This is going to hurt me as much as it hurts you…

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/06/2015 (4124 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEEP CUTS THE KNIFE: No football coach takes pleasure in swinging the axe, Mike O’Shea included.

So there were likely a couple of dozen coaches and GMs across the Canadian Football League over the last few days who were more than a little surly or depressed as teams had to slice their rosters in the first real wave of cuts.

The Bombers released six players Sunday night, making the news available to the media Monday morning. Sent packing were defensive lineman Sammy Brown, defensive back Patrick Hall and slotback Lavasier Tuinei — all imports — and Canadians Quinn Everett, an offensive lineman and a fourth-round draft pick in 2014, receiver Ezra Millington and defensive back/linebacker Dan West, who dressed for 45 games over the past three years with the club.

“They’re all tough,” said O’Shea after a blustery practice Monday morning. “That’s a good thing. As I said, the competition makes these decisions tough and that’s a positive for the organization.”

MORE MO: Safety Maurice Leggett is back on the field practising after missing much of last week with an injury, and was taking some turns at linebacker and in the defensive backfield. His early review of Richie Hall’s defence is all good.

“I love it,” said Leggett. “You get to fly around and make plays. It’s a lot of teaching to do, a lot of learning, whether you are a rookie or a vet. There’s more guys up front… bigger bodies. And that’s always a good thing. Protects us little guys, right?”

Leggett, the Bombers’ top defensive player last year, said he is moving around in Hall’s scheme, in part to get a better understanding of everyone’s role. With a year under his belt he also has a much better understanding of the little nuances of the Canadian game and, most importantly, the tendencies of some opponents.

As for a difference between Hall and last year’s co-ordinator, Gary Etcheverry, Leggett offered this:

“(Hall)’s more animated. He’s the energetic guy in the meeting room. He cracks a lot more jokes.”

OOPS: So there was Nick Moore on Monday, making a spectacular diving grab on a pass from Drew Willy and then, after getting up off the ground, running the wrong way.

“I felt like I spun around or something. When I got up I guess I wasn’t touched and they told me to start running and I ran the wrong way,” said Moore. “(My teammates) are not going to leave me alone about it.”

Moore was visible and vocal at practice, at one point yelling across the field at defensive back Malachi Freeman after a tackle on a receiver.

“We’re all out here to practise and get better as a team,” said Moore. “The rule is to stay up and not have any bodies on the ground. If bodies start going on the ground then somebody needs to stand up and speak up. And I’ll be that guy.”

Asked if he would play more of a leadership role this year, Moore added: “Not only do I think that, but I think the coaches expect that of me as well. Our ultimate goal is to get to the Grey Cup… I’m not really the most vocal person, but if that’s what it takes, that’s what I’ll do.”

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait