Three-peat Kickoff Countdown

[Bubba Zanetti]

46 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

#29. Leo Lewis. Another Bomber Legend and Hero. The sixth player added to the original Ring of Honour. One of the coolest nicknames I can recall. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Lewis_(running_back)

 

These are his yards per carry over the first 10 years of his career. Dear god. Why did these Bomber teams even bother throwing the ball?!?!?

6.2
6.9
7.0
6.5
8.7
7.1
6.5
5.2
7.4
5.4

 

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Bubba Zanetti

[Jesse]

15 minutes ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

 

These are his yards per carry over the first 10 years of his career. Dear god. Why did these Bomber teams even bother throwing the ball?!?!?

6.2
6.9
7.0
6.5
8.7
7.1
6.5
5.2
7.4
5.4

 

 

I don't believe they did very often, lol.

[Stickem]

One of the outstanding plays I ever witnessed or half witnessed cuz the fog was so thick, was the throw by Ploen, into what seemed like thick soup to Leo, who came up with a catch 30 yds down field.... Looked like Ploen just threw it up and Lewis ran out of the cloud bank ball in hand... Those two had to have had the best chemistry of any qb. and receiver ever.....They just knew by instinct where the other guy would be.... Leo could do it all....running or receiving.....Tough to stop and a good reason why we were racking up those Cup wins in the late 50's and early sixties

Edited May 12, 2022 by Stickem

[TrueBlue4ever]

2 hours ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

 

These are his yards per carry over the first 10 years of his career. Dear god. Why did these Bomber teams even bother throwing the ball?!?!?

6.2
6.9
7.0
6.5
8.7
7.1
6.5
5.2
7.4
5.4

 

 

He also had a career 18.2 yard average per reception (to put that in perspective, of the other Bomber RB greats Roberts was 9.2, Harris 9.1, Reaves 10.6, and greatest receiver ever Stegall 17.7) and on kick returns had a 29.1 yard average (3rd best all-time in the CFL), topping 32 yards per return in 3 separate seasons. 

[Mark H.]

2 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

He also had a career 18.2 yard average per reception (to put that in perspective, of the other Bomber RB greats Roberts was 9.2, Harris 9.1, Reaves 10.6, and greatest receiver ever Stegall 17.7) and on kick returns had a 29.1 yard average (3rd best all-time in the CFL), topping 32 yards per return in 3 separate seasons. 

It would be interesting to know if there was a difference in how RBs were utilized

In today's game, they are mostly the outlet valve as a receiver, and they have to fight for much of their yardage 

[Fred C Dobbs]

Lewis was involved in what's still one of my most favourite Bomber plays of all time. It was in the 1958 Grey Cup and the Bombers are down 0-14. QB Jim Van Pelt laterals to Lewis who starts running to his right but then stops and, with a TiCat hanging on to his leg, throws a pass back to Van Pelt, who'd run a route down field. Van Pelt catches the pass and takes it in for the first Bomber TD.

[SpeedFlex27]

Wylie Turner #28,

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

Tight End Paul Markle #28

 

[SpeedFlex27]

Sad to find out one of my favourite players has died. Flanker Bob Larose had passed away three weeks ago. Great player as I remember. 

[TrueBlue4ever]

The reason no one will wear today’s number again. The second of three retired numbers in honour of this legend. 

[SpeedFlex27]

Is it retired? Leo Lewis number is still active, I believe. The Bombers don't like to retire numbers.

Edited May 13, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[TrueBlue4ever]

8 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Is it retired? Leo Lewis number is still active, I believe. The Bombers don't like to retire numbers.

Per Ed Tait when he did a deep dive into all the numbers worn by players:

https://www.bluebombers.com/blue-by-the-numbers/
 

The Bombers haven’t formally retired numbers, but the following are officially no longer available to players:

11 – Worn by hall of famer Ken Ploen, the face of this franchise during his playing days from 1957-67 and later into his retirement. Ploen also wore 89, as did many players of that era who played both sides of the ball.

28 – Jeff Nicklin was a decorated Bomber from 1934-40 before becoming a decorated soldier in World War II, passing away on the battlefield in 1945. The winner of the Most Outstanding Player Award in the West Division is annually presented with the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy.

75 – As a tribute to Tommy Lumsden, who played end, defensive end, tackle and guard for the Bombers from 1951-54 but passed away at the age of 25 in a Winnipeg hospital while suffering a gall bladder attack near Beausejour. The Tommy Lumsden Trophy is presented annually to the Bombers’ top Canadian player.

[Bubba Zanetti]

38 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Per Ed Tait when he did a deep dive into all the numbers worn by players:

https://www.bluebombers.com/blue-by-the-numbers/
 

The Bombers haven’t formally retired numbers, but the following are officially no longer available to players:

11 – Worn by hall of famer Ken Ploen, the face of this franchise during his playing days from 1957-67 and later into his retirement. Ploen also wore 89, as did many players of that era who played both sides of the ball.

28 – Jeff Nicklin was a decorated Bomber from 1934-40 before becoming a decorated soldier in World War II, passing away on the battlefield in 1945. The winner of the Most Outstanding Player Award in the West Division is annually presented with the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy.

75 – As a tribute to Tommy Lumsden, who played end, defensive end, tackle and guard for the Bombers from 1951-54 but passed away at the age of 25 in a Winnipeg hospital while suffering a gall bladder attack near Beausejour. The Tommy Lumsden Trophy is presented annually to the Bombers’ top Canadian player.

Article also mentions: Brad Fotty, who has been in the position since 1990, has since put Walby’s 63 and Stegall’s 85 out of commission. The same was done for Bob Cameron’s 6.

Edited May 13, 2022 by Bubba Zanetti

[Jesse]

15 hours ago, Mark H. said:

It would be interesting to know if there was a difference in how RBs were utilized

In today's game, they are mostly the outlet valve as a receiver, and they have to fight for much of their yardage 

They ran their Wing-T offence where there where like, 4 guys lined up behind the centre. 2 of them being"QBs". but just a whole lot of guys taking off in different directions. 

I can't imagine it would have been fun to watch by our standards today.

[TrueBlue4ever]

1 hour ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

Article also mentions: Brad Fotty, who has been in the position since 1990, has since put Walby’s 63 and Stegall’s 85 out of commission. The same was done for Bob Cameron’s 6.

6 has since been re-activated. With Walby being the first person ever on the Ring of Honour, and Stegall quite possibly the most talented Bomber ever, those other two numbers may stay unworn for a long time. 

[Mark H.]

2 hours ago, Jesse said:

They ran their Wing-T offence where there where like, 4 guys lined up behind the centre. 2 of them being"QBs". but just a whole lot of guys taking off in different directions. 

I can't imagine it would have been fun to watch by our standards today.

Sounds like a whole lot of smash mouth football.

[Jesse]

1 minute ago, Mark H. said:

Sounds like a whole lot of smash mouth football.

I feel - don't know - that it was more pitches to guys running outside than a hand off striaght down the middle. 

[SpeedFlex27]

8 hours ago, Jesse said:

They ran their Wing-T offence where there where like, 4 guys lined up behind the centre. 2 of them being"QBs". but just a whole lot of guys taking off in different directions. 

I can't imagine it would have been fun to watch by our standards today.

They didn't run Wing T. That's a tight, tight, TIGHT formation. The OL have no splits. The FB lines up a couple of inches behind the QB & is called "The Sniffer" ( I kid you not. That is what he was called). The backs are lined up on the hips of both TE's on the LOS half a yard behind the LOS. They are there to prevent any leakage of any defenders coming wide & tackling the ball carrier from behind. There is just one receiver on the LOS & he may be thrown at one or 2 times a game. It was used in college in the US & was successful in the 1930's & 40's. The misdirection works because defenders can't see the ball carrier. They also use a wedge where the OL all charge the centre of the DL & push forward. It's very powerful & physical offense. But totally outdated. Even in the 50's. There are usually four running backs.

I won a provincial championship using that offense when I was a pee wee HC & my son was the qb. We couldn't be stopped. We KILLED everyone we played. Perfect offense for 11 & 12 year olds where the passing game is unrefined. But that was 2003. Today, you have phenoms who are 11 & can throw!! As well as performing reads & progressions. The game is changing. QB coaching is much, much better than it was when I coached. PS, I never called our fullback, "The Sniffer". I didn't want him to be embarrassed with the name. And Tyler wouldn't appreciate someone two inches behind him lining up right behind his ass. The QB was called "The Spinner" because every handoff is a reverse handoff. Even lead plays. Tyler had to learn to spin around fast & give the ball to his FB. 

The Bombers used a Split T offense. The OL were split  on the LOS. It spread out the defense & created running lanes for the backs. Ken Ploen ran the Split T at Iowa & won a Rose Bowl in 1957. Bud Grant was going to run the Split T with the Bombers & he needed a qb who understood the offense & that is how Ploen came to Winnipeg. 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[Jesse]

I feel like Ploen called it the wing t in interviews. But thanks for the info. I have seen the tiniest of video clips from the era.

[Noeller]

In the Bombers Traditions DVD, I'm certain Ploen called it the Wing T or a variation of it. He took what they were doing in Iowa and brought it to the Peg. 

[SpeedFlex27]

I'm embarrassed to say that I was totally wrong. I was describing the Double Wing offense & not the Wing T.  It's been 20 years, sorry. 

Double Wing:

No splits on the LOS. Super tight formation. You can see where the FB lines up right behind the QB.  No way the Bombers ran this. 

Wing T: Like the Double Wing based on speed & misdirection to confuse defenders. 

Split T:

This is the base formation I remember seeing whenever the Bombers played under Grant. You can see the wider splits on the OL. This created running lanes for the backs & also spread out the defense. The T refers to the 4 "full house" backfield. Hence the name Split T. 

Once again, sorry for the mix up on my part. How I got the Double Wing mixed up with the Wing T & Split T is beyond me. I guess I just had my senior moment for the day, 

 

Edited May 14, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

Okay, back to the countdown. The first player is someone I discussed on the interesting nickname thread...

 

Dave Raimey. 

Gord Rowland

Paul Bennett

Edited May 14, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[TrueBlue4ever]

Great choices Speed. 27 is a popular number, with notable running backs Johnny Augustine and Robert Mimbs, DB Kelly “Mr. Sharpie” Malveaux, and no less than 6 Blue Bomber Hall of Fame members. The 3 above plus 1930’s-era guard Bill Nairn, 1970’s-era RB Jim Washington, and today’s choice for me who stands above all of them. Revolutionized the game and had a stadium erected because of him. Pretty good legacy. 

[SpeedFlex27]

5 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Great choices Speed. 27 is a popular number, with notable running backs Johnny Augustine and Robert Mimbs, DB Kelly “Mr. Sharpie” Malveaux, and no less than 6 Blue Bomber Hall of Fame members. The 3 above plus 1930’s-era guard Bill Nairn, 1970’s-era RB Jim Washington, and today’s choice for me who stands above all of them. Revolutionized the game and had a stadium erected because of him. Pretty good legacy. 

Washington was a helluva back. Had at least one thousand yards season. He & Steve Beaird were pretty damned good. Throw in Richard Crump subbing in & that was a great backfield Dieter Brock had to work with. 

[SpeedFlex27]