Why does everyone think the Alouettes will fail!?

CFL Talk
21

Here is what I am basing myself on
answer to 1

1- Emails from a multi award winning current starter. Telling me He's a great coach.

2- Talent of that team. As deep as any team in the league at many positions.

3- Level of rookie import talent and experienced brought in to camp this year.

4- Win/loss record of Trestman,Martino,Elizondo,Sinclair (Track record of winning). These guys have won at every level with few exceptions.

5- Trestman's ability to convince guys like Watkins to want to stick around.

6- Comments by Ben Cahoon.

7- Treatment of veterans.

There is simply nothing there that suggests that the Als will self-destroy... If the Als finish last in the East it will be because the other 3 teams have all had phenomenal years. But when I hear that they will finish last with 5 some even suggest 3 wins, some even claim a crossover.

I personally think the division will be a war and the team that has the most injuries at key positions or does not take advantage of its home games will finish last.

2- Trestman isn't soft. all kinds of comments coming out of camp about this being the toughest camp they've been at (Warrick, Proux).

Time management and organisation of camp is on another level. You won't see anyone sitting on a helmet or waiting for instructions at this year's Al camp. Every minute is planned and used. (Miguel Bujold LaPresse.

3-Past success is an indication that an organisation knows how to win and is prepared to do what it takes and commit ressources to winning. If anything it should provide for the benefit of the doubt not the other way around.

4- I know there will be a learning curve but it won't be anywhere near as steep and costly as some are predicting for the following reasons.

a)Trestman is a career coach at a high level. Same as Taafe and Levy and Hufnagel. His base is very sound.

b) He is inheriting very experienced players in Calvillo, Cahoon, Flory, Chiu, Watkins... Most experiments with rookie coach have failed because by the time the team had been turned to them the team's fabric had already been destroyed (Ottawa). Ownership had no understanding of the CFL (US expansion), Joe Galat's montreal team....

I expect this team to be competitive, not saying its a championship team and will walk over opponents Like RO says predicting a total melt-down with little or nothing to back it up other then the coach is new is really reaching.

22

Some of you are missing the whole point of preseason play. It's to evaluate players. I know that Berry and Taafe agreed before the game that it would be vanilla everything on offence and defence. Despite the low score, both teams put up over 300 yards of offense, mostly with rookies. I'm sure that the other coaches around the league would have agreed to something similar.

23

They did...allegedly, though, Buono broke the "gentleman's agreement" and sent players on the blitz after Crandell...after that, all bets were off, and Pierce paid the price with a hit I could practically hear through the radio...

24

No question it's all Vanilla. Hell Toronto travelled with 70 players. All I'm saying his that players executing. (like Santos going 14/16) show that coaching isn't going badly.

If players hit the field and are taking all kinds of penalties cause they don't know the rules, 13 or 14 guys run out on the field. Time counts...things like that then it puts in to question coaching issues. There was none of that from Trestman's team. Only thing that was bad was the cover teams and that can be explained when you've got a bunch of rookies 10 days in to camp.

25

...with Popp gone from the coaching ranks in Mont. they can't help but get better...Some vets. are getting a little long in the tooth...that'll hurt...BUT IF ..Trestman can catch on to the Canadian game quickly , that could determine alot. They still have many quality players and i wouldn't count them out of a play-off spot....and as everyone knows in this league...anything can happen in the CFL at that time... :wink:

26

If paopao the bad so many say, then he maybe is the reason to expect not much of the als, but, if paopao been getting a bad rap, then, lookout.

27

I hardly thing anyone has formed their opinion of the Als because of a consultant...and if they did, well....

28

but but, isnt every thing that goes wrong for any team, that paopao has anything to do with automatically Joes fault :twisted:

29

Just so you know, his title is consultant to football operations......
So basically it works like this.
HEY JOE!
Where ya want this bag of footballs?

Put em over there!

30

well of course, with the present rap on joe, the fans would revolt if they knew the truth.

Just wait, if montreal wins the cup, then they will admit how big a roll joe really had. just wait and see :twisted:

31
:roll:
32
:lol:

and happy fathers day to you :cowboy:

33

People can say whatever they want. Especially "Montreal is no Calgary, Toronto and Winnipeg" None of those teams have proven anything this season, or last season.

Say what you want about Trestman, but like Coach Levy said, the Canadian game is different, and the sport is different that 30 years ago when he coached, but the basics remain the same. You still block, pass, rush, tackle, punt, etc.

Trestman said his first exhibition game, the players learned a lot and made mistakes, and so did he and he acknowledged his mistakes and learned from them.

Why do people count out the Als? I don't know, and don't care, because every year is the same. I think they're gonna be better than a 8-10 team.

I'm keeping track of people who think Calvillo is washed up. I think it's about 98% of people I hear talking about the Als. I'm one of the 2% who won't be surprised if he's in the top 3 passing again.

34

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't know, just something tells me MTL is in for a tough couple years (I still don't think past success is an indication of future success. If that were the case, no team would suffer through down years).

Hope I'm wrong though, cuz I've always had the upmost respect for the Als franchise. Heck, of all the Eastern teams who have beat up on Hamilton the past few years, I've always enjoyed getting slaughtered by MTL the most. And it was always nice to see them beat Toronto in the playoffs.

Good luck to them.

35

In early betting at sportbooks, excess public money seem to be on Montreal over 6 wins. In gambling, public tends to be right almost 50% of the time. Other popular bets are Hamilton under 7 wins and Winnipeg under 12 wins.

Montreal might be underrated after being one of the most injured teams in 2007.

36

A lot of people who are writing the Als off, are basing their opinion's on last season.

Last season the Als had clicks in the locker room, it wasn't ONE team. The players thought Popp was a joke and didn't care for him, and he didn't care for the players. The Offensive scheme was horrible. They had injuries.

This season, Montreal got veteran players who will help this team a lot. The players respect Coach Trestman, and Trestman respects the players. The Offensive scheme scored 34 points with 2nd and 3rd units, on a Defense-Oriented Toronto team.

Theres differences between this year and last year.

Other says Winnipeg is so strong, this year and last year. If we all can be honest with ourselves, they weren't that good. The Als finished 8-10, and we're horrible, and Winnipeg finished 10-8, and were amazing, I still don't get it.

Other say, Rookie Head Coach. Last time I checked, Montreal isn't the only team with a rookie head coach, yet, the others are predicted to finish high, and 1 is even predicted to win the cup. :roll:

Then theres the argument, that he's new to the CFL, new rules and won't adapt. It could be an issue, but I think in the off season he studied the Canadian game, as he didn't want to fail as a Head Coach. Also, Coach Levy told him that American and Canadian football have some differences, and so does the sport is somewhat different than 30 years ago when he coached, but the basics remain the same. You Block, Rush, Pass, Tackle, Cover, Punt, Kick, etc.

Apparently, Calvillo is on his way out. I agree he is getting older and isn't what he was, but he's got amazing receivers, and a supporting coach, who is known for making QBs. If the guys can block and give A.C a bit more time, he will be back to where he was 3 seasons ago. Calvillo's scrambling was always Underrated, and apparently it still is. Calvillo was always behind Dickenson, Allen, McManus, Ray as far as league's best QBs were concerned, but still managed to be #1 in passing yards and touchdown throws.

Just opinions of course.

37

Basically I'm with you Ryooon; I am reasonably optimistic about this season.

Great receiving corps, we're going to have to release some pretty good players; better QB depth than we've seen in Montreal in ages; better team spirit; no Popp playing HC and no MB running a boring and predictable offence.

Question marks are the O line (gave up way too many sacks last year), the D line (2nd worst in the CFL in getting sacks), MLB, and safety; but overall, I think we should do fairly well this season.

38

Whuh? All our coaches have pro football experience. They lack CFL experience, true, but Trestman has coached in the NFL, Milanovitch has one year of CFL xp as quarterbacks coach, and Burke/Creehan came from Calgary. No lack of pro coaching experience there.

39

I just would like to point out BAHM!!!! half way through and they arn't worse then the Ti-Cats!

40

Yeah, where are all those naysayers now? In hiding because Trestman has my Als at 7-3 and with a virtual stranglehold on the East Division title.