Gone With the Wind?
Mike Alexander
It’s quiet here now, minus the desperate pleas for attention from the just-fed cat. The living room lights seem loud and cold but illustrate how dark and quiet the streets are outside. It‘s -15 Celsius at 6:15am with a light wind. There is a layer of snow on the ground, one that will stay for the next few months. It is late November and finally, after all the controversy, the bye week and the jockeying for position in the eastern final, for the first time since 2008, Winnipeg finally gets to host a playoff game at home, the last one that we will ever play at the Canad Inns stadium. It feels like Christmas morning on Ashburn and sleep is simply out of the question.
Today’s match against the Hamilton Ti-Cats is by far the most important game the Bombers have played this year. A victory at home in front of a beat down, angry, ugly and deserving sold out crowd will propel the Bombers into a Grey Cup Week in BC that starts tomorrow, an appearance that has not occurred for the Blue and Gold since 2007. And just in case you needed to be reminded, the Bombers are 21 years without a Grey Cup, the horrible honour of being the team who has gone the longest in an 8 team league without winning one.
On paper, Winnipeg looks good today. We have the home field, we have the rest and health we require and we have the weather. Winnipeg is the 4 point favorites going into this game, but it’s all about as meaningful as a church full of believers. It makes no difference. All season long, the Bombers have taken turns being the Right Stuff and then not so much. This team has been woefully hard to predict in spite of a wild first half of the season. Since that time, teams have made adjustments to counter the sometimes explosive Winnipeg offense resulting in what I figure is the longest slide into first place that I’ve ever seen. Other teams have had to basically fall on their swords in order for the Bombers to host the Eastern final today. Regardless, we have weapons and we have ability. Terrance Edwards started well against Hammy this season, generating 11 receptions for 200 yards and 2 TD’s in the first two meetings this year, but then ran out of gas in the third match and earned only 11 yards. The same questions about our O Line being able to dominate remain. It’s been a year of watching other teams pile on the points in the first half before attempting epic comebacks with more than a couple of disappointing results.
The weather is a factor today and should result in less passing and more running, although Buck Pierce is dangerous when throwing to the backfield. Expect Garrett to have a big day rushing the ball, even though he has only played against Hamilton once this year. Garrett rushed for over 100 yards against the TiCats back in October. Expect Hammy’s Avon Cobourne to go for the same although Winnipeg’s D Line has been effective in shutting him down all year long. Which Kevin Glenn will show up today? The smart short passer to Williams or Thigpen, or the Kevin Glenn that gets rocked early and often, who is gone at the half? Winnipeg will need to stomp him back down his hidey hole and keep him there. Glenn still has a great arm but routinely lacks the confidence to play 4 quarters of football. Kicking will be crucial. I hear stories of the wind picking up later this morning and so the coin toss will be significant as far as possession is concerned. Justin Medlock is a threat and routinely boots anything across midfield through the uprights and his huge goddamn leg gives him an advantage over Winnipeg’s Justin Palardy who will also have to be accurate today. Since starting to return punts this season Javon Johnston is just waiting for a break any time he touches the ball. Field position will be king today if the wind is going to be as harsh as forecasters predict.
The only other thing to mention would be the Winnipeg release of and the subsequent Hammy signing of TJ Harris, the too cool for school gutless coward who sold out his team for a $500 a week position on Hamilton’s practice roster. The issue being that Hamilton came into possession of a Winnipeg playbook as a result of this weeks’ nonsense. I suppose that forking over a Bomber playbook to Hammy coaches would give the opposing team an advantage, one they usually don’t get. But with 18 weeks of film already on hand, one has to give Hammy coaching staff a little more credit as far as having insights into Winnipeg’s playbook than the addition of a coward, a fake and a phony. Sure, it makes sense to use the confused and cowardly brainstem of an undisciplined shithead as a distraction, but come high noon today, I can’t see the team benefitting all the much from TJ Harris’ cowardly defection. If anything, it seems like a poor idea to make those last minute adjustments to Hammy’s playbook, but who knows. Do teams who finish in the east beat teams who finished first? Seems odd to me.
But stats only tell part of the story. The other half of this game will be determined by who shows up to play and how badly they want to win. As fans, this town has been waiting for this moment all season long. Now there is one last door to open before finding ourselves in Vancouver next week. All season long, the Bombers have slowly pushed towards this afternoon at home for one last time at the old shithole stadium in front of a crowd that has suffered longer than any other in the league. The jubilant highs have outweighed the crushing disasters for the first time in a few years and there is a sense that this game can be won. Can Coach Paul Lapolice, quarterback Buck Pierce and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers discover themselves as they work from this unusual position and play four strong quarters of football?
The sun is going to rise in fifteen minutes from now. At our place, layers upon layers of warm clothing are ready to be strapped on as we take to the East side one last time in hopes of seeing something very special happen on the field today. 2011 has been an incredible season for yours truly and most likely for the rest of the ABF crew as well. No matter the outcome today, we realize that Winnipeg is now a dominant force in the league and that 2012 is looking very bright. But that’s not important right now. There is a game to be played today and we remain ANGRY BOMBER FANS until the cup comes home.
Eastern Final at home! Last home game of the year! TIME TO GET BAT-SHIT FUCKIN’ CRAZY!!
GO BLUE!
