Official Kamloops Training Camp Thread 2018

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B.C.FAN
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CardiacKid wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 9:56 am
Hey BC Fan,

Many thanks for the in-depth reporting, do you have a press pass? If you don't, you should.

I am very curious as to how camp has gone for AJ Orange and Marcel Young. Do you think Orange will turn out to be a shut-down corner as you say? The guy had a good year with the Argos in 2016 but just atrocious in Ottawa in 2017. Maybe the name change is a reflection of a change in his play?!?!

I got to admit I thought his signing was essentially that of a guy brought in to compete and ultimately be let go in the final round of cuts. I would be very happy to see him have a season of redemption.

I knew very little of Marcel Young and still do, I know some EE fans were not especially sad to see him go but you got take that with a grain of salt.

I am trying to shake that "glass half empty" side of my personality when it comes to the secondary. Not having the easiest time of it so any positive feedback from a Lionbacker in the know is great.
Thanks, CardiacKid. I don't want a press pass. This is my vacation. :)

I didn't know much about Orange and Young before camp but they've been impressive. The first-team secondary has done a great job shutting down the first-team offence and not allowing Manny Arceneaux or Bryan Burnham to get open over the middle. Most completions in scrimmages have been within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Shaq Johnson and Tyler Davis have had success on the outside but for the most part the corners have been quick to break on the ball.

It's great to see the defence play tight coverage and not drop into soft zones. There is a lot of size and talent on that side of the ball.
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CardiacKid
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 10:58 am
CardiacKid wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 9:56 am
Hey BC Fan,

Many thanks for the in-depth reporting, do you have a press pass? If you don't, you should.

I am very curious as to how camp has gone for AJ Orange and Marcel Young. Do you think Orange will turn out to be a shut-down corner as you say? The guy had a good year with the Argos in 2016 but just atrocious in Ottawa in 2017. Maybe the name change is a reflection of a change in his play?!?!

I got to admit I thought his signing was essentially that of a guy brought in to compete and ultimately be let go in the final round of cuts. I would be very happy to see him have a season of redemption.

I knew very little of Marcel Young and still do, I know some EE fans were not especially sad to see him go but you got take that with a grain of salt.

I am trying to shake that "glass half empty" side of my personality when it comes to the secondary. Not having the easiest time of it so any positive feedback from a Lionbacker in the know is great.
Thanks, CardiacKid. I don't want a press pass. This is my vacation. :)

I didn't know much about Orange and Young before camp but they've been impressive. The first-team secondary has done a great job shutting down the first-team offence and not allowing Manny Arceneaux or Bryan Burnham to get open over the middle. Most completions in scrimmages have been within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Shaq Johnson and Tyler Davis have had success on the outside but for the most part the corners have been quick to break on the ball.

It's great to see the defence play tight coverage and not drop into soft zones. There is a lot of size and talent on that side of the ball.
I would love it if the Lions ever came over the Island for training camp. The City of Langford is contemplating an upgrade on Westhills Stadium, currently the home of Rugby Canada. I believe the Lions put a response on social media to the suggestion of holding camp there that was of a "never say never" variety. I can always hope...

Anyhoo, I have been very appreciative of your insights. Certainly a greater degree of open-ness as to what you are sharing in comparison to the regular media and the Lions feed.

Glad to hear that Orange and Young have been playing well. I was certainly not a happy camper with some of the departures from the secondary and linebacking corps but I will gladly eat my words.
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Hambone
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CardiacKid wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 11:34 am
I would love it if the Lions ever came over the Island for training camp. The City of Langford is contemplating an upgrade on Westhills Stadium, currently the home of Rugby Canada. I believe the Lions put a response on social media to the suggestion of holding camp there that was of a "never say never" variety. I can always hope...
The Lions just renewed in Kamloops for another stint of something like 5 years. As much as the Lions might like to move things around it's really tough to beat the TRU set up especially when combined with the much warmer and drier weather Kamloops offers. TRU offers an all-inclusive training camp facility that players have said is as good as any NFL facility they've been to. Practice fields, locker rooms, fitness room with a ton of top of the line equipment, meeting rooms, cafeteria and accommodations are all right there. From the dorms at one end to the Athletic Centre at the other end is 600 metres as the crow flies.

It's certainly come a long ways from the days in the 1960s when they used to hold training camp in Courtenay. Back then they used the CRA Hall for a locker room and practiced on Lewis Park fields before finding their way back to the Sleepy Hollow Motel that accommodated them.
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Hambone wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 12:07 pm
CardiacKid wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 11:34 am
I would love it if the Lions ever came over the Island for training camp. The City of Langford is contemplating an upgrade on Westhills Stadium, currently the home of Rugby Canada. I believe the Lions put a response on social media to the suggestion of holding camp there that was of a "never say never" variety. I can always hope...
The Lions just renewed in Kamloops for another stint of something like 5 years. As much as the Lions might like to move things around it's really tough to beat the TRU set up especially when combined with the much warmer and drier weather Kamloops offers. TRU offers an all-inclusive training camp facility that players have said is as good as any NFL facility they've been to. Practice fields, locker rooms, fitness room with a ton of top of the line equipment, meeting rooms, cafeteria and accommodations are all right there. From the dorms at one end to the Athletic Centre at the other end is 600 metres as the crow flies.

It's certainly come a long ways from the days in the 1960s when they used to hold training camp in Courtenay. Back then they used the CRA Hall for a locker room and practiced on Lewis Park fields before finding their way back to the Sleepy Hollow Motel that accommodated them.
And the the swimming pool where they did the viral video of Lions crashing an aqua exercise class is also part of the complex where they stay and is right beside the TC field. Kamloops is also a lot cheaper and easier to get to for friends, family, and fans than the Island.
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The_Pauser
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I was at the FanFest on Saturday and had a great time. Nothing new to add about the look of the team as I think BC Fan has done an excellent job summarizing everything. I quite like camp being up in Kamloops...I go up every year for FanFest and I make a weekend out of it. It's become tradition now.

Having said that...I could certainly do without those mosquitos. This was the worst I've ever seen it. Sitting at home now with over 13 bites on me....hopefully we can send those back to Winnipeg for next year.
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The_Pauser wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 8:16 pm
Having said that...I could certainly do without those mosquitos. This was the worst I've ever seen it. Sitting at home now with over 13 bites on me....hopefully we can send those back to Winnipeg for next year.
There were a few hanging around my buddy's cabin on Little Shuswap Friday night but I didn't notice any mosquitos at Fan Fest. It was far too windy for them to land anywhere. You must be drinking the wrong internal bug repellant. :wink:
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Hambone wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 1:04 pm
The_Pauser wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 8:16 pm
Having said that...I could certainly do without those mosquitos. This was the worst I've ever seen it. Sitting at home now with over 13 bites on me....hopefully we can send those back to Winnipeg for next year.
There were a few hanging around my buddy's cabin on Little Shuswap Friday night but I didn't notice any mosquitos at Fan Fest. It was far too windy for them to land anywhere. You must be drinking the wrong internal bug repellant. :wink:
No mosquitoes in Victoria......nope, not a single one :wink:

Just a nice, mild temperature that I am sure the players would prefer to the oppressive heat of the Loops. Especially when they are doing 2 a day practices including gassers. Yep, I think Victoria/Langford and Westhills Stadium is worthy of consideration for the future home of Lions Training camp.

:roar: :cr: :wink:

Coaches with Rugby Canada can show football players how to tackle with a rugby technique and help minimize the blows to the head....
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The_Pauser
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Hambone wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 1:04 pm
The_Pauser wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 8:16 pm
Having said that...I could certainly do without those mosquitos. This was the worst I've ever seen it. Sitting at home now with over 13 bites on me....hopefully we can send those back to Winnipeg for next year.
There were a few hanging around my buddy's cabin on Little Shuswap Friday night but I didn't notice any mosquitos at Fan Fest. It was far too windy for them to land anywhere. You must be drinking the wrong internal bug repellant. :wink:
Strange that you didn't notice any, even the players were complaining about them afterwards. Manny had himself draped in a towel around his head to try to keep them off.
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A little pre-game reading for the tilt in Calgary, including a couple of key areas to watch... or listen about seeing as the game isn't televised..

https://www.bclions.com/2018/05/31/pre- ... tampeders/
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The_Pauser wrote:
Wed May 30, 2018 8:16 pm
I was at the FanFest on Saturday and had a great time. Nothing new to add about the look of the team as I think BC Fan has done an excellent job summarizing everything. I quite like camp being up in Kamloops...I go up every year for FanFest and I make a weekend out of it. It's become tradition now.

Having said that...I could certainly do without those mosquitos. This was the worst I've ever seen it. Sitting at home now with over 13 bites on me....hopefully we can send those back to Winnipeg for next year.
The boys at 1040 mentioned mosquitos while they were playing golf last week nearby. My golf game is bad enough so need to have a worse time. BB
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B.C.FAN
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Matt Baker wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 3:24 pm
A little pre-game reading for the tilt in Calgary, including a couple of key areas to watch... or listen about seeing as the game isn't televised..

https://www.bclions.com/2018/05/31/pre- ... tampeders/
Thanks, Matt. It’s also nice to see a real depth chart for the game, even though many vets are not playing. It looks like four of the five regulars in the secondary will start, along with three of five O-linemen.

As for mosquitos, they seem to be attracted to some people more than others. I saw two of them in five days in Kamloops, and they didn’t land on me. My wife complained that she was swarmed by them. I just got sunburnt instead.
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 5:20 pm
Matt Baker wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 3:24 pm
A little pre-game reading for the tilt in Calgary, including a couple of key areas to watch... or listen about seeing as the game isn't televised..

https://www.bclions.com/2018/05/31/pre- ... tampeders/
Thanks, Matt. It’s also nice to see a real depth chart for the game, even though many vets are not playing. It looks like four of the five regulars in the secondary will start, along with three of five O-linemen.

As for mosquitos, they seem to be attracted to some people more than others. I saw two of them in five days in Kamloops, and they didn’t land on me. My wife complained that she was swarmed by them. I just got sunburnt instead.
The mosquitos were brutal at fan fest!!!
TheLionKing
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu May 31, 2018 5:20 pm
As for mosquitos, they seem to be attracted to some people more than others. I saw two of them in five days in Kamloops, and they didn’t land on me. My wife complained that she was swarmed by them. I just got sunburnt instead.
So true. I get bit by no see ums in the ankle while fishing wearing gum boots and long jeans while my buddy don't get touched while going topless. :dizzy:
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Toppy Vann
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I'd like to see Jennings get the 1st Q to get his game and confidence level ready for the season. More than that might pose a risk but they can't wait to real games start to see if he's where he needs to be. And giving the back ups lots of time is wise as well as sitting the RBs.

Of course after last night when Trevor Harris went down, you know why coaches are cautious as that injury to the RBs starter was just a freak but looks serious. Jarius Jackson as a former QB knows this all too well from personal experience - he hurt his thumb in the first pre-season game on the first offensive play and basically lost the entire 2005 season.

I think Cody F is a good signing as IIRC he only left Toronto as he saw the writing on the wall with the Franklin signing and they also have McLeod Bethel -Thompson who is battling for no. 2 in Toronto. You'd have to think that the Als would be trying to pry a QB from BC but their problems run deeper than just QB.

Interesting comments from Burnham on Chris Williams in BC. Basically he said that Williams to be effective had to have plays suited to his size and skills versus what the bigger receivers get where they have to fight for the ball. He felt it looked "forced" in BC. Not a positive comment for the then OC Khari Jones when players see what fans were seeing. It didn't explain the whole story as Williams arrived in BC not able to play.
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Not a great Sunday morning for nine players who were given the old "here's your apple and a road map":

Sunday, June 3 – Released from roster:
DL Gelen Robinson (I)
DL Quinton Bradley (I)
DL Breion Creer (I)
DB Deion Carter (I)
DB Solomon Means (I)
WR Vernon Johnson (I)
WR Ronnie Holley (I)
OL David Patterson (I)
OL Jac’que Polite (I)
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