Adam Bighill appreciation thread

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Good point. I think he might be a good candidate but it's time consuming. That said it's less time than actually being a player ( no training ), so it comes down to interest and money.

Not sure that's true, coaches seem to spend long days at the office, a player can go home as soon as practice and meetings are done.  Workout time is discretionary and can also be done from home.

[Blue In BC]

Not sure that's true, coaches seem to spend long days at the office, a player can go home as soon as practice and meetings are done.  Workout time is discretionary and can also be done from home.

Valid point. It might vary depending on what role of coaching is involved. Film study could be done at home some of the time in preparation for practice. Hard to say really. I wouldn't mind seeing him transition but don't know what his interest might be.

[Jesse]

I think people forget that Tony Jones was the starting MLB in Edmonton last year and was having a pretty good season until he got injured. Coach Jones then replace him with Morgan and he never got his job back. Jones is more then capable of stepping into the MLB spot. 

I don't think anyone's forgetting Jones, but he's already on the field. We need someone else if Bighill is out.

[Blueforlife]

We have a lot of LBs that we will rotate while Biggie is out.  Short term be fine.  A few games we can figure it out.  Playoff run might require an upgrade (unless Wilson comes back strong) but we are generally a next man up team and I trust what management will do.  We miss his leadership and intelligence on the field just as much as his play.  He and our vets might be able to tune up some of our prospects enough to make due.  We shall see.

Gauthier is a good rotational player and good against the run.  Has his limitations but when rotated can get it done in a pinch.

Jones has made a significant impact.  Kramdi continues to develop nicely.

Hall and Younger are on fire and might be able to scheme up a D sans Biggie that can continues to deliver.  Flip side is teams might exploit our weakness in this regard if they figure out our new tendencies.

I haven't watched our rotational LBs to know enough about them (yet).

I favor bringing in a PR LB from TC cuts over signing a fresh face.  I like to develop and focus on the long term.  The pillar of our success for years.  That said I don't know who we cut.

[ModAdmin]

At least one poster seams to believe he knows what others think lol.

You just expressed concern that others were taking shots at you!  Now you come back with a shot and think it is OK?  STOP!

[Blue In BC]

I don't think anyone's forgetting Jones, but he's already on the field. We need someone else if Bighill is out.

I really like Jones and he could be the MLB in 2025 if Bighill retires. IIRC Jones is a potential free agent so there is never a guarantee.

I'm waiting to see if Wilson starts practising this week but I'm not expecting he will be available soon. If he's able to return in a week or 2 that would solve the problem.

The flip side of that is what chance does Bighill have to play again this season. He may be out for only this week or gone longer. Really the same question about him Wilson and Cole.

All of this just suggests some PR depth is needed.

I think in the short term we beef up the DL by adding Adams. That will help take some of the pressure off of Gauthier.  We'll see Jones at MLB at times and some rotation of others at WIL. Who and how often I'm not sure.  Ayers has speed so I think he'll see more reps as well?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I really like Jones and he could be the MLB in 2025 if Bighill retires. IIRC Jones is a potential free agent so there is never a guarantee.

I'm waiting to see if Wilson starts practising this week but I'm not expecting he will be available soon. If he's able to return in a week or 2 that would solve the problem.

The flip side of that is what chance does Bighill have to play again this season. He may be out for only this week or gone longer. Really the same question about him Wilson and Cole.

All of this just suggests some PR depth is needed.

I think in the short term we beef up the DL by adding Adams. That will help take some of the pressure off of Gauthier.  We'll see Jones at MLB at times and some rotation of others at WIL. Who and how often I'm not sure.  Ayers has speed so I think he'll see more reps as well?

Both Cole and Ayers are fast, both are 6'-2" so good height, Ayers has an extra 15 lbs of muscle at 220 lbs..  I think Ayers has stepped over Cole at LB.

[Blueforlife]

Both Cole and Ayers are fast, both are 6'-2" so good height, Ayers has an extra 15 lbs of muscle at 220 lbs..  I think Ayers has stepped over Cole at LB.

Agree, we keep churning out good players (development), low and slow my friends

You just expressed concern that others were taking shots at you!  Now you come back with a shot and think it is OK?  STOP!

Part of the post deleted.  It was a joke, meant to be funny as it has lol at the end.  I'll keep my posts focused on ball, my bad.  Was just having a little fun.

[TecnoGenius]

Rewatched the Biggie injury.

It was non-contact, strangely enough.  I don't think he actually got hit by Hickson, I think he stopped and jumped over him.

Watch on the replay, he tries to stop so he can jump.  When he jams into the turf to stop with his left leg his knee seems to give out and his lower leg bends an irregular way at the knee.  I think he blew his ACL: you lose the ability to stabilize the knee along that axis.  ACLs often (usually?) get blown out on "stopping" actions.

It also explains why he was somewhat good to go when being helped off the field.  Typical ACL.  Sucks when it pops, then doesn't seem too bad later.

Pretty sure he's done for the season.  Also am guessing at his age he won't do a 8-12 month rehab to come back and risk it happening to the other leg.

We need to shop for a top-tier MLB asap.  Or get Jones prepped and Wilson back in.  Even if we do that we should get another possible IMP to be next in line.  Gauthier is a fine short-term replacement, but I want Sankey-level for the post-season.

[TecnoGenius]

LDC 1Q5:56 2nd&8 (just having a little LDC rewatch...)

The football IQ of Biggie is evident in spades on this play.  Biggie's sitting in his middle waiting to see what play is developing.  Trevor's looking to the boundary the whole time.  An R comes out of the field slot on a short dig and rubs in front of Biggie.

Biggie's vision to the QB is blocked, but he already saw the RB sneaking out of the backfield to the field side.  Without seeing the QB look that way, and without any other hints, he spin-moves out of the rub blind and starts running a perfect angle to where the RB will be by the time he gets there!  Before he even sees the ball being thrown or carried!

He just knows that because they tried to rub/pick him that the ball was going to the field.

It turns out our DB gets to him first, but Biggie would have been in the perfect spot to stop that hitch had the DBs not been there.

When MOS lauds Biggie's football IQ, this here is one of the best examples I've ever spotted on TSN.  Man, I'm gonna miss that guy!!   

[blue_gold_84]

Is Bighill the most cerebral MLB in the CFL?

[TecnoGenius]

Is Bighill the most cerebral MLB in the CFL?

Yes.  And not just for his own responsibility on each play, but for all the front 7.

I hope his brain has been rubbing off on whoever takes over his front-7-director role.  Or maybe we can have him transition the same way M.Miller did.

Kyrie Wilson has been with him the longest, so Kyrie could take the QB-of-D role at WILL while Jones or whoever takes over at MLB.  Just need Wilson to stay healthy!

[Blueforlife]

Lots of people hard on Biggie at times on here last few years.  They forget that a vets contribution is far bigger than just their physical efforts on the field.  Biggie is leaving a legacy of greatness not only for his play but his leadership and generational knowledge of the game.  He will download what he can to the next gen.

When Biggie arrived, I made a sign and took it to the game and it said,
"Biggie Biggie Biggie can't you see, now we have #1D".

His face was printed on the sign.

Agree with the comments about him being the most cerebral MLB in the CFL

[Waffler]

Rewatched the Biggie injury.

It was non-contact, strangely enough.  I don't think he actually got hit by Hickson, I think he stopped and jumped over him.

Watch on the replay, he tries to stop so he can jump.  When he jams into the turf to stop with his left leg his knee seems to give out and his lower leg bends an irregular way at the knee. 

MOS said he was trying to avoid a chop block at the time.

[TecnoGenius]

MOS said he was trying to avoid a chop block at the time.

Yup, 100%.  It was the stop before his jump that did the classic knee damage.  It's a legal play by Hickson, by rule.

It's just really bad luck and an ageing body.