Friendships on hold as Big Blue prepare for showdown with Lions

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This article was published 07/11/2023 (1023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It must be that West Coast weather.

No team boasts more former members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers than the club they’re facing Saturday at IG Field (5:30 p.m. CT) in the Western Final — the B.C. Lions.

Guard Sukh Chungh (2015-18), centre Michael Couture (2016-22), receivers Lucky Whitehead (2019) and Daniel Petermann (2018-19), defensive backs Marcus Sayles (2018-19), Mike Jones (2019-21) and Patrice Rene (2022), running back Kienan LaFrance (2018), and backup/short-yardage quarterback Dominique Davis (2017) all had stints with the Blue and Gold before wearing orange and black.

Every week in the CFL sees former teammates square off, but to put it into perspective, the Calgary Stampeders — who the Lions beat 41-30 in last week’s West semi-final at BC Place — only have two players (defensive backs Nick Taylor and Malcolm Thompson) who previously played for the Bombers.

“Not only B.C., but I’d say every team in the CFL would want a Winnipeg Blue Bomber on their team so they know what it takes,” said corner back Winston Rose after Tuesday’s practice.

“Those guys are vital to their team and you can see it, too. It’s just one of those things where Winnipeg laid the foundation in them and they just carried it on.”

It’s the fourth meeting between the two sides this season, so a reunion is nothing new. Rose remains close with Sayles and Jones, but considering what’s at stake this week, he’s keeping his distance until the final whistle.

“We still keep in touch. During the season, if there’s something I see in their game, or if there’s something they see in my game, we’ll talk about it,” said Rose, who played for the Lions in 2018.

“But right now, there’s no communication at all. Nothing.”

It’s a different story for right guard Patrick Neufeld. It’s been an adjustment for him this year not having Couture lined up beside him.

After six seasons, three as a starter, in Winnipeg, Couture signed a two-year deal with his hometown Lions this past offseason.

“Mike’s one of my best friends in the entire world. We talk almost every day and I love that guy to death,” said Neufeld.

Their friendship hasn’t been put on pause for the post-season.

“I just had a daughter and he’s really excited to meet her, his little niece. So, we’ve been talking about that and sending pictures back and forth about that. Him and I are also big food guys so if we find something on social media we’ll send it to each other and talk about it. So, just little things that we have connections over,” said Neufeld.

“I mean, Mike was my teammate for four years on and off the road, so, we’re really, really close. But when it comes to football, we just leave football as work. We don’t talk about each other’s teams or anything like that.”

Don’t expect to see Neufeld trash-talking Couture or any of his other old pals on Saturday. The Regina product admits that’s not his style.

“I might be the worst at smack talk. I don’t know if any Canadian offensive lineman is any good at smack talk,” said Neufeld.

Defensive end Willie Jefferson has no problem handling that.

“If Lucky runs a good route but drops the ball, when he runs back to his huddle, I’m talking s—-. I’m letting him know that he should’ve made the catch,” said Jefferson.

“I played with (quarterback) Vernon (Adams Jr.) in Saskatchewan, too. He don’t usually talk because he’s doing his quarterback stuff. But before the play starts and he starts getting into his cadence, I’m talking to him and trying to mess up his train of thought. I’m talking to Sukh, talking to the offensive line, wide receivers, everybody. If anybody is looking at me and wants to walk across me and I know who they are and know something about them, I’m saying something.”

It goes deeper than that, though. Jefferson believes the familiarity creates for an intriguing matchup.

“When it comes to a game like this, you want to go to your guys, the younger guys that haven’t lined up and played with these guys, and drill the (scouting report) into their heads. Like you have to say ‘He does not like this, and when he gets in this situation, he’s gonna go to this move,’” said Jefferson.

“But when you get the opportunity to go against (former teammates), you got to mix it up. It’s going to be a battle the whole game.”

INJURY UPDATE

Receivers Dalton Schoen (ankle), Nic Demski (ankle), and Rasheed Bailey (knee) all missed Tuesday’s practice.

Schoen, who went down in Winnipeg’s 34-26 road win over the Lions on Oct. 6, was not in attendance. Demski and Bailey were on the field as non-participants.

O’Shea has hinted at both Demski and Bailey being ready to go for Saturday, but there’s been zero indication that Schoen — the team’s No. 1 target — will be able to play.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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