The Als did take a Canadian REC in the draft in the 7th and final round.
With the Ratio the Als have their standard 5 OLineman, MLB, appear to be moving back to a Canadian Safety and to a Canadian RB with the acquisition of Messam and the hig selection of Lumbala. That would give them 8.
With Lavoi starting a trend of using a TE as an Offensive weapon as a starter he still would come out for any 5 Receiver sets.
The Als could conceivably start 9 non imports in the near future making Lavoi a Canadian starter but not part of the Ratio and the option of having 5 import receivers on the field at the same time.
I liks it.
Que les receveurs soient canadiens ou non est secondaire dans la mesure où on peut combler le ratio de plusieurs façons. Ce qui est prioritaire, c'est qu'ils attrapent les ballons qu'ils doivent attraper et qu'ils fassent les jeux-clés.
Canadiens ou non, il y a eu beaucoup trop de ballons faciles échappés l'an dernier, alors que Brady n'était plus l'entraîneur des receveurs. On l'a vu de tous les receveurs, Richardson, Green, London, Bratton, Deslauriers, Guy, Bowling, Whitaker, Anderson, Devine, Lavoie et Jennings. C'est une situation qui, compte tenu du talent de nos receveurs partants (Richardson, Green, London et... et... hhhgggnnn! Bruce), ne doit pas se reproduire.
Popp dit avoir mis la main sur une gazelle, et que Millington se développe comme un receveur rapide et complet. J'ai hâte de voir comment ces gars-là vont évoluer.
Receivers typically make lousy special teamers and are prone to injury. You look at all the problems teams have due to injuries to their Canadian receivers its just not worth it. Bombers last year had to deal with injuries to Poblah and Watson. They spent 3 draft picks on receivers again this year. What is Jade Etienne or Paul Dicroce going to do for you on ST if they can make the offense ? BC and Saskatchewan have had similar problems. Really when you think about it aside from the HOF Ben Cahoon what Canadian receiver has made an impact on the Als since 96 ?
C’est un point de vue qui se défend bien, mais quel est le rapport avec ce que j’ai écrit? Non qu’il ne fallait pas écrire ce point de vue mais simplement qu’il n’était peut-être pas nécessaire de me citer, ceci dit absolument sans rancune.
Dans un autre ordre d’idées, je pense que si un canadien peut faire le travail aussi bien qu’un non-canadien, une équipe peut avoir avantage à prendre le joueur canadien, dans la mesure où si sa position est habituellement occupée par un non-canadien, son absence ne causera pas en soi de problème de ratio. Je pense à Shawn Gore à Vancouver, par exemple, où il peut être en uniforme ou pas et le ratio pourra être rencontré par l’équipe. Mettre Gore sur le terrain est certainement une contribution à l’équipe, et non un boulet.
Par ailleurs, je vois mal qu’on demande nécessairement à un receveur canadien de contribuer aux unités spéciales. On ne le demande pas des américains, pourquoi l’exigerait-on des receveurs canadiens. S’ils le peuvent, c’est un plus, mais est-ce une fin en soi?
C'est juste qu'en defensive les joueurs sont plus versatile et peuvent souvent jouer 2 positions en plus de jouer sur les equipes speciales en se developpant. Ils ont generalement un plus gros gabarit et ont ete former a frapper l'adversaire. Aux moins les fullbacks comme Diedrick, Lavoie, Lumbala peuvent aussi contribuer sur les unites speciales.
Ca rend tres difficile d'expliquer les deboires des unites speciales des Alouettes ces dernieres annees... Tres difficile a digerer...
The Als for some time now have been able to develop an all Canadian Line especially have a Canadian LT who is an all star also has enabled them to go with four imort receivers on a regular basis.
The issue now has been that FB have been completely removed from almost every team and 5 receiver sets are the norm. So having a 5th receiver do to the ratio has been a Canadian. With the emergence of Emery as an all star MLB and backed up by Marco B has given the Als another Canadian spot. This year appears to be going back to a Canadian safety would enable them to use 5 import receiver sets.
Lavoi has changed complely the way the Als did thing by playing the role of a traditional TE that can also be an offensive threat. Last year that spot was a ratio spot with Deslaures coming in in 5 rec sets. Lavoi can still start but not as a ratio player but as a starting TE.
Milligton was released and re signed in september last year to the practice roster. He was a pretty good returner for the Gee Gees. Yes Deslaures was not able to play specials particularrly coverage teams. Im not sure if Millington can use his speed as a gunner on punt teams. There some Canadian Receivers who do play very well on special teams. Sammy Giguere was excellent on coverage team as well as an excellent Kick Off returner. If a Canadian Receiver is a starter there you can get away without him playing specials as there are many Canadian back ups who specialize in this as well as FB now. Plus many defense players are asked to play on one or two specials Usually a LB, DE, or strong hitting DB on coverage units.
I started this thread because many thought that the Als would use at least a middle round pick to take one of the Laval Receivers or Dicroce if Available but they passed on them all and did draft one out of Saint Mary's with the new 7th round. SMU did not throw the Ball much last year without a decent QB
I’m not sure the Als are going back to a NI safety. Only way that happens is if Cox goes back to half-back.
They may not but with the possibiloity of Messam starting with Lumbala his back up in his rookie year would get them to the Ratio without using Lavoi as a ratio guy. Only Deslaures and Millington and the rookie from SMU are currently the NI receivers and I cn not see them keepin deslaures again so myabe Millinton has stepped it up. Time will tell. Will be intersting to see how in all unfolds.
Say what? Cox goes back to his office: SAM linebacker. Reinebold tried to fix something that wasn’t broken.
Exactly 
See what I did there :lol:
Yes Cox will not be going anywhere as SAM LBs are one of the harder positions to fill in the CFL and he is a good one. Herberts Back up Townsend could get a shot at starting safety while Graves begins his trasformation and Edem also would be a positon change for him if he moved to safety. I am not sure Herbert is the answer at safety either he just happend to fit tht crazy D scheme from last year. They do have a young kid who they drafted in the 4th round and a few veteran CFL DBs that know the CFL well enough now to be able to move to safety.
This is what makes TC fun the competition and safety is a spot they may be looking to make a change and it does not have to be a Canadian but it could very well be one
It was just ridiculous. Here we had an all-star SAM linebacker and Reinebold has him playing deep third coverage at safety half the time. Way to neuter a guy who thrives on making plays close to the LOS, Jeff. :x :thdn:
Thorpe coached Cox from 2006 to 2007 and I’m sure he knows exactly what Chip can do and where on the field he excels.
SAM LB as it needs to be played is very specific to the CFL so it is hard to come out of school and know that position. It does not exist in the US game and as for the CIS Teams rarely have 5 receivers that are that good where is needs to be played the way it does in the CFL. In the US game it could be similiar to a 5 or 10 back but not on a every down position.
You so how much it affected the BBs defense last year in not having a SAM LB. The all star type players they had in the D back field could play it but did not want to.
Still thik in choosing the All Star the CFL needs to revamp the LB position to specify the 3 different LB positions. If it is a position that can be reckgnized as an all star you will see more players looking to play that position.
The Riders Brackenridge got really gipped last year as Bighill, Sherrit, and Emery being so dominant in the MLB spot with outragous numbers in Tackles that Brak could not be reckognized
I agree. They are completely different positions.
Thats why I hope that the CFL does change the position categories on the All Star ballots for the LB position to specialize each of the three different LB positions. not only do the SAM LBs not get there do but the Weakside LBs as well. I mean JJ in Hamilton and McKenzie in BC often go so unoticed but are among the top in the league in there craft to to name two of them. Kromah in his rookie season in SASK who knows what kind of season he could of had had he not gotten injured for half of the season. It is going to be fun to see him and Brak in SASK this year. The weakest LB of the 3 in SASK will most likley be Williams and although he has had his critics he still had almost 100 Tackles on defense.
It would also be great to see the CFL rekognize the top special teams player from each division seperate from the return player. A lot of really great Canadian players make a career out of being the best on Teams where in the CFL is as equal as offense and defense.
Sorry a bit off topic here but somehow this is where the convo has ended up going
Finalement, si le 5ième receveur était Emmanuel Arceneaux, j'achèterais la perte d'un receveur canadien au profit d'un porteur de ballon.
Popp had interest in Haidara, but felt Lumbala was more important for the ratio. And he seems to have confidence in Millington who was never drafted.
From Le Journal:
Popp n’a pas caché qu’il aurait aimé repêcher le receveur de passes du Rouge et Or, Seydou Junior Haidara, mais ce dernier se retrouve aujourd’hui avec les Lions.
«Son nom était sur notre liste mais on s’est dit que le fait de le repêcher ou non n’allait pas avoir d’impact sur le ratio de joueurs canadiens, puisqu’on mise déjà sur Éric Deslauriers à cette position, sans oublier Ezra Millington qui attend d’avoir sa chance.»
Translation = NI receivers can go eff themselves. 
That has pretty much beens Popps philosophy. Canadian receivers need not apply. In fact when they drfted Lavoi they were expecting a special teamer and extra blocker in short yardage not a TE receiver