if you’re Popp who has to make some tough decisions, do you make the toughest decision today and tell Calvillo that it’s time to go in a new direction?
or do you chicken out and keep Calvillo until he retires, which means you could have another average season like 2011?
I think Popp wants to keep winning and in order to maintain that winning style they will need to look at McPherson as their starter for 2012.
Calvillo’s time has come to pass on the starting role.
I suspect Popp would be upfront about the team going in another direction. I remember reading an interview with him several years ago and one of the things he cited as a major reason for his success is his ability to recognize when a player is past his prime and let him go even if he was with the team for a long time
He's not done. If the Als had half a defense this year they would have mopped the floor with the East division. Popp has to fix the defense.
Totally agree with you. The number correction needed is to improve the defensive line. They could come back with basically the same offense and it would be OK with me. Calvillo will retire when he wants and when he will know that he can't contribute to the team; this time is not now. To me, will be back in 2012 and I expect his decision within 6 weeks.
Richard
i dunno, Calvillo a number of times in 2011 looked like he had issues. he just couldn't do it like before and remember he doesn't play defense. and the defense isn't the squad that scores the points!
when Calvillo struggles, the offense goes down with the captain.
I really believe that they need to start giving McPherson a serious look in 2012 and if Calvillo does come back, Trestman will need to be more willing to give McPherson some playing time to prepare him.
He was still the best QB in the league this year in spite of losing Ben Cahoon, Watkins and breaking in a rookie RB. You could even add the terrible field position ST gave him all year. You don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Having said that Adrian’s role will likely grow.
There will be so much change on this team already. It would be crazy to mess with the offense.
Woldu, likely off to Edmonton or Saskatchewan
Boulay, likely to retire, released or traded
Stewart, likely leave for FA.
Emry, Unlikely to start as a NI MLB next season (concussion damage)
Anderson likely traded or released
Wilson likely released
Estelle likely retire or cut
Parker likely released
Hecht likely backup
Ferri likely released
Dix likely backup
Laybourn backup
Calvillo is the least of our problems.
Yeah, I don’t know why we’re talking about Calvillo when he passed for 500+ yards, 3 TDs, and 44 points in a loss to Hamilton. Our defense was riddled with injuries, and in the latter four games of the season, couldn’t make a stop to save its life. We do have a lot of work ahead this offseason, but most of it is on the defensive side of the ball.
Just to clarify: I also want Adrian's role in the offense to grow. We need to develop specific play packages for him, and also give him a few starts, particularly down the stretch when Anthony will likely be fatigued. But I don't see any reason to kick Calvillo to the curb just yet.
Dude
“You’re preaching to the retarded”
Calvillo would have to fall out of a Concord
And hit them square on the head
Before they realize he’s done
Hopefully Popp has more sense
And is done with his year-off
addendum:
Of course it would be ridiculous to deny that the injury troubles we've had affected our ultimate fate
But what is so frustrating is how human beings will use one fact to deny the obvious reality of another
As if two truths cannot possibly co-exist
As if all truths are mutually exclusive
Yes we had trouble on defence
There is no denying
But we also had a predictable and often stagnant offence
A quarterback that seemed more concerned about getting back to his family
Than getting to a Cup...
Than the fate of his team, his teammates and his fans
His performance this year was wildly erratic
And the truth of it is:
Our defence did surprisingly well considering the injuries to the secondary
And the somewhat questionable talent up-front
And lack of GM inspiration
The offence not only didn't back up a decimated "D"
It often put them in unreasonable field position holes
With substantial help from our ST
As I've repeated 'til I'm blue in the fingers:
A quarterback rarely loses a game
Short of a key interception or fumble
But in any loss
It's fair to say he didn't do enough to win it
And if we were to erect a tombstone to this "late" season
Those are the words that would be on it
I'd "photoshop" one and post it
But I really can't be bothered
Although it's clear none of us have any influence on the fate of this team
The "3-sisters" of the Alouettes Forum
And their continued wrong-headed duffus-ness
Forever mirroring and brown-nosing this team's misguided leadership
Have got me longing for a long vacation
A la prochaine chicanne
As I've repeated 'til I'm blue in the fingers: A quarterback rarely loses a game Short of a key interception or fumble:thdn: :thdn:But in any loss
It’s fair to say he didn’t do enough to win it
And if we were to erect a tombstone to this “late” season
Those are the words that would be on it
From the way I see it, AC did more than enough in this game. Over 500 yards passing putting up 44 points.
Sorry S.A.M. but this one does not lie on AC’s shoulders. Any team that puts up 44 points should win the game!
Could you please clarify to whom you are referring ?
Oh, don’t bother, Jack. Not like I give a flying crap what drivel that idiot posts anyway.
Calvillo passed for 500+ yards in a losing cause, and was still the CFL’s best quarterback this year despite consistently poor field position, due to special teams, and a questionable, injury-ravaged defense. When you post up 44 points, you should expect to win the game, and if you don’t, it’s on your defense, not your QB.
Having said that, I am ecstatic to see Anthony’s recent comments that he wants to sit down with management and figure out how to pass the torch to McPherson.
Yes heard that too. Seems like AC may be open to the possibility of McPherson getting in more playing time next season should he return.
Everybody wins if Adrian plays more. Anthony extends his career by reducing the number of hits and injuries he's exposed to. Adrian gets meaningful game experience beyond short-yardage conversions and starts to grow into the starter's role. The offense gains a huge (literally and figuratively!) weapon with teams having to account for Adrian's arm strength and ability to extend the play with his feet. And we win by having our starter-in-training mentored by one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play in the CFL.
I would also hope that being a mentor to Adrian would convince Anthony to come back to the Als in a few years as a quarterbacks coach. As a student of the game, Calvillo is second to none, and that's the kind of guy I want training our quarterbacks once Milanovich is no longer filling the role (either through being promoted to head coach here or accepting a head coach gig elsewhere).
I think it is excellent news that A.C. will be willing to share the workload, and hopefully this will come to fruition.
As I have stated before I am not yet sold on McPhersons accuracy, dont think Trestman is either, but it is time to find out. And A.C. will still be around as a fallback.
I would be just as anxious to see Santos who comes across as a Pierce, Lulay, Tate type of QB.
Hey, I was wrong about my concerns about Whitaker`s blocking, and hope to be proven wrong about McPherson.
That's ok cause I'm not sold on Trestman's ability to design anything but a "west coast" style offense. Instead of going home a month early maybe he should help the football operations, he's even said he dosen't know what he will do with his time. I don't understand that part. Maybe he should go with Popp to the CIS bowl games, start on the player evaluations. at 500k or so a year is that expecting too much ?
He has to be given a fair chance to do so. Past four years have been heavily West Coast with Calvillo at the helm. We’ve tailored our receivers, play packages, and formations to suit this style. With Adrian, we have more options, but changing a team’s offense involves more than just switching quarterbacks.
This is a very critical off season for the team... We have a GM that lives in the States and a HC who goes home a day after the season is done. I understand technology but you can't accomplish everything from home. When your winning its one thing, when you have to rebuild half the roster it is concerning. We will know by training camp I guess.
Als had the highest avg. points per game at +28 in a much more competitive division.
Of course any offence will have a bad series or two or even a game, it happens to the best teams in any sport.
The offence as is, can take them all the way.
The priority should be getting a good healthy defence in there and a "SPECIAL" teams unit that is just that.
The D looked like it ran out of gas in the last 4 games of reg. season and was out of gas in semi--final.
Sure let's gradually get Adrian in there and see what he can really do on a regular basis , don't think anyone is really sure what he can acomplish as a starter yet. We all know what AC has in him .
I think he is our best chance at getting us back to the big game next season, after all 3 out of 4 wouldn't too drabby, now would it. 