Our Time Is Now
- Mike A.
It was a dark and stormy night in 2007 when we piled around the television to watch The Saskatchewan Roughriders beat up a Winnipeg Blue Bomber team that staggered in after a huge week long drug-fuelled bender in which their idiotic quarterback talked some smack to the face of someone’s great grandmother at the pub. He picked on a proud, dignified woman who had no tolerance for his smart-mouthed rude antics who understandably had to take him out back and beat him within an inch of his life with his own belt. Said quarterback was unable to play in the championship game, instead choosing to watch it from the ICU surrounded by no loved ones because no one loved him. Which ironically, is probably what he is doing again today. Life’s like that.
Since that horrible night a few years ago, Winnipeg football has maintained a trajectory of dismal failure and hopelessness. At one point a couple of years ago out of sheer disgust and spite, I was summoned to this blog to rant and rave about things that I was seeing. Tee Martin and his crew were among the many people wearily roaming the streets of this town, angry and despondent. The idea of writing 1200 words a week seemed like a great idea. Many people in my life were insulting about the home team and found the entire concept of the Bombers so easy to laugh off. It became time to stand up and voice the hatred and shame on behalf of those who could not look away. We were angry Bomber fans.
For me, I grew up with it. I remember the 1984 Tom Clements-led Blue and Gold stomping the life out of the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the big game and the 1988 victory as well, as Sean Salisbury barely scraped past the BC Lions. I have a couple of memories of Tom Burgess and the Bombers running up the point board against Edmonton in 1990 in the final, but by that time I had started to discover music and moving out of my parents’ house and focussing on establishing myself in West Broadway instead of worrying about football.
But after that loss against Saskatchewan, the pilot light was ignited and the decision to write as often as possible was soon underway. It began as a lonely affair, of spending afternoons and maybe an evening watching or listening on the television or radio if I was not at home. I had watched from the distance in the 90’s and the 00’s, but started paying attention very closely just before the Coach Kelly years. It was a dark time in my life, understanding that it would likely take years in order for the team to solve their problems, all of which seemed terminal and embarrassing. I often wondered why I was seemingly attracted to failure. Why could I only find happiness in misery, disappointment and jaw-dropping stupidity?
This year has been different. I saw moments of greatness early on this year. And then the strangest bloody thing happened: things got better, not worse. It seemed like a Christmas miracle. I began harbouring thoughts that were uplifting and positive. It felt strange to not hiss murderous thoughts at the television for a change.
The fact that we are back in the big game isn’t surprising to me. What I am taken by is the speed in which Coach Paul LaPolice has turned this horrible ship around.
Look, we were good last year. The Bombers were probably the best 4-14 team on the planet. The majority of the season was lost in the last four minutes of almost a dozen games we played. We weren’t routinely blown out of the water as bad and as often as we were in years past. I quickly learned that LaPo had an idea in his head and when he made moves like releasing Steven Jyles, it made waves. To be honest, I wasn’t so sure about his unwavering faith in Buck Pierce, but I will be goddamned if the QB formerly known as Glass hasn’t proven himself to be one of the toughest bastards in the league. He is the subject of endless hilarious highlight reel footage featuring some of the hardest bone-crunching hits all season long. In spite of the O Line grabbing bags of popcorn watching opposing teams charging and drilling Pierce into the turf time and time again this year, the crazy bastard has gotten up every time. Sure, he got knocked out of a couple games, but damn. He made it. He proved that critics like me were wrong. We all said it was only a matter of time before his season was ended early due to injury. For being one of them, I am very sorry, Buck. I’ll never call you that name gain.
And how about the Defence? Frankly, I’ve never seen anything like it. By holding Hamilton to a lousy 3 points last week in the East final, it capped off an unbelievable season. Johnson, Beasley, Steward and the rest of Swaggerville have rushed the pass, stolen the ball, stopped drives and won football games. If you have been paying attention, you have been treated to one of the best D Lines this club has ever seen. They are young, athletic, dynamic and they will mess you up.
But when you haven’t won a Grey Cup in 21 years, you get written off fast. For sure we have heard from the unbelievers all year long. Every white wine spritzer drinkin’ sports writer in the country figures that the game today needn’t even be played. Just give BC the trophy already. Locally, we have seen “fans” roll their eyes at the apparent non-stop failure they seem to witness at every game played this year. Frankly, I’m not really sure what team they are talking about. All I know is that you can imagine how hard all these people are crying over the fact that Winnipeg shouldn’t even be in Vancouver today. People have been looking to stick knives into this team all season long. But they have been unable to do so. Winnipeg became a punishing and brutal reality to the rest of the league fast this year. The Bombers made people pay for their unwavering faith that the Bombers were as predictable as they were horrible. Players, coaches and observers across the league were treated to a beating, maiming and feasting week after week at the hands of Swaggerville for the first half of the season.
During the second half of the season, injuries and horrible officiating began taking their toll as opposing teams began learning the Bomber playbook and bringing the team back to earth. But along the way, Chris Garrett came in to replace Fred Reid and as a running back, has propelled the Offensive line to unexplored heights. It’s been fantastic to see him energize the offence, which in turn, allowed the Bombers to slide into first place in the east. No small feat but I’m sure that no two-bit sad sack journalist will bother wasting their time telling you about it.
This evening will be a tough challenge. BC is good. Real good. Their defensive line is tight. They are 2nd behind Winnipeg for sacks this year. Korey Banks is effective and cruel and was seen single-handedly demolishing Edmonton in the Western final last week with six sacks and an interception for a touchdown. The Lions’ offence is terrifying as well, especially in the midfield, but also basically anywhere. Lulay got the nod as the best fella in the league this year and he deserves it. We could be looking at the next Calvillo here and that is scary to contemplate. If Winnipeg survives the first quarter without giving up more than 7 points, I like our chances. We are likely talking about big turnovers that will have to take the crowd out of the game. It’s never a happy prospect for the home team to host the Grey Cup, but if guys like Geroy Simon or Andrew Harris prove to be too wily for Winnipeg, then yours truly will likely be crying alone in the terlit by the half. In addition to defending against his very capable weapons, Winnipeg will need to stuff Lulay in BC territory all game long. Op specil teams award winner Paul Mcallum’s leg is made of adamantium and if let anywhere near our uprights, will be used to put the game out of reach just in 3 point field goals that he never misses.
This is a defining moment for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This is the biggest game the team has played in the last 21 years. Naturally the Bombers are not being given a hope in hell today, which is fine by me. This is a young team with players who believe they can pull off the unexpected. It’s been a theme all year long. They have defied the odds and made a lot of people look like absolute morons in the process.
Because when that Cup gets paraded around Portage and Main next week like Christ carrying the cross, 21 long years will seem like a heartbeat.
I’m calling Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the win and for all the marbles. It’s going to be a classic game, one that will be talked about for years to come.And we’re doing this for Coach Harris.
So for one last time this year, LET’S GO BOMBERS!
