Bad dream now reality

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/10/2010 (5461 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Search for any silver lining you like, Winnipeg Blue Bomber faithful.

They may be young, they may have upside and there may be a sense that someday — one day — the sun will shine on the organization again.

But we can officially say this about the current edition: they are going absolutely positively nowhere in 2010.

Yes, unwrap those crossed fingers and toes, people, and slam the lid shut on this season after the Bombers were beat up in a 27-8 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in front of a season-low 23,446 at Canad Inns Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The Bombers, 4-12, have been officially eliminated from the playoff picture for the second straight season. The Argos, meanwhile, improve to 8-8 and are headed to the post-season for the first time since 2007.

Asked if he ever pictured any of this at the beginning of the season, head coach Paul LaPolice was blunt:

“Never. Never in my wildest dreams. But that’s our bed. We have to lie in it. Each team goes through struggles but, bottom line, we didn’t get it done enough this year to be in playoff contention. It’s disappointing for our us, for our organization, for our players and obviously myself. We have to keep trying to teach and trying to get them better.”

The Bombers were leading 2-0 in the first quarter when the wheels began to come off to this already rickety jalopy. With 2:19 left in the opening quarter, Steven Jyles suffered a suspected separated shoulder after running for 16 yards and fumbling.

He was replaced by Alex Brink, who lasted into the third quarter but exited after injuring his AC joint in his shoulder on a hit from Argos defensive end Ronald Flemons and was replaced by Joey Elliott, the former Purdue star who was added in late July.

Those three combined to complete 18 of 32 passes for 150 yards with zero TDs and one interception, tossed by Elliott.

“If we had any luck it would be bad luck,” said defensive tackle Doug Brown.

“It’s a whole other way to lose — default by injury. There’s no excuse. Toronto played better than us, but I don’t understand what’s going on. What is it, 12 different ways to lose a game this year? A lot of problems.

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“There’s a great bunch of guys in here. We’ve got a good coaching staff. But we’re just not getting it done.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into a season like this… but this is really hard to see all our efforts go wasted with two games remaining. It’s just really discouraging right now the way we’ve been playing.”

As ugly as the Bombers offensive numbers were, they also failed miserably in two of their main goals heading into the game: stopping Argos running back Cory Boyd and return man Chad Owens.

Boyd finished with 86 yards rushing on 11 carries and scored on a 66-yard pass from Cleo Lemon while Owens took a missed field-goal attempt 109 yards to the house for his third kick-return TD against the Bombers this year.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca