Tag Archives: Juran Bolden

A Game of 10 Questions

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Scott Taylor| 1 Comment

Time Again for our favourite game: 10 Questions.

As always, it comes with appropriate comments, quips and corollaries.

1. Why do Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans get their shorts in a knot over the signing of a nutbag like Pacman Jones, when the same fans have, ijn the past, fallen head-over-heels in love with (a) a guy who assaulted his wife (Kyries Hebert), (b) a guy who stole a car (Juran Bolden) and (c) a guy who robbed his own teammates (Kelly Rush)? Well, in fairness, stealing cars kind of makes you an honourary Winnipegger.

2. Why does the mainstream media in the Twin Cities essentially chase Tarvaris Jackson out of his job as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings and then when the same media gets a veteran like Brett Favre to come to town, wonders why Tarvaris Jackson ever lost his job in the first place? Come on dudes, one or the other.

3. Why does the goofy Yankee media (which means all the baseball writers in America) continue to tout Mark Teixeira as the American League MVP when Teixeira is hitting just .279 with 32 homers and 101 RBI while their own Derek Jeter, hitting out of the leadoff spot, is batting .330 with 17 homers, 61 RBI with 95 runs scored? Sorry, but  Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera has better MVP numbers (.339/28 homers/84 RBI/.567 slugging percentage with a lot less help in the lineup) than Teixeira.

4. How can a bankruptcy judge accept an offer of $140 million for a bankrupt hockey team when another offer of $212.5 million is on the table? I thought a bankruptcy judge was supposed to be on the creditors’ side.

5. Then again, how does Gary Bettman keep his job as commissioner of the NHL when he runs around bad-mouthing current owners and prospective owners, who all pay their bills, while singing the praises of owners and former owners who stole money and went to jail? Is this the Bernie Madoff League?

6. Why do people still want to believe that professional athletes are role models?

7. Why is it that Butch Goring, John Ferguson, Lorne Chabot, Billy Reay and Murray Murdoch are NOT in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Clark Gillies, Steve Shutt, Cam Neely, Bernie Federko and Jim Gregory  are? That’s a freakin’ joke.

8. Why do referees and umpires still believe that instant replay is the enemy when, in fact, it’s the best friend they have?

9. Why does the mainstream media keep saying that steroid and HgH users are “cheaters” and are “taking shortcuts” when, as anyone who has ever been in a gym knows, the second you decide that performance enhancers are for you, you have to be prepared to work three times harder than you were working before? Those drugs create more work, they don’t make anything easier.

And finally…

10. Why do the NHL owners STILL believe that Phoenix is a good idea?

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Pacman’s Coming. Probably Later Than Sooner.

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Week 10 in the CFL begins Friday night with Montreal at B.C.

The Bombers play again Sunday at 3 p.m. on TSN in the Labour Day Classic at Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Riders are 7 1/2-point favourites.

That’s all we know — exactly — about the Bombers involvement in the Labour Day Weekend. We know a lot of other things, but none of them, for certain.

This week, the blockbuster news came down that Adam (Pacman) Jones had signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Jones, who has had a number of run-ins with the legal community in the United States, is still a great football player who simply can’t separate his football life from a private life that appears to be poisoned by booze and a love for strippers and guns. That’s a pretty toxic combination and it’s resulted in an inability to be hired by the nice, upstanding folks who run the National Football League.

So we first hear that Pacman’s coming, then Blue Bombers’ CEO Lyle Bauer tells Tom, Joe and I on 92-CITI-FM this morning that the team’s player personnel director, John Murphy, who spilled the beans to Sports Illustrated, might have spoken too soon. Bauer wouldn’t deny that he’d like to have Jones join the local football side, he just wasn’t sure that a signed contract — plus all the paperwork required to get Pacman and his legal baggage across the border — has been formally notarized.

Meanwhile, everybody from community activists to politicians gave us their opinion on the potential arrival of the bad boy cornerback, and of course most of them were either morons or just historical revisionists who forgot about Kyries Hebert (domestic trouble), Onterrio Smith (the user of the original Whizz-in-ator), Juran Bolden (stole a car) and Mike Sellers (smoked the hippie lettuce), all less than golden citizens when they came to came to Winnipeg — and all but Smith — turned out to be decent guys and rebuilt their NFL careers.

Of course, even the silly Winnipeg Free Press asked the following question of the day: “Is Pacman Jones worthy of the Blue and Gold?” Worthy? Guess the ol’ Freeps’ editors just forgot about the team’s history with players who have notorious backgrounds.

Assuming that Jones will be allowed into the country, he would be a welcome addition to a team that desperately needs a punt and kick returner and can always use another corner.

Meanwhile, there was also talk on Tuesday night that wide receiver Charles Rogers, the Detroit Lions’ castoff  could be headed to Winnipeg. At least, last night at the Hearts of Blue and Gold Dinner for Variety, the Bomber players were intrigued with that rumour.

Regardless, Pacman’s agent says his client will be in Winnipeg soon.

He’d look good in the lineup on Sunday. With or without all the baggage.

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Time for a major overhaul for Winnipeg’s beloved CFL franchise.

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

Even the most rabid Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans are starting to think there might be a problem with their beloved football team.

 

This past week, as the Bombers prepared for Friday night’s home game against the Montreal Alouettes, head coach Doug Berry talked about the fact that at 1-5, his team still had a chance in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. 

 

The latest Bomber cheer from that randy Blue Lightning outfit was a hearty, “Still alive at 1-5!”

 

Little did Berry know at the time that the only thing that was still alive was The Curse of Troy Westwood.

 

Friday night, the Bombers were drilled 39-11 by the Als at Winnipeg’s 54-year-old Canad Inns Stadium and for Berry, the story was getting as old as the ball yard.

 

A team that went to the 2007 Grey Cup game was suddenly 1-6 and the head coach had pretty much run out of answers. In the post-game interview Berry was so flustered, he blamed his field goal kicker, Alexis Serna, for the loss. The coach had just watched his team lose by four touchdowns and when it was over, all he had in his quiver was an arrow for a kid who made a field goal from 27 yards and missed once from 40 and twice from 49.

 

But while Berry continues to blame everyone but himself, he’s now in a heap of trouble.

 

Refusing to use his all-Canadian runningback Charles Roberts to any great extent, the Bombers had virtually no ground game – again. Roberts carried a mere 11 times for 61 yards, but as Hamilton, Montreal, Calgary and Saskatchewan proved this week, if you run the football in the CFL, you’ll control the clock and you’ll have a chance to win games.

 

Meanwhile, by replacing quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie with original starter, Kevin Glenn, late in Friday’s game, Berry opened the door to a distracting quarterback controversy. Coming off the bench, Glenn put up Winnipeg’s only touchdown on Friday and until the Bombers win again, River City will talk about little else than who should play quarterback for the Bombers.

 

Then there is the shaky defensive secondary. Berry and his GM Brendan Taman, didn’t re-sign safety Kyries Hebert (he jumped to the NFL) and cornerback Juran Bolden (he was released) and they’ve paid dearly for the loss of their two biggest, fastest, hardest hitters.

 

And, just in case all that wasn’t enough, there is the bad karma that’s wafting through a stadium that just might be in the final months of its existence. From the day Berry publicly humiliated 17-year veteran Troy Westwood, the Bombers’ karma (chemistry, for those who believe in such things) has been lost. Worse yet, Berry has also lost his locker room — despite what the players like to say publicly.

 

Meanwhile, the coach’s hand-picked successor to Westwood, young Alexis Serna is a mess. But, then again, putting Serna in that situation wasn’t fair either. Serna should be the kicker, not the punter, but he’s now 14-for-22 (63 per cent) in field goals and is dead last in punting at 32 yards net. It’s apparent the kid has lost his confidence so, on Saturday, Berry added Warren Kean, an Edmonton Eskimos cut, to the practice roster. That should save the season.

 

Although Berry said on Saturday that he just might let his quarterback, Kevin Glenn — again! — call his own plays against Hamilton this Thursday night, here in 1-6 country, it might be time to make some changes that are substantive. And perhaps this time, CEO Lyle Bauer, might want to orchestrate those changes.

 

Because with the right moves and with way things are in the CFL East, even at 1-6, this team still has a chance.

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CFL Picks Week 4: After going 2-2, we now understand the dominant nature of the Western Conference…

Posted on July 16, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

Last week, there was absolutely no doubt about it, the West is the best.

 

In Week 3, the Western Conference won every game played during the first week of crossover play, two of them by three touchdowns — B.C. whipped Winnipeg 42-24 while Edmonton blasted Toronto 47-28. Meanwhile, Calgary beat Montreal while Saskatchewan went into Hamilton and improved to 3-0.

 

This week, we won’t be fooled again… oh, no.

 

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-2) at Calgary Stampeders (2-1)

Thursday, 8 p.m. CT, TSN

The Stampeders did a wonderful job shutting down Anthony Calvillo and the Al’s last week. After falling behind 11-0 through the first 15 minutes, the Stampeders defence made Calvillo look like the Calvillo we expected before the season began — slow and old. In the end, the Stamps won 23-19 and proved they could win on the road. If the can shut down the best running game in the CFL — Jesse Lumsden and Trey Smith — they could blow Hamilton right out of McMahon Stadium. In fact, if they shut down Lumsden, this will be a massacre.

Pick: Calgary

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-3) at B.C. Lions (1-2)

Friday, 9 p.m. CT, TSN

Wow, it’s getting ugly in Winnipeg. The Bombers didn’t get better in the off-season and, in fact, with the loss of Kyries Hebert and Juran Bolden, the defensive secondary got worse — much worse! B.C. took advantage of that shaky secondary last week en route to a 42-24 shellacking of the Bombers in Winnipeg, a score that flattered the Bombers. Now, Winnipeg is trying to decide if Kevin Glenn or Ryan Dinwiddie is the No. 1 quarterback. B.C. could put a nail in Winnipeg’s coffin after just four weeks. All they have to do is use Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont the way they used them last week.

Pick: B.C.

Montreal Alouettes (2-1) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0)

Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

Nobdy thought Saskatchewan would be the best team in the CFL after Week 3, but then again everybody was focused on offence, not on defence. Even with No. 3 Derian Durant at quarterback, coach Ken Miller’s offence is good enough to score 30 points a game. The defence, meanwhile, is as good as the defence that won the 2007 Grey Cup. If they chase Calvillo around like Calgary did for three quarters last week, this one will be ugly.

Pick: Saskatchewan

Edmonton Eskimos (2-1) at Toronto Argonauts (1-2)

Sunday, 3 p.m. CT, TSN

We’ll find out this week if Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray is for real. In other words, if Ray can continue to get the ball into the end zone. Ray has been absolutely outstanding for the past two weeks and when you throw in the amazing play of 22-year-old defensive back/kick returner Tristan Jackson last week, you’ll find a team that can score from anywhere at any time. However, one wonders if the Argos haven’t figured out their quarterbacking mess. If they have, Toronto will be tough at home. If they haven’t, they’ll get their butts handed to them for the second straight week.

Pick: Toronto

Last Week: 2-2

Season: 2-2

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Won’t wait for the Riders and Hamilton. I’ll do some “splainin’” now…

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

Saturday, July 12, 2008, 10:15 a.m.

 

I was wrong about Montreal and I was wrong about Winnipeg, but one thing I won’t allow myself to do: Be wrong about the West.

 

Clearly — and we’re only three weeks into the CFL season — the West is a dominant force and might just make the Eastern champion look pretty mediocre when Grey Cup time rolls around.

 

It became quite obvious on Thursday night, when the Calgary Stampeders went on the road, fell behind 11-0 after the first quarter, and then quietly and methodically altered their game plan and came back to beat what most people thought was a pretty good Montreal Alouettes team, 23-19.

 

Later on Thursday, the new-look Edmonton Eskimos, a team that improved dramatically in the off-season, eviscerated the Toronto Argos 47-28 and left the bumbling Argos stumbling out of Northern Alberta.

 

Friday night, came the old coup de grace. The B.C. Lions arrived at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg and demolished the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 42-24. It was actually 42-8 before B.C. went into prevent and let Ryan Dinwiddie come off the bench to fool the Winnipeg fans into thinking he was some kind of saviour (Troy Kopp did that once, too). 

 

Evidently, Winnipeg is awful. Who knew? It’s a team that didn’t get better in the off-season, made some bad decisions in the pre-season (Where are you now, Troy Westwood?) and has a head coach who believes it’s everybody else’s fault but his own. Doug Berry has lost his room and after Frday night’s debacle, it doesn’t look like he’s getting it back.

 

Of course, it hasn’t helped that he ignores Charles Roberts in the offensive scheme, allows Kit Cartwright to call the plays and couldn’t replace Juran Bolden on the corner or Kyries Hebert at safety. Forget the punting game (Serna had a shaky 36.1 yard average), that horse has left the barn. Two things have contributed to Winnipeg’s 0-3 start — the team did not get better in the off-season and the head coach tends to throw the people who work for him under the bus — with far too much ease.

 

Let’s be honest, people are generally horrible to each other and coaches of sports teams tend to be more horrible than most, but when you need somebody to go to war for you, respect is a much better motivator than blame. 

 

In the meantime, the West is quite superior to the East in the CFL and only Hamilton, at home this afternoon, has a chance to stop what could be a most impressive Week 3 sweep. 

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Troy Westwood is gone: Don’t cut somebody unless you have someone around who can replace him.

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Scott Taylor| 1 Comment

Wearing a black, Little Hawk T-shirt, Troy Westwood met the media on Sunday afternoon. And although he was quiet and diplomatic, he was not a happy man.

 

Westwood, who was released late Saturday night by the Bombers after 17 seasons with the team, faced the cameras and reporters AFTER head coach Doug Berry had addressed the same cameras and reporters.

 

And Berry had made some surprising comments.

 

“We’ve had some great moments from Troy, but over the last two years, the consistency hasn’t been there,” Berry said. “We’ve been evaluating his performance, both punting and kicking, and we continued to see those inconsistencies and we decided that this was the time to release him.

 

“I know what he’s done for this organization and I enjoyed having Troy Westwood on this team. I’ve enjoyed having his leadership in the locker room and if we could spend more time together at the lake or something, I’d enjoy being friends with Troy.”

 

Huh?

 

When asked about those comments, Westwood chose his words very carefully.

 

“Just because words are spoken doesn’t mean they are truthful or from the heart,” Westwood said. “Last year I lost my job. When I got it back, I averaged 48.6 yards in 39 punts and went eight-for-nine in field goals down the stretch to the Grey Cup. 

 

“I can’t say that I’m surprised with what’s happened, but I don’t feel I was beaten out for this spot. I feel really good about my punting. There was no doubt that I was the best punter in camp.

 

“I will admit that I should have kicked at a more consistent rate, but punting? If you measure me up against the people I punted against, I think you’ll find that I did measure up.”

 

After 17 years and a remarkable career with the Blue Bombers, Westwood was given his outright release in a shocking development at Bomber camp on Sunday. It’s shocking because what’s left in camp isn’t very good and has already proven that it isn’t very good.

 

Even though the team will have to use two imports to handle the kicking and punting (and drop at least one import from the offence or defence), Taman said he’s trying to sign two non-imports, Duncan O’Mahoney and Rob Pikula. However, Pikula, who is now selling orthopaedic products and says he’s quit football, and O’Mahoney are two marginal punters and weak kickers who have been asked to take Westwood’s job before and failed miserably. O’Mahoney, who was signed in 2007, didn’t even show up in Winnipeg for training camp last year. 

 

Still, Berry, who has long hated Westwood, decided now was the time to cut one of the greatest players in Blue Bombers’ history.

 

Oh, oh.

 

With two imports who have never kicked in a Canad Inns Stadium wind, dorking around at Bomber camp, Doug Berry has taken a team that had a chance to go 13-5 and given them a real good chance to go 5-13.

 

O’Mahoney was supposed to show up from B.C. last year, but got off the plane in Calgary and disappeared. Pikula is now in sales and says football is behind him. There are a couple of Canadian kids in other camps, and if they get cut they’ll be brought to Winnipeg, but we are now at a point in the rebuilding of the Blue Bombers (remember, the club still as to replace Juran Bolden and Kyries Hebert in the defensive secondary) in which the team will now accept other teams’ castoffs if he (or she) can kick a reasonably attractive 30-yard field goal.

 

In a game like Canadian football, where kicking is so, so important, it’s hard to believe that any coach would cut a known commodity before he has anyone who can actually do the job.

 

Unless Brendan Taman finds a miracle kicker soon, this 2008 Bombers season could become a debacle.  

 

I have no problem with Doug Berry cutting Troy Westwood. It’s just you would think he’d find a replacement first.

 

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