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Some Bomber fans are already building for next year

Head coach Mike Kelly may have crossed the line a few times, but Bomber fans are willing to forgive and forget.
photo: Mike Aporius/Winnipeg Free Press

Let’s rewind to the beginning of June. Michael Jackson was still alive and preparing to embark on a 50-concert comeback tour, Gary Doer was still Premier of Manitoba and Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler hadn’t fallen off the stage in South Dakota yet and the outdoor concert at Canad Inns Stadium in mid-August was still a go.

Oh, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had yet to take the field for what was supposed to be a promising 2009 season with rookie head coach – and a guy who supposedly bled blue and gold more than anyone– Mike Kelly at the controls.

Fast forward to the present day, November 9, 2009 where we sit one day removed from the season ending loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Former Bomber quarterback – and Kelly castoff – Kevin Glenn came back to Winnipeg and led the Tiger-Cats to a second place finish in the CFL’s East Division with a 39-17 victory.

A lot of fans put the blame on Kelly. Not all of which was deserved, says longtime Bomber fan Chuck Duboff.

"I was very pleased and excited about the hiring of Kelly," says Duboff. "I think Mike is a little strong at times, but I also believe that we are a rather conservative small town city."

From bringing in a third-string quarterback with limited experience and anointing him the starter, to calling out the old regime’s scouting department, Kelly didn’t start out on the right foot with fans of the team. A Fire Mike Kelly Facebook group was created and has over 5,000 members.

Even when the team went on a three-game winning streak in October, the fans didn't care as Winnipeg saw the lowest attendance in over a decade.

With the Bombers needing only a victory over the Ticats yesterday to reach the postseason, two fans decided to band together and muster up enough support for this team as they could.

Duboff and Jesse Martin did all they could to try and get this city excited about the big game. After a group of fans came up with the idea of having everyone wear blue to the game, the Bomber organization latched onto it and marketed the first ever Blue Out.

Martin took it one step further and organized a Blue Rally last week at the corner of Portage & Main. Duboff, meanwhile, has taken on the initiative of starting a Winnipeg Blue Bomber Fan Club called, the Blue Crew.

“It was the accumulation of negativity all season long,” says Duboff about why he wanted to start up the club. “I knew there were an awful lot of positive fans who were having their voices shut off because negativity and sensationalism sells.”

It was great to see the support the team was getting over the last week. For what seemed like the first time all year, we weren’t hearing about the bad offence, or the coach’s comments. Instead, everything was positive. Unfortunately, a loss – especially one that ends your season – can take all that away.

“The loss yesterday only motivates me more,” says Duboff. “I look at what we were able to do in two short weeks. I believe that kind of energy should be created for all home games and that this has to become a team that all of Manitoba is proud of.”

The Blue Crew plans to take the time in the offseason to organize themselves so that they’re ready for the new season. Duboff encourages anyone who is interested in joining to email him at cduboff@gmail.com.

The Bomber season may be over, but the Blue Crew's season has just begun.

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