Lions vs. Calgary

[Belize City Lion]

Regarding the lack of a TV broadcast for pre-season games: Realistically, how many people would have tuned in to watch that game last night. Sure, all of us on this board... but who else? It still costs money to produce a live show and TSN would be hurting their own brand if they did an el-cheapo version of their broadcast. So who pays for the production? The league? The teams? TSN? Maybe if TSN wanted to strong-arm their sponsors into bucking up for commercial time in a poorly viewed exhibition match, but that is a bad business strategy in the long run.

No, the best possible solution is for the teams themselves to take on the role of broadcasters for non-televised games. Every team has their own in-house video unit. Combine the in-house video with local radio and stream the game on the internet (website, twitter, periscope, Facebook, etc.). Easy-peasy. Those of us who want to see an exhibition game can watch on-line. I think Edmonton did exactly this a few years ago. Not sure why it was never done again.

[TheLionKing]

Lowell Ulrich was a good addition to the broadcast team. Hope he stays for the entire season.

[CardiacKid]

Lowell Ulrich was a good addition to the broadcast team. Hope he stays for the entire season.

Ullrich was not complimentary of the offensive line....

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040- ... r-1.772435

[B.C.FAN]

No, the best possible solution is for the teams themselves to take on the role of broadcasters for non-televised games. Every team has their own in-house video unit. Combine the in-house video with local radio and stream the game on the internet (website, twitter, periscope, Facebook, etc.). Easy-peasy. Those of us who want to see an exhibition game can watch on-line. I think Edmonton did exactly this a few years ago. Not sure why it was never done again.

If TSN doesn't want to exercise their exclusive broadcast rights, then by all means turn preseason games over to the teams or a third party to do a PPV broadcast using in-house feeds. They don't need a full remote broadcast crew and studio hosts. It's cheap to stream live programming online, especially if there already is an in-house feed. The Whitecaps do it with their on-televised games, high school, university and community sports teams do it too. Right now, we get what TSN gives us, which is a handful of preseason games, with some teams excluded altogether.

[Hambone]

Not sure if the link wil work but this is a decent read into some of the pros and cons.

http://3downnation.com/2017/06/07/stop- ... Josh+Smith+)

[DanoT]

I was at the game so here are some random comments:

The best QB on the field was Andrew Buckly (Bo did not play)

Jennings had a few passes dropped and over threw some.

Price was meh and took too long holding the ball while waiting for WRs to get open. Most of his throws seemed to be to an underneath release guy.

Price did have a nice drive to end the half, aided by 3 catches in a row from Shaq Johnson who a few plays lter made a 4th "Catch of the Day". It was a crossing pattern and Price threw the ball behind Shaq who reached out and tipped the ball with one hand then caught the ball with the same one hand. The play even caused a buzz among the Stamps fans.

Lulay had one really good down the field throw with mustard.

Ross' interception throw, looked like the receiver was behind coverage, but a short throw.

Ross throws a nice pass and looked like he ios ready to replace Price as the 3rd string QB.

Something you did not know or may not want to know about Foucault: He has long shoulder length blond hair, is the slimmest of the Oline Hoggies with the least belly fat.
He also has long legs and pretty good foot work as he did a nice job a few times staying with the DE who was trying to go wide around him. He also had a DE try to cut inside and Foucault looked to be beat but he shoved the guy in the shoulder (from the front) giving his QB some extra seconds. He played all of the 2nd half. I caught him grabbing jersey on one play but the ref missed it.

Zver played centre for all of the 4th quarter (might have played the 3rd as well) and was snapping the ball low a few times but it didn't seem to bother Ross. Zver made a nice block on the long TC run.

Junior Luke is a stocky fire plug who took on and held his ground when double teamed but on a few occasions while taking on the double team the RB went by him and I am looking for the MLB to make a tackle but Solly was no where in sight.

Anthony Thompson was noticeable making plays whenever he was on the field. A future starter, imo, and someone who should be able to share starting duties with Parker right now.

Vandervoort made a nice catch from Jennings where he jumped in the air, turned, and leaped high for the ball in front of a defender. A few plays later on a crossing route he dropped a pass from Jennings. He may take some time to get used to the velocity that Jennings puts on the ball.

The Oline did not give the QBs very much time in the pocket and poor run blocking as well.

The Special Teams were not special, especially on kick and punt return coverage. They looked like they were coached by Chuck McMann, no make that Ed McMann. It would have been worse but for some Stamps penalties. Calling the coverage team horrible is a complement.

Ty Long punted pretty well into the wind.

The final score flattered the Lions who were helped late in the game by a poor performance from Stamps 4th string QB who struggled to get things going.

Overall the Stamps backups are better than the Lions backups, or better coached.

[B.C.FAN]

Not sure if the link wil work but this is a decent read into some of the pros and cons.

http://3downnation.com/2017/06/07/stop- ... Josh+Smith+)

I don't know why Josh Smith is so sensitive to criticism of TSN. If the network can't make a business case for staging a full production of all nine preseason games, that's fine. The point is that it's cheap and easy for teams or others to put up a livestream to satisfy their diehard fans. He notes that the Ticats have done just that in recent years.

And I strongly disagree with his assertion that sports broadcasting requires professional play-by-play.

And watching without a announcing team is out of the question. You can’t watch televised sports like you watch them live. You might not need all the pomp and circumstance, but you need some, as anyone who sat through those announcer-less games on CBC in 2005 can attest.

I loved the annnouncer-less CBC telecasts. I always watch sports with the sound turned off. I don't need a pompous broadcaster to tell me what I'm seeing.

[QB Club 63]

I loved the annnouncer-less CBC telecasts. I always watch sports with the sound turned off. I don't need a pompous broadcaster to tell me what I'm seeing.

Or, as in the case of Rod Black, what he thinks he saw.

[B.C.FAN]

I was at the game so here are some random comments:

The best QB on the field was Andrew Buckly (Bo did not play)

Jennings had a few passes dropped and over threw some.

Price was meh and took too long holding the ball while waiting for WRs to get open. Most of his throws seemed to be to an underneath release guy.

Price did have a nice drive to end the half, aided by 3 catches in a row from Shaq Johnson who a few plays lter made a 4th "Catch of the Day". It was a crossing pattern and Price threw the ball behind Shaq who reached out and tipped the ball with one hand then caught the ball with the same one hand. The play even caused a buzz among the Stamps fans.

Lulay had one really good down the field throw with mustard.

Ross' interception throw, looked like the receiver was behind coverage, but a short throw.

Ross throws a nice pass and looked like he ios ready to replace Price as the 3rd string QB.

Something you did not know or may not want to know about Foucault: He has long shoulder length blond hair, is the slimmest of the Oline Hoggies with the least belly fat.
He also has long legs and pretty good foot work as he did a nice job a few times staying with the DE who was trying to go wide around him. He also had a DE try to cut inside and Foucault looked to be beat but he shoved the guy in the shoulder (from the front) giving his QB some extra seconds. He played all of the 2nd half. I caught him grabbing jersey on one play but the ref missed it.

Zver played centre for all of the 4th quarter (might have played the 3rd as well) and was snapping the ball low a few times but it didn't seem to bother Ross. Zver made a nice block on the long TC run.

Junior Luke is a stocky fire plug who took on and held his ground when double teamed but on a few occasions while taking on the double team the RB went by him and I am looking for the MLB to make a tackle but Solly was no where in sight.

Anthony Thompson was noticeable making plays whenever he was on the field. A future starter, imo, and someone who should be able to share starting duties with Parker right now.

Vandervoort made a nice catch from Jennings where he jumped in the air, turned, and leaped high for the ball in front of a defender. A few plays later on a crossing route he dropped a pass from Jennings. He may take some time to get used to the velocity that Jennings puts on the ball.

The Oline did not give the QBs very much time in the pocket and poor run blocking as well.

The Special Teams were not special, especially on kick and punt return coverage. They looked like they were coached by Chuck McMann, no make that Ed McMann. It would have been worse but for some Stamps penalties. Calling the coverage team horrible is a complement.

Ty Long punted pretty well into the wind.

The final score flattered the Lions who were helped late in the game by a poor performance from Stamps 4th string QB who struggled to get things going.

Overall the Stamps backups are better than the Lions backups, or better coached.

Thanks for the thorough report DanoT. I hope you enjoyed the game, despite the outcome.

Regarding Lion QBs overthrowing receivers, there was discussion on radio after the game about QBs throwing to where the receiver should be, but the receiver breaking off their route sooner. In one example, Neil McEvoy told someone seated beside him in the booth that Corey Jones was supposed to run a 15-yard route and come back, and he ran 12 yards instead. The ball sailed over his head.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Those announcer-less CBC telecasts were totally charming and delightful! Very fondly recall that IMO courageous experiment, how much I enjoyed that and wished they still would offer at least a small handful of such per season (at very least a token one or two games). I particularly enjoyed how it enhanced aspects of authentic 'live atmosphere', rendering a far more 'real' fully dimensional sense for things... such as the sound of players' field-of-play physical contact and hollered communication fully front and centre, as it should be, in a spare uncluttered way, along with the 'colour-commentry' (so to speak) of the more amplified crowd noise! Loved it. B.C.FAN -- the sad thing about having to turn the volume off IMO is one then also misses out on all that aforementioned good stuff.

[Hambone]

I loved the annnouncer-less CBC telecasts. I always watch sports with the sound turned off. I don't need a pompous broadcaster to tell me what I'm seeing.

I'm the exact opposite. Nothing drives me nuts like being in a sports bar watching a game when the sound is off and music is on. I tend to roll my eyes and shake my head that such places call themselves sports bars. I don't need the talking heads necessarily because I can tune them in and out as I see fit. What I do want though is the background sound and ambience that the game noise and announcers bring. I'm OK with the music being left on just as long as I can get the sound on the TV closest to me turned up enough that I can hear it in the background. I'd think broadcasters would be even handier in an exhibition game. Otherwise it's just a bunch of unknown numbers from unknown colleges or backgrounds running around on the field.

[TheLionKing]

I loved the annnouncer-less CBC telecasts. I always watch sports with the sound turned off. I don't need a pompous broadcaster to tell me what I'm seeing.

Or, as in the case of Rod Black, what he thinks he saw.

I do the same when Bob Cole calls a hockey game. Tired of his shrill voice and his "Oh Baby !"

[CardiacKid]

I loved the annnouncer-less CBC telecasts. I always watch sports with the sound turned off. I don't need a pompous broadcaster to tell me what I'm seeing.

Or, as in the case of Rod Black, what he thinks he saw.

Rod Black needs glasses.

As bad as his rep is when it comes to calling football, he is worse when it comes to figure skating. My wife is a national skating judge and Black drives her to distraction. He can't tell the difference between a quad-toe and a twizzle.

[DanoT]

What I liked best about those CBC broadcasts was that you saw the play but might have missed which guy made the tackle, catch etc. So AFTER the play the in stadium announcer says who was the ball carrier, tackler etc. Less intrusive, imo.

[Blitz]

Our first exhibition game provided Wally and Company with more info as we get closer to decision time re: a number of players.

The offensive line may not have played well in this game but its not a major area of concern. No question that Steward and Vaillencourt will need some time. Steward played guard last year and Vaillencourt has switched sides to left guard. They also have not played with each other and offensive line play relies on coordination.

Josh Harris showed that we do have a legitimate back up tailback and with Davis showcasing his many skills he provides us with a backup Chris Rainey style of player who can catch, run, and return.

However, at back up quarterback, behind Jennings, I do have some concerns. I really don't believe our Leos could win consistently with Lulay, should Jennnings ever get hurt, even with all the offensive weapons we have. Lulay is not the quarterback who led us to a Grey Cup in 2011 or had that very good 2012 season.

Injuries have taken a toll and the styles of defenses being played also make the game more challenging for Lulay to be successful. A quarterback has to be able to make quick reads and throw quickly in today's CFL and Lulay, if his initial read is covered, has never been a quarterback who is adept at going to second and third reads quickly and getting the football out of his hands in the pocket and throwing with accuracy.

Instead, if his first read is covered, Lulay's strength (and weakness) was bailing out of the pocket and buying time with his legs to make plays - either scrambling to buy more time to throw or running with the football himself. In his last three seasons Lulay's quarterback efficiency has been miserable (2014 - 77.6), (2015 -84.4) (2016 - 80.9). Lulay didn't play much in 2014 and 2016 but Lulay started 10 games in 2015 and he threw 10 interceptions to his 12 touchdown passes and stugggled often.

Lulay is expensive and Price has never provided a sense, as a pro, that he would be able to step in and lead an offence. Good to see Alex Ross make plays. We really need to be looking to the future in finding and developing a quarterback who could step in and become a very successful starter. Buono feels more comfortable with Lulay's experience right now but the future calls for a different direction.

Good to read that Buono is likely going to move Michael Awe to outside linebacker and give him a shot there. Neither Ontco, Burnett, or Davis have jumped out enough to seize the position and Awe has had an impressive by all reports.

Evans surprised me with two sacks in the exhibition game. I had Smiley as our starting rush end to begin the 2017 year but the starting spot still looks up for grabs.

Wallace did not have a good game and our Leos seem to want to go to Lee at boundary half. However, with MacDonald's play at safety combined with Thompson's development at that position, we do have the ability to move Clarke into Lee's spot but unlikely we will do that right at this point.

Will it be Gaitor or Jackson at wide side halfback. My hope is that we will choose Gaitor. I really like his antricipation and aggressiveness.

When I look at the National depth on our roster, there is no question that we are going to have to place some talented Nationals on the practice roster and risk losing them and we are going to have to cut some talented Nationals as well.

We have six National receivers in camp (Iannuzzi, Adekolu, Shaq Johnson, Blaszco, Vandervoot, and Hillis), we have five National linebackers (Aragki, Clarke, Kankolongo, Chagnon, and Herdman) four National defensive backs (Parker, Thompson, Bucknor, and Hamlin) four National running backs (Lumbala, Shaq Murray Lawrence, O'Halloran, and Brush) and five National defensive linemen (Menard, Ford, Luke, Ainsworth, and Godin)

The odds are that a some will be cut and a National or two will be picked up by other teams and one or two Nationals will also be plucked off the practice roster.

The biggest question marks going into our next exhibition game are:

1. Who will earn the third string developmental quarterback spot - Price or Ross?
2. Who will take the reins at defensive end - Evans or Smiley?
3. Will Wally go with a National starter on the defensive line (Forde, Luke) or an International. His decision will determine whether we go with an International at outside slot or begin the season with Iannuzzi at that position.
4. Who will our starting wide out be, to begin the season. Williams is not ready. Will it be Morgan, Jones, or Davis? Lots of quality Internatioanal receivers are attending this year's training camp.
5. Who will start the season in Adam Bighill's old spot? Will Awe seize the late opportunity or will we go with either Ontco or Burnett? Looks like Davis is not being considered a front runner for that spot.
6. Right now it seems as if Fenner will be Purifoy's backup and MacDonald will go on the practice roster, with Clarke starting at safety. But Clarke could also be moved to halfback and compete with Lee there, while MacDonald starts at safety. But will this scenario be looked at, with the impending release of Wallace.

In terms of our place kicker/punter we won't likely be able to keep Long on the practice roster. Hamilton is interested but Wally will not be able to trade him because Hamilton will just wait for Long to be placed on our practice roster.