Bombers lose 55-10

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/09/2009 (5862 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — It’s about the ‘circus’ analogy so many are using in describing the mess that is the 2009 Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Let us state right here and now that is an unfair and cruel comparison to circuses everywhere.

You see, at least when you buy a ticket and go under the big top you are entertained.

But what the Bombers served up instead to a sold-out crowd Sunday afternoon in a 55-10 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the sixth annual Banjo Bowl was not only a blight on the franchise, it was excruciatingly dull and about as pleasing to the eyes as Rita McNeil in a thong bikini.

“That’s very, very embarrassing. Since little league up to the professional level I’ve never had a score put on me like this,” said defensive end Gavin Walls. “It’s very embarrassing. Even in 2005 when we were 5-13 we still never had anybody score on us like that. Fifty-some points in front of a sold-out crowd in Winnipeg? C’mon, man. That’s unacceptable. We’ve just got to regroup and figure out what we’re going to do.

“Like I said, it’s very, very embarrassing. I almost want to walk out of here with a bag on my head. But it’s professional sports and you get to live another day and play another game. But we have to do something. We have to figure something out. It’s not good. We’re heading to destruction.”

And in what is perhaps a telling statement as to this town’s take on the nightmare the Bomber season has become, as the club exited the field at halftime — already down 26-7 after a horrendous second quarter — the gathered masses reacted not with boos or wails against the home side, but with what amounted to a collective shrug of the shoulders.

At game’s end all the majority of fans still sitting in the stands were all wearing green while some of those Bomber supporters in the crowd were drawing cheers from a ‘Fire Kelly’ sign. This chant was also overheard in one section: ‘We want Reinebold! We want Reinebold!’

In falling to 3-7 — tied for last in the East Division but, amazingly, just two points out of a playoff spot — the Bombers rolled over in a second quarter that saw them turn the ball over on four consecutive possessions as the game went from 7-7 to blowout in a 15-minute span.

In an effort to keep the gory details to a minimum — and prevent readers from hurling onto their newspaper — we’ll keep them brief:

-Winnipeg committed eight turnovers, including four interceptions, which were turned into 31 points by the Riders;

-Bomber QBs Michael Bishop and Bryan Randall combined to throw for just 124 yards through the air and were tagged for four interceptions;

-Saskatchewan had the ball for 15 minutes and 59 seconds more than the Bombers;

-Rider tailback Wes Cates finished with three TDs with Darian Durant and Andy Fantuz scoring the others. Kicker Luca Congi was good on all six of his field-goal attempts;

-The 45-point differential marked the worst loss for the Bombers since a 65-15 defeat to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sept. 18th, 1999.

“We got our asses whupped, that’s what happened,” said defensive back Lenny Walls. “You saw the score. We got whupped. The reason why we got whupped? A number of factors. It starts with the whole organization, the whole team, players and coaches included. We got destroyed out there.

“All you can do now is check yourself as a man, whether you’re a coach, a player, a trainer and then do your part. That’s one of the worst games I’ve ever been a part of and I played a lot of football.”

Interestingly, while the club insisted the Barrin Simpson saga wasn’t a distraction this week, it may be this week: the club placed him on the nine-game injured list Sunday, effectively ending his season. His replacement, Joe Lobendahn, was ejected in the second half.

“I know that our toughness and our belief in each other won’t rip this team apart,” said head coach Mike Kelly afterward. “Are there a couple of individuals who have shown individualism? Sure there have been. But for the most part we have stuck together. We’ve been a team. We’ve circled the wagons, if you will, and we’re going to continue to work. We’re going to stay the course. Certainly there are fans out there that are frustrated, but I promise you — I promise you — there is no one across the country who is more frustrated and wants to get this thing right than I am.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca