Are the Blue Bombers the Rodney Dangerfield of the CFL?

[BigBlue]

Are the  Blue Bombers the Rodney Dangerfield of the CFL?

I have seen two dominant times for our beloved Bombers ... The Bud Grant era and the 1980s ending with Mike Riley. The rest of our history in my lifetime has seemed spotty with an occasional Grey Cup trip here and there.

We can't exactly say we have burned up the league in this last decade but still I don't think we get the slightest amount of respect from around the league in terms of either fans or media. 

I just read the who will dominate the league piece (http://www.cfl.ca/2016/12/27/forward-thinking-whos-in-position-to-dominate-2017/) and wanted to barf. It's the same kind of drivel I expect from Eastern reporters and TSN. It seems to me at halftime if the bombers are leading a televised game TSN doesn't even get around to doing an analysis of the first half... they will do an anticipation item hiliting the game coming up in the second part of a doubleheader or pursue some other flight of fancy about a unique individual in the game who wasn't even playing that day. Not always, but no kidding either: there is no need to sing Bomber praises.

When I talk to strangers and acquaintances as I travel around our great country, I don't hear any sense of respect about our football club either. "I hear the Bombers bombed again" as the most usual comment.  The basement dwelling NY Mets carry more interest to them than our Blue and how come I don'y know the stats on the Regina Pats.

While I'm in the bellyaching mode there is one more thing that really bothers me. It didn't use to as much but now it just feels real. That's some of the officiating crews who come here to referee. Do they think they are in Backdoorsville in Podunk Canada with nothing to do but visit our zoo? (I hear we have upgraded that place but now it costs $25 just to get in.) I don't think for one minute that the CFL powers that be would actually tell a crew to favour one team over another although there are days when I wonder. Rather it seems to me that some of the refs just look down their nose at us and as a result call the game with undue bias. I used to think I was nuts to think the refereeing was anything but fair. Now I feel like a crodgity old koot howling at the moon #$#!@#$%^

How wrong am I?

And can MOS  get us to a first place finish? Finally?

[Rich]

14 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

We can't exactly say we have burned up the league in this last decade but still I don't think we get the slightest amount of respect from around the league in terms of either fans or media

Sadly our record over the last 10 years is 71-108-1.   Respect is earned and other than a few blips in the past decade, we really haven't earned any respect from media or fans outside of Winnipeg.  Think of how Hamilton was viewed in the 2000's before Austin showed up.  That is really us now.  We had a better season last year, but that has to be sustained and improved upon over the longer term.

19 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

While I'm in the bellyaching mode there is one more thing that really bothers me. It didn't use to as much but now it just feels real. That's some of the officiating crews who come here to referee. Do they think they are in Backdoorsville in Podunk Canada with nothing to do but visit our zoo? (I hear we have upgraded that place but now it costs $25 just to get in.) I don't think for one minute that the CFL powers that be would actually tell a crew to favour one team over another although there are days when I wonder. Rather it seems to me that some of the refs just look down their nose at us and as a result call the game with undue bias. I used to think I was nuts to think the refereeing was anything but fair. Now I feel like a crodgity old koot howling at the moon #$#!@#$%^

It does feel this way at times, but I don't think we really get screwed more then other teams, when it happens to us it is more impactful to us and stays in our head.

I also think winning teams tend to get the benefit of the doubt in a lot of sports.  Not always and not on purpose, but in some ways it is human nature to do so, and the refs are human.  Again, become a winning organization over a sustained period of time and I think this perception changes.  Also, we haven't really had good teams in a long time.  A mess up by a ref to a team that is average or below average has a much larger impact then a bad call on a good team because good teams can overcome those things easier, so I think the impact seems worse.  Bad teams or average teams need all the help they can get. 

23 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

And can MOS  get us to a first place finish? Finally?

We are in a tough division, and I think making the playoffs again should be the expectation.  It would be nice to finish first, but I think a lot of things need to go our way to get a first place finish.  I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

[WBBFanWest]

A first place finish means nothing, just ask ol' Bo.

[17to85]

They hate us cause they ain't us.

[DR. CFL]

Respect is earned....not demanded.

[Jacquie]

Who gives a crap what the media says. It's obvious from the Medlock quote posted in the other thread and other comments made by players that the Bombers are respected by those who count - the players.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Jacquie

[kelownabomberfan]

6 hours ago, 17to85 said:

They hate us cause they ain't us.

You said it Dave (Skylark)!

Edited January 3, 2017 by kelownabomberfan