LaPolice watches, hopefully learns

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/08/2010 (5547 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Watch. Rewind. Repeat.

While the bye week was a chance for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to get away and forget a forgettable 2-6 start, head coach Paul LaPolice spent most of his time off playing the role of film student — examining every single snap from the first eight weeks of the season.

“I looked at every second-and-short situation: How many times we converted, what we did — run or pass — and pulled some things out of it,” LaPolice said Sunday afternoon. “And I did the same thing with every first drive — looked at every drop, every turnover, every big play we’ve given up.

“I tried to go through all those, make my own thoughts, and then watch ’em with the coaches and get their advice.”

So what did the coach see after looking at the tapes again? Well, for starters, the Bombers need to take care of the football, they need to be better in the kick-return game, and they need to begin games with more urgency. Look for those areas to be addressed once the players return to practice Tuesday (the team holds its annual golf tournament at Glendale today).

With the Saskatchewan Roughriders on tap for the next two, starting with the Labour Day Classic in Regina on Sunday followed by the Banjo Bowl at Canad Inns Stadium Sept. 12, here are some film-related storylines to watch for as the team heads back to work:

— New Jack City: The Bombers are promising at least three new bodies when on-field workouts resume Tuesday and while LaPolice wouldn’t tip his hand as to who those players are, it’s expected they will be a wideout, an offensive lineman and a defensive tackle.

Tuesday also marks the day NFL clubs must have their rosters at 75 players, so there could be a few castoffs heading north before the weekend games, too.

— American Beauty: Import WR Dudley Guice Jr. was cut by the Indianapolis Colts Saturday but most Bomber fans remain fixed on what happen in Detroit, where DB Jonathan Hefney remains. Hefney may not be a high depth-chart guy in the Lions secondary, but he has proven a capable performer on special teams.

Winnipeg would love to add the plucky cover man to its roster. One problem: Even if he gets cut by Detroit his return is not a lock, as a possible NFL practice roster spot is still in play.

— Do the Right Thing: The Bombers expect S Ian Logan (hamstring) to be back practising, and LB Marcellus Bowman (hand) should be ready to take back his starting position with the defence. As for QB Buck Pierce, it’s a wait-and-see situation regarding his right knee again.

“Buck ran around (Sunday) but we’ll watch him and see where he is,” LaPolice said. “What we don’t want to do is put him in a position where he can’t move around.”

— Ghostbusters: The Bombers can take a page from Edmonton’s script and treat the next 10 games like a new season (starting with a win over Saskatchewan). It will be interesting to see how the Bombers respond to a new “start” to their season. Can they exorcise any past poor-execution demons and will management continue to be patient with some underachieving players?

— Animal House: With a host of coaches leaving Regina to come to Winnipeg in the off-season, plus a number of former Bomber coaches and brass earning paycheques from the Riders, the Labour Day Classic takes on a different intensity this year. LaPolice coached in Saskatchewan for three years (2007-09), and has spent time on both sidelines for the contest (he was Winnipeg’s offensive co-ordinator in 2002-03).

“My first year in ’02, I remember being outside while everyone was getting ready and going ‘This place is crazy,'” he said.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca