CFL 2026

[Drivesaitl]

Well, hoping the Elks are finally good this year, would help take the sting out of whatever they're going to be doing with the Oilers...

What are they changing that name too? hehe. I can make that joke here. I think.

Edmonton Environmental Exploitations.

Triple E.

No I'm not suggesting this. No stones please.

 

[brentashton]

What are they changing that name too? hehe. I can make that joke here. I think.

Edmonton Environmental Exploitations.

Triple E.

No I'm not suggesting this. No stones please.

Random words starting with E

Effluent
Excrement
Excuses
Execration
Excoriated

There might be others, I’m just not thinking them right now.

Go EE…

….I guess.

 

[Stoneman89]

What are they changing that name too? hehe. I can make that joke here. I think.

Edmonton Environmental Exploitations.

Triple E.

No I'm not suggesting this. No stones please.

Don't laugh. Shortly after the Eskimos name was changed, I saw a video from one of the staunchest proponents of the change, a middle aged native female activist who was conversing with a lawyer, and they were both congratulating each other on the name change and then plotting as to how to change the hockey teams name from "dirty oil."

 

[K1984]

I used to watch CFL regularly and Maier was never that good in Calgary. I think maybe one season he showed some promise. Like I say he has lived a charmed life. One wonders whether sometimes presentation and attitude impacts decisions somewhat, you know, comportment, rather than what goes on field of play. This impacts all sports somewhat. Some players just get that benefit of doubt and several last chances. He hasn't earned it.

To me he's just the last guy in a long, long line of "next man up" QBs in Calgary that almost always just instantly turned into stars. For about 30 years every time they lost their starter to the NFL or another team, their backup would just step in and be a stud.

Flutie
Garcia
Dickenson
Crandell (the first of two brief gaps)
Burris (from the NFL via SK, but he started in CAL)
Drew Tate (another gap)
Bo Levi
Meier (the end)

Crandell was the only true multi-year gap from a non-home grown QB. Drew Tate was pretty much the only backup designate that didn't become a star, but his backup Bo Levi stepped in and took the mantle anyways.

Used to infuriate me how they would manage to do this time after time after time.

 

[Cloned]

I used to watch CFL regularly and Maier was never that good in Calgary. I think maybe one season he showed some promise. Like I say he has lived a charmed life. One wonders whether sometimes presentation and attitude impacts decisions somewhat, you know, comportment, rather than what goes on field of play. This impacts all sports somewhat. Some players just get that benefit of doubt and several last chances. He hasn't earned it.

I see you haven’t opined about Babcock yet lol.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I see you haven’t opined about Babcock yet lol.

I find out about 5mins after that post. I haven't been paying much sporting attention lately, other than upcoming WC.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Random words starting with E

Effluent
Excrement
Excuses
Execration
Excoriated

There might be others, I’m just not thinking them right now.

Go EE…

….I guess.

Excellent. Nah, we can't have any of that. heh

Edmonton Excellence. In properly used parlance.

Not the DT though...Excavate, Eliminate.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

What are they changing that name too? hehe. I can make that joke here. I think.

Edmonton Environmental Exploitations.

Triple E.

No I'm not suggesting this. No stones please.

I actually trained as an environmental engineer. But I gave up on the field once I figured out my job was to justify the destruction of the environment, not to actually preserve or save it

 

[bone]

I don't get why everyone is always so low on Fajardo either. I suppose it's stylistic. Throws a pretty ugly looking ball, scrambles a lot but doesn't appear fast, doesn't have typical QB physique.

Results-wise he's had a perfectly fine career. Saskatchewan was a contender with him as their starter, Montreal won a Grey Cup with him, he dragged Edmonton back from 1-5 or whatever to 7-9 late in the year upon assuming the starting job, and here we are. The guy is never going to be the league's best QB, but nor is he someone fans should be perpetually dissatisfied with.

I'd categorize him as a high-end game manager. You're probably not going to over-achieve the ability of your roster with this type of QB. However, competent turnover-free play is often enough to outduel your opponent with the current state of QB play in the league.

How many QBs do you take over Fajardo right now? Rourke and Alexander for sure, and Harris is the defending champ so let's say those three (and I actually still wouldn't take Harris, but trying to be objective). After that...

Adams and Mitchell on their good days are better, but VA is inconsistent week to week, Bo is fragile and turnover prone. Their lows are lower than Fajardo's. Collaros is a turnover machine at this point, but still thinks he's the gunslinger of circa 2021, I wouldn't want him. Kelly hasn't played in 18 months, all while being dogged by controversy. We already saw what Maier has to offer.

Fajardo is in the mushy middle of QBs in this league, but circumstances sometimes see those guys sitting on the scrap heap (Alexander replaced him and has still never lost a regular season game, what can you do?), so I think he'll be perceived as a bandaid solution until proven otherwise.

I think Harris is a pretty good comparable really other than Fajardo sometimes takes too long to decide on his target because he thinks he can run (and shockingly he's reasonable effective at it despite not being overly quick).

The CFL is in a period of transition so I get your comment about who you'd rather have, but ultimately he's saying he's near the end of his career anyways, so I'd still take Collaros and BLM over him because if you're looking short term, I prefer their higher end. For younger QBs naturally I'd take Rourke and Alexander over him, but I'd probably also take VAJ over him and while there's some controversy to Kelly, but his track record suggests he should be better. Harris, it's a toss up now that both have 1 Grey Cup each. So at this point we're down to just Ottawa and Meier isn't good, but I still believe in Brown when he's healthy. So in order of today's current starters, my list would be

Alexander
Rourke
Bo Levi
Collaros
Adams Jr.
Kelly
Harris
Fajardo
Meier

But the gap between Adams to Fajardo wouldn't be major. I'm fine with him for this year provided there's an eye to the future and they are serious about developing Snyder and Powell.

 

[joestevens29]

Man how stupid is the cfl? First two weeks and only three games a week?

Who is planning this shit?

Teams don’t even want byes and his early in the first place but yep cfl continues stupidity

 

[joestevens29]

I don't get why everyone is always so low on Fajardo either. I suppose it's stylistic. Throws a pretty ugly looking ball, scrambles a lot but doesn't appear fast, doesn't have typical QB physique.

Results-wise he's had a perfectly fine career. Saskatchewan was a contender with him as their starter, Montreal won a Grey Cup with him, he dragged Edmonton back from 1-5 or whatever to 7-9 late in the year upon assuming the starting job, and here we are. The guy is never going to be the league's best QB, but nor is he someone fans should be perpetually dissatisfied with.

I'd categorize him as a high-end game manager. You're probably not going to over-achieve the ability of your roster with this type of QB. However, competent turnover-free play is often enough to outduel your opponent with the current state of QB play in the league.

How many QBs do you take over Fajardo right now? Rourke and Alexander for sure, and Harris is the defending champ so let's say those three (and I actually still wouldn't take Harris, but trying to be objective). After that...

Adams and Mitchell on their good days are better, but VA is inconsistent week to week, Bo is fragile and turnover prone. Their lows are lower than Fajardo's. Collaros is a turnover machine at this point, but still thinks he's the gunslinger of circa 2021, I wouldn't want him. Kelly hasn't played in 18 months, all while being dogged by controversy. We already saw what Maier has to offer.

Fajardo is in the mushy middle of QBs in this league, but circumstances sometimes see those guys sitting on the scrap heap (Alexander replaced him and has still never lost a regular season game, what can you do?), so I think he'll be perceived as a bandaid solution until proven otherwise.

This is a fan base that thought ray couldn’t throw long ball or run so he was deemed useless

 

[Drivesaitl]

I actually trained as an environmental engineer. But I gave up on the field once I figured out my job was to justify the destruction of the environment, not to actually preserve or save it

That the term "engineer" was used probably means it was ultimately going to be greasing industry. heh

Not to rattle you but you ought to have known beforehand.

 

[Arty Spooners Bsmnt]

This is a fan base that thought ray couldn’t throw long ball or run so he was deemed useless

No.

 

[MoontoScott]

No.

I remember that when Ricky Ray first showed up in the EE camp as a rookie, he was almost instantly recognized as a real find--by both fans and management. He immediately produced.

I always thought that he might be HC of the team one day. What is he doing now?

 

[bone]

This is a fan base that thought ray couldn’t throw long ball or run so he was deemed useless

What the hell are you talking about? Was Ray criticized sometimes for some deficiencies? Sure. I mean people rag on McDavid and Draisaitl often. But I don't remember anyone saying he was useless and when he was traded the general sentiment was rage.

 

[MoontoScott]

What the hell are you talking about? Was Ray criticized sometimes for some deficiencies? Sure. I mean people rag on McDavid and Draisaitl often. But I don't remember anyone saying he was useless and when he was traded the general sentiment was rage.

The real problem was the GM from Hell. To me, that was the start of a steady decline for the club. Fans said please don't hire this guy but they did anyway.

 

[ConnorNova0929]

The real problem was the GM from Hell. To me, that was the start of a steady decline for the club. Fans said please don't hire this guy but they did anyway.

When they hired him it started my decline in interest in the CFL. He is a shit human and then doubled down by being a shit GM.

It's almost as if fan consensus is usually right which would apply to another situation happening with the Oilers right now.

 

[bone]

The real problem was the GM from Hell. To me, that was the start of a steady decline for the club. Fans said please don't hire this guy but they did anyway.

Exactly about Tillman, but I'd argue the decline started with Maciocia being promoted to positions he wasn't ready for, then Tillman took it into the gutter, Hervey briefly revived it until Rhodes snuffed that out and it was a endless turmoil until about 18 months ago.

 

[MoontoScott]

When they hired him it started my decline in interest in the CFL. He is a shit human and then doubled down by being a shit GM.

It's almost as if fan consensus is usually right which would apply to another situation happening with the Oilers right now.

The fans (both NHL and CFL) have a consensus which is fairly accurate.

When the EE hired Tillman it was like they shoved their middle finger in the fans' faces and said what are you going to do about it? Then that beer salesman took over with much the same attitude. Most customers don't keep arguing with you, they just stay home.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

This is a fan base that thought ray couldn’t throw long ball or run so he was deemed useless

huh?

 

[Drivesaitl]

What the hell are you talking about? Was Ray criticized sometimes for some deficiencies? Sure. I mean people rag on McDavid and Draisaitl often. But I don't remember anyone saying he was useless and when he was traded the general sentiment was rage.

I was initially a fan and then became more critical of Ray. Seems like his best years here were early on and for instance the Cups in 2003 and 2005. After that I found him to be a QB that was quite good at padding stats and hitting his traditional plays but that had trouble in redzone and against good clubs.

My faith in him was broke the time the Eskimos lost 36-1, at home, to the Lions. My bad luck I guess I was at that game. Ray through one ball so badly it was caught by somebody in the stands. For some reason that game always stays with me.

I also felt Ray was no longer laying it on the line here in his last yrs here. Was pissed if anything that he played better in Toronto then his last yrs here.

I wasn't upset to see Ray go. Seemed like he needed a new challenge. He wasn't putting it all on the field here anymore.

 

[Drivesaitl]

huh?

That poster seems drunk half the time.

 

[bone]

I was initially a fan and then became more critical of Ray. Seems like his best years here were early on and for instance the Cups in 2003 and 2005. After that I found him to be a QB that was quite good at padding stats and hitting his traditional plays but that had trouble in redzone and against good clubs.

My faith in him was broke the time the Eskimos lost 36-1, at home, to the Lions. My bad luck I guess I was at that game. Ray through one ball so badly it was caught by somebody in the stands. For some reason that game always stays with me.

I also felt Ray was no longer laying it on the line here in his last yrs here. Was pissed if anything that he played better in Toronto then his last yrs here.

I wasn't upset to see Ray go. Seemed like he needed a new challenge. He wasn't putting it all on the field here anymore.

But if you thought that trade was worth it, I may knock you down a few notches in terms of how I view your opinion on football. At minimum he was still a top 5 QB in the league at the time, likely top 3 or 4.

 

[Drivesaitl]

But if you thought that trade was worth it, I may knock you down a few notches in terms of how I view your opinion on football. At minimum he was still a top 5 QB in the league at the time, likely top 3 or 4.

Wasn't a great trade and wasn't a great time with how the Eskimos were being managed. Was the slow downfall of a once great club. Ray had a lot of help here too though receivers and backfield. It was a pretty stacked offense. I burned out of Ray. Like I say it happened at that 36-1 game. I turned on him. Such things happen in fandom.

 

[bone]

Wasn't a great trade and wasn't a great time with how the Eskimos were being managed. Was the slow downfall of a once great club. Ray had a lot of help here too though receivers and backfield. It was a pretty stacked offense. I burned out of Ray. Like I say it happened at that 36-1 game. I turned on him. Such things happen in fandom.

I was always pretty happy that was the one game I missed that year. I can't remember why but when I saw the score, I was thankful for whatever it was. Wasn't BC something like 0-5 or 1-6 at that point.

I wonder how much of that sentiment for you came from the usual expectation of excellence because he was still pretty good at that point and the team even went to the West Final that year. The only negative overall that I recall that year was that he seemed to get sacked a lot that year (or was it the year before).