When Wade Miller was named acting president and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Aug. 9, 2013, he knew he had his work cut out for him.
Staring at an uphill battle, the former special teams ace didn’t have much to work with. One thing he did have, though, was promise. He promoted CIS guru Kyle Walters to GM, and signed his first head coach, Mike O’Shea. The trio went to work, immediately attempting to regain the faith of the fan base.
It would be an understatement to say that expectations may have been low when Winnipeg opened training camp for the 2014 season, with a number of fresh faces entering management and coaching positions. The team was coming off an abysmal 3-15 record , from a season where very little went their way.
Even with a completely revamped front office, fans and critics alike had their doubts. After a competitive showing in the pre-season and a 2-0 start for the first time since 2011, however, the Bombers are on the right track toward regaining a winning identity.
Resiliency against Ottawa
Under the leadership of 16-year CFL veteran Mike O’Shea, this team has started to buy in. While this is O’Shea’s first opportunity as a head coach, he has not looked the part of a rookie.
His passion as a coach is infectious and something that has been lacking for the Bombers over the past few seasons. With O’Shea’s guidance, Winnipeg has demonstrated focus and resiliency, which was in full swing against Ottawa last week.
O’Shea, the North Bay, Ontario native who won three Grey Cups as a middle linebacker and another as special teams coach, knows what it takes to win the big one. More importantly, he knows how to motivate his troops.
“We’re moving in the right direction; the players, they’re taking ownership for their responsibilities,” said O’Shea post-game against Ottawa. “It’s amazing what guys do when you trust them.”
Trust is a crucial part of any team sport, and this point gets driven home when looking at the 2014 edition of the Bombers. Relying on an unproven quarterback, a relatively unknown running back, and a completely refreshed defence, this franchise banked a whole lot of trust in O’Shea’s ability to direct this team and he has not disappointed.
Trusting in GM’s Plan
While O’Shea deserves heavy praise for getting this group to stick together, Walters rightfully deserves just as much attention. When the organization was unable to corral both Henry Burris and Zach Collaros, he did not panic. Having played seven seasons in the CFL, including winning a Grey Cup ring of his own in 1999, Walters understood what type of leadership was needed under centre for this franchise.
He ultimately chose Drew Willy, and his decision has paid off to this point, as the third-year pivot has displayed both leadership and poise. In just two games, he has already thrown for a league-leading 615 yards.
The intriguing side of the Willy signing is his similarity in career background to Hamilton’s starting QB in 1999, Danny McManus. McManus is now reunited with Walters, as assistant GM with Winnipeg.
Both Willy and McManus had unsuccessful attempts in the NFL prior to heading north of the border. McManus spent five years as a backup QB with Winnipeg and B.C. before getting his first starting gig in 1995. While Willy took the reins in his third year, his path to the starting spot also included time holding the clipboard, learning the CFL game.
The hiring of McManus was yet another clever decision by the Bomber CEO. He has extensive CFL knowledge, and his ability to diagnose and find talent down south, such as Nic Grigsby and Maurice Leggett, has been invaluable.
This young Bomber squad has already shown signs of becoming something spectacular down the line, and the regime changeover can certainly be credited with a large chunk of their progress.
