Depth Chart vs the Eskimos - 20111120 WDF

[WestCoastJoe]

No surprises in this week's depth chart. Only one new starter: J.R. Ruffin starts at halfback in place of Hyland. Oher additions to the 46-man roster are DL Khreem Smith and DB Jerome Dennis. Marquez Hall moves to the practice roster and Joash Gesse to the injured list.

Depth chart

Been checkin' for that update. Thanks, BCF. Here is the snapshot ...

[TheLionKing]

So where is Kelly Bates on the roster ?

[Rammer]

So where is Kelly Bates on the roster ?

Next Monday from what I read, but still don't believe.

[WestCoastJoe]

So where is Kelly Bates on the roster ?

Next Monday from what I read, but still don't believe.

Yeah, I will believe it when I see it too. Underweight. Out of shape. Too old. ... Hey, just about per-fect.

It would be a head shaker, if it didn't fit the pattern ... so many strange decisions.

New team motto ... Flip, Flop and Flailing

New reality show ... Wally in Wonderland

"You will be surprised"

"Curiouser and Curiouser"

[Rammer]

So where is Kelly Bates on the roster ?

Next Monday from what I read, but still don't believe.

Yeah, I will believe it when I see it too. Underweight. Out of shape. Too old. ... Hey, just about per-fect.

It would be a head shaker, if it didn't fit the pattern ... so many strange decisions.

New team motto ... Flip, Flop and Flailing

New reality show ... Wally in Wonderland

"You will be surprised"

"Curiouser and Curiouser"

Kelly isn't in game shape to be sure, but we really don't need a guard, it is under centre that the extra help could be used.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Ever ... story.html

Everywhere Man lands somewhere with Lions

By Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun July 20, 2011

We don’t know if Khreem Smith is partial to truck driving lyrics, but Hank Snow encapsulated his professional football life in a song, “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man.”

Baltimore, Kansas City of the NFL, Memphis, Chicago of the Arena League, Milwaukee, Spokane and Utah of af2 . . . Smith has taken his traveling act to Canada, where he is about to debut as a CFL rookie at age 32.

The Jamaican-born former Oklahoma State Cowboy was elevated from the practice roster to work with the B.C. Lions first-team defence this week and likely will be dressed as a fifth defensive lineman for Friday’s game at Empire Field against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“He’s an athlete who’s been around professional football,” said Lions head coach Wally Buono. “He’s a lot more athletic than Caesar Rayford and a little more physical than Jeremy Gaithers.”

High praise.

More athletic than Caesar Rayford. Whooo Hooooo

More physical than Jeremy Gaithers.

32 years old. But low mileage.

“The Arena League hasn’t been all that bad to us,” Buono said, referring to Lions kick returner Tim Brown, an indoor football graduate from the Billings Outlaws. “You have to be quick to play indoor football. There are certain players there who translate very well to this league.”

“They fundamentally get us prepared to play indoor or outdoor,” Smith said of the Shock coaching staff. “It’s a game of quick moves in arena ball, especially on the D-line. It’s like NASCAR. Everybody bumping into each other. But I’ve been playing football for a long time, so there’s nothing I can’t adjust to here.”

And now, our latest tryout for rush end ...

Khreem Smith

I wonder why he wasn't brought to Training Camp.

I wonder if he will be found wanting, as have about 20 others in the last couple of years.

Don't expect to find another Cam Wake unemployed, and working in a bank for a year or two.

Gary Butler is probably available. Wally thought he was good at one time. Maybe he got better.

I wonder why James Bryant did not get a shot at rush end. Does he get released next?

3 - 4? Hmmmm ... Not doing so well.

How about we go back to the 4 - 3? Hmmmmm ... Well, then we'll need a rush end.

DBs? Hmmmm Let's see how this week's lineup works ...

Questions ... questions ...

Training Camp 2.0 continues ...

[WestCoastJoe]

New depth chart vs the Bombers ...

Can these guys execute?

Reminds me of the baseball coach, Rocky Bridges: "We coached them good, but they sure did play bad."

[B.C.FAN]

New depth chart vs the Bombers ...

Can these guys execute?

Reminds me of the baseball coach, Rocky Bridges: "We coached them good, but they sure did play bad."

Wow, the short week has caught me off guard. I see Robertson is listed as the starter in the backfield. I had heard he was bothered by an injury and that Harris and Smith would likely share his duties.

Adam Bighill has played well in every opportunity he's been given this year. If his aggressiveness can rub off on the rest of the defence, the Lions will do well. Eric Taylor draws back in as starting nose tackle. He can have a big impact against the dangerous Winnipeg running game. It's also good to see Jerome Dennis and Joe Henderson added to the 46-man roster. This is a more athleticic group than we've seen in recent games.

[WestCoastJoe]

Newest depth chart vs the Riders ...

[WestCoastJoe]

I expect we will run the 4.3 more than the 3.4. IMO we don't blitz enough to make the 3.4 work.

Some ifs ...

If Henderson can play well.

If LaRose can play well.

If Phillips will commit to the tackle.

If Dennis can play well.

If Smith can generate some pass rush.

If we can run the ball.

If Lulay passes well.

If we can catch the ball.

If we can do all those things, we could probably compete with anybody.
.........
I wonder if Wally can squeeze one more playoff year out of his old playbook and old philosophy. They are trying to modernize the playbook. The philosophy is more likely to stay old school. Conservative D. Variation of the same offence of the last 20 years.

[B.C.FAN]

Some ifs ...

If Henderson can play well.

If LaRose can play well.

If Phillips will commit to the tackle.

If Dennis can play well.

If Smith can generate some pass rush.

If we can run the ball.

If Lulay passes well.

If we can catch the ball.

If we can do all those things, we could probably compete with anybody.

The Lions have already shown they can compete with anybody without doing all of those things. They just need to do a few things more consitently to start winning.

[WestCoastJoe]

Some ifs ...

If Henderson can play well.

If LaRose can play well.

If Phillips will commit to the tackle.

If Dennis can play well.

If Smith can generate some pass rush.

If we can run the ball.

If Lulay passes well.

If we can catch the ball.

If we can do all those things, we could probably compete with anybody.

The Lions have already shown they can compete with anybody without doing all of those things. They just need to do a few things more consitently to start winning.

"Compete" needs some defintion, methinks. For me, compete means win your share of the games. We ain't done that yet. IMO we have not shown the winning attitude yet. It has leaked out somewhere each game. We have played hard. I won't consider that to be competing for the sake of the discussion. Ha ha

[B.C.FAN]

You're right about the Lions needing to show a winning attitude. That's more important than anything for this team and it's the biggest "if" they face. Competing to me means being involved in close games decided in the dying minutes. Most of the Lions' games have fit that definition, despite numerous breakdowns.

[WestCoastJoe]

You're right about the Lions needing to show a winning attitude. That's more important than anything for this team and it's the biggest "if" they face. Competing to me means being involved in close games decided in the dying minutes. Most of the Lions' games have fit that definition, despite numerous breakdowns.

True. By that interpretation they have competed hard. Played their brains out basically. Aside from some bull fighter tackles in the secondary.

It was easier to have a winnng attitude that translated into wins prior to the arrival of Kent Austin (gone now of course), John Hufnagel, Marc Trestman, and now Kavis Reed and Paul LaPolice. These guys are good. Raising the bar IMO ...

[TheLionKing]

Far too many "ifs"