Bo Levi injuries - admits retirement could be on horizon

[TecnoGenius]

Until or unless the Bombers side of the story/negotiations is known your claim is moot.

But you missed my point in other threads... a good manager would have made sure it never reached this point.  It doesn't matter if what transpired was AH being 10X worse than AH is letting on.  A good manager would keep a lid on it and find a way.  To me the optics are everything.  No matter what happened, they blew the optics.  It doesn't matter who is to blame.  When half the jerseys in IGF are #33, you find a way.

When's the last time we saw a team handle the twilight of a franchise player like this?  I can't recall one.  Your (collective) argument is "maybe AH had it coming" (something to that effect).  If we rarely see this issue, does that then mean that AH is the "worst" of the players in this situation?  I find that unlikely; and if we jump to believe that, then we are indeed throwing AH under the bus.

I choose to believe AH handled this like most in his position have before, as I choose to believe AH is roughly as good a gentleman as them.  Do we not owe him at least the benefit of that doubt?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Talk about manufacturing a story and filling in most of the blanks to fit a narrative you have in mind.

How can you even begin to compare the Andrew Harris and Bo Levi situations? They are totally and completely different to begin with and the main drivers of each are (were) the personal relationships of trust with their respective organizations which isn't public aside from a few leaks and half opinions reported through a journalist.

[Blue In BC]

I think there is too much being made about nothing. Players leave teams for a multitude of reasons. Some discussions are more public than others. That includes top players and ELC players.

Eventually it comes down to performance over cost and who is next in line to replace anyone departing. It's the reality of working within an SMS.

I hope A. Harris has a great season in Toronto except against us. He's an absolute Hall of Fame player and excelled while he was a Bomber. I have no hard feelings for him or the organization for how things happened.

[theaardvark]

No one wanted AH33 in a Bomber jersey this year than I... but I understand the Bombers position based on all the past.  Including DD$4's unfortunate signing bonus fiasco.  Management was forced to make a tough decision, and I agree with them.

As to Huff acting with "class" and implying the Bombers do not... this team has been nothing but class, and has treated all players with the respect and "class" that their actions call for.  Our "culture" would not be lauded were it not for the "class" the team purports itself with...

The AH33 situation was horribly handled, but I do not fault the Bombers, in fact, that they offered him a contract at all surprised me... without a physical or workout, regardless of his GC heroics the last two seasons.

Huff is dealing with an injured player under contract, while he has a replacement already signed and has no SMS$ concerns regardless which one plays.  The AH33 situation was a FA of unknown health who refused to work out, who's signing would have meant decisions about healthy players contract offers would have to be made.  They made him an offer (which he found insulting, I get that, but it was reasonable in the circumstance), and he took a better offer from the Argo's, who are betting on him coming into camp ready to play... 

Not even a remote comparison.

[blue_gold_84]

Talk about manufacturing a story and filling in most of the blanks to fit a narrative you have in mind.

How can you even begin to compare the Andrew Harris and Bo Levi situations? They are totally and completely different to begin with and the main drivers of each are (were) the personal relationships of trust with their respective organizations which isn't public aside from a few leaks and half opinions reported through a journalist.

A complete and utterly inane fabrication. The two situations are not comparable.

We should start handing out awards for some of the mental gymnastics we see on this forum.

[Jesse]

Just wow.  The rapidity with which WPG fans turn on ex-players is astounding.  Some strange psychology going on here.  Maybe it helps with the dissonance?  I thank and appreciate every single player who suits up for us and wins Grey Cups.  That doesn't stop when they switch colors.

How quickly you all forget about how you felt about AH the morning of Nov 25, 2019.

I won't relitigate the AH saga, everyone has their position set already.  I just wanted to note that Huff seems to be handling whatever the BLM situation is with class.  The AH situation left a bad taste in everyone's mouth, no matter what you think happened.  I don't think anyone is "happy" with what transpired.  Well, except Pinball.

Disagreeing with how he handled his exit isn't turning on him - And it rubs me the wrong way when you suggest it is.

You can value a player and appreciate the man even when believe it's time for both parties to move on.

[GCn19]

I hate to say it, but how the Stamps are treating a failing BLM (so far) is how we should have treated AH33.  You don't kick the face of your team for 5+ years to the curb or offer insulting pay.  You help them with their troubles, and work with them to ease them into the next phase.  Both sides look like heroes and BLM goes out as an all-time CGY leader, and will have off-field roles with the team for years to come.

That's how you do it.  They did the same for Cornish.  Another thing The Huffer is a master at.  Good for him.  Other/current players notice such things...

The same they did with Cornish? Cornish retired rather than take a pay cut and then went on a semi-incoherent social media rampage about it afterwards. He then backtracked and said it was due to his concussions and that he understood the Stamps business position.

[Horseman]

You can bet that AH will show up to the Argo's in shape as he wants to show the Bombers they made a mistake. Whether he was in shape or not when the Bombers asked him to workout for them prior to offering him a contract we will never know, but just his decision to not workout for them speaks volumes to me.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

The two players circumstances are not really comparable.   The two players behind AH in the depth chart could both be starters imho.    Keeping both younger Canadian RBs was a priority for the club and AH should have seen this scenario unfolding.   Despite his GC heroics and past glory with the Bombers.....NO player can rest on their laurels and expect to make the team unless they go out of their way to prove they still have another season or two left in them....especially considering his age and injury riddled past season.   
Both BO and JA were obviously hungrier to be starters and had AH been in tip top shape and agreed to work out and showcase his wares, then quite possibly things might have turned out differently.   That didn't happen and here we are today and AH has an even bigger chip on his shoulder and will try to show the Bombers they made a mistake.  He may very well accomplish this however the odds are tougher now that he's in his mid 30s.   I hope he has another all star season as do I hope the same for both JA and BO.   
There will be much speculation until the upcoming season unfolds and all the cards fall where they fall.   
With the recent passing of Habs legend Guy LaFleur, it was mentioned many many times by former teammates and coaches that he NEVER put himself ahead of the TEAM....ever.   He stayed humble despite his prowess as a superstar and won 5 Cups with his beloved team.....never ever putting himself or his ego above the franchise.   
At one point I was ready to put AH in the same category of "greatness" as Leo Lewis who played his entire career for the Bombers and then retired after his last injury riddled season.   

[DM83]

No the Bombers were stupid with the Harris situation. he
They should have moved him into a SB /RB position.
This would have aided the offence and screwed up the defence.  Who would cover that beast out of the backfield?
Then line him up as an RB.

So you over pay him one year?  like wouldn't it be worth it?
He would have dwindling stats and slip into retirement
Shoving a **** contract at him was a mistake.  The guys behind him know it. Does he deserve all those accolades anymore?  well probably not.  But if he has an O line he is still getting you six yards/ carry would on more year of that hurt?  NO

There comes a time for sure....that wasn't the time.

[theaardvark]

No the Bombers were stupid with the Harris situation. he
They should have moved him into a SB /RB position.
This would have aided the offence and screwed up the defence.  Who would cover that beast out of the backfield?
Then line him up as an RB.

So you over pay him one year?  like wouldn't it be worth it?
He would have dwindling stats and slip into retirement
Shoving a **** contract at him was a mistake.  The guys behind him know it. Does he deserve all those accolades anymore?  well probably not.  But if he has an O line he is still getting you six yards/ carry would on more year of that hurt?  NO

There comes a time for sure....that wasn't the time.

You do understand that the Bombers did not offer him that contract up front, right?  They gave him an opportunity to work out and show them he was fit and ready to earn top RB wage, and he refused.  They waited for him to prove he was ready... and when he didn't, they signed BO20 and JA27.  And then still offered him a contract, sight unseen.  Not as big as Toronto did, but we already had 2 proven NAT RB's under contract.  Pinball needed a ratio breaker, and is rolling the dice, and paying the price.  Good on AH33 for getting paid, but had he just been more co-operative and worked out, he could have had that deal playing here.

[pjrocksmb]

No the Bombers were stupid with the Harris situation. he
They should have moved him into a SB /RB position.
This would have aided the offence and screwed up the defence.  Who would cover that beast out of the backfield?
Then line him up as an RB.

So you over pay him one year?  like wouldn't it be worth it?
He would have dwindling stats and slip into retirement
Shoving a **** contract at him was a mistake.  The guys behind him know it. Does he deserve all those accolades anymore?  well probably not.  But if he has an O line he is still getting you six yards/ carry would on more year of that hurt?  NO

There comes a time for sure....that wasn't the time.

SB? Terrible idea

[TecnoGenius]

The same they did with Cornish? Cornish retired rather than take a pay cut and then went on a semi-incoherent social media rampage about it afterwards. He then backtracked and said it was due to his concussions and that he understood the Stamps business position.

I never heard about that.  If you can point to some sources, that would be great.  Even if that's how it ended, CGY worked hard to resolve it and had him back on the sidelines / marketing in a supporting/cheerleading role the very next year.  I don't think Huff would have let Cornish go play on another team.

If Cornish threw a fit and then the two sides reconciled, then that points to a path forward for WFC+AH.  No doubt AH retires in 1-3 years, and we all want him honored/retired as an all-time great Bomber with a role in the WPG community.  Just because they've blown the optics to date, doesn't mean they can't fix it going forward.  To do otherwise would be shameful, for both sides.

There's lots of scenarios like BLM/Cornish/AH in the CFL where a franchise guy is near the end; also: Ray, Stegall, Walby, Burris, ... you guys insert some.  Use those as comparisons, I'm sure one matches the AH situation to some degree.

P.S. I like DM's SB idea.  Two-RB sets, sometimes in the slot.  AH as a NAT is basically a "free", dressed, skill player.  He'd be less effective than McKnight in the slot every 4 snaps??  It's not so much it would be crazy powerful; it finds AH in a role he can accept in his final year.  DM gets it.

[Blue In BC]

I never heard about that.  If you can point to some sources, that would be great.  Even if that's how it ended, CGY worked hard to resolve it and had him back on the sidelines / marketing in a supporting/cheerleading role the very next year.  I don't think Huff would have let Cornish go play on another team.

If Cornish threw a fit and then the two sides reconciled, then that points to a path forward for WFC+AH.  No doubt AH retires in 1-3 years, and we all want him honored/retired as an all-time great Bomber with a role in the WPG community.  Just because they've blown the optics to date, doesn't mean they can't fix it going forward.  To do otherwise would be shameful, for both sides.

There's lots of scenarios like BLM/Cornish/AH in the CFL where a franchise guy is near the end; also: Ray, Stegall, Walby, Burris, ... you guys insert some.  Use those as comparisons, I'm sure one matches the AH situation to some degree.

P.S. I like DM's SB idea.  Two-RB sets, sometimes in the slot.  AH as a NAT is basically a "free", dressed, skill player.  He'd be less effective than McKnight in the slot every 4 snaps??  It's not so much it would be crazy powerful; it finds AH in a role he can accept in his final year.  DM gets it.

A player earning $160K is not a free dressed skilled player if he isn't starting 95% of the time.  A 2 RB set isn't used that much since in order to do that you have to remove a receiver on those downs.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

IMO the Bombers fumbled the ball, love Walters, but he should have seen this scenario coming months in advance and made sure he had a game plan for Harris to finish up his career in Blue and Gold.  Clearly they could not accommodate 3 Natl. RBs, and the minute they signed both B.O. and J.A. the writing was on the wall.  Brady is the heir apparent, young, homegrown boy, capable and charismatic enough to pick up the torch from Harris, if not raise it to his level.  As good as Augustine is, he has never received a fair shake in the CFL, thus I would have sacrificed him, hoping he would land on his feet elsewhere....this from one of Johnny's biggest fans.

As it is they may only get a single season out of the B.O. and J.A. tandem, how well they manage their playing time and keep them both content, remains to be seen.

If A.H.'s overall value on and off the field did not occur to Walters, than Miller should have stepped in and taken over negotiations for the sake of the almighty dollar and getting the "big picture stuff" right. They may have saved a few kopeks in salary signing Augustine over Harris, but they sacrificed gate receipts by letting the teams most popular ambassador in decades and the franchise face of Blue Bomber football, even casual fans recognize, walk on out the door. Imagine how many young kids and future football fans would pick Harris as their favourite Bomber player ever....probably most of them. Duh.

Every CFL team should dream of having a player as marketable as Andrew Harris, a bona fide winner, a home town hero with immeasurable leadership qualities on the field, who is on the verge of eclipsing multiple CFL milestones this coming season.  "See it all happen, before your very eyes!" This scenario is virtually a marketing team's wet dream, the Bombers could have played it up all season long, instead they handled it like a dirty fart.