Has Buono given up on 2013?

[DanoT]

The day Buono gives up on a season before his team is either mathematically eliminated from the playoffs or has lost its playoff game is the day he hands in his resignation. It's just not in his DNA and silly to even contemplate. I think he's constantly looking to upgrade at both positions of need and depth. That's what good GMs do. Looking to upgrade is easy. Being able to pull off a deal that serves that purpose is another story.

As David said you just don't pick up the phone or snap your fingers and acquire an NI OL upgrade. It's especially more difficult when approaching an expansion draft where all teams are concerned about maintaining their own NI depth once the draft is over. Teams in playoff races are also highly unlikely to erode their own NI OL depth. So you're probably down to trying to pry something out of Edmonton or Winnipeg whose OL haven't been all that and a bag of chips either. Anybody in a race is unlikely to move an OL capable of upgrading BC's OL unless they have a glaring need of their own and BC is willing to send a starting calibre player the other way.

Agreed. I was surprised that the Lions were able to get Myddelton from Calgary in mid season although perhaps Calgary were out of room for him on the 46 man roster so a trade was the best course of action.

[South Pender]

A question I have at this point is whether it might be better, on balance, to bring in an import O-lineman and sit an import receiver. If the emphasis is developing a better running game, using an import at guard (take your pick; neither Kabongo nor Valli has been adequate), along with replacing Archibald with another import would seem to make sense. Sitting any one of Taylor, Moore, or Arceneaux would be painful, but might we be a better team with this reconfiguration permitting an effective running game?

What if we could find a good import guard and use Kyle Fischer (the only import O-lineman I could find on the roster) in place of Archibald (and he proves superior to Archibald). Suppose further that Stefan Logan arrives and looks good (or even if this doesn't happen, and we continue with Harris). With four games to prepare for the playoffs, is it not conceivable that we could be a better team by then with this trade-off? Long-term, of course, we don't want to use three import O-linemen, but in the short season that's left, it might make sense to do so.

[notahomer]

So now that the trade deadline has passed, can teams still poach off of each others practice rosters? I know they are not the same thing. Practice Rosters are usually places any team can sign any other teams players from within due process. I was just wondering how much more interaction between clubs can take place. Obviously no MORE direct trades.

IIRC, we picked up a DB late from Calgary a few seasons back. He had been released but it happened so late in the year he was getting paid playoff bonuses regardless of which team won a West final he was on our roster for........

[Blitz]

A question I have at this point is whether it might be better, on balance, to bring in an import O-lineman and sit an import receiver. If the emphasis is developing a better running game, using an import at guard (take your pick; neither Kabongo nor Valli has been adequate), along with replacing Archibald with another import would seem to make sense. Sitting any one of Taylor, Moore, or Arceneaux would be painful, but might we be a better team with this reconfiguration permitting an effective running game?

What if we could find a good import guard and use Kyle Fischer (the only import O-lineman I could find on the roster) in place of Archibald (and he proves superior to Archibald). Suppose further that Stefan Logan arrives and looks good (or even if this doesn't happen, and we continue with Harris). With four games to prepare for the playoffs, is it not conceivable that we could be a better team by then with this trade-off? Long-term, of course, we don't want to use three import O-linemen, but in the short season that's left, it might make sense to do so.

What you said absolutely makes sense. It would have made more sense a few games ago, after Fabain got injured, than now.. but our Leos also could have done this right out of training camp than now, however. The question is which import would you take out in order to do ?

If I had to make that difficult choice it would have been Arseneaux. Its a slot back driven league. Moore and Taylor have both had excellent seasons and they lead us in receptions. Moore is 5th in the league in receptions (58 receptions for 857 yds and 14.8 yds. per catch) not bad for a receiver in his first full year starting and he shold go over 1000 yds easily this season. For those who did not view Moore as a keeper, after his first couple of games with us and his couple of dropped passes need to be more patient or attend a talent assessment workship. . Coutenay Taylor has 53 receptions for 671 yds (12.7 yds per catch and Arseneaux has 41 receptions for 16.9 yds per catch. Arsenenuax's play has dropped off. We could have gone with the same size body and excellent speed in Haidara at Arsenaux's spot for a couple of games and seen how it would work while using a combo of Iannuzzi and Jackson at the wide side outside receiver spot. A second difficult choice would have been to use Gore at slot in Taylor's place, Haidara and Jackson in the outside slot position and Iannuzzi wide and start Arseneux and Moore.

However, neither scenario is ideal in that all three of our imports are Top 20 receivers. Wally should not have gotten us into this mess in the first place. He hung onto an aging Angus Reid while not preparing a replacement for him. He put Norman in a very tough spot to have to play center this season. Kabongo is a journeyman who was slated as a depth lineman in the first place. We knew from last season that Valli was not good enough to be a starter. We were fortunate to draft Fabian and he was not anticipated to be starter material this season and surprised a training camp. We had already seen the slide in Archbald and Wally offered him a reduced contract and has gotten even more reduced play than anticipated.

We are going to have to draft at guard next season with a high draft choice and pray that Fabian can recover from knee constructive surgery. Wally really got our offensive line wrong this season, even worse than in 2005, when we were forced to use Elonowibi at left tackle and a one armed Mantyka at right tackle and Dave Dickenson is still feeling the affects.

[Rammer]

Remembering that DD received his concussion by throwing the INT and then trying to make the tackle while getting smoked from behind, not really the OL's fault of course. But he was scrambling for his life more often than he should have.

IMO, you first insert Logan in Brown's spot, not enough north in the north south running Brown these days. Teams don't have to worry about him running outside and can concentrate on clogging the middle lanes. That way you make the least amount of changes and can determine if Logan still has the moves that made him a fan favourite in BC overnight. If he does, then you find a way to make him a starter and not a DI.

[Blitz]

Remembering that DD received his concussion by throwing the INT and then trying to make the tackle while getting smoked from behind, not really the OL's fault of course. But he was scrambling for his life more often than he should have.

IMO, you first insert Logan in Brown's spot, not enough north in the north south running Brown these days. Teams don't have to worry about him running outside and can concentrate on clogging the middle lanes. That way you make the least amount of changes and can determine if Logan still has the moves that made him a fan favourite in BC overnight. If he does, then you find a way to make him a starter and not a DI.

Brown started the season slow, then had a few good games and has had his struggles again. Of course blocking is always a key factor as well. Brown is a solid returner and his average on punts is equivalent to most returners. I don't go by yardage (Brown is third in punt return yardage and first in kickoff return yardage) but by average return.

However, with our offence mid-range this season, a return guy who can turn a game around with a big return at a crucial time would be such a huge bonus. I remember what Davis did for us in 2010.

I certainly can see Logan becoming the DI Rammer but I highly doubt that we will make him the starter. He can rotate in to give Harris a spell and our offence a different look and he can also come in and play with Harris in the two back set at times as well. If Logan is still close to as good as he was, then it would be hard to cover both out of the backfield or focus on Harris if Logan is in there.

[Balraj]

I don't think Buono has given up on this year. Still have a realistic shot at 2nd place, and less of a shot at 1st place but it isn't out of the question. While he didn't make a trade, he did bring back Stefan Logan. While Logan is much older now, he could be that change of pace back we need to compliment Harris. Looking forward to seeing him on the field and I think down the stretch he could have a big impact.

[Toppy Vann]

I don't think Buono has given up on this year. Still have a realistic shot at 2nd place, and less of a shot at 1st place but it isn't out of the question. While he didn't make a trade, he did bring back Stefan Logan. While Logan is much older now, he could be that change of pace back we need to compliment Harris. Looking forward to seeing him on the field and I think down the stretch he could have a big impact.

The GM is very annoyed that the Lions stand to have a road play off game that won't help the owner's cause like a home game would.

[Blitz]

I think a home playoff game is worth approximately a million bucks.

[TheLionKing]

I don't think Buono has given up on this year. Still have a realistic shot at 2nd place, and less of a shot at 1st place but it isn't out of the question.

Only on paper. Lions are a one dimensional team. They're going to have hard time beating both Saskatchewan and Calgary with that offence.

[Hambone]

I think a home playoff game is worth approximately a million bucks.

At least that cleared. Ticket revenues would be well over $2M maybe closer to $3M. Right now you gotta figure to finish 2nd means they'd host the Riders which should equate to close to 40K. I just booked my seat for $85.