We're A Better Team!

[Blitz]

Talent wise, we're a better team than the 2006 Grey Cup Champion edition.

Our offensive line is back, with more experience now that Murphy, Rasouli, and Jiminez have a full season under their belt. The same holds true for running back where Joe Smith holds down the ace back position. We also have Smart, picked up part way through last season, able to back up Smith, with more experience.

At receiver, we're faster. When you have a player like Rodgers beat out Kendrick Jones and Simmons returning to add to Simon, Clermont, and Paris Jackson, you've added explosiveness. Monk has gone through a training camp and is ready to stpe in if needed. At quarterback Buck Pearce and Paris Jackson have more experience and confidence.

We also have better depth. Farrow has a year under his belt as a backup tackle, Valli and Plante also know our system. We lost Bobby Singh's experience and that's the only downside. Boden, Anderson, and Nicholson give us great Canadian depth.

Defensively, we're also better. The starting lineup is the same as last season, outside of Wake and Foley at defensive end. However, Wake already has shown that he has the kind of talent that could make us forget Wilson in a hurry once he gets some more game experience and he allows us to do more. Foley's camp shows that he should be ready to come into the rotation and do a good job. Kirk is now in his second season. Glatt isn't going to need time to learn his position this year...he already looks like he's been playing it for years. I loved Carl Kidd but good things always happen when Jamal Johnson is playing and he has a ton of talent and great speed. Pottinger, Ala, and Hannah give us great depth.

The change with Washington as the nickel and Phillips as wideside halfback should make us stronger against the pass. We also have great depth in the defensive backfield with Clovis, Mitchell, Dennis, Knowlton, and Crawford.

We have more depth at returner with Smart and Rodgers with Mitchell and Dennis also able to return. They gotta start hanging onto the ball but the explosiveness is there. As long as we have Pikula we probably also have the best backup kicker in the league.

When I look at our depth and the experience of some of that depth it's impressive.
Our key finds this off-season...Wake, Mitchell, and Rodgers are already making an impact. When I see names like Pearce, Jarious Jackson, Boden, Green, Bwenge, Farrow, Valli, Plante, Anderson, Kirk, Craiggs, Pottinger, Knowlten, Hannah, and Pikula not starting.. but knowing our system and ready to step in.. it's reassuring.

When I look at new talent like Sedeghian, Monk, McCullough, Ala, Crawford, Jones, Crawford, and Dennis...it makes me realize how deep we are.

Now, if only we can get the execution and mental sharpness down...this team really could be impressive!

[Blue In BC]

Can't disagree with your comments. Barring injuries, the Lions are favourites to repeat.

Regretably, it's never that easy. It may actually be harder because opponents will be gunning for the Lions even harder.

[Lionut]

I'm not entirely convinced we are a better team, due to the fact that our starting QB is showing signs of aging rapidly. Dickenson looked small, slow and old out there on Thursday. I sure hope he can bounce back, but when you check his age and injury history, there will be a nagging doubt for me until he does. I was somewhat surprised not to see Buck in that game when Dickenson was stinking it up so badly.

[Rammer]

Can't disagree with your comments. Barring injuries, the Lions are favourites to repeat.

Regretably, it's never that easy. It may actually be harder because opponents will be gunning for the Lions even harder.

Injuries are a major roadblock, but even the offence isn't exactly in sync right now and may give the Stamps an avenue to first which IMHO would make it a difficult road to travel for the GC.

[Blue In BC]

We'll see how sharp the Stamps and Ti Cats look tonight.

So far only the Bombers and Eskimos looked good on offense. Both teams struggled on defense so it may have made offenses appear to be running more smoothly than expected.

OTOH, R Ray is capable of putting up big yardage on a given day. I just wish, he'd quit doing against my Bombers.

[Blitz]

I'm not entirely convinced we are a better team, due to the fact that our starting QB is showing signs of aging rapidly. Dickenson looked small, slow and old out there on Thursday. I sure hope he can bounce back, but when you check his age and injury history, there will be a nagging doubt for me until he does. I was somewhat surprised not to see Buck in that game when Dickenson was stinking it up so badly.

I was worried about signing Dickenson long term. He's never had a stong arm but he's always been accurate in the short and intermidiate range. His long range accuracy has always been very inconsistent at best. He runs like a girl but he's a smart runner and knows where the yardsticks are. He's never been tall or big or fast and always needed to play smart.

However, we also have to remember how many injuries he's had and how many games he's missed over four seasons. Throw in some age and it takes a toll. Dickenson is an ordinary quarterback when he's not sharp and an excellent one when he is. He can't just rifle it in there or buy a lot of time or throw it deep on a dime. His long throws have always fluttered. He's gotten to be a premiere quarterback on being a very intelligent, sharp quarterback. He can't afford not to be mentally sharp.

However, Lionut, don't you agree that players like Wake and Mitchell are going to make us better? Our first year guys from last season now have more experience. We have better depth than last year?

[WestCoastJoe]

Talent wise, we're a better team than the 2006 Grey Cup Champion edition.

Now, if only we can get the execution and mental sharpness down...this team really could be impressive!

Good points, Blitz.

I watched the situation in Calgary when WB was being savaged by Fred Fateri and Michael Feterik. That was so much fun to watch that organization fall apart letting us take Wally off their hands.

The man can build a team. I have watched his personnel moves here in BC closely over the years. It is amazing how he finds talent, replaces aging vets at the right time, stays under budget, etc.

Personally, I think he is a better GM than coach, but he is no slouch at coaching either. Although he always says he leaves most of the coaching to his assistants anyway. He sets a great tone for a team: professional, high expectations, accountability, fairness, etc.

As I indicated in a post a few days ago, the only BC players left from pre-Buono days are:

Kelly Bates

Angus Reid

Lyle Green

Geroy Simon

Jason Clermont

Bret Anderson

Tyrone Williams

Brent Johnson

That represents a lot of turnover. But we can see stability now.

In his first couple of years in BC he had to pick up some players on the free agent list. He got Otis Floyd, Sherko Haji-Rasouli, Bobby Singh (now gone of course), Mark Washington, Barron Miles, Paul McCallum and many others who were temporary until he could bring in his own kind of players.

But after he got things going here, he acknowledged that he really doesn't like to pick up other teams' players.

O'Billovich does a sensational job bringing in American players that fit the CFL game and Wally's systems.

BC's drafting of Canadian talent has been outstanding as well. And of course the extra draft picks through trades have helped big time, giving us extra first rounders like Valli and Foley.

It is a treat to watch how WB does his team-building thing. I agree that talent-wise we are better than last year.

It is a big challenge for them to play up to their talent. We will see.

[cromartie]

I'm not entirely convinced we are a better team, due to the fact that our starting QB is showing signs of aging rapidly. Dickenson looked small, slow and old out there on Thursday. I sure hope he can bounce back, but when you check his age and injury history, there will be a nagging doubt for me until he does. I was somewhat surprised not to see Buck in that game when Dickenson was stinking it up so badly.

I was worried about signing Dickenson long term. He's never had a stong arm but he's always been accurate in the short and intermidiate range. His long range accuracy has always been very inconsistent at best. He runs like a girl but he's a smart runner and knows where the yardsticks are. He's never been tall or big or fast and always needed to play smart.

However, we also have to remember how many injuries he's had and how many games he's missed over four seasons. Throw in some age and it takes a toll. Dickenson is an ordinary quarterback when he's not sharp and an excellent one when he is. He can't just rifle it in there or buy a lot of time or throw it deep on a dime. His long throws have always fluttered. He's gotten to be a premiere quarterback on being a very intelligent, sharp quarterback. He can't afford not to be mentally sharp.

However, Lionut, don't you agree that players like Wake and Mitchell are going to make us better? Our first year guys from last season now have more experience. We have better depth than last year?

As to the last question, yes, this team is in great shape.

As to the eval on Dave, let's all take a breath and look for a preliminary answer after the first quarter of the season (game four) is over, shall we?