14°c Partly cloudy
13°c Rain
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Blue GM defends absence of action
Free-agent route not way to go, says Mack
Winnipeg Blue Bombers general manager Joe Mack offered a spirited defence of his handling of the current off-season on Friday, answering critics who think he hasn't done enough to improve a team that finished 6-12 in 2012 and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
Mack has been taking fire since free agency began on Feb. 15 for his continuing refusal to aggressively pursue free agents, even as East Division rivals in Montreal and especially Hamilton have gone hard in the past month to improve their squads.
Aggressive
Mack has never in his time in Winnipeg been an aggressive buyer in the free-agent market and he said Friday he has the facts on his side if you look at recent league history.
"I'd suggest if you look at the CFL -- and I don't mean any disrespect to the players who signed -- you will find that the high-priced free agents that signed (last year) did not make a significant difference to the performance of their teams," Mack said in a phone interview with the Free Press.
"Just go back and look at the highest-priced (free agents) last year. Not to pinpoint him, but a lot of people were talking last winter about the loss of (former Bombers wide receiver) Greg Carr.
"Well, in fact, Greg Carr was (traded for a backup offensive lineman) by Edmonton last season.
"So I think if you do an honest evaluation, the signing of free agents gets overplayed. The last time I heard, the CFL doesn't give any victories for signings in February."
Mack said he believes his approach to finding talent, which focuses on finding the hidden gems in the huge pool of players who fall through the cracks in the U.S. every year, is the better approach and one that has brought big rewards to Winnipeg in recent years.
All-stars
"If you look at our all-stars, the vast majority were signed in the last two years -- the Bryant Turners, the Alex Halls, the Chris Matthews, the Chad Simpsons. So I think we have shown a track record in being able to get productive American players.
"And then we also have a number of talented young Canadians coming up -- Cory Watson, Henoc Muamba, Kito Poblah."
Mack said he thinks his team's failures on the field last season -- which led to the mid-season firing of former head coach Paul LaPolice -- had a lot more to do with the series of injuries that kept starting quarterback Buck Pierce on the sidelines for most of the year than it did with any perceived failure on Mack's part to recruit good talent.
"To be quite honest with you, it comes down to the quarterback," said Mack.
"I know I'm probably sounding like a broken record... but everything really does come back to that."
paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 16, 2013 C1
More Columnists
- Back to Top
- Return to Columnists
More Columnists
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Katz bogeys again
05/19/2013 1:00 AM 0View Related
Poll
Most Popular Columnists
- Katz bogeys again
- Tell husband you're not talking to her... maybe tell him why
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Ex-Jets MacLean, Carlyle on Sochi coaching list
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- More than a new boss
- Brunch day is gone, focus on eating well
- He's been taking funny seriously for 60 years
- Beckham a true pro from start to finish, detractors be danged
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Katz bogeys again
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Tell husband you're not talking to her... maybe tell him why
- Burke will be back; he's just that good
- When money talks, it says, 'End fighting in the NHL'
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- There's more to the story than golf
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- CFL gains when draft picks go south
- Goodbye, Susan; a privilege to know you
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Beloved piece of Winnipeg's music history deserves better
- Cyclists, cars, and cops don't mix
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- Katz bogeys again
- Dugouts could change the game
- Winter is coming
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Late deal in workplace sex-harassment case
- 3D printers will make outsourcing so yesterday
- Explore Desire seminars to 'push the boundaries'
- Going gluten-free doesn't mean giving up foods you love
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- Katz bogeys again
- No better place to be than Fort McMurray
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Dugouts could change the game
- Happily selling shoes at age 89
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Cyclists, cars, and cops don't mix
- Selinger's ability to sell case weak link in tax-hike plan
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.