Today’s Bomber Report

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/06/2009 (6281 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ED TAIT THINKS YOU SHOULD KNOW…

OWIE UPDATE: Not expected to see action against the Ticats are LB Siddeeq Shabazz, WR Derick Armstrong, DT Tyrone Wiliams, PK Dan Giancola while DL Aaron McConnell has headed home to tend to some family matters and has been placed on the suspended list. RBs Fred Reid and Joe Smith will dress but see limited, if any, action. Ditto for DT Doug Brown.

DON’T UNPACK JUST YET: Head coach Mike Kelly said his staff will break down game film from Wednesday’s game and then gather Thursday to make some tough decisions and slice the roster down to 60 players — 46 who are locked in (42 to dress, four-man reserve list) and then 14 players who will battle next week in Montreal for seven other spots (practice roster).

"We’re certainly leaning in some directions with some veteran players," said Kelly. "But I told the staff that Thursday night we’re going to start hammering this thing out and forming our football team and trimming away — and I don’t mean that in a negative way because if I could I’d keep every guy we have here. I’m very proud of what we’ve brought in here, but the realities of this profession are that Thursday night we have to start whittling away and earmarking just what direction we’re going personnel-wise."

THE BOTTOM LINE: "This is the telling tale here. We certainly think that game speed will separate some of these players now as to how they react. Have they continued to make the same mistakes (during the game) or have they made corrections and reacted to the opponent accordingly? Yeah, it will be a big evaluating tool for us."

Coach quote

"He’s nowhere near where he needs to be at. Apparently there’s some scar tissue in there that we’ve been able to work on and break up a little bit. But he hit the ball pretty well from about 40 yards in (on Monday) so we’re just going to keep working him along here and see. We don’t have to have a rush to judgement just yet at that particular position. We’ll let him heal and keep competing and we’ll see how it goes."

— Bombers coach Mike Kelly on the status of place kicker Dan Giancola.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Off the schneid?

The Bombers are 2-8 in their last 10 pre-season games dating back to 2004. Kelly says he doesn’t care if his team wins on Wednesday so long as they look sharp.

"I’m looking for a style of play. I’m looking for guys to be assignment-correct and to play with speed," said Kelly. "And if we do those things, really, this tape is used more as a great teaching tool than anything else.