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Winnipeg Blue Bomber Report Record: 7–11–0

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We won't get fooled again

Meet new boss, not same as old boss

By: Randy Turner

6/02/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 9

Unfortunately, you get to witness quite a few press conferences unveiling new head coaches on Maroons Road.

They're kinda like weddings. People are well behaved and sit quietly. Family is often in attendance. Vows are made, mostly along the lines of working hard and staying together. Unity is often the theme.

It's all quite formal and polite.

Well, Paul LaPolice looked every bit the nervous groom Friday, as perhaps the moment dawned that he was going to be The Guy now. He took a lot of deep breaths. He fidgeted. He even caught himself from being overcome with emotion when thanking his wife, Tina, a former Bombers cheerleading coach.

LaPolice didn't appear nearly as confident or polished as a lot of his predecessors, and there was a palpable sense that the new Bombers head coach is entering unexplored territory. After all, the bucks and the bullets stop with him now. The product, the wins and losses, will be tied directly to LaPolice's name -- for the first time in his coaching career.

No assistant this or co-that. The Boss.

Little wonder the 40-year old was breathing a little deeper.

But none of the superficial observations are good or bad. Two of the most self-confident new head coaches in recent memory were Jeff Reinebold and Mike Kelly. So go figure.

LaPolice won't get the wind under his wings that some newbies get, though. Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive co-ordinator Greg Marshall, the Susan Lucci of the CFL, was the sentimental choice. And LaPolice wasn't the sexy name of, say, Alouettes offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich or Calgary's George Cortez.

Which is a bit odd, since LaPolice should be getting fitted with a Grey Cup ring as we speak, if someone in the Riders organization could count to 13 last November, while he watched in horror from up in the coach's box. But that's life.

LaPolice also has a bit of a been-there, done-that feel, too, having served as the Bombers offensive co-ordinator in 2002-03, before being dumped when the stats started to shrivel. So it must be a bit intimidating to return to a place where you were last seen as the problem, not the solution.

But if you wonder why Joe Mack turned to the unheralded LaPolice in making the first major decision of his administration, we present two theories. The first is self evident, that Mack has identified the Bombers biggest concern on the offensive side of the ball.

The fact that LaPolice was at the controls of a Riders offence -- with a young, inexperienced quarterback in Darian Durant, no less -- that still got to the threshold of a championship undoubtedly swayed Mack. It wouldn't hurt, either, that LaPolice has a reputation of being a tireless student of the game.

However, the deciding factor could have been that Mack saw a lot of himself in LaPolice, who is an unassuming figure. LaPolice is determined but reserved. He's confident but not boastful. (At least, not yet. We're keeping our fingers crossed.)

And then Mack said this...

"The thing that was really THE deciding factor was the reports I was getting, and sense I was getting in the interview process, was the character and integrity that Paul would bring to the football club. I think he will be very detail oriented, be a hard worker, but even on top of that I think he will treat everybody with respect and bring a certain sense of integrity to the club overall."

OK, everybody knows what Mack was talking about, right? He might as well have just said LaPolice will not be Mike Kelly. Period.

But that's no guarantee of success, either. Just like walking down the aisle doesn't necessarily mean till death do you part. These marriages always have a shelf life.

A little nervous? Sure. Hopefully, that's just a sign that LaPolice is smart enough to know the job he's just accepted will be enormously daunting, especially for a first-time head coach in a market that hasn't planned a Grey Cup parade in 20 years. Besides, you start to get leery of the guys who roll in thinking they have all the answers, and victories will obediently follow. Maybe it's better to be just a bit scared and uncertain. Makes you try harder, listen closer.

And certainly LaPolice knows his selection has not met with universal approval, from the grassroots up to the board of directors. But that's irrelevant now.

Paul LaPolice just had to convince one guy to get the job.

Now he's going to have to convince everybody else to keep it.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 6, 2010 D1

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9 Commentscomment icon

Love how this [edited] reporter still fabricates insults to Mike Kelly. Can we not move on? Likin' the LaPolice move. Cuz Turner is right about one thing. He's used to coaching young interception-prone qb's. As much as Kerry Joseph makes sense, mentoring our young guys and holdin' the fort for a year or two. He isn't good enough, while being the best available. I wanna see Ricky Santos get a shot. He was told to come up to Canada and get some playing time, they really like his stuff down south. Since coming to Canada he has worked really hard, and has been told a gazillion times he deserves a shot. Some say Lulay and Santos are two future all-stars in the CFL. Maybe the future is now? No?
I'd rather Santos than Joseph. Or maybe make a move on Porter, Lulay, Mcphereson, or Jyles. Only bring in Joseph to mentor, and worst case senario play, if he's really cheap.

Well written article to read as to how LaPolice convinced his boss Mack to hire him. To me LaPolice sounds a true Bomber than either Kelly or Berry. However Berry was a good coach though he lacked in PR and that was his downfall. LaPolice ran a good offence with a inexpreienced QB to rise to the top. To me that's great. We have to support him and give the boost he requires to take the Bombers to the top. I will cheer for him from the stands.

WR Kerry Johnson may not be Derick Armstrong where as he has similar talents. From what I have seen he is good at fighting for the ball. He hurt his ankle (not during play time) and that's why he couldn't win a spot after 3 games. He recovered and Berry never gave him a chance to play. He should be invited for the TC. He was here with us in 2007 and 2008. With all the WR gone may be he is the guy we are looking for.

As with any train wreck survivor, the Bombers priority can't be WIN THE CUP! but stabilize the patient and promote healing. If LaPolice can simply be a good manager, play nice with the press (who are his mouthpiece to the fans afterall), and heal the Bombers' worst weaknesses, he'll have a good first year and have momentum going into year two, where real progress can be made. The Bombers and their coach need a longer term goal than just WIN THE CUP! all the time.

Just a thought. How about inviting the following to our TC in 2010. They are Jasper Johnson, Kerry Johnson(WR), Rynell Whitaker(DB), Ryan Dinwiddie, Ritchie Williams, Chase Oritz(DL) and Casey Magahee. Why not sign FAs Byron Parker and Barrin Simpson? Simpson could be a mentor to all LBs. Coach PLP is yet to determine who is going to be the starting QB? All QBs threw interceptions. That includes Durrant. To my mind Joseph's name apprears in the front. His durability, arm strength, running ability and acting as a mentor. Joseph may very well fill the role until such time coach PLP and VP Mack is in a position to land a long term prospect. Durrant learnt a lot from Joseph. They cannot rush whereas the search for a starting QB should continue on a step by step basis. Certainly Buck Pearce is out of the question as he is prone to injuries. Jackson may be a short term option. Jyles may be another option for continuity.

I am writing all these comments as I wish to attend games in a cheering mood and watch our team win many games. Kelly ran our offence to zero as he eliminated all our key players. Besides coaching and play calling were not upto the desired expectation.

Kevis Reed is a good coach. Every coach worked hard to build the Riders team. If PLP wants Kevis Reed, by all means he should hire him. We fans will support all his moves. Khari is another coach PLP should consider.

Fine remarks, metal2000. Same old negative fair-weather-fan drivel, Commander. Good luck to our new people.

It will be interesting to see who LaPolice brings in to work with
the defence and special teams now that he canned Nelson and Campbell.
I thought Nelson would be kept on. But when a new coach is hired you
know he will want his own people in place. It should be a interesting
year in the Peg-but the Bombers still need a QB Bishop is not the
answer.

avatar

It's funny. The casual fan -- and certainly the board of governors -- may not be universally pleased with LaPolice's selection, but the hardcore fans on the message boards have come as close to universally accepting the decision as possible (I say accepting because there also doesn't seem to be a ton of crazy excitement, either).

From the people who follow the team and the game closely, there's a sense that the selection of LaPolice said just as much about the new VP as it did about the new coach -- and most (myself included) are very pleased by those results.

Good luck to Mack and good luck to LaPolice. Hopefully we see some improvement this year, and not just a little, either!

The Bombers haven't won the Championship in 20 years. In a 30-team league this wouldn't be a big deal.

But the CFL is an 8-team league. Mathematically the Blue should've accidentally won the Grey Cup by now! But they haven't. And we have 2 or 3 more "rebuilding years" to look forward to, thanks to all the new faces and new management recently and still to come in 2010.

Isn't it time to say that maybe, just maybe COACHING and the PLAYERS aint the problem? That maybe "community ownership" isn't so great? Is there anything good about it at all? I can't think of a darned thing.

Lyle Bauer gone is step 1. Getting rid of "community ownership" is step 2. Still many, many steps to go for the Blue Bombers to resemble a respectable sports operation worth $70.00+ of our hard-earned money in an evening and 3 hours of our time every week (a new stadium stands out as another MAJOR step... why does everything take so LONG to get done in Winnipeg?! It's absurd).


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