the 4th star

There was a clear winner in the media battle on Black Blue Thursday, and I’m not talking about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ fan or the club’s media relations department.

Lost in all this Mike Kelly/Lyle Bauer circus was the fact that Gary Lawless, he of the Winnipeg Free Press, absolutely killed it yesterday. His partner on the Hustler & Lawless show threw some praise to the intrepid-ness (is that a word?) of the “Big Head” but I thought it deserved mention in a forum like this. Before highlighting his day of reporting, some full disclosure is required:

“Lawless” is a good friend of the blog. I have appeared on the radio show. So snicker if you want, but that relationship doesn’t take away from that fact that he won the Thursday hands-down. Try to make a case against that. No? Exactly.

In the morning edition, he led off his day in the broadsheets with Bauer possibly leaving. It wasn’t the safe play. It was a sharp contrast to what the national reports on TSN and the Globe and Mail had, both suggesting that Kelly’s job was secure and that the Bombers press conference was to shore up details on that item. On the strength of those reports, the local outlets went in that direction, too. Lawless mentioned the Kelly report further down in his hard copy, but leading with Bauer and the implication that it was his time was the sweet stroke of the a.m.

Everyone was now in catch-up mode, searching for their ball in the tall grass. While they figured out their next play, Lawless’ second shot landed just inches from the cup. With the help of the reporters on the news side, he broke the story that Kelly had been arrested and charged with assault and harrassment following an alleged domestic dispute with a former girlfriend in Pennsylvania. Far as I can tell, all outlets followed his lead on that one, too.

Ugh. I need a shower now.

Prog-rock pioneers Kick Me Kate had a song called Black Wednesday. It was all about the day Teemu Selanne was traded to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. I don’t know if yesterday’s events warrant a ‘Black Thursday’ title, but it certainly wasn’t a good day for those on Maroons Road. What’s everyone saying? Well, let’s do this in the order of events. Lots to cover.

The Winnipeg Free Press reports Lyle Bauer is indeed headed off to Calgary. The goateed-one’s high-light package includes a solid career in the Blue and Gold. The Winnipeg Sun says Bauer’s solid gold legacy is tarnished by bringing in his friend to coach the team.

That was the lightning. Then came the thunder. The Mike Kelly news. The board of directors say they wanted to get rid of Kelly before word of his arrest broke. That arrest could get the Blue Bombers out of a pricey contract. It seems Kelly’s pattern of questionable behavior was apparent right from the start, while a longtime player pulls out his moral superiority card when talking about his former coach. People still use Facebook? What Kelly story would be complete without list of his stumbles and public embarrassments? Now that the Blue Bombers are flying without a compass, uncertainty is under the tree for the football club as the calendar flips to a new year.

Not that you care, but 4th Star opinions on Bauer and Kelly — both quick-hitters — are here and here. If I find more stuff throughout the day, if something else breaks or other columns come to light, I’ll throw them up here. One stop shopping, people. I’m like the Bomber store of unfortunate news.

Memories are made of this.

Connect the dots.