Bluer than Blue in Bomberland

"We're all about winning here"-- Blue Bomber GM Brendan Taman offering up the positioning slogan, that hasn't had many takers in the first three weeks of the CFL season.

The talk shows have been shall we say heated, as discussion percolates over what’s wrong with the Bombers and what needs to be done to turn around what so far is turning into a disastrous season.

.

Winnipeg, last year’s Eastern representative in the Grey Cup was considered by many to be a favourite to make a return journey to the big game this fall in Montreal.

.

However, if the first three weeks of the season are any indication, then players, management and fans had best start calling their travel agents for a group discount as spectators, for if their play on the field is any indication thus far, then that’s their only hope of having to enjoy the sights of Montreal in the fall.

.

From a hopeful game one, things have quickly spun out of control on the football field on the side of Maroons Road, with an especially nasty exclamation point provided by last Friday’s game against the BC Lions, which truly wasn’t near as close as that 42-24 score indicated.

.
Winnipeg’s sudden slide into ineptitude seems to have resulted in a fair amount of internal frustration, with coaches pointing at players and some of the players intimating that things aren’t particularly rosy behind the scenes of Winnipeg’s football team.

.

Kevin Glenn has found himself in the centre of the hurricane, last year’s leader to the Grey Cup (a journey suddenly cut short by a season ending injury in the Eastern final) suddenly finds that those boos are heading his way as pass after pass misses a mark or becomes inexplicably dropped by once sure handed receivers.

.

Ryan Dinwiddie was the crowd favourite by the end of Friday’s game, though even he must have realized that his success was more a case of the Lions letting up than any great renaissance of the Bomber game plan, yet as the Bombers prepare to head west for the return match with the Lions, more than a few Blue boosters are suggesting that he should be taking the first snap on Friday night.

.
That’s an unlikely scenario; Glenn will be tapped on the shoulder we suspect either until he breaks out his personal slump or the bomber management makes the decision that the Quarterback position suddenly is their number one requirement.

.

The QB controversies were supposed to be found in BC and Toronto this season, and while the Argos have done their best to keep that theory alive, the Lions no doubt are feeling a lot more confident in Jarious Jackson after Friday night’s performance.

.

Winnipeg however now has the makings of their own controversy, though it’s unlikely that the still young and learning Dinwiddie is to be tapped as the season saving game time decision.

What will be interesting to watch in the Peg will be where the Bombers go for a change that seems necessary after three disappointing results to start the season.

.
However, if the tone of the city is any indication something has to happen quickly, a situation that won’t aided by this week’s opponent.

.
The Bombers travel to Vancouver for the second of their back to back matches with the Lions, a game that will be yet another emotional moment for the Lions as they and their fans celebrate the life of the late Bob Ackles.

.

It’s a game which will once again no doubt find the Lions more than a little charged to perform on the field, something that doesn’t bode well for the bombers being 1-3 by 10 pm Friday night.

.
Below we harvest a few of the observations of the Bomber situation over the last couple of days... .

.
Winning cures it all
Blue Bombers baffled
Winless Bombers in line for makeover, GM reveals
Berry won't make changes simply for sake of sending message
Paging Dr. Frankenstein
Glenn still starter: Berry
Looking for leaders
Berry's wrath could mean overhaul
Blue hit rock bottom
What is that smell?
Worst in the league