"A lot of football games are won on the line of scrimmage," stated [Danny Maciocia] in the Eskimos 'State of the Franchise' conference call on Tuesday. "I don't think we can ask our quarterback to throw off his back. I don't think we can ask our tailback to average 5-5 1/2 yards a carry if you're not dominating at the line of scrimmage.

"Our fans expect us to win and to do well and that's great," said [Ricky Ray], who hasn't experienced any pain in his rehabilitation work since January. "Guys on this team have to understand that. When you're on a losing team you don't have expectations. You kinda just go out there and hope and pray that it happens to be your year.

Sayonara: LB A.J. Gass; FB Mike Maurer; RB Mike Bradley; LB Rob Hitchcock (all retired); QB Stephen Jyles (traded to Sask.); DB Omarr Morgan; DT Rob Brown; WR Pat Woodcock; DE Kenny Hollis; OL Fabio Filice; DE Tim Cheatwood; LB Antico Dalton; DB Jason Flowers; OL Raleigh Roundtree; OL Rhett McLane; RB Tyler Ebell; WR T.J. Acree (trade with Tor.); LB Michael Botterill; DB Chris Thompson (trade with Ham.).