DB candidates combined speed, smarts and tenacity

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This article was published 03/11/2014 (3990 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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It’s often said the CFL is a passing league and while quarterbacks get the glory take a look at a championship team and they’ll have a strong crew of defensive backs.

Our All-Time Blue Bombers team will be no different when fans are done voting and pick a defensive back.

The candidates are excellent, with a mix of speed, smarts and the ability to steal the ball or deliver a hit.

Rod Hill, Norm Rauhaus, Gord Rowland, Jovon Johnson and Ken Hailey are your five finalists for the defensive back position on our All-Time Blue Bombers Team.

Voters have selected Ken Ploen as the quarterback, Chris Walby as the offensive lineman, Greg Battle as the linebacker, Bob Cameron as the kicker, Leo Lewis as both the kick returner and running back and Doug Brown as the defensive lineman of the Free Press/TSN 1290 All-Time Blue Bombers Team. This week it’s your turn to select a defensive back for the team.

Our panel has had its say. Now you get to weigh in.

We’re presenting a position each week over a nine-week period with our panel’s choices of the top-five Winnipeg Blue Bombers to ever play for the club at that spot.

Cast your vote at alltimebombers.winnipegfreepress.com or see the ballot on page B2 of the paper edition.

On Friday afternoons at 4 p.m., live on TSN 1290’s Hustler and Lawless program, the Free Press and TSN 1290 websites, as well as the Saturday edition of the Winnipeg Free Press, we’ll announce the winner and member of the All-Time Blue Bombers Team.

The Free Press print and digital editions and tsn1290.ca will run stories every Monday putting forth the position of the week and finalists selected by our panel. Voting will take place on both websites.

Legendary Blue Bombers player and coach Bud Grant headlines our panel. Grant was joined by former Bombers player and GM Paul Robson, Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee and Free Press sports reporter Ed Tait, Free Press columnist and TSN 1290 host Gary Lawless and TSN 1290’s Andrew (Hustler) Paterson.

Panellists were provided a statistical breakdown of the Bombers dating back to the 1950s, as well as an anecdotal package of the early Bombers teams, when statistics were not recorded.

Each panellist brought a unique perspective and personal set of criteria. Grant joined the group via conference call from a cabin in the Wisconsin woods while the rest huddled around a boardroom table at the Free Press offices.

From Grant’s gravelly voice emanating out of the telephone speaker, to Tait’s vivid recollections of games and players, to Robson’s cold analysis of a player’s strengths and weaknesses, to Paterson’s views from the upper decks of our stadiums, there were strong opinions all around.

Some players were quickly selected. Others were hotly debated. Sometimes it came down to a clash of eras. Others made it on the merit of championship wins while those without rings on their fingers were often set aside.

Vote a maximum of once per day and help choose the Blue Bombers player you consider the best at the following positions to be presented in this order: quarterback, offensive lineman, linebacker, kicker, kick returner, running back, defensive lineman, defensive back and receiver.

We’ve done our part. The final decisions are up to you. So vote and vote often. You’re the GM of this team. Make your choices.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless

ROD HILL, 1988-1992

Opposing quarterbacks feared throwing the ball in the direction of Rod Hill. He intercepted a team record 47 passes in just five seasons with the Blue Bombers. His best day was Sept. 9, 1990 when he picked off a CFL record five passes in a game against Hamilton. Hill was also a specialist at blocking punts; he sits third on the all-time CFL list with eight blocked kicks in his career. He added another two blocked punts in playoff action. A two-time Grey Cup champion.

NORM RAUHAUS, 1956-1967

Norm Rauhaus patrolled the defensive backfield for 12 seasons and recorded 34 interceptions.

On Sept. 14, 1961 Rauhaus returned an interception 111 yards for a TD. The touchdown didn’t count, as CFL rules at the time stated a pass intercepted in the end zone could not be returned, but the league changed the rule because of this interception. A four-time Grey Cup champion.

GORD ROWLAND, 1954-1964

Gordie Rowland spent his 11-year career playing defensive halfback and corner linebacker for the Blue Bombers. Rowland ranks third on the Bombers’ all-time list with 31 interceptions.

On Sept. 3, 1960, Rowland punted to the deadline for the winning point in a 15-14 win over the Edmonton Eskimos. What makes this play more remarkable is Dave Burkholder intercepted a Don Getty pass, and after a couple of laterals, the ball ended up in the hands of Rowland. A four-time Grey Cup champion.

JOVON JOHNSON, 2008-2013

Jovon Johnson had 23 interceptions as a Blue Bomber and he returned six of those for a TD (fifth on the CFL list). Johnson also recorded 362 defensive tackles, which ranks him second on the Bombers’ all-time list for defensive backs. First DB ever to win the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

KEN HAILEY, 1983-1991

Ken Hailey intercepted 27 passes during his nine-year tenure with the Blue & Gold. Hailey was a member of three Grey Cup championship teams (1984, ’88 & ’90).