Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg , October 25, 2025

[BlueInCgy]

Not that I think it will happen, but a revenge tour through the East would be fun.  Knock off Maas, fluke a way through Hamilton and beat Buck in the GC at home.  Zero percent chance that happens, but it would be fun.

[Blue In BC]

Not that I think it will happen, but a revenge tour through the East would be fun.  Knock off Maas, fluke a way through Hamilton and beat Buck in the GC at home.  Zero percent chance that happens, but it would be fun.

I wouldn't say zero chance. In fact IMO we can beat each of those teams on a given day. We did beat the Als twice this year, smoked the TiCats and beat the Lions twice. I think Rourke wills struggle in cold weather in Winnipeg regardless of his opponent.

VAJ is hold and cold, which shows up in the semi? Riders rely more on their defence and the opponent making critical mistakes. Alexander has missed half the season.

There is opportunity for just about anything to happen. Buckle up the chinstraps and come to play from the opening K/O.

One fly in the plan: Do players on the IR get any playoff money? I'm under the impression they don't, so that's a factor.

[theaardvark]

Heard there was screaming from inside the tent. Not sure if that was frustration, pain or both.
Knowing that Strev takes a beating every game he plays I was advocating resting him too. Pretty sad way to end his year, possibly career.

It looked to me like a non-contact injury, he did a hard plant and blew it up...

[Jesse]

Cold, off the bench, with zero practice reps this week...

Strev was the starter with a full week of reps when he put together 3 (2 really) completions in a full game...  with all the top receivers and BO20

First, he always gets practice reps. He's not just standing there every day.

Second, he has significantly more reps this week. Even Chase got reps this week.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Not what I saw.

Wilson always looks dull and disinterested.  He's like the anti-Strev -- no fire.  At all.

He reminds me of Kimi Raikonen in F1 racing -- except Kimi was top tier.  Just zero emotion, win or lose.

A lifeless QB will not draw the best out of their O.  Even Zach will show anger and fire and happiness.  This is exactly the same style Wilson showed when he stepped in on the biggest stage: the GC.

I really don't think the football IQ is there with Wilson.  He reminds of a beefier Dom Davis.  I don't know why we always waste so much time on these guys.

Picked up the same vibe when they talked with Wilson after a pre-season game earlier this year, does not sound or behave like a leader, he's responsive but not confident or assertive. Perhaps his passive trait is what's kept him hanging around for 2 seasons without a snap, much the same vibe given off by Johnny Augustine. In contrast an angry or disgruntled demeanour never lasts long on MOS's team.

A psychological profiler could tell a lot just by the way he uses his eyes is this interview. A person develops his character from his circumstance and experience which may be totally random and out of his control, but quite often ends up determining his fate.

Agree, looks like Dom Davis, Tyrie Adams in Ottawa, Caleb Evans in Montreal, great physical tools, but all lack the abilility to make a great starting QB.  Hope to be totally wrong about Wilson.

[Tecno]

A psychological profiler could tell a lot just by the way he uses his eyes is this interview.

Ya, and whoever chose that "cover picture" for the video should be fired -- as it proves our point too perfectly.  That's the look of someone who just won their first "start" (as it effectively was)?  That's more a "harumph what am I doing here?" look.

Ya, he says all the right FIFO MOS talking points, as every WFC player does.

[Tecno]

It looked to me like a non-contact injury, he did a hard plant and blew it up...

Oh, 100% it was non-contact.  He was buckling before the D came in.  Typical ACL on direction change/stopping.

I thought his run and strange path and eventual tackled looked wonky in real-time from the 200-level -- until I saw he was still down and in pain, then knew his knee was toast.  My only hope then was "hope it's the other knee, not the bad knee!".

[Tecno]

Thinking the same thing. We have to make major changes because we are dying financially... so they say. If we really are hurting for money the obvious thing to to do is lower the salary cap, something that reflects revenue, but they do the opposite.

Or, forget what they say, and look at the proof.  No one is hurting for money.  The private-owned teams (which is nearly everyone now) don't care one bit.  Even when they lose money they still make it, it's all paper shuffling and write-offs they can use in their other businesses.  They play with the numbers and just write down whatever they want in the end with "reserves" and "funds" and maybe/maybe-not expenses to sister parties (like WFC was doing for their stadium costs partner until it just got written off).

And if the rich owners are still really a million short they don't give a rats poop.  That's petty cash.

No, the real "most teams aren't making money" only comes into play when one of the teams is lining up to find a new buyer.  That's when they'd rather be showing decent profits... ESPECIALLY when it's a dire-straits situation like MTL was in for a while.  They'll eat $1M/year, but not buy a team that will suck down $10M in the first year!

[Tecno]

And don't forget, the $400k + $50k is to the CAP.  No law making the teams spend it.  Poor teams can just keep that $450k in their pocket if they are poor and the rich owners are cheap.

Some people are making it sound like all teams have to spend to the full new cap.  And if all 9 teams do spend to the new cap come Dec 31, 2025, then there will be your proof that no team is indeed "poor".

[Blue In BC]

And don't forget, the $400k + $50k is to the CAP.  No law making the teams spend it.  Poor teams can just keep that $450k in their pocket if they are poor and the rich owners are cheap.

Some people are making it sound like all teams have to spend to the full new cap.  And if all 9 teams do spend to the new cap come Dec 31, 2025, then there will be your proof that no team is indeed "poor".

There is an SMS Floor as well as a cap. I don't know what that figure is at the moment but it exists. How they figure that out with the late info regarding the increase will be interesting.

[blue_gold_84]

There is an SMS Floor as well as a cap. I don't know what that figure is at the moment but it exists. How they figure that out with the late info regarding the increase will be interesting.

It'd sure be nice if the league made such things public.

[Tecno]

It'd sure be nice if the league made such things public.

Don't bug them, they're too busy moving goal posts.  PRIORITIES!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

And don't forget, the $400k + $50k is to the CAP.  No law making the teams spend it.  Poor teams can just keep that $450k in their pocket if they are poor and the rich owners are cheap.

Some people are making it sound like all teams have to spend to the full new cap.  And if all 9 teams do spend to the new cap come Dec 31, 2025, then there will be your proof that no team is indeed "poor".

Some teams may be losing money due to poor game attendance but I don't think any of them are in dire financial straits that would cause them to sell their teams like we have in the past.  The main grousing seems to be over attempts to fully monetize their franchise value led by MLSE and the Ottawa group who could care less what happens in the CFL or on the field as long as their franchise escalates in value and they look like studs in the business world.

[blue_gold_84]

Don't bug them, they're too busy moving goal posts.  PRIORITIES!