Far too early power rankings...

theaardvark · February 21, 2025, 05:27:22 PM

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/17/3downnation-cfl-power-rankings-elks-off-season-splash-creates-ripple-but-doesnt-moisten-podium/

1: SSK
2: MTL
3: OTT
4: WPG
5: EDM
6: TOR
7: HAM
8: BC
9: CGY

Some interesting points, looks like our big issue is our new, untested OC.

Scroll a little further, and see the betting odds:

Tor +275
Wpg +370
Mtl +400
Ssk +700
BC +860
Ott +1000
Cgy +1500
Ham +1800
Edm +2000

Guys with money on the line disagree with 3DownNation Staff...

LXTSN · February 21, 2025, 06:55:49 PM

Edmonton, Hamilton and Calgary all made big changes in the offseason. 3 teams still need to miss the playoffs, but I don't think there is one really bad team this year.

Calgary with VA should be much better. Hard to imagine them at the bottom.

Could Ottawa end up at the bottom?

Throw Long Bannatyne · February 21, 2025, 07:06:15 PM

Quote from: LXTSN on February 21, 2025, 06:55:49 PMEdmonton, Hamilton and Calgary all made big changes in the offseason. 3 teams still need to miss the playoffs, but I don't think there is one really bad team this year.

Calgary with VA should be much better. Hard to imagine them at the bottom.

Could Ottawa end up at the bottom?

Stamps only have untested QB PJ Walker behind Adams who is injury prone, don't think they should have been so quick to trade Maier away or let Shiltz walk.

LXTSN · February 21, 2025, 07:45:30 PM

Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on February 21, 2025, 07:06:15 PMStamps only have untested QB PJ Walker behind Adams who is injury prone, don't think they should have been so quick to trade Maier away or let Shiltz walk.

Maybe CFL untested but PJ Walker has won XFL games and NFL games. He has a great arm and excellent mobility. I thought he would be a career backup in the NFL but I guess he wanted to come North!

dd · February 22, 2025, 12:03:00 AM

Wow, take those rankings with a grain of salt...how the heck is Saskatchewan the #1 ranked team in the league?!?! They acquired nobody in FA, yet jump to the front of the bus, i don't think so!!

Edmonton will be #1 (they have a wicked D line, a good running game and Fajardo as their #2), Ottawa #2, Bombers #3, Montreal #4, Riders #5, Hamilton #6, Toronto #7, BC #8, Calgary #9

BlueFire · February 22, 2025, 02:34:29 PM

Ya far too early. Waste of time

Pete · February 22, 2025, 03:30:49 PM

Elks have new coaching staff, new playbook and turned over 75% of their roster, only have 2 preseason games and a young qb.
By mid point of season could well be 2 and 7 .

Throw Long Bannatyne · February 22, 2025, 03:49:12 PM

Quote from: dd on February 22, 2025, 12:03:00 AMWow, take those rankings with a grain of salt...how the heck is Saskatchewan the #1 ranked team in the league?!?! They acquired nobody in FA, yet jump to the front of the bus, i don't think so!!

Edmonton will be #1 (they have a wicked D line, a good running game and Fajardo as their #2), Ottawa #2, Bombers #3, Montreal #4, Riders #5, Hamilton #6, Toronto #7, BC #8, Calgary #9

Disagree with their ranking but honestly the Riders were more active than the Bombers in FA and made some good moves.

Added: QB Jake Maier (A), DL Shane Ray (A), DL Mike Rose (A), DB Tevaughn Campbell (N), REC Tommy Nield (N), QB Tommy Stevens (A), OL Philippe Gagnon (N), RB Khalan Laborn (A), OL Sean McEwen (N), DB Kerfalla Exumé (N)

DM83 · February 22, 2025, 04:57:03 PM

Really.?? Most of the guys the riders added are guys no one else wanted. Harris can make them happen.

GOLDMEMBER · February 22, 2025, 05:38:04 PM

Quote from: DM83 on February 22, 2025, 04:57:03 PMReally.?? Most of the guys the riders added are guys no one else wanted. Harris can make them happen.

yah, really.

dd · February 23, 2025, 12:34:14 AM

Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on February 22, 2025, 03:49:12 PMDisagree with their ranking but honestly the Riders were more active than the Bombers in FA and made some good moves.

Added: QB Jake Maier (A), DL Shane Ray (A), DL Mike Rose (A), DB Tevaughn Campbell (N), REC Tommy Nield (N), QB Tommy Stevens (A), OL Philippe Gagnon (N), RB Khalan Laborn (A), OL Sean McEwen (N), DB Kerfalla Exumé (N)

Ok McEwen is a decent pickup as is Rose, but Maier is useless as a QB and never heard of the other guys, and that makes them #1?? Don't get it.

TecnoGenius · February 23, 2025, 10:05:08 PM

Quote from: theaardvark on February 21, 2025, 05:27:22 PMScroll a little further, and see the betting odds:

Tor +275
Wpg +370
Mtl +400
Ssk +700
BC +860
Ott +1000
Cgy +1500
Ham +1800
Edm +2000

Clearly the bettings odds are more tracking 2024 results than off-season moves. Those are basically EOY standings, with the bottom 3 jumbled up a bit.

As for 3d power rankings, they focus too much on the personnel and not as much on the culture. WPG has had its big run because of the W culture. TOR should remain solid because of the culture Dinwiddie has rapidly built up. CGY should remain in the dumpster because their 10 year winning culture was lost years ago.

Sure, talent might take you up 1-2 notches, but culture counts for even more than that.

P.S. 3d has been predicting the demise of the WPG run for at least 3 years now.

Throw Long Bannatyne · February 24, 2025, 12:22:22 AM

Quote from: TecnoGenius on February 23, 2025, 10:05:08 PMClearly the bettings odds are more tracking 2024 results than off-season moves. Those are basically EOY standings, with the bottom 3 jumbled up a bit.

As for 3d power rankings, they focus too much on the personnel and not as much on the culture. WPG has had its big run because of the W culture. TOR should remain solid because of the culture Dinwiddie has rapidly built up. CGY should remain in the dumpster because their 10 year winning culture was lost years ago.

Sure, talent might take you up 1-2 notches, but culture counts for even more than that.

P.S. 3d has been predicting the demise of the WPG run for at least 3 years now.

I believe having a good culture helps in the retention of players and a veteran squad that's played together for a number of years and gotten better through additions of talent has the positive effect of winning more football games.

If there is a good culture in T.O. it's probably been obliterated by player loss this off-season, if the Argos do well this year it's likely based on good coaching or the recruitment of new talent.

TecnoGenius · February 24, 2025, 06:10:08 AM

Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on February 24, 2025, 12:22:22 AMIf there is a good culture in T.O. it's probably been obliterated by player loss this off-season, if the Argos do well this year it's likely based on good coaching or the recruitment of new talent.

To me good culture and good coaching are 2 sides of the same coin. It's the coaches that set the initial culture, after all.

theaardvark · February 25, 2025, 04:35:52 PM

Quote from: TecnoGenius on February 24, 2025, 06:10:08 AMTo me good culture and good coaching are 2 sides of the same coin. It's the coaches that set the initial culture, after all.

You can have great coaching and bad culture. Coaches can teach the X's and O's, but can't make players gel if the GM has loaded them with talented malcontents. Culture comes from players bonding like brothers. That's not something you can teach on a whiteboard.

You can have a team that executes flawlessly, and then rips each other apart on the sidelines or lockerroom.

It is, however, a lot easier to bond when you are winning... and a lot harder to bond when you are losing, so coaching is a part of culture, for sure.