Thoughts on Ernie Todd and MORE!

I'll try not to let this posting get too long, however it has been quite some time so you never know. I will get to the Ernie Todd situation and address the statements he made on his website as well as the statements he made about the fans but I'll hit a couple of other topics first.



I was surprised the Winnipeg Blue Bombers fired Doug Berry. But listening to Lyle Bauer, I have come to believe it was likely for the best. The Bombers are a good team with some great players. By no means should we be considering a "rebuilding" phase and I am sure the team isn't.



On the subject of Kevin Glenn, I read a line in the Sun that sums it up perfectly - "Kevin Glenn is just good enough to lose the game". When he's "on", he's an elite QB in the CFL, but he is rarely on. He shows very little "fire" or leadership during a game, gets clearly frustrated and is made of glass. The team shows far more fire when Ryan Dinwiddie goes in. RD also earned a lot of respect for his performance near the end of the season (against the Als, I believe) when he could barely walk but continued to play (and rush). He's a good player who deserves a chance.



I always liked Glenn and believed in him, but he's had a lot of years to become elite and he hasnt dont it. I know this won't be a popular opinion, but I'd go after Casey Printers. As far as a new head coach, it seems Bauer has his heart set on Mike Kelly and I won't argue with that. I remember when Jeff Rhinebold was hired and Kelly was banished. On the other hand, most people consider Greg Marshall a head coach in waiting. It would suck to lose him but there are only two head coaching positions open so if he doesn't coach Toronto, he'll have to be a coordinator anyway.



If I recall correctly, RME has a show this weekend, their much hyped return to Winnipeg. There is virtually nothing on their website about it and I haven't head a thing about whether it's still happening or not. You'd think with the show in two days and it being their big "return", they'd announce a match or two.



In a related note, our awesome website has changed our website slightly to allow for speedier updates. As a result, there will be more news articles and such. I would be interested to hear what kind of stories or features you'd like to see (I am considering a "Where Are They Now" type article).



Now, for the topic at hand. Ernie Todd. I could write a lot on this subject but I reserve that for a later date. What I will say, however, is that I was appalled when Ernie insulted and criticised the fans who attended his event at Wise Guys. I know it's a frustrating thing when the fans are critical or when the show is not as good as you hope, but we've all had bad shows. I hate criticism too, but I try to use it as a learning tool.



There has been some talk that I asked Ernie to "shoot" on the fans. Only an idiot would actually believe that. I NEVER asked Ernie to shoot on the fans. In fact, I emailed him after he did so to express my disappointment. I truly believe Ernie could have earned some respect if he had simply apologized for his comments rather than look for excuses.



As far as our "deal" goes, I made a commitment and I intend to honour it. I intend for Ernie to honour his end of the deal as well. If he doesn't, then I am sure my next blog will be far more entertaining.

Some questions were asked in the comments of my last posting. I apologize for not getting to them sooner:

Moses Luke, Bobby Fox and Brian Rich all work for SPW and RME. Why were they on the CWF show? I thought there was an alliance against them (meaning SPW and RME)?

The suggestion that there is an alliance against anyone is a complete myth that others have spread in an effort to manufacture loyalty towards their own interests.

Who exactly is on the CWF roster from the show on Tuesday?

As a travelling promotion, it is difficult for the CWF to maintain a regular local roster. Ernie wanted to ensure that if he ran shows in Winnipeg, he would be able to use the best available performers in this market, thus his "deal" with PCW.

What has Ernie to say about the fan comments on your website?

Ernie hasn't said too much to me about it aside from his public stance. I know he has suggested that I asked him to "heel" on the fans which, ofcourse, is ludicrous. He felt his comments generated "old school" heat, which I disagreed with.

If he hasn't seen them, why haven't you emailed them to him?

Ernie is well aware of the comments and opinions of the fans.

What will the two of you do to provide a better show to us (your respective paying fan base)?

I was disappointed in our last couple of shows and made a stronger effort to map out our direction moving forward. I believe Seasons Beatings will be a fantastic event.

Thanks!

A