Joe’s lowering the boom

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This article was published 13/07/2011 (5236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is no neat, mathematical precision to the middle linebacker job. Practised at its highest level, the task of the middle linebacker more resembles a bloodied meat grinder than it does a tidy little equation with both sides balanced and all the loose ends tied up.

All of which is to point out that there is no easy way to mathematically quantify a perfect game for a middle linebacker, the way there is, say, for a baseball pitcher who records 27 consecutive outs or a tenpin bowler who throws 12 consecutive strikes.

But if you could put numbers to it, it’s hard to imagine how they could look much better than this: seven tackles, three fumble recoveries and two sacks.

So it was a surprise to no one that Winnipeg Blue Bombers middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn was named the CFL defensive player of the week Tuesday for his Herculean effort in a 22-16 Bombers win over the Toronto Argos last Friday.

Had Lobendahn done nothing more than record two sacks, it probably would have put him in the running for the weekly league honours. Throw in seven tackles and he would have been the clear front-runner.

But to have also had the kind of game where he was so omnipresent that he swallowed an opponent’s fumble on three different occasions is to almost, for at least one night, put Lobendahn in a league of his own.

All of which is quite the turnaround for a four-year Bomber veteran who struggled just to be involved in the play last season, became a target for disgruntled fans and came to training camp this year with a serious challenge just to win his job.

“You love to see a guy like that get his due,” Bombers defensive tackle Doug Brown said Tuesday. “Last year, he had a tough season, on and off the field, in terms of the rough ride he was getting. It’s a redemption song for Joe right now and I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s such a good guy and he cares so much about his job.”

Lobendahn had a curious reaction to it all on Tuesday. On one hand, he said Friday’s effort against the Argos was easily the most productive game he’s ever had as a professional football player. Then in the next breath, he picked it apart and pointed out all the things that were wrong with it.

“The numbers were great, but I still made some mistakes on the field and I have to clean it up. Just little stuff, but still — being out of my gap, being out of position on man-coverage. They’re just little things, but they’re the difference between being a good player and a great player.”

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Lobendahn’s tempered reaction may have something to do with what happened last year. The 28-year-old Honolulu native also had a monstrous game early in the 2010 season, recording eight tackles and two sacks in Week 1 to also win league defensive honours that time.

But after that torrid start, he went on to record just one more sack and 47 more tackles the rest of the 2010 season. Lesson learned. “I can’t do anything about last season. That’s gone and all I can worry about is doing my best every week this year,” says Lobendahn.

“And that’s the thing about this business. There’s always going to be someone bigger, stronger, faster, even just better than you. You just have to find a way to overcome that and tell yourself you are good enough and you do belong here.”

There was no doubt on either front last week.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca