PLEASE STOP THE PRINTERS/LUMSDEN NONSENSE - WE NEED A WIN

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

I have been an observer for many years and have suffered along with the rest of you with so many poor seasons lately.

And I've been meaning to sign up and post my thoughts. I just can't believe the amount of fans who simply come on here to bash the players, especially Casey Printers and Jesse Lumsden.

One post a few weeks back suggested that TiCats fans have always been this way - always cheering for the backup quarterback to be inserted. Mike Kerrigan, Danny McManus, etc come to mind.

Folks, whether you believe it or not we are a better team this season. AND we finally have the pieces to begin building a very successful team.

Down the middle, there are not many teams (if any) who can match us - PRINTERS AT QB, LUMSDEN AT RB, MORENO AT MIDDLE LINEBACKER AND SETTA AT KICKER. Essentially the 4 most important positions on a CFL team. I would like your feedback but I don't see any team that can match that. The only one that comes to mind is Calgary with Burris, Reynolds, DeAngelis, etc. But I'll take our group over there's. They just have a much better team built around them.

Unfortunateley our biggest problem is we don't have the rest of the building blocks to compliment these four players.

I hate to call out a fellow TiCats' fan, but the poster (I believe Makaveli) is very outspoken with his views of Printers and Lumsden. Please review his recent posts.

First, he posts over and over that Printers should not be starting. That Richie Williams should be the starting QB. Yes, Williams has been admirable, but let's be honest, he just is not ready to be a starting QB in this league. I sometimes wonder if people are watching the same game as I am. Please be honest - Have you EVER seen Williams look for a 2nd read??? No, he takes off with the ball. Two games ago, he had 14 rushes. That is just not acceptable - but is the sign of a green CFL QB. For this season and probably next, his role should be to come off the bench. His style is conducive to this - he can make great plays (just not consistently). When we need a spark - I can't see a better backup QB than Williams.

But to end this thought. Please remember Casey Printers probably should STILL be in the NFL. Politics played a very big role in him leaving the Chiefs. Also, remember what he did with a very talented B.C. Lions team - he was the MVP of this league. As we build around Casey, mark my words, we will also have a league MVP. So, lets stop the Hamilton tradition of running quarterbacks out of our city, only to have them come back to haunt us - can you say Anthony Calvillo??

Sorry for the long post but I'd be remiss if I didn't also comment on those of you who actually have the audacity to suggest starting Terry Caulley. The same poster, Makaveli, even suggested that Caulley would be the starter if not for the ratio. OH MY GOD - PLEASE GIVE YOUR HEAD A SHAKE!!!

Are we now also going to run the BEST runningback in the CFL out of Hamilton. When I just went back and read his post about Jesse, I had to read it twice. There is not a more talented RB in this league - bar none. Caulley is good, very good - but he is not, and will never be a Lumsden. He has many great attributes similiar to Jesse, but also has many things he can't even compare to - he will never run over a linebacker like Jesse can.

In closing, I honestly don't think any of us would be here talking about this if Printers and Lumsden hadn't been injured so often over the last season and a half.

Please, let's build around these two players and you will see that much sooner than later we'll be hoisting that GREY CUP again. Plus, Bob O'Billovich ALWAYS builds a winning team - he has been handed two of the best in these players - watch what he does!!!

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Despite what some here might say, I believe yours is the conventional wisdom.

Welcome.

Keep posting and be sure not to take dissentng views personally.

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Fantastic post. and welcome to the forum.

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I disagree with one thing. 14 rushes for a QB in NOT unacceptable, if it gets first downs, moves the yardstick, etc.

Some of the best QBs, flutie, moon, dunigan, etc, got it done often by running.

Beats sitting in the pocket till you get sacked, or have to throw the ball away. And it can help to open up the passing game in the future.

I like it when a QB runs. Those are by far my favorit QBs. Pisses me off when a good running QB gets it into his head to prove he can be a pocket passer at all costs.

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I agree with what you say, oskie7777.

P.S.

It is often hard to do but

if you want to avoid stirring up
the folks with tunnel vision

just state your opinion, and
say IMO [in my opinion]

I try to present a counter-opinion
without saying who I am addressing.

Emotional reactions do cause me
to fail at this, but I do try.

6

Glad to be here.

Footballyoubet - I completely agree with you and love the CFL style of QB's rushing the ball, but Williams simply does it too much, IMO.

Take a quick look at the CFL stats - Williams has the most rushing attempts of any QB and he's only played 2 1/2 games. That, in itself, is something that is hard to believe.

And the most unbelievable stat is he has 40 Rushing Attempts and only 94 Passing attempts (almost half). I will hazard to guess that that ratio is one of the highest of all time in the CFL.

For comparison sake - Kerry Joseph is next in QB rushing attempts at 39 but he's attempted 259 passes. And at the other end of the spectrum - Anthony Calvillo has 16 rushing attempts and 307 passing attempts.

The happy medium is somewhere in between Joseph and Calvillo - a QB rushing maybe once in 6-8 plays. But Williams is taking off every 3rd play. Again, I believe he is perfectly suited to this league. But he needs to learn how to read defences, and most importantly learn how to make that "2nd" and "3rd" read with his receivers once the initial play call breaks down. As it stands now - receiver not open, Williams takes off. In very short order, defences catch up to this.

Thanks everyone for your responses.

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I, too, agree with a lot of what Oskie 7777 has posted, but not “absolutely”

Yes, Casey should get the start on Labour Day, but if he doesn’t produce, by all means throw Williams into the fray…the Blue team has a real tough time with him. We have a very successful quarterbacking tandem in the works here!

At RB Lumsden, when he is healthy, is the best in the League for sure. But his style does get him banged up a lot, which makes it debatable whether he’ll be winning a place on the All Star team; Colbourne (sp?) in Montreal, Cates in Regina are great RB’s, too!

Zeke Moreno is a great “LEADER” for the team defence, and a “very good” MLB. There are others that play the position as well, but admittedly few that can lead the men as Zeke does.

Nick Setta is similar…he might not be the best all around kicker in the League, but he does provide confidence to the rest of the team (and the fans), that this vital base is covered.

Now get us back into a 4/3 D and give me a Philbrick clone and/or Montford/Covington , and we took a blow in losing our #1 draft pick to injury for a year…he seems a solid sort!

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Williams does look for second reads quite often. Unfortunately, he has to check down to calling his own number because his receivers are not CFL-quality.

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Let’s not forget the tough time the blue team had with Casey in the first game. A 32-13 victory with 480 yards of offence.

But, yes I get your point. WIlliams has shown wha the can do and Charlie should have confidence in going to him if Casey is inefffective.

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i have never said that casey should not be starting. i think he is one of if not the best qb in the league. I have posted that i think williams has a lot of potential and will one day be our starter but i am verry happy that we will have printers back for labourday.

you did get a correct quote about lumsden though, and no matter what you say i still think caulleys a better back. there is no question he has some talent but when you are always hurt you cant help your team.

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Ron: Well OK then…IMHO:
this post is complete garbage.
Oskie does not need any help from you about how to post. You would do well to learn from him.
Say what you mean and quit playing games with your incoherent ramblings. Every one of your posts sounds like a bad broken record.
How many times do you have to say the same thing? We know you think people who disagree with you are guilty of treason. You have said it yourself. We KNOW you are opposed to ANY kind of change and absolutely refuse to consider any one else’s views.
Here’s some advice from me. Give it a rest.Give us all a break. Stay off this forum for a while and come back when you have something of value to add. Preferably on a different subject.

And…Oskie: Glad you posted. It’s a good assessment of where we are. We all want this team to be a winner eventually. Some of us have concerns about how we can get there. But that’s what this forum is for.

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Makaveli - Thanks for the reply. That's what there forums are for. Hopefully I can contribute from time to time.

Someone mentioned that the players read this - I can assure you that yes they do. And probably more importantly, so do members of management I'm sure.

So, even though many think it's endless babble, when valid points are debated over and over, it's a pretty good bet someone associated with the Ticats is reading.

Lastly, Makaveli, sorry if I read your quotes to mean that you would go with Williams as the starter. Again, no two people can have the exact same opinion.

My last point today is one that I think everyone on this forum (that is a 'Cats fan that is) can agree on - if we use ALL 4 players (Printers/Williams & Lumsden/Caulley) to the best of their abilities at certain times in games - the Ticats have a much better chance of picking up more W's.

oskee

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Down the middle, there are not many teams (if any) who can match us - PRINTERS AT QB, LUMSDEN AT RB, MORENO AT MIDDLE LINEBACKER AND SETTA AT KICKER
Obviously a lot of thought has gone into this post. Its nice to see this coming from a newcomer.

However I think that the foursome mentioned in your post are largely responsible for the Ticats woes in 2008.

Casey, when not injured has been a HUGE dissapointment.

Setta has punted well, but has the lowest FG % in the league.

Once again Jesse has been hurt as much as he has been playing. Fortunately Caulley has been great and IMO the Cat running back for the future.

I have reviewed Cat games over and over on my PVR, and I can tell you that Zeke has missed a lot of Tackles. It almost seems that some teams are running at him…very strange. Maybe he misses
Armour…

14

I agree the 2008 team is better than the last 2 years.

My main concern going forward is that we tend to develop good players, only to lose them to free agency or trades (usually to the hated Argos!) I cringe when I see the good season that players like Jason Goss, Tay Cody, and Kamau Peterson (to name a few) are having with other teams this year, and wonder "what if..."

I hope that Obie will keep the good players at the end of this season. Keep players like Caulley, Tre Smith, Zeke Moreno. I dont like the Tiger-Cats acting like the CFL "farm team"

And, yes, we need to win!

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Welcome oskee 7777.

We all want this team to be a winner eventually. Some of us have concerns about how we can get there. But that’s what this forum is for.

As far as Printers goes…I am one fan what has been disapointed, to this point of the season. We all know how well Casey was playing prior to his ( going south ). Since coming to this team…I have seen nothing that makes him worth the money he is being paid…keeping in mind he is the highest paid QB in the CFL. I do hope that he very soon…starts to play up to the value, of the value of his contract, because like it or not, he has not done this to date.
As far as Jessie goes…he know dought, has a ’ gift ’ that makes him a stand-out in the CFL. I think…and hope…that his injuries that have cost him playing time this year, is nothing more than bad luck…time will tell.
As far as the posters on this forum, oskee7777…lov’em or hat’em ( depending on your view of a curtain post ), we are blessed with I think…the most informed group of football minds…of any fan site, in the CFL.
We may not always agree…
But we do love our Cats.

Cheers.

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One of Richie's greatest weapons is his feet. Why would you not want him to do this? If he's effective, by all means run all over the field, and he has been. He can't help it that he's fast.