Darren Cameron Blog (for discussion): "Patience Is A Virtue"

[Noeller]

http://www.bluebombers.com/2016/02/27/blog-patience-is-a-virtue/

Patience is a tough thing to ask of fans that have been longing for a winner for decades. I get it. We get it. Will 2016 be the year our fortunes turn around? I can’t promise you anything, but I can promise you that this franchise is in the right hands and is headed in the right direction.

But of course I’m going to say that, right? After all, the team signs my paycheques.

They do, but they don’t pay me to spread lies, and I certainly wouldn’t write it if I didn’t believe it. Heck, I wouldn’t have written the above preluding many of the seasons I’ve been here. But something you develop over a long period of countless hours in the sports business, is a strong sense for what feels right or wrong heading into a new season; knowing when things are actually on the right track, or when they aren’t. It’s often people like myself, or Al Couture (Head Therapist), or Brad Fotty (Equipment Manager), who aren’t at the forefront of decision-making but toil behind the scenes and see everything, that know the real state of affairs.

CEO Wade Miller? Yes, he’s my boss, but he gets it. He’s implemented things here that fans don’t see but that matter in the long run both on and off the field.  He knows it’s the small things that go a long way, like calling a veteran free agent after he’s signed with the team to congratulate him and send his son a Bomber jersey. The player in question told me, “in all my years being in the league, that’s never happened.” Do the small things win you games? Directly, no. Indirectly, yes. They win respect. To Wade, these small gestures are simply second-nature, but that’s another topic.

GM Kyle Walters?  He knew the state of the roster he took over, specifically the position we were in regarding our Canadian depth and lack of a long-term quarterback. We spend nearly every day talking football, talking about our team, and exhausting every option to improve the roster. He knew from the get-go how he wanted to build his team, but he also knew it wasn’t going to happen overnight. I go back to what he told the Winnipeg Free Press in July 2014, after a strong 3-0 start: “You have to count on the draft and overspend in free agency to get better Canadians. You can’t do it in July.” In other words, this takes years to build, not one month and three wins. Not even two years and 12 wins.

Finally, this season we are starting to see that development come to fruition. Sukh Chungh (2^nd overall, 2015) will return in 2016 after starting every game for us last season at guard. To put that in perspective, and to highlight just how challenging that is to accomplish as a rookie offensive lineman, Sukh is one of only five lineman drafted in the past three years to start ten or more games in a season. Over one spot, Matthias Goossen (2^ndoverall, 2014) will take over at centre after being drafted as a 21-year-old.  Matthias is one of only three lineman drafted in 2014 who made a start (six total) in 2015. Meanwhile, Derek Jones had a career-high 15 special teams tackles (fourth round, 2014). An example of a what good drafting can do to help your club in time.

Head Coach Mike O’Shea? I’ve made my point on Mike in previous blogs. He is the best Head Coach I’ve ever worked with, without question. I thought Pinball Clemons put it very well in the Argos’ video tribute last season: “He made me better as an opponent. He made me better as a teammate. And he made me better as a person. One of my favourite people on the planet, without question.”

The guy has passion for the game and our league like nobody I’ve ever known. His compete level, desire to win, and love for the sport is apparent within minutes of meeting him. For example; Friday, August 14, 2015 – our first game following some major injuries to Drew Willy, Darvin Adams and Paris Cotton. Mike walked into the locker room five minutes before team introductions. He called everyone together, and with the fallen guys standing in the circle, addressed each one of their replacements. And with his eyes starting to well-up he said; “this is why, before I had a *** Swiss ball (he sits on a Swiss ball in his office instead of a chair) and a computer, and I had one of those (points to a locker) and a roll of tape, these were my favourite games. It’s your *** chance to honour your teammates. You get to look around and do it for those guys (pointing to Paris, Drew, and Darvin),” his voice now shaky. “These are the best games to play for.”

I could write for days of examples like this one, and I will in time, but all this to say that our football team is in great hands with Mike O’Shea as our Head Coach, and I’m excited to see what 2016 brings for him. He deserves the success that will come.

With injuries and roster turnover to get the team where it needs to be, the club had 80 different players take the field for at least one game last season, the third-highest total in CFL history.

“We knew all along that this was going to take time,” Kyle told me recently when I broached the topic. “Of course the Canadian depth end of things was without question going to take time, but developing the respect to garner interest from players and developing our way of doing things here was going to take time. I think we have finally turned that corner.”

It’s true. During free agency in 2014, we sent out offer after offer, only to, for the most part, get a ‘thank you, but no thank you’ reply back. Last season was a bit better. And this season our offers, which were really no different than any other club’s financially, were accepted. One after the other, everything fell into place. Everyone talks about how we were so aggressive in 2016, but the reality is that the past few years have been quite similar in our approach, the only difference is that now players want to play here.

With February just about behind us, we look ahead to the Combine, and then mini-camp in April. This year, we won’t be hosting it in Florida but rather here in Winnipeg, so we encourage fans to attend. We’ll get more information out in the coming weeks.

 

[rebusrankin]

Nice but this regime needs to produce.  12-24 the past two years and some awful football to boot.

[Mike]

I know most people won't because of the on-field performance, but there's a lot to be taken from that article. The main thing is that while for the moment it's easy to argue the decisions that are being made, the process behind those decisions is a good one. Players want to be here - now we just have to improve on choosing the ones we want here. The morale inside the office, the locker room, the entirety of the stadium ... it's as high as it's been for a long time and that's 100% because of the culture Miller, Walters and O'Shea have instilled. People like going to work while they're here and that matters.

Now just get the on-field stuff right. 

[17to85]

says he can't promise anything, immediately makes a promise. It's reasons like that this blog is unreadble most times. 

[IC Khari]

Edited February 28, 2016 by IC Khari

[Fatty Liver]

6 hours ago, IC Khari said:

 

That was a better cartoon when Betty had bigguns too.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Throw Long Bannatyne

[Guest J5V]

My concerns with this club remain, in no particular order, Miller and the BOD, O'Shea, PLOP and Hall, Walters and the scouting staff, the OL, and the depth of overall talent on the club. The state of our club last year was that we didn't out-coach anyone, were not prepared to start games, did not have good schemes, did not make good adjustments during the game or at the half, were undisciplined, made questionable roster decisions, and lacked mental toughness. I'm not sure how the changes we've made in the off-season are going to address these issues. I'm hoping for the best but keeping my expectations low. 

[BRT]

pretty much my thoughts have been expressed by most of the above. Nice discussion about nice guys - but nothing counts other than the win-loss record IMHO. Everything else is just Jibber Jabber.

[Taynted_Fayth]

Its year 3, patience has come and gone. Its really put up or gtfo time for this regime. Anything less then 10-8 imo is a fail, yes even 9-9. They need a winning record to justify any future employment imo

[White Out]

3 hours ago, Mike said:

I know most people won't because of the on-field performance, but there's a lot to be taken from that article. The main thing is that while for the moment it's easy to argue the decisions that are being made, the process behind those decisions is a good one. Players want to be here - now we just have to improve on choosing the ones we want here. The morale inside the office, the locker room, the entirety of the stadium ... it's as high as it's been for a long time and that's 100% because of the culture Miller, Walters and O'Shea have instilled. People like going to work while they're here and that matters.

Now just get the on-field stuff right. 

This is a football team, not a country club. I couldn't possibly give less of a #### if players enjoyed their time here behind the scenes. Win on the field. That's what matters. We've been terrible last 2 years but we're supposed  to take solace in the 'behind the scenes atmosphere'? Nope. Nope nope nope nope.

 

Not buying what this guy is selling. And trust me, this guy is selling something.

[Guest J5V]

42 minutes ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

Its year 3, patience has come and gone. Its really put up or gtfo time for this regime. Anything less then 10-8 imo is a fail, yes even 9-9. They need a winning record to justify any future employment imo

Is 3 years a reasonable amount of time to turn this club around? I don't know but I suspect it is. However, for a rookie GM and head coach it might be too big of a mountain to climb and that's on Miller. For these guys it might take 5 or more years. Heck, with our scouting department it might take forever.

[Guest J5V]

10 minutes ago, White Out said:

This is a football team, not a country club. I couldn't possibly give less of a #### if players enjoyed their time here behind the scenes. Win on the field. That's what matters. We've been terrible last 2 years but we're supposed  to take solace in the 'behind the scenes atmosphere'? Nope. Nope nope nope nope.

 

Not buying what this guy is selling. And trust me, this guy is selling something.

He's selling tickets. Miller and co. have to keep the fans on board and nothing will point to failure like empty seats. If Willy, Dressler, Harris et al can develop some chemistry and enjoy some success on offense I think the fans will come out even if we're losing some close games. If Willy gets hurt again and we can't score enough points to win games or we start getting blown out by teams like Saskatchewan then we'll be in real trouble.

[Mike]

51 minutes ago, White Out said:

This is a football team, not a country club. I couldn't possibly give less of a #### if players enjoyed their time here behind the scenes. Win on the field. That's what matters. We've been terrible last 2 years but we're supposed  to take solace in the 'behind the scenes atmosphere'? Nope. Nope nope nope nope.

 

Not buying what this guy is selling. And trust me, this guy is selling something.

Congratulations on your lack of reading comprehension. 

[do or die]

Well, I would really like to enjoy my time...........through watching this team play well and win some bloody games.

Just see to it.

[Mr Dee]

1 hour ago, White Out said:

Not buying what this guy is selling. And trust me, this guy is selling something.

 

Why don't you ask her?

RHÉANNE M.

@WPG_BLUEBOMBERS

[Mr Dee]

*****, *****, *****, (female dog, female dog, female dog)

A soft article comes out in a flavour favourable to the Home Team and invokes such negative reactions. What these people are complaining about is the exact culture of losing that the Bombers are trying to change. As if the names spewed out here, don't want to win with all their being. 

Edited February 28, 2016 by Mr Dee

[kelownabomberfan]

Just win, and all of the complaining goes by the wayside.  Winning fixes everything.

[wbbfan]

I think we have some great pieces in the front office and coaching staff. Im glad we havent gone and fired them and are letting them develop. That said in pro sports, especially the CFL you dont get long term rebuilding periods. Weve fired people over shorter periods of time then mos and this management regime. If they dont make the play offs this year i dont think there is any chance that group is left intact. Maybe wade stays, maybe. Every one under that is gone for sure. If wade wont do it then im sure theyll can him too. 

 I think very highly of this group, and I believe they will show that the wait has been well worth it. They have the tool sets to develop this team into a long term competitor. 

[TBURGESS]

6 hours ago, Mike said:

I know most people won't because of the on-field performance, but there's a lot to be taken from that article. The main thing is that while for the moment it's easy to argue the decisions that are being made, the process behind those decisions is a good one. Players want to be here - now we just have to improve on choosing the ones we want here. The morale inside the office, the locker room, the entirety of the stadium ... it's as high as it's been for a long time and that's 100% because of the culture Miller, Walters and O'Shea have instilled. People like going to work while they're here and that matters.

Now just get the on-field stuff right. 

Just the on-field stuff? You mean winning? That's more important than anything that was in the 'article'.

[IC Khari]

He also said we "won free agency" so no worries

[DR. CFL]

I understand this article is about selling or Hope to people you want to buy your product. But you are in the business of producing a successful product. Grade out your research and development department ( scouting department) for starters, the wins and loses department ......produce or perish is now the order of the day. You can only pump air into a flat tire for so long. The clock has struck 12 Cinderella.

[Guest J5V]

3 hours ago, DR. CFL said:

I understand this article is about selling or Hope to people you want to buy your product. But you are in the business of producing a successful product. Grade out your research and development department ( scouting department) for starters, the wins and loses department ......produce or perish is now the order of the day. You can only pump air into a flat tire for so long. The clock has struck 12 Cinderella.

Yes it does feel like this. Hopefully the bead will seal, the pressure will build, and we'll be rolling towards a winning season soon.

[Old Bomber Fan]

I think that what has happened to this team in the past two years after continual promises and positive comments only to see a decline in performance throughout the entire team from head coach to place kicker explains why many are skeptical about what will happen next. Can you blame them? I doubt it. We all, myself included even though I have not renewed my season tickets, hope they will turn this around. Long gone are the glory days of Tom Clements, James West, Kenny Ploen etc BUT hopefully we can develop a team that is at least entertaining. My biggest complaint over the past several years is they simply are not entertaining and in most instances had already lost by half time. Oh on a few occasions they tried a big comeback in garbage time but the results were similar. Hence I can spend my entertainment dollar on something that is more entertaining and should I want to watch them play (bombers) then I can flip on the TV. Don't think I am a wagon jumper as I have been a loyal fan for over 62 years however even a blind squirrel can find the acorn once in awhile. Good luck, you will need it!

[IC Khari]

[Bigblue204]

10 hours ago, IC Khari said:

He also said we "won free agency" so no worries

Um, no he didn't. The CFL said we did and changed the title of his article.