully. 
 I wonder if COs who are harder in a reverse good cop / bad cop situation would work well. Or even if JY is stricter than we see. Guys love him and would run through a wall for him (especially dbs) but he might be more demanding that one would expect. 
 

I feel like extensions will always be last minute now with the tightness of the operating cap. 

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Coaches are hired to be fired, just the nature of the business....however now ain't the time to be talking about firing oshea. Nothing is so far gone it can't be corrected.

I’ve always admired the Steelers way of working with coaches and not canning guys. I think it is repeatable, if you have a growth mindset top to bottom. 
 

12 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

It's always easier to replace bottom end guys with more bottom end guys. It's the top end that's the problem. We haven't replaced anyone of note on the top end because for some reason the Bombers decided to be active in free agency by keeping the team's wallet in Walters pocket. .

We have a bunch of B list receivers that we hope at least one develops into a star player at a cheap price since Kenny Lawler went to Hamilton.

Our OL lost a big chunk in the off season with Liam Dobson & hasn't been replaced.

The DL still needs at least one DT that makes a difference but we've been waiting for Walters to do that now since the end of 2021. 

We finally replaced Janarion Grant with Peyton Logan so we'll see if he is the answer on returns since Grant was inexplicably allowed to leave.

It doesn't get corrected, though. That's the problem. And whenever these things do get discussed publicly by the Bombers, you get the typical Osh smirk saying he'd do it over again. That's not a sign of a coach learning from his mistakes. It's just plain stupid arrogance. 

easy to do but hard to do well. Filling bottom end roster spots with above average starters at a contenders level is a strong option imo. 
 

Wr is pretty much as it always has been when we’ve needed talent. The upside is we have the tools to develop WRs quickly. 
 

Dobson is replaced either by ratio swap or Wallace. Either way I think we will be better and I like Dobson. 
 

dt I think comes down to our usage and health. Woods and Lawson is tremendous. We. Could use a sayles style 3t pressure guy who can play 30 edge maybe 40 edge too. Walters and co needs to step up here. 
 

the pressure is gonna be on Walters. He needs to have one of his best recruiting crops this year. 

[17to85]

30 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

We. Could use a sayles style 3t pressure guy who can play 30 edge maybe 40 edge too.

Is this something Adams can do?

[wbbfan]

14 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Is this something Adams can do?

With a developmental step yes. He’s really half way to being a nose, 3tech or an end. He could be one of those things this year but not likely to be two. 
 And imo, the best move is to develop him as a 3tech/4i. 
Woods and Lawson should have nose locked up. 

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/28/top-results-from-the-2025-cfl-invitational-combine/
 

some pretty good performances. 

[SpeedFlex27]

17 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Which is usually not the case when someone takes an HC job - usually there is rebuilding to be done

That would be the difference - if O'Shea were let go

There would still be a rebuild as a new HC & his staff would want "their guys" at different playing positions on the team. So, if a free agent became available that the new HC liked, the Bombers would sign him to replace a player already on the roster.

Maybe the new OC wants to fill the air with football & the run game then becomes secondary. Or used just to prop up the pass as in BC last year. So then,  the CFL's leading rusher is suddenly not as important so Oliveira is now too expensive when they could flip the roster at that position to an Amercan for a much cheaper price. So, someone like Peyton Logan takes over from Oliveira.

Defensively, a different DC means a different scheme & players with different skill sets. So, the players there now would be replaced. That's how it works. It's all up to the new coordinators vision of what they want.

I remember when Ray Jauch took over from Bud Riley in 1978. The Bombers were a playoff team, Not a great team but always in the hunt. With a little luck going their way, a Grey Cup contender.

I believe they were 9-7 or 10-6 in 1978 but just couldn't win a playoff game when Riley was HC so he walked the plank. Riley just didn't seem he could get the job done & after 5 seasons of failure he was fired.

The team had a lot of talent already. Most fans & pundits thought that with Jauch's guiding hand & his experience, he would let that same talent rise even further to the top & with the help of scouting find even more talent to become Grey Cup winners. 

Jauch kept Riley's team together for the most part in 1978. They had another decent 9-7 regular season but after another playoff exit vs the Stamps, he decided to gut the team in 1979 & start over. We fell to 4-12 that year & some popular veterans were traded away or released.

Two player I remember in particular, both Winnipeggers & both popular teammates & players were gone. They were TE Leo Ezerins & SB Gord Patterson both traded in separate deals to the Ticats prior to the 79 season.

The other trade was a shocker as immensely popular & gregarious Lyall Woznesensky, a Canadian All Star Defensive End... "The Wizard of Woz" as he was called was traded to the Stamps for another All Star & HOFer John Helton. Who gave the Bombers another 4 great seasons retiring in 1982. We signed Elton Brown an All Star DT from the Argos. A thousand yard rusher in RB William Miller as a free agent.

There must have been at least a dozen changes. The Bombers missed the playoffs in 1979 but then qualified for it every year after that for over a decade. We won three Grey Cups. Those players in 1979 & 80 never got the chance to sip from Lord Earl Grey's Cup but they established a winning culture that contributed to our success in the years to come. 

Jauch tried to keep things the same but it didn't work. So, he went with his instincts & really did change things up. He got rid of a lot of deadwood on the roster & recruited other players that fulfilled his vision of what a winner really was.

Edited 9 hours ago by SpeedFlex27

[wbbfan]

https://www.reuters.com/sports/report-ufl-quarterbacks-holding-out-over-pay-dispute-2025-02-27/#:~:text=February 27 - The 24 quarterbacks,between the USFL and XFL.
 

every ufl qb is holding out for more money and year round health care. (55k salary last year)