Blue Bombers 2014 Thread (Game 5 - July 25 @ BC)

[Duir]

Well that didn't last long...

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Bombers-release-Kevin-Smith-261515521.html

Bombers release Kevin Smith

The Kevin Smith ‘Era’ with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lasted all of five days.

The Bombers released the former Detroit Lions star Monday morning after he pulled a hamstring in Sunday’s first official day of training camp.

Smith, who stood out in last week’s rookie camp, was hoping to reclaim his career after a year away from the game. But early Sunday he pulled up lame after catching a pass, watched the rest of the first session and then was nowhere to be seen for the second workout.

The Bombers are big on newcomers Nic Grigsby and Paris Cotton, both of whom are pushing incumbent Will Ford for the starting tailback job.

The club also announced the signing Monday of import offensive lineman Ed Prince (6-5, 290) who played at Kansas State after transferring from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi.

 

[sipowicz]

Well that didn't last long...

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Bombers-release-Kevin-Smith-261515521.html

Bombers release Kevin Smith

The Kevin Smith ‘Era’ with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lasted all of five days.

The Bombers released the former Detroit Lions star Monday morning after he pulled a hamstring in Sunday’s first official day of training camp.

Smith, who stood out in last week’s rookie camp, was hoping to reclaim his career after a year away from the game. But early Sunday he pulled up lame after catching a pass, watched the rest of the first session and then was nowhere to be seen for the second workout.

The Bombers are big on newcomers Nic Grigsby and Paris Cotton, both of whom are pushing incumbent Will Ford for the starting tailback job.

The club also announced the signing Monday of import offensive lineman Ed Prince (6-5, 290) who played at Kansas State after transferring from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi.

As a Freep commenter mentioned, hamstring my azz, Smith probably got a try out offer from an NFL team and asked to be released.

 

[ps241]

As a Freep commenter mentioned, hamstring my azz, Smith probably got a try out offer from an NFL team and asked to be released.

According to Ed Tait Smith was looking quite good then he seemed to cop the NFL attitude and they blew him out right away.

Refreshing bias towards action by a coach being the leader and setting a standard

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Putting together stuff so me and my buddy can have a CFL pool this year. CFL's wacky schedule is going to mean the Tuesday game in August between BB and Argos will be a Week 7 game for Toronto and a Week 8 game for Winnipeg

 

[Blitzkrug]

@TSNDaveNaylor: According to a source, strike votes have been counted on 7 of the 9 CFL teams. 98 per cent in favour of a strike. #cfl #CFLPA

It's happening.

You know what? Tie it to the revenue. Then if the league goes back into the toilet like it did in the late 90's/early 2000's their salary will drop and they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[cutchemist42]

Anyone else slightly confused as to why this bust stuff was even a story?

 

[ps241]

Anyone else slightly confused as to why this bust stuff was even a story?

no its Winnipeg this is a huge story

 

[SCP Guy]

@TSNDaveNaylor: According to a source, strike votes have been counted on 7 of the 9 CFL teams. 98 per cent in favour of a strike. #cfl #CFLPA

It's happening.

You know what? Tie it to the revenue. Then if the league goes back into the toilet like it did in the late 90's/early 2000's their salary will drop and they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

Tie it to profits...then the players will starve

 

[lighthouses]

So ... is there a game on Monday?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

So ... is there a game on Monday?

No word yet. Probably won't know for sure until Monday. I am assuming the game will be played for now.

 

[razorsedge]

No word yet. Probably won't know for sure until Monday. I am assuming the game will be played for now.

They'll strike an hour before kick off and say its the owners fault.

 

[ps241]

They'll strike an hour before kick off and say its the owners fault.

Yea the

No bagel, no bagel, no bagel, strike!

 

[Hammer Slammer]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=454288

Looks like there might actually be no strike after all, pending a player vote.

 

[KingBogo]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=454288

Looks like there might actually be no strike after all, pending a player vote.

That's great to hear.

 

[BigZ65]

And as expected, the players get nothing. A ratification bonus and a longer work day.

The CFLPA should get a real labour lawyer instead of the fool they've employed for 30 years, Ed Molstad.

 

[ps241]

And as expected, the players get nothing. A ratification bonus and a longer work day.

The CFLPA should get a real labour lawyer instead of the fool they've employed for 30 years, Ed Molstad.

I agree they need away better representation but I just don't see the players having enough leverage yet. I admit though I haven't been watching all that close.

 

[WaveRaven]

No suprise they don't have the leverage. Good to hear there are too many good things this year Ott is back Ham has a new stadium, we are back in the west where we belong.

I am excited after a couple seasons of absolute despair.

 

[KingBogo]

No suprise they don't have the leverage. Good to hear there are too many good things this year Ott is back Ham has a new stadium, we are back in the west where we belong.

I am excited after a couple seasons of absolute despair.

I don't think it is really possible for CFL players to ever have much leverage. Its hard to be united when there is such an obvious class systems among players. The Canadians and a hand full of established and well paid American vets Vs. the annual influx of young & old American players wanting to keep their football dreams alive, and just want a place to play on their road back to the "promised land". These players lose too much and don't gain enough to hang in with the upper class of players that have the most to gain.

 

[BigZ65]

The players had enough leverage to get more than they did. The problem was that they came out guns blazing with a crazy proposal that backed the league away from the negotiating table. They came back with a couple less extreme proposals, but they all included revenue sharing which the league flat out said they would not negotiate around. The PA wasted too much time, when this negotiation was going to be settled either way by the middle-end of June.

The PA essentially gave up their ability to negotiate with the league by being completely unreasonable, and ended up with a take-it-or-leave-it offer. The PA voted to strike, clearly a bluff. The league gave a ratification bonus to get them to sign, that's all the players got, along with some very minor changes like the removal of the automatic option year from veterans contracts.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

game night!

 

[Bob E]

Will be interesting to see how the team plays tonight.

The feeling around the team seems to be so different this year compared to previous years. Likely media driven to a large degree, but I'm still looking forward in seeing if that means better play on the field. Time will tell.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Thoughts from the game.

Willy looked calm and composed. Every inch the veteran among a bunch of nobodies. My biggest concern was arm strength, he badly underthrew receivers several times, including Denmark's long 47 yard catch which would have been a TD with a little more distance on it. Hall looked like Hall, meh backup. I was excited about Brohm but he struggled mightily. Made a couple of nice passes but was badly outplayed overall by youngster Robert Marve who threw some REALLY nice passes in very limited minutes. I had thought the Willy-Hall-Brohm depth chart was almost assured but Marve is looking like he might force his way onto the roster.

Paris Cotton really really badly outplayed Nic Grigsby for the backup IMP RB spot. Neither is likely to crack the 42 man roster IMO (Volny as a NI will likely be the backup RB to not waste a DI spot). Grigsby was very very unimpressive to me, saw nothing in him.

Veteran Clarence Denmark was dominant. He has always been kinda a decent if unspectacular SB hopefully he takes the next step. Nick Moore got one suicide pass from Willy and I didn't see him again. Kelly didn't get much time. Standing out among the rookie import receivers were massive 6'6'' 240lbs Mario Urrutia and miniscule 5'8'' 160lbs CJ Tarver. Urrutia imposed his will physically and showed decent hands. Tarver was really quick and got open quite a few times. Donovan Kemp had great chemistry with Marve, liked what I saw out of him. Aaron Woods was terrible, didn't see anything at all out of him, particularly with better returners like Ford, Cotton, Tarver on the roster.

Among NI receivers Kohlert struggled today. I am not confident at all in him being a starter. Julian Feoli-Gudino was battling hard out there and made some plays. He's not particularly fast but might be an option. Brett Carter looked out of place, I think part of that is him coming into camp late.

OL was decent from my upper deck seat. I was more interested in skilled positions so I didn't notice anybody good or bad.

On the DL Greg Peach with two sacks showed his speed and veteran play. He and Vega should offer some good pressure from the ends. Didn't see much for the inside, although they mostly plugged the middle. Rookie import end Stafford Gaitling looked absolutely awful in the run game getting pushed inside really easily allowing Toronto backs to the outside for big gains.

The LB corps looked absolutely atrocious. However Kuale didn't play at all (injured) and Banks played hardly at all. Ian Wild cannot handle the MLB position. Got washed almost every play. Rene Stephan is like Pierre-Luc Labbe on defense...except somehow WORSE. If Stephan plays a single play on defense during regular season it'll be a guaranteed 20+ yard play. He is slow and weak. He is special teams ONLY.

In the defensive back's veteran Marty Markett looked solid at weak side corner. Closed quickly on the ball and showed good instincts. Don Unamba and Michael Ray Garvin made some really nice plays as rookies as well. Alex Suber looked slow as usual.

In terms of kicking IMP Brett Maher looked really great in both kicking and punting. His positional punting was unreal and his leg looked fantastic in the kicking game while not missing one. NI Lirim Hajrullahu didn't look as strong legged in the punting game and seemed to have less accuracy. Don't think he took a field goal.

Anyways those are my long winded thoughts.

 

[KingBogo]

Thanks Holden. Nice write up.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Thanks Holden. Nice write up.

Thanks. For reference I talked with Darren Bauming of WFP last night and he is super excited about Don Unamba at any defensive position (he says Unamba has been used at both OLB's positions, both HB's positions, Safety) and is great. He is a name to watch out for. He was also impressed with Feoli-Gudino as a NI receiver (who I also liked), Denmark (which I mentioned) and Neufeld on the OL. Not sure how the OL will shake out but I am thinking the Bombers will be forced into two IMP Tackles due to lack of talent. He looked on Garvin as a special teamer (which I can see, he was good not great) and he wasn't impressed with Tarver (which I can understnad, Tarver is small and elusive but still he's tiny and made several mistakes).

 

[meedle]

Marve was unreal, he should be #2 based on the little I saw of him. He got the ball out quick. He made his read and made a quick decision, I thought he might have been staring at the intended target abit long but I like everything else.