2021 Blue Bombers Season

[do or die]

I fantasize, sometimes........ that my call, one night, on the ole CJOB Football Hotline....helped Rogers get fired.    Had to cling to something, in those days......other than the gin glass.

[wbbfan]

29 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Through all the years of being a Bomber fan, the only time I ever felt embarrassed by our team was Mike Kelly era and it had nothing to do with the team on the field. From a football perspective rock bottom was probably in the Reinbold era, and from a franchise perspective it was Mike Kelly's one short year that turned us into a circus and laughing stock of the CFL. Taman was a middling GM who did OK but left a mess, I view him neither positively or negatively. High points to me were the Cal Murphy and Dave Ritchie era.

Well put. Kelly for embarrassment reinbold for quality of team and play. 

Taman was a really good scout imop who was kind of a reach as a gm. 

12 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think I remember something about his wife being very sick when Burke was Head Coach. If true, then he was facing trouble at home with personal issues along with trying to coach a very bad football team. It might have been better if he had stepped down. It wasn't talked about much by the media but I do remember a mention. I hope she is alright today. 

I think I recall that. It's too bad he was a great defensive coach. But as a hc that even went out the window. He's a guy who should've never taken a Hc job. If he hadn't he'd still be working in the cfl. But you can't employ a guy like that who just gave up. 

Daley was like a poor man's reinbold. 

[JuranBoldenRules]

3 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

 

 It was quickly evident Jeff had no clue what he was doing, but because of budget tightening and the fact we were still paying out Murphy’s salary, we could not afford to pay 2 ex-coaches so we were stuck with him. And going from what was deemed an unacceptable 9-9 season after 3 Cups, 5 appearances, and 14 straight playoff appearances with Murphy to 4-14 and 3-15 was a kick in the nuts.  We typically lost by more than 2 TDs, including the worst home loss in club history (66-25 to Doug Flutie’s Argos where he was throwing multiple touchdowns to offensive linemen, just toying with us and embarrassing us). Reinbold had no clue how to salvage games, so he resorted to exorcisms in the dark dressing room to motivate the troops. Completely idiotic. Bob Cameron once said it was useless, but entertaining in a “can you believe this ****” kind of way - “losing was never so much fun as in the Reinbold era”. The only bright spot was Milt Stegall, and then he packed up and left in 1998 for the NFL, and all hope was lost. We were a train wreck, we knew it, and we knew there was no way out because the Board could not afford to fire Reinbold, who was given both the head coach and GM jobs and immediately showed he did not know how to do either. We started 0-11. We lost by two touchdowns or worse 11 times. An all-time worst 15 losses. We had one close game at home versus BC where after doing nothing all game we scored late and got the ball back, drove the length of the field down by 2 and got the the 5 yard line with a few seconds left. We all knew a gimme field goal would give us the lead, but we did not want to give the Lions any time to march back and steal the game, so we tried for the TD. Kerwin Bell calls an audible from the shotgun and the centre thought he called for the snap, and rifles the ball back to him when he was looking to the sidelines. Ball caroms off his ankle, he turns to flop on it and it scoots back between his legs and BC recovers and wins by 2. Devastating, and worse because we all KNEW they would find year another way to blow it, and they did not disappoint. 

Even bringing in Dave Ritchie in 1999 did not completely clean out the stench. We lost 65-15 in Hamilton that year, the worst road loss in team history to that point. So in the aftermath of all that, I chafe at those who belittle Taman, given what he had to recover from.

Your memory has blended a lot of eras and lost some facts!

That Kerwin Bell BC game was in 99 with Dave Ritchie, Bell never played under Reinebold.  Khari Jones came into that game for BC after Damon Allen got hurt and won it.

[Stickem]

I remember and experienced the Bud Grant years....nuff said....Bud was a breed apart and the best coach this franchise ever had....There's been some flops ...Reinbold being the one I hated most....Hired on a whim it seems and after one of our many losses said to my buddies, after leaving the game  'I hope this loser gets on his fricken Harley and f's off back to where he came from (which was the leo's)... No way he should have ever been a head coach...especially for this club.....Even debatable about the coaching positions he's held since....Every time the camera's pick him up on the sidelines...I get pissed off all over again...Thank cripes we have the coaching we have today...light years ahead compared to that Reinbold mess

[blue_gold_84]

It's the same... but better!

[rebusrankin]

Years ago a friend was pastoring in Hawaii when Reinbold was on their coaching staff. Reinbold comes on a visit to the house of one of his conregation members while said buddy is there. They tell Reinbold about how the pastor is from Winnipeg. Buddy claims to this day Reinbo;d gave him the please don't tell them what a **** up I am look.

[TBURGESS]

Reindolt was a bad coach, but at least he was a decent guy. I sat with him at a Grey Cup party and talked for an hour about football. He was highly entertaining.

The Kelly year was the worst for me. I wouldn't have sat down and talked with him if he was the only person who had a chair available at his table and I have really bad knees.

[Bubba Zanetti]

Not sure where to post this, but I cant make the Banjo Bowl this year fellas. My tix are section 208 row 10 seats 13+14. Send me a private message if youre interested.

[SpeedFlex27]

6 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

Reindolt was a bad coach, but at least he was a decent guy. I sat with him at a Grey Cup party and talked for an hour about football. He was highly entertaining.

The Kelly year was the worst for me. I wouldn't have sat down and talked with him if he was the only person who had a chair available at his table and I have really bad knees.

I lived thru the Joe zaleski years & while he was waaaay in over his head as Grant's replacement, you had to respect the work he did as an assistant coach with 4 Grey Cup victories in 6 appearances. But the team he inherited... all the great players retired en masse over a 2 year period. He wasn't left with much to work with. It was abysmal but the guy tried hard to make chicken salad out of chicken feathers.

The worst period for me was the Tim Burke-Garth Butchko era. It was awful. Those teams in 2012 & 13 were the worst Blue Bomber teams I have ever seen. And as good as Tim Burke was as a DC, he was the worst Head Coach the Bomber organization ever had. The man quit on his team. So, his team quit on him, as well. It was total darkness for me as a fan. 

The Jeff Reinbold era was a joke. He wasn't ready but he had nice hair. 

Edited September 3, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[Goalie]

I'll have to go with Mack and Buchko Era... I think that did the most damage to the Bombers Brand. Both were incompetent fools over their head. U can say what u want about Kelly but... some ppl thought he was a breath of fresh hair.. he was polarizing really but the mack buchko Era was just embarrassing for the entire organization top to bottom 

Atleast Mike Kelly cared about the bombers and I did believe him when he said it was his dream head coaching job. Buchko and Mack tho... just constant problems on and off the field 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Goalie

[Nolby]

9 minutes ago, Goalie said:

I'll have to go with Mack and Buchko Era... I think that did the most damage to the Bombers Brand. Both were incompetent fools over their head. U can say what u want about Kelly but... some ppl thought he was a breath of fresh hair.. he was polarizing really but the mack buchko Era was just embarrassing for the entire organization top to bottom 

Atleast Mike Kelly cared about the bombers and I did believe him when he said it was his dream head coaching job. Buchko and Mack tho... just constant problems on and off the field 

I forgot about those two clowns. I hated Mike Kelly as well but Joe Mack didn't know his head from a tub of butter. I'm glad that was a memory that had to be reminded instead of it always sticking out like a sore thumb.

[JCon]

14 minutes ago, Goalie said:

I'll have to go with Mack and Buchko Era... I think that did the most damage to the Bombers Brand. Both were incompetent fools over their head. U can say what u want about Kelly but... some ppl thought he was a breath of fresh hair.. he was polarizing really but the mack buchko Era was just embarrassing for the entire organization top to bottom 

Atleast Mike Kelly cared about the bombers and I did believe him when he said it was his dream head coaching job. Buchko and Mack tho... just constant problems on and off the field 

We opened IGF with those fools. We're lucky to have survived because people wanted to see the new stadium. 

[MOBomberFan]

Mike Kelly, for all his faults, was one win away from hosting a playoff game. Sure, he cheated, lied, bullied and bluffed his way straight into a prison cell before he was fired but at least he went down fighting. Burke just rolled over and waited for it all to be over.

[Stickem]

I'll never forget the mugshot of Kelly coming over the wire.....'no problem ,being handled internally' lol

[Mark F]

James J. Spavital (September 15, 1926 – March 7, 1993) was an American gridiron football player, coach and executive 

In 1970 he was hired by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as head coach. In four seasons as Bombers head coach, he had a 23–39–2 record and two playoff appearances.

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, Mark F said:

James J. Spavital (September 15, 1926 – March 7, 1993) was an American gridiron football player, coach and executive 

In 1970 he was hired by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as head coach. In four seasons as Bombers head coach, he had a 23–39–2 record and two playoff appearances.

He was 2-14 in 1970 taking over from Joe Zaleski who was fired. In 1971, he was 7-8-1 with newcomers Don Jonas,at qb. He went 10-6 in 1972 & finished first in the West. In 1973, GM Lunsford ripped the team apart cutting Herron & Thorpe after they were arrested for weed possession. A team that was primed to challenge for the Grey Cup in 1973 became a 4-11-1 last place team in the West. Lunsford made Spavital the scapegoat worried about saving his ass. The day Lunsford was fired in 1982 & was replaced by Paul Robson was a great day for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 

Edited September 3, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[Tracker]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

He was 2-14 in 1970 taking over from Joe Zaleski who was fired. In 1971, he was 7-8-1 with newcomers Don Jonas,at qb. He went 10-6 in 1972 & finished first in the West. In 1973, GM Lunsford ripped the team apart cutting Herron & Thorpe after they were arrested for weed possession. A team that was primed to challenge for the Grey Cup in 1973 became a 4-11-1 last place team in the West. Lunsford made Spavital the scapegoat worried about saving his ass. The day Lunsford was fired in 1982 & was replaced by Paul Robson was a great day for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 

I recall Spaavital being a very gentlemanly person in radio interviews, referring to his players as "young men". Accurate, but a bit Scarlett O'Hara-ish.

[do or die]

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

I recall Spaavital being a very gentlemanly person in radio interviews, referring to his players as "young men". Accurate, but a bit Scarlett O'Hara-ish.

Then you didn't see the guy at training camp, particularly the "hell camp" in Gimili.....

[Goalie]

8 hours ago, JCon said:

We opened IGF with those fools. We're lucky to have survived because people wanted to see the new stadium. 

The bungling of that is why I went with those 2. Very huge moment in bomber history and they just about ****** it all up. 

[Tracker]

1 hour ago, do or die said:

Then you didn't see the guy at training camp, particularly the "hell camp" in Gimili.....

No, I did not.

[Blue_Dragoon]

Oh god. I forgot about Jim Daley. I missed Reinbold but I’ve still gotten to see plenty of stinkers.

[Mark H.]

Joe Mack era was the worst for me. He seemed like a good hire - had everyone fooled for a year or two.  

[SpeedFlex27]

10 hours ago, Tracker said:

I recall Spaavital being a very gentlemanly person in radio interviews, referring to his players as "young men". Accurate, but a bit Scarlett O'Hara-ish.

Old school coach so Old School ways. He was from Oklahoma & played fullback for the Bombers in the very early 50's. His Bomber training camps were the stuff of legends. Exceedingly tough with hitting & full pads during 2 a days for weeks. In those days TC & a 4 game exhibition season went something like 45 days. 

Edited September 4, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

6 hours ago, Tracker said:

No, I did not.

Gimli would have been 1970 as the Bombers moved to St John's Ravenscourt in Fort Garry in 1971 & 72. What a picturesque setting with stately elm trees close to the Red River. Spavital believed that training camp should separate the Men from the Boys. You run, run, run & hit, hit, hit. Every practice every day in helmets & full pads. You'll either survive or quit. His philosophy was that games are won in the fourth quarter. That the Bombers would out hit & out work their opponents. He felt that the Bombers would not be tired late in the game if they had to go 109 yards for a touchdown with 3 minutes left to win the game. Hence the brutal training camps. 

[Goldkobra]

6 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Gimli would have been 1970 as the Bombers moved to St John's Ravenscourt in Fort Garry in 1971 & 72. What a picturesque setting with stately elm trees close to the Red River. Spavital believed that training camp should separate the Men from the Boys. You run, run, run & hit, hit, hit. Every practice every day in helmets & full pads. You'll either survive or quit. His philosophy was that games are won in the fourth quarter. That the Bombers would out hit & out work their opponents. He felt that the Bombers would not be tired late in the game if they had to go 109 yards for a touchdown with 3 minutes left to win the game. Hence the brutal training camps. 

That philosophy isn't without merit. It's used frequently in mma camps. Get your cardio level up so high that your opponent can't blow you up.