BC Lions Thread

[R.J]

Canucks owners kick the tires on the B.C. Lions
http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...-the-b-c-lions

I know a lot of Canucks fans will tell you that this is a bad move, due to Aquilini's hands on approach with the hockey team, but IMO from a solely business perspective, I hope Braley sells to the Aquilini's and soon. The Lions need to rebuild their brand and bring in some new fans, and I just don't see that happening again under Braley. Pretty clear IMO that Ackles was the man behind the Lions resurgence.

[AngeloV]

Canucks owners kick the tires on the B.C. Lions
http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...-the-b-c-lions

I know a lot of Canucks fans will tell you that this is a bad move, due to Aquilini's hands on approach with the hockey team, but IMO from a solely business perspective, I hope Braley sells to the Aquilini's and soon. The Lions need to rebuild their brand and bring in some new fans, and I just don't see that happening again under Braley. Pretty clear IMO that Ackles was the man behind the Lions resurgence.

I'm with you on that. Cross promotions can do nothing but help the team. That's why it's a real shame that Rogers balked at allowing the entire MLSE entity to buy the Argos.

[jerrym]

Canucks owners kick the tires on the B.C. Lions
http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...-the-b-c-lions

I know a lot of Canucks fans will tell you that this is a bad move, due to Aquilini's hands on approach with the hockey team, but IMO from a solely business perspective, I hope Braley sells to the Aquilini's and soon. The Lions need to rebuild their brand and bring in some new fans, and I just don't see that happening again under Braley. Pretty clear IMO that Ackles was the man behind the Lions resurgence.

I'm with you on that. Cross promotions can do nothing but help the team. That's why it's a real shame that Rogers balked at allowing the entire MLSE entity to buy the Argos.

Already being discussed in thread below:

http://www.argofans.com/showthread.p...f-UBC-HC-Sidoo

[R.J]

I'm with you on that. Cross promotions can do nothing but help the team. That's why it's a real shame that Rogers balked at allowing the entire MLSE entity to buy the Argos.

Yes it is. Hopefully one day Rogers comes around, I think it'd be great for the Argos and CFL.

As a whole, I like the idea of bigger teams/companies owning teams from smaller leagues. It's done wonders for the Stamps and Roughnecks in Calgary, Bandits in Buffalo, and Mammoth in Colorado. I'd love to see Aquilini buy the Lions, Katz (who I'm not a big fan of btw) buy the Esks and IMO he should have bought the Rush, but with that opportunity gone I hope he gets an NLL expansion team (NLL and Katz group have been talking for over a year now), True North to buy the Blue Bombers, and the Molson's to buy the Als and Impact or Saputo to buy the Als. Then add in a bunch of NHL and/or NBA (depending on the City) to buy some NLL teams (which is what NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz has been pushing since he became Commish). The synergies and cross promotions between the teams would be a huge help for the smaller League's teams, it would also save them some money, and add more dates to their venues.

[jerrym]

Below is a podcast interview with former Lion Adam Bighill who has signed with the New Orleans Saints.

Adam chats about growing up wanting to play professional football, about the people that have helped him along the way and the process he went through to sign with the Saints.

http://bclionsden.ca/2017/01/18/the-...st-episode-91/

[jerrym]

The Lions have cut costs by signing some 'no name brand' players to replace some very well known players on defence.

New names, but still no-names, free-agent defenders Matt Bucknor, DeQuin Evans, Tony Burnett, Dylan Ainsworth and Buddy Jackson are breathtaking in their lack of recognition.
Even casual fans of the B.C. Lions can get exited by the addition of Roadrunner Chris Williams to a dynamic receiving corps which already includes Manny Arceneaux, the re-signed Bryan Burnham, the returning-from-injury Nick Moore, an intact starting offensive line and a quarterback, Jonathon Jennings, who can blow the top off a CFL defence.
Surely, though, the hungriest Lions fan, eager for June to arrive, can’t get much nourishment from a defence which lost Adam Bighill, Bo Lokombo, Alex Bazzie and Anthony Gaitor to the NFL, Jabar Westerman and Ryan Phillips to the Montreal Alouettes, and starting cornerback Brandon Stewart to a long, slow recovery from reconstructive knee surgery. ...
The doubting fan also might take heart from the words of defensive coordinator Mark Washington. He believes that a group which includes Elimimian, nose tackle Mic’hael Brooks, three potential starters in the secondary returning from injury — Ronnie Yell, T.J. Lee and Steven Clarke — and a bunch of guys who never heard of can work out the same as last year.

“Our intention is not for our defence to be as good as it was last year, but to be better. To surpass it. To be a championship defence,” Washington says. “All the moves that we’ve made push us in that direction. But we’ll see. We’ll see how it goes through OTAs (late April) and training camp (starting May 28) and on and on through the season.” The various new pledges and pickups have a high standard to maintain. Leaguewide, B.C. finished first in a number of defensive categories in 2016 — fewest first downs, plays from scrimmage, net offence, rushing attempts — and tied Calgary for the overall lead in quarterback sacks (52). Those stats camouflaged the fact the Lions were eighth-ranked in take-aways — 29 — and dead last in interceptions (nine). ...
Among the newbies, the player with the greatest amount of slack to take up is Burnett, the erstwhile Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker who’ll be asked to replace Elimimian’s good friend and soulmate, Bighill — the indefatigable, sideline-to-sideline linebacker and 2015 CFL defensive player of the year. ...

“Tony’s very versatile,” Elimimian says. “He’s got a DB (defensive back) background, so he’s mobile. And he competes hard. He plays with a lot of emotion.”
While Evans’ achievements last year in Montreal — he played behind two premier defensive ends, John Bowman and Gabe Knapton — were not spectacularly visible, the Lions talk about the wonders that could be wrought by a veteran whose play is of particular note in the video room, if not the stats sheet.
“I’ve always been surprised by how strong and explosive he is,” Elimimian says. “Hopefully, we can get what we see on film.”
The free-agent signings of Evans and Bucknor, a six-year veteran defensive back with previous stops in Hamilton, Winnipeg and Calgary, were under the radar and easily eclipsed by Williams, who came on board the following day. Never drafted, never invited to a CFL combine, rejected at tryouts and a surprise cut by the Blue Bombers in 2015, despite 101 defensive tackles and three interceptions over two seasons, Bucknor’s unlikely pro career is to believe that anything is possible if you believe in yourself. He has twice participated in a Grey Cup game — with Hamilton in 2013, with Calgary last year — without a chance to sip from the silver chalice.

http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...tellar-defence

[jerrym]

The Lions have resigned two players from the annual roster expansion period: RB Josh Harris and WR Douglas McNei. They also released international LB Gionni Paul.

Harris (5’10”, 210) spent a pair of seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014 and 2015 and appeared in five games with the team before joining the Leos last October. The Wake Forest grad enjoyed a productive four-year college career rolling up 2,195 yards on 482 carries with 19 touchdowns in 42 games.

McNeill (6’3”, 195) was also an undrafted free agent NFL signing who spent time with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks over a two-year period before signing with the Lions last year. The rangy receiver spent three years at Bowie State where he hauled in 84 passes for 1,407 yards and 11 majors.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/02/27/li...-release-paul/

[jerrym]

Lions have added National OL Quinn Horton and Alec Pennell, as well as National DB Brennan Van Nistelrooy.

Horton (6’3”, 290) rejoins the Lions after spending a short stint on the club’s practice roster in 2016. Originally selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the eighth round of the 2016 CFL Draft (68th overall), the Simon Fraser grad attended training camp with the Red and White before being waived by the club in late June and joining the Lions.
Pennell (6’7”, 315) gets his first taste of pro football after a notable five-year run at UBC. The Port Coquitlam product tallied 50 starts for the Thunderbirds and earned a Second-Team All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star selection in 2013. He was also a key part of a Thunderbirds offensive unit that won a national championship in 2015.
Van Nistlerooy (6’0”, 195) will get a shot at another training camp bid after being selected by the Leos in the sixth round (48^th overall) in last year’s CFL Draft. The former Okanagan Sun defensive back standout was enjoying a productive camp in 2016 before being sidelined with an ankle injury.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/02/li...-depth-roster/

[jerrym]

Below is a video interview with SB Emmanuel Arceneaux.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/03/02/offseas...uel-arceneaux/

[jerrym]

Mike Beamish argues that QB Jennings is likely heading for a NFL tryout after 2018 when his contract finishes because of his age and QB characteristics.

By the end of 2018, when he completes his current contract with the Lions, Jennings still will be only 26, a year younger than the CFL’s most outstanding player Bo Levi Mitchell of the Calgary Stampeders is now.
Is there an NFL audition in his future?
“I think that’s a possibility, for sure,” Leone offered.
“I feel like the potential is there,” Lulay added. “I know we’re committed to winning here in 2017, but Jonathon should get legitimate (NFL) looks, just because he’s proven he can be a productive starter at 24.
“I think it would be crazy of them not to be interested. I think he would get a legit look, if that’s the road he decides to go down.”
There are certain characteristics common to franchise quarterbacks, and Jennings seems to have most of them. When he drops back, his eyes are looking downfield, and he’s not easy to fluster, even when facing the heat of the rush.

http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...ennings-future

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed former NFLers DL Frank Alexander, DB Matt Smalley and LB Micah Awe.

Alexander (6’4”, 270) was a fourth-round selection by the Carolina Panthers in the 2012 NFL Draft and appeared in 29 games over four seasons collecting 20 defensive stops and three sacks. As a senior in 2011, the former Oklahoma Sooner was the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year as well as the Defensive Lineman of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection.
Awe (pronounce Ah-way) (6’0”, 220) joins the Lions after a stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016. The Texas Tech grad piled-up an incredible 171 solo tackles over 51 games for the Red Raiders including 77 stops as a senior and defensive captain in 2015
Smalley (5’10”, 195) attended training camp with the New York Giants last year after a notable four-year run at Lafayette. The Philadelphia native was a two-time All-Patriot Conference selection at cornerback in addition to being a productive special teams contributor, establishing a school-record 29.5-yard average kickoff return as a sophomore in 2013.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/07/lions-add-three-including-dl-frank-alexander/

[jerrym]

📽 "Once you slow the game down, you become a better football player."@JJ_Jennings10 on what he is looking to build on in year three 🦁 🏈 pic.twitter.com/48xDV1w6dX

— BC Lions (@BCLions) March 7, 2017

[jerrym]

Just signed DL Frank Alexander is a three-time NFL drug offender.

The six-foot-four, 270-pound Alexander appeared in 29 games over four seasons with the Carolina Panthers. But he was also suspended three times for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, including for a year without pay in November 2015.
According to a 2015 Charlotte Observer story – before his year-long suspension – Alexander said he used marijuana for pain management. “I didn’t do it before I went to work. I didn’t do it at work. It was simply like after I got out of practice, I wanted to kind of relax and chill. It kind of healed my body up,” he said. “It wasn’t like a thing I was doing all the time. I didn’t need it to get up and go.”
Given the rather lax approach to weed in B.C. and the fact that the CFL doesn’t test for marijuana as part of its substance abuse policy, Alexander should be just fine in Canada.

http://3downnation.com/2017/03/07/su...r-signs-lions/

[jerrym]

Despite Travis Lulay now being the oldest player on the BC Lions, he discusses the upcoming season and states in this video that he will be ready to take every snap if that is needed this season.


http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/09/lu...be-doing-this/

[jerrym]

Jonathan Jennings knows he has a lot more to learn as a QB.

It is Jonathon’s team now, but that doesn’t mean he has stopped being a student of the game and taking the valuable guidance from Lulay and Khari Jones. The two quarterbacks spent a majority of this past week with their offensive co-ordinator, going over the good and bad from last season as well as kick-starting the preparations for 2017. For three self-confessed “football nerds,” the closed-door meetings and film sessions have been time well spent. ...
“You always need to take a step back from the game, analyze what you did in past seasons and understand what you can do to be a better football team,” says Jennings.

“THERE IS NO CEILING TO HOW KNOWLEDGEABLE YOU CAN GET. THAT COMES WITH SEEING GUYS LIKE TRAVIS, SEEING A COACH WANTING TO COME IN AND CONTINUE TO LEARN. KHARI IS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME AS WELL. THEY (THE COACHES) GO TO CONFERENCES; THEY TALK TO OTHER COACHES AND ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO LEARN DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE BETTER.” ...

The willingness to never stop learning has no doubt allowed Jennings to develop and make those key mid-play decisions like the playoff touchdown against Winnipeg; even as they break down before his eyes.
The regular season, which preceded that magical November afternoon, was quite remarkable. He had the third-highest passing total in team history and became just the fourth Lions pivot to eclipse the 5,000- yard mark- Doug Flutie, Dave Dickenson and Casey Printers is not bad company- so the fact Jennings feels he still has a ton to learn.
“It’s always good to have those two guys in a room and get a chance to go through some things and take account of last year after stepping away for awhile,” says Jones of the four- day session with Jennings and Lulay.
Jones of course spent three years in BC as an understudy to Damon Allen before getting his shot to start in Winnipeg. Being a student of the game and devoting his time to the film room and playbook played a big part in his longevity, so he no doubt appreciates Jennings’ dedication to his craft.
“That’s what you want from the quarterback position,” adds Jones. “It’s a position where you aren’t going to be perfect and you’re going to be judged constantly. Jon realizes that. He has a good head on his shoulders and he knows what he wants to accomplish as a football player. Hopefully I am a person who can help him get there.”

http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/10/jo...t-of-the-game/

[jerrym]

Former Argo kicker Swayze Waters discusses why he signed with the Lions among other things in the video below.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/16/wa...cup-contender/

[jerrym]

BC has signed International WRs Montario Hunter and Tyler Davis.

Hunter (6’1”, 190) attended training camp with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016 following workouts with both the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers. The North Carolina native split his collegiate playing days at Elon University and Elizabeth City State.
Davis (5’10”, 180) makes his way to the Lions after a short stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2016 preceded by a very successful two-year run in Germany. The Missouri-Valley grad saw action on both sides of the ball and earned league MVP honours in 2015 with the Kiel Hurricanes after tallying 94 receptions for 1,733 yards and 24 touchdowns along with six interceptions as a defensive back. During his first season in 2014 with the Munich Cowboys, he recorded 28 receptions for 686 yards and six picks on defence.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/03/15/li...r-tyler-davis/

[jerrym]

Wally usually recognizes and gets rid of players before their skills become obvious to others, but in the case of Olafioye their negotiations with the Als appears to be a straight salary dump of a highly talented but very expensive OL.

The Lions need to shed salary after their free agent spending this offseason, and the next step is now for the Alouettes to negotiate an extension with Olafioye at less money. Olafioye is scheduled to make more than $200 thousand this year, the last of his contract

http://www.tsn.ca/lions-in-trade-tal...fioye-1.694127

[jerrym]

Here's more on new Lions signee WR/DB Tyler 'TD' Davis who previously played in Germany and had a cup of coffee in the NFL.

Former Kiel Baltic Hurricane star Tyler TD Davis has signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League the club announced on their website.
Davis (5’10”, 180) makes his way to the Lions after a short stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2016preceded by a very successful two-year run in Germany.
The Missouri-Valley grad saw action on both sides of the ball and earned German Football League MVP honors in 2015 with the Hurricanes after tallying 94 receptions for 1,733 yards and 24 touchdowns along with six interceptions as a defensive back.
During his first season in 2014 with the Munich Cowboys, he recorded 28 receptions for 686 yards and six picks on defense.

http://www.americanfootballinternati...-bc-lions-cfl/

[jerrym]

BC Lions they're in fine shape at QB with Jennings starting and Lulay as backup, but a successful Jennings year is likely to lead to the loss of Jennings to the NFL at least temporarily.

Jennings gave the Lions a much-needed shot of adrenalin in a marketplace which has yet to fully embrace his achievements, throwing for more completions (40) in excess of 30 yards last season. But it was Jennings who referenced up his league-high 15 interceptions as a grounds for improvement when he sat down with Lulay and offensive coordinator Khari Jones this week. He vows to keep throwing the deep ball, not the stupid ball.
“Turnovers are going to pop up; I’ve got to continue to be patient,” said Jennings when asked about his takeaways from last season. “My tendency to play aggressive hurts me sometimes. I’ve got to know when I can take a shot and when I can take a sack or throw the ball away.”
If Jennings does add one of the few missing attributes to his game and matches his first full season, the Lions could well find themselves in a situation similar to this winter when five players signed futures contracts in the NFL, only they will be trying to absorb the loss of their offensive leader.
In exchange for pulling down a reported $175,000 as a base salary this year, Jennings has a similar NFL option window after this season. Even if he does return to B.C. in 2018, the Lions would almost certainly have to renegotiate a deal that bumps up to $300,000 with another standout CFL season, which is one big reason Lulay wasn’t being traded as rumored to Saskatchewan a few weeks back.
For now, Buono has successfully mastered a transition at the most important position on the field, and knowing the Lions are a lukewarm success at best currently in the Lower Mainland, added considerable spark by somehow landing receiver Chris Williams in free agency.
Williams will have his training camp reps structured, Buono said, owing to season-ending ACL surgery last year, but between him and fellow injured receiver Nick Moore the Lions feel they can withstand the potential loss of Canadian Shawn Gore to retirement despite any ratio implications.
In the middle of the off-season, the Lions are in a comfort zone, at least on offence, with Jennings at ease with a familiar scheme and few conversions to make for the time being.

http://3downnation.com/2017/03/19/je...keeps-growing/