Today’s Bomber Report

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/11/2008 (6379 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Smith Smitten

“Playoff time means bonuses, extra money, fun, playing a longer season, a couple of extra games. It’s fun…limelight.” — Blue Bombers’ effervescent RB Joe Smith, one of the real characters in the locker-room, on what the playoffs mean to him.

Political Turtle Man

“This is a historical event…But win, lose, whatever happens, the fact that he’s gotten this far says a lot about where America has come.” — Milt Stegall on Barack Obama’s U.S. presidential campaign before he and other teammates got together Tuesday to watch the election results.

Chamber Chimes In

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has challenged members to help the Bombers sell out the stadium for Saturday’s game. It says all members who go to www.ticketmaster.ca and type in the code word “chamber” and buy tickets could win 2009 season tickets.

Chris Cariou thinks you should know…

REUNITED…

JOE Smith was having a great time at practice Tuesday, at one point rumbling into the end zone and then dropping down and rolling over and over and over in his version of a TD dance that he said he’d perfect in time for Saturday’s semifinal.

He had nothing but a big smile for reporters’ questions…first, about Thunder (him) and Lightning (Fred Reid) being united in the Bombers’ backfield against the Edmonton Eskimos after each had missed alternate games to end the regular season.

“You’ve got to sing that song, ‘Reunited…I don’t know the rest of the words, but it’s going to be good,” Smith chuckled. “For us to be able to get on the field at the same time and spell each other, keep each other fresh, that’s a big plus for us.

“I’m 100 per cent now so everything’s good.”

Will he wear a brace to protect his twisted knee?

“Brace? I need some braces for my teeth, actually. I’m going to get that done in the off-season but other than that, that’ll be the only braces I have.”

MAIN MAN MALVEAUX

Defensive back/linebacker/safety Kelly Malveaux isn’t sure where he’s playing Saturday. All he knows is that he’s playing.

“This team, this defence, I’ve learned a lot about the schemes,” the vet said Tuesday. “Coach (Doug) Berry and coach (Greg) Marshall have the confidence to plug me into different positions week to week, however many weeks it may take for someone else to get healthy.

“I just take it as a compliment and I feel good going into the various positions. It doesn’t get stagnant for me. I have to keep my thinking cap on when I do go to those new positions and it’s a new week of preparation for me.

“I have to prepare this week that I’m going to be full go but just not knowing where I’ll be.”

TAIT MEA CULPA, VERSION 367,699

One thing we’ve learned covering this team for the better part of two decades is you don’t mess up on Bomber history or you hear it big-time.

Case in point, our Tuesday edition of the ‘Remember When…’ feature we’ve been running this week to highlight the storied Bomber-Eskimo rivalry made reference to Dieter Brock playing in the 1983 West Semifinal.

Oops. Brock had been traded to the Ticats that season and it was Tom Clements at the controls for that Bomber victory.