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Sir Purrcival
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That's okay by me. I don't care how good the secondary is. When your front line consistently allows opposing QB's to have enough time in the backfield to build a summer house, your secondary is going to get burned regardless. If our secondary was stronger last season as compared to the upcoming season, and we didn't make the playoffs, having a strong secondary could hardly be considered a recipe for success.
Tell me how long must a fan be strong? Ans. Always.
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WestCoastJoe
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I like Hervey's moves in free agency, and I like his style.
At the top of his list is Figueroa, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound, five-year CFL vet who played the last two seasons in Edmonton. The University of Miami product might not have been the sexiest signing, but for a team that desperately needed to upgrade its offensive line, he becomes an indispensable piece.

And, at somewhere in the $175,000-per range, he didn’t come cheaply.

“Very physical, plays with an edge and has leadership qualities,” Hervey answered when asked to describe Figueroa. “He’s just an all-around solid person and player. As far as who was available, he was the guy at the top of our list by far.”
Beyond Figueroa, Hervey also added import Jeremy Lewis and Canadian Chris Greaves to the O-line. On the defensive line, he brought in Euclid Cummings, another former Esk and his No. 2 priority behind Figueroa. Cummings joins Odell Willis and Gabe Knapton, who were acquired in earlier off-season trades, on the revamped unit.
O Line and D Line addressed about as much as one could have hoped for.

As noted by Rammer and Sammy, we still have the same DC, OL coach and the same Head Coach.

We can expect overall conservative philosophy. Soft zone pass defence. Last year we had a huge number of complete breakdowns in pass coverage.

Can we expect solid, consistent pass protection?

Not sure what to expect from the offence under Jarious Jackson, although I applaud his hiring as OC.

Just IMO ...
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
TheLionKing
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Blitz
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The off-season, with its focus on new free agent signings, loss of free agents, recruiting camps south of the border, and the CFL draft put a focus on the talent of our team, going into a new season.

Overall, Ed Hervey has done a very good job. He looked at our major weaknesses (offensive and defensive line) and addressed those first. I am disappointed that we could not get one of Fenner or Purifoy signed and we lost Ronnie Yell.

It was the cost we had to pay to sign the free agents we did to strengthen our offensive and defensive lines. Last year, we couldn't protect our quarterback nor get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. We should be improved this season in those two key areas. We have a lot of talent in the skill positions. We did last season as well and it didn't even get us a playoff berth.

But talent on the offensive and defensive lines, as well as talent in the skill positions will get us so far. But, it will take more than talent to get us into the Big Dance this season.

Jarious Jackson offers hope that we can do some things differently on offence. But no offensive coordinator, under Wally, has been able to change our offensive system. The only thing they have been able to do is tweak it a little. Chapdelaine, in 2011 and 2012, made the most changes to our offensive system, using a lot of power formations, motion, misdirection but by 2013 he was back to our more traditional spread offensive system.

On defense, only two defensive coordinators have been able to vary from Buono's soft vanilla zone defence. Dave Ritchie played a multi-formational aggressive defense with lots of blitzes and Rich Stubler played a complex defense that was well disguised. But both also faced a lot of pressure from Wally to play a more conservative, simpler style of defense.

In order to win a Grey Cup under Wally and his coaching staff one of two things have to happen. They are:

1. We have to have more talent than the other teams in the league (and the odds of not winning even with more talent are against us..we've lost playoffs games often, under Wally, even when we had superior talent,

or

2. Our coaching strategies have to be different.

We won the Grey Cup in 2006 off the back of our aggressive, high turnover defense. We won the 2011 Grey Cup by having a great defense combined with an adapted offence that introduced a lot of motion and misdirection that season.

Ed Hervey can bring in all the offensive line talent he wants and that won't mean much unless Dorazio doesn't ruin it. We've had very talented offensive lines in the past and still given up the most sacks in the CFL. Jarious Jackson can coach his brains out but unless Wally allows him to do some things differently with our offence, than in the past, it will be the same old outcome when the chips are down in the playoffs.

The same goes for our defense. We have upgraded our defensive line talent and we have hired in Melvin, a terrific defensive line coach. But unless Washington and Wally play a more sophisticated style of defense, we'll still get shredded by good offences with a good quarterback.

The hope that I have for this season is that it is Wally's last season and he is desperate to go out on top. Its only been desperation, in the past, that has ledt to Wally moving away from his rigidity and black and white thinking.

That happened part way through 2011, after a horrendous start to that season, which followed two failed seasons. it has happened so far this off-season, with the hiring of Ed Hervey, after Wally could not get our team into the playoffs in 2017.

If Wally continues to move away from 'same old', in terms of coaching strategies for 2018, this Leos team has a great chance to have a terrific 2018. But if he remains 'stuck' in terms of his coaching strategies, our Leos won't have the successful season we are all hoping for.

I'm betting on Wally making those changes but I am not betting on him with a lot of confidence. Its hard for an old dog to learn new tricks, as the old saying goes, but then again, ;when you know its your last kick at the can, its often your best'. Hope is eternal.
"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)
Blitz
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David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:06 pm
Wow, how much are haircuts these days ? :wink: :wink: :wink: Sorry David, couldn't resist.
:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!

DH :cool:
Well, I only paid $9.99 for my most recent hair cut at Great Clips. But then again, thats why I have always thought that you have been a 'cut above the rest' David. :yahoo:
"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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WestCoastJoe
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Blitz wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:07 am
The off-season, with its focus on new free agent signings, loss of free agents, recruiting camps south of the border, and the CFL draft put a focus on the talent of our team, going into a new season.

Overall, Ed Hervey has done a very good job. He looked at our major weaknesses (offensive and defensive line) and addressed those first. I am disappointed that we could not get one of Fenner or Purifoy signed and we lost Ronnie Yell.

It was the cost we had to pay to sign the free agents we did to strengthen our offensive and defensive lines. Last year, we couldn't protect our quarterback nor get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. We should be improved this season in those two key areas. We have a lot of talent in the skill positions. We did last season as well and it didn't even get us a playoff berth.

But talent on the offensive and defensive lines, as well as talent in the skill positions will get us so far. But, it will take more than talent to get us into the Big Dance this season.

Jarious Jackson offers hope that we can do some things differently on offence. But no offensive coordinator, under Wally, has been able to change our offensive system. The only thing they have been able to do is tweak it a little. Chapdelaine, in 2011 and 2012, made the most changes to our offensive system, using a lot of power formations, motion, misdirection but by 2013 he was back to our more traditional spread offensive system.

On defense, only two defensive coordinators have been able to vary from Buono's soft vanilla zone defence. Dave Ritchie played a multi-formational aggressive defense with lots of blitzes and Rich Stubler played a complex defense that was well disguised. But both also faced a lot of pressure from Wally to play a more conservative, simpler style of defense.

In order to win a Grey Cup under Wally and his coaching staff one of two things have to happen. They are:

1. We have to have more talent than the other teams in the league (and the odds of not winning even with more talent are against us..we've lost playoffs games often, under Wally, even when we had superior talent,

or

2. Our coaching strategies have to be different.

We won the Grey Cup in 2006 off the back of our aggressive, high turnover defense. We won the 2011 Grey Cup by having a great defense combined with an adapted offence that introduced a lot of motion and misdirection that season.

Ed Hervey can bring in all the offensive line talent he wants and that won't mean much unless Dorazio doesn't ruin it. We've had very talented offensive lines in the past and still given up the most sacks in the CFL. Jarious Jackson can coach his brains out but unless Wally allows him to do some things differently with our offence, than in the past, it will be the same old outcome when the chips are down in the playoffs.

The same goes for our defense. We have upgraded our defensive line talent and we have hired in Melvin, a terrific defensive line coach. But unless Washington and Wally play a more sophisticated style of defense, we'll still get shredded by good offences with a good quarterback.

The hope that I have for this season is that it is Wally's last season and he is desperate to go out on top. Its only been desperation, in the past, that has ledt to Wally moving away from his rigidity and black and white thinking.

That happened part way through 2011, after a horrendous start to that season, which followed two failed seasons. it has happened so far this off-season, with the hiring of Ed Hervey, after Wally could not get our team into the playoffs in 2017.

If Wally continues to move away from 'same old', in terms of coaching strategies for 2018, this Leos team has a great chance to have a terrific 2018. But if he remains 'stuck' in terms of his coaching strategies, our Leos won't have the successful season we are all hoping for.

I'm betting on Wally making those changes but I am not betting on him with a lot of confidence. Its hard for an old dog to learn new tricks, as the old saying goes, but then again, ;when you know its your last kick at the can, its often your best'. Hope is eternal.
Well said, Blitz. :thup:
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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Hambone
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Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

Blitz wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:19 am
David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:06 pm
Wow, how much are haircuts these days ? :wink: :wink: :wink: Sorry David, couldn't resist.
:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!

DH :cool:
Well, I only paid $9.99 for my most recent hair cut at Great Clips. But then again, thats why I have always thought that you have been a 'cut above the rest' David. :yahoo:
Where David goes Blitz they use only the finest quality bowls imported from Paris. :wink:
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
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CardiacKid
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Hambone wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:43 am
Blitz wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:19 am
David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm


:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!

DH :cool:
Well, I only paid $9.99 for my most recent hair cut at Great Clips. But then again, thats why I have always thought that you have been a 'cut above the rest' David. :yahoo:
Where David goes Blitz they use only the finest quality bowls imported from Paris. :wink:
Great Clips in Saskatchewan uses watermelons cut in half and hollowed out for their bowl cuts....
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B.C.FAN
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The Lions have signed international receivers Ricky Collins and Kieren Duncan. Collins had a strong rookie season in Saskatchewan in 2016, catching 48 passes for 720 yards, for an average of 14.4 yards. He suffered a shoulder injury in the season opener last year before being traded to Hamilton, where he was released.

LIONS ADD RECEIVERS RICKY COLLINS AND KIEREN DUNCAN
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Hambone
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CardiacKid wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:33 am
Hambone wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:43 am
Blitz wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:19 am


Well, I only paid $9.99 for my most recent hair cut at Great Clips. But then again, thats why I have always thought that you have been a 'cut above the rest' David. :yahoo:
Where David goes Blitz they use only the finest quality bowls imported from Paris. :wink:
Great Clips in Saskatchewan uses watermelons cut in half and hollowed out for their bowl cuts....
And the clippers are miniature John Deere combines.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
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squishy35
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Location: Kamloops, B.C.

https://www.bclions.com/2018/02/22/lion ... en-duncan/

Lions add 2 receivers. Both intriguing..... Collins is a very capable pass catcher. Duncan is a speedster with decent hands and returns kicks.
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DanoT
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David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:06 pm
Wow, how much are haircuts these days ? :wink: :wink: :wink: Sorry David, couldn't resist.
:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!


DH :cool:
I usually pay $15 including a tip in either Victoria or Kamloops. i'm glad I don't live in Vancouver.
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KnowItAll
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Location: Delta

DanoT wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:11 pm
David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:06 pm
Wow, how much are haircuts these days ? :wink: :wink: :wink: Sorry David, couldn't resist.
:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!


DH :cool:
I usually pay $15 including a tip in either Victoria or Kamloops. i'm glad I don't live in Vancouver.
I haven't paid a dime for a haircuts in about 20 years. Either myself or my wife shaves my head with clippers about 3 times a year
Every day that passes is one you can't get back
Dusty
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KnowItAll wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:02 pm
DanoT wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:11 pm
David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm


:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!


DH :cool:
I usually pay $15 including a tip in either Victoria or Kamloops. i'm glad I don't live in Vancouver.
I haven't paid a dime for a haircuts in about 20 years. Either myself or my wife shaves my head with clippers about 3 times a year
Since I retired, I haven't paid a dime for a haircut either.... haven't had one.... I'm waiting to see how long it gets before it all falls out.... it's research.... yeah... research....
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BC 1988
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Location: BC (since 1988)

Blitz wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:19 am
David wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:15 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:06 pm
Wow, how much are haircuts these days ? :wink: :wink: :wink: Sorry David, couldn't resist.
:rotf: Well, they're not that cheap TLK. I pay $55 plus tip = $65 for mine!!

DH :cool:
Well, I only paid $9.99 for my most recent hair cut at Great Clips. But then again, thats why I have always thought that you have been a 'cut above the rest' David. :yahoo:
But $9.99 is a special Great Clips only does a couple of weeks in the year (It's usually $17.99).
Back in 2015 when GC had the "free haircut when the Lions return an INT for a TD" home game promotion, I finally got one. (They went through all of 2014 without that happening and dropped the promotion in 2016).

Back on the subject of Hervey convincing 12 players to "take haircuts", this is just another thing about his managerial skills that really impresses me. He gets "buy-in". It really is a shame we wont see a completely unfettered effort this season to show all he can achieve. This will be an "asterisk" season, not a complete fresh start.
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