Blue Bombers fans blindly optimistic as preseason begins

It's that time of the year when fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are at their most confident the season has yet to start.

Not a minute of game time has ticked off, which means there hasn't been a single Bomberpass picked off yet, no quarterback has gone down in injury, no string of losses has piled up.

It's been 26 years since the Blue and Gold last won the Grey Cup, but none of that matters now.

It's a clean slate. And it's time to believe.

Arebuilt squad will take to Investors Group Field for the first preseason game tonight, hosting the Montreal Alouettes.

Optimistic Bomber fans predict new CFL season

8 years ago

Duration 1:13

Ahead of Wednesday night's first pre season game, optimistic bomber fans predict new CFL season.

"I go into every season with the glass half-full and blind optimism," said long-suffering fan Kevin Dodge.

"But this year I think it's more real optimism because of a lot of the great changes they've made, including [newly-hired offensive co-ordinator]Paul LaPolice and having a steady management team and a steady coaching team. I think that just brings a lot of stability to the club."

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Ron Waterman, another longtime fan, echoed Dodge's remarks, describing himself as "cautiously optimistic."

"I've gone into the last few seasons hoping for better things and it hasn't really happened. But there have been a lot of good changes over the off-season," he said.

Since finishing first in the East Division in 2011 and losing in the Grey Cup to the B.C. Lions (34-23),the Bombers have been in a tailspin.They've had four consecutive losing seasons, missing the playoffs each yearand going 21-31 (wins-losses) in that time.

At the end of last season, they parted ways with offensive co-ordinatorMarcel Bellefeuille and then were among the busiest CFL teams in free agency, signing several high-profile players.

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"I think the best acquisition was getting PaulLaPolice. I think that will make a major difference in the team this year," said Waterman.

LaPolice, who was head coach of the Bombers from 2010-12,has spent much of the past three years taking in professional development, working as a CFL game analyst, and helping out the Toronto Argonauts' coaching staff.

I just can't buy a cottage because it doesn't make sense to go. At the end of the day this is my cottage, this is my escape from real life. I just look forward to Bomber games.- Source

The 45-year-oldhas20-plus years of coaching experience at different levels of football, with a good chunk of that in the CFL.

The other key to success will be in keeping quarterback Drew Willy healthy, both Dodge and Waterman said.

"The bottom line is protecting the quarterback, limiting the hits on him and keeping him upright," said Dodge.

"The last couple of times he got hurt it was because he was getting pelted every game from all angles. At the end of the day, anybody's body is going to give in after a while. He's not injury-prone, he's just a victim of the circumstances."

Spreading the ball around will help keep Willis healthy, so he's not carrying it so much or hanging on too long,and the Bombers have brought in some new weapons to help in that regard, said Waterman, specifically noting receiver Weston Dressler and hometown runningbackAndrew Harris.

"I think it'll all come together. I'm really looking forward to it," Dodge said.

Waterman said he'sbeen routinely asked why he keeps coming back to the Bombers"when it's nothing but bad football?"

The game itself, he said, is just part of the overall experience. While that has often had an undesirable result, the experience spending time with friendshas always been good.

He gets to the stadium two hours before kickofffor a tailgate party and to socialize with people, many of whom he hasn't seen in a while.

For Dodge, it's much the same.

"This is my cottage,absolutely. I work six days a week most of the timeI've been doing that for 20 years now," he said.

"I just can't buy a cottage because it doesn't make sense to go. At the end of the daythis is my cottage, this is my escape from real life. I just look forward to Bomber games."

"Go Blue!" added Waterman.

Kickoff for the gameis at 7 p.m. CT.