Blue Bomber Report Record: 0–0–0
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Brutal yes, but not worst ever
Believe it or not, passing game has sunk lower
Believe it or not, there have actually been worse passing performances in the club's 79 years.
"We set 29 positive records last time I was here so now we're up to 30 with the one lousy record we set (Friday) night," said head coach Mike Kelly. "That's gotta be a record."
Actually...
The 66 yards passing by Stefan LeFors, Bryan Randall and Richie Williams wasn't the lowest in recent memory. Back on Sept. 27, 1992 in a game against Calgary the Bombers managed just 56 yards passing as Matt Dunigan was injured, Danny McManus was good on just four of 21 for 56 yards while Sam Garza was 0-for-7. One notable difference, the game was played on a windy, rain-soaked afternoon and -- get this -- the Bombers actually knocked off Doug Flutie and the Stampeders 17-16 as Michael Richardson ran for 193 yards and the defence sacked the little man seven times.
"And those were the two teams that played in the Grey Cup later that year," recalled Kelly as the game's details flooded back to him. "But I've been a coordinator since 1986 and I'm not afraid to say -- and it sickens me to no end -- but that (Friday night) was the worst I've ever been involved in, it just was. I know it can be better. I KNOW it can be better. I just do."
Worth noting as we continue the autopsy:
"ö The Bombers have been held under 100 yards passing as recently as August of 2006 (92 yards at home to Toronto) and on five other occasions since the 56-yard nightmare some 17 years ago;
"ö The last time Winnipeg finished with less than 10 points in a game was Labour Day last year in a 19-6 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders; it's happened nine times alone in this decade;
"ö The Bombers last scored five points or less on Aug. 10, 2006 -- a game in which Kevin Glenn was injured and replaced by Mike Quinn -- in a 32-5 loss to the B.C. Lions;
"ö The Bombers have been held to five points or less at home 15 times in the last 50 years, but only three times in the last 22 years (Aug. 10, 2006, as listed above; a 20-2 loss to Edmonton on Oct. 12, 1997 and a 19-3 loss to Toronto in the 1987 East final).
"I am what I am," added Kelly, "but I promise everybody I'm pouring every ounce of my inner being into this thing to try and get it right."
STANDING O FOR THE 'D': Kelly praised the work of his defensive dozen, who were spectacular despite the Argos having a six-minute advantage in time of possession.
"My heart goes out to the defensive players because they're on the field for so long and they're playing their rear ends off," said Kelly. "I'm so proud of that group and how it's been put together and how they're being coached and everything about it."
HE LOSES IT: Bomber WR Romby Bryant may face disciplinary action after losing his cool on Friday -- at one point he was tackled and restrained by an official.
"Well, that's one of our problems, too," Kelly said. "When officials can tackle your starting receivers you probably got a little problem there."
What made him so mad? We're not sure because Bryant doesn't do media interviews. But the coach had a guess...
"First of all, he probably should have been mad because there were three defenders on him and we threw the ball to him," said Kelly. "That would make me mad and it kinda got me grouchy myself. There was just some pushing and shoving... and Romby didn't take very kindly to it and he snapped... Do I condone the extent that it continued to go to? No. He didn't play the rest of that quarter and then we did come back to him."
ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 26, 2009 C3
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Bomber Report
Scoreboard
-
Last Game
Poll
Most Popular
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- Slain woman appears before jury on video
- Search is on for man seen leaving the scene where two Alberta Mounties were shot
- Should the federal government be spending $7.5 million on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?
- Jets defeat Leafs 2-1
- LeAnn Rimes in pain following 'minor surgery'
- City family donates $1 million for endowed research chair in cardiology
- Census 2011 : Immigrant influx boosts Manitoban population
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- Census 2011 : Immigrant influx boosts Manitoban population
- Trapped bear commits vehicular mauling, also manages to open garage door
- Power outage over
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- Winnipeg software company ranked top employer
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- RIM up against 'bring your own device' trend in workplace where it dominated
- Insidious disease killing city trees
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Time, it appears, is on Assad's side
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
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.
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; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.