Blue Bombers eager to snap Ticats’ perfect record at Tim Hortons Field

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This article was published 06/08/2015 (3955 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea says he’d prefer if his team played for the love of the game instead of the hate of an opponent.

But tie him down and inject him with truth serum, and O’Shea would probably tell you he doesn’t care what’s motivating his team this week, just so long as come Sunday they emerge from Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton with something no Tiger-Cats opponent has ever taken out of that stadium — a victory.

The Ticats are 8-0 at home since moving into their shiny new digs last season, and that makes for a big, shiny target this week for the Bombers. The Bombers, local fans will recall, were embarrassed at home by the Ticats in a 52-26 loss in Week 2 and would love nothing better than to foul the Ticats’ new stadium in a similar manner this week.

All of which was the backdrop Wednesday when O’Shea was asked in his post-practice availability with the media if he could use the Week 2 embarrassment Hamilton inflicted on his squad at Investors Group Field as a motivator this week for his team heading into their rematch with the Ticats.

“For some people, probably,” said O’Shea. “But once again, I think it’s more important to play for love of the game. That quote comes to mind, I don’t know who wrote it — ‘Don’t hate your opponent, love the game.’

“So I’d rather have guys no matter what the situation, no matter who the opponent, they just love playing than focusing solely on something you’re harbouring negatively about an opponent. I don’t know that you can sustain that.

“Aside from Hamilton, there’s seven other opponents. That’s a lot of hatred there.”

Of course, when it comes to Hamilton, there’s a lot to hate for Winnipeg.

Where to begin?

Consider: the Ticats, in addition to being undefeated at Tim Hortons Field, are also a perfect 4-0 at Investors Group Field; with that Ticats win in Week 2, Hamilton actually briefly had as many wins at IGF as Winnipeg with four (the Bombers have since added fifth and sixth victories at home this season); that 52-26 shellacking Hamilton inflicted on Winnipeg unravelled when Bombers QB Drew Willy was chased from the game by a dirty helmet-to-helmet hit by Ticats defensive end Adrian Tracy, who wasn’t flagged at the time but was later fined by the league.

Brew all that for five weeks and that’s a stiff cup of hate if any of the Bombers cared to imbibe this week. But taking their coach’s lead, the players say they’re on the wagon.

“I guess it’s different for every guy, but for me personally, Week 2 is so far gone that I haven’t even thought about it at all,” said slotback Nick Moore, who will be back in the lineup in Hamilton this weekend after missing last week’s win over B.C. with an undisclosed injury.

Linebacker Chris Randle says Hamilton’s perfect record at home and a reputation as maybe the most complete team in the CFL right now don’t mean much in a season in which parity throughout the league (with the notable exception of the 0-6 Saskatchewan Roughriders) has become the most dominant storyline.

“Everything’s tight in this division and this league. I think every week is a measuring stick, because every game has been so close,” said Randle. “They’ve got a very good quarterback (Zach Collaros) and they’re a great offence. It’s a huge challenge for us.”

Willy, who took that head hit the last time these two teams played each other, said he sees that undefeated Hamilton record at home as a chance for his club to show something to the league.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to go in there and try to make a statement,” said Willy. “They’re a good, good team. I really like what they do offensively and defensively. They’re well-coached.

“We know we have a challenge, and we’re looking forward to it… If we can focus on ourselves and not make the mistakes we made (in Week 2), I think we’ll have a good chance. They’re a good team, but at the same time, we feel like we are, too.”

Perhaps the closest anyone on the Bombers came Wednesday to offering some bulletin-board fodder was Moore, who had a grin on his face as he spoke about that unbeaten Hamilton record at home.

“All good things,” said Moore, “do come to an end.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek

today’s bombers report D2