Dissection of the DISASTER

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/11/2010 (5448 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A sign of what was to come for this Winnipeg Blue Bombers outfit came on the first play of the season.

How do you spell ‘harbinger’ again?

Watching Hamilton’s Marcus Thigpen return the opening kickoff to the 2010 campaign all the way back for a touchdown caused a few Blue and Gold fans to chuckle sardonically, laughing at the preposterous event. Through those laughs, some just rubbed their eyes with both hands, not believing what they had just witnessed.

Others just let out a deep groan as Thigpen celebrated in the end zone, reliving the 2009 nightmare that was once thought of as rock-bottom among the football watchers in these parts. No matter how you slice it, 7-11 sounds pretty good right about now.

Yeah, it was that kind year, wasn’t it?

With every end to a disappointing season comes hope for better days. Before we get to those, though, a look back at the previous Blue (and occasionally Gold) season. Viewer discretion is advised.

best moment: Overtime madness

Oct. 11 versus the B.C. Lions. Down 32-11 heading into the fourth quarter in front of a disillusioned home crowd, the Bombers hand the comeback keys to Steven Jyles and rally to tie the contest. Did we forget to mention the Bomb Squad was still breathing some post-season life at this point? With those high stakes, Winnipeg takes the lead in overtime with a Yvenson Bernard touchdown and then ices it when Deon Beasley intercepts a Casey Printers pass and runs it back 72 yards for another TD. Winnipeg wins 47-35. Those who left the game early swear they’ve never heard Canad Inns Stadium louder.

worst moment: Unlucky Buck (the collection)

July 16: Quarterback Buck Pierce gets his knee pinned back by a Ticats lineman, forcing him to miss three games. Aug. 13: Pierce then re-injures the knee in a home game against those same Tabbies, missing another game. Sept. 5: Pierce then dislocates and fractures a bone in his right elbow during the Labour Day Classic, ending his season. You can’t say the club didn’t see this coming — given the injury history of the guy — but it stung nonetheless. Never mind the pink gloves, will the league allow a player to wear bubble wrap in 2011?

Biggest Disappointment: Truth or Adarius?

Not to rag on a player who’s not here anymore, but there’s no bigger lightning rod to the Bombers’ occasional offensive hiccups than Adarius (Butterfingers) Bowman. At the start of the year, it was hard to find someone who DIDN’T think he would catch 80 balls for 1,000-plus yards and be the elite receiver his physical tools suggested. It never happened. After sticking with Bowman more than half the season, the Bombers eventually benched the enigma at the start of October. Three weeks later he was released. Dropped, if you will.

unsing hero: Superman

No. 41 in your programs, people, that’s who flew under the radar this season. Clint Kent started in the secondary, moved closer to the ball as a linebacker mid-season, and remained a strong — and more importantly, a consistent — force on the defence. His final numbers: A team-leading 77 tackles; 13 special teams tackles, two sacks, and one fumble recovery.

bizarre moment: Calf-time show

You know what was funny? Watching rookie safety Chris Smith try a couple of field goals during the halftime of the Aug. 13 game against Hamilton. The reason for the hurried practice: New Bombers kicker Louie Sakoda, the guy who replaced the inconsistent Alexis Serna, didn’t disclose an injured calf to the coaching staff during the week of practice and aggravated the leg during the warm-up. Whoops.

biggest surprise: Palardy time

On the heels of the Sakoda Secret, the Bombers found a new kicker. AND HE’S CANADIAN, TO BOOT! Rookie Justin Palardy, cut loose by the Ticats as a punter, won a week-long kicking competition with two other guys and proved himself to be a valuable addition to the leg sector. He finished the season hitting 26-of-30 (87 per cent) and if he continues to improve his leg strength, could be the Blue and Gold guy for years to come.

most confusing moment: Under review

Maybe it was the decision to punt the ball into a stiff breeze with 1:25 left when you’re down by three? Maybe it was the play call on a third and short to fullback Andre Sadeghian in Toronto (it never had a chance)? Maybe it was the move to start unproven rookie quarterback Alex Brink at home against the Lions — ahead of Steven Jyles (Brink never had a chance)? Maybe it was the fact that the Bombers allowed a handful of fake punts to be run successfully against them? Maybe it was having six special teams returns (punt, kickoff, missed field goals) run back for touchdowns against?

We could go on here but we’re running out of space…

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca