the 4th star

Here’s Bob Irving on Richard Cloutier Reports this morning, talking about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers decision to cut the phone line to the Mike Kelly Show. Clearly the station is not on board with the move, but faced with the prospect of a watered-down, everything is OK in Bomberland format or canceling the show outright, they had little choice but to embrace a new existence of delivering the Mike Kelly message through rose-coloured glasses. If the house organ wasn’t loud enough before, just wait until you hear the vetted questions from e-mailers in the coming weeks.

And this bullshit about having people step up and challenge Kelly in person at the Upperdeck? Puh-leez. With Hustler & Lawless and Doug Brown bookending Kelly’s hour, that’s a Bomber-friendly zone where the Blue and Gold mob will always rule the day. Here’s Irving and Cloutier:

Irving: Every coach who has ever done this kind of programming, Richard, is going to take some shots because you’re not going to win every game. And when you lose, fans are going to have questions as to why you lost and why you did this and why you did that. Um, I don’t know where to start on this whole issue. I understand…it’s become, with Mike Kelly this year, some of the calls have been very personal. And they have attacked him very personally.

Let me jump in here. What exactly constitutes a personal attack? Can someone please explain to me or give me an example of a caller speaking out of turn about Kelly’s family or his daughters? Did someone say something bad about Andy Reid? Has there been any shots taken at this appearance? Those are personal attacks. Asking the coach of a football team about his record in his only other head coaching position is not a personal attack. Telling him that his offence sucks is not a personal attack. Continue Bob…

Irving: Not the last show but the show before that, when they were beaten here by Montreal at home and then the Monday show…I left the Upperdeck sports bar at McPhillips Casino (where the show is held) just shaking my head thinking that was a tough night for Mike Kelly. It really was. People went after him in a vicious, vicious nasty way, and I felt for the guy. Now having said that, I understand how difficult it can be. You and I have done open-line radio for years, and when you open the phone lines up, you’re putting yourself on the line. And you’ve been told you’re an idiot — so have I — that’s the way it goes when you do open lines. And if you’re not prepared to accept some of that, you better move on.

Cloutier: Peter Warren taught me way back when…he used to have a little annual gathering where he’d throw the hate letters into the fire. That type of thing. It goes with the territory, Bob.

Irving: It does and in particular in pro sports, the head coach of any team in any city in North America, when the team is struggling they’re going to get some heat from the fans. That’s just the way it works. And Mike Kelly understands that, so does Lyle Bauer. Mike has been extremely confrontational, more so than any coach I’ve ever done this show with — not even close. Not. Even. Close. He’s been very confrontational, so he’s brought a lot of this on himself there’s no doubt about that. But he would, as he did in that comment, he would justify that by saying ‘Hey I’m from Philadelphia and when people lash out at me I lash back out at them.’

Here’s where it gets good. Irving goes out of his way to tell listeners that it is not CJOB’s decision to cut access to the coach. It appears Irving and Cloutier do not need telephones to take a few shots at Kelly:

Irving: I want people to understand that it’s not our idea. CJOB did not propose this, this comes from Lyle Bauer and Mike Kelly. They wanted to eliminate the phone-in portion of the Mike Kelly Show. That left us with basically two choices: We compromise, and go along and do the show and have questions from e-mailers and people who are at Upperdeck sports bar, or we eliminate the show.

We discussed both options and we’ll discuss both options again during the off-season, but we felt that for now the show is still worthwhile doing. It was worthwhile doing having Mike Kelly on for an hour every Monday night to talk about his football team because he is the head coach — people want to know what he has to say. So we agreed to this. We reluctantly agreed to this. As I’ve said, I’ve done this for a long time and I know it can be tough. Doug Berry last year got assailed some nights when they were on their way to a 2-8 record but he was able to suck it up and fight through it. I say to the listeners and the fans, were not in favour of this but we’ve agreed to it. We’ve respected the opinions of Lyle Bauer and Mike Kelly and we’ve agreed to do it for the rest of the year.

It’s regrettable in my opinion, that the fans — and the fans pay the salaries of these coaches and players — and if they forget that, then they need to be reminded of it. We regret that they won’t be able to interact on the phone with Mike Kelly anymore.

Cloutier: This is one of those situations where, having heard some of those calls, you think that’s not a majority of the people. Most people, I think, are reasonable human beings and understand the intricacies of a football team winning and losing. But when a coach is out there and ramping up the heat and then you decide at some point I’ve had enough heat, I’m backing off here, that also tells you something about that individual, as well.

—-

Irving’s comments on the community ownership aspect of the football team is probably an indirect response to Kelly’s views on who he actually has to answer to. Here’s Kelly, responding to a “Lawless” question regarding the community nature of the the Blue Bombers and the coach’s role in it:

“I’ve never seen your name or your name or your name on my paycheque. I think we get a little bit overboard with that thing. The people in town, the community ownership, they’re not the ones that are ultimately going to make the determination on what my employment is or anybody else in this building.”

Actually, Mike, they are. It’s called not buying tickets and phoning the Bombers office to complain about the head coach 100 times a day (which is what probably what led to the Bauer decision to cut the phone calls). Once again, Kelly and the team have shown little respect for the fans and the people who support their lifestyle through ticket purchases and jersey sales. Of course, it’s easy to be brash when your buddy is the one who gave you the gig in the first place.

So, when does Kelly decide to not address the media after a loss? You know it’s coming.

I don’t know where this came from, whether it was the head coach’s decision or a directive from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers brass to essentially slow the flow of insults coming from Mike Kelly, but the idea to no longer take phone calls on the call-in radio show is yet another barrier between the football club and the football fan in this province.

Kelly, courtesy of “Lawless:” (hahaha)

“I’m not going to do it. It’s counterproductive. I just don’t feel like that that is a positive aspect for anybody involved. It’s a vocal minority that calls in, and when we lose or don’t play particularly well, there’s just too many personal attacks, whether they’re at me or at a player or whatever it might be,” stated Kelly.

If you’ve come across this blog, you’ll know Kelly and his weekly opportunity to insult ticket buyers is a favourite subject of mine. I just can’t get enough of listening to an organization continuously separate itself from fans by trotting this guy out there each week. Never have I listened to so much radio in my life!

More from Kelly today, including a line that will tell you all you need to know about your Blue Bomber coverage the rest of the way through here. Please take note of the comment in red as you find something else to listen to Monday nights…

“And when we win, obviously compliments are appreciated, but then it goes overboard that way, too. If you want to come to the Upperdeck Sports Bar, which is a great venue, and you can ask questions there face to face rather than having phone muscles, or you can go ahead and e-mail them in and we’ll take the questions that we want there. I just didn’t see where it was serving anyone’s purpose on either side to have the call-ins and get into some of the things that we got into.”

Quote: We’ll take the questions that we want there. Unquote.

Instead of taking real-time queries — both of a positive and negative nature — Kelly has decided that he wants to only answer the positive ones. For an example of this watered-down, we control the message format, recall the show a week ago. Last Monday, with Kelly out of town as the team enjoyed the start of its bye-week, host Bob Irving took emails from listeners and passed the questions down to Kelly. It was a polite and vanilla chit-chat — helped along by the Bombers dismantling of the BC Lions a few days earlier.

Win or lose, that’s what the idea is now. Even when the team gets it handed to them, or when the offence continues to struggle in the air, the discussion will be a polite re-hashing of what the team is trying to do. What are the chances a negative email makes it on the show? Essentially, the station has not only let the Bombers dictate the message that comes out of Canad Inns Stadium but they have allowed the team to pick and choose the highlights of the past week. Tough questions need not apply. Everything is alright. Maybe we’ll talk about hard work. Maybe we’ll head down memory lane and talk about what Andy Reid likes to eat when he hits Pat’s or Gino’s after an Eagles loss. Maybe we’ll talk about Cal Murphy. Or maybe discuss how we’re going to bring back Bomber football — whatever that is.

That will be insightful, no doubt. Kelly should work for Environment Canada, because getting rid of the cloudy and rainy days would play huge in this town. It’s always sunny in Philadelphia, right Mike?

So where is CJOB in the discussion? Perhaps comments from the sports director will come Monday, but it will be a sugar-coated response. I’m sure the advertisers during the 7pm-8pm slot are ecstatic to have potential customers tune out a watered-down product. As the broadcast rights holder, the media organization that spends the most money to cover the club, shouldn’t they have a say in whether Kelly can moonlight as the program director? I thought the idea was to lessen his work plate. No doubt Bauer is behind this decision. Read between the lines as Kelly finishes his announcement by calling out the Winnipeg fans once again. It’s just killing him.

“If I was in Philadelphia they’d love it. There wouldn’t even be an issue. I just don’t understand why somebody thinks that they can come and attack me and I’m not going to attack them back. That’s just how I was raised. In Philadelphia and Chicago, that’s how you live. That’s how you grow up. It’s a give and take. Here if I give it back, everybody flips out. ‘Oh, he can’t say that.’ Well, yeah, I can say that. If you’re going to come at me, then I’m going to come at you.”

“If you think you can stand up and ask a question, then stand up and ask a question, but don’t hide behind a computer or a phone and act like you’re a big guy.”

I think I can stand up and ask a question. Hello, Mike. I’m not a Bomber fan but I know lots of people who are. Yeah, they love to drink at games. Anyway, my question is about hiding behind a computer. Um…sorry, I’m a little nervous, but isn’t cutting the open phone lines and vetting emails before they make the light of day exactly the sort of hiding you’re doing now?

No game this week. No record to be set. No Mike Kelly is a moron piece. No offensive air attack this week. Actually, that’s every week. No win this week and no loss this week. Nothing happening. Nada. Just a lot of visiting family back home and a handful of players visiting Earls Polo on a nightly basis. Actually, that’s every week, too. No action on the field, so let’s turn our attention to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the rest of the schedule.

For those of you scoring at home, the Big Blue are a Big 3-5 at the Big Bye. And yes, you are correct: Most people in this town are generally happy with that. Could be the saddest thing I’ll write all day. Other than a weather story, of course.

The rest of the Blue Bombers schedule:

Sunday, Sept. 6 @ Saskatchewan
Sunday, Sept. 13 vs. Saskatchewan
Sunday, Sept. 20 @ Montreal
Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Toronto
Friday, Oct. 2 vs. Edmonton
Monday, Oct. 12 @ Hamilton
Sunday, Oct. 18 vs. B.C.
Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. Montreal
Sunday, Nov. 1 @ Montreal
Sunday, Nov. 8 vs. Hamilton

At first glance, nothing too, too scary. Winnipeg has a heavy home schedule, with six of the next 10 at Canad Inns Stadium. Of the road games, all four are difficult match-ups — including two at Montreal. Compounding matters for the Blue Bombers is the fact they see the 2009 Grey Cup champions one more time in River City, too. If the first game between the two sides was any indication, the smart money has to be on a Montreal sweep in the season series.

Also of note are the two games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hamilton is a mystery this season; looking great one game and then awful the next. They’re like the Bombers — only they have two quarterbacks instead of zero. Let’s split those two games, each side winning on their home turf.

Same deal with the two against Saskatchewan. With everything up for grabs for teams not named Montreal this season, everyone should just assume that a home and home series will produce the intended split result and move on.

Winnipeg has single home dates against B.C., Edmonton, and lowly Toronto. Not coming away with a winning record in those three would be a bigger blemish on this city than Rod Black. When it’s all said and done, I have the Bombers finishing with a 7-11 record. Is that good enough for a playoff spot? Is that good enough to avoid a crossover situation? Stay tuned.

So if you’ve noticed things a little slow over at the 4th Star, you’re right on the money. I’ve been in the middle of a move the last 10 days or so, and as many of you know, it is one giant pain in the ass. Not to worry, though. It is coming to a glorious conclusion this weekend, meaning things should be back up to regular frequency in a matter of days.

Or at least until school starts. Yee-haw!

Holy crap!

Not one, not two, but three National Hockey League defenceman added to the Vancouver Canucks roster in one day? I have officially changed my opinion on Mike Gillis — despite his moronic plan to invite a bunch of washed up players to training camp this year.  Is it too early to plan the parade route? Besides putting most Canucks fans in orgasmic states, the deal with San Jose has opened the floodgates to a ton of speculation regarding one Dany Heatley headed to the Western Conference. Of course, there’s always a chance they could Buy American instead.

Big day for the Vancouver blue-line and the Canucks in general. Hey, who gives a shit about not having any cap space to work with? Friday Wrap Jam has it right. We are the true believers.

UPDATE: Not having any cap space to work with? Geez, a quick check on the Canucks situation shows them $1.21 million above the ceiling — with Schneider’s tally still be to totalled. Hmmm…Good-bye Shane O’Brien. Au revior, Steve Bernier.

Above stands a different Vergara. Kudos if you picked up on the theme here. Much more photogenic than the local soccer official, don’t you think? Here’s some more of Sofia. And some more. And a little more. Hell, at this point, why not take the whole day off? It’s not like you’re going to get anything done now.

After ignoring a 25 year layoff, with three of those spent begging to play, I have decided to make a triumphant return to the beautiful game. In a stunning act of charity, the Crescentwood Saturday Soccer Club has done the unthinkable and allowed me to play with them in the Winnipeg Soccer Division this summer. If I can score one goal this year, I’d be pretty happy. Judging from my inconsistent play, my teammates would be equally ecstatic, too. Here’s the weekly update:

1. Try not to look stupid.
2. Contribute in some small way.
3. Hustle.
4. Keep good position out there.

Now it’s debatable if I have managed to hold up any part of the first three points. I’m pretty sure I look ridiculous when the ball comes my way. I’m surprised I haven’t stepped on the ball and broke an ankle yet. Or popped it. And as far as what I’m adding to the experience goes, well, let’s just say that being a warm body at the start of the game is the basic form of contribution provided — and I’m barely doing that with this mother of all Charley Horses I currently am riding. As for the third one. Well, running around takes little skill.

But the fourth on the list was a must. I told myself at the start of the year:

Wazoo, if you’re going to do this, at least try to play your position.

To which I responded: OK, handsome. Have you been working out?

Early on I asked people if I was doing a good job up front, wondering if they needed me somewhere else when they had the ball. I was a sponge when it came to where I was supposed to be. I just wanted to be an option. They didn’t know that I sucked yet, so maybe they’d pass it to me. Others up front would drift into my area but I would not answer by drifting the other way. Being in a good spot on the field was the simplest, most basic attribute I could bring to the team. It’s the one thing I hoped to do well, and as the season went on I felt like I was doing just that.

That’s why last night’s game, a 6-2 victory over the BFR A.C. was so unsatisfying for myself. The reason: Offside calls. On me. A couple times in the first half and a couple times in the second half. On me. Number fifteen. Offside. Me.

Now call me what you want (a jerk-off, a terrible soccer player, a wanker, a douchebag…feel free to stop me at any time) but if there’s one thing I know, it’s the offside rule. It’s my biggest worry when trying to keep my position. Don’t go offside, don’t go offside, don’t go offside. I spend 80 percent of my time on the defensive line, moving up and down it, so I know when I’m offside and when I’m not. Staying onside is the one thing I can actually do with any consistency (ed note: I do better without the ball).

All told last night, CSSC was whistled for an offside infraction about 212 times.

As for the game when the action wasn’t suspended do to another phantom offside call, CSSC jumped out to a 2-0 lead, led by a goal at the break, and then pulled away in the second half as the under-manned opponents started to snipe and bicker. I scored a goal, thanks to a nice cross from DK which somehow deflected off my side into the netting. And it was only my third chance of the night, not the usual ten that’s required until personal celebration takes hold.

For those of you scoring at home, that’s two goals in two games. Floodgates, people.

What happens if this is true?

We reported in early July that members of the Vikings hoped that the team would abandon the pursuit of quarterback Brett Favre and give the ball to Tarvaris Jackson. Moments ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during halftime of the Jets-Ravens game that this sentiment still exists in some corners of the Minnesota locker room. It’s likely gotten stronger in light of the fact that Jackson pitched a perfect game on Friday night, generating a highest-possible 158.3 passer rating on 15 attempts. And if the Vikings struggle out of the gates, the internal calls for Jackson will only intensify.

Get on your speculation hats, boys and girls. The point of discussion: What happens if Brett Favre struggles out of the gate with the Minnesota Vikings?

Think about it for a second. The Vikings stumble out at 1-3 or even 2-4, and the 39-year-old quarterback has yet to find a groove. He looks slow. He throws up a few bad balls. He shakes it off as ‘just learning the offence” and tells the masses not to worry. Meanwhile, the numbers are down and it’s painfully apparent to everyone that he should have stayed retired.

Suddenly, the most popular quarterback in the state of Wisconsin Twin Cities is Tarvaris Jackson (or Sage Rosenfels — depending on which one the club decides to keep).

Week Seven. Or Week Eight. Around the midway point of the schedule when teams still think they have a chance to make some hay. After countless calls on talk radio shows and a quieter uprising of support for a switch at the most important position on the field, Vikes head coach Brad Childress succumbs to the pressure and decides to sit Favre, framing it as a “chance for the veteran quarterback to see things from a different perspective.” Hell, he also indicates that Favre may have an injury. He hasn’t been sleeping. Playing indoors is a challenge. The excuse bag is plentiful for a selfish quarterback.

The Vikings win the game. Favre finds himself wearing a ball cap next Sunday, too. Maybe he’s wearing some fancy new skins on the sideline. Minnesota wins again.

Uh-oh. What do Vikings fans do with all those Favre jerseys they bought?

Favre didn’t come back to the National Football League to sit on the bench. How does he handle the diminished role? Well, let’s go back to the history books. Following the 2007 season, when he put together a 13-win year following two sub-par, non-post season ones, the Green Bay Packers decide to head into training camp with an “open competition” at quarterback. You know the rest: Favre  scoffed at the mere whiff of a demotion and retired, only to come back in a different conference wearing a different shade of green. There was never any threat of not starting in New York (heck, they shipped their starter out to make room for him), but what about this time?

Minnesota is going for the whole thing this year. Childress is at the end of his term and if he doesn’t at least get to the NFC Championship game, he’s as good as done. He can’t worry about stroking someone’s ego through a 16-game schedule. He needs to win, and if No. 4 struggles in the first month of the season, he will have to make a change — despite the jersey sales. Hey, most of those are already paid for anyway.

Picture Favre on the sidelines holding a clipboard. He doesn’t look too happy. Does he continue to come into work each day and watch other quarterbacks take the bulk of the reps in practice, or does he pout to the media about his new role? Funny how you never hear what a great teammate he is. At least not from Thomas Jones. Ah, but the legend remains. He didn’t want to come to training camp? Who cares? He’s having fun out there.

How Favre and the Vikings get out of the gate will be interesting to watch. If he does find the pine, how will he handle it? The smart money is on a phantom injury excuse. That will only go on for so long, though. Say he declares himself healthy and he doesn’t find himself under centre, will he start a public relations campaign, trying to generate sympathy by asking the Vikings faithful to disregard his numbers (not to mention the team’s record)? Can he get those same Favre hype merchants who were excited upon his signing to return the focus from the symbol on the helmet to the name on the back?

Some might buy that jersey, too.

Glass Full of Rum and Coke
Full marks to Fred Reid. Clearly he is at the head of the Canadian Football League running backs class this season. A-plus. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers back rushed for 260 years on 26 carries in a 37-10 win at BC Place, setting a new franchise record for rushing yards in a game in the process. He was outstanding. The Lions defenders had no answer for him at any point.

Glass Half Empty
The Bombers passing game is bad. Period. If the ball doesn’t get to Edwards, it is a wasted play (or so it seems). Damon Allen Michael Bishop was 11 of 20 passes for 131 yards. He won his second start in four, but those numbers aren’t so great. Oh look, Brock Ralph still plays for the Bombers!

Glass Half Full
The Bombers offensive line. Solid work. Big holes for Reid and that little bugger (Yvenson Bernard) to run through. They could have walked for 10 yards per carry. Why did it seem like B.C. was using a defensive scheme that featured 12 men in the secondary?

Glass Still Half Full
Defensive back Javon Johnson was the best player for the Blue and Gold on the defensive side of the ball. All over the place. His return game still leaves a lot to be desired, but at least he can catch the ball. The little things, right?

Glass Cracked
Whoa. You know things are bad when Blue Bomber fans — giddy with each run Reid breaks off — turn to each other and say “Man, is the B.C. defence shitty or what?” OR WHAT? Nope, they are just that terrible. Pushed around by the Bombers at the point of attack on every play. And when they finally did figure out that the Bombers were going to keep running the ball, the extra guy (or two) in the box missed the open tackle. Every single time.

Glass in the Cupboard
To those who think the Bombers are going to be OK now, keep this nugget in your back pocket: The two big moments Winnipeg has had offensively — the second half in Calgary and the game last night — have come against two clubs who are brutal at stopping the run. How did Reid do against Montreal? A great game, a great performance last night, but let’s just keep it all in perspective.

The victory gives the Bombers a 3-5 record as they head into their bye week and takes them out of a swoon that threatened to end their playoff hopes early. While we’re nowhere near ready to call the Blue Bombers a contender, heck, the win does give them a reprieve and an opportunity to take a breath before a critical home-and-home series kicks off with the Roughriders on Labour Day in Saskatchewan.

Glass Broken
Mike Kelly trying to slip Reid in at the end of the game was another perfect example of how the head coach has no idea what he’s doing. Even I know you have to sit out three plays after coming off the field following an injury, and I could care less about the CFL. The little things I mentioned earlier? Yeah, they show a lot the other way, too.

Glass Smashed Over Your Head
Along those lines, what is Kelly doing having Reid on the field with the game well in hand? Talk about your bonehead moves. Right when I saw the running back line up on offence, the game well in hand with about five minutes left to play, I said to my group, “I hope he breaks his ankle.”Not to wish any ill-will on Reid., no, not at all, but rather to point out what a moron Kelly is for keeping his MVP on offence in a sealed game for the sole reason of breaking the club record. Ludicrous. Reid is the only thing that has worked right all season and you’re going to risk him getting hurt for a team record? Sure, it plays well in the room, but you just don’t fool around with stuff like this. I’m no doctor, but I think it’s more likely to suffer a season-ending injury on the field than it is on the bench, mugging it up for the TSN cameras.

Walking on Those Bits of Glass
Of course, Reid stayed down on the turf after the play in question, nursing an ankle. He left the field on his own, but it was a stroke of luck that he didn’t hurt himself more. Actually, it was a warning sign. Big red sign. STOP what you are doing. AND THEN KELLY PUT HIM BACK OUT THERE!!! It should be noted Reid came out earlier in the game with a similar injury. One of the most idiotic coaching decisions I have ever seen in football and if Kelly doesn’t get roasted for it, then something is terribly wrong here. Think Patriot Bill would leave in Tom Brady when New England has the game well in hand in the fourth quarter? How do you think Tom Coughlin would handle a big Giants lead in the fourth? Brandon Jacobs would be on the bench in a hoodie at that point.

Glass Needs Some Windex
Who gives a shit about team records? Sure, they’re nice and everything. You know what else are nice? Wins. More than three of ‘em. And when you risk the entire season (and let’s be frank, this team is only going as far as Reid) for a meaningless club record, then there’s a serious problem with the priorities. But maybe that’s what Kelly is all about. He seems to think it gives him some credibility. When is the last time he brought up the 29 offensive team records the Bombers set when he was the O.C. back in the Cal Murphy era? The answer: Last Monday’s coach’s show. Which record do Bomber fans care about: The team rushing mark, or wins and losses? Funny, I can’t remember the last time a club made the playoffs through individual benchmarks.