Obscure moments and players in Bombers history

[Rod Black]

June 21, 1984. B.C. Sucks Lions play the Blue at Winnipeg Stadium. We hated B.C. then. Huge thunder, lightning, and rain storm delays the game. On the east side under the stands a foot of water has people slogging to the beer lines during the delay. Beers get completely sold out. Game restarts and the sidelines are still covered in water to about 10 yards onto the field. B. C. Receiver gives up misses a throw because he didn’t want to get his feet wet near the sideline. The place was nuts. Next seasons season ticket motto was something like “Feel the Thunder”! 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Rod Black

[Super Duper Negatron]

My biggest fear for the CFL is that 20 years from now, it will be us 60 year olds telling the same stories instead of a new batch of 40 somethings telling their own.

Jesus Christ....I just realized I will be 60 in less than 20 years. 😳

[Tracker]

3 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

My biggest fear for the CFL is that 20 years from now, it will be us 60 year olds telling the same stories instead of a new batch of 40 somethings telling their own.

Jesus Christ....I just realized I will be 60 in less than 20 years. 😳

Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end, the faster it goes.

[Blue_Dragoon]

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Speaking of Arland Bruce, one my my favourite memories was a game vs. The stamps where they got behind and everyone headed for the exits only for khari and Bruce to connect a few times for the comeback and everyone was pressed up against the gates trying to see what they walked out on. 

I stayed for the end of that one. That may be the loudest I've heard the old barn and the stadium was mostly empty.

[rebusrankin]

Stayed for that Calgary game in 2002. Bruce had 4tds right? Know who got the TD to put Calgary up 14? Imcompleterson.

[SpeedFlex27]

2 hours ago, Rod Black said:

June 21, 1984. B.C. Sucks Lions play the Blue at Winnipeg Stadium. We hated B.C. then. Huge thunder, lightning, and rain storm delays the game. On the east side under the stands a foot of water has people slogging to the beer lines during the delay. Beers get completely sold out. Game restarts and the sidelines are still covered in water to about 10 yards onto the field. B. C. Receiver gives up misses a throw because he didn’t want to get his feet wet near the sideline. The place was nuts. Next seasons season ticket motto was something like “Feel the Thunder”! 

In the nearly 20 years I had Bomber season tickets that was the only game I missed. I was in a wedding party & the rehearsal was that night. Listening to the thunder & pounding rain on the roof of the church which was deafening, then seeing the lake on the West sidelines & the river of water pouring out of the East upper deck like a waterfall on the local tv sports made me glad I wasn't there. Still, I'm sure the hardy fans at the game enjoyed themselves. 

[SpeedFlex27]

2 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

Stayed for that Calgary game in 2002. Bruce had 4tds right? Know who got the TD to put Calgary up 14? Imcompleterson.

My wife & kids went to that game. My oldest was 16 & youngest 12. We were in Winnipeg from Calgary to visit family & friends. My oldest son & I cheered for the Bombers while my wife & youngest son cheered for the Stamps. Sadly, that night a tornado hit a campground in Alberta just south of Red Deer at Pine Lake completly destroying it. The campground on one side of the lake was obliterated. The other side was untouched. There was multiple loss of lives. It was very sad as the dead were from all over Alberta. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[Stats Junkie]

A few moments from 1953 - the year that "The House that Jack Built" opened

In July, the Bombers brought in Tommy Thompson to be the backfield coach. Thompson played QB in the NFL (1940-1950) and guided the Philadelphia Eagles to championships in '48 & '49. Speculation was that Thompson was really in town to play QB.

When training camp opened, Thompson was in full gear. He impressed enough that he was the opening day QB for Winnipeg. He would start 3 games total.

At 35 years old & blind in one eye, Thompson was unable to play defence. Teams could dress 8 imports (all starters) so If he wasn't starting at QB, he wasn't dressing for the game. On October 1, Thompson was released as a player and he left town.

Jack Jacobs was in the doghouse of Coach George Trafton for most of the season. In this era, it was a 10 yard penalty for "Coaching from the sidelines" if there was any communication from the bench to players on the field. It was up to the QB to call his own plays. The problem - Jack Jacobs had an obvious tell. Edmonton figured it out in 1952 and by 1953 every other team was aware too.

If Jacobs called a pass, he had the offence in a spread formation. If he called a run, the offence was in a bunch formation. The linebackers would adjust based on the formation. Trafton tried to get Jacobs to mix things up so it wasn't obvious what the play call was but Jacobs wasn't able to oblige.  

With 3 games to go in the regular season, Trafton benched Jacobs and replaced him with Joe Zaleski. Heading into the playoffs, Jacobs was relegated to 3^rd string QB behind Joe Zaleski & Geoff Crain.

In the first game of the semi-final, Lorne "Boom Boom" Benson gained 163 yards on 23 carries including a playoff record 6 rushing TDs.

On defence, the Bombers intercepted 8 passes. Bud Grant set a playoff record with 5 picks - the others went to Jack Jacobs, Tom Casey & Neill Armstrong.

In game 1 of the west final, Jack Jacobs replaced Joe Zaleski at QB for the 2^nd half of the game. Zaleski remained in the game at flying wing because Trafton wanted him to call the plays for Jacobs - that didn't work too well.

All told, Zaleski started 9 games in a row leading up to the Grey Cup. Jack Jacobs was given the start for the Grey Cup game.

[johnzo]

38 minutes ago, Stats Junkie said:

Jack Jacobs was in the doghouse of Coach George Trafton for most of the season. In this era, it was a 10 yard penalty for "Coaching from the sidelines" if there was any communication from the bench to players on the field. It was up to the QB to call his own plays. The problem - Jack Jacobs had an obvious tell.

wow, this is a great story ... what a different time!

[WinnipegGordo]

Any Siddeeq Shabazz fans out there? Didnt he make the news a few years ago for impersonating a college player or did I dream it? 

[SpeedFlex27]

The 1961 Grey Cup. The Bombers beat the Ti Cats 21-14 when QB Ken Ploen scored in OT to win the game 21-14. Here we see Hamilton Ti Cat QB Frank Cosentino #11 fumble the ball while trying to handoff to Fullback Gerry McDougall #25 while Blue Bomber Defemsive End Cec Luining charges hard off the edge. Hamilton receiver Hal Patterson #77 is watching the action from a distance.

Cec Luining was my cousin on my Mother's side of the family. He was 25 years older than me so I never knew him that well. He played 10 seasons for the Bombers from 1954 -63. He played in 5 Grey Cups winning 4. Cec attended Daniel Mac playing for the Maroons & his Junior football with the Winnipeg Rods before signing with the Bombers. Jack Wells nicknamed him "The Mad Milkman From Selkirk". He lived in Selkirk & was a Milk Man delivering to stores & private homes. He passsed away in 2009.

I'm obviously proud that as a family member he played for the Bombers during their most dominant era & that he won so many championships. I just wish I'd have known him better.

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[JuranBoldenRules]

97-98 was like a constant airlift.  In those two seasons I bet we had more players dress for a regular season game than we’ve had dress during this entire regime back to 2015.

One guy who jumps out is Mario Bailey.  WLAF great and Washington legend, receiver, perfectly suited to the CFL undersized and not that speedy.  Came in for a couple games here during the WLAF offseason and tore it up, then we released him almost immediately.  Maybe he could see the tragic mess our organization was.  Can’t even remember which QB he played with so many those years.

Edited September 16, 2021 by JuranBoldenRules

[SpeedFlex27]

Another picture of Cec. Luining. He played multiple positions on both sides of the line. He was an undersized lineman at 210 lbs.

Edited September 16, 2021 by SpeedFlex27

[17to85]

9 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

Stayed for that Calgary game in 2002. Bruce had 4tds right? Know who got the TD to put Calgary up 14? Imcompleterson.

And he show boated like crazy after that I think. 

[wbbfan]

10 hours ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

My biggest fear for the CFL is that 20 years from now, it will be us 60 year olds telling the same stories instead of a new batch of 40 somethings telling their own.

Jesus Christ....I just realized I will be 60 in less than 20 years. 😳

If you want to feel better at every bomber home game the 5k plus people around the rum hut the whole game are 18 to 35. I see a pretty even split in the stands. Mostly 20 to 30 or 50 plus. 

[Super Duper Negatron]

Anyone remember the year we brought in a bunch of young hot shot QBs? I swear there were four of them and there was a giant splash in the paper.

Terry Dean? Steve Pelleur? Others?

Did I make this up? Possibly.

1 minute ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

Anyone remember the year we brought in a bunch of young hot shot QBs? I swear there were four of them and there was a giant splash in the paper.

Terry Dean? Steve Pelleur? Others?

Did I make this up? Possibly.

Oh God, they were backups to Sammy Garza. There is no reason I should remember those names.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Super Duper Negatron

[Arnold_Palmer]

6 hours ago, WinnipegGordo said:

Any Siddeeq Shabazz fans out there? Didnt he make the news a few years ago for impersonating a college player or did I dream it? 

He was very good here back in 2009. What happened to him? Why did he only play one year with the team. 

[Goldkobra]

13 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

He was very good here back in 2009. What happened to him? Why did he only play one year with the team. 

I remember stories about him eye balling any fans who spoke to his girlfriend at practice. 

[Mark F]

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

 

Another picture of Cec. Luining.

"The Selkirk milk man. "

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Mark F

[Noeller]

There's someone out there with a Shabazz Bombers jersey......I've seen it. Similarly, there is a Bombers fan in Calgary who has a Ladarus Vann jersey that I see at McMahon at almost every Bombers game....

[bearpants]

37 minutes ago, Noeller said:

There's someone out there with a Shabazz Bombers jersey......I've seen it. Similarly, there is a Bombers fan in Calgary who has a Ladarus Vann jersey that I see at McMahon at almost every Bombers game....

My friend has a Shabazz jersey... but I don't think he's worn it in public in quite a while...

[wbbfan]

Remember reggie jones, the wr we picked up right before the play offs in 04 and who for 2 or 3 games was putting up tons of yards then disappeared? Idr if it was him, or if it happened again with a WR we picked up off of the argos PR. 

[Fan Boy]

15 hours ago, Rod Black said:

June 21, 1984. B.C. Sucks Lions play the Blue at Winnipeg Stadium. We hated B.C. then. Huge thunder, lightning, and rain storm delays the game. On the east side under the stands a foot of water has people slogging to the beer lines during the delay. Beers get completely sold out. Game restarts and the sidelines are still covered in water to about 10 yards onto the field. B. C. Receiver gives up misses a throw because he didn’t want to get his feet wet near the sideline. The place was nuts. Next seasons season ticket motto was something like “Feel the Thunder”! 

Oh that one I remember very well. I had 2 season tickets that year and no one wanted to go. Bunch of candies made of sugar. I sat in my trenchcoat under the upper deck canopy and watched the kids on the rotating swings melt in their seats as the EX was on in the parking lot. I thought that was earlier in the year and just an exhibition game. players were standing on top of the bench except some guys who were doing slip and slides. 

[Arnold_Palmer]

4 hours ago, wbbfan said:

If you want to feel better at every bomber home game the 5k plus people around the rum hut the whole game are 18 to 35. I see a pretty even split in the stands. Mostly 20 to 30 or 50 plus. 

I’m 30 years old I can pretty much guarantee you hardly anyone under the age of 30 cares too much about CFL football it’s too bad. They really need to start catering to young people. With the rise of fantasy football and how huge the NFL name is a lot of people are more interested in the NFL these days.

[Bubba Zanetti]

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

There's someone out there with a Shabazz Bombers jersey......I've seen it. Similarly, there is a Bombers fan in Calgary who has a Ladarus Vann jersey that I see at McMahon at almost every Bombers game....

The man who ended Jesse Lumsden's career. I still have nightmares of the game in Aug 2007 against Hamilton. Ill never forget it was Neil McKinlay's first(and last) start at linebacker, and Jesse Lumsden turned him into a clown shoe rushing for like 2414145 yards that game. I think he had two 50+ yard TD runs in that game IIRC. They were a 3-15 team that year but b****-slapped us that game.