CFL: Official "Ottawa REDBLACKS" Thread Part III: ALLCAPS EDITION

[OttawaSenators11]

They're likely bringing in Hugh O'Neill from Edmonton as the new kicker; also don't be shocked at all to see us grab Jamel Richardson now, following his release from Montreal.

If they do bring in Hugh O'Neill, that would be a curious pick up as he's only connected on 71% of his FG attempts.

And if they sign Richardson that would be fantastic, especially with a guy like Burris throwing the ball to him.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

came in here to ask about that... Montreal isn't that stocked in WR are they?

Not as stacked, but they still got strong WRs in guys like Duron Carter, S.J Green, Dave Stala, and now Chad Johnson ( should he adapt)

 

[Neil Patrick Harris]

Jamel Richardson is definitely worth a look. We're an expansion franchise with little to no expectations, we can afford to take a risk.

 

[Shanny]

Well now that the final roster has been announced(minus a kicker), any predictions/expectations for our inaugural season?

I'm expecting the team to compete hard every game and for Burris to really shine...especially considering the fact that our O-line is arguably one of the best in the CFL already. I hope the RB's come out of the gate hard to start the year and really grab the attention of the city in a major way.

Barring injuries, Schedule/Season prediction:

■Thursday, July 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Win
■Friday, July 11 at 10 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Edmonton Eskimos-Win
■Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Argonauts at Ottawa Redblacks-Epic Win
■Saturday, July 26 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Loss
■Saturday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. ET – Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Calgary Stampeders-Loss
■Friday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Edmonton Eskimos at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Sunday, Aug. 24 at 3 ET – Calgary Stampeders at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Montreal Alouettes-Loss
■Friday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 ET – B.C. Lions at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. – Ottawa Redblacks at Saskatchewan Roughriders-Loss
■Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. – Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. – Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Saturday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at B.C. Lions-Loss
■Friday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Loss
■Friday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET – Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Toronto Argonauts-Loss


Which means we would finish our inaugural season with an 8-10 record; which would likely squeak us into the playoffs. Wishful thinking perhaps, but I believe this could be the best expansion team ever given the quality of players and coaching staff, and management/ownership that we already have.

 

[BonkTastic]

Richardson expected to sign with Argonauts.

 

[Big Papi]

Richardson expected to sign with Argonauts.

booo! oh well

 

[Larionov]

Richardson would have an existing relationship with Scott Milanovich, Head Coach of the Argos, from when Milanovich was the Offensive Coordinator in Montreal. His other factor might that while we are looking very good for an expansion team, the Argos are looking like the class of the East, and his best bet to get to the Grey Cup right now. It's fine, as receiver might be the deepest part of the REDBLACKS roster. I made the roadie to Montreal for the game Friday night, and it was great - we look so much better than the Renegades ever did. It's all about leadership - as opposed to the Gliebermans and Joe Paopao, we have Jeff Hunt, Marcel Desjardins and Rick Campbell. Just a bit of an upgrade.

As of now we're still missing a kicker, though, which is just a touch disturbing. I'm sure Desjardins has a plan in mind, but I'd love to know what it is...

 

[McManked]

Again, there is a kicker who is in town and practicing but not officially signed.

I don't know what will come of it, but that's something to know.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Again, there is a kicker who is in town and practicing but not officially signed.

I don't know what will come of it, but that's something to know.

Sun reported that they will be bringing in 4 kickers for tryouts and apparently Maher will be one of them.

If i remember what i read correctly.

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

Luca Congi will be the RBs kicker this year. Book it.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Well now that the final roster has been announced(minus a kicker), any predictions/expectations for our inaugural season?

I'm expecting the team to compete hard every game and for Burris to really shine...especially considering the fact that our O-line is arguably one of the best in the CFL already. I hope the RB's come out of the gate hard to start the year and really grab the attention of the city in a major way.

Barring injuries, Schedule/Season prediction:

■Thursday, July 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Win
■Friday, July 11 at 10 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Edmonton Eskimos-Win
■Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Argonauts at Ottawa Redblacks-Epic Win
■Saturday, July 26 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Loss
■Saturday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. ET – Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Calgary Stampeders-Loss
■Friday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Edmonton Eskimos at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Sunday, Aug. 24 at 3 ET – Calgary Stampeders at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Montreal Alouettes-Loss
■Friday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 ET – B.C. Lions at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. – Ottawa Redblacks at Saskatchewan Roughriders-Loss
■Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. – Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. – Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Ottawa Redblacks-Loss
■Saturday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at B.C. Lions-Loss
■Friday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Loss
■Friday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET – Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET – Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Ottawa Redblacks-Win
■Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Redblacks at Toronto Argonauts-Loss


Which means we would finish our inaugural season with an 8-10 record; which would likely squeak us into the playoffs. Wishful thinking perhaps, but I believe this could be the best expansion team ever given the quality of players and coaching staff, and management/ownership that we already have.

7-11, 8-10, or hell even 9-9 depending on the health of us and others teams around the league could potentially be in store.

I am little worried about our D, but we'll see how that works out.

Should be fun watching guys like J-Smith return punts and kick offs on a regular bases.

Also a little surprised that WR Mitchell didn't make the active roster (he's on the practice team) considering how much they hyped him up coming out of the expansion draft.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Luca Congi will be the RBs kicker this year. Book it.

Noel Prefontaine is another FA kicker who may be apart of the tryouts - Wouldn't go with him , though.

FG made % isn't good enough.

Edit: As a punter, he would be a pretty decent option.

 

[FuriousSenator]

Starting to feel real guys, looks about ready to rock!

 

[littleD]

Pretty cool, MMQB is doing some CFL coverage this week. First article is written by Marc Trestman. Basically just goes over some of the differences between the Canadian and American game.

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/06/23/marc-trestman-canada-week-guest-monday-morning-qb/

 

[coladin]

Starting to feel real guys, looks about ready to rock!

I see my seats!

 

[Big Papi]

for lack of a better word, what a weird fundraiser....

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/national/Operation+Riders+Flag+labour+love/9968333/story.html

 

[Icelevel]

can't wait to see a live game at lansdowne. REDBLACKS really have me excited. they did things right this time.

 

[Larionov]

This is starting to feel like the return of NHL hockey to Colorado and Minnesota. They are similar situations in that, like with the CFL in Ottawa, hockey only ever left those markets due to bad ownership. Now, with great ownership and a renovated building, there is a great deal of excitement and energy for the return of football to Ottawa. The REDBLACKS have now sold 16,500 season tickets and counting. When this thing started, they probably would have been very happy with 12,000 in year one.

When you look at that site, the ticket sales, and the energy that is building, it makes me want to send a very warm, special "get stuffed" message to all the doubters who spent the last few years dumping all over the CFL and the Lansdowne project. All you heard was the naysayers claiming that the CFL would never work again here, stadium should have been elsewhere, the Lansdowne project sucks, blah blah blah. Those folks are about to have to chow down on a very large plate of humble pie...

 

[McManked]

The whole atmosphere around the team is a lot different too.

The Renegades from what I've been told always acted like an expansion team in the way the team was built to the way the FO was.

This team truly believes they can win and be competitive, from the players to coaches to FO to sales staff to...interns...

 

[coladin]

The whole atmosphere around the team is a lot different too.

The Renegades from what I've been told always acted like an expansion team in the way the team was built to the way the FO was.

This team truly believes they can win and be competitive, from the players to coaches to FO to sales staff to...interns...

They had no choice. Teams were allowed to protect a heck of a lot more than this time around. QB Dan Crowley was the best we could get!

 

[McManked]

They had no choice. Teams were allowed to protect a heck of a lot more than this time around. QB Dan Crowley was the best we could get!

I agree that part of it was luck (or lack of it) in the way the expansion draft was set up but don't give the Renegades too much slack.

They were an awfully run organization thanks in large part to the worst owners this city has ever seen. It's hard to be worse than the Ottawa Lynx owner but the G-words found a way.

This team is now led by a proven owner who also owns one of the most successful junior hockey teams in Canada in terms of history, alumni, and attendance (when they're at the Civic Centre). He's also got a lot of partners, eliminating the risk of a Melnyk scenario where he goes broke and there's nothing they can do.

 

[Alfie#11]

This is starting to feel like the return of NHL hockey to Colorado and Minnesota. They are similar situations in that, like with the CFL in Ottawa, hockey only ever left those markets due to bad ownership. Now, with great ownership and a renovated building, there is a great deal of excitement and energy for the return of football to Ottawa. The REDBLACKS have now sold 16,500 season tickets and counting. When this thing started, they probably would have been very happy with 12,000 in year one.

When you look at that site, the ticket sales, and the energy that is building, it makes me want to send a very warm, special "get stuffed" message to all the doubters who spent the last few years dumping all over the CFL and the Lansdowne project. All you heard was the naysayers claiming that the CFL would never work again here, stadium should have been elsewhere, the Lansdowne project sucks, blah blah blah. Those folks are about to have to chow down on a very large plate of humble pie...

I agree. People wanted the Renegades to work but the ownership was just a circus.
People in Ottawa want CFL football and will support it. I was home last weekend and there was a definite buzz about the team.

 

[FuriousSenator]

Welcome to TD Place, home of the Fury, the Redblacks, and the 67s. The Ottawa sports mecca.

Been waiting a long time for this moment folks.

 

[McManked]

The team has it's first practice there Friday.

 

[General Zodd]

The home opener is sold out. I bet all Ottawa fans will relieved knowing that there will be virtually a 100% of the fan support behind the R's that game as I seriously doubt there will be any Argo fans there! But you might see the odd Laff fan however!!