With their overtime loss to the Edmonton Eskimos the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lose all their road games this year. It is a reflection of their season. They can't win close games and they can't win on the road. In football you have to be able to do both to be successful.
There are a lot of reasons the Bombers have not had a lot of success. They have started 4 quarterbacks this season. They are very young for a pro football team. They have a rookie head coach.
There are also a lot of things that look good for the future. They have one of the best receivers in the league. They have one of the best running backs in the league. They lead the league in sacks.
It has been a frustrating season for the fans, and probably for the team as well. They have a good foundation and as long as they let things gel over the next couple of years they will have a contender. The problem is in Bomberland the media and fans are starved for a championship and that has made them fickle. They want instant results. In football you don't get that.
There is one more game this year. It has no real meaning. I will be there and have a lot of fun while I am. Then there will be another long off-season. I hope they don't decide to blow up the team. A few tweaks is all it needs.
Showing posts with label Bombers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bombers. Show all posts
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Fat Lady Sang
Yesterday the any chance of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers going to the playoffs were destroyed with a 27-8 loss to the Toronto Argonauts. In addition to losing the game the Bombers also lost 2 more quarterbacks for the duration of the season.
I'm going to guess that any chance of posting a win is gone with 3 broken quarterbacks. The team has to go out and find 2 guys to suit up for the last 2 games. They won't know the system. They won't know the receivers. It doesn't look good.
At the start of the year everyone was worried that Buck Pierce would get hurt as he runs all over the field. Well, Buck got hurt twice in the pocket and the other 2 get hurt running around.
It's tough being a Bomber fan his year. Nothing has come easy and it's hard to have faith in the team. I realize it is a new coach with a young group. I realize things should get better in the future. I also seem to becoming less patient.
Next week the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will dress quarterbacks number 4, 5, and 6. That is never a good sign, for any team
I'm going to guess that any chance of posting a win is gone with 3 broken quarterbacks. The team has to go out and find 2 guys to suit up for the last 2 games. They won't know the system. They won't know the receivers. It doesn't look good.
At the start of the year everyone was worried that Buck Pierce would get hurt as he runs all over the field. Well, Buck got hurt twice in the pocket and the other 2 get hurt running around.
It's tough being a Bomber fan his year. Nothing has come easy and it's hard to have faith in the team. I realize it is a new coach with a young group. I realize things should get better in the future. I also seem to becoming less patient.
Next week the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will dress quarterbacks number 4, 5, and 6. That is never a good sign, for any team
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Finding Themselves
Yesterday the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the BC Lions 47-35 in double overtime. For the first time all season the Bombers managed to dig deep and win a close one. Beyond that they actually found a way to overcome a significant deficit. It's moments like this that bring a team together.
All season the Big Blue has fallen apart late even though they are putting up some excellent individual performances. Unfortunately, they had not been able to close out games. Now they know they can.
I'm not sure what the Bomber leadership was thinking starting Alex Brink so late in the season. At this point defenses are well oiled machines. Making your first start at quarterback is destined to fail. However, through all this they may have inadvertently rallied the offense around Steven Jyles. He proved he could engineer a comeback and the team played for him. Steven Jyles and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have turned an important corner. They may have come together as a team.
I'm not implying they are going on a huge winning streak but they know they can win late and they will want to keep it up. They will play for each other and try to win together.
The playoffs are still a longshot so it is probably not a Grey Cup year but if they keep the core together they should be able to make a run in a year or two and that would be great in my books.
All season the Big Blue has fallen apart late even though they are putting up some excellent individual performances. Unfortunately, they had not been able to close out games. Now they know they can.
I'm not sure what the Bomber leadership was thinking starting Alex Brink so late in the season. At this point defenses are well oiled machines. Making your first start at quarterback is destined to fail. However, through all this they may have inadvertently rallied the offense around Steven Jyles. He proved he could engineer a comeback and the team played for him. Steven Jyles and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have turned an important corner. They may have come together as a team.
I'm not implying they are going on a huge winning streak but they know they can win late and they will want to keep it up. They will play for each other and try to win together.
The playoffs are still a longshot so it is probably not a Grey Cup year but if they keep the core together they should be able to make a run in a year or two and that would be great in my books.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Another Road Loss
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost another road game to fall to 3 and 8 as they were defeated 17-13 by the Toronto Argonauts. Road wins are hard to come by in the CFL in 2010 with every team except the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions having a winning record at home. Overall, the home team is now 28 -16 overall to this point of the season.
The Bombers had a good first half, holding the Argos scoreless through the first 30 minutes. They did not fare so well in the second half. They gave up 17 points including an 80 yard punt return for a touchdown. They did have a late drive that was looking promising but were stopped on their second 3rd down attempt to gain over a yard.
The only real hope for the Bombers to make the playoffs is now through the crossover. They have lost the season series with both Hamilton and Toronto. However the BC Lions are not doing so well either so they are not out of it. To have any real chance the Bombers need to win on the road.
I think as an organization, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are headed in the right direction. They have purged their demons of the past. It is getting more difficult to wait for the winning to come back but if they can put a couple more wins on the board this year they will have something to build on next year.
Road wins are difficult to come by in the CFL, if you are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers it seems to be nearly impossible.
The Bombers had a good first half, holding the Argos scoreless through the first 30 minutes. They did not fare so well in the second half. They gave up 17 points including an 80 yard punt return for a touchdown. They did have a late drive that was looking promising but were stopped on their second 3rd down attempt to gain over a yard.
The only real hope for the Bombers to make the playoffs is now through the crossover. They have lost the season series with both Hamilton and Toronto. However the BC Lions are not doing so well either so they are not out of it. To have any real chance the Bombers need to win on the road.
I think as an organization, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are headed in the right direction. They have purged their demons of the past. It is getting more difficult to wait for the winning to come back but if they can put a couple more wins on the board this year they will have something to build on next year.
Road wins are difficult to come by in the CFL, if you are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers it seems to be nearly impossible.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Go (Home) Riders
On a windy afternoon in Winnipeg the Winnipeg Blue Bombers improved to 3 and 7 by completely destroying the Saskatchewan Roughriders 31 to 2 in the 7th incarnation of the Banjo Bowl at CanadInns Stadium.
It is a little difficult for me to comment on the first quarter and the first half of the second quarter as I was forced to watch the game on the big screen in the end zone. My friend I was attending the game with left his wallet with the tickets in the car that dropped him off for the game. It took a while to get it dropped off. I missed the 61 yard run by Fred Reid and several other great plays.
From what I can tell is Bomber quarterback Steven Jyles made smart plays and distributed the ball well to various players on the Big Blue while Fred Reid ran with conviction through big holes made by the Offensive Line.
Where the Bombers really shone was on defense. They held the Riders two two single points. On a day where the wind was blowing at least 15 knots all game long they did not allow any running game to be established. The Blue Bombers kept Rider quarterback Darian Durant off balance all game long. The pass rushers and run stoppers were in the backfield all game long. When you are running for your life it's hard to be throwing for good yards.
With this win the Bombers are back in the hunt. Next week they face the Toronto Argonauts. If they win there they are only one game behind the Argos with a lot of football including a game against the Argos to come. The Bombers also have a game to go against the hapless Edmonton Eskimos and 2 games against the BC Lions, the team that is trying to keep the Bombers out of the crossover.
A big win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders has injected new life into the Big Blue. If they win the games they should over the remaining 8 games, the early season woes can be erased and a playoff appearance is very achievable.
It is a little difficult for me to comment on the first quarter and the first half of the second quarter as I was forced to watch the game on the big screen in the end zone. My friend I was attending the game with left his wallet with the tickets in the car that dropped him off for the game. It took a while to get it dropped off. I missed the 61 yard run by Fred Reid and several other great plays.
From what I can tell is Bomber quarterback Steven Jyles made smart plays and distributed the ball well to various players on the Big Blue while Fred Reid ran with conviction through big holes made by the Offensive Line.
Where the Bombers really shone was on defense. They held the Riders two two single points. On a day where the wind was blowing at least 15 knots all game long they did not allow any running game to be established. The Blue Bombers kept Rider quarterback Darian Durant off balance all game long. The pass rushers and run stoppers were in the backfield all game long. When you are running for your life it's hard to be throwing for good yards.
With this win the Bombers are back in the hunt. Next week they face the Toronto Argonauts. If they win there they are only one game behind the Argos with a lot of football including a game against the Argos to come. The Bombers also have a game to go against the hapless Edmonton Eskimos and 2 games against the BC Lions, the team that is trying to keep the Bombers out of the crossover.
A big win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders has injected new life into the Big Blue. If they win the games they should over the remaining 8 games, the early season woes can be erased and a playoff appearance is very achievable.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Bombers Looked Good
Last night the Winnipeg Blue Bombers convincingly beat the Edmonton Eskimos 47 - 21 at CanadInns Stadium. The team looked good last night. They came out of the gate and manhandled the visiting Eskimos. 20 minutes into the game the Bombers had scored 23 points while their opposition had not made a first down.
Steven Jyles looked good as the Bomber quarterback but he has some good targets to throw to. Terrence Edwards is back to his old form and Terrence Jeffers-Harris is emerging to be a great talent for the Blue and Gold. This kid is big, strong, and very fast. He could make a lot of quarterbacks look good and is destined to do great things.
Up next for the Bombers is a tilt with the Calgary Stampeders. If the execution is there like it was last night the Big Blue will have another big win.
Steven Jyles looked good as the Bomber quarterback but he has some good targets to throw to. Terrence Edwards is back to his old form and Terrence Jeffers-Harris is emerging to be a great talent for the Blue and Gold. This kid is big, strong, and very fast. He could make a lot of quarterbacks look good and is destined to do great things.
Up next for the Bombers is a tilt with the Calgary Stampeders. If the execution is there like it was last night the Big Blue will have another big win.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Bombers Drop Second Divisional Game
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost 28-7 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last night in Hamilton. The Bombers were slow to be effective on both sides of the ball. Once they did get rolling Buck Pierce threw an interception in the end zone just before half-time. They looked better in the second half but were not good enough to defeat the Ti-Cats.
The Bombers were a victim of a bad call, but that was not the only problem they had last night. The biggest failure was the 13 penalties for 148 yards. You are not going to win many football games when you hand your opponents nearly a field and a half of free yards. The first Hamilton drive of the second quarter consisted almost entirely of penalty yards. I could have quarterbacked that drive.
On an upside the special teams were much improved. They did not give up a touchdown on a kick return, especially a field goal, however they were never in a position to attempt a field goal. On the several punts they had improved coverage. That was definitely a positive in this loss.
Steven Jyles looked good in relief of an injured Buck Pierce. Hopefully the number 1 pivot will be able to return, but having a good number 2 is comforting.
The rookie receiver, Terrence Jeffers-Harris is a stud. He can run as fast as the wind, has good hands, and is strong. He will only get better as the season rolls on. The Bombers need to keep getting him the ball as only good things will happen.
At the end of the day the Bombers are 1-2 and need to win more football games. Maybe a Friday night romp against the Eskimos will bring back the winning.
The Bombers were a victim of a bad call, but that was not the only problem they had last night. The biggest failure was the 13 penalties for 148 yards. You are not going to win many football games when you hand your opponents nearly a field and a half of free yards. The first Hamilton drive of the second quarter consisted almost entirely of penalty yards. I could have quarterbacked that drive.
On an upside the special teams were much improved. They did not give up a touchdown on a kick return, especially a field goal, however they were never in a position to attempt a field goal. On the several punts they had improved coverage. That was definitely a positive in this loss.
Steven Jyles looked good in relief of an injured Buck Pierce. Hopefully the number 1 pivot will be able to return, but having a good number 2 is comforting.
The rookie receiver, Terrence Jeffers-Harris is a stud. He can run as fast as the wind, has good hands, and is strong. He will only get better as the season rolls on. The Bombers need to keep getting him the ball as only good things will happen.
At the end of the day the Bombers are 1-2 and need to win more football games. Maybe a Friday night romp against the Eskimos will bring back the winning.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Special Teams Are Not So Special
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were beat by 2 points by the Toronto Argonauts. It was an exciting game but the Bombers were not very special on special teams.
The first issue was on the last play of the first half. It only resulted in a single point but that one point made the difference at the end of the game. If the Argos had not scored that point and the rest of the game played out, the Bombers would have been in a position to attempt a 2 point convert and force overtime.
The second and now a recurring issue, is a touchdown scored on a missed field goal. If the field goal attempt was good then there would have been no opportunity to return the kick. Alas it was missed so you have to cover. There are 2 possible options why they are having trouble in this area: scheme or execution. This is pro football so the scheme is probably ok so it must be an execution problem.
There is a big red target on the Blue Bombers field goal team. 2 weeks in a row they have given up touchdowns on missed field goals. A 10 point swing. Without that play the Bombers would have most likely won the game last night. I'm sure coach LaPolice will be working. Very hard to fix this problem. It cost him a win and if not fixed will cost him more wins.
Although still early with 16 more games to go, the Bombers will finish the week tied for 1st place in the East so they have not fallen behind but the wins need to be coming fast and furious.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers did a lot of things well last night but their special teams were short bus special.
The first issue was on the last play of the first half. It only resulted in a single point but that one point made the difference at the end of the game. If the Argos had not scored that point and the rest of the game played out, the Bombers would have been in a position to attempt a 2 point convert and force overtime.
The second and now a recurring issue, is a touchdown scored on a missed field goal. If the field goal attempt was good then there would have been no opportunity to return the kick. Alas it was missed so you have to cover. There are 2 possible options why they are having trouble in this area: scheme or execution. This is pro football so the scheme is probably ok so it must be an execution problem.
There is a big red target on the Blue Bombers field goal team. 2 weeks in a row they have given up touchdowns on missed field goals. A 10 point swing. Without that play the Bombers would have most likely won the game last night. I'm sure coach LaPolice will be working. Very hard to fix this problem. It cost him a win and if not fixed will cost him more wins.
Although still early with 16 more games to go, the Bombers will finish the week tied for 1st place in the East so they have not fallen behind but the wins need to be coming fast and furious.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers did a lot of things well last night but their special teams were short bus special.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
What's Up With The Bomber's Coach
I haven't heard much from new Blue Bombers Head Coach, Paul LaPolice. I am just fine with that. Since I was old enough to understand, there have been 2 head coaches hired by the Bombers who have made a lot of noise immediately after being hired, Jeff Reinebold and Mike Kelly. We all know how well they did at coaching the Big Blue. They had good intentions but their execution was off. In a business that is all about performance that just doesn't cut it.
The current coach said one thing that matters to me. At the press conference when he was hired he indicated that the organization would be respectful at every level. Other than that, he hasn't said much.
I like this about him. I like that he is working a lot and talking very little. I like that it will be the performance on the field that he wants us to judge him on. I like that he sees his place and wants to do it right.
I do have to admit that as a staunch Bomber fan one of the best parts of the rival Saskatchewan Roughriders has come to Winnipeg, but that's just a bonus. Even if it is a rather good bonus.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Big Things in Bomberland
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are getting a new stadium. This is not a surprise but is official. There are several reasons this is a good thing.
The old stadium is not in good shape. It's 2010 and a level floor should not be a luxury.
It's difficult to be a 1st class organization when you go to works in 4th class facilities.
The U of M will benefit significantly both through the constant publicity and economic spin-offs.
It is the right thing to do.
I am a huge Bomber fan and a University of Manitoba Alumni. I see great things for the future of this facility. It will create a new era of expecting the best for both organizations. No organization should settle for less than the best.
There will be criticism and detractors but those people often do nothing for their community so I'm not too concerned. I will be there when games are played and I can't wait.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are getting a new home and are moving to a great part of town.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The End of an Era .... Again
On December 17, 2009 the Winnipeg Blue Bombers relieved Mike Kelly of his duties as head coach. It was quite the year both on and off the field. I'm not sure how the players feel about this. There has been some reaction in the media. There has been a lot of commentary in the media.
Here's what I know.
When Mike Kelly took over my beloved Bombers about a year ago it had an eerily similar feeling to when Jeff Reinbold took over the Bombers back in the 90's. There was a lot of talk early about how the team is going to be great. It wasn't.
As the season did not go as planned Mike Kelly became more and more confrontational with everyone outside the team and even swore at CJOB Sports Director and Hall of Fame Broadcaster Bob Irving.
It wasn't a good fit.
Maybe he is not meant to be a head coach. There are a lot of people who are really good in the #2 or #3 position but when you make them the boss they do not perform how everyone expected them to. That's part of being human.
So it appears that the Blue Bombers are accepting that they made a mistake. That is definitely a good first step, but now they have to get it together and find a guy that will make positive difference as a head coach.
I can say I was there when, ...., but I wish I couldn't
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Welcome to Bomberland, Instability Ahead
So I as I was driving to work this morning I was thinking to myself, "I need to write on the sports blog, but I don't have too much to say on anything until some more football is played tonight." Then the Winnipeg Blue Bombers came to my rescue. That's right my home town and favourite team. The team that causes my sister's birth to be delayed a day so my parents could go to a game.
In one day, they gave us a lot to think about.
First, you know there is a lot if you start with first, CEO Lyle Bauer resigned from the club.
I'm going out on a limb here, but things are going to look a bit different at Canad Inns Stadium come June.
Lyle Bauer did a good job. The football club was is pretty rough shape when he took over. He put the house in order and even has a rainy day fund. We will here in the coming days why he left. The story will come out, it always does.
As for the coach, this does not bode well for him. He is already heavily criticized by the fans and the media. He seems to have rubbed both groups the wrong way. A lot of people say he is a good guy but if he is guilty (I am not saying he is, these things can be very different than they initially look) he will lose some good guy points with the people who do support him. In pro sports winning cures nearly everything that ails you, well, I don't think he has done enough winning yet to let this slide.
In time the truth will come out about all that has gone on today. I don't know if this is good for the organization or if it is another setback in the quest for the former glory this team is trying to rekindle.
We will be watching Bomberland over the days, weeks, and months to come, but there could be a lot of turbulence on this trip.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Well, That's Over
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers dropped the ball yesterday at Canad Inns Stadium. They really couldn't have hoped for a better situation. All you you have to do is win and you are in. This is what you play for. The Bombers couldn't get it done. They let the Hamilton Tiger-Cats walk all over them. It wasn't even close at the end.
It was definitely an interesting year in Bomberland. A new coach came to town with a promise to change the Bombers. Well he did change them. They didn't make the playoffs this year. Two years ago they were in the Grey Cup now they don't even have a chance to be there. There is definitely change. Attendance is down and there is just a feeling the boat is about to sink. The team needs a consistent quarterback. The team needs an offensive system that works. The team needs logical play calling. The team needs to win more games than it loses.
I'm sure there will be a lot of head scratching at the corner of St James and Maroons Road. There will be promises to fix what was wrong. The good part is they have an extra week or two over most of the league to get it done, hopefully they will put the extra time to good use.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Bombers Win...Really
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Montreal Allouettes 41-24 yesterday. This was a huge win for the Big Blue as it sets up an interesting scenario. Irregardless of what happens next week, the Bombers will finish 2nd in the East Division and host a playoff game if they beat the Tiger-Cats on the last game of the year.
Here's how.
Winnipeg and Hamilton are currently tied in the standings and their season series is tied. So if Hamilton beats the Riders next week and the Bombers lose to Montreal the Bombers will be two points behind Hamilton going into the final game against the Tiger-Cats. If the Bombers win that game, they will finish tied with Hamilton but will win the season series 2-1 and therefore be placed second.
So the Bombers control their destiny and do not need help from anyone to finish 2nd. However, if they do not beat Hamilton in 2 weeks, they may not even make the playoffs. Edmonton is tied with Winnipeg and Hamilton and if they win their next 2 will get a crossover position as they will have a better record than the loser of the Winnipeg - Hamilton game.
So there it is, after a bizarre and crazy season in Bomberland they control their playoff destiny and do not need help from anyone to finish 2nd and host a playoff game.
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