Good Bad & Ugly

[dd]

I'd like to see us bring Alexander here as our #2 and see if he can develop into our #1 Qb under ZC, as ZC probably retires after 2025..

[Blue In BC]

I'd like to see us bring Alexander here as our #2 and see if he can develop into our #1 Qb under ZC, as ZC probably retires after 2025..

I wouldn't mind making a pitch to him in free agency. The problem is he may want to go where he has a chance to start. In any case, he's not going to come particularly cheap. It depends on what teams move on from which QB's and where some potential free agents land in what order.

We really don't have an idea of whether T. Wilson has a future down the road. He only had 1 pass during the regular season.

IMO we won't be bringing Streveler back unless there is a further SMS reduction and an agreement to be the # 3 QB. I don't see him agreeing to that.

Alexander only had 21 attempts in 19 games. 1 in 2022 and 18 in 2023.

[dd]

Strevs is a hard no. We know what he is and what he isn't and he isn't going to be our future #1, so no.

Alexander would like to be a #1, and may go to Calgary or Edmonton, but if I was those teams, I'd be going after VA vs Alexander. I think Alexander still needs development. He can get that here, with the opportunity of being #1 and I'd make that very pitch to him. He'll never be #1 as long as Cody is in Montreal, so he'll be moving on.

[TBURGESS]

I liked what I saw from Alexander in his limited reps on good team with a great O line, but I don't see him as a starter on any team next year. If he's going to be a backup anyway, he might as well stay with Montreal where he knows the system.

My guess is VAJ to Calgary, and I don't see any other starting QB spots available. 

[Blue In BC]

I liked what I saw from Alexander in his limited reps on good team with a great O line, but I don't see him as a starter on any team next year. If he's going to be a backup anyway, he might as well stay with Montreal where he knows the system.

My guess is VAJ to Calgary, and I don't see any other starting QB spots available.

I think Fajardo mentioned he would be deciding whether to retire and spend more time with his family. Harris is not guaranteed a role next year either if they go after VAJ.

So I think there might be more open spots than we can currently see. Edmonton is a giant question on what direction they take. Once the HC is decided we'll see how things shake out.

[theaardvark]

Alexander, Adams, Paterson, Powell, there are a lot of guys that are where Arbuckle was a few years ago.  Or that Drew Willy was at...

None have proven anything except they are worth watching, and none will prove anything until they are handed the ball as a starter.  Except Adams, who has proven that when he has his helmet on straight he can be a very effective starter.  Problem is keeping his helmet on straight.

That brings us to Ford.  Who did pretty well on a very bad team during upheaval.  He got starts, he got wins.  Can he take it to the next level?  Until he gets a legit shot, who knows. 

Zach was ready to retire years ago, had already made live plans.  He has taken home a couple million unexpected dollars in his time here.  You're welcome.  Can we sign Ford to a 3 year deal, backloaded and with guarantees, playing as #2 this year?  Keeping his brother here as well?  Strev or Wilson as #3 / SY, or even moving to a FB for short yardage?

Even if Zach has an MOP year next year, I think we need a progression plan for 2026.   

[CrazyCanuck89]

Zach isn't going anywhere, the 2 young guys you listed would be fine if they came in as backups for a year or two.  What they really need is an experienced backup option that can take over in times of trouble or as a much needed change of pace.  Twice the Bombers have gone into the playoff without viable backup experience and twice they've been burned.  Every other position is backed up 3 ways to Sunday, why not the most important position on the team???

Chop $100k from Collaros to help pay for MBT, Arbuckle, Maier, Powell or anyone else that is no longer in favour but still wants to play football. They can retain Wilson for short yardage as he looks to have very good athletic skills, give him a year or two more to see if he can develop into a future starter.

Both Ford and Alexander have experience.  The CFL needs to stop recycling backup QB, just because they've been in the league forever.

Talent>experience

[TecnoGenius]

Couldn't have said it better myself.  We are again the laughing stalk of the league.  Whoever thought losing 3grey cups in a row is a dynasty is a laughing stock.  Probably be another 26year doughy till we win another

We'll be back next year for the 6th year in a row, and dynasty talk will come up again.  When we're at our 10th straight, I think we get dynasty status no matter how many wins we got.

No matter whether we win or lose these cups, we are locking every other W team out of the cup.  That is good enough for me for now.

Every other W team can laugh but inside they are coping and seething knowing the can't even win a WSF or WDF.

[dd]

As our lineup ages, and with Free agency a repeat is tougher and tougher and I am certainly not 'expecting' us to get to the cup next year, we will be competitive, but there's so much that goes into getting there.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

We'll be back next year for the 6th year in a row, and dynasty talk will come up again.  When we're at our 10th straight, I think we get dynasty status no matter how many wins we got.

No matter whether we win or lose these cups, we are locking every other W team out of the cup.  That is good enough for me for now.

Every other W team can laugh but inside they are coping and seething knowing the can't even win a WSF or WDF.

I think the script has been flipped in the last 3 years, for decades it was the strong West Division vs.the weak East Division.  Now the East are the ones sporting around buxom plums and the West is making do with shrivelled raisins. Sad reality, but the best team in the West is now arguably ranked the 3rd best in the East.

[TecnoGenius]

GOOD
OL, including jumbo
D until Kramdi injured
Locking out all the competition in the West 5 years in a row
Willie
ST coverage

BAD
Buck & the lame plan
RECs
Zach
(un)Lucky

UGLY
Zach's injury
Kramdi's injury
INTs
3rd & 3 charade
final score

[bwiser]

Good-I didn't go to BC to see the game
    -didn't stay up half the night celebrating
Bad-the Bombers
Ugly-the Bombers

[dd]

I think the script has been flipped in the last 3 years, for decades it was the strong West Division vs.the weak East Division.  Now the East are the ones sporting around buxom plums and the West is making do with shrivelled raisins. Sad reality, but the best team in the West is now arguably ranked the 3rd best in the East.

I agree. Calgary, Edmonton and Hamilton are the bottom dwellers in the league. BC, Ottawa and Sask are mid tier teams. Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg, in that order, are the top 3 teams in the league.

That said, Toronto did have its #2 Qb in the game, and no way should they have beaten us. A very poor offensive game plan, dumb penalties (wilson loose ball interference, Nichols interfering with the snap of the ball) and poor execution are the reasons we lost to a backup Qb. We thought it was going to be easy, we thought we were going to walk all over TO, we thought wrong.

[55StickCar]

My question,if we had managed to win who the heck would they had picked as player of the game.
Most likely still Arbuckle. Can't think of any bomber deserving.

[Blueforlife]

Stop it with the dynasty bs. As bo Levi said I the telecast, Calgary won 2 cups in 5 years and he doesn't consider them a dynasty and back then Calgary clobbered everyone.

Being totally embarrassed and humiliated like that clearly puts the dynasty discussion to bed. And so much for your patience as well!! Bombers were a joke tonight. Total joke

I called it a mini dynasty last year and I'll stick to that.

I am entitled to my opinion no need to pile on like that.  Patience has paid off.  You have routinely called for just about everyone during our incredible run (few years ago) to be fired.  The game was very bad and Bombers laid an egg.  Just one game after years of dominance.

Couldn't have said it better myself.  We are again the laughing stalk of the league.  Whoever thought losing 3grey cups in a row is a dynasty is a laughing stock.  Probably be another 26year doughy till we win another

Heavily overstated on the negative. 
We are not the laughing stalk of the league.  Yes those loses hurt but it's so rare to make the big show that many times.  We will win a couple more cups minimum in the next few decades. 

Things I'd like to see next year:

New OC
New QB
New MLB (I'll take Tony Jones)
New KR/PR

Pass on new OC
Backup Qb yes
Tony yes
New returner yes

Bombers were out played and out coached yesterday. We can sugar coat it all we like but the reality is that we knew what the weaknesses were going into TC. Either due to SMS constraints or unwillingness to move on from some players was a management /coaching issue.

Early injuries also were part of the issue but every team had some major injuries this season. We lost to the Argos # 2 QB.

Let the re-build begin. Some fan favourites are going to need to be sent into retirement.

Let's ban the word " patience " from the forum and stick to reality this off season. We need to make some deep changes in free agency.

There will be no banning of words on the forum.  Patience is relevant when you are at the top, middle or bottom of the league.  It's the one of the pillars of any great organization imo.  Don't get too high or low, don't over react or make too quick of judgments.  Stick to the plan and create consistency in players, schemes, coaches and management.  But for sure change is in the air.  We do need to take a long look in the mirror and be honest of the failings of the club (early season and GC).  I'll preach patience as long as I'm on here. Patience brought us two cups and 5 apperances to the big show.  Pretty happy with that.  Many others on this forum have taken the long view and had the patience in the early days of MOS/Hall/Walters to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  That light certainly dimed a wee bit but it will still show us the way imo.  There is no clear definition of reality on a football forum.  Just a lot of debate and opinions.

A good debate about a rebuild but I don't see it.  Retool for another cup run.  Likely rebuild in 2026.  New paint job maybe, leave the old engine and transmission for another year.

We suck and over performed during the year.  Everything  no about that game was ugly

Yeah winning the West sucks.  Winning the Final sucks.  We suck.

Just because they make the grey cup game they shouldn't be praised as this all mighty entity and have statues built for them.  They lost for the 3rd time in a row .  2nd place is just as bad as last in my opinion.  Outside of the participation trophy for winning the west you are still haven't won anything meaningful and are in line with the rest of the league

None of this makes any sense imo.

I would like to see us bring in a decent #2 QB that could we develop and fill in as needed.  I would like Wilson to be our #3.  Strev will find work elsewhere if he is healthy.