I think its clear that this season is not going to be a deep playoff run with the ALS- The team has some serious issues and this magnifies just how good TRESTMAN and MILANOVICH were to this team-
It started with the loss of MILANOVICH and BRADY to the Argos- The ALS regressed last season but were still competitive with the brilliant TRESTMAN running the show-
I have been an Ottawa Rough Rider fan for years since the early 80's so I suffered through many losing seasons and many disfunctional teams-
There comes a point where the SHIP has to be turned around to avoid a STORM- Currently the ALS are in rough waters approaching a storm- However they are FIGHTING the current and are not TRYING OTHER things to get the boat away from the storm (DEVELOPPING A BACKUP QB)
I'm sorry to say it guys but I really do feel that the ALS biggest issue is TONY CALVILLO. Its clear that he is not a POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE QB and after MARCUS HOWARD CONCUSSED HIM, he has been DUCKING and playing scared-
Players feed off their QBs attitude and body language- Look at RICKY RAY or LULAY or even Durant or Glenn? Do these guys get rattled- No they dont show much frustration at all when they are losing--
I think AC needs to RETIRE MIDSEASON- This is a repeat of the BRETT FAVRE situation when he had the 1 great season with Minnesota leading them to the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP game and then came back for the following season and was just too OLD to play and played horribly---
AC needs to do what is right for the ORGANIZATION- You cannot help this team- You are 41 years old, You have no speed, You cannot run, Your attempts at hitting SJ GREEN up the seam in QUADRUPLE COVERAGE is ridiculous-
I think you could see a reasonably competitive team with the ALS if they give MARSH or NEIWENDYK a chance.
I really feel that the ALS defense has some potential- I think they are pretty decent- The ALS do need some receivers 6 feet tall and quicker and not 6 feet 4 tall and slow- The trend in the CFL is to have quicker faster receivers and not bigger body receivers-
I think that if the QB just stays positive the team will play better- AC's body language is disgusting, it is deflating for the whole team to watch- ITs like being married to a bad attitude negative energy woman- The husband will not be happy-
AC having played for 21 years has learned absolutely nothing about SPORTSMANSHIP and being a TRUE LEADER- AC is a fake leader- He is bailing on the team with his frustration- The great QBS have POISE, something AC does not have-
Before TRESTMAN came to MONTREAL AC was losing grey cups like crazy, he should have lost 1 to SASK and he was lucky to win the 2 vs SASK--
I think the fans have to put pressure to release AC and let MARSH or NIEWNEDYK start-
I dont get the ALS LOGIC-- I understand LOYALTY to AC, but look at WALLY BUONO, he is not afraid to release veteran players and he will shake their hands and have a nice friendly press conference like he did with GEROY SIMON----
THis logic doesent make sense to me- The ALS are really struggling trying to find answers- Do you think that a 41 year old QB is going to IMPROVE the team or would a younger 25 year old QB with UNKNOWN POTENTIAL do better? I think we are in FUTURE MODE with the ALS- AC HAD HIS TIME- He had 20 fantastic years and was lucky to have a nice 4 to 5 SWAN SONG ENDING with TRESTMAN COMING to town to give him 2 GREY CUPS--
However everyting must come to an end and the NEW GUYS MUST BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO PLAY- Look at BC- We had JARIOUS JACKSON as our QB and BUCK PIERCE, and guess who our starter is NOW-- Yes our 3rd string QB TRAVIS LULAY is our current starter--
You never know who could be the next LULAY, so I suggest to POPP that he wakes up and spends less time working on his beautifully flowing blonde hair and consider who is going to LEAD this team in the future.
I really have to question the ALS and POPP’s scouting in the last few years–
Its clear that the ALS have not been scouting anyone the last 3 seasons–
I think POPP thought this NUCLEUS would not get old and would be CONTENDORS every year–
However here is the sad truth about POPPS scouting------
Where are the RECEIVERS? How come POPP has attracted no receivers to camp? Instead of bringing in SLOW 6 foot 4 receivers like DESLAURIES, this MOORE GUY, LONDON, are all too slow to play–
Look around the CFL at the following names- Emmanuelle ARcenaux, Chris Matthews, Joe West, Maurice Price, Dontrel Inman, John CHILES(scored 2 tds vs Als today) Nick Moore, Chris Williams, Bakari Grant,---- These are all receivers that have been brought in in the past 3 to 4 seasons–
NOtice no receivers on the ALS are on this list-- Other teams are finding good receivers but POPP thought it was enought to sign ARLAND BRUCE and keep DEslauriers who couldnt catch a Fly.
Also in the secondary somehow POPP found BILLY PARKER and GERALD BROWN but then inexplicably cant find a CORNER to play? BYRON PARKER and TISDALE are old-- Other teams are also finding new corners like crazy–
Ex- bc- Cord Parks- Sask MAcho Harris, Woody Turene- Joe Burnett-- Pat Watkins- Alfonso Lawrence- Breaux, Every team has attracted good young corners but POPP has attracted none—
POPP struck gold by signing TRESTMAN, but that was it, he relied on TRESTMAN and MILANOVICH being smarter than the rest of the CFL— JAMAL and SJ were in thier prime, now JAMAL is old–
Also if you want to talk about Defensive LINEMAN, POPP has attracted NONE except for BOWMAN.
I'm not sure yet if it's time for AC to sit down, but it is getting close to the point where it might be the best option. On the other hand, AC was only responsible for one turnover last night (the armpunt to Watkins). Not his fault that nobody could secure the football or cover on special teams.
Exactly. AC didn’t put the team down 21-0. Even the INT leading to 28-0 was pretty much as good as a punt (maybe better since Owens didn’t get to touch the ball).
I have nothing against seeing what the other QBs can do, and would have accepted going to them in the second half last night, but I expect the Als will want to see another week with AC to see how the “new” offence evolves. I also don’t know that Saskatchewan is the team I want to throw a QB at for their first start.
Extensive post; but after a game like that I bet it felt good to get it off your chest.
I have lived in Ottawa more than half my life (since university) but have remained a Montreal fan even when there were no Als. Sorry you have to cheer for the Communist African-Americans next season. That %^&%$%&# "s" ruins a name that they somehow got right in French. An Ottawa sports franchise doing something better in French than English may be an absolute first. I suspect you may have to enjoy Kevin Glenn next season; unless the Rouge et Noir give up something to get one of the young QBs (i.e., let me draft X and then we will do some other swap) I expect Winnipeg, Hamilton, Als(?) and Edmonton to be in the market pre-expansion draft.
I want Calvillo to sit way earlier when games like these get out of hand, as there will be many others like this coming.
If nothing else, we need to figure out who we need to protect in the off-season.
And once we're mathematically out of the playoffs, which could be early if WIN's housecleaning gets them going a little, then don't play Calvillo any more. Yesterday it felt like he was going to be kept in until he could get a TD to continue this pointless consecutive-games-with-a-TD stat... this team's future is more important than that.
Montreal looks to me like a team that many of the players have got old over night. Reminds me of the Argos six seven years ago when they had to cut O'Shea, Steinhauer, Jonathan Brown, Cliff Ivory and let Damon Allen go among others on the O-Line. Great hue and cry at the time, but it had to be done.
You like to remember them in their prime, but there comes a time where they can't do it at a high level anymore. I think Jim Popp spent the off season chasing a NFL job instead of looking for new blood. Then picked up players that are looking like they are past their prime like Parker, Bruce etc.
I see a NFL airlift coming for the Als.
Exactly. The game should have been closer. Even Milo was amazed at the fast start. Every team in the league knows the als can be a tough team to beat. Seems like the als are the only ones who don’t know it yet.
Ricky Ray may be great but he’s obviously fragile. Seems like each game could be his last. As for Collaros, give teams time to adjust and he won’t be so hot.
12 games to go to break Etch’s record AC, hang in there and then we can retire your number with Cahoon’s next year and you can revel in it.
Just listening to the boys on CKAC
Can't help notice how Calvillo-nuts people are in this city
Sure...there were a LOT of turnovers in the game
But again...the quarterback's job is to move the offence
NOT to make excuses and moan about the "breaks"
Calvillo was 16/30 (53%)
202 yards passing
1 TD, 1 INT
It's obvious the "inconsistencies of age" of the past couple years
Have morphed into pretty much constant bad play
Like an old car you keep going...fixing nagging problems
Year after year
Until one day the whole thing breaks down entirely
I could start crowing about how I saw all this coming
How I warned we needed to keep McPherson
While just about EVERYONE shouted me down
What do I need with dignity and grace
When I was so obviously RIGHT about all of this?
But it's not time for that right now.
Calvillo needs to bow out gracefully
Maybe go doen to the Windy City
Help out his buddy Trestman
Deal with Jay Cutler
(I'm thinking he's going to need the help)
It's a bit late in the day
To reset the entire team
With an entirely new quarterback
And everything that comes with it.
But I can't imagine this going on much longer
Without some major repercussions
IT'S TIME FOR AC TO FADE INTO THE SUNSET
Pure and simple.
Just to clear up what seems to be a topic of some confusion in this league
THE ALOUETTES HAVEN’T HAD A “DEEP PLAYOFF RUN” SINCE 3 SEASONS AGO
Why everyone in this city thinks this is a sudden and unexpected event is baffling
It’s been coming on for the last 3 seasons
It’s just nobody noticed but me
What I don’t like right now about AC is that his “play” does not match what he says to the press. Like I answered last year. The end of AC will happen in a very organic way. Either he will retire or forced out because of injury. Unless there is a miraculous turnaroud. This is his last season.
Calvillo has NEVER sat “way” early…in his entire career
It is time to finally acknowledge (as apparently TSN announcers do)
That AC is a field hog
Who jealously refuses to allow ANY other quarterback playing time The better the backup…the less playing time allowed
“What’s his face” was lucky to get 1:26 at the end of a blowout
I doubt he’d have got that much
If Dunigan hadn’t spent the entire 2nd half
Lambasting Calvillo for not letting his backups play
IT IS THE ULTIMATE CONDEMNATION OF THE MAN
Not just the player
That Calvillo has constantly refused to do what’s right
And best for the team
I’ll bet whichever way he bows out
It will be a continuation
Of this selfish and ungrateful behaviour
A tiny bit of field position? The Als special teams should have been wearing Argos uniforms, that was the only team they were helping.
AC was not good, but he looked like an all star compared to Devine. The Argos are too good to just hand them the game on a platter and then expect your offense to win it anyway.
There’s certainly blame to go around. One area that deserves mention is our import scouting, which has been awful the past few years. Who have we brought in at key positions such as DL and defensive secondary? No one of serious quality. The secondary is composed of 30-something players on the downside of their careers (Jerald Brown, Byron Parker, Geoff Tisdale). Brown and Billy Parker came in 2009. The backups aren’t trusted enough to become starters. We have the oldest secondary in the league but it’s not even close to being the best – so why are we paying more for older players who can’t (with the exception of Billy Parker) get it done anymore? Because our import scouting has not been up to par.
Similarly, on the D-line, when was the last time we developed a game-breaking player? John Bowman, that’s who, and he broke into the CFL when Don Matthews was still our head coach! Since then, we foolishly let Keron Williams walk and have failed to find a good nose-tackle and a complementary bookend to Bowman. Cash is average, Berry is average, Hopkins is average. Kuale is awful. Lockley and Obiozor evidently weren’t even good enough to survive training camp. Lavarias is a non-entity. Again, terrible import scouting. Joe Mack just got fired, but even he was able to bring in quality D-line talent to make Winnipeg’s front-four strong year after year. In the past 10 years, the only quality defensive lineman we ourselves have developed has been John Bowman. Both Anwar Stewart and Keron Williams were cut by other CFL teams before we picked them up. Popp has gotten lazy. Instead of beating the bushes to find talent, he’s grabbing guys in or close to his home state, players with whom he already shares a personal connection, ex-NFLers, and other CFL teams’ castoffs.
Receiver. S.J. Green was the last good receiver we developed in-house. What have we done since? And why haven’t we been capable of finding a speed WR to replace Kerry Watkins, who retired at the end of 2011? Import receivers are one of the most plentiful commodities in the US – just like RBs, you shouldn’t be able to throw a stone without hitting a good one. And yet, all we could do this offseason was sign the 35-year-old Arland Bruce. I’m not ragging on Bruce, because he’s done what he could in this gong show of an offense, but he’s not a burner at this stage in his career, and as a result, we have no ability to stretch the field. Green is a slotback and possession receiver, not a vertical threat. Same for Richardson. London doesn’t have the speed to go deep, particularly not since the injury last year. I understand the need for big bodies in the slot, but you need a diversity of skill sets and body types if you want to really present defenses with matchup problems.
The disturbing part about Popp's failure to bolster the D-line is the fact that a good D-lineman is the easiest kind of talent to spot. They're not necessarily easy to find, because every team wants them and playmakers at that position don't come along every day, but if you put enough film on tape and beat the bushes long enough, you will find someone and he'll be easy to spot.
DE and DT are positions where performance is usually driven by athleticism, strength, and drive; of course, intelligence and technique are important (and can be the difference between a good DL and a great one), but fundamentally, the positions are about raw athletic talent. And the latter is easier to spot than, say, a DB who may look weak because he's playing in a system not suited to his strengths, or for a DC who can't call a good game (a DB also gets better as he gains experience facing different receivers, looks, and formations). By contrast, a good defensive tackle or defensive end excels by being a monster one-on-one, to the point where he requires double-teaming and thus opens up a lane for one of his linemates to break through to the QB.
To sum up, it's both disappointing and baffling to see us consistently unable to bring in quality talent on the D-line.