Wally Buono has his work cut out for him when he returns from his annual Hawaiian vacation later this month. several BC Lions are about to become CFL free agents this off-season and more are in the option years of their deals.
The Lions potential free agent list is as follows:
WR Emmanuel Arceneaux*, DT Aaron Hunt, OL Andrew Jones, RB Jamall Lee, WR Robert Long, CB Dante Marsh, K Paul McCallum, LB Anton McKenzie, DT Khalif Mitchell, DB Ryan Phillips, WR Anthony Russo
Here are the remaining teams and their potential free agents this off-season:
MONTREAL
S Etienne Boulay, LB Marc-Olivier Brouillette, CB Mark Estelle, G Scott Flory, LB Ray Fontaine, DE Jermaine McElveen, DL Jeff Robertshaw, LB Walter Spencer,DB Paul Woldu
TORONTO
QB Dalton Bell, DB Matt Black, DE Alex Buzbee, LB Kevin Eiben, DE Ben Ishola, FB Jeff Johnson
OL Rob Murphy, CB Byron Parker, OL Dominic Picard, S Willie Pile, LB Jason Pottinger, OL Taylor Robertson, CB Jordan Younger
HAMILTON
FB Agustin Barrenechea, LB Isaac Brown, WR Matt Carter, DE Justin Hickman, T Jason Jimenez, DT Matt Kirk, K Justin Medlock, OL Simeon Rottier, DE Garrett McIntyre*, DB Jason Shivers
WINNIPEG
QB Buck Pierce, QB Alex Brink, QB Joey Elliott, WR Aaron Hargreaves, WR Greg Carr, OL Brendon LaBatte, OL Glenn January, OL Steve Morley, OL Andre Douglas, LS Chris Cvetkovic, DT Don Oramasionwu, S Brady Browne, S Ian Logan
DE Phillip Hunt*
SASKATCHEWAN
RB Graeme Bell, RB Wes Cates, SB Jason Clermont, WR Andy Fantuz, RB Stuart Foord, LB Jerrell Freeman, CB Nick Graham, DE Brent Hawkins, DB Tristan Jackson, P Eddie Johnson, WR Cary Koch, DB Leron Mitchell, OL Marc Parenteau
CALGARY
LB Marc Calixte, P Burke Dales, WR Arjei Franklin, DB Brandon Isaac, OL Tim O’Neill
EDMONTON
FB Mathieu Bertrand, RB Chris Ciezki, LB Rod Davis, RB Samuel Fournier, OL Kyle Koch, DL Etienne Legare, RB Calvin McCarty, WR Andrew Nowacki, DE Greg Peach, LB Mark Restelli, K Derek Schiavone
Can you smell it? Can you feel it getting closer? Yes fans the long hibernation known as the CFL off-season is coming to an end and across our country football fans are getting their colours ready for another great season of Canadian football, as training camps open everywhere and every team has its sights set on a trip to Vancouver in November for the 99th Grey Cup championship.
For the BC Lions, it’s a big year. The team ended the 2010 season playing some very good football and almost knocked off Saskatchewan in the Western Semi-Final. Heading into this year’s camp the club hopes to build on that momentum, return to the top of the CFL’s West Division and play in the Grey Cup in their newly renovated state of the art stadium.
But to get there the journey will be a long one and it all starts on Sunday, June 5th when those looking to make the 2011 squad hit the field at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops BC.
With the Lions finishing strong last season, the club elected to make continuity a key ingredient in their off-season planning. With the exception of a trade, a few free agent signings, a defection to the NFL and an unfortunate run in with the law, many players will be returning to the den to build on the momentum they ended last season with.
If you’re planning to head to training camp, BCLions.com has all you need to know on their training camp page. Bookmark it because if there are changes to the daily schedule they will post updates there. You can also download the club’s official Training Camp guide as well.
So all that said, take a look at the Lions as they head into training camp and begin their journey to a Grey Cup appearance in 2011!
A new leader emerges:
Last season the Lions fielded a very young team and many of the players were learning the CFL game. By the end of last season that growth was evident and the Lions started to show they had a lot of talent that was starting to get it. Early injuries to the offence and a revolving door at quarterback saw the team struggle out of the gate on offense. By the end of the year Travis Lulay had become the club’s starting quarterback and the undisputed leader of the offense. Nowhere was his growth more evident than in the Western Semi-final where he walked into Mosaic Stadium in Regina and nearly led the Lions to an upset over the Roughriders.
Lulay has all the tools to be a star in the CFL. Intelligence, toughness and the ability to pull the ball down and get yardage when nothing is there. He has the attention and respect of his team in the huddle and they are willing to follow him. That probably couldn’t be said of last season’s starter to begin the year. His arm strength may not be the best in the league but it’s more than adequate and he can pick teams apart by taking advantage what they give him. The beauty of Lulay is he is still learning and is eager to do so. He spent much of his off-season in BC and was a regular at the team’s practice facility,working on the offense, studying film and preparing himself to be the face of the offence. Look for very big things from Travis Lulay out of the gate.
Jarious Jackson returns as the backup and Mike Reilly will start camp as the number three, but the Lions have also brought in Corey Leonard, and Matt Johnson to compete. Knowing Buono’s knack for finding quality quarterbacks don’t be surprised to see the pecking order below Lulay change somewhat.
Protecting the leader:
Lulay will have better protection to start the season and a big reason for that will be the off-season acquisition of the 2010 offensive lineman of the year Ben Archibald, formerly of the Calgary Stampeders. The 6’4″ 322 pound Archibald will be protecting Lulay’s blind side at the left tackle spot, shifting last year’s promising rookie tackle Jovan Olafioye to the right side. The interior of the line will once again be anchored by the dependable and experienced Angus Reid. The Lions had asked Reid to assume a back up role to begin last season, looking to groom Dean Valli for the position but by the end of the year it as Reid returning to provide a calming influence on the line, showing the team he was still more than capable of being a starter. There will be key battles along the interior of the line in training camp. When the Lions drafted Justin Sorensen they likely saw him as a possible candidate for a tackle spot, but he is now listed on the depth chart as a backup centre to Angus Reid. Non-imports John Hameister-Ries and Jesse Newman are slotted in at left and right guard respectively. Dane Randolph and Nick Hennessy will slot in at backups at tackle while Andrew Jones and Dean Valli will backup as guards. Non counters Adam Baboulas (2010) and Yannick Sage (2011) will look to impress and possibly displace any of the previously mentioned backups along the interior of the line.
Running by committee:
Behind a steadier offensive line the Lions ground attack will likely be done by committee. Jamal Robertson returns as a duel threat from the backfield with Jerome Messam looking to improve on a solid rookie year. Injuries to Jamal Lee (knee) and Andrew Harris (torn pectoral muscle) will see both of those players get a late start. Rolly Lumbala returns at fullback and will again be a key contributor on special teams. With Yonus Davis no longer an option due to legal problems the Lions have stockpiled a collection of potential backs and have a poker in the fire on former Saskatchewan Roughrider and Hamilton Tiger Cat Kenton Keith who recently impressed at a free agent work out. Before that though, the Lions will see what they have with newcomers Tim Brown, Keegan Herring, Micheal Smith and non counting Tim Cronk. It’s likely that few names from this group will also audition for the returner role previously held by Davis. Smith is the cousin of former Lion Stefan Logan, and says he’s a little tougher and has more top end speed than his relative who was nicknamed “Joystick”. If that proves to be true, the Lions may have found a gem.
Replacing Manny and opportunities to shine:
The Lions didn’t have a lot of turnover this off-season, but one big loss could be felt at receiver with the loss of Emmanuel Arceneaux to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Paris Jackson will miss training camp on the training camp injured list as he is still recovering from a knee injury. Of the players returning from last season, look for Shawn Gore and Steven Black to have an impact coming out of camp. Gore and Black are slotted in as the team’s two starting slot backs heading into camp and both have the talent to hold onto those jobs. Gore never really got a chance to show his talents after arriving from the Green Bay Packers part way through the season, seeing most of his time on special teams. But Black became a dependable option for the team down the stretch and will look to entrench himself even more in the starting lineup.
Geroy Simon of course is the cagey and wise veteran who keeps on ticking. He needs 4 TDs to surpass Willie Fleming (87) for first on the Lions’ all-time list. He needs six TDs to reach 90 for his Lions career and 34 receptions to hit the 800 mark to add to his club record total. Simon is also closing in on Milt Stegall for the league’s all time receiving yards record, needing 1,432 yards to pass one of the CFL’s all-time greats and be in sole possession of the record.
Wide receiver is where things could get interesting. Second year player Nick Moore who didn’t see the field and 2010 draft pick Akeem Foster enter camp as tops on the depth chart, but the Lions have brought in some talented players to compete, hoping to find the next diamond in the rough to replace Arceneaux. The Lions have no fewer than 10 wider receivers to evaluate at camp, and early reports from rookie camp suggest that there are some good options to choose from. 2011 draft pick Marco Iannuzzi (Harvard) will look to impress. He likely won’t start right away but may also get a look as an option for kick returner. Other players vying for jobs will be Dobson Collins, Marc Ison, Kierrie Johnson, Calvin Simon, Jared Perry, William Osbourne and Brandon Thompkins.
Strength at Linebacker:
Despite the Lions troubles last year the defense was pretty solid last season and help the team in a lot of games while the offense struggled. The strength of the defence is definitely the linebacking core and the Lions are looking to make it the focal point of their defence this season. Last year’s rookie of the year Solomon Elimimian will be the centrepiece. It sounds as if the Lions will be employing a four linebacker set at least to start the year. If that is the case look for Adam Leonard, Anton McKenzie and nickleback Korey Banks join Elimimian. Joe Henderson returns for another year and will likely get rotated in and there is James Yurichuk who continues to improve and may play a bigger role this year. Joash Gesse, Adam Bighill and Tyrell Graham will also compete, but don’t excpect many surprises when camp breaks.
In search for the next Wake:
The Lions were extremely lucky to enjoy the talents of Cam Wake for two seasons. But since the monster that terrorized CFL quarterbacks left to star in the NFL, they have yet to find a replacement for the rush end position. Brent Johnson returns for another season and the Lions were happy with how fresh he was kept by rotating in and out during games. That’s how he’ll start the year with Aaron Hunt moving to defensive end and the newly acquired Eric Taylor starting at defensive tackle. Keron Williams will start on the other end and look to start the season healthy. Khalif Mitchell who arrived from the NFL last season with a bang but tailed off down the stretch could also see a lot of reps and should have a better handle on the CFL game. Newcomers Keyon Brown, James Bryant and draft pick Chris Hodgson will also look to impress.
Secondary remains strong:
One are where the Lions have always been solid over the last few years is the secondary and 2011 should find them solid again. Coach Mark Washington has a lot of talent to work with led by veterans Dante Marsh, Ryan Phillips, J.R. Larose and Davis Sanchez. Stanley Franks had a strong season in 2011 and he returns along with David Hyland who’s hard hitting take no prisoners style excited fans in the games he played in. The Lions would like to see special teams demon Jason Arakgi play a bigger role and he’ll enter camp as the backup to LaRose at safety. LaRose is coming off a another serious leg injury and Arakgi should be ready to emerge soon. Second year players Anthony Reddick and Hamid Mamoudi both return and newcomers Marquez Hall and Micheal Carter and Travis Williams look to get noticed and crack a solid group.
Looking for that special player:
The Lions probably didn’t count on having to replace Yonus Davis in 2011. Davis’ legal problems left them with no choice however and the search for a new returner at camp will be one to watch. Various receivers and backs will be given opportunities and Buono will hope he makes the right choice. Last season he handed the job to Robert Jordan (who was also implicated in the Davis situation) who was ineffective before finding lightning in a bottle with Davis. The return game won the Lions a few games last year and replacing that component will be important to the teams overall success.
The kicking game will once again fall in the hand of the capable Paul McCallum who seems to be defying his age. McCallum had won of his best season kicking field goals last season and can still punt accurately and efficiently. Buono chose to keep McCallum over the up and coming Sean Whyte who was dealt to Montreal at the draft. The Lions drafted Hugh O’Neil out of the University of Alberta who be McCallum’s backup and who many feel was the best kicker in the draft.
The Lions return coverage was solid last season and many of the same cast will be back. Arakgi, Yurichuk and Lumbala are lethal down field tacklers and they’ll be the leaders on cover teams.
Who will make a name for themselves?
Every year there is a player at camp who forces the coaches to make a difficult decision and this year will likely be no exception. If it is, the football staff haven’t done their job in finding players to improve the team. Wally Buono is also known for cutting a veteran or two every year. Last season he had a very young team and his off-season to date has shown he wants to maintain continuity in 2011 and let the tam grow. But that won’t mean the plans cant change if a player gives him no choice. The biggest surprise may come at receiver, or perhaps running back. Paris Jackson’s knee is a real concern and a strong showing in camp by another player like Shawn Gore may leave Buono with a tough decision. There are also options waiting in the wings with Kenton Keith and Kamau Petersen.
Other key notes:
Fan Fest will be held June 12th: Gates open at: 1:30 pm
Autograph session: 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Practice: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
The team will hold a night practice on Monday June 20th.
Fans heading to Kamloops should note that on June 5th, 8th, 10th and 19th, the club will have very limited on-field activities during the morning practice session.
So there you have it, hopefully we’ve shed some light on some of the battles to watch for at camp. If you’re heading up to Kamloops or live in the area enjoy the practices and the experience of CFL training camp! Let’s hope all the hard work during the next few weeks results in a great year for the Lions!
Highlights from the BC Lions season preview conference call that took place today:
- Team is 10% ahead of last year in season tickets sales thanks in part to excitement over 99th Grey Cup
- Dennis Skulsky says renovated BC Place will be one of the best facilities in North America.
- Wally Buono says that defensively, the Lions will go with a three-man front much of the upcoming season.
- Buono confirms that the Lions are has signed QB Matt Johnson from Bethune-Cookman University.
- Buono says the club may sign a 6th QB before camp…likely Cal’s Kevin Riley, who impressed at the recent Portland free-agent camp.
- The club will announce their new defensive line coach on June 1st.
- Buono on the improvement of the offensive line: ‘We have the best left tackle in the league (Archibald) & that should help us a lot’.
- Buono on QB Matt Johnson: ‘A lot like a young Damon Allen bc of athleticism…Danny Barrett speaks highly of him’.
- Buono not worried about replacing Davis /Arceneaux; cites Moore, Harris, Black, Gore, Iannuzzi as guys who can step up.
- Buono: ‘Elimimian reminds me of Alondra Johnson’.
- Buono confident that 2011 bc offensive line will be a lot stronger and the team will get more consistent play at quarterback.
- Buono says the team is still investigating non-import WR Kamau Peterson’s medical situation. ”If we weren’t thorough in that situation we wouldn’t be doing our job”.
In addition to the signing of Matt Johnson, the Lions also announced the signings of running back / kicj return candidates Michael Smith (Arkansas) and Tim Brown (Temple).
Thanks to Mark Masters of the National Post for his live tweets that made this blog possible, as well as the TEAM 1040.
Mark Masters on Twitter.
Team 1040 on Twitter.
(Vancouver) The BC Lions Football Club has been made aware that Yonus Davis has recently been detained in the state of California.
General Manager and head coach Wally Buono has issued the following statement on behalf of the football club:
“We are aware of an incident that involves Yonus and we will continue to gather additional information. He remains part of our football club while the investigation process takes its course and we will not comment further at this time.”
No details are known on the nature of situation.
As CFL free agency approaches, rumours are starting to trickle out from the media and make their way to the internet. Perry Lefko of Sportsnet.ca recently blogged about how the CFL clubs are prepping for free agency and had this to say about the BC Lions:
“Wally Buono is expected to look at Gauthier and possibly Hefney, too. Rumours are abound about the Lions cutting some veterans, which is something Buono routinely does. Defensive back Dante Marsh may be dropped, especially if the Lions want to create cap space for Hefney. There’s also speculation they are open to trading Canadian receiver Paris Jackson, whose play tailed off last season, and Canadian rush end Brent Johnson, who became a rotation player last season after years of being a dominant starter.”
Some pretty shocking stuff there and one could easily come up with most of that speculation based on last season. Yes Jackson had an off year, starting the season with a knee problem. Yes Brent Johnson isn’t getting any younger, but he started the season in a rotation role then became an every down player again when injuries took over and was very effective, showing he still had the leadership and skill to contribute. But the suggestion the Lions would be prepared to drop veteran cornerback Dante Marsh in favour of signing pending free agent Jonathan Hefney out of Winnipeg is a little puzzling.
Lefko is correct about one thing, and that is that Wally Buono routinely releases veteran players each year. Part of keeping the team fresh and competitive has to involve turnover and the grooming of younger talent. But the team is entering a year when they are hosting the Grey Cup and too many changes may hamper the great momentum they started to gather as last season came to a close. Hefney is a talented player and is 6 years younger than Marsh, who is entering is 8th year in the CFL, all of them with the Lions. But would releasing Marsh be a good idea?
I don’t think so.
Marsh is coming off a pretty decent year in 2010. He recorded 63 tackles, 1 special teams tackle and had 4 interceptions. He played hurt with a shoulder injury and remained a leader in the secondary along with teammates Korey Banks, Ryan Phillips and Davis Sanchez all of whom started mentoring the promising David Hyland. A pretty solid unit that a lot of teams would kill to assemble.
Dante Marsh – Photo Credit: BCLions.com
Anyone who follows Marsh on twitter knows his commitment and work ethic are second to none. He has become a leader on the team and we here at BCLionsDen.ca know of his generosity in the community and how he represents the club with class.
Hefney has NFL aspirations and because of his age, would likely look to be testing them again in the near future. A recent offer from the Bombers had Hefney upset enough to express his frustration on Twitter:
“I’m sorry Winnipeg but that contract proposal was a legit slap in the face… Imma go 2 sleep on that and know I’ll never play there for that type of money”
Not exactly the character Buono likes in his locker room. Good fit on the field, maybe…good fit in the locker room, not so sure.
I’m not going to lie. I’ve got a lot of time and respect for Dante Marsh. I got to deal with him a little when he helped CFL Fans Fight Cancer by raffling off a painting of himself for the cause. That said, I also think he still has a lot to offer the BC Lions on the field as well. His experience and talents are still needed and Marsh still has more than a couple years of high level football to offer. If the Lions were to release him, he wouldn’t be out of work very long.
Marsh is playing out his option year and the Lions did pay him a bonus that was due February 1st. To date there have been no reports of an extension being offered, while the older, non-import Davis Sanchez was extended through 2013.
Of course as always the decision belongs to Buono and as the head coach and GM, he has to do what he thinks is right for the football team and these sorts of rumours often turn out to be just that, rumours.
Let’s hope that turns out to be the case here.
It’s official. After last week, the BC Lions are the worst team in the Canadian Football League. The club has lost seven straight games, and find themselves out of a playoff spot, one game shy of the midway point of the season. The same BC Lions that were getting used to hosting Western Finals, have now seen the other end of the spectrum, and it’s downright frustrating for the club and its fans.
But how did they get here? What has led to the team’s radical fall from the top of the CFL west? Fans and media like to concentrate on the now. It’s the coaches, it’s the schemes, it’s the personnel. While that may be true to a point, when you look at the bigger picture over the last three seasons, you can start to see how this all came to be.
The passing of Bob Ackles
It’s no secret that the BC Lions franchise turned around with the arrival of Bob Ackles. It’s also not wrong to suggest their downward spiral started with his passing.
Ackles was the face of the franchise and his football experience and contacts were of extreme value to the organization and in particular to Wally Buono. Ackles network of football people gave the club an endless resource to finding diamonds in the rough. Wally Buono could concentrate on the football team knowing that Ackles was looking after the operations of the club. He was a sounding board and confidante for Buono.
With Ackles gone, Buono has had to take on more of the day to day duties. Before Dennis Skulsky was brought in the Lions were without a President for a good amount if time. Skulsky is an excellent hire on the business side of the equation, but in no way does he replace what Ackles contributed to the football operations.
The departure of Obie
When Bob O’Billovich left the Lions, the loss was massive. O’Billovich has a great eye for talent and found some outstanding players for the Lions during his tenure here. Obie was aided by Richard Wade who also followed him to Hamilton. These two losses put a huge dent in the Lions scouting staff, and the product has reflected in the time they have been away. Roy Shivers was added to the fold, but has yet to produce the success that Obie and Wade did. It’s no coincidence that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have risen from the bottom of the league to a respectful team since the arrival of these two talented football minds.
Murphy’s Law
The offensive line hasn’t been the same since the departure of Rob Murphy. Big number 56 brought an attitude and an aggressiveness to the unit that has yet to be restored. The departure of Jason Jimenez was a curious one, and the Lions have failed to find a replacement there as well. The tackles are a huge part of any successful line, and the rotating door at the position has been counter-productive to the unit. Justin Sorensen, Dane Randolph, Dumane Duckett, John Hameister-Ries, Daren Heerspink have all had shots, while Sherko Haji Rasouli hasn’t stayed healthy enough to be evaluated. The offence can be critiqued all you want, but instability in the trench has caused huge issues for the quarterbacks who are more often than not running for their lives seconds after the ball is snapped. And while Jacques Chapdelaine is taking a lot of heat for the inept offence this season, some responsibility should also lie at the feet of OL coach Dan Dorazio.
Bad timing
Dave Dickenson wasn’t optioned by the Lions because they couldn’t invest the dollars in him due to his concussion issues. He ended up signing in Calgary, went in for Burris, got another concussion and retired. He stayed on with the Stamps last season as a running back’s coach, and this year was promoted to offensive coordinator after George Cortez departed for the NFL. Change that timeline a little bit and Dickenson may have been added to the Lions coaching staff. He’s a great football mind, and he’s proving in Calgary his transition to the coaching ranks will be a rapid one. It’s rumoured that Buono may have considered offering Dickenson a job in some capacity, but he’s remained in Calgary, and the Stamps offense is thriving.
The NFL
The big bad league to the south has not been kind to fans of the Lions of late. Cameron Wake was a given to fly south but the recent departures have cost the Lions some nice talent. Jamal Johnson, Ricky Foley, Stefan Logan, Martell Mallett, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Rolly Lumbala have all departed for the lure of the NFL and to date none of returned.
Draft disappointment
One just has to look at the last three CFL drafts to see that pick retention and development has not been very successful in the last three drafts.
2008: Justin Sorensen, Rolly Lumbala, Justin Shaw, Jason Arakgi, Mike McEachern, Brady Browne, Hubert Buydens
2009: Jamal Lee, James Yurichuk, Matt Carter, Matt Morencie, Tang Bacheyie, Jonathan Pierre-Etienne
2010: Danny Watkins, Shawn Gore, Joash Gesse, Hamid Mahmoudi, Nate Binder, Akeem Foster, Cauchy Muamba, Matthew Chapdelaine
Only the players in bold are in the organization, and only Arakgi, and Yurichuk have made solid contributions. Lee isn’t touching the ball much, Sorensen has yet to step up and assume a starters role, and the others are too raw to contribute. Browne, Carter, Bacheyie and Morencie were lost to rival teams. Others such as Watkins may never see a Lions uniform because of NFL ambitions and potential.
Too many leaders lost
The Lions were once a team of veterans but perhaps too many were discarded too quickly. Jason Clermont, Barrin Simpson, Otis Floyd, Lavar Glover, Jamal Johnson, Jerome Dennis are just a few of the names that were moved in favour of younger, cheaper options. Every team has to do it, but did the Lions cut too much? Angus Reid was on the radio recently questioning whether this team’s leadership is good enough, adding that those veteran’s remaining need to pull the young ones along more. He also stated that this club isn’t the closest he’s been apart of, but added it’s also not the most divided. There is usually a fine mix that makes a cohesive team and right now the mixture on the Leos appears to be a little muddled.
So what next?
Every successful organization has to rebuild at some point. Some like the Montreal Alouettes seem to be able to retool and keep rolling along, and while that is admirable it’s rare. The Lions will try and stop the bleeding and they’ll be working hard to save this season. Regardless it’s likely some major changes are coming at the end of the 2010 campaign. Perhaps Wally Buono moves upstairs to fill the “football” vacancy left by Ackles. Perhaps the coaching staff is reevaluated and revamped and perhaps the club makes some nice free agent signings, drafts better, or has a few existing players develop. Wally Buono hasn’t “lost it”. You don’t devote your life to a game and all of a sudden suck at your job.
Lions fans have been spoiled for a few years. Sure a couple of more Grey Cups would have been nice and one could argue the failure to achieve that was another disappointment. However, Wally has rebuilt this team once and Lions fans should have faith he can do it again, even if it’s in a different capacity. He deserves that chance.
When you look at the big picture, it’s easier to see why this team is rebuilding. As fans, we can only hope the construction goes quickly.
Here are the photos from the June 8th morning session of BC Lions training camp in Kamloops, BC. The morning live blog recap is here.
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.
Jim Mullin is the Sports Director at CKNW 980 AM in Vancouver and has offered us the chance to share his blog posts here on BCLionsDen.ca. We’re excited to have Jim’s opinions on the CFL and encourage you to follow his own blog on CKNW.com
By Jim Mullin (CKNW 980)
The season is quietly rolling up upon us, but no stretch in time may be as important to the long-term operations of the BC Lions. The next two years will set the Lions path for the next decade.
Attendance was way off last season. It dropped from 32,000 per game down to 28,000. A bad economy, bad play – especially at home – and a vacuum of leadership all contributed to the downward spiral.
This is a year to right the ship with new president Dennis Skulsky at the helm.
Fate gives the new boss a good start. The 27,500-seat (T)empire Stadium will be a one-year wonder of nostalgia. That, of course, until the rain arrives in October and the familiar fan fickleness from Vancouverites ensues.
Then it’s off to a brief honeymoon period in the dome with a sunroof.
The Lions will have to roll up their sleeves. The Vancouver Whitecaps will have lots of money to spend in the market to launch their new brand, and will compete for corporate support.
Wally Buono will have a decision to make soon. When will he become the full-time general manager and hand the coaching reigns off to another? And who will that new head coach be?
As for the parts on the field, Casey Printers has the athleticism and the charisma, but the questions remain: Can he stay healthy? Can he deliver in big games? And can he keep his emotions in check?
Out of all the sports operations in this city, the Lions are the team with the deepest roots in the community. They have been operating under the same banner for 56 years.
However, the brand staggered and got stale somewhere along the way in the last two years.
Now it is up to their leadership to reenergize the base, and find new ways to get the message to new fans while renewal in the front office and the buildings they play in have the buzz in this burg.
The BC Lions provided some valuable stability to their organization Wednesday, announcing the extension of head coach and General Manager Wally Buono through the 2013 season.
Buono joined the Lions on 2003 and along with Bob Ackles helped turn the Lions franchise around. He won a Grey Cup in 2006 and appeared in another in 2004, and under his guidance the Lions have remained one of the top clubs in the CFL and a solid organization.
“Wally’s accomplishments over more than three decades as a player, coach and GM are unparalleled,” said Lions owner, president and CEO David Braley. “His commitment to excellence and his ability to get the very best from everyone in the organization make him highly respected across our league and I am excited about what the future holds for our club with Wally leading the way.”
“My time in BC has been tremendously rewarding and my passion for coaching is stronger than ever as I look forward to earning another championship for Lions fans,” said Buono.
Buono, who was entering the final year of his contract, became the all time CFL leader in coaching wins in 2009. The year was a tough one for the team, despite crossing over in the playoffs and reaching the Eastern final where they were demolished by the Alouettes. This off-season Buono has been active in the the free agent market, and has many changes to the roster in an effort to get back to the team back to the form that saw them appear in 5 consecutive Western Finals under his guidance.
