Written by: Dave Turnbull
As the 2010 season approached, the city of Winnipeg was full of optimism and excitement. A new head coach whose specialty was offense, two new quarterbacks with experience in the league and a new general manager with an extensive resume at almost every level of professional football.
The team went through a shake-up in the offseason. Players were released, others were added and fans were left hoping that whatever took to the field on July 2nd, would bring immediate success.
The first game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats – a 49-29 victory – had people planning the Grey Cup parade down Portage Avenue.
Then came the heartache. The 2010 Winnipeg Blue Bombers set a new CFL record of nine losses by four points or less. The Bombers would finish the year with a 4-14 record and no chance at the playoffs.
“Obviously 4-14 is very disappointing,” says General Manager Joe Mack. “Even though we made some strides in a number of different areas overall with the Club, we didn’t get to where we wanted to be.”
Mack was hired in January and hired Paul LaPolice a month later. The two began working very closely at assembling the team they wanted and focused on upgrading a number of key areas, specifically the quarterback position.
Steven Jyles was brought in to compete with Stefan LeFors for the starting quarterback position but when LeFors opted to retire, Mack brought in former BC Lion Buck Pierce – a move that was met with skepticism due to injury concerns.
Pierce won the starter’s job out of training camp but was hurt in week three and then again on Labour Day. However, Mack believes Pierce is still a viable option for the Club next season.
“It’s a little bit premature to say anything about any of the quarterback’s coming off of injuries,” says Mack, “but right now, I think Buck’s really competitive and despite the injuries I think he has real leadership skills. We hope he gets rehabbed to the point where he could come back and compete next year.”
One of the bright spots of the Bombers this year has been the emergence of many of the team’s rookies. Defensive backs Deon Beasley and Alex Suber were mainstays in the secondary and linebacker Marcellus Bowman made it tough for opposing offences to run against them. Add to that the play of rookie receivers Terence Jeffers-Harris and Greg Carr and the play of Most Outstanding Rookie nominee Andre Douglas on the offensive line, and the Bombers have lots to look forward to in the coming years when these players start to get more acquainted with the CFL game.
“You’re talking about a bunch of rookies,” says Mack. “And then our defensive linemen – except for Doug Brown – are all in their second year. So I think we have something to build on there.”
As for Head Coach Paul LaPolice, Mack believes in him and knows how much of a learning curve he went through in his first year as the man in charge.
“I personally feel that being the head coach of a football team is maybe the toughest transition in any sport,” says Mack. “You’re taking 50-some individuals from various backgrounds and to get all of them to mesh together – particularly as a first time head coach – it’s not always easy.”
And how about the one CFL record no team wants to have? That dreaded “nine losses by four points or less”? Does that mean this team is just not good enough to win?
“I actually would take the other view point,” says Mack. “The fact that we’re that close says that we are good enough, because if we weren’t good enough, we’d be losing by 28 or 35.”
When all is said and done, Mack and the rest of his staff have a long offseason to mull over what changes need to be made going into the 2011 season.
In 1984, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hadn’t won a Grey Cup in 22 long years.
Next season will be the 21st year since the last time this team brought home the trophy.
And the man that helped bring the cup back to Winnipeg in ’84 as director of player personnel?
None other than Joe Mack himself.
