While mine is up, from where it was at the end of last season, it's nowhere near what it was a year ago, a week before training camp, with newcomers Cortez, Burris, Fantuz, Mallett, Giguere, Congi, Peach, O'Neill, Eiben, Bartel and others. How's yours, compared to a year ago this week?
My confidence level is surging. However, I, like many others, will hold judgement until after the season starts.
I was fooled by the Cortez signing last year.
I have to say that I was buying into all the hype by the beginning of last season with the addition of Burris, Fantuz, Cortez (although I was not convinced Bellefeuille should have been fired), confident that the team would do well. However some others noted that the defense had not really been addressed and that was their downfall. While I can agree with most of Austin's moves and like his more upbeat manner, I too choose to not get too excited until I see what the team accomplishes on the field. Like last year I am willing to give them a few games to gel but hope we will see much better results by mid-season. 
Confidence level? You’ve got to be kidding. My gut feeling is that anybody with a confidence level must be a long-time Leaf fan. For years Leaf fans always felt good about the team… until the first puck dropped.
I feel abused, abandoned, disillusioned, and burnt about the Cats. I have my tickets but my expectations are near zilch. What will be will be.
Indeed, I will support the team this year. Get my season seats next year at the same price. And then I will become an occasional fan, I guess, because the season ticket prices will be too high in the new stadium after the discount ends. THAT’S when they’ll start winning, I figure.
My confidence level? I'd say this is a rebuilding year for the Cats, and I suppose if there is a right time to do it, it would be now with limited seating/fan presence in Guelph, where the team can make the adjustments and make the push during the opening of the new stadium.
Lets face it, we are overhauling almost the entire defense, with the exceptions of Jamal Johnson and Markieth Knowlten just about everyone on our defense is either new or competing to hold a spot right now, and if we learned anything from last year's high scoring, high yardage offense, that offense if not enough to win football games. We also have some key replacements that need doing in Chris Williams (likely), Avon/Mallet, and some potential future replacements in the coming years for Dave Stala, Henry Burris and Marwan Hage who are all big pieces of the team's foundation, so there has to be an incentive to give other players some reps.
Then add to the fact you have a new coach, and effectively a new DC and OC who likely have entirely new systems that take time to adjust to, all with a very young team and you have a recipe for a lot of confusion on the field. I think Austin is an experienced coach but there is only so much that can be done I fully expect the Cats to tank a bit for the first half of the season, make the required adjustments and then squeeze into the playoffs due to Edmonton's lack of QB and Winnipeg's DC, general anarchy and injury prone Buck Pierce and while I am a firm believer that once you are in the playoffs, anything can happen, I don't see us getting past both Montreal and Toronto.
For 2014? High. For 2013? Non-existant.
I like our chances for a big improvement over last season
We were last in defense, so we cannot get worse. :roll:
Offense with Burris at the helm will be great again.
Special teams without Chris Williams will be different.
Our defense will dictate how successful our season will be.
I like Austin and the new attitude and changes he is bringing to the Organization.
Montreal will miss Trestman
Winnipeg will have to protect Pierce which they have not ever done yet
T.O. should be the same
Grover wrote: [b]T.O. should be the same[/b]Grey Cup champions?
Nope, we will beat T.O in the Eastern final in Guelph
And win the Championship in Regina! :rockin:
much better. 
Toronto & Hamilton in The Eastern Final in Guelph – that should be an easy sell-out! Maybe!!
Then, Austin wins the cup in his first year back in the league, right in front of gang green, for whom he’s been a Grey Cup hero both as QB and HC.
Now that’s a (Canadian) movie script, for sure!
Couldn’t agree more…no surprises if we finish dead last in the east again,
Also, WTF are the leafs?
:?Cats fans have expectations though, Leaf fans don’t.
Low. Then again, it was high before each of the last few seasons…
I have more confidence in the Leafs than I do in the Cats, but with that said I think the Leafs will be cup contenders for years to come whereas our team here has to prove themselves, which they very well could. Coaching is everything I believe.
Cup half full or half empty? For me it's watching football and supporting my team. Austin in my opinion is a quick study, we have the talent and now we have some competent coaching. I will not make any predictions, I will reserve my thoughts to after training camp and the pre-season games.
Go Cats Go..........................................
Then leaves for the NFL. lol
The Cortez signing last year as HC did give reason for a lot of confidence. The offense was awesome and he pushed the right buttons and inserted the right players to fill the big shoes left by Thigpen and the return games.
Returner by Comittee.
Chris Williams punt returner = the best season ever by a punt returner
Sam Giguere the steady solid Kick Off returner something that he had practiced for 3 years on NFL practice rosters.
Chevon Walker a talent starting the season as the other Kick Off return man but being thrust into the starting line up the priorities changed for Williams an injury and another good Kick off return specialist rookie was brought in out of San Jose State to also back up Avon Cobourne who finally got to dress.
Onrea Jones finished next to the solid running and good blocking Giguere
The Cats Kick Off return team was second in the CFL in return yardage but was much overshadowed by Williams punt returning.
So grades for Cortez
Offense A+
Specials A+
Defense F
Hard to believe that the top offensive team could finish last but the worst defense had a lot to do with that.
So for me the excitement and confidence is back up for the Cats with Austin.