From Paul Wiecek:

 

If a professional football team's practice falls in a forest but no one sees it, does it exist?

 

That was the question at Investors Group Field Thursday after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers confirmed publicly for the first time they have been holding secret on-field exercises at IGF this season that neither the public nor the media were told about.

The latest stealth workout -- the Bombers are adamant they are not "practices" -- occurred behind closed doors at IGF Tuesday. Head coach Mike O'Shea revealed Thursday his team has been holding the stealth workouts all season.

 

Now, there's nothing wrong with CFL teams holding closed practices. The league rules specifically allow teams to close up to one practice per week to the public and media.

CFL teams have done so from time to time. Both the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders, for instance, have held closed practices now and then in recent years, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders close one practice every week.

 

But while league rules allow closed practices, the same rules also clearly stipulate teams must inform the public and the media the practices are occurring, even if they are closed.

That's not what the Bombers have been doing. Instead, the club has been posting a practice schedule for the media and public this season that specifically states no practice is scheduled, even when the stealth on-field exercises have been occurring.

 

So what does the CFL think about that?

 

League spokesman Jamie Dykstra said Thursday the league has looked into the situation and has accepted the Bombers' explanation what they are doing this season on their first day of a practice week -- 'day zero' -- does not technically constitute a practice.  "We have discussed this with the Bombers and it is our understanding that day zero is a day of meetings where certain players hold walk-throughs (on the field) after reviewing film," said Dykstra.

 

The league's use of the term walk-through to justify what the Bombers are doing on the field behind closed doors is curious. CFL teams also describe the light practices they hold the day before a game as walk-throughs and the league makes it mandatory those be held in public and in full view of the media.

 

Moreover, the stealth on-field exercises are also occurring on a Bombers team that under O'Shea already has the most restrictive media-access policy in the nine-team CFL. The Bombers are the only team in the league that never allow media access to any of the team's assistant coaches.

 

While other CFL teams have occasionally restricted access to assistants in previous seasons, the Bombers will become the first team in CFL history to do so for an entire season, unless O'Shea relents between now and the end of the season.

 

Other CFL teams have been criticized by fans and media for closing their practices. It is a new phenomenon in recent years in a league that was once unrivalled in its fan friendliness.

The Bombers' decision this season to close their first on-field workout of each practice week -- without letting media and the public know the workouts were occurring -- allowed them to escape such scrutiny.

 

That's no small caveat, given the Bombers are holding those stealth workouts in a $210-million stadium that was paid for in large part by taxpayer funds. Indeed, O'Shea said Thursday he is actually opposed to closed practices precisely because he thinks Bombers fans deserve better.  "To me, especially here, the fan base are so important to us and so loyal that if we closed a practice and the fans couldn't come out and enjoy what they enjoy, I think that would be contrary to what I believe in."

 

So what exactly is going on during these stealth workouts and why do the Bombers feel they are so different than the practices they hold the rest of the week? O'Shea said they are simply slow-motion run-throughs of corrections from the last game.

 

"There's nothing about it that's a practice. They're in tennis shoes and ball caps and they're sitting mostly," said O'Shea. "There's nothing organized about it really. It's certainly nothing worthwhile (for fans to see) because it's not as organized as a practice would be. They don't do anything out there." The issue of the Bombers' practice schedule has come up recently in part because the club has held just two full practices in each of the last two weeks despite having lost four of their last five games.

 

O'Shea was asked why he hasn't been asking more of his team on the practice field given the recent losing skid.  "I've always maintained, and what I witnessed the last couple years in my previous job (as an assistant coach), is that fresh was best. Keeping guys physically ready to go allows them to do their job, allows them to execute.

 

"There's an adage in football that when you're tired, the first thing to go is your head... So we do more classroom work and more focus on that kind of study than going out there and running them."

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/stealth-sessions-274860401.html?cx_navSource=d-top-story

Toronto does it too.

What a nasty little weasel Wiecek is.  Here is the press conference were O'Shea addresses the issue of these "stealth" practices.

 

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/102629

 

 

From the sound of the voice asking the questions I believe it's Lawless but nonetheless O'Shea answers all of his questions openly and honestly.

 

This article is like a declaration of war.  I guess Wiecek is unhappy that he has to do some actual work to have anything to report.

I would assume Chris Jones woul have a similar policy. Does not every team have a closed practice every week.

Well, MOS works a lot harder at his job.....than the football media does, round these parts......

One of my favourite things is when the media says "oh no, it's not that we care, but we represent the FANS, you see, and we're their voice. They deserve better so we need to be their voice..." meanwhile no fan anywhere ever is concerned with this. But man, you try and keep something from a media member, they're on you like stink...

What a nasty little weasel Wiecek is.  Here is the press conference were O'Shea addresses the issue of these "stealth" practices.

 

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/102629

 

 

From the sound of the voice asking the questions I believe it's Lawless but nonetheless O'Shea answers all of his questions openly and honestly.

 

This article is like a declaration of war.  I guess Wiecek is unhappy that he has to do some actual work to have anything to report.

 

I think I just threw up in my mouth after watching that video...fricking Wiecek...

**** the media.

 

This is continual whining and BS and I freaking hope someone from the Bombers tells them to stuff it.

 

Have you guys ever walked by the group of them at camp or practice?  They talk amongst themselves, check their phones...and occasionally turn their heads to the field.  Better yet, when they do pay attention, half of them aren't able to understand exactly what's going on.  I get better reports from MBBers.

Oh, and cut out this crap meme that the taxpayer gets to be informed of everything and have a say in decisions.  I hate when people tell me that.  Yes tax dollars went to the stadium, no you do not get to decide how to run the Bombers.  

 

At some point Wiecek will probably write that the Bombers should develop a phone app so we can all vote on every play call.  'Cause, you know, TAX DOLLARS and such.

Wiecek is like Friessen. Never watches the field or has a clue what's going on. Why does he care if they have secret practices, he's looking at his phone or chatting with the rest of the media anyhow. What is he missing?

What a nasty little weasel Wiecek is.  Here is the press conference were O'Shea addresses the issue of these "stealth" practices.

 

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/102629

 

 

From the sound of the voice asking the questions I believe it's Lawless but nonetheless O'Shea answers all of his questions openly and honestly.

 

This article is like a declaration of war.  I guess Wiecek is unhappy that he has to do some actual work to have anything to report.

 

Lawless does ask a lot of the zero day questions and I think the other voice must be Sir Paul.

 

Not that I want to post in yet another "flagged" thread about complaints about complaints of the media - I think I'm beyawn that.

 

What a nasty little weasel Wiecek is.  Here is the press conference were O'Shea addresses the issue of these "stealth" practices.

 

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/102629

 

 

From the sound of the voice asking the questions I believe it's Lawless but nonetheless O'Shea answers all of his questions openly and honestly.

 

This article is like a declaration of war.  I guess Wiecek is unhappy that he has to do some actual work to have anything to report.

 

Lawless does ask a lot of the zero day questions and I think the other voice must be Sir Paul.

 

Not that I want to post in yet another "flagged" thread about complaints about complaints of the media - I think I'm beyawn that.

 

 

This thread isn't a complaint thread about the media.  It's a thread about the Bombers holding secret practises.

 

Problem is that everyone is so overwhelmed by how dumb and poorly written the article is it's impossible to ignore.  Even the rider fan reads it and goes "seriously, wtf?"

I lost track of how many times O'Shea used the word "stealth" in that press conference.  He's a sneeky bugger.

What a rat. He's insulted so instead of trying to do a decent job and call up a player for an interview or something we get an article about how he called and ratted out the team. Don't care to read another word from this pathetic man.

Woodward, Bernstein and Wiecek.

 

Now we just have to figure out if Deep Throat is Jeffrey Bannon or Jim Bell.

 

 

 

Moreover, the stealth on-field exercises are also occurring on a Bombers team that under O'Shea already has the most restrictive media-access policy in the nine-team CFL. The Bombers are the only team in the league that never allow media access to any of the team's assistant coaches.

 

Is that true?

 

Yes it is.  O'Shea stated at the beginning that all the media has to go through him, his assistants aren't allowed to speak to the media.  I actually like that personally.

 

 

But I don't think the Bombers overall media policies are the most restrictive. The Edmonton media was bellyaching about not being allowed in the dressing room earlier this season and has had other complaints as well. It's just our media that thinks they have it worse than others because they like to complain more.

 

I also don't think the Bombers are the only team whose assistants aren't allowed to speak to the media.

Isn't it funny how when you pronounce Wiecek's name out loud, you get the way we feel about some of his pieces?

It's hilarious that the folks who tell me not to read these threads can't follow their own advice and not read the newspapers.

It's hilarious that the folks who tell me not to read these threads can't follow their own advice and not read the newspapers.

 

I would think the difference is that this message board's basic purpose is to talk about the team, the articles, and by extension the press.

 

Where as you decided to call those posters out directly for doing pretty much exactly why this message board exists.

 

As far as I know you aren't part of the Winnipeg media, so why do you care if people complain about it.

If it means 1 or 2 wins a year close every practice I want my tax dollars paying for a winner.

I think the roughly 80 million or so dollars that the Bombers are paying into the stadium buys them a secret practice a week. Yes, taxpayer money also went into the stadium but if my recollection is correct the majority of that stadium is being paid for by the Bombers. The province was just "the bank" for most of the money. If my bank told me I need to inform their board of directors everytime I took a crap in my bathroom because they hold the mortgage I would think they were insane. Yet, that seems to be the point that Wiecek was trying to be incensed about. That's a new kind of crazy.

 

"You can't use the stadium you are paying 4-5 million dollars a year for without telling anyone." I wonder if Wiecek realizes how unbelievably stupid that sounds.

 

It's hilarious that the folks who tell me not to read these threads can't follow their own advice and not read the newspapers.

 

I would think the difference is that this message board's basic purpose is to talk about the team, the articles, and by extension the press.

 

Where as you decided to call those posters out directly for doing pretty much exactly why this message board exists.

 

As far as I know you aren't part of the Winnipeg media, so why do you care if people complain about it.

 

Careful - Using logic may cause his brain to explode.

Also, when this drivel is the ONLY crap we get to read... And i use this teem loosely.... As news, what are we supposed to do? Close our eyes and imagine it? Come to think of it... Probably get a better insight into the team that way..

 

 

 

Moreover, the stealth on-field exercises are also occurring on a Bombers team that under O'Shea already has the most restrictive media-access policy in the nine-team CFL. The Bombers are the only team in the league that never allow media access to any of the team's assistant coaches.

 

Is that true?

Yes it is.  O'Shea stated at the beginning that all the media has to go through him, his assistants aren't allowed to speak to the media.  I actually like that personally.

 

 

I don't mean to bring up bad memories from 2009 but... I find it funny that when Mike Kelly tried to change things so that the HC would meet with the media certain days and other days the assistants would take turns, the media were all up in arms because they didn't want to talk to assistants, they wanted to talk to the HC. Now there are complaining that they can't talk to assistants when the HC is available to them pretty much every day.

Does the Winnipeg media hate the Bombers? How are they with the Jets?

Does the Winnipeg media hate the Bombers? How are they with the Jets?

Jets get a lot more respect from the Winnipeg media.