2008 CFL Season Thread

[NorthStar74]

OH BTW I have been on the other fence from a bison.. and let me tell ya, that bison is huge.... a mature one would be maybe close to 6 feet in height.... and there aint any way I gonna go near a bison if there is a stampede going on!!!! I know of a friend who is raising bisons on his farm... seen them in the field while driving by... so they are beautiful but dangerous if near one....

[Wheelhouse]

The flag is clearly referencing Manitoba's nickname, "Britain's Goat in the West."

[NorthStar74]

AND Lamicus, do tell us how in the blue heck am I hurting your brain?!?! Weird......unless my explanation has messed up your brain to the point that it cant process what was said eh? That I wonder....hmmmm

[BCBoy]

You tell 'em, NorthStar74!

[NorthStar74]

HHAH thanks, BCBoy.....

Also ya wouldnt dare try to get a bison to ram ya (rare but might happen if provoked somehow) and your car ot truck would be damaged.. one time I was driving along the highway with my folks on the way to a birthday party, we stopped by the road where my dad's friend was raising the bisons and the friend was having trouble herding the bison..dad told me to use the truck as a way to herd the bison toward the gate that was open for the bison to go thru.. . we had some fun moving the bison but very dangerous... ohhh...one bison got too damn close to the truck and I said oh :censored:!!! now ya know why ya dont wanna be standing beside a bison or trying to herd one on foot!!!!

[JustForFun]

Wow, this thread is the ... hmm.

Well, it's not the most awesome. It's certainly not the lamest. But it's sure something, all right.

[NorthStar74]

Anyways.. back to the CFL subject... I do hope the Bombers will do well and get to 1st place in the East and get the bye to the East Final... hehe that would be great....

[Lee.]

HHAH thanks, BCBoy.....

Also ya wouldnt dare try to get a bison to ram ya (rare but might happen if provoked somehow) and your car ot truck would be damaged.. one time I was driving along the highway with my folks on the way to a birthday party, we stopped by the road where my dad's friend was raising the bisons and the friend was having trouble herding the bison..dad told me to use the truck as a way to herd the bison toward the gate that was open for the bison to go thru.. . we had some fun moving the bison but very dangerous... ohhh...one bison got too damn close to the truck and I said oh :censored:!!! now ya know why ya dont wanna be standing beside a bison or trying to herd one on foot!!!!

Yeah, but there's nothing on the internet referred to as a bisonse. Goatse, yes. Bisonse, never.

[Phil]

Let me try to sum it up:

EAST

Hamilton

The Skinny: The Ticats have third new coach in how many seasons? The core trio of Casey Printers, Jesse Lumsden, and Zeke Moreno is a good start, and Dylan Barker might be the next Rob Hitchcock, but this team is still at least 2 years away. Hamilton's big hope might be the futility at the bottom of the West: Edmonton and Saskatchewan both look vulnerable, so come the last 5-6 games of the season, we might be talking about a possible crossover situation.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Kicker: They don't often get much attention in training camp, especially in Hamilton where a few months ago, Nick Setta appeared pretty comfortable. But Ara Tchobanian just so happens to be one of the more exciting kicking prospects to emerge from CIS football in the last few years, and Setta's got that nationality thing working against him...

Burning Questions: Can Lumsden return to form after injury? Will Printers be able to stay focused if the losses hit double-digits? How much will we see the latest #1 overall pick?

Montreal

The Skinny: Are they playing Calvillo or Brady? Calvillo looked strangely human last year, probably his worst year since he got to Montreal (on and off the field). He's got game left, but a few losses, and we'll probably see Marcus Brady out there. Front office concerns with Jim Popp and his ego versus whoever they've got coaching (especially if that's Jim Popp himself)... and dissatisfaction might mount with the recent loss of a first round pick due to salary cap violations.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Tailback: Jarret Payton, Mike Imoh, Dahrran Diedrick, and even little Avon Cobourne got snaps at tailback last year. Diedrick's a Canuck who might slip to fullback, but then you're taking time away from Mike Vilimek? And what to do with another Canadian, Kerry Carter, with NFL pedigree?

Burning Questions: Who's really in control of this team? Can the Als' offensive line return to form and give Calvillo a chance? With the Grey Cup in their backyard, will the pressure to perform this year raise or raze the team?

Toronto

The Skinny: Made the biggest splash in the offseason signing 2007 MOP Kerry Joseph to play QB and take over for similarly-styled and last year's breakout star Michael Bishop. Rich Stubler takes over as Head Coach for Pinball, and at some point the dollar figures are going to have to shake-down - you can't pay 3 veteran CFL QBs for a whole season and field a competitive team.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Toss-up between the guys behind Kerry Joseph, on the field and on the depth chart. Tailback should be fun, because Jeff Johnson, Tyler Ebell and Dominique Dorsey all having strong cases for serious playing time, and Kojo Aidoo, Andre Durie and Da'Shawn Thomas also in the mix. And the backup QB job may not be a hotly contested job because the one who's going to get it doesn't want it... so Michael Bishop, Damon Allen, and unknown quantities in Reggie McNeal and Cody Pickett will be attracting a lot of eyeballs.

Burning Questions: We know Stubler's an defensive genius, but with Pinball distancing himself from the on-field product, will we see a difference? How will Bishop respond to backup duties? Does Kerry Joseph have enough weapons to be successful?

Winnipeg

The Skinny: Surprised everybody in town by re-signing "the big 3" (OL Dan Goodspeed, OL Matt Sheridan, DL Tom Canada), extending the contract of QB Kevin Glenn and luring the G.O.A.T. (no bias ) back from the brink of retirement. Expect some training camp shakeup to get under the cap (CB Juran Bolden may be a cap casualty), but by and large this is the same team many believe was a botched snap in the semis away from hoisting the cup.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: The Bombers learned the value of an experienced backup in the Grey Cup; now they appear set to have as many as four inexperienced arms competing for the job at camp. Ryan Dinwiddie, who made his much-heralded first start in the Grey Cup, didn't impress but didn't embarrass himself either. College stars Zac Taylor and Bryan Randall may well be in the mix, and coaches are said to be very excited about one Cleve McCoy. With most other top-tier CFL teams boasting a pair of qualified QBs, Winnipeg hopes to find one among this crop.

Burning Questions: Coming off the non-throwing arm injury, will we see the Kevin Glenn of 2007's first half or second half? Milt Stegall appears ageless, but is Charles Roberts too? Will all-star centre Obby Khan return after losing his large intestine to colitis? The D-Line may be the best in the land, but what of a secondary that had a league-low 10 INTs last season?

WEST

BC

The Skinny: The Lions have parted company with Dave Dickenson, which only partially puts their QB controversy to bed... Jarious Jackson and Buck Pierce have both probably earned the right to start for that team. The defence appears to be untouchable, continually finding new pieces to replace, even upgrade, departed parts. Can anyone stop the tandem of Cameron Wake and Brent Johnson? Wally's boys look poised to compete for the Cup again.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Starting QB: On a team with almost no weaknesses, it will indeed be the Starting QB job that attracts the most interest. Don't know if Wally's already stated who he plans to go with, but expect him to try and put this to bed early... but what if Buck hits a rough patch?

Burning Questions: How well can Jackson and Pierce handle the pressure, now that one will find himself "The Man"? How many games will OL Rob Murphy be suspended for this year? How long can The Chinless Wonder (Paul McCallum) keep handling all kicking and punting duties?

Calgary

The Skinny: There's a new coach and renewed hope in John Hufnagel, who takes over for Tom Higgins. The offensive core of the team is intact: awesome-when-he's-hot QB Henry Burris will still be handing off to RB Joffrey Reynolds and throwing to great-when-they're-interested receivers Nik Lewis and Jeremaine Copeland. The addition of Dave Dickenson (master of the mental game) should help Henry Burris (not known for being brain-cramp free). But the defence is the major area of concern: the once-feared 3-4 defence is 3-4 years in the rear-view mirror, and gone are LB Scott Coe, Brian Clark... the young, dynamic secondary trio of Bannister, Browner, and Ruffin will have to bear a heavy load.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Linebacker: This unit struggled a lot last season. In comes JoJuan Armour, but will he alone bring stability to this unit? The defensive line isn't going to strike fear into the hearts of too many opponents, so the linebackers will have to be solid. Expect lots of bodies in camp and lots of competition.

Burning Questions: Can the offence score enough points to give the defence a chance? Is Coach Hufnagel - an offensive guy - the guy to fix that defence? Having just returned to the CFL after a 10+ year absence, can he handle being Head Coach and General Manager?

Edmonton

The Skinny: The key pieces may still resemble the team that knocked off Montreal for the Cup in 2005, but the feel is very different. Danny Maciocia's tenure as head coach cannot afford another losing season. Ricky Ray, possibly the best QB in the league, has not had much help from an oft-porous O-line and difficulties finding a consistent tailback. Canuck WR Kamau Peterson somehow found a new pair of hands and had a break-out season, but they'll need that all over again and another huge effort from the amazing Jason Tucker if the offence is to score many points. A very unproven defence is another worry... flying in Fred Perry and Jordan Younger might help, but the difference might be whether promising Canadians Adam Braidwood and Agustin Barrenechea find their game.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Offensive Line: Apart from old stalwart Dan Comiskey, is there anybody on the O-Line who you could confidently say will be starting at the end of training camp, never mind the end of, say, week 6? This is a crew that has to step it up... Ray can shred defences, but he can't do it while lying on his back.

Burning Questions: How much leash does Mr. Macciocia have? Is it possible that of all the QB duos in the league, Ray and Maas could become the best once again?

Saskatchewan

The Skinny: I'll try to be objective here, but it's tough; unlike the few 'Rider fans I work with, I don't see much hope for the Green and White to repeat as Champs. They've lost their Head Coach in Kent Austin, their MOP and offensive heart-and-soul in Kerry Joseph, arguably their two best defensive players in Reggie Hunt and Fred Perry, and Corey Holmes, the one-time MOP candidate that just can't seem to find a spot to suit his considerable skills. Sure, possible (if not probable) all-stars DE John Chick, OL Gene Makowsky, and WR Matt Dominguez and Andy Fantuz are back, but there's a lot more - a lot more - questions than answers at this point.

Training Camp Battle to Watch: Defensive Line: I'm not saying this part of the team will be bad... it may even be a strength for the Green Riders. But unless this unit becomes superlatively good, coordinators everywhere are going to be gameplanning around John Chick and Scott Schultz and looking to victimize a defensive crew bereft of two of their key veteran leaders from last year. Luc Mullinder, Marcus Adams, Kyle Mitchell and Brent Curvey were all part of last year's Championship squad, but will be pushed by the likes of Ronald Flemons, DeVon Hicks, Barron Pullum and whomever else GM Eric Tillman brings into camp.

Burning Questions: Can Marcus Crandell begin to replicate Joseph-like success? How will this year's first-time pro head coach Ken Miller do in comparison with last year's first-time pro head coach? How long until the Grey Cup halo effect wears off? Right now it looks like Toronto fleeced the Riders in the Joseph trade - will we still be singing the same tune come November?

STANDINGS PREDICTIONS

East

Winnipeg (13-5)

Toronto (11-7)

Montreal (8-10)

Hamilton (5-13)

West

BC (13-5)

Calgary (8-10)

Edmonton (6-12)

Saskatchewan (6-12)

GREY CUP

Winnipeg over BC (at least, I hope so - Get Milt a Ring!)

Your thoughts?

[Magnus]

For any people who can't get CFL games where they live.

Go to TSN.ca/CFL. They stream every game they broadcast live on the internet. It's awesome, especially when games are blacked out.

Being a Lions fan and an optimist, I'll take the Lions.

And the Argos coming out of the East.

Welcome to the conversation, brother.

[NorthStar74]

I do hope Hamilton can improve and get into the playoffs if not this year but next year and be a good force... how Printers do as QB there will be something...

Montreal.. blah who care about the bum-Als?? Actually I have had enough of Montreal for a while....

Toronto.. I dont give a damn about the quacko Argos... blah...... they are dorks.. period...

Winnipeg... I seriously hope it is the year the Bombers go back to the Grey Cup Game and win the Grey Cup to send Milt Stegall off to retirement finally with a ring on his finger!!! GO BOMBERS GO!!!

BC - I have to wonder if the Lions can do something about the QB position and make it good enough for the rest of the team to go on a roll again like last year only to come up empty???

Calgary - Do the Stamps have it to try again and is Dickerson gonna help as backup QB?? I am worried... oh well..

Edmonton - how would the Eskimos get to the playoffs?? Might be interesting to see Edm battle Calgary and Saskatchewan for that berth...

Saskatchewan - why in the blue (make that green) hell would the Roughriders trade their best QB to that Argos!!??! oh man what a bad move somehow... I was thinking with Joseph there for Saskatchewan to go back and repeat if so, but that has gone out the window now.... oh boy....

Grey Cup Champs - Winnipeg Blue Bombers!!!

[GeorgesL]

I think the Pronghorns are the team to beat this year in the Frontier Conference. Winnipeg will give them a rough time, but I like Calgary. Meanwhile, Ottawa, Niagara, and those brand new Atlantic Tides should battle it out for the Dominion crown.

...oh wait... you meant the REAL CFL? Guh...

...um... Als and Bombers.

So, Montreal with the crossover?

Who cares how the Als get in, as long as they get in, ... and win it all! They're hosting it, for God's sake. I'll take it either way.

[Lee.]

I think the Pronghorns are the team to beat this year in the Frontier Conference. Winnipeg will give them a rough time, but I like Calgary. Meanwhile, Ottawa, Niagara, and those brand new Atlantic Tides should battle it out for the Dominion crown.

...oh wait... you meant the REAL CFL? Guh...

...um... Als and Bombers.

So, Montreal with the crossover?

Who cares how the Als get in, as long as they get in, ... and win it all! They're hosting it, for God's sake. I'll take it either way.

With a fading Calvillo, a shaky Brady, and Jim Popp, I can't see the Als finishing higher than 3rd. Luckily the Ti-Cats are still the Ti-Cats, otherwise this could be an ugly year for Montreal.

West:

Lions

Stampeders

Eskimos

Riders (no QB certainty = worse than Maciocia)

East:

Bombers

Argos

Alouettes

Liger-Cats

[Ez Street]

Winnipeg will take the Grey Cup this season.

Milt will get his ring, finally.

[Korbyn]

Was at the Bombers game last night and YIKES! I am so scared the way the team is playing right now. The way the last two games have gone there is no reason to think that they may even miss the playoffs!

They regroup completley and put Dinwoddie in! they put him in the second half and the crowd went nuts! They love this guy and not Glenn who is best known to some Bomber fans as being the Riders backup QB.

[Viper]

For any people who can't get CFL games where they live.

Go to TSN.ca/CFL. They stream every game they broadcast live on the internet. It's awesome, especially when games are blacked out.

Thank you! The CFL is one of those leagues I'd follow if I could only watch their games. Now I guess I can.

BTW, I've created a CFL sig set (follow the link below)...

[NEW.ERA]

Well after last nights a$$kicking I wouldn't be surprised if we see Dinwiddie start next week

[Joshawaggie]

Wow, a channel in Bakersfield (i'm using an antenna) is showing TSN. I'm watching Sask and Hamilton, get to see my boy Weston Dressler play for the Riders.

[Korbyn]

Well after last nights a$$kicking I wouldn't be surprised if we see Dinwiddie start next week

I really hope so, I lost my voice yelling for him to play.

[NEW.ERA]

Well after last nights a$$kicking I wouldn't be surprised if we see Dinwiddie start next week

I really hope so, I lost my voice yelling for him to play.

I can't really pin all the blame on Glenn but the Secondary is also to blame and we also don't know how Stegall can effect the team when he comes back

but not to sure if he'll be back this week.