2016 CFL Season - Page 5

esquire · #81 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Speaking of which. When is the CFL releasing the 2016 schedule? It doesn't appear to be on the website yet.

Usually in Feb., so it could be a while yet. Hopefully not too much longer since there isn't the stadium construction/Rogers related drama that delayed the schedule these past couple seasons.

25grapes · #82 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 5:30 PM**

CFL typically releases its schedule in mid-February. It will be interesting to see if they continue with the Thursday night football. Montreal seemed to have quite a few of them, I know BC had a few as well and management was partially blaming the TNF for poorer attendance.

blueandgoldguy · #83 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Nick Moore has badly soured me on the idea of paying a veteran import receiver top dollar. Let's face it, these guys are not hard to find. Maybe not quite as easy as finding import RBs, but I don't think you need to blow the budget on one either.

Bomber O badly needs shoring up, but I'd feel a lot better if the vault was opened for a non import ratio breaker or a lineman who can shore up what was a marginally improved but still woeful OL.

Bombers might get that ratio breaker in Harris as I suspect he will not be re-signing with the Lions. I think there will be some stiff competition for him. He will receive a minimum of $200,000 imo and probably something closer to $225 - $250,000.

Apparently, the Bombers will also be attempting to sign Ted Laurent for the defensive line as well which makes sense given how horrible it performed last season outside of Westerman.

It's a tall task but signing those two players (Harris and Laurent) would go a long ways to establishing a strong Canadian contingent on the Bombers; something they have really going back to the Doug Berry days.

blueandgoldguy · #84 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Sun says Bombers paid between $170-180K. It's too much. I'd be happy to eat my words but somehow I don't think I'm going to have to.

With the salary cap having gone up quite a bit the last two seasons $170 K is the going rate for a proven 1000 yard receiver. The best - like SJ Green - make $225 or $250,000. Duron Carter, who had two great seasons with the Als and parlayed that into an NFL tryout and practice roster spot last season, just re-signed with the Als for either $225,000 or $250,000.

Prior to the new TV contract, teams could sign top-notch receivers for $170 - 200,000. Not anymore. That number has climbed into the mid-200,000 range.

esquire · #85 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 7:26 PM**

^ Take it for what it's worth, but some reports suggest that Harris is a locker room cancer.

So with the Jets rid of Kane and soon Ladd (overpaid declining vet), it looks like the Bombers are now going in the other direction and getting their own versions of those two, Harris and Dressler.

VANRIDERFAN · #86 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Take it for what it's worth, but some reports suggest that Harris is a locker room cancer.

So with the Jets rid of Kane and soon Ladd (overpaid declining vet), it looks like the Bombers are now going in the other direction and getting their own versions of those two, Harris and Dressler.

Now that you said that I hope Dressler leads the league in receptions and yards and has a game winning highlight catch to lead the Bombers into the Western Final! Just to see you eat your words.

(they then have to lose the western final to the Riders of course!!!

)

esquire · #87 Posted **Jan 26, 2016, 8:23 PM**

^ Actually yes, now that you mention it I've kind set it up in such a way that I can be pleased with myself no matter what kind of a season Dressler has

In all seriousness I wish him well and I think he'll play respectably. If anything, I guess I'm just lamenting the fact that bringing him in is basically an acknowledgment that the Bombers have failed to scout and develop their own crop of receivers, and are now bringing in expensive vets to shore things up.

craner · #88 Posted **Jan 27, 2016, 6:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^
In depressing news, the CFHOF is getting set to vacate its elegant Hamilton home... it will be moving to the bowels of Tim Hortons Field. There is going to be a selloff of surplus stuff .

It's too bad that the CFHOF has kind of been left forgotten (it really is a lovely place), and it's also too bad that relocation was never really considered. A new CFHOF and museum would be a bona fide tourist attraction if it were located in one of the western provinces.

This news makes me sad :-(

cjones2451 · #89 Posted **Jan 27, 2016, 5:08 PM**

John Chick officially a Ti-Cat....wonder what that means for Justin Hickman, Ted Laurent, etc.

I also read the John Chick and his wife have 8 KIDS!!!! No wonder he needs such a big contract, that is alot of mouths to feed

TimB09 · #90 Posted **Jan 27, 2016, 5:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjones2451

John Chick officially a Ti-Cat....wonder what that means for Justin Hickman, Ted Laurent, etc.

I also read the John Chick and his wife have 8 KIDS!!!! No wonder he needs such a big contract, that is alot of mouths to feed

Haha! I think he's Mormon. May have something to do with his religion, but I could be wrong. Sorry if that offended anyone.

Ted Laurent leaves Hambone I think. Read somewhere that Winnipeg is set to make an offer to him but who knows? Hamilton would be smart to keep him around.

esquire · #91 Posted **Jan 27, 2016, 6:28 PM**

^ Yeah, the Bombers are in the hunt for Laurent. Pass rush and run stop have been kind of weak the past couple seasons. I'd get more excited about him coming than Dressler IMO.

TimB09 · #92 Posted **Jan 28, 2016, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Yeah, the Bombers are in the hunt for Laurent. Pass rush and run stop have been kind of weak the past couple seasons. I'd get more excited about him coming than Dressler IMO.

You guys need help all over, I hate to say.
Kyle Walters is a good football mind but he needs to expand his recruiting pipelines down south as that will open up many doors for him and his recruiting team.

esquire · #93 Posted **Jan 28, 2016, 4:50 PM**

^ That's Danny McManus' job these days. The Bombers have tried to resurrect the US talent pipeline after it dried up under Joe Mack's watch, but it's slow going.

blueandgoldguy · #94 Posted **Jan 29, 2016, 6:20 PM**

Actually bringing in quality US talent was one of the few things Joe Mack did well. His moves in free agency or rather his lack of moves was his big downfall.

esquire · #95 Posted **Jan 29, 2016, 7:12 PM**

^ I thought that was more to the credit of the former director of player personnel, whatever that guy's name was (I forgot already), who ramped up the American scouting operations.... the dude who landed Chris Matthews IIRC. But yeah, I guess Mack gets to take credit for that. Not quite enough to make us forget about his disastrous draft picks and lack of FA acquisition, but it was something.

elly63 · #96 Posted **Feb 3, 2016, 3:32 AM**

A couple of things from this. Capacity estimates for the Argos has gone from 25k to 27.6k to 26k (in this interview)

Amusing quote re the Fan Zone "That's where we want our rowdies to be...hopefully a really uncomfortable experience for the visitor's bench which is gonna be pretty close to them, umm funny how that happened".

Copeland: BMO Field perfect for CFL football
Michael Copeland, President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, joins Dave Naylor and Tim Graham on TSN Drive to talk about the new seating plan for the Argos at BMO Field, and hopes for the team's new home.

25grapes · #97 Posted **Feb 3, 2016, 3:48 PM**

I think the Argos and Copeland have knocked it out of the park with this. Pricing is lowest in the league to try and ensure good turnouts and I really like the idea of the Fan Zone beside the visiting bench. If it turns out like they think it will ("phones are ringing off the hook" according to Copeland) it should create an atmosphere similar to Ottawa and Hamilton's. I wish Montreal would lower their game day prices because I think that is keeping sell outs out of reach for them. Always thought if someone could turn the situation around for the Argos it would be Copeland.

esquire · #98 Posted **Feb 3, 2016, 4:18 PM**

^ Montreal's pricing model is stuck in time from 15 years ago when demand exceeded supply... in hindsight, boosting capacity to 25K there was a mistake, they should probably shouldn't have built Molson Stadium up beyond 22K.

Glad to hear it's working out well for the Argos!

25grapes · #99 Posted **Feb 3, 2016, 5:28 PM**

Well I mean winning sells too which has been an issue for the past three seasons in Montreal. Before that they were averaging 23,005, 22,457, and 24,058 per year. And that's with selling game day mid-field seating in the second tier on bench seating for $101 plus fees and taxes. Ottawa and Hamilton are about $80 plus fees and taxes.

tomthumb2 · #**100** Posted **Feb 3, 2016, 7:35 PM**

Does anyone think that a stadium and team facilities affect a free agents decision or is it 100% money? Just wondering if Sask will have an advantage there, although I don't think its helped the Bombers that much has it? If it is a factor, Calgary is in HUGE trouble, lol.