the 4th star

The issue is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the new management regime for 2010 and beyond.

Oh, it’s complicated. An old friend is looming large on the horizon, ‘causing everyone to wax poetic about the good old days. Listen. I don’t know Brendan Taman. I only spoke with him a few times during the first go-around and on the basis of those interactions, I found him to be quite media-friendly and personable. He gets it. Unlike M. Kelly, Taman understands the game. Hand a little bit of information out, get a lot of positive press back. Simple concept. Everyone is happy.

And I understand the need for some stability in the Bombers organization moving forward, and everyone involved in the hiring process is no doubt a little gun-shy of putting another inexperienced man in a position of authority on Maroons Road, but why recycle Taman into the front office? Great guy, sure, but last I checked, the Bombers didn’t win anything under his watch. The good old days of not winning are just as good now as they were back then. Check that: If the 2009 circus proved anything, the hi-jinx (and resulting copy) can actually be better!

It seems Taman isn’t the only former Bomber employee about to be placed in the blue box. Greg Marshall, the former defensive co-ordinator and a guy who struck out in a bid to be a CFL head coach a couple times in his career, seems to be the front-runner for the Winnipeg head coaching gig. He certainly has the backing of a few of the *team leaders* — even as they try to downplay the support they went out of their way to provide when the M. Kelly shit hit the fan earlier this month. Play it cool, guys. Don’t campaign too hard, you might not get what you want. Per Power 97:

Now, I’m not implying that any of us, if queried, would go out of our way to mislead or direct the board to applicants that we believe would lead the franchise astray, but just how many of us are actually capable of giving sage advice while putting our own benefit beneath the team?

I wonder that, too. Seven years and counting.

Like Taman, Marshall’s resume looks to have more than enough meat on the bone to qualify for the gig, but bringing in former assistant coach who is loved by the players on a team with no tangible leadership circle could be a recipe for disaster. Who is going to crack the whip — Taman? We’ve been down this road already. You know, the one that leads to the country club. That’s exactly what the Bombers need. Hey, let’s bring back Khari Jones as an assistant, too. Look at the progress Quinton Porter made last year (hint — he didn’t make any). Another step back into the past. A return to the history of mediocre results and no accountability. I find it laughable that players would lobby for their future boss, but I guess they have their reasons for doing so. Column freedom!

Funny. Did I hear anyone speaking on Marshall’s behalf after Doug Berry was let go?

Following the M.Kelly mess, Bombers board of directors chair Ken Hildahl hit on talking points of a fresh start and a new beginning when discussing the next move for the franchise. One has to wonder if the football operations selection committee — that of Joe Poplawski and Paul Robson — will make a point of backing up those words.