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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Bunch of Hogwash

No truth to ugly rumours offensive line a mere speed bump

By: Ed Tait

9/06/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 1

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The Blue Bomber offensive linemen work out in the rain Monday at Canad Inns Stadium. Veteran Obby Khan says the group will be just fine, thanks.

So this is how Obby Khan's first few turns at centre have gone over the last couple of days...

He looks to his left and sees guard Brendon LaBatte, a player he believes might just be the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. And to his right is veteran Kelly Bates, a 2007 CFL all-star with the B.C. Lions and one of the most durable hogs in the whole league.

Over there on the far left is Glenn January, who has 28 starts at tackle over the last two years with Toronto and Saskatchewan and at right tackle is Luke Fritz, who had 53 career starts with the Montreal Alouettes over seven seasons.

There is Steve Morley, the first overall draft pick in 2003 who, if he can find his game again, could be dominant. There is Jean-Francois Morin-Roberge, whom Khan says looks and plays like an ultimate fighter and Matt O'Meara, who filled in admirably at tackle and guard last year for the Bombers.

Khan's question to Bomber nation, then, is this:

Why is everybody panicking about the offensive line again? Why are so many convinced the men up front will be nothing more than speed bumps?

"Not a word of a lie, I think we're going to be pretty damn good," began Khan after the latest in a series of soggy practices at training camp. "Here's why: No. 1, we've got a great group of veteran guys in there. And, No. 2, we all get along amazing. We've only been around for two days, I know, but we all get along like we've known each other for years. People don't understand, but that helps a lot. You go to war with these guys, you eat with these guys... everything. If you get along, it makes the bond that much stronger.

"I know people were upset this winter when we lost some guys. But if we brought in an American guy who had never played in the CFL and had a CIS guy beside us and a real (jerk) on the other side of us... then there would be a lot of tension and I would completely understand the fans' concern. But our top seven are great guys who all get along well and have all played in the CFL."

Just to be clear here, although Khan had been in the camp's first dust-up with linebacker Pierre-Luc Labbe, there was no evidence he had been knocked silly prior to our little chat. And so, just to confirm this idea that an O-line which lost Alex Gauthier, Dominic Picard and Kyle Koch to free agency and traded Dan Goodspeed may actually still be decent, we went to Bates, a good ol' prairie boy who has seen everything imaginable in the trenches, for his take.

"Two things are going to make this work: we've got guys that are skilled and, on top of that, we've got good guys who all want to play with each other. And that's important in bringing a unit together," said Bates who, for reasons that remain a mystery, is referred to as 'BBB' by his hogmates. "I understand some people are worried about this, but I say people are more panicked about the fact that it's a group of new guys. That's understandable from an outsider's point of view. But from an insider's point of view based on the guys we have here, we've gelled very well over the first few days.

"A lot of material is being thrown at us. But we've got a veteran-laden group who have all been around for five-six-seven years and when you get to that point you don't even have to say anything to each other, you know what you're doing and how everyone is going to react to it. That's what's so good about this group of guys -- we've all been playing together for awhile and we know how to be professional.

"I gotta tell ya," added Bates with a size-large grin, "I'm having a great time already. Football is fun for me right now and I couldn't ask for anything more than that. You just watch us."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Today's Bomber Report B10

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 9, 2009 B7

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