September 27, 1985: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto Argonauts

[ArgoRavi]

Mitchell played both OLB and some MLB in the CFL; watch the 83 GC game and you will see him in the middle some with him and Nicholson seeming to switch spots at times.

I will watch for that, OV. I know that Mitchell made the East all-star team as an OLB that year while Nicholson was the all-star MLB. IIRC, 8 Argos on defence made that '83 East all-star team. Two that didn't make it but had stellar seasons were Marcellus Greene (the only one in the secondary not to make it) and Don Moen.

[Will]

I will watch for that, OV. I know that Mitchell made the East all-star team as an OLB that year while Nicholson was the all-star MLB. IIRC, 8 Argos on defence made that '83 East all-star team. Two that didn't make it but had stellar seasons were Marcellus Greene (the only one in the secondary not to make it) and Don Moen.

Did the Argos acquire Brazley from another team or was he trying out for the NFL? He made the all-Canadian squad, which is impressive if it was the latter as he would've only played 1/2 the season.

[OV Argo]

Did the Argos acquire Brazley from another team or was he trying out for the NFL? He made the all-Canadian squad, which is impressive if it was the latter as he would've only played 1/2 the season.

Argos signed Brazley in Sept 83 after he tried out for the Bills. = great acquisition; and yeah Ravi - that 83 Argo D was very good - very tough front 4 with DTs King, Wilson (went on to the NFL) and Curry & Mohr at DE; Nicholson, Mitchell and a young Don Moen were a fine LB unit, and as you pointed out, a bunch of East all-stars in the secondary.

[Argo57]

Argos signed Brazley in Sept 83 after he tried out for the Bills. = great acquisition; and yeah Ravi - that 83 Argo D was very good - very tough front 4 with DTs King, Wilson (went on to the NFL) and Curry & Mohr at DE; Nicholson, Mitchell and a young Don Moen were a fine LB unit, and as you pointed out, a bunch of East all-stars in the secondary.

Would love that caliber of D heading into 2016.
Brazley was probably glad to join the Argonauts in 83 after Terry Greer schooled him in the 82 Eastern Final.

[Will]

Would love that caliber of D heading into 2016.
Brazley was probably glad to join the Argonauts in 83 after Terry Greer schooled him in the 82 Eastern Final.

Personally and respectfully, I'd love to have the 1988 defense that ultimately fell short of the Grey Cup:

Kulka--Baylis--Hallman--Harding
Pless-Zambiasi-Moen
Pleasant-Brazley-Deslauriers-Drain-Berry/Major, etc.

or the 2006-2007 defenses that (again) didn't win, but had to carry the team on their back at times:

England (06)/Johnson (07)--Cantor (06)/Belli (07)--JB
Bonner (06)/Pile (07)--Fletcher--O'Shea--Eiben
Parker--Ivory (06)/Winters (07)--Steinauer--Wheaton--Younger--Khalil Carter

[Argo57]

Personally and respectfully, I'd love to have the 1988 defense that ultimately fell short of the Grey Cup:

Kulka--Baylis--Hallman--Harding
Pless-Zambiasi-Moen
Pleasant-Brazley-Deslauriers-Drain-Berry/Major, etc.

or the 2006-2007 defenses that (again) didn't win, but had to carry the team on their back at times:

England (06)/Johnson (07)--Cantor (06)/Belli (07)--JB
Bonner (06)/Pile (07)--Fletcher--O'Shea--Eiben
Parker--Ivory (06)/Winters (07)--Steinauer--Wheaton--Younger--Khalil Carter

All good choices, how about the 2012 D??

[OV Argo]

Personally and respectfully, I'd love to have the 1988 defense that ultimately fell short of the Grey Cup:

Kulka--Baylis--Hallman--Harding
Pless-Zambiasi-Moen
Pleasant-Brazley-Deslauriers-Drain-Berry/Major, etc.

or the 2006-2007 defenses that (again) didn't win, but had to carry the team on their back at times:

England (06)/Johnson (07)--Cantor (06)/Belli (07)--JB
Bonner (06)/Pile (07)--Fletcher--O'Shea--Eiben
Parker--Ivory (06)/Winters (07)--Steinauer--Wheaton--Younger--Khalil Carter

That 88 Argo D gave up only 18.11 points per game (better than the 97 GC Argo team at 18.16); the 77 Argos D gave up just 16.62 points per game !
and that 83 GC winning gave up just 20.5 points per game - and only 17 when it counted most in the big game.

[ArgoRavi]

All good choices, how about the 2012 D??

The 2012 defence played its best football in the playoffs but wasn't exactly a dominant unit during the regular season. I am not sure that they were that much better during the regular season than this year's defence.

[Will]

That 88 Argo D gave up only 18.11 points per game (better than the 97 GC Argo team at 18.16); the 77 Argos D gave up just 16.62 points per game !
and that 83 GC winning gave up just 20.5 points per game - and only 17 when it counted most in the big game.

If only some of those Argo teams in the 1970's actually possessed anything resembling an offense...

The 2012 defence played its best football in the playoffs but wasn't exactly a dominant unit during the regular season. I am not sure that they were that much better during the regular season than this year's defence.

I agree that you cannot enter the 2012 team into the conversation for the reasons that Ravi pointed out.