Blue Bombers re-sign linebacker Shayne Gauthier

[Jesse]

I would like to see this forum ban comments about anything that happened in                                                                . They are evoking dark memories and inflicting trauma in me.

Thank you.

I'm not even sure what you're referring to...?

[blue_gold_84]

I'm not even sure what you're referring to...?

Well played.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'm not even sure what you're referring to...?

PTSD can take many forms, sometimes haunts through hallucination or dreams.

[TecnoGenius]

1.  Wild was a great WIL, as good or better than Kyrie Wilson, IMHO.  In addition to three very strong seasons in the 70 tackle range, he was a consistent playmaker.  He leveraged his time here into an offer from the Steelers, something none of our other WILs have seemed to be able to do.  He was also a high performer on ST and longsnapper for a bit.  His time at MLB was less dynamic, and I feel his career tapered off because his smaller size and physical style of play wore him out sooner. 

2.  I think it is "easier" to find WIL players because typically when a player comes out of college as a LB, he fits in as a LB in the CFL.  It's apples to apples as a transition.  In the case of SAM, we are converting DBs, so there is a bit more trial and error.  I think we have been successful at both positions, but we have probably tried more candidates at SAM to arrive at a good place. 

3.  Part of the perception around SAM might flow from Hefney's refusal to play there, and then Gaitor's drama.  These may have contributed to the perception of difficulty.  I thought Clint Kent was very good there, Leggett was probably the best.  Brandon Stewart stunk when tried there, Jovon Johnson did it for a couple of games and it was clearly not his optimal use.  Some DBs fit there, but a lot don't.   

1. Good, balanced post.  I guess I'm more remembering Wild near the end of his career when I was really getting back into football after a long hiatus.  I may not even have seen him at his peak at WILL.  I remember how many were groaning about ditching Wild near the end.  Most were glad to see him finally go (to TOR I think).  It's ironic, because I was a big fan even when he left.

2. Let's rephrase the question: How often has WPG been suffering at WILL vs suffering at SAM?  Just look at the most recent year.  We suffered to some degree or other at WILL basically all 2022 season, and the post-season.  The fill-ins did ok, but you could tell we missed Wilson.  Our run-D stats that year are (partial) evidence of this (yes, DT issues too, but WILL is also important in run-D).

As our long list of great SAMs shows, it's hard to even remember when we suffered at SAM.  Maybe a game or 2 once in a blue moon?  We always find a great SAM to just plop in there and be great.  We never go a whole season with weaker SAMs.

That's part of the reason I still maintain it's easier for us to find good SAMs than WILLs, because if you just go over every GP in the last decade you can objectively prove it by just counting the games where we lacked.  Now, maybe this is some quirk of our team, or The Mafia, or just pure luck.  Who knows the cause.

Tell you what, if Wilson and Darby/Maston leave, I'll have complete faith that by week 3 we'll have a great SAM, and I'll have no faith that by week 3 we'll have a great WILL.  Heck, this scenario may come to pass and I'll be able to prove it to y'all.

[TecnoGenius]

Was just looking at that, he's listed as playing 6 games in 2019 plus the 3 playoff games.

Ya, but what a 6 games!!  He was making pivotal plays in every single game.  I swear that adding Taylor+Maston late in the season is at least 30% of us winning out that playoff run.  I will miss them both greatly if they aren't re-upped.