Weather’s snow problem

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This article was published 10/11/2019 (2126 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — The weather for today’s West Division semifinal game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders has dominated conversation over the past week, overshadowing the other juicy storylines heading into the game.

A week ago, weather reports had a high of -5C with little chance for snow. Fast-forward to the most recent forecasts and weather experts are now suggesting a high of -10C, with the wind chill making it feel more like -15C.

What’s more, what was once a slight potential for snow has turned into a near certainty, with an estimated 10 to 20 cm expected to dump on McMahon Stadium before the 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

But while the weather intensifies from day-to-day, there was a spirited debate brewing among the players Saturday. The first question: who, the Bombers or the Stampeders, would benefit more from the nasty weather?

‘Poor weather kind of equalizes the game, so if you think you’re the better team, you do not want poor weather’ — Stamps coach Dave Dickenson

“Poor weather kind of equalizes the game, so if you think you’re the better team, you do not want poor weather,” Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said.

“But I think we’re equal anyway. I think we’re a very close matchup and I don’t see an advantage either way.”

There’s some merit to Dickenson’s reasoning. Though the Stampeders have dominated the league for a better part of the past decade, they just haven’t been as dangerous this season. Injuries and major turnover from last year’s Grey Cup-winning team has aided in that slight decline for Calgary, but that hasn’t stopped the odds-makers from putting them as 6.5-point favourites today.

Calgary had a better regular-season record, but only by one win: 12-6 compared to an 11-7 mark for Winnipeg. The Bombers claimed the season series, two games to one, including winning the most recent match on Oct. 25.

Still, the margin of victory in all three games was by a combined seven points. The winners have all played at home.

Not in one of those games, however, was weather a factor.

“I personally love this weather. It brings back some great memories of this time of year.”– Bombers coach Mike O’Shea

“I personally love this weather. It brings back some great memories of this time of year,” added Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea, who played 16 seasons as a linebacker in the CFL. “The guys walk out and they see that weather and there’s something perfect about it.”

I’d be smiling, too, if I were O’Shea. I’d also be praying to the snow gods for as much precipitation as possible. Anything to prevent Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell from feeling comfortable in the pocket.

The Bombers have said all week they were built for these conditions. Despite having ice in their collective veins, they argued when it snows, it benefits the team with the better run game.

If that’s true, it makes sense the Bombers would be embracing the cold and snow. After all, they have running back Andrew Harris toting the ball. Harris won his third straight CFL rushing title, totalling 1,380 yards in 16 games, and is a big reason the Bombers are averaging a league-best 148 rushing yards per week.

For Harris, though, effort trumps anything Mother Nature can throw their way.

“I’d just say whoever wants it more is what it comes down to,” Harris said.

The Bombers also happen to be the best team against the run, averaging fewer than 65 yards against per game. Unlike other seasons where the Stampeders have relied on a balanced attack on offence, this year it’s been Mitchell’s arm that has done nearly all the damage.

Calgary had a CFL-worst 1,283 rushing yards but made up for that with its air attack. The Stampeders are averaging a whopping 312 passing yards a game, just one yard fewer than the top-rated Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“It’s not going to affect us. I throw with a glove on, so snow or cold doesn’t affect me,” Mitchell said. “Played the Grey Cup in it, played multiple playoff games in it. We’re not changing our game plan or anything like that. I’m excited.”

Because of how lethal Mitchell can be with his arm, many have referred to the snowy weather as the great equalizer. Mitchell doesn’t buy that, at least not the way it’s being suggested.

“I think as far as equalizing, it’s more the athletes themselves. Everybody is kind of on the same playing field and your fastest guy in the world doesn’t get to run that fast. He’s got to play with everything underneath him and play smart,” Mitchell said. “You saw it in the (2017) Grey Cup against Toronto (where we lost). They’re a 9-9 team and our record was (13-4-1) and everybody’s picking us and we looked like very equal football teams out there that day. So it can definitely have that mindset if you let it.”

The weather conversation would eventually take another turn, leading to another debate, only this time it wasn’t about which team benefitted more but what side of the ball. Predictably, those on the offence believed they gained an edge, while defenders argued otherwise.

It would only make sense the offence, the group that knows which play is being called, would use that to their advantage against a defence trying to guess what’s being called. Right?

“Most definitely not,” Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson said. “I feel when it gets cold outside, things tend to lean toward the defensive side of the ball just because quarterbacks don’t really want to get hit. They tend to throw short on balls; receivers don’t really want to go up for balls.

“Honestly, just no offensive player wants to hit the ground with ice. Just being a defensive-minded group, we don’t really care what the weather is like. It could be raining, snowing — anything that could force the offence to drop the ball, or losing the ball, or sight of the ball, it gives the defence an edge and that’s a win for us.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton