Elks: Edmonton Eskimos Thread | reg season starts... 6-0

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Stoneman89

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Feb 8, 2008
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I'm liking the new commish already.


I read that as well, and was thrilled. I had high hopes for him when he was hired for 2 reasons. A former player who has business acumen. And the guy before him was about as useless as teats on a boar. Hard to blame coaches for pulling out all stops to try to win, but this was getting ridiculous. A potential 6 challenges per game was overboard. Ambrosie said they listened to the fans, and then acted accordingly. Nice to see some logical thinking go into the position. Yes, I'm liking him a lot too.

Now, I wonder if they'll consider other issues, like starting the season a couple weeks earlier.
 

Stoneman89

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Feb 8, 2008
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I can't remember who they are so I'm inviting the two posters who argued with me last season that Bene went from defensive genius to idiot virtually overnight to stand up and be proud. Own it.

I was definitely one who questioned his strategies, and I still stand by it, given the personnel he had. I think they needed to blitz a whole lot more since they were getting next to nothing for pressure on the QB.
This year, they have a dominant front 4 (6 if you count the extras), and they are able to sustain pressure without going to the blitz. And he's obviously using them correctly. But I tell you, they are making the defensive backfield look pretty good with all that pressure. Hell, even Neil King looks competent. Getting rid of Marcel Young was key as well.
 

Stoneman89

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Whyte expects to play next week.

Doesn't have the most incredible punting leg to begin with, but I think the wear and tear this year of being the only guy in camp, coupled with the injury have been decided factors in his punting average.
 

Stoneman89

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Feb 8, 2008
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Good to have your irreverent opinions back on the thread, I hate political correctness:laugh:

Yes, Franklin may in fact be the most naturally gifted of the two QB's but Reilly is an example of that old expression about "will to win." Dickenson was a similar player with the Stamps, not necessarily the most gifted but absolutely tough as nails. If he was a rodeo performer he would definitely be a bull rider.

One of these days our luck will run out and unfortunately Franklin will be gone after this year but you can't hold Franklin back forever. I wonder if it will be Hamilton or Saskatchewan? With Jones and Tillman its an unsavoury choice.

And so do I.:D
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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I read that as well, and was thrilled. I had high hopes for him when he was hired for 2 reasons. A former player who has business acumen. And the guy before him was about as useless as teats on a boar. Hard to blame coaches for pulling out all stops to try to win, but this was getting ridiculous. A potential 6 challenges per game was overboard. Ambrosie said they listened to the fans, and then acted accordingly. Nice to see some logical thinking go into the position. Yes, I'm liking him a lot too.

Now, I wonder if they'll consider other issues, like starting the season a couple weeks earlier.[/QUOTE]

I have been saying this for decades. Why play in the misery of late November when there are so many beautiful and perfect days in October for football?

The counter argument has always been that you are competing against the NHL in May/June but the NHL regular season/playoffs/draft/free agency speculation/training camp is a year round obsession anyway so is it really relevant? Wow, just check out how many posts there have been about Leon's contract (a lot of guys who make 11 bucks an hour are sure fired up about whether he gets 8 million or 10 million a year) and you realize that hockey is a 12 month pursuit, so play football in better weather for those that still love the low paying CFL.
 

Bobieque

Low n' Slow (Me & the Food)
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Sep 11, 2006
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Now, I wonder if they'll consider other issues, like starting the season a couple weeks earlier.[/QUOTE]

I have been saying this for decades. Why play in the misery of late November when there are so many beautiful and perfect days in October for football?

The counter argument has always been that you are competing against the NHL in May/June but the NHL regular season/playoffs/draft/free agency speculation/training camp is a year round obsession anyway so is it really relevant? Wow, just check out how many posts there have been about Leon's contract (a lot of guys who make 11 bucks an hour are sure fired up about whether he gets 8 million or 10 million a year) and you realize that hockey is a 12 month pursuit, so play football in better weather for those that still love the low paying CFL.


I had been told in the past that CFL attendance after the Sept. long weekend goes up by a substantial margin due to
(a) People on vacation in the summer and miss attending games, and more importantly,
(b) Football is considered a "fall" sport and interest picks up naturally.

20 years ago I worked in Edmonton Media and we were looking at obtaining the Eskimos radio rights. My opinion was the same as both of yours, why don't they start it earlier to take advantage of the short summer we have? The above was the answer given to me at the time.

While it's true that there is nothing like watching a late September game in the starting to crisp autumn air, it sucks at the end of October and November when the season could have stated in mid may.

Long post to say I agree with you both.
 

drewshoo

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
162
16
Lethbridge
Whyte goes on the six. The injury woes continue.

This is getting ridiculous. There is 7!! changes from last game due to 6 gamers.
They all mostly seem to be in-game injuries so you can' really question the practice habits, but at some point you have to question how this team is preparing it's players, no? This brings the 6-game IR number to 18 players.
https://twitter.com/EdmontonEsks/status/893124434931961856
 
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MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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I remember a day when CFL rosters were 32 players so yes 18 is an astonishing number and with our Canadian corner back out for 6 games it really effects our receiving core. Getzlaf is just not as good as the American starters.
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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I had been told in the past that CFL attendance after the Sept. long weekend goes up by a substantial margin due to
(a) People on vacation in the summer and miss attending games, and more importantly,
(b) Football is considered a "fall" sport and interest picks up naturally.

20 years ago I worked in Edmonton Media and we were looking at obtaining the Eskimos radio rights. My opinion was the same as both of yours, why don't they start it earlier to take advantage of the short summer we have? The above was the answer given to me at the time.

While it's true that there is nothing like watching a late September game in the starting to crisp autumn air, it sucks at the end of October and November when the season could have stated in mid may.

Long post to say I agree with you both.[/QUOTE

I think the old boys club in the media that you reported to always thought that way but let's face it, markets and demographics are changing rapidly and traditional markets are fading away. Time to think along newer lines.

The average CFL fan is older now too. When I was 15 I thought nothing of sitting in minus 30 degree games but no way would I do it now.
 

Gord

Registered User
Oct 9, 2005
9,830
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Edmonton
They all mostly seem to be in-game injuries so you can' really question the practice habits, but at some point you have to question how this team is preparing it's players, no?

explain why you'd question how the team prepares it's players, especially if as you say, you can't question practice habits.


I'd say just bad luck.
 

JordanGalhanth

Registered User
Apr 21, 2012
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explain why you'd question how the team prepares it's players, especially if as you say, you can't question practice habits.


I'd say just bad luck.

I think he might've meant in terms of conditioning regimen.

But yeah, either bad luck or some serious Chris Jones voodoo.
 

drewshoo

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
162
16
Lethbridge
explain why you'd question how the team prepares it's players, especially if as you say, you can't question practice habits.


I'd say just bad luck.

Ya, you're right. My statement contradicts itself. And I would also agree that at this point it does seem like a case of bad luck which at least one team in the league seems to get every year. My question was more, at what point does this venture into team preparedness vs. just being luck? Is it always luck, or does the way the team pushes, (or not pushes I suppose) it's players in practice come into question? With the team being 5-0 though, it seems they are doing something right.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
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What happened to Colquhoun? I didn't see that one coming. That really messes up our ratio.

Cripes, you can almost start an expansion team with that injury list.

At least they get one guy back, with Peters finished serving his one game sentence.
 
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rboomercat90

Registered User
Mar 24, 2013
14,598
8,770
Edmonton
I read that as well, and was thrilled. I had high hopes for him when he was hired for 2 reasons. A former player who has business acumen. And the guy before him was about as useless as teats on a boar. Hard to blame coaches for pulling out all stops to try to win, but this was getting ridiculous. A potential 6 challenges per game was overboard. Ambrosie said they listened to the fans, and then acted accordingly. Nice to see some logical thinking go into the position. Yes, I'm liking him a lot too.

Now, I wonder if they'll consider other issues, like starting the season a couple weeks earlier.

I'd love this. They need to find a way to avoid the harsh weather at the end of November.
 

Gord

Registered User
Oct 9, 2005
9,830
481
Edmonton
Ya, you're right. My statement contradicts itself. And I would also agree that at this point it does seem like a case of bad luck which at least one team in the league seems to get every year. My question was more, at what point does this venture into team preparedness vs. just being luck? Is it always luck, or does the way the team pushes, (or not pushes I suppose) it's players in practice come into question? With the team being 5-0 though, it seems they are doing something right.

If anyone is bored, they should go back to when each of the players got injured to see if it was on commonwealth turf or on the road as maybe there is a problem with the field.
(I'm guessing not, but just throwing out a possibility)
 

Gord

Registered User
Oct 9, 2005
9,830
481
Edmonton
I had been told in the past that CFL attendance after the Sept. long weekend goes up by a substantial margin due to
(a) People on vacation in the summer and miss attending games, and more importantly,
(b) Football is considered a "fall" sport and interest picks up naturally.

20 years ago I worked in Edmonton Media and we were looking at obtaining the Eskimos radio rights. My opinion was the same as both of yours, why don't they start it earlier to take advantage of the short summer we have? The above was the answer given to me at the time.

While it's true that there is nothing like watching a late September game in the starting to crisp autumn air, it sucks at the end of October and November when the season could have stated in mid may.

Long post to say I agree with you both.

wasn't it suggested a couple of years ago and TSN shot it down? I thought I heard it was vetoed by the broadcaster.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
27,205
21,405
Football is football, and Canadian fans can endure the harshest of climates to watch their outdoor activities, but I'd bet a few bottom dollars that there would be a fair number of extra butts in seats in temperatures that hovered near the freezing mark as opposed to minus 15 or worse. Grey Cup excepted.
 

MoneyGuy

Wandering
Oct 19, 2009
6,975
1,366
I thought you said he'd play next week?!

Or is this just a paper transaction and they're planning to take him off the IR early?

Not what I said. I said Whyte said he'd likely play next week. Tough football players - even kickers.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,154
Man...the Stamps are a serious force to be reckoned with in all 3 phases of the game. :amazed:
We will find out just how good this Eskimo team really is in a few weeks.
 

Kyle McMahon

Registered User
May 10, 2006
13,301
4,352
I had been told in the past that CFL attendance after the Sept. long weekend goes up by a substantial margin due to
(a) People on vacation in the summer and miss attending games, and more importantly,
(b) Football is considered a "fall" sport and interest picks up naturally.

20 years ago I worked in Edmonton Media and we were looking at obtaining the Eskimos radio rights. My opinion was the same as both of yours, why don't they start it earlier to take advantage of the short summer we have? The above was the answer given to me at the time.

While it's true that there is nothing like watching a late September game in the starting to crisp autumn air, it sucks at the end of October and November when the season could have stated in mid may.

Long post to say I agree with you both.

I can almost guarantee this was true back in the 60's and 70's for the Ontario teams as people returned from cottage country. Since then it has probably just been used as a lazy catch-all excuse to avoid making change.

Once you hit mid October on the prairies, it's mostly just season ticket holders still filling seats. Nobody is going to sit out in single digit temps when they can just watch at home.

This commissioner is off to a good start. If he convinces the governors to start the season two weeks earlier and scraps divisions he'll have my support for life.
 
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