It’s been an interesting week. Lots of people doing lots of odd things.
In some cases it’s because business is bad and desperate people try desperate things to make businesses work — even if their business model is dead. Sometimes it’s because media people are like puppies. They get something in their heads and even if they’re wrong they just keep doing what they’re doing.
In other cases, it’s just people trying their best, but by being a tad misguided, they tend to do head off in the wrong direction. Rather consistently, sometimes.
Let’s take a look at the goofiness that surrounds us. A week in the life of the sporting world.
1) Sitting in the lat machine, between sets, at my gym this morning, I picked up the free Winnipeg Sun that our gym manager provides. Yeah, I know, I should know better.
Sports columnist Paul Friesen, the man with the world’s thinnest skin, is going off on Bomber head coach Mike Kelly again. But this time, it just seems silly. Friesen wrote: “Even Bomber staffers were left shaking their heads when the coach changed practice time without informing anybody, causing TV and newspaper photographers to forego an opportunity for pictures, others to miss chances for interviews.
“This, at a time when the 6-9 Bombers, struggling to sell tickets, need all the publicity they can get for today’s game against the visiting Montreal Alouettes.
“I can only imagine how the marketing department felt about this one.
“After fielding complaints, including one from a miffed female reporter, the Professor offered this tasteful ‘apology’ at his media briefing.
“‘I hate when the media’s so angry,’ Kelly began. ‘I want to apologize to everyone who had their panties in a ball.’”
I love Mike Kelly. Friesen? I don’t get.
While Friesen rips Kelly, suggesting that he’s the cause of a lack of publicity, he’s writing in a newspaper that has six — count ‘em, SIX! — full pages of Bomber and CFL coverage. The city’s broadsheet had three full pages of Bomber-Alouettes coverage.
Lack of publicity? Read your own paper. No wonder circulation is dropping at both local fishwraps. Other that the craziest of crazies, who would bother to read pages and pages of the same stories on the same football game? A game that hasn’t even been played yet.
2) The Blue Bombers lost a 24-21 heartbreaker to the B.C. Lions last Sunday, but it was a heartbreaker of the Bombers own making. Once again, turnovers killed Winnipeg.
Michael Bishop went 13 for 32, just awful, with one touchdown and three interceptions. He also lost a fumble. Four turnovers means one big loss. Bishop must learn to protect the football.
3) We’ve talked about this about 100 times since last year’s playoffs, but it’s becoming more apparent that the Montreal Canadiens do have a goaltending problem.
Despite a terrific opening night, Carey Price is at best inconsistent and last Saturday night against Ottawa, he allowed three goals on only 21 shots. That’s not good enough. Perhaps, Montreal needs to look around for a Price replacement. Perhaps that replacement is their No. 2 netminder, Jaroslav Halak.
4) I just love how Winnipeg’s mainstream media has now decided that Mike Kelly has had nothing to do with the resurgence of the suddenly 6-9 Winnipeg Blue Bombers and it’s now all Manny Matsakis.
Kelly has re-built the Blue Bombers and the fact the he hired Matsakis to work with Michael Bishop and make Bishop better, is just another example of Kelly’s coaching prowess. The Bombers lost a heartbreaker last Sunday, but Kelly is still proving just how great a coach he is.
5) Oh, oh, it’s Saturday afternoon. I have the Bomber game on TSN HD and I have to hit the mute button.
Why do colour commentators think they have to say something after EVERY play even if they have absolutely nothing to offer? And why do they consistently say things they know are not true. The constant chatter is annoying not informative.