Labour-ing under delusions

If you think Sunday’s game will be classic, think again

By: Ed Tait Posted: 8:39 PM CDT Saturday, Sep. 5, 2015

REGINA — It probably doesn’t come up in conversation often, if at all. And it’s certainly not one of those great debates tossed around at the water cooler or over pints at the local pub.

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REGINA — It probably doesn’t come up in conversation often, if at all. And it’s certainly not one of those great debates tossed around at the water cooler or over pints at the local pub.

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This article was published 05/09/2015 (3904 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — It probably doesn’t come up in conversation often, if at all. And it’s certainly not one of those great debates tossed around at the water cooler or over pints at the local pub.

Still, if you ever wondered what a beat-up jalopy leaking oil and shooting up sparks while running on its bare rims would look like crashing into a raging tire fire — at a dump, no less — then, sports fans, have we got a dandy for you:

Welcome to the 2015 Labour Day Classic, featuring the 0-9 Saskatchewan Roughriders and the 3-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

(TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers players during practice Friday in preparation for the Labour Day Classic. — (TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Winnipeg Blue Bombers players during practice Friday in preparation for the Labour Day Classic.

Yes, this is where the real fun begins for the CFL. The annual Labour Day weekend has two outstanding first-place showdowns in Hamilton and Calgary to rev up the second half of the season.

But we’ll toss this out for discussion: could there be a more compelling contest than the one that will unfold this afternoon in the Saskatchewan capital?

If you like your football served up with healthy doses of desperation and a win-now-or-else backdrop, then Bombers-Riders fits the bill. The Bombers haven’t walked into a hornets’ nest here, as has been suggested, they’re walking into the crater left behind after a mushroom cloud.

And, get this, both teams — a combined 3-15 — are still talking playoffs.

The Riders, favoured by four points despite starting their third-string quarterback and not having won a game since Nov. 8, see this doubleheader as a chance to get back in the fight — even if the odds are stacked high against them. The Bombers, 5-16 since last year’s 5-1 start, see this back-to-back with the Riders as a chance to get up off the mat and back into the West Division fight.

That’s not hallucinogens talking, that’s life in the CFL.

“I don’t look at this as a desperation thing, I look at it as an opportunity thing,” said Bombers defensive end Jamaal Westerman. “I don’t think it’s desperation because, really, the way the CFL is, a lot of teams are still in it. Everybody still has an opportunity to get what they wanted at the beginning of the year and that’s to hold the Grey Cup.

“As the season goes on, those opportunities dwindle.”

He’s got that right. The Bombers’ next three games are against teams they absolutely have to beat to remain in the playoff fight, with the back-to-back with the Riders followed by a trip to Montreal.

And while Brian Brohm gets the start at quarterback today, what happens after that first snap remains a mystery, with newcomer Matt Nichols attempting to get up to speed with the offence and No. 1 gun Drew Willy on the injured list at least until later this month.

This will be Brohm’s second CFL start and with his numbers, as putrid as they are, the window of opportunity is closing. He turns 30 in 17 days, after all, and there isn’t usually a market for pivots with a QB rating of 32.0.

Again, desperation anyone?

“These are the types of games as players you look forward to playing in,” said Brohm Saturday.

“Big-time atmosphere. Everyone that’s on your side wants you to win it and it’s very important to the fan base. It’s an important game and it’s going to be a fun game to play in.

“We need to get our offence back on track. We need to go out there and execute the plays the way they’re supposed to be executed and have 12 guys on the same page and just be efficient. We have the players that can do the job. We just have to go out there and make it happen on the field.”

So… Riders vs. Bombers. It’s not as juicy as Argonauts-Ticats or Stamps-Eskimos, but it is compelling in a slowing-down-to-stare-at-a-car-wreck kinda way.