May 31, 2016
Paul LaPolice steps in front of a Winnipeg Blue Bombers backdrop and looks into a row of television cameras and reporters.
He is sporting what looks to be a three or four-day growth of facial hair, and wearing a Bomber ball hat and rumpled rain suit.
So, heck yeah, this is a complete 180 from the days of staring into a mirror to ensure his tie was knotted correctly and having a makeup artist apply the layers to make him look pretty for TV for his gig as an analyst for TSN’s Canadian Football League telecasts.
“I’m excited. Somebody told me yesterday that I looked thinner, that I was fat on TV, I guess,” said LaPolice with a chuckle Tuesday after day 3 of Bombers training camp. “But not having to get out the suit and pocket square… we’ll bust them out on road games.”
The first three days of main training camp has given everyone in attendance – coaches, fans, media and players alike – a chance to size up some of the new high-profile additions this team made over the winter. Dressler… Harris… Smith… Cummings… Medlock… Shologan…
But it could be said the most important is LaPolice, the man with his hand on the offensive till. In many ways, this is one of those ‘only-in-the-CFL’ stories. LaPolice has been let go by this franchise twice before: following the 2003 season when the team had gone from setting 14 franchise records on offence and first in scoring to fourth; and in 2012, following a 2-6 start after leading the club to a Grey Cup appearance in 2011.
He turned to TV then, occasionally giving the thumbs down to some offensive coordinator jobs to help out at home with his wife Tina and their three kids, then all under five years old.
But LaPolice is back now because, first and foremost, he considers himself a teacher. And when the Bombers came courting last December with a chance to return to the game in a town he still calls home, he leaped at the opportunity.
Based on the perma-grin on his scrubby mug and his energy at practice through the spring offensive camp, last week’s rookie camp, and the first three days of the main sessions, it seems he couldn’t be happier with the decision to return to the coaching ranks.
“I went home last night at 10:15 p.m. and was in at 6:00 a.m. That’s a little different than normal,” said LaPolice. “It’s my wife’s birthday today and I probably won’t see her until about 10 o’clock.
“I really enjoy it. I love the people here and I’m loving Mike (O’Shea) and being able to work with (offensive-line coach) Bob Wylie, who I worked with before, and (quarterbacks coach) Buck (Pierce) and Avon (Cobourne, running backs coach) and the offensive crew. (New assistant O-line coach) Marty (Costello) has been outstanding and the players have been great and very welcoming.
“It’s almost four years. One of the best moments was in rookie camp. I’m a coach but, bottom line; I’ve been a teacher for my whole life. That’s what I studied in school and that’s what I think is a strength of mine: teaching.”
Paul LaPolice
“I just had a ton of fun with these rookies just talking about one-on-ones and how to run and get open. I just remember going, ‘This is something I missed a lot.’ Being able to communicate to players and then seeing them have success later in the day. That’s pretty much what I got into coaching for; to teach guys and help them have success and be excited when they do it successfully.”
Now, make no mistake, during his TSN days LaPolice was hardly a TV diva. He still watched hours of game film he was given access to by the league, was a guest coach with the Toronto Argonauts for two years during training camp, and visited friends in the game and coaching clinics down south – all in an effort to stay connected with the game and improve his own skills.
His return has been given the thumbs up from most in Bomber Nation, including the mayor, who fired out a tweet welcoming him back when it was announced in December.
“I think I’ve been successful the two times I’ve been here before. There are things that happen in football… we were pretty successful when I was here in ‘02 and ‘03 offensively, and then we took a team to a Grey Cup, which people respond to.
“People have a fondness and I’ve always been community-first as well as a good football coach. I thank the fans.
“It’s pretty neat to be back.”
BOMBER CAMP REPORT – DAY 3
JUST FYI:
RB Andrew Harris was back on the field Tuesday, after taking Monday to deal with a personal matter.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
He’s big at 6-3, 210 and has some juicy credentials, including 27 games under his belt, but Lestar Jean also has some catching up to do after just signing with the club on Monday.
“Big target. Obviously he has a little ways to go to pick up everything,” said Bomber coach Mike O’Shea. “But he’s running around out there and he offers a big target with a big catch radius. We’ll see how that progresses.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS II:
Here’s O’Shea on what he sees from offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice, now that he’s on the field working with the players:
“He’s got this energy. He’s just so excited to be back on the sidelines coaching football and having guys and players that he’s talking to every day. That kind of passion is nice to be around.
“He’s a natural teacher. He’s thought long and hard about football for a long time. He goes home, he’s got his home office and he’s pouring over film. On the drive to and from home he’s thinking about football. That’s who he is.”
LAPO ON THE O:
LaPolice was asked if he builds his offence around personnel or if the personnel has to adjust to his scheme. In short, he said the most successful attacks are flexible, and he has spoken to QB Drew Willy about the plays he likes best.
“We’ll certainly adapt to our players,” LaPolice said. “You have to have a flexible enough system so that you can do that, but we certainly want to put these guys in a position to be successful.
“I want (Willy) to be efficient with the ball and get it to our playmakers. I want him to make sure he protects the ball, like all quarterbacks do. We’re just trying to put in our stuff and make him as comfortable as we can.”
BUCK SPEAKS:
Bombers QB coach Buck Pierce met with the media on Tuesday. Here’s a chunk of that session:
“(Willy’s) looking good, he’s doing well. We have great communication in that room. Where Drew has really grown as an athlete and as a pro is his communication. Part of my job is to help facilitate that. I really like our quarterback room right now. We have four guys that have ability and I’m having a blast working with them.”
PAY ATTENTION, PLEASE:
O’Shea has invited a couple of CFL officials to camp and on Tuesday they were stationed in the secondary to help tutor defensive backs and receivers on what was legal and what was verboten under league rules.
“They’re not actually throwing flags, but I can see their hands going up and down. For LaPo to take his attention away from the next play and what he’s thinking about or somebody else to take their attention away from coaching their players or for me to run from one end to the next to tell a guy something… that official is there, he saw what happened. It’s just beneficial for the player to hear from the official ‘Hey, you were past five yards (with contact on a receiver) or I got you tugging on a guy’s jersey.’ I give them the leeway to inform the player. It’s just another way to have them coached.”
