Montreal @ Winnipeg Season opener.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

In reality Ford has played in one pro football game in his entire career, I'm sure he'll be ok in the long-term but there maybe a few hiccups along the way.

It probably won't be perfect but he's playing field corner which is probably the most forgiving in the entire secondary. His speed should help cover ground quickly and a guy with his athleticism should be able to recover out there more easily as he learns.

[Pigskin]

It looks like BO20 had a heavy wrap on his right hamstring today.

[TecnoGenius]

Maybe let us play a game before rendering the scouting for 2024 ineffective? Did either of those guys light up the pre-season so good they were household names before week 1?

Just a thought.

In fact, yes.  Think back to the forum chatter in TC and PS regarding Schoen and Alford.  Schoen was talked about as being off the charts and was instantly a shoe-in for the starting spot.

Alford was instantly being touted as having the "best hips" MOS had seen in forever.

All before week 1.

I remember this clearly from the forum and pressers at the time.  It stands out to me now as I doubted both.  I didn't really know what "hips" meant, and them screaming about Schoen didn't get me too excited either as I thought Ellingson was going to be da man.

When I'm wrong, I like to learn from it, long term, hence my strong memories of all of this.

So ya, the fact that ZERO of the rookies are giving off those Schoen/Alford vibes (for 2 years running!) makes me think our scouts have lost some mojo.  Of course, there's luck too.  But I was hoping for the next big score this season... MTL seemed to get all the hot rookies last year, and that's why they beat us.

I want to correct my Rigmaiden comment, though.  Looks like he left us in the 2020/2021 off-season, so that means Schoen was a 100% Rigmaiden-less find?  So that's a feather in the cap of McManus/Goveia.  (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

[TecnoGenius]

Stop ******** on Canadian players.  The CFL was at it's best when it started a minimum of 10, instead of 7.  The talent has only gotten better.

Hey, I'm the last to poop on NATs.  I'm pro-ratio and would love to discuss 10 NAT ratios.

BUT... we currently are a 7-NAT ratio league (+1 FAKENAT we can basically ignore because so many qualify on every team).  If starting 8 or 9 or 10 NAT for the heck of it was a winning strategy, every team would do it.

We've consistently been the only team starting more than we have to for 1-2 seasons, and no one else is following our lead.  You could say "hey look, more NATs equals more GC visits", but then I'd point out that since we started going more NAT-crazy we've had zero GC wins.

Most teams try to start 0, 1, or maybe 2 NAT on D, because good D players are predominantly IMP (and often cheaper when ELC).  Starting 3, 4 or 5 NAT on D is completely unheard of in recent CFL.  That's why I say "insanity".  There's a reason teams (including us) have traditionally "hidden" their D NAT @FS.

If you pull a "moneyball" and prove me wrong (or a 4-NAT starting D on Thursday is lights out), then great, I'll bow to the new wisdom.  Until then, I'll be quaking in my boots and hoping Zach & co can put up 53, because we may need it!!

[TecnoGenius]

Yes, not a must win. Eastern team. I think there is a good amount of fan anxiety, wondering what kind of team we will see. A lot of changes. We learned very little from the pre-season.

As much as it pains me to type this the ALS are the grey cup champions. They haven't lost in a number of games. This could go either way especially given it's the first week and our starters haven't played much.

If we whoop them by 2+ scores the entire league will say "see they just the won GC by luck and WPG is still the best".  That will stick the entire early season (or longer) and be a powerful morale booster for us and morale-sinker for everyone we play.

If MTL comes to we-never-lose-at-home PAS and whoops our butt, then the entire league will say "MTL are legit contenders and really did earn that GC, and WPG are old fogeys who won't win squat this year".  Again, this mindset will infect both our team and opponent teams, and last quite a while.

Even though the money will be on TOR v WPG in the 2024 GC, this game vs MTL will be way more important than any regular-season meeting we have vs TOR!

We always botch a game we are supposed to win (like vs OTT Crum last year), and it always makes us stronger, but those are nothing games from a morale standpoint.  This is not the time to have our mulligan, and losing it may not make us stronger.

This game sets the tone and shows the league who we are for weeks to come.  The players won't say it, but they're all still hurting over losing to these young upstarts and can't-throw-Cody "Five-Yard-O" (excuse the name liberty as I'm trying to make a point).  Losing it -- at home!! -- will re-open all of those wounds.

[TecnoGenius]

Zach Collaros just made one of the most impressive throws I have ever seen in-person. Impossibly small window to hit Johnny Augustine on and out-and-up down the sideline while draped in coverage. Incredible. #Bombers

a) Don't they film practice for player-improvement-study?  Maybe someone can leak this... talk about a morale boost!

b) Really nice to hear Johnny was the receiver.  It would be great if he could get more of a role this seasons, and take over some of the RB-as-receiver duties McCrae was doing.  He's always dressed and thus a "freebie" in the schemes.

However, let's hope any extra practice for Johnny isn't a hint that Brady will be kept out!  No Brady PLUS a new/revamped/weaker OL does NOT spell running success!!

It looks like BO20 had a heavy wrap on his right hamstring today.

Welp, I'm glad we paid him $1zillion signing bonus plus the biggest RB contract ever in the CFL!  Yay!          I hope the injury is very very very, very very very very short term, for all of our sake's!

I'll start warming up my best "GO JOHNNY" shouts for Thursday, as it may get heavy use...

(How on earth are we getting so many of these injuries from just practice/camp?!  Holy smokes, they aren't even being caused by the PS games!)

[Pigskin]

a) Don't they film practice for player-improvement-study?  Maybe someone can leak this... talk about a morale boost!

b) Really nice to hear Johnny was the receiver.  It would be great if he could get more of a role this seasons, and take over some of the RB-as-receiver duties McCrae was doing.  He's always dressed and thus a "freebie" in the schemes.

However, let's hope any extra practice for Johnny isn't a hint that Brady will be kept out!  No Brady PLUS a new/revamped/weaker OL does NOT spell running success!!

Welp, I'm glad we paid him $1zillion signing bonus plus the biggest RB contract ever in the CFL!  Yay!          I hope the injury is very very very, very very very very short term, for all of our sake's!

I'll start warming up my best "GO JOHNNY" shouts for Thursday, as it may get heavy use...

(How on earth are we getting so many of these injuries from just practice/camp?!  Holy smokes, they aren't even being caused by the PS games!)

BO20 was injured in a off season workout. Like BO20 said, he pushed it a little to hard and injured himself. 

[CrazyCanuck89]

Hey, I'm the last to poop on NATs.  I'm pro-ratio and would love to discuss 10 NAT ratios.

BUT... we currently are a 7-NAT ratio league (+1 FAKENAT we can basically ignore because so many qualify on every team).  If starting 8 or 9 or 10 NAT for the heck of it was a winning strategy, every team would do it.

We've consistently been the only team starting more than we have to for 1-2 seasons, and no one else is following our lead.  You could say "hey look, more NATs equals more GC visits", but then I'd point out that since we started going more NAT-crazy we've had zero GC wins.

Most teams try to start 0, 1, or maybe 2 NAT on D, because good D players are predominantly IMP (and often cheaper when ELC).  Starting 3, 4 or 5 NAT on D is completely unheard of in recent CFL.  That's why I say "insanity".  There's a reason teams (including us) have traditionally "hidden" their D NAT @FS.

If you pull a "moneyball" and prove me wrong (or a 4-NAT starting D on Thursday is lights out), then great, I'll bow to the new wisdom.  Until then, I'll be quaking in my boots and hoping Zach & co can put up 53, because we may need it!!

Who cares if it's unheard of?  If the Bomber's are winning and the Canucks on Defense are playing well, who cares?

[Pigskin]

Looks like partly cloudy and 14 for kickoff. Like it.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Looks like party cloudy and 14 for kickoff. Like it.

Agreed! I'll take a nice cool night over a 28 degree heater any day or night.

[Jesse]

Agreed! I'll take a nice cool night over a 28 degree heater any day or night.

I do love the hot, sunny ones.

[Pigskin]

Lots of activity at the Bomber Store today. Nice to see people loading up on Bomber gear. Lot's of nice clothing this year. 

[wpg#1]

Looks like partly cloudy and 14 for kickoff. Like it.

Now it's sunny and 18. It's going to change again by Thursday morning I'm sure 

[blue_gold_84]

I do love the hot, sunny ones.

Makes the overpriced beer taste just a bit better.

[GOLDMEMBER]

I do love the hot, sunny ones.

Sweating gold make up is a chore.