CFL: The CFL thread - Part IV

[Holden Caulfield]

Mike O'Shea must get off on living on the edge or something. Nichols still chucking balls into traffic with a big 4th quarter lead. Why?

I get that, but I think it's a confidence building thing. The Bombers have led at halftime 5 of 6 games, after 1st quarter 6 of 6 games. Yet have stumbled to a 3-3 record. They've struggled to hold leads. Build confidence in their ability to play with leads. I'm guessing that's his thinking.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Reports had attendance just short of 11K. It sure didn't look like that. MLSE has some work to do in Toronto.

I fully believe that football can work in Toronto. But it's not right now. I hope Ambroise is trying to develop relationships in Quebec City. Not that Argos are in imminent danger or even that they will move, but if Halifax/Atlantic Canada does go off the map with their expansion team they need a market in case of emergency.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

LaPolice is arrogant.

Getting cute on the heels of last week's debacle was an interesting strategy.

I get that, but I think it's a confidence building thing. The Bombers have led at halftime 5 of 6 games, after 1st quarter 6 of 6 games. Yet have stumbled to a 3-3 record. They've struggled to hold leads. Build confidence in their ability to play with leads. I'm guessing that's his thinking.

You grow confident playing with a lead by deploying appropriate game management strategy first and foremost. When you're up 15 points with less than half a quarter to play, ball protection needs to be paramount. A turnover in your end of the field is really the only thing that can put a lead like that into jeopardy. You can't just run it up the gut and kill clock, but having a your QB - especially Nichols who has been know for interceptions- tossing it 30 yards down field is just asking for it.

So the Argos are a Darrel Walker slip on the turf away from being 0-5...but Hamilton suddenly dropping two to Sask means there's really no reason for concern yet. After some early promise, the East is looking like the East again.

Looks like a pretty sparse crowd in Calgary tonight. Obviously nothing compared to the CIS-level attendance we're seeing in Toronto, but that's gotta be worrisome. The fans are sick of seeing the team win all the time I guess?

 

[Cloned]

Getting cute on the heels of last week's debacle was an interesting strategy.



You grow confident playing with a lead by deploying appropriate game management strategy first and foremost. When you're up 15 points with less than half a quarter to play, ball protection needs to be paramount. A turnover in your end of the field is really the only thing that can put a lead like that into jeopardy. You can't just run it up the gut and kill clock, but having a your QB - especially Nichols who has been know for interceptions- tossing it 30 yards down field is just asking for it.

So the Argos are a Darrel Walker slip on the turf away from being 0-5...but Hamilton suddenly dropping two to Sask means there's really no reason for concern yet. After some early promise, the East is looking like the East again.

Looks like a pretty sparse crowd in Calgary tonight. Obviously nothing compared to the CIS-level attendance we're seeing in Toronto, but that's gotta be worrisome. The fans are sick of seeing the team win all the time I guess?

Not that I'm under any illusions about the Esks' coaching staff either.

Benevides' and Maas' arrogance make LaPolice look like Fred Rogers (RIP).

 

[Cloned]

I'm not sure what the point of Montreal hiring Sherman in a full rebuild season was. Guy is already in tough making a transition to the Canadian game. Not having even an average team at his disposal just makes things worse.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

You grow confident playing with a lead by deploying appropriate game management strategy first and foremost. When you're up 15 points with less than half a quarter to play, ball protection needs to be paramount. A turnover in your end of the field is really the only thing that can put a lead like that into jeopardy. You can't just run it up the gut and kill clock, but having a your QB - especially Nichols who has been know for interceptions- tossing it 30 yards down field is just asking for it.

So the Argos are a Darrel Walker slip on the turf away from being 0-5...but Hamilton suddenly dropping two to Sask means there's really no reason for concern yet. After some early promise, the East is looking like the East again.

Looks like a pretty sparse crowd in Calgary tonight. Obviously nothing compared to the CIS-level attendance we're seeing in Toronto, but that's gotta be worrisome. The fans are sick of seeing the team win all the time I guess?

You should have seen what I was saying about Nichols after the trade. Many Bomber fans were encouraged by him, but having seen him in Edmonton I was notoriously hard on him. Even after starting well in 2016 in the turnaround going in 2017 I wasn't convinced he was a true starter. But he has not been known at all for interceptions for the Bombers. Everyone who played more than 12 games last year (8 QB's) threw 11 or more interceptions except Nichols who threw 8 in 17 games. In 2016 and 2017 he threw just 17 in 32 starts.

I agree in general though. It was a tad risky. The Bombers didn't let up as hard though as weeks past. I'm hoping this is a change the Bombers have pulled off.

I do like that the Bombers have generally (except the Tiger-Cats game) held the play, and have just lost based on letting up/bad decisions. Those are easier to fix than lack of talent. I still believe in the Bombers this year. Sask did look better this week though. If they stick with Bridge Sask might be a real threat for a playoff spot/crossover.

For Stamps fans I think it's just fatigue seeing the team dominant regular season and choke in playoffs. IIRC the 90's Atlanta Braves faced a similiar situation where fans just didn't care about winning in regular season cause it always happened, it was the playoffs choke jobs that got to them. They need playoff success (for Stamps is a cup win).

 

[tony d]

To bad to see that with Toronto and the Argos. The team has always had issues though with attendance. Hope they get that sorted out long term. To me the CFL needs Toronto to be a successful league.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

To bad to see that with Toronto and the Argos. The team has always had issues though with attendance. Hope they get that sorted out long term. To me the CFL needs Toronto to be a successful league.

I see this alot and all I can think is why? The economic stronghold of the CFL is out west (CGY, EDM, SSK, WPG) and has been during the leagues entire renaissance over the past 20 years. Why do they NEED Toronto? It's good that have a team in the biggest city, but if they won't support it the league won't be any worse off with the team in QC or even a London, Ontario or something if they can get better fan support.

 

[Cloned]

Manziel traded to the Alouettes.

Should be interesting with Sherman and Manziel there now.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Manziel traded to the Alouettes.

Should be interesting with Sherman and Manziel there now.

Was Montreal desperate for a QB?

EDIT: 5 player 2 pick deal. I guess the hell so.

 

[Cloned]

Was Montreal desperate for a QB?

lol, yes.

They had Drew Willy (not good) and Matt Shiltz (also not good).

 

[Scott Stevens]

I don’t love this. I’m hoping to see manziel succeed in this league. Montreal is hardly the ideal spot.

 

[Cloned]

Wow, massive trade too.

Manziel + Washington + Rice for Jamaal Westermann, Chris Williams and 2 first round picks

Jesus.

lol, I'm pretty sure Montreal just made themselves worse with this trade. I don't care how good Manziel is if he has no one to throw to.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Hamilton actually did well getting back Westermann. Still a very solid pass rusher. Miss him here in Winnipeg,

Reed is such a loser of a GM. Imagine actually giving up something of value for a guy who's never started a CFL game.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

This reeks of a 'we need to get people watching again and talking about us in anyway shape of form' trade.

 

[Cloned]

Hamilton actually did well getting back Westermann. Still a very solid pass rusher. Miss him here in Winnipeg,

Reed is such a loser of a GM. Imagine actually giving up something of value for a guy who's never started a CFL game.

Hamilton wins this. Even if Manziel is the real deal, they still win this.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Hamilton wins this. Even if Manziel is the real deal, they still win this.

Holy crap they got Williams in the deal too, didn't even see his name when i glanced over the tweet

Montreal got absolutely robbed. Unreal.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Hamilton actually did well getting back Westermann. Still a very solid pass rusher. Miss him here in Winnipeg,

Reed is such a loser of a GM. Imagine actually giving up something of value for a guy who's never started a CFL game.

Westerman is ok, I think the bigger deal is the 2 1st Rounders. That is likely back to back 1st Overall selections. Question will be whether Hamilton can get the guys they take with those 1st overall picks to play for them . This is a terrible trade for Montreal. Manziel is not going to save MTL's season particularly as they also gave up their only real offensive weapon up in the deal. He will likely jump to NFL whether he succeeds or not. And this will cripple Montreal for years in terms of national talent.

 

[Cloned]

Holy crap they got Williams in the deal too, didn't even see his name when i glanced over the tweet

Montreal got absolutely robbed. Unreal.

Montreal also have no first round picks for the next three years now (including this one - they forfeited their pick in the supplemental draft).

 

[BigFatCat999]

Holy crap they got Williams in the deal too, didn't even see his name when i glanced over the tweet

Montreal got absolutely robbed. Unreal.

Williams on the opposite side of Banks....Damn. But a big OL hit for Ham

 

[Blitzkrug]

Westerman is ok, I think the bigger deal is the 2 1st Rounders. That is likely back to back 1st Overall selections. Question will be whether Hamilton can get the guys they take with those 1st overall picks to play for them . This is a terrible trade for Montreal. Manziel is not going to save MTL's season particularly as they also gave up their only real offensive weapon up in the deal. He will likely jump to NFL whether he succeeds or not. And this will cripple Montreal for years in terms of national talent.

True. I always tend to undervalue picks in the CFL for the reason you stated.

Somehow this deal gets worse the more you think about it. Jeez.

 

[Cloned]

Westerman is ok, I think the bigger deal is the 2 1st Rounders. That is likely back to back 1st Overall selections. Question will be whether Hamilton can get the guys they take with those 1st overall picks to play for them . This is a terrible trade for Montreal. Manziel is not going to save MTL's season particularly as they also gave up their only real offensive weapon up in the deal. He will likely jump to NFL whether he succeeds or not. And this will cripple Montreal for years in terms of national talent.

They also gave up Williams, who is their best receiver.

Manziel better be OK with running for 100 yards every game.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Williams on the opposite side of Banks....Damn. But a big OL hit for Ham

With the addition of Williams alongside Banks, led by an already mobile QB in Masoli i imagine Jones' logic is they're going to move towards a more mobile, quick strike air raid type offense, which iirc is the stuff he coached in college.

Hamliton still wins no matter how you cut it.

 

[BigFatCat999]

From stats, OL was Montreal's biggest weakness. If the Als can get a starting LT and a starting G that might solve a ton of their problems. As for Montreal's season in le crapper, it's the East. The entire division is merde. Most allowed sacks, least rushing yards, least rushing TDs. As an American, this trade might help you. Also, it's the CFL, it's a FA league. Imagine the Als do something insane like sign for T.O. and sign a bunch of American FAs.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

True. I always tend to undervalue picks in the CFL for the reason you stated.

Somehow this deal gets worse the more you think about it. Jeez.

My post was just a little jab in that Hamilton has been unable to sign the guy they traded up for in WR Mark Chapman.

Most top 5 picks end up being valuable (see guys like Chung, Goossen for the Bombers helping them have their elite O-Line). There are some busts for sure (Ekakatie for the Bombers at least) and some dumb picks (Mack's dumb DE Mulumba pick at #2 that was already NFL signed) but those early picks can be important. You need quality nationals to compete in the CFL. Top 5 picks are important, albeit not like NFL or NHL or anything but they are important.

They also gave up Williams, who is their best receiver.

Manziel better be OK with running for 100 yards every game.

I edited in (it's in the quote but you mighta missed it) a nod to that. Williams was really the only offensive weapon Montreal had. They somehow made the worst team in the CFL even worse. Albeit I don't know much about those O-Linemen that Hamilton gave up, Montreal did need lots of help along the O-Line.