If you’re an OTT fan pulling the chute on Dru Brown is by far the scariest part.
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I agree that Dyce should go. But spending like a drunken sailor in free agency, as Burke has done two years in a row, isn’t a guarantee of success. He didn’t address the secondary and failed to adequately shore up the offensive line. Condell as OC hasn’t helped either.
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You need a QB to make a system work. Half the the playbook goes out the window if you have to play Crum.
But it was Burke’s decision to keep Crum, and moreover, to bring in Shiltz who was very quickly relegated to the bench.
And again, if you build a good O-line, you’re less likely to have your QB1 get injured.
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It cant take 5 years in the CFL with Fantasy draft free agency every year. If you don’t have a (healthy) QB you have nothing. I’d try to get Arbuckle or Kelly and keep Brown. They’re good enough to win 9-10 games with a healthy QB.
Agree on Dyce. Seems like a genuine good guy, but not a long term head coach in modern football.
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I only meant that the GM has to have a long leash. O’Shea finished out of the playoffs in his first three seasons as Winnipeg’s head coach. The GM should build something good and demonstrate growth every year. But I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a Grey Cup within two years. If Ottawa is consistently making the playoffs in 2026 and 2027, then by 2028 you should expect a deep playoff run and maybe challenging for the Cup.
As for Brown, he’s played 10 games in 2025, and it’s not like they were humming along and firing on all cylinders when he was healthy. He’s a good QB but you need more than a QB to build a team. That offensive line is offensive, frankly.
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He’s played 8 full games. 1 left in the 1st qtr and didn’t see action in another which is where the 10 comes from. No chance id give up on him without a clear upgrade. Id take him tomorrow if Bo retired.
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I never said I’d give up on him. He’s fine. But it takes more than a good QB to build a contender.
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I’ll be interested to see what happens with Burke. He reminds me a bit of Marcel Desjardins- not football guys originally but both learned by osmosis with their respective organizations until they got their opportunity to run the show elsewhere. I think both operate better with a real high end football personnel guy in the fold to help out. With Goveia’s passing I wouldn’t rule out the Cats bringing back Burke should he get fired in Ottawa - but I think you may need to help him with somebody like Jim Barker or even a Buono even if it’s just as a consultant.
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Note the hilarity of this headline. Lyon did not dress for that 2023 Grey Cup game, but gosh darn it, because it’s the Riders, he’s a “2023 Grey Cup champion” signing instead of what he is: an injury depth piece who was sitting at home after signing in Ottawa and getting cut by Ottawa before the start of the regular season.
I wish him well but that is a ridiculous headline.
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OMG I hope not!
I’m not a fan of GMs that sign cast-offs from other teams and go nuts right to the cap when doing so.
Burkie had his time here and was let go in search of improvement. I couldn’t stand Hervey… good riddance. Ted’s passing is a terribly sad story in so many ways.
I have confidence the team will come up with a better solution than Burke.
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I support that idea. Burky was well liked by Tiger-Cat players, when he was here, and is by his players in Ottawa, like Ted was by the players in WPG, and then here. I’d welcome him back under whatever job title might work well for both the club and him.
I’d rather have Danny Mac, who said in an interview last winter he would be interested in the job.
From 600km away, it looked to me that Burke just scooped up many ( many) Ticat cuts or ex players over the last few years. Except for the decent season last year, he has not done much to improve that franchise. I know bad luck has something to do with it as well, like in the Masoli multiple injury situations.
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I know Burke signed a ton of ex-Ticats, but Goveia also signed a bunch of ex-Bombers in his short time here. That has to be normal, especially in the CFL where there are so many one year contracts, and almost no guaranteed contracts. This makes it easy to change over a ton of the roster in a short time period.
I’m not sure that Burke was signing guys because they were Ticats, but rather because they were guys he had a relationship with, knowledge of, and they were available.
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23 wins and one road playoff loss heading into this year since winning the East in 2018. Redblacks are in crisis . Burke has been told to spend, spend, spend. He’s the least of their problems
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That is a bonus but not necessarily a requirement to be successful as a GM. I see that more as a “nice to have” in the coaching staff.
I would like to see Danny back in the Hammer too. He had a great relationship with Ted and I think he would comfortably step into the GM shoes.
I don’t see it that way. If he has been told to “spend, spend, spend” then he has made weak choices and doesn’t have a solid foundation for filling out a team. It’s not just injuries or bad luck. Your reference to his record since he joined the Redblacks in December of 2021 speaks volumes.
In addition, I think Bob Dyce is partially culpable for that misery over the last two seasons.
Remember, Burke left and we were looking for an upgrade. I like the approach of going forward and giving fresh minds and ideas a chance especially if the person in question has experience and is of solid character.
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Cats interviewed something like 4 candidates but the only other one I can remember is McManus. Might be awkward going back to a second choice but it could work. Not sure who else might be an up and comer in the executive ranks but they could start a whole new search. I wouldn’t rule Burke out, but as I mentioned I think you need to have a solid personnel guy behind him. Maybe they already have that in Cyril Penn but I have no idea.
I think your point about Danny Mac being able to fill in Ted’s shoes is well made. I’d take it a step further and say that as a Ticat legend, friends of Ted’s and a guy who worked so closely with him for so long he might be the only one who could step into Ted’s role and carry on his legacy in the right way.
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I agree that consideration would only be feasible if Burke had some help. He had that here in 2021 with Drew Allemang as co-GM.
Do the TiCats really want a GM that needs extra help and can’t make solid decisions based on their experience, merit and knowledge? I realize that GMs get a lot of input from other staff and sources but ultimately they have to stand by their decisions. It seems that Burke’s choices have not proven to be effective.
I do like the idea of a fresh search and I believe the TiCats management will take that approach. Certainly previous credible candidates would be contacted.
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I believe that would be a hugely popular decision for the reasons you have stated. Also Danny is a man of solid reputation and character. You must have that… hello Ed?
Yes, he has the experience with Ted and knows this league and its players as well as anyone.
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