TrueBlue4ever

Let me give this a shot (channelling my inner Cactus Jack): "The happy honker award doesn't go to the player who was the best or most dominant in the game, or had the best stats, but rather goes to someone who did something a little extra special during the game, maybe that one play that stood out or made a big difference at an important time, and changed the game. Well, with the game close near the end of the second quarter, the Bombers had just scored a touchdown on a defensive interception play by Mitchell Leggat [writer's note - that butchering of his name was deliberate - Cactus often mangled syntax when he was waxing poetic. He came from the old school where a little imbibing during the broadcast was not only practiced, but almost mandatory, kind of like Do or Die and his gin] to pull ahead of the Hamilton Tiger Cats for the first time. After successfully making the convert the Bombers lined up for a kickoff to Brandon Banks, the dangerous and dynamic diminutive returner for Hamilton, when Justin Medlock kicked the ball towards the out-of-bounds stripe. When out of nowhere Maa-cho Harris [he'd mess up the syllables there too] hustled down filed and scooped up the ball for the Bombers, recovering it deep in Hamilton territory in the process, and setting up an eventual Drew Willy to Ryan Smith touchdown pass with a minute left in the first half to open up a big 12 point lead going into the locker room, and that would prove to be the big lead the Bombers would need to hold on and win the game in the end. So for that big turning point play, the happy honker award goes to the big special teams player Maa-cho Harris." He might have also given it to Ryan Smith for that magic trick reception for the TD, but he loved the swing in momentum play that seemed kind of big at the time but maybe not the "TSN turning point"obvious type, but on reflection was a really big play to stop or start a key drive. Leggett's overall performance was more player of the game good, and too "good" for happy honker status.

Maybe I don't suck at this. The Bomber tacklers, however………...

That sounds about right, but feasibly 10th best. I figure in the West, Mitchell and Reilly clearly ahead, In the East, Collaros, Ray, both Burris and Harris right now are definitely ahead. Jennings I'm not sold on long term, but hard to say right now he's not on par given early results. Lulay may be better, but with all his injury troubles haven't seen enough of him lately to say yes. Durant could be better than him, but who knows where he is after his injury last year. Tate when he last played as a starter regularly was better than Willy is now, but it's been so long kind of hard comparison now. Glenn is better today, but let's see tomorrow, probably won't be. His competency changes like the weather. And I still put Willy ahead of Masoli - we'll see if that changes after July 7. But it is quite telling that in a nine team league he might rank 10th or worse, especially when so many QBs changed teams so recently and Winnipeg has missed so many opportunities to land any of them. How was Harris such a quiet free agent signing after 33 TD passes last year?

I'm sorry. There was a cat in this picture? I didn't notice.

I suck at this. Let's try speedy B - Brandon Banks.

Comparing Drew Willy RIGHT NOW to the other active CFL QBs who have started a game either this season or last (not factoring in any current injuries): BC - Jennings and Lulay Cal - Mitchell and Tate Edm - Reilly Sask - Durant Wpg - Nicholls Ham - Masoli and Collaros Tor - Ray Ott - Burris and Harris Mtl - Glenn where would you rank him as a starter from 1-14 in a nine-team league?

Jerome Messam.

Tori Gurley

Calgary 11-7 Edmonton 11-7 BC 9-9 Winnipeg 8-10 Saskatchewan 6-12 Ottawa 10-8 Hamilton 10-8 Toronto 9-9 Montreal 7-11 Calgary over Edmonton in the West Final Hamilton over Ottawa in the East Final Hamilton wins Grey Cup Bo Levi Mitchell MOP Andrew Harris top Canadian

Well, someone might as well start this up. Let's hear everyone's predictions for team standings (records included if you want, but only if you make sure every team has 18 games and the total wins and losses are equal!!!!!), playoff results, and awards candidates if you'd like. I'm going to let others go first, since I really have very little idea how things will shake out this year. New coaches in all western cities except Winnipeg, no Cornish in Calgary, Harris out of BC and into Wpg, Durant back but all new receivers in Sask., no Collaros to start in Hamilton, no Owens in Toronto, Popp coaching Kevin Glenn in Montreal, Trevor Harris backing up Burris in Ottawa but lost their starting tailback already. New uniforms, new stadiums, new season. Off we go.

Technically, she is giving me some of the money with the jersey. She and another work friend went together, split the cost of the ticket, and each walked away with over $13,000. Totally happy for both of them, that's a lot more significant amount to each of them than it would be for me, so really thrilled about it. And they also took some of from work out for drinks to celebrate and paid for my night, including dinner, and are both paying for the jersey.

Gave my friend my tickets to the pre-season game since I could not make it. She won the 50/50 draw, and has bought me a new jersey as a thank you. Road jersey, with "True Blue" name on top, #4 and, you guessed it, "ever" underneath the number. Will complement my retro "Clements" home jersey and my soon to be purchased autographed Drew Willy home jersey in last year's style. Wouldn't have bothered with the last one except for the autograph and the reduced price.

The first placekicker I can remember was Donald Igwebuike, the Nigerian-born Baltimore Stallions (nee CFLers) kicker, who started in the NFL in 1985 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Using a healthy tail-wind, he scraped a 50 yard field goal just over the bar with 2 minutes left to beat the Bombers 14-12 in the Eastern Final in 1994 to send them to the Grey Cup. And Reggie Roby was a black punter who played most of his 16 year career in Miami, starting in 1983. 3 time Pro Bowler, 2 time all-star, and made the all-decade team in the 1980's.

"Innovative young coach" is exactly the description of Mike O'Shea when we brought him here, and back then there was a whole lot of "tired of bringing in rookies with no experience in top positions" whining. Honestly, there is legitimate stuff to be unhappy about with this franchise, but the negativity about this hire is complaining for the sake of complaining. I don't know how coaches and players can stand some Bomber fans (and when a world class yahoo like Mike Kelly calls it right, that's pretty embarrassing). Give him a chance.

rabble rabble rabble! NO WINS!!11!!! you aren't interested in reasons you made up your mind to see everything as negative it's not worth wasting words trying to convince you because you don't like to listen to anything other than your own whargarbl TRANSLATION: I have no basis for my position, I just like to sound self-important and pick internet fights. And when challenged to justify my position with facts or sound reasoning rather than just hot air, I ignore the question and turn my attack to the poster rather than addressing the post itself in an attempt to hide my ignorance. This shtick is old. Either back it up and contribute something meaningful to the debate, or go away quietly. Either way, spare us the arrogant "I'm too busy and smart to explain myself to the lesser-minded out there" B.S.

If I knew how to gif the Wiser's Club slow clap, this post would get it.

So they didn't have a contract. They had an email that was rescinded two days later. In two days, they hired enough people for this job that they need to recover $40k ? You spoke what was on my mind. What the hell did they do in 2 days that would come to this amount?!?! LOL. Seems ridiculous. From a source I have that has connections with the union, the issue is that when the contract was awarded (if that is the accurate way things happened, I make no definitive statement on that) union workers were pulled off of work from existing jobs to free them up for the Grey Cup gig. When that fell through, the workers were unable to get back their original jobs that they had given up. Hence the lost wages and the claim for damages. Again, don't question me about the merits of such a claim, simply reporting what I have heard without picking a side in this fight.

With the Grey Cup in town this week, here is a prop bet for you all to ponder with a uniquely Winnipeg twist: Which happens first after 2015 - Winnipeg wins another Grey Cup championship or hosts another Grey Cup Championship?

Now that John Hufnagel is stepping aside as head coach in Calgary for Dave Dickenson, rumours are floating around that he would still like to be a head coach as well as a GM, and that Saskatchewan may be interested in him, notwithstanding their request to interview assistant GM John Murphy for the GM job. Simple question, would you be in favour of the Bombers going after Hufnagel for the dual coach/GM role in Winnipeg for next year and dumping the current regime, or stick with what we have and let them continue to shape the team their way?

The NDP here in BC tried the same campaign in 2013. Every time you asked the NDP why I should vote for them, I'd get something like "CHRISTY CLARK SUCKS!!" or something similar. I'd say, ok, no argument here, but other than that, why should I vote NDP? And I'd just get this confused look, like they hadn't really thought that far ahead. When you don't give people reason to vote for the devil they don't know, they chose the one they do know. And yet I wonder if you asked many in Manitoba why they should vote for Brian Pallister, would their answer not overwhelmingly be "Selinger sucks, he lied, time for change" rather than saying anything about Pallister. Maybe the simple answer "he's different than the guy who is in who I am fed up with" is a reason to vote for someone as much as it is a vote against someone. But the issue isn't voting against someone moreso than voting for someone - that has really been the case in most (all?) elections where the ruling party falls. The fact is it only bothers people when it is their party that is falling out of favour. Given your repeated distaste for "New Dumb" I have a hunch the "I'm voting against the Selinger government" stance as a reason to vote Conservative doesn't bother you or seem uneducated or shortsighted.

*NEWS FLASH* This just in - Cougars were recently seen roaming in the area across from MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

I'm a little sour with this news, but not at the Bombers mind you. I will say to all of those who are pumping up Sam Hurl and saying Muamba wouldn't have improved us equally for the extra money we would pay: Is Sam Hurl a candidate for Most Outstanding Canadian in the CFL or have any chance at being considered by NFL teams for a spot? Because that's the comparable to Muamba right now. Think about how far Hurl is from that and that should say how much better a player the Als now have. But I'll say that there is some bitterness towards Muamba in this corner. Hey, do what's best for your career, but when he said he'd come to Winnipeg as part of his "negotiation tour", then blew us off for a supposed workout with an NFL team that never happens, and signs with Montreal 7 days later without ever re-establishing contact with the Bombers, it says to me that the club would have talked contract but he was never ever interested in returning here. Disappointing since we let him out of his contract early to pursue the NFL in the first place, on top of employing his brother to keep him here when Cauchy had no business being on a football field. I could have done without the dog and pony show and empty promises of including Winnipeg in the negotiation process.

No the problem with Black is that it's all forced, with Dunigan it's genuine. You can't fake that kind of excitement but Black tries. It's not about any biases either, it's about whether someone is good at their job or not and there are a lot of variables to that. There is no one size fits all broadcaster but most of the ones TSN uses are terrible. Cuthbert and Dunigan are the best two by far. Cuthbert because he's just a pro and knows what his job is as the commentator and doesn't try and step outside of that role too much, Dunigan because he has that genuine enthusiasm that too many people (ie. Duane Forde) try hard to fake but it just comes across as painful. That's a very fair comment and I hadn't considered that angle. Good point.

I often feel that the Rod Black hate around here is overblown, like it's the one negative thing people here can agree on without name-calling each other, so it gets over-exaggerated how bad he is. Funny that people hate on him for being so hyper when he calls a game as a massive failing, but laud Matt Dunigan for exactly the same personality quirk (betting that if Matty never wore Blue and Gold he'd get ragged on a lot more, like Climie or Schultz do), but to each their own I guess. I think he still makes mistakes (as do others, but not being scrutinized quite as closely for every gaffe), and yeah, his voice goes up a few octaves when the play is going on (not good given his nasal tone at times), but he's better than he was. Just a matter of taste I suppose (and BTW as an aside, since earlier renditions of this topic branched out to other broadcasters and I expressed my disdain for Paul Edmonds calling Jets games, I will say I heard his broadcast of the Wild game last night and he seemed to be keeping up with the play better and being less wordy, so good on him for working his craft). I always remember the worst gaffe of Black's career, which was a post-game interview in Lillehammer after Canada had just lost the gold medal game to Sweden in a shootout. One of the junior players is offering some insight into the devastating loss, and Black brings up his father, who had died of cancer a few months before: "You told your dad just before he died that you'd bring home the gold for him. Now that you've come away with the silver, do you think he'd be........(long awkward pause during which I'm sure the director was screaming into his earpiece not to suggest his dad would be disappointed in his son for failing to keep his promise), what are you thoughts about him at this moment and your journey here?" THAT was cringe-worthy. Now I find him tolerable, if not infrequently too excitable (but hey, that's his schtick, so be it). Just happy we have enough broadcast teams to cover every CFL game now. As for Suitor, can't be bothered to get too worked up about him either, but where as Black is just an equal opportunity cheerleader for all teams and players in an effort to pump up the broadcast, Suitor has let his bias show from time to time (although again, less so now than in the past). But any commentary on Suitor for me begins and ends with his two-word analysis of "the greatest football play of all time" (so says Milt Stegall). 100 yard last play bomb from Glenn to Stegall in double coverage to beat the Eskimos in Edmonton, and these were the pearls of wisdom from various broadcasters: Bob Irving: "He caught the ball between two stunned Eskimo defenders; I don't think Stegall could believe it himself. The Bombers win on a miraculous play, and who could have imagined that." Bryan Hall: "Stegall, GONE!" (repeat, 100 times or so) Chris Cuthbert: "This is unbelievable. Milt Stegall, the most remarkable touchdown of his career, and it's 100 yards, and the Bombers win!" Glen Suitor: "Oh no!"

Clearly, some outlet covered it, or you wouldn't have come across it. But, hey, the media also missed Harper's lousy interview too. Oh wait, there wasn't one. Because he won't answer more than 5 questions at any presser, screens his conferences so only "approved" media and attendees show up, and has his crony supporters hurl insults at anyone who asks an uncomfortable question. If security hasn't already removed them.