Hope springs eternal… etc.

Blue put past behind them, determined to take it to Als

By: Ed Tait Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Sep. 24, 2010

It's been a short week in Bomberland and that means, thankfully, everyone is about to be saved from more of the soul searching, self-examination and psychoanalysis that has dominated Maroons Road over the last few days.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/09/2010 (5527 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been a short week in Bomberland and that means, thankfully, everyone is about to be saved from more of the soul searching, self-examination and psychoanalysis that has dominated Maroons Road over the last few days.

Honestly, if there had been any more hours available between Sunday’s kick-to-the-nether-regions loss to the Toronto Argonauts and tonight’s matchup with the Montreal Alouettes we suspect this crew may have next turned to tarot cards and tea leaves in the search for solutions to everything that ails them.

There have been player meetings, the usual coaching meetings and even a session with something head coach Paul LaPolice calls his ‘Leadership Council.’ There has been denial — hello, Adarius Bowman — arrival — welcome to the starting lineup, Greg Carr — and playoff survival, courtesy the ineptitude of the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Wideout Adarius Bowman (right) works on his much-maligned catching skills with QB Steven Jyles on Thursday. — KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Wideout Adarius Bowman (right) works on his much-maligned catching skills with QB Steven Jyles on Thursday.

But now it’s time for this bunch to jump off the shrink’s couch and put the psychobabble into practice against the defending Grey Cup champs. Yes, for all the self-doubt swirling about, this mystifying and occasionally electrifying football team is still very much in the heat of a playoff race, albeit through the crossover.

“But you just wonder if this is the last of the straws we’re grasping at,” began veteran defensive tackle Doug Brown after Thursday’s walk-through practice. “I mean, how many opportunities are you going to get in a season? We’re running thin. We’ve had so many opportunities this season and that’s what has been so frustrating about it because we haven’t capitalized on anything.

“You tie your name to every season that goes by, you sign off on it,” Brown continued. “And you don’t want to be part of something that is getting out of hand. We still have a chance, as thin and fleeting as it is right now, to turn this ship around.

“But there’s a lot of wear and tear when you’re 3-8 and there are as many moments of anguish as we’ve been through. It doesn’t matter how you feel physically, you’re mentally beat up. It’s a tough environment. People really care about their football here in Winnipeg and they’re emotionally involved and attached to this team and when you’re not living up to your end of the bargain it follows you around.”

The Bombers enter today’s contest as 51/2-point home underdogs and, perhaps sensing how deflated his troops were, LaPolice continued this week with his mantra of defining reality and then giving hope.

The reality is a loss to the Als won’t eliminate the Bombers, especially with a home-and-home series with the Lions, also 3-8, on the horizon. To that end a win could also represent the turnaround a team which has lost five games by a TD or less is so desperately seeking.

And the hope is that some of the magic the Bombers showcased in their complete 31-2 pounding of the Saskatchewan Roughriders could be rediscovered again.

Taking that approach one step further, LaPolice introduced his players this week to the story of U.S. Olympian Harrison (Bones) Dillard, the upset winner of the 100 metres at the 1948 Olympics.

The Coles Notes: Dillard entered the games in London as the favourite in the hurdles, but failed to finish in the U.S. team trials. Still, Dillard made the American squad by placing third in the 100 metres and followed that up with a shocking victory in the Olympic sprint final.

The message within the Dillard tribute LaPolice wanted to hammer home? Find a way to overcome challenges.

“I hope there’s a lot of hope left because there’s still one playoff spot,” said LaPolice. “And there’s even more if you can get on a run and that’s not out of the realm of possibilities. We just have to worry about getting two points against Montreal and then go to the next series.

“There’s still a lot of football left to be played. The thing I told the players today is that when you get knocked down you better get back up and compete. That’s what we need to do.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

bomber game day C4-5