Tre Ford

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Not true imo.  Zach has been one of the primary reasons we have preformed well over the last few years.  Tough year last year.  Overstated on the negative but I get it, it's your posting style about him.  Looking for a bounced back if we can rebuild the OL.

I'm willing to fully forgive Zach if he performs up to expectations this season and leads the team to victories over the CFL's top teams, but up to this point the finger has been pointed everywhere but at him.

Pretty simple, his play no longer warrants a $600k salary and he's been unwilling to make concessions up to this point, which adversely affects the teams ability to aquire or afford a competent backup. An opportunity to aquire Powell looks like a reasonable possibility, instead that money will stay in Zach's pocket so that he doesn't have to take a hit for his poor play or worry about a competitior waiting in the wings. Zach is smart, can't blame him for protecting his own interests but the corner the team has been led into is regrettable. 

[blue_gold_84]

I'm willing to fully forgive Zach if he performs up to expectations this season and leads the team to victories over the CFL's top teams, but up to this point the finger has been pointed everywhere but at him.

That's not true. He's been a consistent target of criticism over the last couple of seasons, but last season in particular. He was below .500 as a starter last season and while that's obviously now just on him, he needs to be better this season.

Hopefully, with a capable OC now slated to run the offense, the unit as a whole will be better - Collaros included.

[Jesse]

I'm willing to fully forgive Zach if he performs up to expectations this season and leads the team to victories over the CFL's top teams, but up to this point the finger has been pointed everywhere but at him.

Pretty simple, his play no longer warrants a $600k salary and he's been unwilling to make concessions up to this point, which adversely affects the teams ability to aquire or afford a competent backup. An opportunity to aquire Powell looks like a reasonable possibility, instead that money will stay in Zach's pocket so that he doesn't have to take a hit for his poor play or worry about a competitior waiting in the wings. Zach is smart, can't blame him for protecting his own interests but the corner the team has been led into is regrettable. 

You're making it seem like Zach is holding the team over a barrel. The Bombers are the ones who offered him the contract, re-signed him, and have no desire to re-negotiate with him.

[Blueforlife]

Zach has taken a lot of heat and he isn't our biggest worry imo
The OL is for me

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

That's not true. He's been a consistent target of criticism over the last couple of seasons, but last season in particular. He was below .500 as a starter last season and while that's obviously now just on him, he needs to be better this season.

Hopefully, with a capable OC now slated to run the offense, the unit as a whole will be better - Collaros included.

Not from the team or any media I've seen, little notice has been given to his decline in play.

[blue_gold_84]

Not from the team or any media I've seen, little notice has been given to his decline in play.

Does that really happen?

Teams don't typically slag their own players, much less prominent types like QBs. The sports media's job, be it in-house or otherwise, is to ask questions and then offer written analysis based on the response(s).

It seemed like an outlier at the time, but I do remember Stegall suggesting Collaros should retire after last season's Banjo Bowl, which then led to a rebuttal from O'Shea and a pretty heated debate on the subject.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Does that really happen?

Teams don't typically slag their own players, much less prominent types like QBs. The sports media's job, be it in-house or otherwise, is to ask questions and then offer written analysis based on the response(s).

It seemed like an outlier at the time, but I do remember Stegall suggesting Collaros should retire after last season's Banjo Bowl, which then led to a rebuttal from O'Shea and a pretty heated debate on the subject.

Dinwiddie does it when neccessary, Jason Maas is also pretty honest evaluating performances as is Ed Hervey, criticism is sometimes earned, it shouldn't be all sunshine and roses.

[blue_gold_84]

Dinwiddie does it when neccessary, Jason Maas is also pretty honest evaluating performances as is Ed Hervey, criticism is sometimes earned, it shouldn't be all sunshine and roses.

Okay, cool. Got any links to share?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Okay, cool. Got any links to share?

Nothing specific, you'd have to sift through some of their interviews to find the good stuff, but Dinwiddie is the most prolific.  Hervey is the most honest, he'll answer most questions asked truthfully, he doesn't sugarcoat his answers.

[dd]

Nothing specific, you'd have to sift through some of their interviews to find the good stuff, but Dinwiddie is the most prolific.  Hervey is the most honest, he'll answer most questions asked truthfully, he doesn't sugarcoat his answers.

Ya, Dinwiddie b1ew severa1 gaskets pub1ica11y 1ast year, and is coaching in ottawa this year, coincidence?? You can't berate your p1ayers in the media or pub1ica11y, thats best done behind c1osed doors, or you 1ose respect from your p1ayers.

[markf]

Public criticism by someone from the team, of players that are, or were on the team is not useful in any way.

Dinwiddie got angry but I don't think he named anyone. He said that some players were passengers.

And have they asked zach to take a cut?

We will never know. It's tricky to sort out bad coaching, bad O line, bad receivers, bad q.b. Play.

Probably some of each in our crappy offensive results.

Our O line did him no favours last few years. He took a beating.

[dd]

Yes, he did take a beating, not sure how the O 1ine cou1d 1ook him in the eye after some p1ays. He was a1ways under pressure, so no doubt his p1ay dropped. Add to that the disfunctiona1 misfit we had as OC, it was no wonder 1ast season sucked so bad. Mafia isn't stupid, they know what they got as a Qb, and I fu11y expect an improved offense this year.

[Ducky]

Zach has taken a lot of heat and he isn't our biggest worry imo
The OL is for me

The issue is Collaros is a bad Qb if he does not have elite protection.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The issue is Collaros is a bad Qb if he does not have elite protection.

That's probably true, but it's probably true of most quarterbacks. The issue for Collaros remains his playstyle.

He put up hall of fame numbers by holding the ball and waiting on his receivers to win. When he was younger he used his athleticism to scramble and extend plays and combined with an ability to read defenses he won on way more plays than he should have.

The issue for the last couple years is the athletism has decreased and he hasn't be able to willing to transition into a more on time three step drop QB like Trevor Harris now or older Anthony Calvillo.

We aren't going to have an elite offensive line this year either. So Collaros needs to get the ball out on time consistently and win playing within the confines of his 38 year old body or he's going to regress again year over year.

I am not hopeful because I haven't really seen it over the last two years enough to be confident he's able to play like that. Not everyone can. Not even some of the greatest. Collaros is in that group I think.