We Make the Playoffs Cause Rest of the east is Inept

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

I see 6 to 10 Wins this year as I Wrote in my Blog today.
we be as Good as Edmonton and Saskatchewan(Middle of Road)
But not good as Montreal BC Calgary(Top of Heap Teams)
We will be Better then Boatman and Bombers(The Icky Basement of woe)
Both The Boatman and Bombers are doing Major overalls
This Reason we should get 2ND in the East and home Playoff Game
Cause rest of East sucks worst the We do .
This only Reason we will make the playoffs
The Lack Vets with Experience is bad here.
WR DL OT QB Are Glaring Weakness in this Team.
Porter had Good Rookie Season but still is Question Mark
Glen had 1 good season and got hurt when Team needed him the most.

This Team will be better cause Other Teams in East are Worst the they are .

2

I think we can beat Edmonton and Saskatchewan for sure, Montreal we'll probably beat just once, the boatman we'll probably beat 3/4 times, the bombers I think we'll beat both times, BC isn't the team it used to be, and even when it was they still lost to Calgary in the west final, so I really don't see them as one of the top 3 teams. I think the top 3 are: 1.Calgary 2. Edmonton 3. Montreal
then the rest: 4. Hamilton 5. Saskatchewan 6. BC 7. Winnepeg 8. Toronto

3
WR DL OT QB Are Glaring Weakness in this Team.
Aren't those basically the most crucial positions in the whole game. And can't the same or less be said for some teams you expect us to be better than.
4

I wouldn’t get carried away just yet on wins or losses for the TCs. Last year, most of us thought we would have an improved season, but we still went 3 and 15.

Once again, it appears that we may improve, and I’m inclined to agree based on our seemingly improved coaching staff and playing personnel, some with another year’s experience.

I’m not about to make any predictions here. I did this in former years and noted later that I was just expounding on illusions of grandeur.

This year I can offer only wishful thinking and my “I’ll believe it when I see it” line.

5

AMEN to that. Let’s wait and see (and hopefully enjoy) what this season brings.

6

Agreed. I want to see the Ti-Cats have a major improvement as well, but you can’t ignore the fact that Montreal and Toronto have also made several solid improvements as well, and may have more inherently top pieces. Performance on the field will be huge factor, and we just don’t know how that will go yet.

And maybe Winnipeg will pull something out of (relatively) nothing.

7

Tom, I don't care if we make the playoffs because all the other teams forfeit the season. I just need to see this team in the playoffs. A home playoff game.

As with any organization, real success comes from structure. We haven't had a solid structure for many years and the record speaks for itself. A solid structure can support ups and downs, minor mistakes, the unexpected. That's how great organizations get that way. A well built ship can weather most any storm.

This team has had some bad luck along with bad planning. Maas was a bust who put us in the position of needing to sign Printers who was also a bust. Marshall, Taaffe, Paopao, and a host of other dubious coaches didn't help the situation. Lumsden was great when healthy, but alas that wasn't often and that messed up our non-import ratio. As we didn't have a solid structure in place these storms sank us to the bottom of the league.

Once a culture of losing enters an organization it takes great effort to correct it. Once a culture of excellence is established it is far easier to maintain it. It's a fundamental of business, sports, and physics.

Maybe we host a playoff game because the other teams stink in comparison. Maybe that one taste of success gets some momentum rolling and contributes to the establishment of a culture of success. At this point I don't care how we get there; I just need to see it happen.

8

I’m feeling good about a Toronto-Hamilton playoff game this year. Not sure, but good. And despite being an Argos fan, I’ll say it wouldn’t shock me if it was in the Hammer. It’s promising to be a street fight between those two teams this year, and I can’t say yet which one I think will be better.

9

it should go this way

WEST
Calgary
Edmonton
BC
Saskatchewan

East
Montreal
Hamilton
Saskatchewan Crossover
Winnipeg
Toronto.

10

I hope you’re right about the standings in the east, Tom.

11

so do I ..

12

I think the Black and Gold reports should only be genuine Tom Riddell reports. It’s much more entertaining when he writes an entry. The most important position is QB, the second offensive weapon is reciever. When you built a team, the lines are the most important. If these are glaring weaknesses, then I don’t like the Cats chances.

Every year we get bold predictions on this team, but end up with 3 wins. It’s a sign of the start of an exciting season, but lets not set everyone up for another major disapointment.

13

Now I’m confused, is BC “Top of the Heap” or “Middle of the Road”? Personally I would say middle of the road, but you never know with Wally.

14

With the small rosters (injuries) and constant influx of import players its impossible to tell what is going to happen in the CFL. Ticats or Argos have as much chance as any other team to win the GC.

I would not write off any team at this time of year.

Argos: Have revamped their Oline but lost most of their offensive weapons, Joseph is make or break this year. Also defense needs to be overhauled and with a HC and DC with zero experience and O'neil addition the learning curve in Toronto is very steep. Rita and Mohns better have been using their expense account to travel during the off season. Kicking, QB, RB,DL,S, R and coaching are all question marks.

Ticats: Returning coaching staff and the addition of Gauthier and a healthy Marcoux should provide a "pro" calibre Oline. Quarterback position seems to be at least "stable". If the Ticats can get a pass rush going and their DB's and receivers make the next step up they should be competitive. MLB,DE,S,R are question marks.

Als: Lost their receiver , Oline and linebacker coach and have yet to confirmed to rest of their staff, there could be more changes especialy on defense. Cobourne is rumored to be coming off the operating table both Cobourne and Imoh haven't shown they can play a full season, Oline depth has taken a hit but all starters returning. Question marks at MLB, DL, RB. Als have added many quality imports on defense in Samuels, Guzman, Abbate, Adams, Hall, Haywood.

Bombers: New GM/HC,DC,HS, Bombers have gutted their entire team with the exception of their RB and Receiver core. They have question marks just about everywhere in their lineup with the exception of the RB,R,LB and well Doug Brown. Their entire QB roster has less then 10 starts and maybe 2 wins ! Kicking is the worst in the league and they have yet to find even an import kicker. No draft picks till the third round.

Looks like Montreal is in a class of its own with the Ticats and Argos possibly being competitive to even surprising and the Bombers in total chaos. Having said that a combination of injuries to Calvillo and step up from Porter or Joseph and a competitive Bomber squad at home and everything is up for grabs. Hopefuly we have 3 eastern teams make it to the show.

15

The product of the East being so bad last year is MTL being over-rated. Padded wins and stats against three teams is dissarray and sub.500 vs.West. Pinning hopes and crossing fingers on rapidly aging veterans

Exposed and got taken to school in the Grey Cup yet maintain the image of a great team when they're really just a good team.

West will be as hard as ever so for MTL to keep this over-rated status the rest of the East will have to keep on being weak . Those days may very well be over.

16

I see this team as an 8-10 win team but it could easily turn into a 3-5 win season.

We just have to wait and see!

17

I heard the same thing last year.

18

Only last year? :slight_smile:

19

BS: Montreal played .500 or better against every team in the CFL with the exception of the Grey Cup Champions Stampeders. They were clearly the second best team in the CFL last year. The lack of competition in the east division is actualy a bad thing for the Als record as they’d locked up their division in July. I look forward to a much more competition from the three ugly step sisters this year :slight_smile: Sucks to see the Als sit some of their starters.

20

I'd say MTL were third best team in the league overall behind Cal and BC thanks in large part to SSK and EDM slipping .