WBBFanWest

That's pretty strong talk.

My final word on this will be that I had personal reasons for really wanting to do this (that I'm not going to bore anyone with). So yes, I am more than a little disappointed. Having said that, the only other frustration I have is with those who will quickly rise to the defense of an organization and try to defend things that are clearly, just dumb. It's ok to say that the Bomber front office screwed up.

I don't think Ted Cruz is worth more than a 5th rounder... I'd say we would have been prepared to give a first rounder if they agreed to take him and keep him.

A typo? So they meant to say "Looking forward to the upcoming supplemental draft" and accidently typed "Training Camp will be closed to the public"? Ya, I see how easily that could happen.. Or, here's another possibility; they had done nothing about TC, fan wise, and someone with the authority to send out tweets under the Bomber account (and there aren't likely a bunch of those) decided (or was directed) to put out a tweet saying that TC was closed. Then someone else in the organization, someone with a bit more on the ball said, "Are you nuts? We can't do that." and the tweet was deleted. I've followed the Bombers for a long time and I've seen how their front office does things. I know which way I'm leaning. In any case, the next step is to wait and see what sort of "fan experience" they can throw together now that they realized that they completely forgot to do anything. I'm sure it will be a doozy, because as we all know, with the WBB, the fan comes first.

If fans aren't allowed access, what does it matter? There is effectively no difference between the two. At no point do I believe the Bombers were going to close off practices to the public. Oh really? And the tweet that went out from the Bombers saying that TC would be closed to the public? Was that just to see if we were paying attention? Clearly, someone with the authority to decided these things did just that, right up until common sense kicked in. Sure, they withdrew the tweet fairly quickly but to say "At no point do I believe the Bombers were going to close off practices to the public." is beyond laughable. I get that you are a huge fan of all the Bombers say and do but come on...

He also has a connection to the Bombers. His grandfather played for the Bombers. and his great-great grandfather Honus played shortstop for the Pirates. And his great grand father Porter was a regular on the Grand Ole Opry.

If I had made travel plans based on coming to a few days of TC (and I've done it before) I'd be pretty cheesed. I think this just shows that the Bombers aren't very connected with their fanbase. BC can get away with holding training camp in Kamloops because no one in Vancouver cares. Winnipeg is different. People care. The fans are passionate. The Bombers seem to just not get that. Even the media doesn't get it. What would you like them to do? Spend a bunch of money for a couple dozen fans? That's usually the amount of people who aren't Bomber employees or people who are supposedly covering the team for local media at the TC practices I've been to other than the opening full practice which they've made into an event in recent years. Let's apply some logic and rational thinking here. Be happy to. Here's a hypothetical conversation in the Bomber office. It should have occurred early last month and involves two members of the Bomber front office. Let's call the first one Tall Forehead (TF) and the second one Deep Thinker (DT). TF: Hey DF, what should we do about training camp? It's coming up next month and we're not going to be able to use the stadium. We need to tell the fans what's happening so they can do whatever they need too. DT: Yea, I've already made a couple of calls to have bleachers set up at the practice field. Won't be the best but if we get some washroom facilities and maybe call a food vendor or two, we'll be just fine. We won't have to spend much on this but at least no one, except that maybe that 17to85 guy will be able to say we didn't try. TF: Sounds good. You want to do the announcement or should I? DT: Already done. Just sent it to the boss for approval. Hope he appreciates what we're trying to do here. Now, let's see what the actual conversation, which took place no earlier than yesterday probably looked like: TF: Hey DF, what should we do about training camp? It's coming up next week and we're not going to be able to use the stadium. We need to tell the fans what's happening so they can do whatever they need too. DT: **** the fans. They should be bloody grateful that we even let them in the stadium for games. TF: Ya, you're right. I'll get the PR folks do do up a release to remind everyone just how lucky they are. DT: Cool. By the way, how are season ticket sales going?

I completely agree that we should just go with the flow, let the Bombers do whatever they want and just have patience. I mean, look at how well that's worked out for the past oh, twenty years or so. For me, the "thank you sir, may I have another" attitude of some is wearing a bit thin.

I get that the stadium is a no go, but for me, the fact that they clearly put ZERO thought into what they could do for the fans and that, initially at least, thought that simply closing the practices to the public was the best option tells me that Wade better have a long hard talk with the tall foreheads that are in charge of this sort of stuff, because really, it is nothing less than a huge middle finger to their hard core fans. "It's only for a year" is just garbage. Have a plan that respects the people that pay the freight. How hard is that?

We say that a lot around these parts.

Cue the Bombers PR department to tell us how... a) The proposed plan is a great one If you just relax and accept it it will go much easier c) We really respect you

So it's been used for high school games and an under 16 tournament. I can totally see why a professional football TC is almost the same thing.

And the crowd goes wild...

I'm temporarily holding out hope that my trip can be saved if they come up with some sort of answer to the seating problem, but I'm not particularly excited at this point. Was REALLY looking forward to chilling in the sunshine at IGF for a weekend... Me too. Part of the attraction was the ability to sit in the stands at IGF and drink it all in. But if the plan is "bring your own chair" and park beside a pasture, no thanks. I really feel bad for the players though, for a lot of the US based ones, I'm thinking that the last time they would have had practice conditions like this would have been high school, maybe. But anyway let's hear it for women's soccer...

Well, for the first time, I was planning on making a trip to Winnipeg specifically to attend a day or two of TC. sigh... well, I guess I saved a bit of money.

The players who are in the supplemental draft weren't able to prove they qualified as a national in time for the main draft. Much obliged, m'Lady

For the less informed (like me) can someone explain the supplemental draft? How does a player become eligible for it? Why weren't they on the regular draft. Stuff like that. I think I have an idea on how the picking goes, but I'm clueless as to how these people end up there.

Having studied at the Sherlock Holmes School if CFL contract negotiations, let me see if I can sleuth this out: 2<3 therefore NFL

You don't want the other Argo fan to find out?

I thought they were dueling hand puppets

Thankfully, in this country you do have freedom of speech (within limits), but you do not have freedom from consequence.

Hope things work out for him. Football is fun, but life is life.

What else can he say. Not great for the career to say you hate the team that drafted you. I might have said something like this, "I always wanted to play in the CFL in the worst way. Now I can." I'm betting none of the flat billies get it.

But if was Saskatchewan, that player would forever and a day be my hero (and not just the sandwich kind either)

Mike doesn't know as much as a lot of you guys think he does. Some of you guys treat him like he knows everything. He sure thinks he does, but he really doesn't. Do you really think that many of us care about what one anonymous internet posters thinks about the credentials of another anonymous internet poster. Because if you do, stand by for disappointment. Most of us here, as far as I can tell, just want to talk Bombers and have a little fun while doing it, and try to keep the douchebag quotient as low as possible. So maybe you should not worry about what we think about others because you might have other things that should concern you more.