In this interview between the 1 minute mark and 1 min 52 O'Shea is asked why Kevin Fogg hasn't been effective returning the football.

The coach says "there are reasons" the return game hasn't been effective and that they are constantly working on things, but, "the things that have gone on" that have limited the return game can't be corrected during the playing season.

This kind of non-answer leads to speculation. Is he taking about firing ST Coach Paul Boudreau? Is he talking about an injury to Fogg that will have to be re-habbed (in which case why are you playing him)?

Or is he talking about something else entirely? Why should the media and fans have to speculate at all?

It's this kind of BS that leads people to conclude that the more they put O'Shea out there in front of the media - the more it hurts the Winnipeg Football Club.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2018/09/27/coach-oshea-september-27-2/

Expecting candor from O'Shea is like expecting milk from a grape.

Not sure it hurts the Winnipeg Football club...but it is frustrating. Like 3 weeks ago he was asked about Weston Dressler on the coaches show...he said "He's fine" and yet Dressler was out 2 more weeks after that. I find it's almost pointless to ask O Shea anything.

Softball questions and non-answers...  sounds like our season.

I remember the days of candor from coaches (and not being afraid that it was giving away anything or melting the snowflakes).

24 minutes ago, Dragon37 said:

I remember the days of candor from coaches (and not being afraid that it was giving away anything or melting the snowflakes).

You mean four days ago when June Jones threw LH under the bus ha??

He did? I wouldn’t be surprised he is an old generation coach. 

 

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

You mean four days ago when June Jones threw LH under the bus ha??

That was an interesting revelation. June Jones said that he made the decision because he did not have confidence in his kicker, but in my read was that he also blamed himself for that decision.

The reason the return game doesn’t work is because we don’t have any great kick returners dressed literally ever. And Fogg unfortunately is not the punt returner he once was. It’s extremely clear that O’Shea doesn’t care about the return game at this point with the way he constructs the roster but on the other hand, it’s difficult to waste a spot on a guy who only returns with roster size as small as it is. 

16 minutes ago, AKAChip said:

The reason the return game doesn’t work is because we don’t have any great kick returners dressed literally ever. And Fogg unfortunately is not the punt returner he once was. It’s extremely clear that O’Shea doesn’t care about the return game at this point with the way he constructs the roster but on the other hand, it’s difficult to waste a spot on a guy who only returns with roster size as small as it is. 

It's not a roster issue.  If there was someone who could reliably catch punts and return kickoffs they'd be on the roster.  They've had a hell of a time finding that person.  Most of the guys they've brought in have had trouble turning the ball over.

Fogg is still good on punts.  Again he's been injured.

There has been a big shift in the league this year away from setting up returns, more towards running formations to block kicks and prevent fakes.  The Bombers are definitely a part of that.  If it's 3rd and less than 5 most teams leave their defense on the field.

16 minutes ago, AKAChip said:

The reason the return game doesn’t work is because we don’t have any great kick returners dressed literally ever. And Fogg unfortunately is not the punt returner he once was. It’s extremely clear that O’Shea doesn’t care about the return game at this point with the way he constructs the roster but on the other hand, it’s difficult to waste a spot on a guy who only returns with roster size as small as it is. 

Ya O'Shea appears not to care about the return game. I felt ripped off when I saw Demski and Wild paired as returners vs Alouettes. I guess that's why they have a couple of returners in tryouts right now. Sign them in the off-season and look to next year. Seems like its always next year around here. Lots of season tix holders I know are not renewing next year however.

I think they were hoping for more from Lankford... without much plan after that - that's on the current ST coach not Oshea...

3 hours ago, Doublezero said:

In this interview between the 1 minute mark and 1 min 52 O'Shea is asked why Kevin Fogg hasn't been effective returning the football.

The coach says "there are reasons" the return game hasn't been effective and that they are constantly working on things, but, "the things that have gone on" that have limited the return game can't be corrected during the playing season.

This kind of non-answer leads to speculation. Is he taking about firing ST Coach Paul Boudreau? Is he talking about an injury to Fogg that will have to be re-habbed (in which case why are you playing him)?

Or is he talking about something else entirely? Why should the media and fans have to speculate at all?

It's this kind of BS that leads people to conclude that the more they put O'Shea out there in front of the media - the more it hurts the Winnipeg Football Club.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2018/09/27/coach-oshea-september-27-2/

One of the things I was hearing from O'Shea was that he was trying to answer the question without giving anything away that another team (Edmonton) could use against us. I can't blame him for that.

Where I think he, and maybe his assistants, do get into trouble might be touched on here ...

 

3 hours ago, J5V said:

One of the things I was hearing from O'Shea was that he was trying to answer the question without giving anything away that another team (Edmonton) could use against us. I can't blame him for that.

Where I think he, and maybe his assistants, do get into trouble might be touched on here ...

 

Isn't it illegal to do that in public?

Just now, Tracker said:

Isn't it illegal to do that in public?

I was referring more to the over-thinking comment but exposing yourself most certainly is a questionable activity. 

7 hours ago, Dragon37 said:

He did? I wouldn’t be surprised he is an old generation coach. 

Oh yeah,  he is an old generation coach. 

 

In that kick off formation Wild is not a returner he is in for blocking. Demski is the returner. Laughing at people saying that O’shea Does not care about returns. That’s his bread and butter he deeply cares about the return struggles. But he won’t broadcast to the world what their troubles are. Think it’s a matter of weeks till Nelson makes his debuts.

6 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

In that kick off formation Wild is not a returner he is in for blocking. Demski is the returner. Laughing at people saying that O’shea Does not care about returns. That’s his bread and butter he deeply cares about the return struggles. But he won’t broadcast to the world what their troubles are. Think it’s a matter of weeks till Nelson makes his debuts.

And how'd that work for us? Another brilliant scheme that got us all the way up to our own 25 yard line on most returns. But yeah, let's wait til the off-season to fix it. If things continue on this trajectory then, obviously, chances are good that it won't be O'Shea who'll be doing the off-season fixing.

Where's this new kid Boobie something or other...Apparently he's a burner and a darn good receiver.. Haven't heard a bloody thing about him since we signed him...Taking into account our pathetic return game...why isn't he in instead of a nic'd Fogg...Look for more dismal field position on our returns with our patented 'catch and flop' act...I don't understand why we can't find a way to inject these signed guys into the lineup after they've been here for awhile.. Other clubs can find a prospect and get them into a game pronto...I guess it's the old loyalty act from our not so illustrious head coach...even if the guy who needs to be replaced is entering the game on one leg he trots them out...I hope we can win tonight but hope is fading and with that the prospects for our head coach continuing on here..You'd think he'd be pulling out all the stops...

13 hours ago, J5V said:

One of the things I was hearing from O'Shea was that he was trying to answer the question without giving anything away that another team (Edmonton) could use against us. I can't blame him for that.

 

MOS and any other coach that thinks that are stupid. Not being clear on what you are trying is one thing but explaining how things have been failing isn't giving anything away because it is all on film. I have no clue why they interview this fool.

Its a non-issue. Its being handled internally. You guys need to just stay in your Mom's basement until its time to go to McDonalds and salt the fries.

4 hours ago, Stickem said:

Where's this new kid Boobie something or other...Apparently he's a burner and a darn good receiver.. Haven't heard a bloody thing about him since we signed him...Taking into account our pathetic return game...why isn't he in instead of a nic'd Fogg...Look for more dismal field position on our returns with our patented 'catch and flop' act...I don't understand why we can't find a way to inject these signed guys into the lineup after they've been here for awhile.. Other clubs can find a prospect and get them into a game pronto...I guess it's the old loyalty act from our not so illustrious head coach...even if the guy who needs to be replaced is entering the game on one leg he trots them out...I hope we can win tonight but hope is fading and with that the prospects for our head coach continuing on here..You'd think he'd be pulling out all the stops...

Considering how long we suffered with Hurl, Kuale and screwed-up Willy, I would not expect O'Shea to start doing this sort of thing now.

This is how O'Shea has operated since day 1. Is anyone honestly expecting him to do so differently now?

As for the return game, the blocking doesn't appear to be as effective in previous years. I don't think that falls on the returner.

30 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

This is how O'Shea has operated since day 1. Is anyone honestly expecting him to do so differently now?

As for the return game, the blocking doesn't appear to be as effective in previous years. I don't think that falls on the returner.

It really seems like someone has put their thumb down on the creative abilities of this team, since the loss in BC earlier in the season it seems to be a lot of bland bread, no butter.  

3 hours ago, Stickem said:

Where's this new kid Boobie something or other...Apparently he's a burner and a darn good receiver.. Haven't heard a bloody thing about him since we signed him...Taking into account our pathetic return game...why isn't he in instead of a nic'd Fogg...Look for more dismal field position on our returns with our patented 'catch and flop' act...I don't understand why we can't find a way to inject these signed guys into the lineup after they've been here for awhile.. Other clubs can find a prospect and get them into a game pronto...I guess it's the old loyalty act from our not so illustrious head coach...even if the guy who needs to be replaced is entering the game on one leg he trots them out...I hope we can win tonight but hope is fading and with that the prospects for our head coach continuing on here..You'd think he'd be pulling out all the stops...

It's not the loyalty act it's that there is a process and everyone has to be assimilated into the process and eventually the process will produce the results we are looking for.