Upon Further Review: Calgary Stampeders

Well Tom Brady was the next to last guy drafted so it follows that the next guy drafted at the bottom of the pile is going to be a star. So naturally an undrafted Augustine is magic. What I DO know is that Augustine is in his 5th year & if Harris was still there would still be a 3rd string RB. They may have the best OL IF there aren’t injuries. AT THIS POINT it’s simple. If a National on OL gets injured your next guy up is a guy who was drafted in 2016 & has worked his way up to the PR & dressed (not started) a total of 2 games last year. So in year 6 he’s ready to start? Well, call me skeptical. I’m not criticizing your starters but it’s beyond obvious that your depth is pretty thin.

As for the Bombers being favourites, of course the GC champs should be favourites. But maybe call me when you get a kicker. Here’s 2 comments from different CFL insiders.

Sergio Castillo was the best acquisition of the year and it’s not even close. Winnipeg doesn’t win that game without him. Zero chance.

It’s probably safe to assume that (Sergio) Castillo will end up in Edmonton or Winnipeg by the time training camp rolls around, but the team that doesn’t get him is going to be in trouble. The Bombers wouldn’t have won the Grey Cup without Sergio.

One thing you can bet on. If the Elks don’t land Castillo it won’t be for lack of money being tossed around. And Castillo isn’t going for 3 in a row. That carrot isn’t there. So we’ll see. Cross your fingers.

Perhaps you failed to read my post - in direct reply to you - where I stated I am not a Bomber fan ?

The Bombers won the 2019 GC with a rookie draft pick (Desjarlais) and an undrafted Canadian (Speller) pressed into starter duty and playing down the stretch and into the play-offs / GC win = so much for oft stated, cliched and dismissive of Canadian talent view by some, that CFL teams face this big problem of lack of Canadian talent or “depth” - in that case anyways. The Bombers went out and signed Augustine as
a FA, plus have drafted both Oliveira & Borsa to back-up a top notch, star RB in Harris - time for them to step-up now with Harris gone - perhaps they can; Augustine’s playing time thus far in the CFL speaks volumes - just IMO. And the Bombers still have Lieghhio (who they drafted) - good punter so far, but was also a very good place kicker in U Sports ball; maybe he progresses as a pro FG kicker, and maybe they have to find somebody else. The Lions & Ticats had big issues at place-kicker last season.

Some of those “insider” amazing expert opinions provided on 3 Down are interesting, but also good for a laugh at times. Take them as some sort of gospel if you wish.

Agree that Castillo may have been the acquisition of the year and he should have been named GC MOP. But the Bombers didn’t have him most of the year and showed just how easy it is to bring a competent kicker in at any time. I don’t expect him to sign with Winnipeg for less money, assuming he doesn’t stick in the NFL, which is what he wants to do.

The Bombers still have Legghio, who did some (poor) place kicking for them last year and Ali Mourtada, who by all accounts may have the strongest leg in the league. He just has to fix that wee accuracy problem. The kicking situation is uncertain at present, but there is no need to cross any fingers just yet. Unlike Bomber kickers, Hamilton and BC kickers cost both of those teams wins last year and are in a far worse position, as is Edmonton.

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Wee accuracy problem is an understatement …as is any team can bring in a quality place kicker at any time

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Wee accuracy problem was an intentional understatement. I do believe bringing in a kicker at any time is easy to do and that place kickers are the easiest position to replace quickly. They don’t need to learn a complicated playbook. NFL teams change kickers like I change shirts. One bad week can lead to the unemployment line.

Wow. Well the Bombers changed shirts 4 times before they found one. Yeah, easy peasy. Methinks a few Bomber fans are a little sensitive. Defending the indefensible. Your kickers in 2021 BC (before Castillo) were not just terrible, they were epic terrible, they were terrible with raisins & whipped cream on top. Luckily your rose coloured glasses didn’t go out with the garage sale. One bad week? I guess setting the bar @ 50% justified keeping them coz they were oh sooo close. I’d agree with you, Jon, but then we’d both be wrong.

Well we agree that the Bombers had terrible place kickers until Castillo came back home.

We don’t agree on how easy it is to find kickers and upon the fact that a new kicker can start on 5 days notice. It happens virtually every week in the NFL.

Rather than me being sensitive, I think that you are grasping at straws, like many others, trying to convince yourself that the Bombers will not be the team to beat this year. We don’t even know if kicking will be an issue for them this year and there is no guarantee that it won’t be an issue for any other team either. I suggest we discuss this again with 6 weeks left in the season to see where the Bombers and other teams are at with their kicking.

Discussion has drifted from the thread.

Bomber discussion should be in the Bomber sub form.

just saying jon

No

2019 was a miracle for the Bombers. CFL experts were 4 - 28 picking the Bombers over the last 4 weeks.

Having Collaros fall in their lap at the last minute was fortunate. Fajardo dinging the cross bar was miracle #2. Even in the Grey Cup Hamilton imploded and was down by 14 before the end of the first quarter and Brandon Banks was gone before the half. Credit to the Bombers that they play well in -20.

2021 benefitted from the big effort made by the Bombers to host the bubble in 2020 when they kept the entire team together in hope of playing. Worked out good the following year. All it took was money which the Bombers have plenty of thanks to the good tax payers of Manitoba.

We’ll see what happens is right once all the teams are back up to speed this year. 2 tough games against Ottawa to start.

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I was just replying to a post in this thread , but did notice that this non Bomber related thread was drifting off topic so you are correct and I will refrain from more Bomber related posts on this thread after this post. I see that you fell into the same trap I did by replying to someone and making a Bombers related post after pointing out that error to me. That post was directed at a stated non Bomber fan and contained more anti Bomber sentiment, such as your puzzling assertion that the taxpayers of Manitoba were somehow responsible for the Bombers winning.

But fair enough, you are free to criticize the Bombers on a general thread, even if that record appears to be skipping. Once again, although you are adept at that criticism, it would carry more weight, in my opinion, if you finally declared which team you are a fan of.

[quote) it would carry more weight, in my opinion, if you finally declared which team you are a fan of.
[/quote]

We are more the same then we are different. Celebrate the diversity.

2022-02-28T17:00:00Z I think BLM game was disrupted by his mental state. :thinking: With the COVID-19 cancelled season and the long layoff from football. The noted injuries in the 2021 season added to the dilema. :100: I expect to see a healthy and rejuvenated BLM for the upcoming 2022 season. :gem: Just remember-BO KNOWS FOOTBALL :star_struck: :blush:

Not sure I see a return to the BLM of old (several years back), but maybe; and even if he is not able to recapture his best CFL days form, he could still be a quite effective CFL QB, MAYBE ;o) Liked what we got to see from young Maier last season - might be a star CFL QB of the future.

Huff finds a way to put together a solid team - year after year. Did not do much in free agency, but retains a lot of top players, and usually very strong in the CFL draft. Stamps should compete for 1st in the West.

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Huff ALWAYS manages to put together a great team that often contends start to finish oin the regular season… Always by the time the stretch run is here , he has the team contending for not only a playoff spot but being a contender for the cup…it is too bad that most of the few red fans that regularly post here cannot also see the truth in the fact that so do at least two other teams. It would make for a better forum if they ever stopped with the absolute garbage they usually speak here was done away with

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