Swaggerville’s so sweet

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/10/2009 (5802 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They call it Swaggerville, this cocky but accomplished defensive secondary of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and it’s become a dangerous place for quarterbacks looking to plunder and pillage for some passing loot.

They’ve already collected 29 interceptions, the highest total by a CFL team since B.C. led the league with 36 picks in 2006 and the most by a Bomber bunch since the ’94 group finished with 32.

"Swaggerville is an unlimited, infinite, incredible amount of confidence. That’s what it is. I feel like everybody in the secondary, we’re the tone-setters," explains defensive back Lenny Walls. "For the defence, the team and everything, that’s what we do. One thing about this secondary is we all have confidence. That’s why I started calling it Swaggerville. We believe in each other and making plays. We all make plays and we compete. If you have guys in your secondary that compete and fight, it’s Swaggerville."

Walls coined the term and says it’s from his youth.

"We used to call it Swaggerville when I was growing up in the inner city," Walls reflects. "I came here and looked around at these guys and thought, ‘This is the perfect group to be called Swaggerville.’ "

Early in the season they found themselves stranded on the field by an incompetent offence and they lead the league in passing attempts against at 609, and that’s hurt them in a couple of departments. They’ve allowed a league-worst 369 completed passes and their average passing yards against per game of 266.2 is seventh in the CFL.

All that aside, they’ve come on strong down the stretch and added consistency to their ball-hawking abilities.

Bombers coach Mike Kelly says this group has charged hard in the second half of the season.

"I think they’re pretty indicative of the entire football club in that there’s been this melding , if you will, of that group and they’ve fed off each other. They take great pride in what they do every single day," offered Kelly.

The boss says he enjoys watching his secondary play.

"They’ve got a little swag to them and I don’t have a problem with that because they’ve been backing up their swagger," said Kelly. "They’re not fools about their swagger. When they make a good play, they certainly celebrate but they celebrate together. They’re not individualistic in how they celebrate just to bring attention to themselves. I like the way they embrace one another when one of them makes a good play."

We went to Bombers secondary coach Rick Campbell for a description of his players’ abilities:

"ö Keyou Craver, CB (37 tackles, two interceptions)

"A hard worker and enthusiastic."

"ö Jovon Johnson, CB (67 tackles, six interceptions)

"Special skills. He has an excellent work ethic and if he keeps working he’ll be one of the better guys in this league."

"ö Lenny Walls, DB (41 tackles, five interceptions)

"A solid football player who is enthusiastic. A big body and a physical presence."

"ö Jonathan Hefney, DB (61 tackles, four interceptions)

"He plays his butt off. A good football player and he loves playing the game."

"ö Ian Logan, S (39 tackles, four interceptions)

"Understands the game and is sneaky-athletic."

"ö Siddeeq Shabazz, LB (62 tackles, four interceptions)

"He’s a true hybrid. We think of him as a DB that can play in the box. Smart football player."

"ö Ike Charlton, LB (56 tackles, one interception)

"Ike is a defensive back, we just ask him to play a little in the box against running backs. Physical enough to play in the box and a smart football player."

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Sure can pick ’em

Here’s a look at the Bombers’ secondary since 2001:

Year Rank Yards against Ints.

2001 5 258.2 24

2002 2 224.2 18

2003 8 283.7 22

2004 8 306.1 18

2005 9 351.9 18

2006 2 235.3 13

2007 2 254.7 10

2008 6 304.1 15

2009 7 266.2 29