Gerry James Latest Ring Of Honour Inductee

[Noeller]

Blue Bombers ✔ @Wpg_BlueBombers

Gerry James announced as the 3rd inductee to the Ring of Honour

[BomberBall]

A bit of an odd choice?

Played for the Bombers and the Maple Leafs, which is pretty unique.

[Noeller]

and is another local, right? Born and raised Winnipeg...?

[Mike]

You can look at this one of two ways, both marketing related

1. This is a bad choice, because it does nothing to fill the empty seats. Gerry James being inducted into the ring won't have the same appeal as Milt Stegall being inducted and it's not going to increase ticket sales for a team that needs it right now.

2. This is a smart choice, because it prevents a guy who holds appeal like Milt Stegall from being inducted in front of 75% capacity.

[Jpan85]

Yeah I think you see Milt inducted at the Banjo Bowl

[Bomber_fanaddict]

5 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

Yeah I think you see Milt inducted at the Banjo Bowl

It should be Westwood at the Banjo LOL

[Bomber_fanaddict]

Maybe they are just trying to get the guys who have a short shelf life left here before they have passed on!

[17to85]

There really isn't a need to get everyone in right away, Got a bunch of home games left and then year to add more. 

[Stickem]

Gerry James was a winner....and one helluva athlete...He was a big part of the Bud Grant era when we actually had a powerhouse of a team that lasted for years...I have not seen that here since and it's too bad the younger fans of today haven't experienced that type of team, then they'd realize what we really had....James deserves all of the accolades they can bestow upon him ...James and Grant are synonymous as far as former Bombers go....Well deserved.

[iso_55]

7 hours ago, Bomber_fanaddict said:

Maybe they are just trying to get the guys who have a short shelf life left here before they have passed on!

I thought James had passed away but he hasn't. I just hope the team isn't that cynical that it saves better known players they think will sell tickets to games that are deemed as more important. There shouldn't be some kind of agenda. I'll say this, Milt was an outstanding Blue Bomber receiver & the best who ever played the position but how many rings does he have? None. James I think has 4. And the guy played for the Leafs in the SIX TEAM NHL as well as for the Bombers. That in itself is incredible. Yet I read here that some think he's not as important which I think is unfortunate. I hope that isn't the case from the Bombers. Don't make the decisions & why political. Treat all these guys the same as they deserve it.

Edited July 19, 2016 by iso_55

[Fatty Liver]

45 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

I thought James had passed away but he hasn't. I just hope the team isn't that cynical that it saves players they think will sell tickets to games that are deemed as more important. All these guys deserve to be recognized fairly. I'll say this, Milt was an outstanding receiver but how many rings does he have? None. James I think has 4. And the guy played for the Leafs in the SIX TEAM NHL as well as for the Bombers. That in itself is incredible. Yet it seems he's not as important which I think is unfortunate. I hope that isn't the case from the Bombers.

I'm surprised James is still alive as well, in all my years following the Bombers I can't recall him ever being featured for any honours or attending any reunions.  Hopefully he's still in good enough shape to attend the ceremony.

On a somewhat off note isn't Graham James somehow related?

[iso_55]

Just now, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

I'm surprised James is still alive as well, in all my years following the Bombers I can't recall him ever being featured for any honours or attending any reunions.  Hopefully he's still in good enough shape to attend the ceremony.

On a somewhat off note isn't Graham James somehow related?

I've never heard that about the infamous other James. Gerry James left the Bombers over a contract dispute. I've read that James felt Bud Grant didn't think much of Canadian players & he felt he didn't treat them very well. I think he may have played for the Riders. Not sure about that. I know he lived in Estevan for a few years & coached the Estevan Bruins in the SJHL.

[Old Bomber Fan]

A great choice for not only Canadian talent but CFL talent as well. A superb two professional sport athlete who wasn't just playing each sport but was a huge contributor in both. Well done. Let's see if some of the other stars of yesteryear are acknowledged as well IE Jack Jacobs, Leo Lewis, Bud Tinsley, Herb Gray to mention only a few and let's not forget Fritzy Hanson who introduced the forward pass to the CFL. Milt will be there and considering he is new news per say he will be inducted on a special day, let's not forget because perhaps we weren't born yet the other greats who made the Bombers a franchise to be feared. Congratulations Gerry!

[iso_55]

I misread the comments about James being inducted in front of a smaller capacity in a less important game. It was a premise presented in a scenario with 2 choices & not necessarily his belief so I apologize to Mike for what I said in my earlier post.

[Goalie]

Of course. I'm going to the game so yup... lol. Good choice tho 

[iso_55]

Fullbacks back then weren't just part time blocking backs. They carried the ball a lot. Almost guaranteed in short yardage but if Lewis got 20 carries in a game I'm sure James got at least 10 & maybe more. It was a runners league back then.

[Fatty Liver]

1 hour ago, iso_55 said:

Fullbacks back then weren't just part time blocking backs. They carried the ball a lot. Almost guaranteed in short yardage but if Lewis got 20 carries in a game I'm sure James got at least 10 & maybe more. It was a runners league back then.

In a recent interview George Reed said that he thinks that the league has moved towards throwing the ball over running because it is easier to implement and operate.  In olden days the turn-over of players was limited to 5 or 6 new players per season so it was easier to implement a running attack and stick with it for multiple years using the same basic personnel. 

[iso_55]

3 hours ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

In a recent interview George Reed said that he thinks that the league has moved towards throwing the ball over running because it is easier to implement and operate.  In olden days the turn-over of players was limited to 5 or 6 new players per season so it was easier to implement a running attack and stick with it for multiple years using the same basic personnel. 

Well that could be but I just think that offenses became more sophisticated as time went on. Football went thru a renaissance in the late 60's with some talented younger coaches who came into the NFL & CFL. They implemented new passing offenses which meant you could run less plays & score more points. Throwing the ball became the thing to do.

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

9 hours ago, iso_55 said:

Fullbacks back then weren't just part time blocking backs. They carried the ball a lot. Almost guaranteed in short yardage but if Lewis got 20 carries in a game I'm sure James got at least 10 & maybe more. It was a runners league back then.

Fullbacks led the league in rushing more than once back then. George Reed and Bill Symons come to mind, I'm sure there's more. I remember BC's Lou Harris (FB) and Monroe Eley (RB) both getting over 1000 in the same year.

[Bomber Diehard]

Gerry James lives in Qualicum up island from Victoria.there house is on a nice golf course plus he gets ticked off that the balls roll onto his property.

Gerry was in town not all that long ago to the Kelvin High reunion and promoting his book.

 

 

[Stickem]

James was golfing on that very course in Qualicum not too long ago...He probably still chips those errant balls back on to the fairway...lol...Andrew Harris played for the Vancouver Island Raiders, in Nanaimo, not too far down the road from where Gerry lives, and he said once that James is the guy he wants to emulate...Andrew picked one heckuva guy to copy...

[Bomber Diehard]

Gerry will be signing autographs starting at 6:15.

He will also have his book there for sale( it is very good)

 

[rebusrankin]

So for the remaining 6 games:

Leo Lewis

Bud Tinsley

Herb Gray

Jack Jacobs

Joe Poplawski

Milt?

[Bomber Diehard]

Bud Grant

Charles Roberts

Mack Herron

 

 

 

[bearpants]

On 18/07/2016 at 7:36 PM, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

On a somewhat off note isn't Graham James somehow related?

I hope not... I would hate to have a local legend associated with a piece of **** like that...

On 18/07/2016 at 7:41 PM, iso_55 said:

I've never heard that about the infamous other James. Gerry James left the Bombers over a contract dispute. I've read that James felt Bud Grant didn't think much of Canadian players & he felt he didn't treat them very well. I think he may have played for the Riders. Not sure about that. 

That's what Wikipedia is for... he played for the Bombers from 1952-62 and then spent 1 season with the Riders in 1964 (not really sure what happened to 1963)...