Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Heard This One Before
Mike A.
The Angry Bomber Fan crew have been angry Bomber fans in this blogosphere for the last two years and like many of you, much, much longer in real life. As Winnipeggers, we understand the word “underdog” more than anyone else in the league. The failed relationships, the substance abuse problems, the mental health issues and ongoing compulsion to bite the heads of off poodles with each near win, failed drive, picked off football, lack of confidence, 2 and out and personnel loss due to injury. A lot of blood has been spilled over the years and nothing has ever come easy for us. Our bones have been crushed and pounded into dust time and time again, year after sordid year. And it’s now that point in the season when important events take place that will require discipline and composure. It looks to me like everyone in the town finally feels free to openly discuss Winnipeg’s chances of a really big finish this year. Ugh. Not so fast…we have yet to make it past Saturday’s possibility of another Saturday slmfest to the face against the 1st place Montreal Alouettes.
After a promising 7-1 start that has electrified this town and allowed us sorry-looking sadsacks an opportunity to pick up the pieces of our fucked lives, we have lost just about everything again over the last two months including an embarrassing yet familiar Labour Day Classic and then Banjo bowl game against the Riders. It has cost us a tremendous amount of energy to keep our heads above water because we’re not really all that used to the feeling. We have persevered to watch some breakout players perform at a pace that has been exciting to watch. Lowly expectations have been far exceeded and we have soared to heights that we haven’t been to in years.
A divisional victory at home against the Montreal Alouettes is incredibly important at this point in the season. There is no point in saying it any other way. This win is needed. Because time is running out on the 2011 regular season and there are still some very important playoff questions that need to be answered as teams jostle for home games and opponents for the playoffs that wait for us all. Everybody knows that we are 2-5 in the last 7 and unless we can sweep the next 3, the Bombers will not end this season in first place. Losing to Montreal on Saturday will most likely mean that we see Hamilton at home for the semi-finals. If Winnipeg won’t or can’t start winning consistently now, then the end is nearer than we may have dreamed three months ago.
It’s interesting to me that on paper, Winnipeg looks about as good as Montreal does. Anyone who has been paying attention this year understands that Winnipeg’s D has been a machine. And of course, Montreals’ offense remains decisive and dominating. For me, it’s become too difficult to say who will show up for either team. I would expect Winnipeg to begin to fall apart early on if Montreal show up to play both sides of the ball. And given Winnipeg’s non-stop offensive woes, all the smart money puts Winnipeg back in the role of underdog.
Anthony Calvillo does not need to be spectacular against Winnipeg to win the football game. He has a methodical, patient approach and his composure is like a pussy willow lazily dancing in a light breeze. It’s hypnotic when effective. And yet there are patches of time this year that have caught Anthony off guard and open to his fair share of few crushing sacks and dismal incompletions. With Calvillo at the helm, Montreal possesses that offensive rhythm while marching down the field and collecting first downs all the way. It’s a drumbeat that Buck Pierce hasn’t mastered and while surrounded by a bunch of goofs that allow him to face another almost half dozen sacks last week, it’s like handing the car keys to your crippled poodle named Stains in hopes that he’ll be able to get you to work on time.
In “Interesting line up news” issues, head coach Paul LaPolice has had Brendan LaBatte taking first-team reps at centre this week, with backup lineman Chris Greaves sliding in at LaBatte’s left guard spot and veteran centre Obby Khan the odd man out in some of the reps. While it’s hard to pin team woes on 1 person, it’s about time that Khan were benched. Another blight to the organization, Mike Renault is also gone this week. Jamie Boreham will take over punting duties from Renault as well as kickoff duties from Justin Palardy.
So we’ve made the playoffs this year which is nice. Our QB is somehow still alive. Have we learned to return a punt yet? No? Oh, okay…how is the D? Hanging on? The O? Not so much….but no matter, the time for tinkering is over. It will take every mind and heart to maintain composure and discipline from this point forward. Although the last few weeks have been rough, it all comes down to each game now. Each drive is crucial for the Bombers. Decisions about the teams’ future in November will be made Saturday afternoon at Canad Inns Stadium. Barring serious injury, this is the very same team that will show up to play in Vancouver at the end of November. It’s time to get behind them. For me, it will mostly likely be my last stand at the Stadium up in section 3A. One last time to watch it all unfold. It would be great to finally be in attendance when we win. I am looking forward to being in attendance with the crazies, the desperate, the flooded out and those with nothing left to lose. Let’s go Blue; it’s time to pull one off at home.
Let’s go !
