Fear Not Bomber Fans (Doug Brown FP Article)

[Noeller]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/fear-not-loyal-blue-bombers-fans-277548601.html?cx_navSource=d-top-story

 

 

Sometimes, to fully appreciate what you have, you need to take a moment to step back and see where and what you came from.

While the city and team are understandably reeling from the angst of losing a critical game with first-and-goal on their opponent's three-yard line, the fact the Blue and Gold are trading blows with each and every opponent down the stretch is a magical promised land far, far and away from what we suffered through last year.

 

While it is never politically correct to stand on the laurels of improvement, and to accept mediocrity as a standard of performance, we have to realize less than a season ago this team was checking off benchmarks of futility.

On the freeway to 3-15, the Bombers surrendered 224 more points than they scored, and on average, they were losing games by more than two touchdowns -- a differential of more than 16 points a game -- including losses of 37-7, 53-17, 38-11 and 37-14. Those aren't competitive football games -- that's the men's league Saturday afternoon weekend warrior exhibition schedule against a bunch of old pros.

They were led by a coach that became beleaguered and bewildered at the controls, and a carousel of QBs that were spinning faster than usual, with four different pivots getting time under centre.

In only one off-season and parts of the 2014 season, with the urgency of a surgeon removing necrotic tissue, great swaths of management, players and coaches were cut away from the team. To have recovered to the point where the Bombers are relevant again and in the thick of things as the season turns its final corner, is nothing short of remarkable and inspiring.

Whether they bust out of this slump in Ottawa on Friday night and reignite their hopes in the playoff race with five games remaining, or continue to be one play away from the team that everyone wants them to be, one thing is for certain: This franchise has not had this kind of promise and potential at quarterback and head coach since Facebook was created.

Drew Willy is only 27, and this is essentially his rookie season. To be sure it would have been nice for him to finish that drive in the dying moments and pull one out of the fire -- like he already has several times this year -- but what are your expectations for a first-year QB? He is currently leading the league in passing yards, and has the third-highest QB rating of any pivot that has thrown more than 300 balls. Certainly you can nitpick on his TD-to-interception ratio, but in that same grouping of quarterbacks, only Ricky Ray has a better completion percentage. For an unproven player that was brought in to lead a 3-15 football team, if you can say anything definitively about Willy, it's that he has overachieved in his debut.

Any criticism of his development and performance thus far is simply unrealistic and short-sighted.

As for the head coach -- yet another freshman phenom -- we have a leader that is unconditionally revered and respected by his players. It is obvious they have bought in to Mike O'Shea's teachings and style, and love playing for him. He doesn't offer up excuses, holds himself accountable, and has gotten more out of this football team than anyone thought possible.

No matter how October plays out, the Bombers can go into the off-season knowing who and what the foundation of their football team is.

And when you don't have to scramble to find another handful of hopeful pivots, or have to wonder about how to get out of yet another head-coaching extension, you might be surprised by just how good this team could be by 2015.

If they make the same strides from this year to the next, as they did from last year to this season, there is truly nothing out of the realm of possibility.

[pigseye]

Cleanup the turnovers and penalties and they'd be contenders this year never mind next.

[DR. CFL]

Every team can say that.

[pigseye]

Other than Ottawa maybe but they get a pass this year.

 

I look at the Bombers and see:

 

A QB who can get the job done

A reliable FG kicker

A stout defense

 

That's pretty much all you need if the coaching is up to snuff.

[Noeller]

...and a HC who gets this team to go through walls for him. Between MOS and Willy, we're gonna be set for a long time...as long as our OL doesn't get Willy killed.

[bearpants]

...and a HC who gets this team to go through walls for him. Between MOS and Willy, we're gonna be set for a long time...as long as our OL doesn't get Willy killed.

 

I think that's the most important take away here... for the first time in years we have a quality HC and QB to build around... now we just need to fill in all the surrounding holes...

[robynjt]

I shake my head at the results of the last few games - but I want to be clear I absolutely agree with this article and the posts here.  Ya, it sucks to lose, but the team is light years above where it has been the last few years.  

[Mark F]

really good article, thanks for posting it.

 

This means a lot coming from Doug Brown, who is definitely not afraid to say what he really thinks.

[ediger]

 

...and a HC who gets this team to go through walls for him. Between MOS and Willy, we're gonna be set for a long time...as long as our OL doesn't get Willy killed.

 

I think that's the most important take away here... for the first time in years we have a quality HC and QB to build around... now we just need to fill in all the surrounding holes...

 

 

Totally. One of the big things that's holding this team back is it's inability to attract top end free agents and coordinators. With a proper HC and QB in place, it should be much easier this off-season.

[17to85]

 

...and a HC who gets this team to go through walls for him. Between MOS and Willy, we're gonna be set for a long time...as long as our OL doesn't get Willy killed.

 

I think that's the most important take away here... for the first time in years we have a quality HC and QB to build around... now we just need to fill in all the surrounding holes...

 

Well that and not run them out of town at the first hiccup. Hell we already see people griping about Willy and MOS...

[Stickem]

Although I agree with most of what Doug said, it's not easy for fans of a team that hasn't won the Cup in 24 years to not express concern. Anytime there is a slide, like what is occurring now, it's easy to see why the locals get a bit antsy. Sure we've made progress, but outdoing that clown show from last year, wasn't that hard to accomplish. We're still a long way from the 'promised land', as Brown likes to put it, and the feeling of futility of no Cup appearance is always there, especially IF we don't at least make a playoff spot. Should we have expected that? I think the possibility of that was a definite or close to it early on in the season, and to see it evaporate has a lot of fans wondering about the regression. The fact is we can still make post season play if we get out of this funk and get a few injured guys back. I don't agree with already looking at next year, like Doug infers, not when there's still hope in 2014. I guess I've always been a guy with the 'glass is half full' type, and I wish a few more of the media guys in this city had the same bent. Meanwhile on to Ottawa and start turning this thing around.

[mbrg]

Shocked to see Brown isn't advocating "tough love"!

[Floyd]

Great article...   for the first time in what seems like forever, it doesn't feel like we are just putting in time until the next 'rebuild'