Brutal yes, but not worst ever

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/07/2009 (5922 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a reach — a big-time reach — but Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans who witnessed Friday’s offensive horror show can take solace in this:

Believe it or not, there have actually been worse passing performances in the club’s 79 years.

“We set 29 positive records last time I was here so now we’re up to 30 with the one lousy record we set (Friday) night,” said head coach Mike Kelly. “That’s gotta be a record.”

Actually…

The 66 yards passing by Stefan LeFors, Bryan Randall and Richie Williams wasn’t the lowest in recent memory. Back on Sept. 27, 1992 in a game against Calgary the Bombers managed just 56 yards passing as Matt Dunigan was injured, Danny McManus was good on just four of 21 for 56 yards while Sam Garza was 0-for-7. One notable difference, the game was played on a windy, rain-soaked afternoon and — get this — the Bombers actually knocked off Doug Flutie and the Stampeders 17-16 as Michael Richardson ran for 193 yards and the defence sacked the little man seven times.

“And those were the two teams that played in the Grey Cup later that year,” recalled Kelly as the game’s details flooded back to him. “But I’ve been a coordinator since 1986 and I’m not afraid to say — and it sickens me to no end — but that (Friday night) was the worst I’ve ever been involved in, it just was. I know it can be better. I KNOW it can be better. I just do.”

Worth noting as we continue the autopsy:

“ö The Bombers have been held under 100 yards passing as recently as August of 2006 (92 yards at home to Toronto) and on five other occasions since the 56-yard nightmare some 17 years ago;

“ö The last time Winnipeg finished with less than 10 points in a game was Labour Day last year in a 19-6 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders; it’s happened nine times alone in this decade;

“ö The Bombers last scored five points or less on Aug. 10, 2006 — a game in which Kevin Glenn was injured and replaced by Mike Quinn — in a 32-5 loss to the B.C. Lions;

“ö The Bombers have been held to five points or less at home 15 times in the last 50 years, but only three times in the last 22 years (Aug. 10, 2006, as listed above; a 20-2 loss to Edmonton on Oct. 12, 1997 and a 19-3 loss to Toronto in the 1987 East final).

“I am what I am,” added Kelly, “but I promise everybody I’m pouring every ounce of my inner being into this thing to try and get it right.”

STANDING O FOR THE ‘D’: Kelly praised the work of his defensive dozen, who were spectacular despite the Argos having a six-minute advantage in time of possession.

“My heart goes out to the defensive players because they’re on the field for so long and they’re playing their rear ends off,” said Kelly. “I’m so proud of that group and how it’s been put together and how they’re being coached and everything about it.”

HE LOSES IT: Bomber WR Romby Bryant may face disciplinary action after losing his cool on Friday — at one point he was tackled and restrained by an official.

“Well, that’s one of our problems, too,” Kelly said. “When officials can tackle your starting receivers you probably got a little problem there.”

What made him so mad? We’re not sure because Bryant doesn’t do media interviews. But the coach had a guess…

“First of all, he probably should have been mad because there were three defenders on him and we threw the ball to him,” said Kelly. “That would make me mad and it kinda got me grouchy myself. There was just some pushing and shoving… and Romby didn’t take very kindly to it and he snapped… Do I condone the extent that it continued to go to? No. He didn’t play the rest of that quarter and then we did come back to him.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca