TAMAN WON’T MAKE EXCUSES FOR 0-4 ROUGHRIDERS
In his weekly appearance on 620 CKRM’s SportsCage on Monday, Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Brendan Taman said the cure to the team’s ails is simple; start playing better.Taman didn’t blame injuries, the new CFL rules or officiating for the team’s four game losing streak to open the 2015 campaign. Simply put, they need to fix their errors.
“We gotta win a game!” Taman said. “That’s what this all comes down to. We can digest everything we want but until we win a game, it’s not going to matter.”
At times – in all three phases of the game – certain things have gone wrong which have led to the club losing all four games by a combined 12 points. And little things add up to big things.
“It’s not like there’s a lot of major issues we have to address,” Taman explained. “But there’s a lot of little things that can creep up and bite you during a game which have done that. We’ve got to get that fixed.”
One of those things is allowing B.C. quarterback Travis Lulay to rush for over 100 yards in Friday’s 27-24 loss to the visiting Lions.
“We gotta clean that up, there’s no doubt about it,” Taman said. “But we didn’t play well enough to win and that’s the bottom line. When you do that, you’re not going to get any breaks, any favours, any calls or whatever you want to make up. We just have to be better. That’s the bottom line and we all have to be, from me on down.”
Taman also disclosed the team will be adding 5-year veteran CFL defensive back Alex Suber to the practice roster. The former Blue Bomber has been brought in due to an ankle injury to veteran corner/returner Tristan Jackson. The injury is believed to be serious enough that Jackson will miss this Sunday’s home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5:00 pm, TSN, CKRM Rider Radio Network).
Maybe Mr. Taman should be looking for a punt/kick returner instead of using Dressler who we need on offense.
I'm no perpetual optimist who ignores problems, but this talk of firing Chamblin is starting to get embarrassing. Are we so fickle as fans that after 4 losses (3 of which were very close), we're ready to fire a coach that brought us a Grey Cup as recently as 2013? Have we forgotten that Durant's injury might have something to do with it? Yes, the defense has been terrible, but with the combination of roster turnover and injuries, you can't expect it to be good right away. We lost our entire linebacking corps! Patience, people! The Riders failed to win… Read more »
To me the two items on page C2 in today's Leader Post personify some of the Rider D woes and huge league issues. Abou's comments on Lulays runs and new LBs is an example of how players trying 'too' hard can be costly … while we admonish them for blowing the play. We've all done it … want it so bad we go overboard. I want players with that determination and desire. Once you gain experience (confidence) you act smarter but with the same desire. The Montreal item does a good job of describing what some of us find frustrating.… Read more »
Lots of deleted comments! RP protecting the hand that feeds him again?
I think CC would do everybody a favor and take some heat off of himself by taking some of the blame for this 4 game slide. Express some humility and say, "I'm partly to blame for some of this. I am the head coach and I am accountable and accept responsibility". That is all it would take and a whole lot of people wouldn't be so pissed off, especially from that arrogant interview he gave last week which he basically told the fans to kiss his ass. Very disrespectful from a guy who has the biggest ego on the team.… Read more »
Dear Lyle Pederson, your point is absolutely true…..in novice and peewee. the kids get so excited and want to make it happen so bad, but they miss or try to hard and it gets messed up. you however are talking about grown men, playing hmmm "pro" football(I just threw up) if that excuse flies with you as a fan shame on you. once again rider fan is just lapping up the piss coming out of the the chapel of rider. keep whining about the refs too, because none of the other teams have to put up with any of that.… Read more »
clean up little things like tackling?? The d is sucking and really need a new DC….
Lewis is an apologist. Some teams remain consistently good. Like Calgary. Everyone can see the talent level and depth had deteriorated under BT versus Tillman or even Shrivers. Durant masks a lot of weaknesses. Team would probably be 3-1 if he were here. But the foundation of Cdn talent, depth and young imports is eroding. Really hate how many draft picks get traded under BT. You erode your Cdn foundation doing this.
For a province of micromanagers firing is natural. It's the simple mind, simple solution, for complex problem approach.
Love to be a fly on the wall at the next board meeting….can't imagine Prez Reynolds ain't getting too much sleep in his first term.
Are we that thin on recruiting that we have no one on the roster who can replace T-Jack? Is Suber really the answer when he's currently not even good enough to make a practice roster on another team? If we don't have anyone as good as a veteran player who is not good enough to even practice with another team (see Geoff Tisdale) then this GM has flat out not done his job.
I think these guys have earned an opportunity to right the ship. Injuries and change over are a reality of the business. Give them a chance to adjust and respond. I would even argue that if we are crap all year they should be given an opportunity to rebuild and see if they can reload. Both BT and CC have proven capable. Why start all over?
I love how 'fans' regard Taman as unqualified because he brings in old wash ups. Glenn/Richardson/McCallum have been absolute gold for the Riders. Imagine where we would be without those guys.
Add in R Smith, Doughty, Knox, Walker, and a few others and we have an ok mix. We have an uphill fight but I still believe we will be in the fight at the end.
will be in the mix at the end? of course you will every team makes the playoffs in this shit league. 2-16 sure just cross over and play in the opposite division. you are talking about starters being so much better than the back ups? they are all garbage, just that the garbage in sasky is very below the " average" crap in the CFL. quit whining about the refs, every team is dealing with that. quit whining about injuries, your coaches, your GM…..no one cares. Worst fans ever, without a doubt in any sport.
Good to see you think so highly of everybody & everything. I wonder what you actually see when you look in the mirror or if you actually do.
Victor in Brooks, AB
Always bring up draft picks. I wonder how many picks beyond first round actually ever have a career in CFL. I would guess less than 20%.
CFL draft is most over rated thing … for every team.
Calgary recruit? They are the most veteran team in the league. The Riders have the most first year players in the league but their age/experience factor gets swayed because of the handful of older guys.
It is a compliment for some of the people who made comments that were then blocked by RP. It could mean we are getting close to the truth. Rod – relax – sometimes the truth hurts. Please remove all idiot remarks as no person wants to read them. But when comments such that a Rider fan feels that Cory Chamblin is an excellent Head Coach however that same fan is skeptical of the decision that Chamblin also has taken over the defence – Rod – it's just a comment – relax. Obviously it is your blog to do what you… Read more »
No need to fire anyone. Just need to hire someone. That someone is Mike Benevides. Give the man a blank cheque and a contract to sign. He should be our new defensive coordinator and assistant Head Coach.
I buy into all the injuries being a problem. What I don't buy into is a Head Coach that is also the Defensive Co-ordinator. You can't be focused on clock management when you are trying to be focused on calling defenses etc. Coach Chamblin needs to be the Head Coach. If he has no one he trusts to call the defence then go back to being a DC so BT can hire a HC.
Dave in the Hat
A good/great coach does NOT tell the media/fans that it's not all on him and that the players need to look in the mirror. While I do agree with him that should be kept in house. He should have taken the blame and said he and his staff need to be better. That is what a great coach does.
Dave