the 4th star

”I don’t know that we ever hit him,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said of (New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who had completed 23 of 30 passes for 369 yards and four scores. ”At this level, if you’re going to stop the pass, you’ve got to get pressure. You’ve got to force the quarterback not to throw it on his tempo.”

Clockwise from left: Crushed, smoked, beat down, and throttled. I probably could have included clocked, annihilated, disassembled, punched-out, blasted, exploded, knee to the groin, destroyed, killed, murdered (same as killed), squashed, hammered, small packaged, routed, flamed, dumped on, busted up, and  smashed. This is what it feels like to lose. Me no like.

1. As amazing as this sounds, FOX has managed to find a play-by-play man worse than Joe Buck. The one time the local puts the sound of the Giants game on for me, and I wanted them to hit the mute button before the first quarter was up. With all his hyperbole and guesses of what is actually happening on the field, Thom Brennaman has no business owning a television letting alone being in the booth.

2. Ed Hochuli and his crew were ‘Brennaman-like’ today. Make that ‘Giant-like.’ Yeesh. Oh well. At least the Eagles and Redskins lost, too — TO THE RAIDERS AND CHIEFS! Saved the day, that’s for sure. They say good teams do not lose two in a row. I guess we’ll find out what the Giants are when the Cardinals stop by Sunday night.

A nice piece here on Manny Matsakis — the man who essentially saved the Winnipeg Blue Bombers season — got me thinking about the future and who might be playing quarterback for the Blue and Gold next year. Let’s take a look at the candidates and their chances for starter’s reps in 2010:

Damon Allen Michael Bishop
Age: 33
The former Kansas State star has a big body and a cannon for an arm. Also working in Bishop’s favour is the fact that he has some actual CFL experience — a rare commodity on the Bombers QB depth chart. He’s somewhat mobile — though seems reluctant to tuck the ball and go — and seems tough enough to stand in there and take the hits. Working against him isn’t his propensity for interceptions and making the bad decision, but his age. He’ll be 34-years-old if he makes it to camp next season, and for a club that told everyone this season was about developing a young quarterback, one has to wonder if he’ll be in the plans. If you listen to what the club says, Bishop gives them the best chance to win right now. What about next year? And the year after that? Tough to develop quarterbacks if they never get into any games. Realistically, Bishop would have to win the Grey Cup to have a chance to be named the 2010 starter. Not sure if that’s in the cards this fall. Ideally, Bishop would be invited back as the back-up, working in and out of games with another, younger guy. Like the Hamilton situation.
Probability of being the 2010 starter: 50 percent, a number based strictly on his age and the idea that the club wants to develop the position. (ed note — how’s that going by the way?)

Casey Bramlet
Age: 28
Joined the team at the start of the mid-season quarterback collection drive and has seen some limited action. The guy is huge (6-foot-4, 220-pounds) and has a pretty good arm. His happy feet looked to be a problem in his game action, but that might be a case of jitters more than anything else. Not sure how he fits in to the club’s plans, but he’s officially listed as the back-up quarterback right now, and that’s got to account for something.
Probability of being the 2010 starter: 25 percent. Doubtful that the Bombers would hand over the keys to another guy who has limited CFL experience after what happened earlier this year.

Ricky Santos
Age: 25
A little smaller but a little quicker than the other two quarterbacks on the active roster, Santos came to Winnipeg from Montreal — where he was buried deep in the QB depth chart. He falls right in the Bramlet category, where we haven’t seen what he can do and until that happens, no real assessment can be made. Not to beat a dead horse, but what’s the point of stating your intention of developing a young guy, bringing in a bunch of young guys, and not taking them out of the wrapper?
Probability of being the 2010 starter: 10 percent at best.

Adam DiMichele
Age: 24
Is this guy still in Winnipeg?
Probability of being the 2010 starter: Zero percent.

Stefan LeFors
Age: 28
Ah, Stef. What a terrible situation head coach Mike Kelly put you in. A third-stringer in Edmonton, he was named the Bomber starter early in camp and after splitting the first two games his play dropped off significantly. Was it because of Kelly’s offence? Maybe. LeFors got hurt, was asked to take a pay cut or a bus ticket, and is out for the season. The way he was treated, the situation he was put into by his head coach, one has to wonder if he’ll be back next year. Kelly has shown a softer side after letting Matsakis run the offence, so I would guess the club might want him back again. LeFors Version 2.0. The question is: Will the weak-armed lefty want to come back?
Probability of being the 2010 starter: 75 percent. I have a funny feeling LeFors will be the starter when the curtain drops on the 2010 season. Unless Bishop wins the Grey Cup this year…chuckle.

Someone Else
Age: Yes
You have to wonder is there’s a chance the Bombers will go elsewhere for their quarterback next year. There seems to be a good chance Kerry Joseph (and maybe Cody Pickett) will be available, and who knows what will happen with the B.C. situation. Mr. Jackson or Mr. Pierce could get sick of the split time on the coast. Or maybe there’s a fourth-stringer in the Saskatchewan system that Kelly thinks will be a star in this league. This is the CFL, people — anything can happen! Groan.
Probability of being the 2010 starter: 30 percent. Because you never know.

Paul Blake
Age: “I hope he gets younger as he gets closer.”
His father’s death behind him, Blake is prime for a chance to show he could lead a team to the next level before he tears his rotator cuff throwing balls through a tire swing. Sinbad might not be there to help with the rigours of Coach Kelly’s playbook, though, and who knows if Dean Elias will allow an older QB to play next year. If Bishop doesn’t get the chance, then why would another aging pivot? Ed Gennero would probably have to come in as a consultant to help with the transition. Lot’s of reasons not to include Blake, but at least Kathy Ireland would see some shower time.
Probability of being the 2010 starter: Zero percent
Probability of hilarity: 100 percent.