http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Sellout-crowd-for-the-11th-annual-Banjo-Bowl-274267651.html?cx_navSource=d-tiles-1  

 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea insisted repeatedly last week he wasn’t worried — not about his team's porous run defence, not about key injuries on special teams, and especially not about the fact his team had lost three of four games coming into Sunday’s Banjo Bowl at Investors Group Field.

Well, if O’Shea wasn’t worried, he should have been. Because when the smoke settled on a 30-24 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, O’Shea’s team had given up a season-worst 196 yards rushing, his special teams yielded 16 points, and the Bombers are now last in the CFL's West Division with a 6-5 record. This from a team that opened the season at 5-1 is now 1-4 in their last five.

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"No, I don’t think so," O’Shea insisted. "I don’t look at it that way, I don’t. Being a first-year head coach is good like that, isn’t it?"So, coach, are you worried now?

Perhaps. But even O’Shea can't ignore the West Division standings, which are speaking loud and clear about a Bombers team that has gone from the penthouse to the cellar in the last five weeks thanks to three losses to the Riders and another to the Toronto Argonauts.

What now? Good question, said Bombers offensive tackle Glenn January.

"This will be a good test for us. And I do think we have guys in this locker-room who can pull us out of this drought. There’s a lot of football left to be played and our destiny is still in our hands."

Unfortunately, Winnipeg will have to meet that destiny in the West Division, where the Bombers are a division-worst 1-4 this season. Winnipeg will face West Division teams in five of their final seven games, Saturday in Vancouver against the Lions.

What people need to understand is this, and I'm not sure why it hasn't been figured out yet - O'Shea will not call a player or phase out in public. The message you give to the media, and the one behind closed doors are often two entirely different messages.

If O'Shea had said he was worried, we would have won.

What people need to understand is this, and I'm not sure why it hasn't been figured out yet - O'Shea will not call a player or phase out in public. The message you give to the media, and the one behind closed doors are often two entirely different messages.

Whether or not Kuale plays next week will be a real good indicator if guys are being held accountable IMO.

If O'Shea had said he was worried, we would have won.

 

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

Strikes me like Wiecek was hoping to get a "sky is falling" narrative to write his article, Osh didn't bite and so Wiecek decided to tell him how he should feel, because as a sports reporter he's qualified to tell professionals what emotions they have.

Strikes me like Wiecek was hoping to get a "sky is falling" narrative to write his article, Osh didn't bite and so Wiecek decided to tell him how he should feel, because as a sports reporter he's qualified to tell professionals what emotions they have.

 

The only thing I disagree with is calling Wiecek a "sports reporter" rather than a hobo with a laptop.

 

If O'Shea had said he was worried, we would have won.

 

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

Just because he does not blatantly call out players in the media does not mean he does not in the locker room.

Wiecek the new Friesen?

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

 

Which part of our run defence distresses you the most?

The fact that they gave up 196 yards ? or that it led to one TD being scored on the defence?

We have more hack football writers, per capita.....than anyone else.....

Only area of concern I have is lippy media writers saying crap just to get a reaction, wish people would stop posting their articles and just boycott them already.
 

If I said we gave up 297 total yards what would people say.

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

Which part of our run defence distresses you the most?

The fact that they gave up 196 yards ? or that it led to one TD being scored on the defence?

Exactly! Sure they chewed up yards.. But was it what did us in? Not even close..

'Hey guys, Thanks for coming... Yeah, Wild is injured - I don't think we have much chance this weekend.  I mean Kuale?  I don't think he can even spell Banjo.  Carl Fitzgerald?  That guy excels at napping not snapping.  Whoo, I'm on a roll!  Willy hasnt been the same since the hand injury... and his ankle... he's a limp willy right now!!!  You know what I'm talkin' bout, Wiecek! boo yah!!! (fist pump).'

 

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

 

Which part of our run defence distresses you the most?

The fact that they gave up 196 yards ? or that it led to one TD being scored on the defence?

 

The reason teams run the ball is to kill the clock, SASK won all 3 games vs us mainly because we couldn't stop the run regardless of what O'Shea says...

Yes other factors contributed ( blocked FG for a TD ) but running kills the clock and gives the other team less time to score points.

1 TD.. That's it.. Their offence managed one freakin TD... For all that clock time chewed up, we STILL had a chance to win at the end of the game...

If you rush for 200 yards and still win by less then a TD... It's obviously not working that great..

 

 

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

 

Which part of our run defence distresses you the most?

The fact that they gave up 196 yards ? or that it led to one TD being scored on the defence?

 

The reason teams run the ball is to kill the clock, SASK won all 3 games vs us mainly because we couldn't stop the run regardless of what O'Shea says...

Yes other factors contributed ( blocked FG for a TD ) but running kills the clock and gives the other team less time to score points.

 

 

No, you're wrong.

We did not lose all three games because we couldn't stop the run.

Did you not watch any of the games and are simply going on the message that the run defence is not good?

I saw lots of yards being gained on us in three games, that much is true.

I also saw 5 turnovers in one game to none for Sask. Do you not think that had a bigger bearing on that loss?

 

How about today's game? we did stop the run in the 4th quarter - twice, but we failed to execute to win the game.

If we had scored, do you honestly think Sask. runs the ball?

 

If Sask. does not get the benefit of ST mistakes (16 points) and is actually down in the game, do they stick to running the ball and killing the clock when it netted them 14 points total?

The Riders won all three games and their running was a big factor in each and every one of them.  That's what makes it important.  The fact the Calgary also has a great O line and a great RB and we play them twice means we probably get beaten by their run game too.  BC's horrible O line will hopefully mean we don't get beat by their run, but you never know, Harris, Logan and Brown are still very dangerous.

I'd understand articles like these if we were blown out every game but our self inflicted mistakes were basically what cost us each game, people can go on and on and on about the running game and yeah it's an issue but.. riders only scored 1 offensive TD.. the time of possession was very close also, so the riders might have ran lots but they didn't do much else and those running yards let to like what? 1 td and 2 field goals? 14 points really, 1 single. 

 

Self inflicted mistakes these last few games with the riders, we hung in there with them, they are a very good team, they aren't as great as some make them out to be, or if they are, not sure why the bombers get no credit considering they hung in there every game and could have won all of them if not for some self inflicted mistakes on our part. 

 

The sky is falling for sure with the media and articles like this and a few fans, but really, think the average fan knows this team is on the right track, think the average fans understands we have been competitive every game this season minus 1 (the esks game), think the fans are being entertained, the fans are in to it.. they have come a long way in one off season and sometimes i think people (media and a few fans) forget exactly how far they have come in one off season. Do they need to upgrade some spots? You bet, Will they? probably not this season, we are what we are now but.... what you are seeing is a young team continuing to grow and showing heart, never giving up until the final play of the game. I'll take that over what we had the last couple seasons for sure. 

 

How many media guys expected them to win 6 games even? how many of the "fans" complaining the most expected 6 wins? I'd wager to guess, NONE of them. 

 

You had fans and the OP is included in this group on the chat during the game going on and on and on and on about just the most ridiculous stuff, ruining it for everyone else in there trying to actually talk football while the game was going on. Every little play was HOLY OVER REACTION, seriously, it became nauseating at times... most times actually, but funny thing is there.. those maybe handful of fans in the chat who were going on and on about nothing, that's who these types or articles are aimed at and the other interesting part is, most the people in the chat didn't want to hear this crap then and certainly don't want to hear it now. But you know what, for those handful of fans, that's cool, as annoying and ridiculous as it got in there, they aren't paid to write their BS, our media is. Articles like this are a joke and i hope to god most people don't take them seriously. Gonna say it, think Winnipeg in general has some smart knowledgeable sports fans, I'm not sure why our media tries to pretend we are ******** with articles like this though.

 

Football is supposed to be fun, entertaining, it's really there to kill some time, it's actually sports entertainment really... people can say what they want but this season for the bombers, it's definitely been entertaining. I'll take this season over the last oh i dunno 10 really. 

You had fans and the OP is included in this group on the chat during the game going on and on and on and on about just the most ridiculous stuff, ruining it for everyone else in there trying to actually talk football while the game was going on. Every little play was HOLY OVER REACTION, seriously, it became nauseating at times...

I've gotta figure out how to use AdBlocker to block people in the game day chat.

 

You had fans and the OP is included in this group on the chat during the game going on and on and on and on about just the most ridiculous stuff, ruining it for everyone else in there trying to actually talk football while the game was going on. Every little play was HOLY OVER REACTION, seriously, it became nauseating at times...

I've gotta figure out how to use AdBlocker to block people in the game day chat.

 

or.. the mods could just give a temporary ban to those handful of people maybe for 24 hours, the day of the game so they can't ruin it for the rest of us. I don't come on to chat often for that very reason. It's the usual suspects over and over again so not sure why it wouldn't be warranted. I understand the site seems to be against banning people but.. temporary bans just so the folks who actually want to talk football during the game on chat can actually talk football on there without the usual suspects throwing in their pointless 2 cents every 10 seconds. If any mod wants to know which guys it were, you probably got about 15 of us who can tell you who those i'm gonna say 2 were. The op was one, the other.. think everyone knows who that was. 

We have chat logs and we review them all the time. We also hand out punishments for improper behavior in the chats, just as we do for the forums. We simply don't publicize it.

I'm usually all for a good bash-fest on the media... but I have to say that this one doesn't seem bad to me at all. Wiecek is writing his story off of what O'shea says to him - what's wrong with that? If O'Shea cared about articles like these, then yes I guess he might have admitted at some point that the run game is not doing very well. But I'd imagine he's more concernced with coaching his players and part of that seems to be him not badmouthing them in the media pretty much ever.

 

So in other words, nothing to see here.  I think the Lawless hate has gone over the top here as well.

We have chat logs and we review them all the time. We also hand out punishments for improper behavior in the chats, just as we do for the forums. We simply don't publicize it.

Wow you guys are just like Mike O'Shea!

 

 

 

 

Maybe has O'Shea made some changes or adjustments we'd have won. I don't care what he says in the paper as long as he makes adjustments and or at least acknowledges problems. Our run defence is being torched right now and he refuses to admit there's even a concern.

 

 

Which part of our run defence distresses you the most?

The fact that they gave up 196 yards ? or that it led to one TD being scored on the defence?

 

The reason teams run the ball is to kill the clock, SASK won all 3 games vs us mainly because we couldn't stop the run regardless of what O'Shea says...

Yes other factors contributed ( blocked FG for a TD ) but running kills the clock and gives the other team less time to score points.

 

 

No, you're wrong.

We did not lose all three games because we couldn't stop the run.

Did you not watch any of the games and are simply going on the message that the run defence is not good?

I saw lots of yards being gained on us in three games, that much is true.

I also saw 5 turnovers in one game to none for Sask. Do you not think that had a bigger bearing on that loss?

 

How about today's game? we did stop the run in the 4th quarter - twice, but we failed to execute to win the game.

If we had scored, do you honestly think Sask. runs the ball?

 

If Sask. does not get the benefit of ST mistakes (16 points) and is actually down in the game, do they stick to running the ball and killing the clock when it netted them 14 points total?

 

I don't think most people are saying we lost because of our Run D.  I think they're saying it had a factor in our losing.  Chewing up the clock means our offense was not on the field possibly scoring a TD.  There are obviously multiple factors in why we lost, most specifically our ST.  But, them burning up the clock with the run was a contributing factor.