From today's Freep:

 

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea volunteered Thursday his 6-11 football team "needs to get better, from me on down."

But when O'Shea was asked by reporters if he was admitting he'd personally made mistakes in his rookie season as the Bombers' field boss, O'Shea bristled.

 

"I'll have to go back and go through everything and take some notes on that," O'Shea replied.

So, no mistakes leap immediately to mind? O'Shea was asked.

"Nothing leaps to mind? No, because I'm solely focused on beating Calgary," he said. "But I'm sure you'll tell me."

It was a rare testy exchange between O'Shea and local reporters and it came on the same day the Bombers held their last full practice of the 2014 season at Investors Group Field. The club will travel to Calgary today in advance of their final game of the season on Saturday at McMahon Field against the Stampeders.

 

It seems that O'Shea's stubbornness is going to continue and that does not bode well for our rookie head coach.

 

Oh boy.  Another media bashing session filled with I Love the way O'Shea handles the media vs I Hate the way O'Shea handles the media.  What do you expect him to do vs I want him to be honest.  Throw in a bunch how the media is lazy and how they don't ask the right questions how they spin things and my fav... How O'Shea is obviously different behind the scenes than he is in public.

 

Carry on folks...

 

So, tell us what you think of the heading Wiecek used. Is it accurate?

 

Even the heading on this thread. Is it accurate?

 

As far as what O'Shea says to the media, the heading is accurate.  He's not admitting there are any problems and he's putting off the questions until after the season's over.  'Everyone's got to get better' is a platitude that doesn't mean anything unless you say what they aren't good at and what they need to get better at.

 

It doesn't matter what the heading is or what's in the article.  If the media aren't being Bomber cheerleaders they're gonna get roasted around here.  I can almost see the spittle and foam coming out of some folks mouths as they type.

 

The Winnipeg media isn't the cream of the crop.  The talent pool in Canada has the depth of a puddle and the best reporters go where the money and prestige are.  That's not Winnipeg.  Most of the Winnipeg media couldn't get the same jobs they hold in other cities.  They are lazy.  They ask poor questions.  They don't think on their feet.  They don't sound like they prepare well.  They repeat the same paragraphs in almost every article.  I don't know how many times I've read x losses in a row, y out of z this year.  Different reporters write the same story in each paper, sometimes using the same phrases.  They write whatever sells papers and during an 8 game slide that's going to be mostly negative.

 

Walters is the only one in the Bombers who seems to get it IMO.  His media scrums are full of info and considered responses.  He tells it like he sees it and isn't afraid of telling the media what's off limits without coming off as antagonistic.  I don't think I've seen a negative interpretation of a Walters interview.  I wish he'd do more of them.  Other than that, the Bombers treat the media like an enemy by making their jobs more difficult, not letting them talk to anyone except the coach and the coach doesn't tell them anything,  When you treat the media like the enemy don't whine when they act like it.   

 

The posters on this and other forums are polarized on this subject.  No one's changing the other sides opinion, yet we have a weekly media bashing where exactly the same things are said over and over and over ad nauseam.  Nothings really changed since Kelly was running things and nothing is likely to in the near future.  

O'Shea coaches about as well as he handles the media, newb.

O'Shea coaches about as well as he handles the media, newb.

The top writer for both major papers love him. Penton giggles like a school girl in the media scrums and Lawless gushes over him on H & L. Other than Wiecek he seems to get along with all of them just fine (Friesen doesn't count).

Some still don't get it eh? MOS won't say things in the media, he hasn't all year, vague answers like every coach in the CFL gives, someone find me a coach in the CFL who constantly gives the media the inside scoop. That guy doesn't exist. 

 

I'm actually happy we only have one more game left cuz i think it's pretty obvious that some folks need to step away for a while and come back to reality. 

Some still don't get it eh? MOS won't say things in the media, he hasn't all year, vague answers like every coach in the CFL gives, someone find me a coach in the CFL who constantly gives the media the inside scoop. That guy doesn't exist. 

 

I'm actually happy we only have one more game left cuz i think it's pretty obvious that some folks need to step away for a while and come back to reality.

Man oh man, so much this....

I honestly don't really understand why some fans think they deserve to know everything that is going on? Cuz you pay for a ticket i guess is the reasoning? Gotta be it actually...

 

In the big picture tho, it's just football and it's for entertainment purposes, if you aren't being entertained or it's bothering you that much, man oh man, maybe should step away for a while and maybe not watch..

 

Honestly, i don't mind the criticism of the team but stuff like this? Man oh man, it's been MOS MO since he got here.. why don't people understand that? 

 

It's borderline insanity here actually. 

 

Why does it piss people off so much? and Why do some fans think they need to know every little thing that is going on with this club? Is it the community owned thing? people think they have the right to know everything cuz they think that means they are owners of the team? I don't get it.

 

Some of these topics are crazy, got enough issues on the team, and bet your ass MOS is aware of them, he's just not going to come out in public and say it. What's the issue there?

 

Do some people honestly believe they know more than the people who are being paid to do this for a living? 

 

Paul Maurice said it best a few weeks ago, the coach of the jets when he said basically we don't have an obligation to tell you what is going on in the room..  I loved his quote too, "i can make you ******* cry in that room". 

 

 

Oh boy.  Another media bashing session filled with I Love the way O'Shea handles the media vs I Hate the way O'Shea handles the media.  What do you expect him to do vs I want him to be honest.  Throw in a bunch how the media is lazy and how they don't ask the right questions how they spin things and my fav... How O'Shea is obviously different behind the scenes than he is in public.

 

Carry on folks...

 

So, tell us what you think of the heading Wiecek used. Is it accurate?

 

Even the heading on this thread. Is it accurate?

 

As far as what O'Shea says to the media, the heading is accurate.

 

 

No, it isn't accurate any way you try to spin it. 

Neither is the heading for this thread.

 

But the more people ignore the little subtleties of putting out inaccurate info., the more these kind of writers can get away with this stuff.

 

Why you prefer to align with these writers is beyond me.

 

No, it isn't accurate any way you try to spin it. 

Neither is the heading for this thread.

 

But the more people ignore the little subtleties of putting out inaccurate info., the more these kind of writers can get away with this stuff.

 

Why you prefer to align with these writers is beyond me.

 

Interesting that you removed the entire part of my post that  talked about how I see the Winnipeg media.  If you bothered to read any of it, you wouldn't say I was aligning with the writers.  The writers aren't 'getting away' with anything.  They are doing what they will always do... writing stuff that folks will talk about.

 

 

No, it isn't accurate any way you try to spin it. 

Neither is the heading for this thread.

 

But the more people ignore the little subtleties of putting out inaccurate info., the more these kind of writers can get away with this stuff.

 

Why you prefer to align with these writers is beyond me.

 

Interesting that you removed the entire part of my post that  talked about how I see the Winnipeg media.  If you bothered to read any of it, you wouldn't say I was aligning with the writers.  The writers aren't 'getting away' with anything.  They are doing what they will always do... writing stuff that folks will talk about.

 

 

I asked you 2 questions.

You responded by saying one was accurate, but you didn't explain how it could be.

If you agree with an inaccurate heading, to me, that means you're aligning with the writer.

The rest of it is pablum, and I didn't ask about it, therefore I didn't include it.

You didn't answer the second part.

 

 

 

No, it isn't accurate any way you try to spin it. 

Neither is the heading for this thread.

 

But the more people ignore the little subtleties of putting out inaccurate info., the more these kind of writers can get away with this stuff.

 

Why you prefer to align with these writers is beyond me.

 

Interesting that you removed the entire part of my post that  talked about how I see the Winnipeg media.  If you bothered to read any of it, you wouldn't say I was aligning with the writers.  The writers aren't 'getting away' with anything.  They are doing what they will always do... writing stuff that folks will talk about.

 

 

I asked you 2 questions.

You responded by saying one was accurate, but you didn't explain how it could be.

If you agree with an inaccurate heading, to me, that means you're aligning with the writer.

The rest of it is pablum, and I didn't ask about it, therefore I didn't include it.

You didn't answer the second part.

 

Your 2 questions were the same question rephrased.  First about the article.  Second about the thread topic.  

 

I explained it, you simply don't agree with my explanation.  That's not the same thing as agreeing with your opinion or agreeing with the writers.

 

 Why can't MOS acknowledge that yes, there are problems that need addressing & everything will be under review including his performance after tomorrow.

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea volunteered Thursday his 6-11 football team "needs to get better, from me on down."

 

 

 

These CFL head coaches with the big egos & impatience never last. Seen em all come & go in 50 seasons watching the Bombers & other teams. They always get fired eventually.

 

As opposed to mild mannered coaches who always last forever?

 

Sure, know it all coaches like Mike Kelly always have great coaching careers in the CFL. 

So, tell us what you think of the heading Wiecek used. Is it accurate?

Even the heading on this thread. Is it accurate?

Saying this is causing me to throw up in my mouth but, in fairness to Wiecek, the editor writes the headline, not the reporter.

Why can't MOS acknowledge that yes, there are problems that need addressing & everything will be under review including his performance after tomorrow.

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea volunteered Thursday his 6-11 football team "needs to get better, from me on down."

These CFL head coaches with the big egos & impatience never last. Seen em all come & go in 50 seasons watching the Bombers & other teams. They always get fired eventually.

As opposed to mild mannered coaches who always last forever?

Sure, know it all coaches like Mike Kelly always have great coaching careers in the CFL.

Where would you put Don Matthews. IIRC he had no love for the media when he was coaching. And didn't Cal Murphy have a testy relationship with the media too.

Unless you're a Don Matthews or Wally type of coach, you usually don't have a very long life span if you make an enemy out of the media.

Unless you're a Don Matthews or Wally type of coach, you usually don't have a very long life span if you make an enemy out of the media.

O'Shea hasn't made an enemy out of the media. Wiecek said it himself that their testy exchange was a rare occurence. I'm not sure why some people have decided this is a thing now.

 

Unless you're a Don Matthews or Wally type of coach, you usually don't have a very long life span if you make an enemy out of the media.

O'Shea hasn't made an enemy out of the media. Wiecek said it himself that their testy exchange was a rare occurence. I'm not sure why some people have decided this is a thing now.

 

It's been that way all season. Had a chip on his shoulder from Day 1. Not impressed by either by his attitude toward the media or the fact we've lost 9 in a row & he's still acting like a wiseaker. Outside of Paul Wiecek & one or 2 others, the Winnipeg media treats the Bombers pretty well. 

last post game show he told Bob his job is to keep the team pumped up.

 

which is true.

 

Hard to do that when you're being asked to explain all the things you've done wrong. Also, he's probably not looking forward to 

 

  having to fire some people after the season is over. He's never had to do that before. I'm sure he's up to it.

 

Nothing wrong with reporters  asking  about it either, that's their job.

There is a line between keeping in-house stuff in-house and treating fans and sports reporters as annoying idiots, even though some of them are. Before O'Shea snarls at media, he ought to take a hard look at both the team's abysmal record and the quality of under-coaches he chose. Honesty usually works well, and admitting that the team has problems and needs to to improve dramatically in certain areas does not automatically mean throwing people under the bus- they have done that to themselves. I do wonder if bringing in a rookie head coach for a team in this bad a condition as it was at the end of last season was a good choice.

There is a line between keeping in-house stuff in-house and treating fans and sports reporters as annoying idiots, even though some of them are. Before O'Shea snarls at media, he ought to take a hard look at both the team's abysmal record and the quality of under-coaches he chose. Honesty usually works well, and admitting that the team has problems and needs to to improve dramatically in certain areas does not automatically mean throwing people under the bus- they have done that to themselves. I do wonder if bringing in a rookie head coach for a team in this bad a condition as it was at the end of last season was a good choice.

I don't understand why you can't understand that he is focused solely on this game, and told the media that "everything" would be under review after it.

There is a line between keeping in-house stuff in-house and treating fans and sports reporters as annoying idiots, even though some of them are. Before O'Shea snarls at media, he ought to take a hard look at both the team's abysmal record and the quality of under-coaches he chose. Honesty usually works well, and admitting that the team has problems and needs to to improve dramatically in certain areas does not automatically mean throwing people under the bus- they have done that to themselves. I do wonder if bringing in a rookie head coach for a team in this bad a condition as it was at the end of last season was a good choice.

I personally think a rookie GM & HC was the wrong way to go but I was willing to give them both a chance. This season is done for now & it ended like last season with a bunch of losses. Unless we pull off a huge upset today. Next year, well... there better be a huge improvement & I mean playoffs in the West or crossover.  That's my expectations two years into a 3 year mandate. And Walters has to tell MOS to take the chip off his shoulder & quit acting like an arse. No one is out to get him. Paul Wiecek is a light weight when it comes to journalism so he has to get over it. Pro sports is a performance oriented business. Win & you're fine. Lose & you're done. Players aren't paid to play. They are paid to win. Coaches aren't paid to coach. They are also paid to win. 

 

There is a line between keeping in-house stuff in-house and treating fans and sports reporters as annoying idiots, even though some of them are. Before O'Shea snarls at media, he ought to take a hard look at both the team's abysmal record and the quality of under-coaches he chose. Honesty usually works well, and admitting that the team has problems and needs to to improve dramatically in certain areas does not automatically mean throwing people under the bus- they have done that to themselves. I do wonder if bringing in a rookie head coach for a team in this bad a condition as it was at the end of last season was a good choice.

I don't understand why you can't understand that he is focused solely on this game, and told the media that "everything" would be under review after it.

 

What your saying is MOS can't multi task? Have ideas about what's gone wrong when talking to the media yet still prepare for today's game? What MOS says is a cop out as he just refuses to deal with the media who like him, have deadlines & other things going on in their lives as well. Some of the media people have more than just the Bombers to cover & may have to file 3 or 4 stories that day & are under the gun to get it done. Their job is to ask questions so he needs to deal with it. To me, even though MOS is pushing 40 or is around that age, as this season progressed he acted immature & showed that  he wasn't ready to take on the gargantuan task of rebuilding this team. I only hope he learned from this season & is better next year. If not, he'll be gone.

I couldn't work in the media cause I couldn't sign my name behind such a misleading title.

Maybe instead of ripping on O'Shea for dealing with a bunch of jerks every press conference, we should rip the WFP and the Sun and tell them to get some real reporters and not useless columnists.  They should not pay these merely street-smart rollovers to come in and cover football stories when they don't know what they're talking about half the time.  Surely it can't be that hard for a professional news organization to actually go through linkedin and look through people's resumes to see their football knowledge experience and get real journalists in town.  Bottom line, if the media is gonna lecture us on cleaning our house, I suggest they do the same to theirs.

MOS, in this situation, is right.

Why are you asking questions like that, in the week before the last game, when there are months ahead to subject the Staff to those kind of questions?

And people blame MOS for being short with some reporters.

They're lucky he doesn't pick them up and drive them back 5 yards and slam them to the ground…like he used to do with the opposition.