The BC Lions have released six players according to The Province’s Lowell Ullrich on Twitter and an official release by the team. The Province beat writer also announced that running back Jerome Messam has been asked to leave camp by the club and will be suspended.

The Lions cuts included: RB Keegan Herring, receivers Brandon Thompkins, Calvin Simon, Marc Ison defensive back Jasper Faulk and linebacker Tyrell Graham.

Wally Buono issued a statement on the suspension of Messam saying, ““In the best interest of the BC Lions Football Club and Jerome, he has been placed on our suspended list while he works through some personal matters.”

The team is preparing for its first exhibition game on Wednesday in Calgary.

After the first four days of BC Lions training camp, there is a lot of positives to take from the sessions. It’s also obvious that there is much work to do between now and July 4th, when the the club opens the 2010 season in Edmonton.

The club has found some nice talent in some areas of need, but there are certainly some concerns. In this report we’ll take a quick look at the key positions on offense so far. This is from our observations and restricted access. It should be noted that the Lions have restricted fans to the stands for the first time in several years, so we are a good distance away depending on where the drills are. For instance, the offensive line is often taken to a separate field that does not provide for a good view from the stands.

These observations are from four days and seven sessions of training camp.

Quarterbacks:

Casey Printers started camp looking sharp and confident. But the last day and a half has seen a step backwards.  He often scrambles for a big gain, but it means little when no one is allowed to hit you. Printers has shown visible signs of frustration at times, but as the club’s new leader he needs to get back on the saddle and onto the next play and rally the troops when things aren’t going right. He’s had good velocity on the ball and good accuracy for the most part. He looks quick and agile and judging on the pressure the defensive line has gotten on him in practice he’ll need those skills, especially early on as the offensive line takes time to gel into a unit. The backups haven’t shown as much. Jarious Jackson’s velocity looks a bit off. He was shut down from throwing in one session, possibility a maintenance day on his shoulder. Travis Lulay has also struggled with his accuracy. Both have had good sessions, but the consistency is not there. Fourth arm Kyle Parrish is getting reps, but he’s done nothing to suggest he’ll be moving up in the QB pecking order.

Offensive Line:

One of the biggest questions heading into camp was the status of the offensive line, and from what we can see it remains a question. The Lions sent Jason Jimenez packing and are moving Sherko Haji-Rasouli on the right side, and last year’s practice roster tackle Dumane Duckett will is lining up on the left. In between the tackles are Daren Heerspink, Jon Hameister-Ries and pre-camp newly appointed centre Dean Valli.

The unit is going to take some time to gel, and that is pretty evident on a lot of the drills so far. The club’s mandate has been to be a more physical club this season, and judging by the skirmishes we’ve seen this week, that aspect is certainly evident. But there are concerns, particularly at the tackles and many drills seem to see defensive ends in the backfield quickly. None of the players the Lions have brought in have looked particularly impressive or a threat to supplant the starters listed above, and that has to be a concern if the current lineup proves not good enough. Dane Randolph and Jovan Olafioye have not impressed to date, but have been working exclusively with the backup unit, as the team is obviously hoping to give the chosen starters that gel time we spoke of earlier. Angus Reid is competing hard in a new backup role, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him starting again at some point as Valli continues to evolve in the position. Justin Sorensen seems to have take the more physical plea from Wally to heart and has been very physical at camp, including the domination of Jeremy Gibbs in a heated exchange that saw “Walby Junior” land two heavy punches before teammates could separate them.

Running Backs:

The Lions have brought in some nice talent here and it compliments what they already had. That said, Jamal Robertson has separated himself from the pack, and as things stand will be the starting running back on July 4th. It’s who will back him up that becomes interesting. Jamall Lee is lining up at fullback in camp along with the large and quick Jerome Messam. Imports Yonus Davis and Toddrick Pendland have both had some success, but the player pushing Robertson the most is junior star Andrew Harris, who didn’t look out of place at camp last year. Harris has been consistently good and is getting lots of reps and he’s also seen some time on kick returns. The offense has some new looks this year and the possibilities are encouraging for anyone thinking the Lions may be abandoning the running game this year.

Receivers:

The Lions have brought in some nice talent here. Almost every receiver has had their moments, and a few have had some they should have caught. Newcomer Tony Washington has been very impressive, pretty much catching everything thrown his way. Kerry Reed has shown some nice speed, as has Darius Passmore and Steven Black. Matt Chapdelaine has proven he belongs in camp and has had a fairly solid four days, which will hopefully give the kid a break from some fans thinking he’s getting a free ride.  Last year’s practice roster Terence Scott was injured early in camp and much to this fans dismay hasn’t been a factor. Nate Binder and Akeem Foster have had a tough time getting noticed.

Amongst the veterans, you can be assured that Emmanuel Arceneaux has come back to improve on his great rookie campaign. He’s easily been the class of the receivers thus far and looks to be headed for a dominant season. On the other end of the spectrum, Derick Armstrong has been a disappointment in the sessions we’ve seen. Too many drops for what you’re used to seeing from Armstrong who is usually pretty sure-handed. Paris Jackson was looking strong before an injury which has kept him out of two sessions as of this post. O’Neil Wilson has had a nice camp and Geroy is looking as gifted as ever. He even got a rude awakening at camp by Tad Crawford who caught him over the middle in the air. It will be tough for a rookie import to crack this receiving core, but if you’re looking for an early candidate for a surprise cut, Armstrong needs to show more.

What’s the outlook?

The Lions look to have added some nice packages to the offense and it looks like there is a lot of speed to choose from. The offensive line is going to be a key, and with a few new twists to the offense thrown into the mix the Lions may need a few weeks to gel and hope the defence can give them the luxury to do so. The recievers and running backs look solid and if Casey Printers and the offensive line can get cohesive the Lions could have a lot of weapons at their disposal.

Next time, we’ll look at the defence and special teams.

Its been a drizzly wet day in Kamloops and the Lions decided that one practice would be the order of the day.

So, we got to sleep in and go for breakfast this morning while the players were in meetings and did film work.

We’re back for the afternoon and will likely see some more rain here before the session is out. Our updates will begin shortly, following the players warmups, around 4:30pm.

4:22pm: Offense is working on some undefended passing routes with a scout team. Likely running through plays to be used Sunday in Regina.

4:45pm: Both sides of the ball continuing to walk through plays. Assuming/hoping eventually we’ll see some scrimmage action.

4:48pm: O’Neil Wilson is quietly having a nice camp. There are some good receivers here. Reed, Washington, Black have all had their moments. Some scrimmage coming up!

4:58pm: Black in for Paris Jackson who is sitting out this session again (precautionary) Team is working on short yardage offense. Black promptly drops a pass in the endzone that should have been caught.

5:00pm: Lyle Green can’t handle a short dump pass. Slippery ball, poor throws and drops are dominating this session. Sloppy.

5:01pm: Problem solved. Throw the ball to Arceneaux. Touchdown.

5:07pm: Printers and the first team O-line getting in some running plays. All the RB’s getting touches. Messam has a strong run bouncing it to the outside. Big fullback with decent speed.

5:13pm: Messam absolutely undresses LaRose with a beautiful stutter step in the open field.

5:15pm: Some concern for Pittman as he gets up slowly attended to by the trainer after a run stop. Pittman missed a couple sessions already with a concussion. This looks an arm or shoulder issue.

5:23pm: Not sure what to make of the lack of work for Jamal Lee so far. Harris on the other hand is getting a lot of work. Perhaps an indication of the lineup for Sunday. Lee is also at fullback.

5:37pm: Team is working on the punt coverage and now moves on for some field goal work. Kicking from the 38 yard line. Both Whyte and McCallum look good.

5:54pm: Team is conducting a brief scrimmage.

6:00pm Its only my uninformed opinion, but I’m guessing by the way Jarious Jackson has been throwing the ball this week, his shoulder is still giving him some discomfort. Derrick Armstrong drops another pass. He has not impressed this week, several rookies look better.

6:03pm: Book it: Your starting running back is Jamal Robertson.

6:06pm: some concern about the backup QB’s. None have looked sharp. If these drills were “live” we may have a couple injured as well.

6:10pm: Practice called.

Standouts today: Jamal Robertson, James Yurichuk, Harris.

Sitting out: Bolden, McKenzie, Jackson, R. Jones, Elimimian.

Photos from the afternoon session of BC Lions training camp on June 8th, 2010 in Kamloops, BC

A recap of our live blog of the session can be found here.

The afternoon session of June 7th was less physical than the first three of camp, and that was understandable with three fights in the first three sessions, the coaches decided to throttle the boys back a bit with less contact drills, more focus on systems, and a pad-less scrimmage to close things out.

There weren’t really any standouts in the afternoon, as the drills weren’t really telling as far as evaluating talent. But we can tell you this, Emmanuel Arcenaux is going to have a huge year.

Here is our live blog of the afternoon’s proceedings, and of course a gallery of photos.

The morning session on June 7th produced some physical football on day two of training camp. Big hits, and a some heavyweight punches by Justin Sorensen on Jeremy Gibbs showed the intensity on the field was reaching new levels.

Here are some photos of the morning session, and you can review our live blog of the session here.

Hey Lions fans! I don’t know about you but right about now I’m getting pretty excited about the upcoming CFL season. The tickets are paid for, the parking pass is bought (more on that below) and the training camp trip is booked. In just under a month, CFL football will be back!

Across the league rosters are being filled in with free agent hopefuls and draft picks to compete with the veterans and vie for their spots on their respective teams. The Lions are no exception as they head towards the opening day of rookie camp on June 2nd and the main camp on June 6th at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC.

Let’s get you up to date on the recent happenings surrounding the Lions and here in The Den, as we hit the home stretch to the 2010 CFL season.

BCLionsDen.ca Is Going Camping!

For the last two years we’ve brought you pictures and reports from training camp and this season will be no exception. We’ll have four days of “blogger style” coverage starting June 7th , running through to the 10th. We’ll have live tweets, photos, daily blog entries and possibly a live blog to see what Lions fans want to know from camp. I’ve got a few other ideas as well, but it’s going to depend if I can get a favour or two from the Lions.

If you’re coming up to camp for those dates join us for a little in between session tailgate fun! Follow us here and on Twitter @BCLionsDen for information on where we’ll be.

Roster Moves

The Lions continue to fine tune their roster for training camp. The recent Canadian Draft saw the Lions stockpile nine picks in the six round draft, and the club got arguably two of the top players in the draft taking offensive lineman Danny Watkins and receiver Shawn Gore with their first two picks. The club will have to wait on them however, as Watkins will go back to Baylor for one more season, and could be an NFL draft pick. Gore recently signed a three year deal with the Green Bay Packers after successfully surviving a pre-season tryout camp the weekend of the draft. The Lions had seven other picks, and we recapped them here.

The team also held a free agent camp in Portland Oregon on Mother’s Day weekend, and has one more scheduled for May 14th in Dallas, Texas.

In addition to the draft picks, the team has also added depth and competition in the secondary, signing import defensive backs Anthony Reddick and Dominique Williams. The team also announced they had signed non-import and former Edmonton Eskimo saftey J.R. LaRose and  local long snapper Sean Ortiz to the roster, who’s had tryouts with the Tornoto Argonauts in the past. Quarterback Zac Champion was released, leaving the Lions with Casey Printers, Jarious Jackson and Travis Lulay as the men behind centre heading into camp.

Home Sweet Home

Empire Field is taking shape nicely as it nears a June 15th completion date and the club has been posting almost daily photo updates from the site. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot new to see of late as the bowl is now fully enclosed by the constructed seating, and we haven’t seen many pictures from inside the walls. The project hit a minor speed bump when Logistics caused the scoreboard to be relocated from the originally planned south end to the north, forcing to club to redo seat allocations for season ticket holders. All season ticket holders will have the same view of the replay screen as they had in BC Place.

Great news came this week with word that tailgating is going to be permitted in the lots surrounding the PNE. The club and the PNE have worked out season passes for ticket holders which will give them a guaranteed parking spot on the grounds, but not a reserved spot. Prices range from 25.00/game to 30.00. and the passes are good for 9 games, but not valid on August 27th, when the PNE is on. The unofficial word from the club is that they were told tailgating will be permitted, but they are not in any capacity. This development could make this season one of the best yet for regular tailgaters, who will be able to barbeque in the shadows of the stadium, creating a great football atmosphere.

Yeah the price is steep, but you had to expect it. With Playland in full swing parking will be at a premium on game days, so I’d highly recommend season ticket holders purchase the season’s pass if they plan on driving to the games. As a tailgater, it was a no brainer for me.

If you’re interested in tailgating, many of the crew from our group have bought passes in Lot 9 on the north side of the stadium. Make sure your familiar with the culture of tailgating and respect the tradition. It’s a great pastime that is pretty unique to football and can really enhance your game day experience. The PNE is located in a residential area, so respect the neighborhood and it’s residents as well.

The BC Lions held their annual off-season state of the union conference call with the media today and while we weren’t privy to the call, we were fortunate to have the Tweets of Mark Masters, writer for the National Post (@markmasters), to give us some of the highlights of the discussion. Make sure if you’re a CFL fan on Twitter you follow Mark, as he always has great scoops and information on the CFL.

In attendance for today’s call were Vice-President George Chayka, Head Coach and GM Wally Buono, and President & CEO Dennis Skulsky.

Here, in point form are the comments tweeted by Mark during today’s call:

George Chayka: Empire Field construction should be completed in six weeks (June 15).

George Chayka: New season ticket sales are 50% ahead of where they were last year.

Wally Buono: Last year was not the kind of team we had in past; it was important to address changes.

Wally Buono: Casey Printers is in the prime of his development & growth as a QB.

Wally Buono: Two biggest signings are Keron Williams & Davis Sanchez from Montreal. Sanchez helps change the defensive philosophy.

Wally Buono: Re: draft – Watkins & Gore are good enough that we will wait; hopefully not more than 6-12 months.

Wally Buono: Hamid Mahmoudi like a young Davis Sanchez.  Joash Gesse is like a young Javier Glatt.

Wally Buono: Joash Gesse would have been 1st round pick in CFL draft if not for injury.

Dennis Skulsky: Moving training camp to Kamloops will help tap into fans outside Vancouver; stresses ‘BC’ in BC Lions.

Dennis Skulsky: We want to be the biggest thing that happens in the City of Kamloops this summer.

Wally Buono: Printers & Chapdelaine have a ’tremendous chemistry of trust’.

Wally Buono: His decision to extend contract in BC was twofold (1) He wants another Grey Cup (2) He still enjoys coaching.

Wally Buono: This year’s team must be more physical & play better under pressure.

Wally Buono: The Lions are still on the lookout for an established left tackle.

In a new feature here at BCLionsDen.ca, we’re going to try and help keep you up to date on recent happenings from the Lions Den and around the CFL. We’ll gather the top news items of the week and compile them here for your convenience. So let’s get started!

News Items

Simpson off to Riderville

Former BC Lion linebacker Barrin Simpson signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday. The signing had been rumoured for about a week, but was made official. The Lions had been kicking the tires on Simpson, who I know was very interested in a return to BC. However, on his Fifth Quarter blog, Lowell Ullrich reports that after considering bringing the nine year veteran back to where he began his career, Wally Buono perhaps decided that the risk to the chemistry of the locker room would be one too great to take.

“Nobody would ever come out and say so for public consumption, but the clear message was that the Lions feel that Simpson would be some kind of distraction in the locker room. Chemistry is a big thing with Buono, and you can debate if you choose whether that has always been the case.”

The Lions do need linebackers, but with the trade to acquire the younger Dennis Haley from Hamilton earlier this month it appears they will look to free agent camps and possibly the draft to add more depth behind Haley and Anton McKenzie.

Robertson Runs With The Lions

Free agent running back Jamal Robertson signed with the Lions this week. The 33 year old former back of the Toronto Argonauts will had some veteran depth to the lineup that currently features young prospects Jamal Lee and Andrew Harris. Both are promising backs, and both have Canadian passports. Robertson is a hard runner, similar in style to the departed Martell Mallett, but he’s also capable catching the ball out of the backfield. From the sounds of things, new offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine will be designing an offense that is pass heavy, so adding Robertson would compliment that style. The Lions also feel that they let Mallett get worn out last season, and there is a good chance the team will rotate backs a lot more this season in an attempt to keep guys fresh, give teams different looks and build some experience for Lee and Harris.

Competition For Logan?

On the way out there front, there has been speculation from fans that former Lion Stefan Logan could be in trouble in Pittsburgh with the return of Antwaan Randle-El this week to the steel city. If he were to return to the CFL however, he would be a free agent, and it remains to be seen if the Lions would throw their hat in the bidding war his return would create. Before that happens however, Logan will have to be cut, and would likely get looks from other NFL teams before ever considering a return to the CFL. Randle-El hasn’t been very productive of late and Logan set a new Steeler kick return record last year. I’m banking on the little man.

Stubler’s Return

One of the best signings the Lions have made this off-season was the one of new defensive line coach Rich Stubler. To say the man is over qualified for that job would be an understatement. Stubler has a long history in the league and will bring a wealth of experience to the table. There is also talk the move my be a part of a plan for if and and when Wally Buono decides to move upstairs and assume the GM role full time. The idea being that Mike Benevides is being groomed for the head job, while Stubler would take over the defensive coordinator role. For now Stubler, who lives in the Pacific Northwest is thrilled to be back in the league and back with the Lions.

Wanna Go Camping?

The Lions posted details of the first week of their 201o training camp on BCLions.com this week. The first week’s preliminary schedule has been posted, and as in past years the Lions will practice twice a day, once on the morning and once in the afternoon. The will be located at Hillside Stadium adjacent to campus of Thompson Rivers University.

Hillside Stadium, City of Kamloops by sportexe, on Flickr

Lions rookie camp will go June 2nd to the 5th, and the first day of the main camp will be the 6th. The Lions will remain in Kamloops until the 12th, when the travel to Regina to play the Riders on the 13th. They will return to Kamloops on the 14th for more sessions, before heading to Vancouver to take on the Edmonton Eskimos on June 20th at their temporary home, Empire Fields. The club opens the 2010CFL season on July 4th in Edmonton.

Tweet @Coach_Brillo (Wally Buono)

Join Head Coach and GM Wally Buono on Twitter on Monday, March 29th between 11:00am and 12:00pm for a question and answer session. The coach who goes by the name @Coach_Brillo on Twitter, will answer as many questions from Twitter fans within the hour. Coach Buono will fresh off the clubs Los Angeles free agent camp which goes this weekend.

It’s a nice move by the team to take advantage of a great social media tool. Hopefully they can maybe do more with Twitter in the future and do similar Q & A’s with Geroy Simon (@geroysimon), Dante Marsh (@dantemarsh) Emmanuel Arceneaux (@84mannie) and others that use the service.

Check it out, and if you’re on Twitter, make sure you follow us, @BCLionsDen!