OT: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2023 Season - Another terrible disappointment. NEXT: Tough Decisions on How to Rebuild.

[jungles]

against the elks, kinda worrisome, against a team like the argos and maybe even the lions which both have a tighter defence, those big plays along with a an offence from the opposing team.....I dunno.

all this optimism kinda sounds like a repeat of last season at this time...

You mean coming within a blocked field goal of a third straight Grey Cup?

 

[KingBogo]

against the elks, kinda worrisome, against a team like the argos and maybe even the lions which both have a tighter defence, those big plays along with a an offence from the opposing team.....I dunno.

all this optimism kinda sounds like a repeat of last season at this time...

So why wouldn’t fans be optimistic? We have been to the last 3 Grey Cups, winning 2 of them. We will host the Western finals against a team we recently beat who looked much worse than us this weekend. If this doesn’t leave you optimistic, when in the hell are you ever going to be optimistic in sports?

 

[jungles]

So why wouldn’t fans be optimistic? We have been to the last 3 Grey Cups, winning 2 of them. We will host the Western finals against a team we recently beat who looked much worse than us this weekend. If this doesn’t leave you optimistic, when in the hell are you ever going to be optimistic in sports?

Take it from a lifelong pessimist: this is as good as it gets!

 

[rkp]

You mean coming within a blocked field goal of a third straight Grey Cup?

if they were as good as all you think why did it come down to a FG attempt....it shouldnt have been that close...right!!!????

So why wouldn’t fans be optimistic? We have been to the last 3 Grey Cups, winning 2 of them. We will host the Western finals against a team we recently beat who looked much worse than us this weekend. If this doesn’t leave you optimistic, when in the hell are you ever going to be optimistic in sports?

difference in being optimistic with rose colored glasses and realistic!!

 

[kanadalainen]

difference in being optimistic with rose colored glasses and realistic!!

When it comes to football, I prefer a welders helmet with the old style non-auto darkening glass. Sun-gazing made EZ.

 

[bustamente]

Riders can Dickie Sr. Should of gotten rid of him last year

 

[None]

Riders can Dickie Sr. Should of gotten rid of him last year

Kind of wild that they kept O'Day.

 

[snowkiddin]

Kind of wild that they kept O'Day.

Best news of the day

 

[Jets 31]

if they were as good as all you think why did it come down to a FG attempt....it shouldnt have been that close...right!!!????


difference in being optimistic with rose colored glasses and realistic!!

That's the tough thing about football, it's not a 7 game series it's only 1 game. Get a couple of bad bounces and it can level the field very fast but the Bombers are a very good football team, they aren't weak at any position so hell ya there is lots to get pumped about with this team.

 

[FonRiesen]

if they were as good as all you think why did it come down to a FG attempt....it shouldnt have been that close...right!!!????


difference in being optimistic with rose colored glasses and realistic!!

It's okay, us realistic optimists aren't saying we guaranteed to win the Cup, but we wisely recognize that when you take into account multiple factors, we still likely have the best shot, so why despair ahead of time? We're not Leafs fans that are planning parades...

From a pure odds perspective, the Argos got extremely lucky they got a piece of that kick... 9/10 times that a FG for the win.

I recall when we actually won the Grey Cup, you gave up early on that one, too. But never fear, we're here to assure you "there's still a good chance" and "the game's not over until it's over" like some of us did back then. We're on the same team!

No single game outcome is guaranteed in sports, but we're guaranteed to play in the Western Final, so that's already a leg up. I wouldn't want to be in BC or Calgary's shoes.

I'd say it's FAR LESS realistic to give up on a game before its actually over... So you can save us the "pessimists are realists, optimists are not" strawman bullshit. Misery loves company, but I refuse to be miserable in advance, thank you very much. Plenty of time to whinge after they lose, if that's the eventual outcome... And sure, I'll join you then.

But in the meantime, Go Bombers! I'm enjoying the ride!

 

[Holden Caulfield]

It's okay, us realistic optimists aren't saying we guaranteed to win the Cup, but we wisely recognize that when you take into account multiple factors, we still likely have the best shot, so why despair ahead of time? We're not Leafs fans that are planning parades...

From a pure odds perspective, the Argos got extremely lucky they got a piece of that kick... 9/10 times that a FG for the win.

I recall when we actually won the Grey Cup, you gave up early on that one, too. But never fear, we're here to assure you "there's still a good chance" and "the game's not over until it's over" like some of us did back then. We're on the same team!

No single game outcome is guaranteed in sports, but we're guaranteed to play in the Western Final, so that's already a leg up. I wouldn't want to be in BC or Calgary's shoes.

I'd say it's FAR LESS realistic to give up on a game before its actually over... So you can save us the "pessimists are realists, optimists are not" strawman bullshit. Misery loves company, but I refuse to be miserable in advance, thank you very much. Plenty of time to whinge after they lose, if that's the eventual outcome... And sure, I'll join you then.

But in the meantime, Go Bombers! I'm enjoying the ride!

Put much more diplomatically put than I could have.

I'm incredibly pessimistic by nature, but I try not to let that effect me too too much. I used to be worse for that, but really just realized what you are saying here, why be miserable in advance? Enjoy the ride, it wasn't that long ago when just getting a win on Banjo Bowl, even if the season finished 1-17 that was all I wanted that season. Just barely getting in playoffs was a great year. Hosting a playoff game was pie in the sky that'll never happen. Now we're talking realistically about Grey Cups and potential dynasties (4 straight finals with 3 Grey Cups is easily dynasty territory for me). If it doesn't happen it'll suck, but right now enjoy the ride.

Also in this vein to balance out my positivity instead of doing favourite players as @snowkiddin suggested, I'm gonna do least favourite players. Cause why not? And doing favourite players I'd be typing this list up until 4am...

QB Kerwin Bell - One of my very first memories of my CFL fandom was hating this guy as our QB. Don't ask me why, I just remember thinking he was awful and killing us all the time. The only good news is after he left he provided the best CFL highlight of all-time (see the video below)
OT Glenn January - How was this guy on our roster for so goddamn long. He was just awful year after year after year. I never saw what anyone did in him. I remember this one play so visibly where he stood up in a pass block mode with no one in front of him, did a complete 360 with his hands up and everything until he was in the exact same spot still standing with no one in front of him having touched no one. Meanwhile the DE lined up 2 yards outside him took a straight run at our QB. He was awful.
CB Roc Carmichael - Came in all swag as somehot top NFL prospect. Handed a starting spot for some reason. Proceeded to allow 3-4 20+ yard completions in nearly every one of his games for most of a season. Then just left at a bye week and never returned, thankfully. Team improved quite a bit after that. I feel like that may have been Kevin Fogg or someone who stepped in for him and it was such a breath of fresh air.
LB Micah Awe - I bemoaned this signing SO SO much when it happened. He was a dirty POS. Hated his game. Why did we need a cheap shot artist to back up one of the all-time classiest cleanest most fierce MLBs of all-time in Adam Bighill. I got shot down hard by people on twitter, including people like Farhan Lalji. COVID then hit and he wasn't re-signed meaning he never dressed for the Bombers. And history has shown out how dirty this asshole is with 5 max fines this year. He's up there in tackles, but I just can't stand this type of player.
SB Weston Dressler - Listen he was a class act and I guess I didn't hate him...it just felt so so dirty to cheer for him. Felt tainted when he scored. Too iconically Riderville.
QB Darian Durant - Fleeced the Bombers of 90K as a retirement gift. Asshole.

There's some examples through the years haha. Oh and that I clip I promised...

 

[None]

Least favourite players:
Obby Khan
Brock Ralph
Korey Banks
Darian Durant
Sam Hurl
Shawn Lemon - never played a game for us but signed, looked really amazing and then just disappeared. He just packed up and went home or something.

I think it was tougher coming up with this short list than thinking of favourites.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Least favourite players:
Obby Khan
Brock Ralph
Korey Banks
Darian Durant
Sam Hurl
Shawn Lemon - never played a game for us but signed, looked really amazing and then just disappeared. He just packed up and went home or something.

I think it was tougher coming up with this short list than thinking of favourites.

How dare you mention Obby in the same breath as Durian Darant (spit). The man gave us The Wrath of Khan, fer cryin' out loud.

 

[None]

How dare you mention Obby in the same breath as Durian Darant (spit). The man gave us The Wrath of Khan, fer cryin' out loud.
View attachment 756809

Drier than a nature's valley crunchy granola bar. Winnipeg needs a Shelby's for a decent chain shawarma restaurant

 

[SSCBLUEJET]

Least favourite players:
Obby Khan
Brock Ralph
Korey Banks
Darian Durant
Sam Hurl
Shawn Lemon - never played a game for us but signed, looked really amazing and then just disappeared. He just packed up and went home or something.

I think it was tougher coming up with this short list than thinking of favourites.

Sam Hurl! I forgot about that guy.
Great list None. Takes me back.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Least favourite players:
Obby Khan
Brock Ralph
Korey Banks
Darian Durant
Sam Hurl
Shawn Lemon - never played a game for us but signed, looked really amazing and then just disappeared. He just packed up and went home or something.

I think it was tougher coming up with this short list than thinking of favourites.

Obby Khan I agree, but that was all post career for me.

Ralph and Hurl are good answers. To be fair to Hurl I was most upset about usage rather than play. He was a good STer but the frustrating thing for him was Bombers forcing him onto D.

Oh I forgot one of the all-timers.
WR Adarius Bowman - Made these circus catches but then dropped anything in the hands. Most frustrating WR I'd ever seen. Then puts it all together in Edmonton after leaving. Then adds insult to injury almost coming back as a washed up version.

 

[None]

Obby Khan I agree, but that was all post career for me.

Mostly the same for me but I also met him at a Sens game against the Jets. The guy is just an asshole.

 

[None]

To be fair to Hurl I was most upset about usage rather than play.

Also agree on this, he was fine on special teams but on D he was getting every down and he wasn't even competent at plugging a defined gap.

 

[FonRiesen]

Worst coaches of all time...
Mike Kelly has to be #1, right? Arrogant and terrible. Was going to turn us into a dynasty, and... Didn't.

Jeff Reinebold. He also thought he was "all that and a bag of chips" (90's phrase, young'uns...) Drives onto the field of his first game on a Harley, 'guaranteed wins', a gong show. I think that was when we started having to cheer wildly for 1st downs because we'd only get a handful per game... Though he was entertaining...

Tim Burke had a terrible record, but not super memorable to me... So he's on the list for that black hole in my memory... It must have been bad...

Doug Berry: not a horrible record (compared to these others), and I think we made it to the Grey Cup one year (and lost), but his temper was a problem. IIRC he ripped into one of our kickers so hard he lost all confidence (I think we went through a few kickers during his time here...). I don't know, maybe he doesn't deserve to be here, but he rubbed me the wrong way - had good teams, but wasted them...

 

[snowkiddin]

Enjoy the ride, it wasn't that long ago when just getting a win on Banjo Bowl, even if the season finished 1-17 that was all I wanted that season.

Sounding a lot like a Rider fan there

 

[snowkiddin]

Wait, we’re doing least favourite players now?

Oh, boy, where to start …

For ones already mentioned:

Roc Carmichael
Sam Hurl
Darian Durant

I’ll add our entire carousel of shit-ass QBs in between Glenn and Willy when Pierce wasn’t healthy:

Stefan LeFors, Justin Goltz, Max Hall, Alex Brink, Joey Elliott, Robert Marve, Brian Brohm, Dominique Davis. A few of those might’ve been after Willy. Actually I know Brohm and Davis for sure were later, but they sucked enough to make it into this grouping. And they weren’t all equally terrible. I think Marve just couldn’t stay healthy. Worst of that bunch would probably be Max Hall or LeFailure.

But, wait, there’s more:

Matt Bucknor (dude f***ing sucked, throwaway Canadian starter)

Alexis Serna (basically the Stefan LeFors of kickers. Guy was complete ass and just handed the starter’s gig for some reason)

Kito Poblah (was apparently good in the community but this dude just wasted space on the roster for what seemed like years)

Tyson Pencer (one of the last dumbass wtf draft picks by the Bombers)

Justin Sorensen (can’t remember if this was the shittiest o-lineman of the sad sack group, pretty sure it was though)

Cauchy Muamba (awful, only on the team because of his brother)

Anthony Gaitor (motherf***er walked out on the team ahead of the 2019 playoffs because he didn’t want to change spots in the secondary. Foh.)

@None, what’s the story on Korey Banks? I remember they traded for him and he was supposed to be a big deal (I remember they started selling his jersey the day of the trade) and then he just …. was released in training camp?

Oh, Mike Kelly should count too, even though he wasn’t a player. Throw in Auston Matthews and Gary Bettman while you’re at it. They’d be dislikable Bombers players for sure.

 

[None]

@None, what’s the story on Korey Banks? I remember they traded for him and he was supposed to be a big deal (I remember they started selling his jersey the day of the trade) and then he just …. was released in training camp?

Old and washed up. Full of himself and just simply got beaten out by younger, better players.

Alexis Serna (basically the Stefan LeFors of kickers. Guy was complete ass and just handed the starter’s gig for some reason)

Mentioned earlier but it was Serna who got chewed out by Doug Berry on the sideline during a game. He was on the sideline crying and getting consoled by Richard Harris.

 

[Potrzebie]

QB Kerwin Bell - One of my very first memories of my CFL fandom was hating this guy as our QB. Don't ask me why, I just remember thinking he was awful and killing us all the time. The only good news is after he left he provided the best CFL highlight of all-time (see the video below)

There's some examples through the years haha. Oh and that I clip I promised...

I knew exactly which clip this was going to be as soon as i read that. It never gets old

 

[rkp]

It's okay, us realistic optimists aren't saying we guaranteed to win the Cup, but we wisely recognize that when you take into account multiple factors, we still likely have the best shot, so why despair ahead of time? We're not Leafs fans that are planning parades...

From a pure odds perspective, the Argos got extremely lucky they got a piece of that kick... 9/10 times that a FG for the win.

I recall when we actually won the Grey Cup, you gave up early on that one, too. But never fear, we're here to assure you "there's still a good chance" and "the game's not over until it's over" like some of us did back then. We're on the same team!

No single game outcome is guaranteed in sports, but we're guaranteed to play in the Western Final, so that's already a leg up. I wouldn't want to be in BC or Calgary's shoes.

I'd say it's FAR LESS realistic to give up on a game before its actually over... So you can save us the "pessimists are realists, optimists are not" strawman bullshit. Misery loves company, but I refuse to be miserable in advance, thank you very much. Plenty of time to whinge after they lose, if that's the eventual outcome... And sure, I'll join you then.

But in the meantime, Go Bombers! I'm enjoying the ride!

I do cheer for the BB s and am a fan.
LOL...wow., you do a lot assuming......I dont feel any despair, misery, or have given up or will whinge if they lose( I certainly didnt last year!)...and no you wont be joining me if the BB s lose, LOL, and I do enjoy the ride, but not blinded by the bandwagon euphoria, so you and the others go ahead and knock yourself out, no one is stopping you.....I dont live in a totalitarian world that you live in and expect everyone to espouse your sentiments fully.

 

[Jetland162702]

I am optimistic about our chances. It seems to me that for most of our losses this season we were asleep at the wheel, which for a veteran team with little to prove, seems natural.
It seems to me that when they needed to play, they played.
I think they will be ready to play come Nov 11, and while they might not win it all, I think their chances of winning the cup are as good as any of the remaining teams, probably better.