Tracker

We are all hoping and praying you are correct. Maybe we can crowd-fund Hogan's one-way busfare?

I believe it was a recent Free Press article.

I hope I am wrong on both counts, but it looks like O'Shea will be back and he apparently wants Hogan back. FOURLETTERWORD!

O'Shea's use of Eli is one of the biggest issues, IMO. Kolankowski has been the weak link in the O-line and I have a very difficult time seeing Eli as as bad as or worse. Versatility be damned, Kolankowski is not and has not been good enough and likely contributed to Collaros's inkjuries but O'Shea has been oblivious to all that. From O'Shea's comments, he expects to return as head coach so we are likely looking at an even worse year in 2026. This reminds me of how a Russian farmer described his crop prospects for the current year:" Worse than last year but better than next."

At least we have a couple of blue-chip NI running backs in reserve.

From my understanding of O-line play, being undersized is not a deal-breaker but can be compensated by intelligence and technique. Not sure if either of those adjectives apply to Kolankowski.

The thinking and attitudes that produced three years of very predictable decline are not going to go away. If nothing changes, then nothing will change.

That's why we need the GM and/or BOD to step forward and wield an axe. Mille has shown himself to be pretty astute but he has to show that O'Shea's and Hogan's performances are worthy of dismissal.

Younger may not have a choice as to who he fields or even puts on the active roster. I cite Buck Pierce's offence in BC as more effective than he led here.

Mothersuckers?

I hope that Big Willie was negatively affected by having to play on a line that featured Jake Thomas, but I rather doubt it. He has been here long enough and contributed enough to be given the choice of either retiring with full honours or invited to camp with the understanding that he will have to compete for his job- no favours. As a matter of fact, everyone should have that understaanding.

I'm pretty sure I said much the same last year, but if the team is going to make major changes, the sooner the better. I like the RBs approach of not allowing any uncertainty to fester and canning Bobby Dyce straight off. Fortune favours the brave.

His options are: retire, ask for a trade or play for the Bombers. I do not know who would be interested enough in him to offer a trade of value.

We had one a highly rated college center (Tui Eli) sitting on the bench while Kolankowski fell down a lot, we drafted a highly rated Canadian MLB and another (J.Jones) sit while T. Jones struggled on pass coverage a lot, and we had Echols and Cobb Sit while Mitchell and Corcoran wandered around, we had Jake Thomas waddle onto the field when the ratio allowed an import to replace him, and Cam Allen was sidelined too long. The D-line that we had second last game and was effective was gutted in the ESF. Maybe none of these changes would have saved the season, but O'Shea's stubbornness is more than evident.

Agree on almost all points, but Kyrie Wilson had a good year and ought to be allowed to compete for a starting job next year. T. Jones was often out of position and Kyrie may have had to try to compensate.

When we were living in Saskatchewan, the wife and I attended a couple of Bomber games at the old stadium. It was mostly fun and an intimate experience although there seemed to be more than average numbers of jackholes who were rude and crude.

Understandable. However, in Walter's defence, and I am in no way absolving him, maybe some of those premium players may not have wanted to come here because of O'Shea's rigid insistence of playing his pet players to the exclusion of better players.

A fate worse than death.

They have been named ad nauseum.

For those advocating that O'Shea ought to be given another year or two to fix what is wrong with the team: O'Shea had viable alternatives sitting on the bench all year and refused to use them except in the last game for a bit. He has had three consecutive years of declining performances and has made only token changes. IMO. he has clearly shown that he is incapable of change. If nothing changes, then nothing changes.

The only redeeming things about this loss today are that it may finally trigger the badly needed organizational changes and (most importantly) it means there will no opportunity for the Riders (who are almost certain to win the West) to curb-stomp our team in the biggest game of the year in front of Bomber fans in their home stadium. That has to be worth something.

A great offence can atone for a lousy defence and vice versa, but this year we had neither. Special teams were a bit of a bright spot, but that's all.

But that is not who this edition is.

The fat lady has sung. See you all in 6 months. Be well and at peace.