Gary Lawless thinks you should know…

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/08/2009 (5914 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kickers are people too

Some coaches treat their kicking staff, punters and placekickers alike — as if they were members of the opposition. Coaches have been known to constantly apply the cold shoulder to their leg men, talking to them only when they chew them out for a missed assignment.

Not Bombers boss Mike Kelly, who says punter Mike Renaud and placekicker Alexis Serna are big parts of the equation.

“We’re all in this together and everyone is equally invested. I can’t understand ostracizing your own. They’re our guys and we need them. We’ve got a bunch of guys that count on them to do the things that they do,” offered Kelly. “If you look at the last game, Mike (Renaud) punted Toronto inside their own 10 three times and Lex (Serna) hit a 41-yarder and a 48-yarder and the winner. They’re vital cogs in what we do and shouldn’t be treated any different than anyone else.”

Mike likes Mike

Mike Kelly thinks Mike Renaud has done a fine job since joining the club late in camp.

“You get a lot of young guys that just want to boom it and be big leg guys, but Mike has the maturity to say, ‘This is what they want done’ and to fit into that role,” Kelly said. “Every day we’re more pleased that he’s here with us because I think he has a very bright future.”

Renaud also make three tackles on punt returns in Winnipeg’s Week 4 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

“I loved it, I loved it,” Kelly said. “There’s a guy that is playing all out, that understands the rules to our game and was trying to make something happen for the team. I think that’s typical of the guys we have here. You don’t think the other guys on the team appreciate him trying to get down there? It brings us together as a team.”