Disappointed - Yes. Concerned - Very. Patient - Nope.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

I hate to say this but it's true. The 'Cats got me back this year only because I got the discount. Otherwise it might have been a couple of flex-paks.

I've heard all the right things and seen not much. The Free Agent period seems to have addressed one issue but left a number out there... and the rest of the O-Line still isn't championship caliber. Nice guys, good guys and generally good players, but they all have deficiencies. I still think that we'll need a quick release, some fast feet on the QB, and a running game that can find some holes on its own.

The QB position is hopeful but it's still waaaaay too early to say that Porter is 'the one'. Lots of good year one QB's disappear in year two once they've been around the league once. We'll see. I think that this is the reason we've kept Casey so far.

I'm not sanguine about the LB corps. Based upon past performance and the addition of Floyd they may have moved to somewhat adequate. I didn't want Murphy and I think that the Argos overpaid for him. I will be looking for a hotshot prospect here.

The DB's looked like they came together near the end of last season but again they were becoming an adequate unit. No overall style was apparent.

The D-Line is still a major concern. The two signings from the Arena league don't currently fill me with hope. Perhaps they can stay away from injury and shine on a big field but this isn't their history. We still need help here.

So much of the 'D' will depend upon the coaching philosophy that's brought in and whether we have the horses to run it. I've got to think that some of the FA decisions have been made around matters that we just don't know about. We will.... by game 3.

So, am I excited about the upcoming season? No. I kind of dread it. I can still hope but it's tempered with the long way that we have to go. Right now I would be happy with 6 wins - two against the Bombers, 1-2 against TO, one from Sask, and one surprise against Montreal, or Calgary. BC is a real wild card... can they replace their lost players? We may get a win there too.

Will this result satisfy you? To tell you the truth, it won't get me excited. Marginally pleased, perhaps. However, I refuse to lower my standards to those of the last 5 years. Can't. Won't.

Still watching very very cautiously.

2

As discussed in a previous post, great teams are NEVER built through free agency, and if they are, it never lasts long.

Great teams are built through scouting and drafting. Free agency is a quick-fix. It serves it's purpose for the short term. But long term, scouting and drafting is what you want.

Obie is very good at finding great players (Prechae, Cam Wake, Pinball, among others). That is what he's good at. Let the man do his job. The team will be better this year. Last year, he was just cleaning up the mess that the previous regime left. It's almost cleaned up (just get rid of Printers), now he's building for the future.

Be patient.

3

Its only mid February.. there is still 3 months till camp starts. Loads of time to find talent.

4

I'm not looking for numbers in the win column as the primary focus of this season. This team needs to show the signs of success, building towards a championship, and then the wins will come. The past few losing seasons have been most directly attributed to incompentencies in the football organizational department. As with any organization, a flaw in critical departments can either be fatal or take a long time to heal. OBie is as smart a CFL man as there is available so I'm hoping he is making all the right moves.

Disappointed/Frustrated - Definitely. Concerned - Nope. Patient - Still. Hungry - Certainly.

5

Amen!

I think this team could have won a lot more than 3 games in 08 if it had not been for Creehan's horrible D. His D gave up at least 4-5 4th quarter leads to lose games for us. Worst zone cover ever!

6

Their one FA signing adresses a serious need, and adjusts their import ratio.
Adding Gauthier is a fine upgrade. Hage is fine, and the rest of the line being a year older will help.
It should not be too hard to find an import right tackle and that will make our line much stronger.
As much as I wanted Murphy (Real Bad) we do not need to spend that much on a import tackle.

Everyone needs to chill and wait to see who is on the final invitation list to camp.
There are a lot of extra bodies out there available from the Arena League and some will make their way to camp.
If Obie was in the Murphy sweepstakes he still has some extra cash to spend.

7

Oh yeah! I expect the Creehan switch to Greg Marshall to have the biggest impact on the '09 Cats. Can't wait!

8

Since I enjoy (?) the luxury (?) of viewing this whole situation from a distance, I don''t have Mark's problem. But, I can certainly empathize with him. and others, who face the same decision.
Do I spend money hoping that the trend of the past few seasons will suddenly be reversed? Or do I sit back and take the attitude of "Prove to me that you've changed before I spend my good dollars."

Not an easy situation, and only solved by each one's passion for actually being there when, and if, it happens.

In the meantime, we face another preseason of agonizing over training camp, picking favourites at the camp, seeing some of them discarded, welcoming new, unknown quantities, and finally settling for whomever Obie and his cohorts feel can get the job done. 'Twas ever thus.

In the final analysis, the whole season is in the hands of the few who desperately want us to spend our money on their product. You have to believe, in spite of past experience, that they will put the best product on the field that they can. Is that belief worth an investment? As I said, that's up to each individual. Whatever decision each makes, just hope you're not kicking yourself in November!

9

We all wanted the ticats to make a big splash in the free agent market. They signed one guy and at 326 pounds and I guess he does make a pretty big splash....................

10

This signing alone makes the team better not just because he's a non import but because he's one of the most important positions on the field.