Bring Em' Out...

While we won't really hear this until next Sunday when the Riders host the Edmonton Eskimos in their home opener, they crack the lid on another CFL season tomorrow in Steeltown against a couple of old friends. Henry Burris and Andy Fantuz know call Hamilton home and tomorrow they will bang heads with the new look Saskatchewan Roughriders.


Coming off of last year's debacle I honestly can not wait to get the pigskin in the air tomorrow. Following a year like last, change is a requirement and the Riders certainly did that in the off - season. New faces abound all over the roster, in particular along the Offensive Line as all five starters are new to the Riders. Clearly that was an area of weakness last year and something GM Brendan Taman along with Jeremy O'Day look to remedy. Time will tell but here is what I really like about the O - Line is the youth. Gone are the likes of Gene Makowsky and Dan Goodspeed who were slow going downhill and in their place are fresh faces like Brendan Labatte, Ben Heenan and recently acquired Chris Patrick.


An area the Riders have to improve this year is putting pressure on the QB. With that in mind Odell Willis was brought in from Winnipeg. If he plays as well as he did for the first half of last year, he is a steal for the Green and White. Throw in a healthy Brent Hawkins, Keith Shologan and Tearrius George and that group should be better.


Linebacker is another area to see a lot of changes as gone are the retired Barrin Simpson and last year's top tackler Jerrell Freeman. In their place are Shomari Williams in the middle, Abraham Kromah and one of the most impressive Riders during training camp, Tyron Brackenridge. I really liked Brackenridge at the end of last season and look for big things out of him. A lot of banter has been thrown around regarding whether or not Shomari Williams is capable of playing the middle. Time will tell but the way Shomari has developed in front of our eyes the last two seasons, I expect him to be fine. He has huge shoes to fill but I am sure he will be up to the challenge.


There were very few changes in the secondary short of releasing seven year Rider, Lance Frazier. In his place will be Eddie Russ inside along with Chris Mackenzie, Nick Graham and Tristan Jackson on the outside and the best safety in the league James Patrick patrolling centre field. I myself was guilty of criticizing this group last year, in particular Nick Graham. A new year is a new year and in my eyes this group has a lot to prove to us but I am going to take my time before calling for changes and jobs.


Offensively we lost Andy Fantuz and Wes Cates. Big blow? Yes and no. The more I think about it Fantuz really only had one stellar season. There are very few teams who could stand to lose a player of his calibre but I see this group as one of them. The rest of the recieving corps remains plus the return of a healthy Rob Bagg along with Justin Harper and Sinorice Moss. Harper is a big target and Moss is in many ways similar to Weston Dressler...small and quick.


In the backfield, one of the most exciting areas for me this year, we have Korey Sheets who was a monster in the pre - season. He along with incumbent Brandon West and Louis Rankin could make for a terrifying three headed monster of speed with West and Sheets and size with Rankin.



A lot of fans were down on Durant last year, but you know what, it is hard to play well when you have no time. Our O - line was slow and looked similar to Swiss Cheese at times last year. With that shored up, plus the threat of a solid running game, Durant should have more time to make plays. He, along with OC Bob Dyce must remember that when he is able to use his legs and get outside of the pocket, he is a much better football player.


Last year I went on here with a full summary and predictions for the season. Naturally I picked the Riders to go all the way. While I won't go that far this year I will say that they will be better. I will say that a play - off spot is a real possiblity. And lastly I will say that July 8th, the atmosphere at Mosaic will be electric. Here's to a great season of Rider football in 2013.

Almost Time...

With the Riders slated to kick off their pre - season on Wednesday night on the left coast I figured it time to sit down and provide you with my thoughts as we grow closer and closer to the season opener on June 29th in Hamilton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am always skeptical about a new coach; I am always fearful if they are the right man for the job. One needs to not look any further than last season to realize that some jobs just aren't the right fit for individuals and their philosophies. Everything I hear about or from Corey Chamblin gives me hope that this ship is headed in the right direction. He is keeping players accountable; see Shomari Williams and Odell Willis and does not shy away from saying this team needs to get better and that they are not a Grey Cup calibre team yet. While part of this is obviously motivation, it is also truthful. At this point I don't see the Riders as a Grey Cup team, I see light at the end of the dark tunnel that was 2012 but I have limited aspirations of having to make a trip to Toronto at a moment's notice to watch the Green and White play for the 100th Grey Cup. I am not saying it isn't possible, I am saying they need to prove to me, you and the entire league that last year was simply a blemish. Long story short, I think Chamblin is the man for this job and will take us back to where we as Rider fans expect to be each and every year; gearing up for a home play - off game at the grand old girl that is Mosaic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offensively, there is one less hand in the cookie jar when it comes to the QB position. Today the Riders cut ties with Colt Brennan. While I know he has come a long way from nearly dying in a car wreck a few years ago, at the end of the day he not only looked tentative but lacked the arm strength to be an elite QB in this league. I said that on this blog the day he was signed; he had the potential to be a stud but arm strength to make that wide side throw was a question. Well today that question was answered leaving three guys to battle for two positions. Durant is the guy, and I would think that with his experience and ability, J.T. O'Sullivan is the probable back up. That leaves Levi Brown and Drew Willy left to battle it out for the third QB on the roster with the odd man out arguably being offered a spot on the practice roster. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The battle in the back field appears to be tough as incumbent Brandon West is recieving stiff competition from the likes of Korey Sheets and former NFL'er Louis Rankin. Time will tell who is in there at the end of the month but I sure hope that new OC Bob Duyve realizes these guys have the speed to get outside and can catch the ball in the flat which hopefully leads from the traditional and predictable off tackle runs of the past. I truly believe that style was utilized as it was what Wes Cates did best but with Cates gone, the approach to the running game should be more dynamic and creative. Honestly, all we lose with Cates is great blocking but with a beefed up O - Line, that is less imperative. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The O - Line has to be better than last year. Those needs were obvioulsy addressed with the signings of Brendan Labatte and Dominic Picard. This weekend's acquisition of Chris Patrick is one that Dan Goodspeed needs to take notice of. Too many times Goodspeed got beat outside last year; if this continues to happen look for Goodspeed to be slowly making his way out of town. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The most intriguing aspect of camp this year, and most years is to me the battle at reciever. The likes of Dressler, Getzlaf and Bagg are clearly not penciled in, but rather sharpied in. That leaves a plethora of recievers battling for the remaining spots. From what I hear Justin Harper has been ultra - impressive, not to mention solid play from Sinorice Moss and Jason Cherry. The retirement of Dwayne Jarret was good in my mind; he had been nothing but a distraction from the moment Rookie Camp started. Regardless, at the end of the day with the recievers Taman and O'Day brought in, one thing is for sure; some very good recievers will be looking for work elsewhere by the end of the month. I sure hope Harper is as good as they say but let's remember two words from last year -- Terrence Nunn. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Defensively, our D -Line must improve. If Hawkins can stay healthy, he is the fastest D - Lineman in the league, maybe on the planet. Shologan is Shologan up the middle; big and solid. Odell Willis is not guaranteed to start on this team but either way, the combination of himself along with a healthy Brent Hawkins and Kenny Rowe, if he can live up to the hype will be a trio who should make opposing QB's lives a little more miserable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The battle at linebacker and in the secondary are very interesting as I am not sure anyone short of James Patrick is assured of a job outside of the big boys up front. From what I hear Tyron Brackenridge has been the beast of camp on the D - side of the ball. I am not surprised. Last year when he got time at the end of the year he looked really good. He becomes even more valuable in the sense he can play in the secondary or as a linebacker. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The team that takes the field on June 29th will be much different not only from this group of men, but of signficant importance, quite different than the team that kicked off 2011 and after that train wreck change is surely a good thing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can't blog without mentioning the NHL and Game Six of the Finals tonight in Los Angeles. Even though they are down a game there is no pressure on the Devil's tonight. Rather the Kings, who have failed to hoist the cup twice in the last week have all the pressure on them. A loss tonight means a trip back to the Swamp, talk of a historic melt down and a whole bunch of words, thoughts and anxiety the Kings want to avoid at all costs. If the Devil's win tonight, they win the Cup...tonight is in my mind the deciding game of the series. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later.....HBM