Bombers look to lock in to post-season chase after dropping game to Argos

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers let a major opportunity slip through their fingers, and they know it.

“F—- yeah. That game was ours,” said defensive end Willie Jefferson on Friday’s 30-28 loss at home to the Toronto Argonauts.

It was — and then they gave it away in the final five minutes.

The Bombers came out firing, jumping out to a 21-7 lead. They had a chance to close out the contest while leading 28-27 with two minutes remaining, but couldn’t do it. Quarterback Dru Brown was sacked by linebacker Adarius Pickett, forcing the Bombers to punt, and the Argos took full advantage.

Crusaders football celebrates 95th anniversary

Few understand better than Stacy Dainard how steeped the St. Paul’s High School football program is in history.

The head coach of the Crusaders’ varsity team for the last 25 years has watched the institution’s presence on the gridiron blossom over four decades since he donned the maroon and white as a player from 1984-87.

Dainard figures he will harken back to those days more this weekend when a flock of Crusaders alumni from across the country gather to commemorate the football program’s 95th anniversary.

“We were a competitive team. We had some very committed coaches and some very committed student-athletes,” said Dainard, who reached the provincial championship in each of his first three seasons as a student-athlete. “It was a good time. Football wasn’t as big as it is now, or at least high school football wasn’t as big as it is now. But it was a very competitive league.”

Shoal Lake Lodge a manifestation of reconciliation in action

Before proceeding with this story, it is so very important to acknowledge that Shoal Lake (Treaty 3 Territory) is the source of Winnipeg’s drinking water.

Ironically, for all the years that we have enjoyed the gift of some of the best and safest water in the world, those who reside on the shores of its source have suffered without. Years’ long boil water advisories caused insecurity of not having a safe source of water for children and families. That this was only very recently addressed and solved in a just and hopefully lasting way is commentary for another time and in another place.

Today, in the interest in encouraging positive and meaningful conversations in these difficult and divisive time — and in the spirit of looking at the energy of what lies ahead rather than looking back at what was — there is hope. And possibility.

Shoal Lake is situated approximately two hours east of Winnipeg, sitting astride the Manitoba-Ontario border. Two different roads access separate First Nation communities that are on the lake. The first being Freedom Road, completed in June 2018, which intersects the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Falcon Lake, and now allows community members of Shoal Lake FN 40 vehicle access. Second is Ontario Highway 673, across the provincial border, which allows road access to Iskatewizaagegan (Shoal Lake) No. 39.

Former Winnipeg Jet doing his part for future of funded deaf athletes

Jim Kyte defied the odds to have the hockey career that he did.

The hard-nosed defenceman from Ottawa made history by becoming the first legally deaf NHL player when the Winnipeg Jets drafted him 12th overall in 1982.

“Right now, I’m the only one in history to play in the NHL, but I’d like to be able to say I am the first player — which would imply that there would be a second player, and hopefully a third, fourth, fifth,” Kyte recently told the Free Press.

Between 1982 and 1996, he suited up in 598 career NHL games, including 399 as a member of the 1.0 Jets.

Former Bombers linebacker Gauthier enjoying career as electrician

Most professional football players don’t ride off into the sunset on their own terms.

Shayne Gauthier was well aware of that, but it didn’t make it sting any less when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers informed the veteran linebacker that they weren’t bringing him back for 2026.

“I was really hoping to play one more (season) because it would have been my 10th season, so, I’d say it didn’t really end the way I wanted,” Gauthier recently told the Free Press.

“It left a little sour taste in my mouth, but that’s part of pro sports. If everybody got the ending that they wanted, then it wouldn’t really work.”

Jets mailbag: storylines to watch as countdown to 16th season begins

There’s a chill in the air, which must mean hockey is right around the corner.

Sure enough, the Winnipeg Jets open training camp this week, full of excitement and hope for the upcoming campaign.

However, there are a few other emotions surrounding the club right now, which were evident when we opened up the monthly Free Press mailbag. Specifically when it comes to a certain goaltender who isn’t expected to show his face  while waiting news on a trade he’s demanded.

Among them: Angst. Apathy. Anger.

Storied photojournalist inducted into Media Roll of Honour

If you’re a longtime hockey fan from around these parts, chances are you’ve seen the photo.

It’s an iconic snapshot of Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg carrying the Avco Cup together on the ice after helping the Winnipeg Jets win the World Hockey Association’s top prize in 1978.

The person behind the camera was the late, great Jon Thordarson, who was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association’s Media Roll of Honour on Tuesday inside the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

And while they say every picture tells a story, there’s also a darn good story about what happened after Thordarson hit the shutter button.

Summer success sends Brezden to the Black Sea

Breken Brezden got off to a flying start as a new figure skating season dawned in August making the Manitoban one to watch, once again, among the sport’s elite in Canada.

The Dauphin athlete pocketed a silver medal in Montreal, then notched a win in Waterloo, outscoring a handful of Canada’s higher ranked women along the way.

In Montreal, Brezden, 20, topped the standings in the free skate portion of the competition and, with a total score of 171.03, exceeded the 166 benchmark Skate Canada set for international assignments.

“I’m quite happy with how my summer competitions went,” said Brezden, who trains in Hamilton, Ont.

Bombers bring A-game in avenging Labour Day loss

This season hasn’t been overly pretty at times for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. But if they’ve proven anything over their last four games, including Saturday’s 19-6 Banjo Bowl victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, it’s that they’re capable of beating the CFL’s best when they come to play.

American takes men’s senior title, Manitoban Fanning finishes third

Todd Fanning did everything he could. The decorated local golfer knew he would need to go low to have a chance at becoming the first Manitoban to win the Canadian men’s senior national championship on Friday, and while he held up his end of the bargain, in the end it was not to be.

NSL Winnipeg gets a home sweet home

For years, Desiree Scott has tried to imagine what women’s professional soccer would look like in her hometown.

Her vision is now a whole lot clearer.

The Northern Super League revealed Tuesday that $8.5 million is being invested into the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex, which will become the official home of Winnipeg’s recently announced expansion club.

Work is already underway to transform the facility into a 5,000-seat modular, purpose-built stadium that will be ready for kickoff next spring.

Bombers close but not good enough

REGINA — The stage was set for the type of season-altering moment that can lift a franchise in a way that is tough to fully quantify, yet easy to identify.

A six-play, 66-yard drive during the final 39 seconds of regulation time was capped by Zach Collaros finding Dorian Singer in the corner of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown strike with no time left on the clock, momentarily silencing the largest crowd to witness a football game inside Mosaic Stadium on Sunday night in the 61st edition of the Labour Day Classic.

But the converted major had only helped the Winnipeg Blue Bombers tie the contest to force overtime.

Eight plays and a penalty for a time-clock violation later, the Blue Bombers were left to lament what might have been in what became a 32-26 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Mighty Mikee returns to Assiniboia Downs in grand fashion with 23-length victory

Mighty Mikee is back, and in a big way.

The grey Manitoba-bred three-year-old won the $40,000 J. W. Sifton Stakes by 23 lengths on Tuesday for trainer Devon Gittens. Not only was his margin of victory the largest in North America on the day, but the time was sizzling fast. He was like the Mighty Mikee of old.

“That brought tears to my eyes,” said breeder Larry Falloon, who co-owns the horse with Anne Champion and McLaren Racing.

Last year’s co-champion CTHS Horse of the Year as a two-year-old off the strength of three wins. including the $40,000 CTHS Sales Stakes and the $40,000 Buffalo Stakes, Mighty Mikee was transferred to the barn of another trainer for the start of this season. After finishing last twice and second last once, he was transferred back to Gittens.

Curling Canada adopts World Curling rulebook, including new double-touch rule

Curling Canada will be following an explicit rule on double-touching a stone starting this season as it adopts the World Curling rulebook.

Canada's curling governing body announced Thursday that it will fully align itself with World Curling's standards after a reduction in key differences between the organizations over the last few years.

That includes World Curling's new rule on double-touching, which was at the heart of a high-profile controversy at this year's Milan Cortina Olympics.

During a round-robin match, Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accused Marc Kennedy of a double-touch infraction — grazing the stone's granite after releasing the handle. Kennedy responded to the cheating allegation with a profane retort, and Canada ended up winning the match 8-6 en route to claiming the gold medal.

Blue Bombers already excited about putting a dent in Rider Pride come Labour Day Classic

Jordan Younger was in the midst of breaking down the play of his defence when a question about how many times he’s participated in a Labour Day matchup was fired his way.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive co-ordinator started doing the math out loud and landed somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40 or slightly higher, counting his time as a player and a coach.

As the Bombers prepare for a pivotal home-and-home series with the Saskatchewan Roughriders — beginning Sunday in Regina — Younger is more than happy to discuss what makes the matchup special, even after all of these years.

“If you had to show somebody what a regular season game could be like in the CFL that never have any idea, you would want to show them the Labour Day Classic out in Saskatchewan and the Banjo Bowl rematch back here,” said Younger. “It would give (observers) a great idea of how impactful the CFL game can be. They’re definitely fun games to be a part of.”