Blue were never, ever even in the ball game

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2012 (4830 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

‘THAT’S unacceptable, what happened today.”

Consider the above snippet from Paul LaPolice outside the Blue Bombers looker-room just as the stench started to lift from the Commonwealth Stadium air Friday night. Winnipeg had just been handed its lunch and a third straight loss to open the 2012 season, this one coming in a spectacular 42-10 fashion, and everyone was saying the right things regarding disappointment and exasperation.

The Bombers were never in the game — at least not past the moment former Winnipeg defensive leader Clint Kent gobbled up a fumble on a Bombers punt return and dove into the end zone for the first of the many Edmonton points on the night — but the score from Friday was a secondary issue.

The game was over so fast, there was so much “non-competitive football” time in the second half that you could do your taxes and not miss much, that there were other concerns to ponder. For example:

– The Bombers gave up four sacks, one of which put quarterback Buck Pierce in a walking boot once the dust settled. If crutches and post-game locker-room restrictions to the media (speaking of unacceptable) are any indication, Pierce’s status for Wednesday in Toronto is doubtful. For now, let’s just ignore the reality that he’s been hurt in two of the first three games, shall we? Space is tight and there is a lot to get to.

– Winnipeg turned the ball over seven times, though a couple of those were through acts of third down desperation trying to crawl back into the game or simply just to throw up some window dressing — depending on your point of view.

– Hey, the Bombers made Steven Jyles look pretty good. And guess what? He’s 3-0 against his old team since getting shipped out of Winnipeg. Not sure what this means — if it means anything — but it seems like a good stat for the feel of this little exercise here.

– The Blue defence blew again, surrendering over 450 yards to an offence that was only averaging 216 yards per game through the first two weeks of the season. That one point Edmonton scored in Regina last Sunday seems almost impossible now, doesn’t it?

– And then there was Jovon Johnson, whose antics — bowling the football back towards Jyles while chirping all the way after hauling in a meaningless interception in a 35-0 game in the third quarter — set social media, message boards and even TSN’s Matt Dunigan to stunned. Johnson offered some regret following the contest, but it’s hard to put those things back in the bottle when public frustration runs parallel to the current state of the club and venting needs to take place.

Individual celebration, much like leadership, has a time and a place, and being down by five touchdowns certainly wasn’t it.

Snicker at this if you wish, but it’s hard to know if the Bombers are a bad team or just a team that’s playing badly. Maybe they’re not as good as they think they are. Good teams win on the road, right? Winnipeg has just one win in their last seven as the visitor, so there’s a hint.

Another difficult riddle to crack: How can they turn this around? Injuries and roster depth has been an issue, so maybe when health returns things will brighten up but in real time, the players are at a loss for the recent troubles. Losses will do that.

“I have no idea,” defensive tackle Bryant Turner said. “I guess we have to change up the way we do things at practice, you know? We’re 0-3 right now; we haven’t started early in any games this season.

“We can’t go off of last year — this is a whole new team.”

If all of this, as LaPolice said Friday, is “unacceptable” — a term that calls for a change — then what comes next?

That’s the scary part, isn’t it?

Winnipeg is going through an identity crisis and if they don’t find one soon, this long CFL season — the life preserver for teams off to slow starts — will turn into a long Bombers season.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny