… which makes training camp even more important than it usually is because there won’t be as much familiarity with teammates and playbooks as the Ticats have often enjoyed.
It’s a short timeline for social acclimatization, talent adjudication and systems installation: the first exhibition game is May 27 against Toronto, and once again, the Ticats open the regular season on the road, in Winnipeg, on June 9, and in Toronto nine days later.
Our first two games are against Grey Cup finalists WPG and TOR, but:
… if the season were to open today, Hamilton has a good idea of what the starting lineup would look like, and that there is probably only one starting spot — boundary cornerback — which is truly an all-comers competition. Orlondo Steinauer’s coaching staff, of course, wants lots of training camp battles and for some unlikely (and cheaper) candidates to emerge at other positions.
Your thoughts? Hopes? Dreams? (ahem … and inevitably, grievances.)
Of course the team looks really great on paper so far but the only question mark will be the revamped secondary.
I expect some new names back there who will likely be future all-stars but there might be some growing pains for the first few games. Some of the new guys will need time to adjust to the waggle and size of the field.
Other than that I think we will be OK coming out of camp. This might be the first time in years that we field a dominant O-Line in Game 1.
There is some understandable local concern about banking so heavily upon a quarterback who had lost his starting job in Calgary, and had suffered injuries, but the Cats and Mitchell, are adamant that he is back in form. And they’ve got solid backup in re-signed Matt Shiltz.
With Mitchell under contract and several other big-time signings, most analysts considered the Ticats the winners of the CFL off-season. But that, plus two bucks, will get them a double-double at Timmy’s. The Ticats, coming off an overtime home Grey Cup loss were favourites to win the East last year but, you’ll recall, that was never close to a reality.
I imagine there being an all-out competition between the young receivers (at least 9 young Americans, including the guys who got into a few games last year), as well as the young DBs (at least 11 new or nearly-new Americans).
There are one or two starting positions in each category open to a newcomer who impresses.
This works out well, as they can run each other into the ground. Fortunately it’s not expected to be blistering hot.
For most other positions, it’s hard to imagine a rookie breaking through to the starting line-up. They will likely be fighting for a spot on the roster and special teams.
Actually i’m the one that asked the question in response to Grover’s post . No worries though your response answered my question .
Off the top of my head I can think of a few former Cats players who went into the profession . Players such as Sandy Beveridge , Mike Filer , CJ Gable and now McDonald . I’m sure there are others from around the league whose names escape me at the moment .
Cj Gable is a football coach at a high school not firefighter . the rest are correct though. Joe Bencze who was briefly a Ticat , Spencer Moore and randy chevrier are firefighters also
Their whole football life they practice all week and perform one day.
That translates well to their second career as Firefighers…KIDDING
I am sure they are very busy every day.
And the fact that these football player are strong athletic individuals it translates well to their new careers.
Thanks for the update . I seem though to recall something about him having an opportunity to join the LA fire department or some such ? Maybe I’m thinking about another player ?
Gable said he plans to become a policeman or a fireman when his pro football career comes to an end, but he also plans to pursue his passion as a bit of an artist, too.
So maybe he originally wanted to get into firefighting but changed his mind he has been a head running back coach at a high school in LA area for over 2 years now
So, in a way, I was correct in saying “It’s not just you, Grover.”