LaPolice new Bombers OC

[White Out]

Anyone else notice their Bomber shirts were royal blue? Not dark blue ?

Only thing I liked about the presser

[Guest J5V]

Greetings all from Manila, Philippines. Logged in on a 3G Internet connection and suffered through 14 pages of the Lapo chatter. Wow!

 

Having listened to both sides I'm straining to buy what the positive side is selling other than their positivity. To me this hire is all about Miller, Walters, and O'Shea scrambling to save their jobs. They are hoping that Lapo knows what he is doing and will buffer the incompetence of the other three. I can't see it working. Yes Lapo may have learned a few new tricks but what happens when a sharp DC figures out what Lapo is doing and shuts down the Bomber offense? To me, Lapo has never been a guy that could adjust to what a defense is doing and that's one of the same problems Bellefeuille had. From that point on we're toast. That's why we needed a fresh, bright young mind that could make the necessary adjustments on the fly. Is that guy out there? Not sure and if he was I doubt he'd want to come here where his creativity would be stifled and misunderstood anyway. It's just not the Bomber way.

 

My prediction is that we may get off to a good start with some decent offensive production until Lapo gets figured out and then we'll falter. The best I see us doing is middle-of-the-pack until the eventual collapse. If we get off to a bad start due to injury or insurmountable incompetence, then the whole thing may get blown up by the Board as a last-ditch, knee-jerk reaction to the apathy and poor ticket sales as the fans finally bail en masse.

 

Saskatchewan may have been worse than us last season but they were light years ahead of us offensively. Now with a strong defensive mind and his assistants to help the Riders will be much better this season. Does anyone really think that the hiring of Lapo is going to counter that? We have a very good chance of being cellar-dwellers in 2016. I fully expect  we will. Please prove me wrong, Bombers.

 

On a positive note, the weather here is outstanding, the people are warm and friendly, the women are beautiful and the night-life in Manila is a blast! Mabuhay!  

[bearpants]

My reaction has been luke-warm since this was announced.... I wanted someone who has experience and has had success... LaPo moree or less meets that criteria... but I was hoping for someone new to the org to bring fresh ideas and a fresh attitude... especially if this person may be in line for interim HC... My ideal list would've look something like this:

 

1. Cortez (not sure if he's retired)

2. Brady 

3. Chap 

3a. LaPo

4. Jackson

[Noeller]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Blue-doomed-to-repeat-themselves-361169161.html

 

Every life lesson worth learning can be learned at a racetrack.

And topping the list is that the most reliable indicator of future performance is past performance.

So why would the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this week hire a man to lead their offence who they’ve already fired — twice — previously? And why would the Bombers think hiring Paul LaPolice this time around is going to end any differently than it did the last two times?

It was a trip down memory lane for Bombers fans Tuesday as the club trotted out LaPolice as their new offensive co-ordinator and the man they think can finally help lead this team out of a championship drought that is now being measured in quarter-centuries.

It all seemed so familiar because it all was so familiar. LaPolice was Winnipeg’s head coach from 2010 to the midway point of the 2012 season and the club’s offensive co-ordinator in 2002 and 2003.

Both those episodes ended with LaPolice getting run out of town because — wait for it — the offences he designed weren’t getting the job done.

And yet, there was Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea sitting before the media saying how he’d been trying to hire LaPolice as his offensive co-ordinator ever since 2014 and extolling the virtues of a man he thinks is the solution to all that ails the offence.

So, I wondered to myself, did I just mis-remember? Was LaPo an offensive genius all along? Was he fired for some other reason?

 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Head Coach Mike O�Shea announced that the club has named former head coach Paul LaPolice the team�s Offensive Coordinator at a press conference at IGF. 151208 December 08, 2015 Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press

 

So I checked. And what I found — in black and white — was my memory is just fine.

Here are the first two paragraphs of a column I wrote the day LaPolice was fired the last time, in August 2012:

"Paul LaPolice was hired in 2010 for one good reason — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offence sucked.

"And LaPolice was fired on Saturday for one good reason — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offence still sucked."

So, um, yeah, meet your new offensive co-ordinator.

You don’t have to take my word for it — the numbers speak for themselves. And what they say about LaPolice-led CFL offences is they are mostly mediocre.

Consider:

 

• With LaPolice as head coach, the Winnipeg offence was ranked fifth in total yards in both 2010 and 2011. Yes, the Bombers went to the Grey Cup game in 2011, but it was because Tim Burke’s Swaggerville defence dragged them there. And that 2012 team? They were 2-6 when LaPo got canned.
  
• With LaPolice as Winnipeg’s offensive co-ordinator in 2002, the offence broke records, although it bears reminding that a lot of success had carried over from the 2001 season, when the Bombers went 14-4 and played in the Grey Cup game. By 2003, the offence was a mess again and LaPolice was gone by the end of the year.
  
• With LaPolice as offensive co-ordinator in Saskatchewan in 2008 and 2009, the Riders were seventh and sixth in net offence, respectively, although the 2009 team was second in points and played in the Grey Cup game.
  

 

Now, sixth isn’t terrible. It’s certainly better than dead last — which is where the Winnipeg offence ranked in each of the last two seasons.

So LaPolice has that going for him — just about anything his offence does in 2016 will be an improvement on what Marcel Bellefeuille accomplished.

But sixth isn’t exactly excellence now, is it? In a week in which the Saskatchewan Roughriders opened the vault to hire Chris Jones to do for them what he just finished doing for the Edmonton Eskimos — turn around the franchise in short order and win a championship — the Bombers went with more of the same old, same old.

It’s a familiar tune for a franchise that, let’s remember, could have hired Jones when he was available in 2014, but elected to go with O’Shea. And go with O’Shea again in 2015. And go with O’Shea yet again in 2016 in a season in which every team in the West Division will have a new head coach except the Bombers, who have won 12 games in the last two years combined.

As for Jones, he has now won four Grey Cups with four teams in the CFL.

Coincidence? The Riders sure don’t think so. They examined a racing form the last couple weeks and came to the conclusion the quickest way to start winning again was to bet on a horse who has done it year after year.

And the Bombers? They’ve been tearing up tickets for years.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

[Bomber_fanaddict]

Throw me on the "Not quite sure what to think of this hire yet" bus. I liked Lapo the last time he was here and felt he was never given the players he wanted and was a failure due to Mack. Mack give him all the players he wanted and said coach them.  I know a good coach should be able to coach any player which leads me to believe Lapo isn't HC material.  He is however a great OC. He has proven in the past he can have success at that position. The position which he is hired for. Sounds like he spent a lot of time in the last 3 years keeping up on the CFL and expanding his playbook and learning. If Walters and O'shea give him the players he wants I think he can once again be a very successful OC. Here is to hoping  

[BigBlue]

I have often wondered why Lapo looked so much different as an OC in Regina compared with Winnipeg

 

I finally concluded that he coached within  the capabilities of his personnel  and especially his QBing

 

His style was much more wide open and downfield  with the Roughies -...

 

Here in 2010-12 he played the short game and nursed his QBs to keep away from interception city .... it got the job done, sort of ... his 2002 O didn't resemble what he was to run 10 years later

 

What Walter's give Lapo on the field will determine the kind of O he is going to run.

[Noeller]

Throw me on the "Not quite sure what to think of this hire yet" bus. I liked Lapo the last time he was here and felt he was never given the players he wanted and was a failure due to Mack. Mack give him all the players he wanted and said coach them.  I know a good coach should be able to coach any player which leads me to believe Lapo isn't HC material.  He is however a great OC. He has proven in the past he can have success at that position. The position which he is hired for. Sounds like he spent a lot of time in the last 3 years keeping up on the CFL and expanding his playbook and learning. If Walters and O'shea give him the players he wants I think he can once again be a very successful OC. Here is to hoping

Check the stats in the above article....

[JuranBoldenRules]

I have often wondered why Lapo looked so much different as an OC in Regina compared with Winnipeg

 

I finally concluded that he coached within  the capabilities of his personnel  and especially his QBing

 

His style was much more wide open and downfield  with the Roughies -...

 

Here he played the short game and nursed his QBs to keep away from interception city .... it got the job done, sort of

 

What Walter's give Lapo on the field will determine the kind of O he is going to run.

 

Ken Miller.

 

At times he called plays confidently with Buck, for the most part they had to get behind 2-3 TD's to see anything aggressive.

[Noeller]

and people talk like his time in Sask was so unbelievable, but other than 2009, when they were 2nd in Offense, he was 7th and 6th in Offense while in Sask....

[TrueBlue]

Off the LaPolice topic for a second, and I might be in the minority here, but I am not sure where the Jason Maas hype comes from.  Is he a young and up and comer?  Quite possibly, but he has had one year as an OC, on a team that was quite literally stacked at the receiver position with a future HOF QB that was lucky enough to stay healthy all season.  Prior to that he was an assistant in TO, working with yet another future HOF QB. 

 

I'm not discrediting at all what he did in Ottawa this season, but I don't think that it was as much him, as the level of talent they had on the offensive side of the ball that made them so successful.  

 

I could be completely wrong, but I'm not sold on him yet.  

[JuranBoldenRules]

Off the LaPolice topic for a second, and I might be in the minority here, but I am not sure where the Jason Maas hype comes from.  Is he a young and up and comer?  Quite possibly, but he has had one year as an OC, on a team that was quite literally stacked at the receiver position with a future HOF QB that was lucky enough to stay healthy all season.  Prior to that he was an assistant in TO, working with yet another future HOF QB. 

 

I'm not discrediting at all what he did in Ottawa this season, but I don't think that it was as much him, as the level of talent they had on the offensive side of the ball that made them so successful.  

 

I could be completely wrong, but I'm not sold on him yet.  

 

Completely agree.  Ottawa feasted on poor competition, which was basically the whole league outside of Alberta and Hamilton.  9 of their wins vs WPG, BC, MTL, SSK.  3-6 vs everyone else, 2 of those wins vs Hamilton without Collaros.  0-3 vs the Argos who had a terrible defense.

[Captain Blue]

I think if you're looking for an OC then Maas would be near the top of the list. If you're looking for a HC then he's near the bottom. He is very qualified to be an OC. Not nearly as much to be a HC.

[DR. CFL]

Perhaps the fact that Maas has played with and been associated with quality QBs has given him insight into identifying them as well. It isn't as if he might be going to a team completely void of talent. Give him the choice between going to Edm or being HC in Wpg where do you think he'd go?

[sweep the leg]

and people talk like his time in Sask was so unbelievable, but other than 2009, when they were 2nd in Offense, he was 7th and 6th in Offense while in Sask....

He had Steven Jyles, Michael Bishop, & Marcus Crandell all play qb for him in 2008. Being anywhere but dead last with that group is a testament to the quality of his work.

[holoman]

and people talk like his time in Sask was so unbelievable, but other than 2009, when they were 2nd in Offense, he was 7th and 6th in Offense while in Sask....

He was OC in 2008  that went to their 3rd stringer after  injuries and had to resort to Michael Freaking Bishop.  He was receivers coach before that

[Mr Dee]

1) I liked Lapo the last time he was here and felt he was never given the players he wanted and was a failure due to Mack. Mack give him all the players he wanted and said coach them. 

2) Sounds like he spent a lot of time in the last 3 years keeping up on the CFL and expanding his playbook and learning. If Walters and O'shea give him the players he wants I think he can once again be a very successful OC. Here is to hoping

On point #1, it's interesting you should bring up Joe Mack, because Lawless just brought his name up also, when he was recently talking with Paul LaP. They were talking about Paul's time here and thre was an occasion where the Bombers were going to a FA camp of some sort that featured QBs. Naturally, Lawless asked him about the upcoming trip and was stunned to hear that LaPo was not going on that trip. The guy who knows QBs pretty darn well, was not going to evaluate the new prospects at the most important position.

He was told by Mack that he (Mack) will find the players and its up to Paul to coach them.

And we wondered...

2) it's interesting to note that LaPo kept up with the CFL while also handling the TSN job. By that I mean, he watched ALL the games and studied the game films...for all the years he as out, including the Bombers. He has a "book" on everyone.

That, to me, brings a whole different dynamic to his recent hiring.

Now, as you've stated, if we can fill in the blanks, in regards to players, then we'll at least be somewhat in contention.

And Andrew Harris would be a good start.

[DR. CFL]

HC Rick Campbell 2014 good coach with brutal talent 2015 Rick Campbell good coach with good players. If Winnipeg doesn't significantly upgrade their talent Vince Lombardi wouldn't make a difference. Good players make good coaches successful bad players simply get good coaches fired.

[Stickem]

...regarding Maas as head coach....I think we know first hand how co-ordinators making the jump to the coaching top rung fare..Look at our guy and you'll see the transition is not an easy one...I expect if the Esks. go that route, that the learning process is going to be a lot longer than a lot of people think...Surrounding himself with credible people will be key and I don't see very many available at present..

[Logan007]

Geez, I don't care if Wiecek is right or not, but reading his articles just makes me want to walk over there and punch him in the face.  He's just an ass when he writes.

 

That being said, I'm still on the fence with LaPo.  I mean, this will be the first time in 12 years where he has a really good QB behind the line (and he can normally take a hit too).  I want to be hopeful, but at the same time...I just get this gut feeling that it's just another meh hire.  Our whole coaching staff, GM and scouts just feels very meh to me.  I was hoping when MOS got hired that he was going to bring some fire to the team, but I just don't see it.  Hopefully they can pull it off and hopefully they bring some decent talent to the table.

[DR. CFL]

You are absolutely correct....any HC is only as good as the staff he assembles. The staff and the players are the orchestra the HC is the conductor. As a HC LaPo's staff was brutal. LaPo believed his staff needed to be good teachers and they lacked pro experience. MOS didn't have a network of good experienced coaches that he could access. That will be the big question mark if Maas gets the HC job. Can he access a good staff?

[TrueBlue]

Perhaps the fact that Maas has played with and been associated with quality QBs has given him insight into identifying them as well. It isn't as if he might be going to a team completely void of talent. Give him the choice between going to Edm or being HC in Wpg where do you think he'd go?

 

I don't think I would suggest that yet.  There's little proof in his capabilities so far that I would suggest he's ready to lead a team, or even think that he'd be successful with a different team in an OC role.  

[voodoochylde]

 

Perhaps the fact that Maas has played with and been associated with quality QBs has given him insight into identifying them as well. It isn't as if he might be going to a team completely void of talent. Give him the choice between going to Edm or being HC in Wpg where do you think he'd go?

 

I don't think I would suggest that yet.  There's little proof in his capabilities so far that I would suggest he's ready to lead a team, or even think that he'd be successful with a different team in an OC role.  

 

 

It's the same appeal that O'Shea had when he was being considered for a HC position .. hot new commodity .. largely unproven but CFL people are excited about his prospects. 

[DR. CFL]

I was an excited fan until I saw MOS' staff...I then became a concerned fan.

[sweep the leg]

 MOS didn't have a network of good experienced coaches that he could access.

I wonder how different things would be now if he had gotten his first choices in Lapo and Stubler for 2014?

[DR. CFL]

Part of the challenge LaPo was still hoping for a HC job and Stubler went to work for a better team