BOMBERS NOT MUCH OF AN OPPONENT ...DONT GET TOO EXCITED

By Rob Vanstone, Leader-PostSeptember 13, 2009 8:01 PMBe the first to post a comment

During the sixth annual Banjo Bowl, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers used white boards to signal in play numbers. Or were those flight numbers?

If ever there was a team that should be dismantled mere months after a dismantling, it is the 2009 Blue Bombers — who were vivisected 55-10 by the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday afternoon.

Give the Roughriders due commendation for an impressive showing on offence, defence and, yes, special teams. Also extend some credit to the Roughriders' coaches, who had their team thoroughly prepared for the finale of a home-and-home set. But remember that their (ahem) opponent is the Canadian Football League's most embarrassing team since the Gliebermans.

The Bombers are not only inept, but cheap — given the prevalence of rough-play penalties during an obligatory second half. Winnipeg supporters (?) are clearly tired of this sad-sack team, as evidenced by the inclination of some frustrated fans to adorn their heads with bags.

The Roughriders boast Baggs (Stevie) and Bagg (Rob), and Winnipeg can only counter with bags.
Such was the Bombers' plight during the Bag-jo Bowl.

How bag . . . er bad . . . was it for the Bombers? When Saskatchewan's Stu Foord carried the football, it was impossible to differentiate between Roughriders fans who chanted "Stu!'' and the booing Bombers loyalists.

If anything, the total of 55 points against flattered the Blue Bombers. Late in the fourth quarter, a touchdown pass to Bagg was called back due to offside. In the third frame, the Roughriders eschewed an easy rushing touchdown and threw two incompletions from the one-yard line. On the game's final possession, the Roughriders opted to hand off on third down instead of having

Luca Congi attempt a field goal — which, if successful, would have enabled Saskatchewan to equal a franchise record for points in a game (58, set against the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1989).

The Roughriders seemingly went out of their way to avoid lighting up the Bombers for 60-plus points.

Oddly enough, the game was interesting at one point. Late in the first quarter, the Bombers pulled into a 7-7 tie after a 35-yard touchdown run by the strangely underutilized Fred Reid.

Saskatchewan scored the next 35 points, pouncing upon a succession of Bombers turnovers and the host team's comedic quarterbacking. Michael Bishop started Sunday's game, only to be relieved by Bryan Randall, who was relieved by Michael Bishop.

After Bishop served up an interception to Lance Frazier with 3:43 remaining in the game, TSN showed the Bombers quarterback smiling on the sidelines. The image was telling.

On Sunday, Bishop and Randall combined for one fewer touchdown pass than Jason Armstead — who is principally a kick returner with the Roughriders.

Shortly thereafter, I fielded a phone call from our man Murray McCormick, who was covering the game in Winnipeg.

"Who is the last non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass for the Roughriders?'' Murray inquired.

"Michael Bishop,'' I retorted, snidely, while alluding to his worst moments as a member of the 2008 Roughriders.

The actual answer was Armstead, who fired a scoring pass to quarterback Kerry Joseph in 2006.

Perhaps more time and space should be dedicated to praising the Roughriders (6-4) for a robust performance that pulled them into a tie with the Calgary Stampeders for first place in the West Division. There will be ample opportunities to accentuate the positives over the next week, as Saskatchewan prepares for Sunday's home date against the Edmonton Eskimos (5-5).

However, the excitement arising from Sunday's debacle should be tempered, at least to a degree, by the absence of a credible opponent.

I sat through two seasons (1979 and 1980) in which the Roughriders went 2-14, and covered the 3-15 edition of 1999. But I cannot recall seeing a CFL team quite as pitiful as the one which played host to Sunday's slaughter.

Is it possible to play a dirge on a banjo?

rvanstone@leaderpost.canwest.com