Elks: Edmonton Eskimos 2019 v4

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MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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These 3 upcoming games against good teams are going to be critical for Maas.

If the Esks are swept then I don't think Sunderland has a choice but to start looking at other options for next year. Friendship can only go so far in pro sports.

Mind you, I think that Sunderland is looking at the NFL in the next few years. His job over the off season has garnered some attention and there are a few NFL clubs that are desperate for some younger guys who can assemble talent. His old club, the Jets, always seem to be in next year country.
 

Stoneman89

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Feb 8, 2008
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These 3 upcoming games against good teams are going to be critical for Maas.

If the Esks are swept then I don't think Sunderland has a choice but to start looking at other options for next year. Friendship can only go so far in pro sports.

Mind you, I think that Sunderland is looking at the NFL in the next few years. His job over the off season has garnered some attention and there are a few NFL clubs that are desperate for some younger guys who can assemble talent. His old club, the Jets, always seem to be in next year country.
Look for the 3 straight upcoming losses and then a mid-season multi year extension for Maas.:D
 

MoontoScott

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Look for the 3 straight upcoming losses and then a mid-season multi year extension for Maas.:D

I get the sarcasm but there is a limit to the team's patience and if its 3 losses then I am going to say that Maas exits in the off-season. New President too and that alone means some degree of change no matter what happens on the field.

Right now we look like the x-over team and there is no way we win on the road in Montreal and Hamilton.

Still think that Ricky Ray will one day be the head coach--a smarter and more cool headed guy than Jason.

Hopefully we win 2 of 3 and save Jason's job--joyous as that outcome might be.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
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I get the sarcasm but there is a limit to the team's patience and if its 3 losses then I am going to say that Maas exits in the off-season. New President too and that alone means some degree of change no matter what happens on the field.

Right now we look like the x-over team and there is no way we win on the road in Montreal and Hamilton.

Still think that Ricky Ray will one day be the head coach--a smarter and more cool headed guy than Jason.

Hopefully we win 2 of 3 and save Jason's job--joyous as that outcome might be.

I would never cheer for the Esks to lose but if someone told me that they would fire Maas if the Esks lost 3 straight then I sure wouldnt be cheering for the team to win.

I dont think Maas gets fired for not getting enough out of this talented roster. I think the season would need to go right down the toilet before Maas is held accountable.
I would love to be wrong about that.

As for Ray...he has never coached a game in the CFL in any capacity as far as I know. So based on that I would say that he is years away from being a HC.
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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This might sound like a dumb question, but..... in a hockey mad city like Edmonton, what would you say is the percentage of how big the Esks are compared to the Oilers?

Like, at one point, Warren Moon and Wayne Gretzky were both in the same city and the most dominant players in their league. Did it feel like Moon was overshadowed or was he properly appreciated? The Esks won 5 straight Cups right as the Oilers were beginning their ascent to greatness.

In 2003, the Esks won a Grey Cup right around the same time as the Oiler Heritage Classic (at the same stadium they call home) and the end of the Smyth-Hemsky-Salo Oiler era.

In 2005, they won another Cup right at the beginning of the Pronger Cup Final year.

Do you think the Esks have had it easy or hard to compete for pub, attention, and respect given how big the Oilers are in this city?
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
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Duke Williams cut by the Bills

Assuming he doesnt get an opportunity somewhere else in the NFL does the team take him back? Was he part of the distraction in the room last season...not sure.
I also think that BC would push hard for him seeing as Reilly is there.
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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This might sound like a dumb question, but..... in a hockey mad city like Edmonton, what would you say is the percentage of how big the Esks are compared to the Oilers?

Like, at one point, Warren Moon and Wayne Gretzky were both in the same city and the most dominant players in their league. Did it feel like Moon was overshadowed or was he properly appreciated? The Esks won 5 straight Cups right as the Oilers were beginning their ascent to greatness.

In 2003, the Esks won a Grey Cup right around the same time as the Oiler Heritage Classic (at the same stadium they call home) and the end of the Smyth-Hemsky-Salo Oiler era.

In 2005, they won another Cup right at the beginning of the Pronger Cup Final year.

Do you think the Esks have had it easy or hard to compete for pub, attention, and respect given how big the Oilers are in this city?


Well, it's a tough question to answer.

On the one hand, Gretzky represented the greatest player in the World in a league that was also the best in the world.

but

A lot of people in that era had grown up with the Eskimos (the Oilers were still new to town) and were rabid fans of the club. People talked about the game all week and the best seats in the house at Commonwealth were highly coveted. It was like the Roman Coliseum come show time and our gladiators rarely disappointed the Edmonton mob.

We knew how good Moon was but after all, he was a HOF QB in a league that was not the best in the World although its interesting that in that time period many sports writers thought the Esks would clean up on half the teams in the NFL. I don't think that was true but the club was a real source of pride.

Moon would prove in his NFL career that he was indeed one of the 10 best QB's in the World even though Montana and Marino might ultimately have been better.

Moon was the hero of the Rose Bowl but was never considered an NFL QB prospect. QB in the NFL was a position reserved for white guys, as silly and prejudicial as that idea was ---but it was the ugly truth of the matter.

Meanwhile, in Canada guys like Moon, Holloway and later Dewalt broke through that color barrier and this is something that has always been understated about the achievements of our league. We were ahead of the times in that regard and accordingly many players from the U.S. adopted Canada as their permanent homes. It also helped that in those days there wasn't a big difference in the salary levels between the 2 leagues.

Alas, since Kimball and Campbell left town we have had (IMHO) 2 "real football guys" in Matthews and Jones even though neither one would win any personality awards. Sad to see some of these crowds and how pitifully small they are.

Well, there's a long winded answer that doesn't really answer your question. Obviously no football player in today's CFL football world can measure up against the dominance of MacDavid.
 

Kyle McMahon

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May 10, 2006
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Having the Labour Day game go to OT would be a major victory in itself, given that the game is historically usually over by halftime. But I'm sure regardless, our coach will find someway to gas things.

Yeah unfortunately this has the feel of another game where we'll figure out a way to lose it. Special teams pretty much handed Calgary the win a month ago, and I'm sure between returns, a bad penalty at a key time, and a poor coaching decision we'll be left in the same spot when the dust settles on Monday.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
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This might sound like a dumb question, but..... in a hockey mad city like Edmonton, what would you say is the percentage of how big the Esks are compared to the Oilers?

Like, at one point, Warren Moon and Wayne Gretzky were both in the same city and the most dominant players in their league. Did it feel like Moon was overshadowed or was he properly appreciated? The Esks won 5 straight Cups right as the Oilers were beginning their ascent to greatness.

In 2003, the Esks won a Grey Cup right around the same time as the Oiler Heritage Classic (at the same stadium they call home) and the end of the Smyth-Hemsky-Salo Oiler era.

In 2005, they won another Cup right at the beginning of the Pronger Cup Final year.

Do you think the Esks have had it easy or hard to compete for pub, attention, and respect given how big the Oilers are in this city?
As someone else who was around at that time I'd like to respond. Your question certainly isn't dumb and responses will tell you that people WANT to talk about this. We love talking about the glory Esks years and our attachments to that. Which in itself tells you the Esks were a significant part of our lives and in our hearts.

Moon was properly recognized. We knew he was huge, that he was a star, and that he was going onto great things. That team was regularly pulling in 40 or 50K attendance at Commonwealth. It was a halcyon moment for the club not seen since the 50's glory. Moon particularly, even at the time, there were mumblings of best ever QB talent to have played here. You watched this guy play and you knew why he was great, and considered great. Silky smooth running stride, perfect mechanics, Moon would throw a dart while rolling out like he was perfection. Watching him play was a thing of beauty. When he got going he was unstoppable. The only thing you kept wondering is how long can it possibly take for the NFL to come to its senses and start a Black QB. Moon loved it here, and the city loved him, adored him. You always knew it was a bigger story than football. We contributed to something more than just football by supporting him, following him, embracing him.

You have to remember that Football fever existed here throughout the 70's, and exploded once the team started being in, and winning GC's again. The Eskimos quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the 70's. Any kid in town could roll off a list of 20 players they knew the names of for the Eskimos. The WHA Oilers of the time were not a big deal, especially prior to Gretzky, and tickets were easily available to all Oilers games at low price. I saw all the games of the last AVCO cup and paid around 3 bucks from the kids Bay Club. They couldn't sell em, ever.

Theres no question the Eskimos were a bigger deal than the Oilers here in the 70's.

But the Oilers became a bigger deal as soon as they found NHL success. I would say around 81. The moment the Oilers beat the Habs in the playoffs in 81. That's when the love affair truly started. Took off after that.

Could even be said that during the Oilers doldrums of the 90's that the Eskimos were just as big a deal.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
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If we win on Monday, I will be elated, over the moon, and happily skip my way to work on Tuesday.

But I will also be very shocked.
 

rboomercat90

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Mar 24, 2013
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Edmonton
Assuming he doesnt get an opportunity somewhere else in the NFL does the team take him back? Was he part of the distraction in the room last season...not sure.
I also think that BC would push hard for him seeing as Reilly is there.
Do they have any money left?
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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Do they have any money left?

Most teams in the CFL are right up against the cap. The EE couldn't afford Walker and probably can't afford Williams.

I don't know why Williams would want to sign in B.C. They are out of the playoffs and Reilly's best days are probably done. My guess is that Wally will come out of retirement to try and fix the mess and I can't see he and Williams getting along too well.
 

Del Preston

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Mar 8, 2013
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Can someone tell me if the Eskimos won a Labour Day game on a goal line stand? I thought it was in 2001 but looking at past results 2002 makes the most sense (28-20). Is my memory failing me or did this actually happen?
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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Betts was cut by the Bears, maybe he ends up here.

Ceresna released too but apparently he is headed for the practice roster.

Lacey jettisoned but no room for him here in EE LB group.

Singleton also told to apply for the practice roster.
 

Tobias Kahun

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Oct 3, 2017
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Betts was cut by the Bears, maybe he ends up here.

Ceresna released too but apparently he is headed for the practice roster.

Lacey also jettisoned but no room for him here in EE LB group.

Singleton also told to apply for the practice roster.
Esks need to bring Jordan Lynch out of retirement, atleast he could execute a QB sneak.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
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Betts was cut by the Bears, maybe he ends up here.

Ceresna released too but apparently he is headed for the practice roster.

Lacey jettisoned but no room for him here in EE LB group.

Singleton also told to apply for the practice roster.

From a purely financial perspective I cant see why a player would decline going an NFL practice roster to join a CFL team.
 

MoontoScott

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Jun 2, 2012
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From a purely financial perspective I cant see why a player would decline going an NFL practice roster to join a CFL team.

Especially when you see the attendance numbers across the CFL.

The players aren't stupid, they can see the writing on the wall.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
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Especially when you see the attendance numbers across the CFL.

The players aren't stupid, they can see the writing on the wall.

The attendance isnt great but even if it was great the players still (in most cases) make more money on an NFL practice roster than they do signing a CFL contract.
 
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