Blue Bombers stay in Guelph made sense

By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 8:16 PM CDT Monday, Jul. 29, 2019

GUELPH, Ont. — When Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea huddled to plan the 2019 season, a major sticking point emerged.

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GUELPH, Ont. — When Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea huddled to plan the 2019 season, a major sticking point emerged.

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This article was published 29/07/2019 (2232 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GUELPH, Ont. — When Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea huddled to plan the 2019 season, a major sticking point emerged.

What could they do about the short turnaround from a Week 7 game in Hamilton to a Week 8 matchup in Toronto six days later? Returning to Winnipeg after Week 7 only to fly out to Ontario again seemed like a poor choice.

Instead, the club brain trust decided to remain in southern Ontario, set up a home base in Guelph and settle down for an extended stretch of team bonding. It helped that both Walters and O’Shea are football royalty in these parts, having had standout careers at the University of Guelph, and the necessary arrangements were made.

Walters has never done anything like this before, but likes the break it gives players and coaches.

“Just a break from the routine of a long, hot summer waking up and doing the same thing,” he said. “It’s good to break up the monotony — I don’t know if that’s the right word, but the day-to-day routine — is a nice break for us. Coming here, obviously, Mike and I have nice ties here, and some of the players on the team do as well.

The concept is getting good reviews from players.

“It’s a little different,” slotback Nic Demski said. “Obviously, we’re in a different time zone and whatnot, different province, but Guelph’s cool, man. There’s not too much to do out here. Super-nice facilities, but you shouldn’t be getting your nose into too many things. Come out here, focus, especially after the result of the game last week. This is just a nice place to get our work done, focus on the next opponent we’ve got.”

O’Shea was asked if he got nostalgic about returning to his university roots.

“I haven’t really thought about playing,” he said. “That’s a long, long time ago. I did share this with my son about how awesome it was and how great it is to be part of something when you’re at university.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14