Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg, June 6, 2024

[TBURGESS]

I picked the Bombers, but I have a bunch of worries about this game:

Several vets with little to no pre-season action.
BA, Brady O, & Neuf all starting with just a couple of practices under their belts. I hope the injuries are fully healed.
Two new corners. Ford's only got 1 start in his career.
Gauthier @ MLB.
Two new starters on the OL & very little time together in the pre-season to gel.
New returner with zero returns in pre-season.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I picked the Bombers, but I have a bunch of worries about this game:

Several vets with little to no pre-season action.
BA, Brady O, & Neuf all starting with just a couple of practices under their belts. I hope the injuries are fully healed.
Two new corners. Ford's only got 1 start in his career.
Gauthier @ MLB.
Two new starters on the OL & very little time together in the pre-season to gel.
New returner with zero returns in pre-season.

I agree. I've got this as a coin toss. We've got 12 first time CFL players on the roster tonight and a veteran group that didn't play much (or at all) in the pre-season. That's a lot of guys drinking from a fire hose or trying to get their timing back.

The things we have going for us is that Cody Fajardo will still make 2-3 horrible plays and if we can pressure him we can add 2-3 more. Combine that with a home crowd and elite veteran play that we still enjoy and we should hopefully overcome it all.

We'll see. I'm looking forward to a year that's going to be hard to predict.

[theaardvark]

Collaros (#1 player in the league) dropping dimes in practice, the best receivers in the league, a solid O line, and the best RB in the league.  Points will not be a problem.

D might be more of an issue, but it sounds like Younger has impressed Hall so far, and there are rookies on the field, there are more than our share of veterans, being the oldest team in the league. 

ST, I think, is where the game might get more interesting.  New returner, best K in the league in top form, an unpredictable (in a good way) Aussie punter that has worked on his conventional punting, some new ST demons and Miller the GOAT ST'er making his debut as a STC.   Adds up to excitement, and hopefully in a good way.

[pdirks67]

It will be very interesting to watch the boundary side of the secondary tonight. I didn't realize that Terrell Bonds was a childhood friend of Deatrick Nichols! Should make for some good chemistry back there.

From today's Free Press, regarding Terrell Bonds:

He didn't have to introduce himself to everyone in the Blue and Gold locker room as he's childhood friends with star halfback Deatrick Nichols.

"He was telling me to come here in 2022 during the season. They had a few injuries, and I was released by the Titans at that point. He was like, 'Come here, we need corners, you're going to play,'" said Bonds.

"I didn't think I was ready to make that transition, especially midseason trying to learn a new game as well. So, I told him 'Nah, I'm gonna give the XFL a try.'" The pair won several state titles at Miami Central High School. They also played Little League together.

"Deatrick is one of my best friends. Him being here is honestly the top reason that I am here," said Bonds. "The fact that we're back playing with each other 10 years later after high school, it's crazy how football works."

They'll be able to show their chemistry against Montreal as they'll be lined up beside each other on the boundary side.

"I think Deatrick passed on his winter jacket through the cool training camp weather so Terrell could be a little warm," said head coach Mike O'Shea with a grin.

"It's interesting to see them interact. They've known each other that long I think it'll help them communicate out there."

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

It will be very interesting to watch the boundary side of the secondary tonight. I didn't realize that Terrell Bonds was a childhood friend of Deatrick Nichols! Should make for some good chemistry back there.

From today's Free Press, regarding Terrell Bonds:

He didn't have to introduce himself to everyone in the Blue and Gold locker room as he's childhood friends with star halfback Deatrick Nichols.

"He was telling me to come here in 2022 during the season. They had a few injuries, and I was released by the Titans at that point. He was like, 'Come here, we need corners, you're going to play,'" said Bonds.

"I didn't think I was ready to make that transition, especially midseason trying to learn a new game as well. So, I told him 'Nah, I'm gonna give the XFL a try.'" The pair won several state titles at Miami Central High School. They also played Little League together.

"Deatrick is one of my best friends. Him being here is honestly the top reason that I am here," said Bonds. "The fact that we're back playing with each other 10 years later after high school, it's crazy how football works."

They'll be able to show their chemistry against Montreal as they'll be lined up beside each other on the boundary side.

"I think Deatrick passed on his winter jacket through the cool training camp weather so Terrell could be a little warm," said head coach Mike O'Shea with a grin.

"It's interesting to see them interact. They've known each other that long I think it'll help them communicate out there."

Wonder if they went to Miami Central High School with Rakeem Cato, place had the reputation as being one of the toughest/worst schools in the US.  Provides context to understand how bad the environment is some of these players come out of.

[theaardvark]

I am excited for Walters and company, getting to watch 3 of the 2024 draft picks on the sidelines tonight.

Clercius and Chris-Ike will likely get snaps, and Wallace as 7th Olineman might see Jumbo time.  With Samson on the 1 game, that means all 4 of our second rounders that we traded down for and earned with no DNA snaps have made the team.  And our last pick is on the PR.

That's pretty solid drafting.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I am excited for Walters and company, getting to watch 3 of the 2024 draft picks on the sidelines tonight.

Clercius and Chris-Ike will likely get snaps, and Wallace as 7th Olineman might see Jumbo time.  With Samson on the 1 game, that means all 4 of our second rounders that we traded down for and earned with no DNA snaps have made the team.  And our last pick is on the PR.

That's pretty solid drafting.

That's pretty solid drafting  ...if they can contribute. Getting into the line-up is the easy part, ask Faith Ekakitie or Jade Etienne.

[theaardvark]

That's pretty solid drafting  ...if they can contribute. Getting into the line-up is the easy part, ask Faith Ekakitie or Jade Etienne.

Valid point, but I don't think anyone is going to suggest that Clercius, Chris-Ike or Wallace will have the same issues Etienne had... these are "lower the boom" guys, something Jade was never accused of.  And needing to go back to 2017 and 2011 when we struggled to start 7 Nats and needed every serviceable Nat we could get on the roster, well, its a different league now.  Jade was picked 4th with the free pick from trading Jyles to TO, after we had picked Muamba...

I have a feeling that all three will be fan favourites here.  They all bring special talent to the team.  This was a very good draft. 

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Valid point, but I don't think anyone is going to suggest that Clercius, Chris-Ike or Wallace will have the same issues Etienne had... these are "lower the boom" guys, something Jade was never accused of.  And needing to go back to 2017 and 2011 when we struggled to start 7 Nats and needed every serviceable Nat we could get on the roster, well, its a different league now.  Jade was picked 4th with the free pick from trading Jyles to TO, after we had picked Muamba...

I have a feeling that all three will be fan favourites here.  They all bring special talent to the team.  This was a very good draft. 

You get my point. Plenty of Canadians make teams and then have a hard time making impact. It's a good start but good drafting requires contributions, not necessarily in game one, but pretty quickly if they're taking up a roster spot.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I am excited for Walters and company, getting to watch 3 of the 2024 draft picks on the sidelines tonight.

Clercius and Chris-Ike will likely get snaps, and Wallace as 7th Olineman might see Jumbo time.  With Samson on the 1 game, that means all 4 of our second rounders that we traded down for and earned with no DNA snaps have made the team.  And our last pick is on the PR.

That's pretty solid drafting.

I see Samson has been moved to the 1 game IR for this game, not sure what their plans are for him but with 2 healthy Natl's DT's and Lawson on the mend he'll most likely spend most of the season on the PR. I think the depth of Natl DT's retained indicates MOS plans to maintain the current ratio of 2 on the D-line.

[blue_or_die]

Now that game day is here, I'm very jacked and excited to head to PAS tonight and take it all in. I think once I see the boys in blue out there, and even more so the Bird Boys from out east, I'm gonna get real cranked up.

Looking for some pounding running from Brady, some Zachy sidearm-to-circus-catches from Schoen/Lawler/Demski, and some Spartan mode from Strevie. And from the defense...competence, lol.

GO BLUE

[pdirks67]

Now that game day is here, I'm very jacked and excited to head to PAS tonight and take it all in. I think once I see the boys in blue out there, and even more so the Birds Boys from out east, I'm gonna get real cranked up.

Looking for some pounding running from Brady, some Zachy sidearm-to-circus-catches from Schoen/Lawler/Demski, and some Spartan mode from Strevie. And from the defense...competence, lol.

GO BLUE

And now you've got me all cranked up...

[VictorRomano]

ask Faith Ekakitie.

Shhhhh.  He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is verboten for conversation.  Worst.  Draft pick.  Ever.

[The Zipp]

Wind might be a factor at the start of the game...supposed to die down later

[Waffler]

When have we not had a bounce back game? The only worry I have is the wind which is fairly strong and gusty now and should be so for the first half especially. Could be an ugly one I think but I don't under estimate our motivation and an offense that should top the league.