Scuffles mar Bombers practice Friday

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 1:44 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 7, 2015

Tempers flared -- and the language got a little salty -- at Investors Group Field on Friday as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers held their final full practice in advance of facing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/08/2015 (3955 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tempers flared — and the language got a little salty — at Investors Group Field on Friday as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers held their final full practice in advance of facing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday.

A pair of scuffles erupted about midway through practice which saw the starting Bombers offence and defence pushing and shoving one another and exchanging unpleasantries.

Offensive lineman Sukh Chungh and slotback Julian Feoli-Gudino and defensive end Jamaal Westerman and cornerback Johnny Adams were among the combatants.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Blue Bomber Drew Willy at the team workout Friday. — PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bomber Drew Willy at the team workout Friday.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea bit his tongue and didn’t intervene after the first scrap. But he’d had more than enough when a second scuffle broke out a couple minutes later and O’Shea gathered both the offense and defence around him in a circle and lit into them for several minutes in a tirade that was both louder and saltier than anyone could recall O’Shea ever being at practice before.

O’Shea was unapologetic afterward when it was pointed out to him his tirade came well within earshot of a daycare that was attending practice and sitting in the first row on Friday. “We have open practices. We welcome everybody to come visit us. But they’re in our place of work.”

So what was it about Friday’s shenanigans that lit such a spark in O’Shea, who has always been hands-off in the past when altercations broke out during practice? “I did stand back — the first time,” O’Shea explained.

“The second time, they’re interrupting practice. You’ve got x number of people out there trying to get the job done and this is interupting what we’re trying to do.”

The players involved had varying reactions after practice. Westerman — with tongue planted firmly in cheek — insisted he has “long shoelaces” and every now and then members of the Bombers offence “trip on them” and need to be “helped up.”

Offensive lineman Dominic Picard, on the other hand, not only didn’t deny there was some bad blood on Friday but also celebrated it. “I love it — just love it,” beamed Picard. “You guys know me — I play on the edge. These things are going to happen — it’s football. But after practice, we’re all good.”

The Bombers will travel on Saturday to Hamilton, where they will face the Ticats on Sunday at Tim Hortons Field, where Hamilton is a perfect 8-0 since the stadium opened last season.

The Bombers will be without slotback Nick Moore, who also missed last week’s win over B.C.. Moore practiced on Wednesday but has been absent the last two days and O’Shea said he will be unavailable this week.

Other scratches due to injury this week are defensive end Thaddeus Gibson, who will be replaced by Darrell Johnson, and special-teamer Graig Newman, who will be replaced by Carlton Littlejohn, who the Bombers only acquired earlier this week.

email: paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek