Grey Cup, Game Day Thread

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The_Pauser
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PigSkin_53 wrote:
PigSkin_53 wrote:Please one of you sugar coated Leo fans explain to me why Reilly was such a write off, we could afford to trade him in the youth of his years for what???

Who were the anointed ones Pasquale decided were the acceptable, to cast of the MVP of the 2015 Grey Cup Champions :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp: :tp:
Where are you Wally, you swine, are you watching this you hound from hell?
You're right. It's Wally's fault he didn't have the ability to predict the future. Instead Wally should have dumped the reigning MOP who had just led us to a Grey Cup, so that we could keep the backup QB who wanted to become a starter.

LOL some people.
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TheLionKing
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Hindsight is always 20/20. I'm a hard core Lion fan as others are on this forum but I think wally's decision with regards to Mike Reilly was the correct one at the time.
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sj-roc
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The_Pauser wrote:
sj-roc wrote: Being down 6, if it fails at their own 45 Edm doesn't even need a first down to get into FG range to make it potentially a two-score game. Pretty sure that plus everything else I mentioned weighed into the decision to kick it away. It was almost 2-1/2mins left when the drive stalled, an eternity in this game.
Okay so punt the ball. Then what? Edmonton, as they have done all second half, moves the ball, kills the 2 minutes, and it's game over. Hey, great success right?

No, you're wrong on this. You have the ball in your hands with under 2 minutes left. You're down by 6, you need the TD, you need to make something happen NOW. Rick Campbell gave away the Grey Cup with that stupid decision.

There was under 2 minutes left when he punted the ball.
Never said I necessarily agreed with the decision, just laying out what the thinking was. Edm punted on 4 of 5 2nd half drives before their GWTD, the other was a MFG off the post on the drive where they had their best FP of the half.

BTW, I recall a BC game against Tor in 1995 (first time Kent Austin faced us after leaving). We were down 5 and driving after the 3MW, got close enough to kick a FG. Got a 2 & out, drove for another FG and won 35-34. So, not like it was impossible for Ott to win after booting it away. It's a gamble either way; 2nd guessing after the fact is pointless.

If they gambled there and converted and went on to score the major + convert FTW, there would be just as many pundits pinning it on Edm for allowing them to convert 3rd & long as crediting RC for being a supposed coaching genius.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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PigSkin_53
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TheLionKing wrote:Hindsight is always 20/20. I'm a hard core Lion fan as others are on this forum but I think wally's decision with regards to Mike Reilly was the correct one at the time.
Bull *poop*...calling you out of this one...and you know it in your heart TLK!
"Just Win Baby" ~ Al Davis
zeppo
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PigSkin_53 wrote:
PigSkin_53 wrote:

Where are you Wally, you swine, are you watching this you hound from hell?
For Christ's sake dude, get a grip. You need a good long break from watching professional sports.
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sj-roc
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TheLionKing wrote:Hindsight is always 20/20. I'm a hard core Lion fan as others are on this forum but I think wally's decision with regards to Mike Reilly was the correct one at the time.
Worth mentioning that Reilly has had his share of injuries in Edm. Also he wasn't the anointed starter when he arrived there but benefitted from the incumbent Nichols being injured (in TC IIRC) and was handed the job simply on the basis of being the most experienced QB left standing.

Haven't we been over all this already?

To put it another way, I don't know what the statuses are right now after this 2015 season for the contracts of Reilly and his backup James Franklin — who had some success in 2015 after he replaced an ineffective Matt Nichols (who was subsequently deemed expendable and shipped to Wpg) while Reilly was still injured. But let's suppose they're both up right now and they both want to be a starter somewhere in 2016. Do you keep Franklin, who has shown some flashes but hasn't yet really led his own team at the pro level, or do you keep the guy who just won you a Grey Cup — in spite of his injury history?
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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CardiacKid
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How much longer can Reilly keep winning the toughest player of the year award until it catches up with him? He surely can't ignore how much Lulay's unwillingness to avoid the tough traffic took his career of its trajectory.
I am surprised Ottawa didn't apply more pressure consistently through the game; Reilly and his chicken legs took some hard hits.
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PigSkin_53
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zeppo wrote:
PigSkin_53 wrote:
PigSkin_53 wrote:

Where are you Wally, you swine, are you watching this you hound from hell?
year
For Christ's sake dude, get a grip. You need a good long break from watching professional sports.
No you are the one to kneed to get a grip...I have had a goodly break from watching professional sports, and it is you the sports fan that creates your own problems and failures, for you seek mediocrity and are happy to attain just this, and this will be your only cup of defeat, because you know not how to overcome your own failure
"Just Win Baby" ~ Al Davis
TheLionKing
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PigSkin_53 wrote:
TheLionKing wrote:Hindsight is always 20/20. I'm a hard core Lion fan as others are on this forum but I think wally's decision with regards to Mike Reilly was the correct one at the time.
Bull *poop*...calling you out of this one...and you know it in your heart TLK!
Sorry, I stand by my post. We agree to disagree
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PigSkin_53
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You get a grip sir... it is your team you see swirling around in toilet being flushed down to the the sewer of this league

Now it is you who must provide me with the evidence of the Phoenix of the lions, otherwise step aside, and taste the ashes of another failed seasons, with your vaunted "winning coach of CFL history???
"Just Win Baby" ~ Al Davis
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The_Pauser
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PigSkin_53 wrote:You get a grip sir... it is your team you see swirling around in toilet being flushed down to the the sewer of this league

Now it is you who must provide me with the evidence of the Phoenix of the lions, otherwise step aside, and taste the ashes of another failed seasons, with your vaunted "winning coach of CFL history???
I noticed you haven't bothered responding to my posts in here. I suppose it's tough to argue when confronted by facts.
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WestCoastJoe
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Very enjoyable game. Both teams very well coached. Good pass protection and schemes. Good game plans. Reilly is a terrific runner at key times. No fear in his game. Very good defences.

Eskies might come back to earth if Jones leaves. Otherwise they look like the Bosses of the West.

RBs look good going forward too. But how long can Burris play? Looks OK for next year.

Here in B.C. we are left hanging on news and developments. Not all that promising. Wally Redux? Tedford Year Two? Our systems seemed outdated, outgunned and outclassed. Talent seems OK, not great. Although I think if Chris Jones was coaching our group we would be contenders. Yes we have Jennings, Biggie and Solo.
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CardiacKid
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WestCoastJoe wrote: Eskies might come back to earth if Jones leaves. Otherwise they look like the Bosses of the West.
I think you can leave out the "might" and replace it with "will"...Chris Jones' personality can be described as a "force" and it propelled the Esks to this title. If he goes to the Riders, I think next year everything will be up in the air for the West. And if Winnipeg can get LaPolice as their OC, that just makes next year even more murky.
Blitz
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It was a close Grey Cup game with the best team from the West and the East and the two best quarterbacks of this season at the helm.

A few thoughts.

Ottawa looked so good at the start because they threw the football quickly. Jason Maas and Henry Burris seemed to have the Edmonton defense figured out.

But as the game wore on, Ottawa went away from what had made their offence so successful early. Burris started hanging onto the football rather than getting it out of his hands quickly. That was a recipe for a lack of success, with Edmonton's defense renouned for its pressure and ability to blitz.

Why that happened is hard to understand. I don't know if it was Burris or the types of routes the receivers were running or the play calls but Burris hung onto the football at least a full second or more on most passing plays in the second half and took a couple of sacks that should have been avoided.

It was a tough call as to gamble on third and one or attempt to pin Edmonton deep. I would have gone for the gamble but it was easy to understand Campbell's reasoning to try to pin Edmonton deep but the punt went for a single instead.

Ottawa had their opportunity to win the game but took a sack on second down and had to punt. There was still time to score if they could have held Edmonton for a two and out. But Edmonton ran out the clock. Ottawa, knowing that Edmonton would likely run the football or that Reilly would keep it, should have gone man and stacked the box but didn't. Edmonton ran out the clock and the Cinderella story for Ottawa ended.

Even though they lost, I hope Solar Max enjoyed the Grey Cup experience. CFL football in Ottawa was an exciting one in their second season as the RedBlacks and their story gave us an intriguing Grey Cup. Chris Jones also brought Edmonton football back in a big way again. You could see the Don Matthews influence in his defensive philosophy.

It should be an intriguing off-season for our Leos. These two franchises showed the way to success..smart drafting and trades and free agent pickups plus very solid coaching and offensive and defensive philosophies.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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B.C.FAN
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The Eskimos simply smothered Ottawa's league-leading passing attack to death. After the Redblacks scored two quick touchdowns against primarily man coverage, the Eskimos played a lot more zone, taking away deep and intermediate routes and forcing Burris to check down to running back William Powell, who led all Ottawa receivers with 7 catches for 57 yards. None of the Redblacks' quartet of 1,000-yard receivers was able to stretch the secondary. Powell's 24-yard catch and run in the second quarter was the longest of the day for the Redblacks. Burris threw for 150 yards in the first half but just 70 in the second half, mostly checkdowns to Powell on second and long.

Don Landry of cfl.ca has a good analysis of how the he Eskimos did it.
The Eskimos, according to CFL.ca Grey Cup Insider Rob Bagg, played a heavy dose of man-to man coverage on those first two Ottawa touches and then went primarily with zone schemes after that. "They played a lot of zone, dropping nine," agreed receiver Chris Williams, who was held to two catches and 35 yards, but might have had more, including a touchdown, had Burris not under thrown him in the first quarter, gifting Watkins with an easy pick.
A switch from man coverage to more complicated zone schemes, however, was one of the keys to the Eskimos' Grey Cup triumph, and a reason why the Ottawa offence went from gusher to trickle.
Early adjustment helped Esks shut down REDBLACKS

The TSN panel discussed how Chris Jones' defence has evolved over the years. In the early hears, he was a strict adherent to press man coverage, blitzing heavily and living and dying with the cover skills of dominant DBs such as Brandon Browner in Calgary. Now he plays much more zone, often rushing just 3 or 4 players and dropping 8 or 9 into coverage, lining them up at the first-down marker. A lot of teams play the same way. The Eskimos just do it better than most.
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