THE CORBETT REPORT,2012 – 05, September 9. 2012, Winnipeg vs. Saskatchewan

The Corbett Report – Issue 2012-05 – September 9, 2012

Winnipeg vs. Riders

THE OPENING SONG

 

Born to be Riders (Sung to the Tune “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf

 

Here’s the Youtube Link

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWRypqz5-o

 

Get your watermelon

Head out on the highway

Looking for the Bombers

There’s a football game to play

Yeah, Banjo Bowl

Makes it happen

Blue and Green in a love embrace

Bombers think they can win this one

But they’re still in last place

They’ve got Buzz and Boomer

We’ve got Gainer Gopher

Playin in the wind

And the Blue are going under

Yeah, Banjo Bowl

Makes it happen

Blue and Green in a love embrace

Bombers think they can win this one

But they’re still in last place

Like a true natures child

We were born

Born to be Riders

We can jump so high

Over stubble gonna fly

Born to be Riders

Born to be Riders

Got our watermelon

Headed down the highway

Thought we’d get a victory

But the Bombers came to play

Yeah home field

Has made this happen

The Bombers put us in our place

Fired all of their guns at once

Man we sure hate this place

Like a true natures child

We were born

Born to be Riders

We can jump so high

Over stubble gonna fly

Born to be Riders

Born to be Riders

 

Introduction

 

Ahhhhhh here we are again.  It’s the 9^th installment of the Banjo Bowl.  That annual football event wherein, Manitoba opens it’s western gates and allows (chaperoned of course), those banjo-pickin inbreds from the flatlands to the west.

 

For many from Saskatchewan this is their only opportunity to escape from their farms and villages, come out from under their potash-induced haze and have a brief encounter with the civilization that lurks just outside their borders.  Many find the adventure too terrifying and turn back once they reach the hills of Brandon, believing that such a rugged terrain, must truly indicate the pending edge of the earth.  Others, (usually those with some cross breeding with someone from outside the Province), marvel at the landscape (“Look Ma them there be HILLS”). They jump off of their tractors and do a jig along the side of the road while strumming their banjos to some obscure Rascal Flats song.  Then its onward to Winnipeg they go, to sit elbow to elbow with the Blue and Gold faithful in the second half of the season within a season that is the Rider/Bomber mini-series.

 

For all of this we have Troy Westwood and David Asper to thank.  Since 2004 the Bomber/Rider rematch has been dubbed the Banjo Bowl (if you don’t know the story visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjo_Bowl ).  Next to the playoffs, this is one date on the Bomber schedule you don’t want to miss.

 

In particular, in the middle of this season of mounting loses, internal turmoil and civil unrest, it’ll be nice to be able to focus on the outcome of a single game.  If the Bombers end up going 3 – 15 this season, the sting will be lessoned somewhat, if that 3^rd win, was against the Riders, this Sunday.

 

Welcome to the Banjo Bowl, welcome to the Corbett Report.

 

Standings

 

West Division
	W	L	Pts	For	Against
BC	6	3	12	227	171
Calgary	5	4	10	248	236
Edmonton	5	4	10	220	185
Sask	4	5	8	242	182
East Division
	W	L	Pts	For	Against
Montreal	6	3	12	263	267
Toronto	5	4	10	210	221
Hamilton	3	6	6	266	294
Winnipeg	2	7	4	176	296

 

So much for the rise of the East!!!  Toronto’s doing its part but what’s with Hamilton?

 

The Bombers

 

So in recent days, the Bombers GM Joe Mack has suggested that the team’s fragile psyche brought about by the death of Richard Harris is still behind the poor performance of late.  If you don’t buy that, then there’s the “we had no home” (new stadium) mantra.  Or the four games on the road excuse.  Or the lack of an air-conditioned locker room.  Or the lack of fresh water for the fans.  Or the …… (insert excuse here).  Hmmmmmm….. no shortage of explanations or excuses to explain why this team has had a regular season record of 5 – 13 going back to last seasons banjo bowl.  There’s another possibility of course.  They could just be a bad team!

 

That assessment depends on whether you’re a glass half full or a glass half empty kindof person.

 

Glass half full?

 

• We’d be better if Buck was healthy
• Chris Matthews has made us forget Greg Carr (traded to Sask last week btw)
• All we need to do is go 7-2 in the second half to be a 500 football team
• It’s how you finish not how you start
• Tim Burke’s a solid football man with great credentials
• Staggering loss is one letter away from Swaggering victory

 

Glass half empty?

 

• Buck wasn’t doing the job before he got injured
• Odell? How can you trade a Mayor?
• 52-0?  Seems like a bit of an indication as to talent
• Swagger?? Try Stagger
• Building on Grey Cup appearance? You mean disappearance
• When your opponents score clock runs out of numbers……??

 

So who wins out?  We’ll know by 3:30pm Sunday afternoon.  If a chance at avenging a 52-0 loss isn’t motivation for a professional athlete, then maybe it’s time to take up a career in ….. oh, I donno…..Accounting!

 

 

The Riders

 

The harsh reality coming out of last week’s game is that the Bombers lost to a rather poor team.  The Riders were 3 – 5, on a 5 game losing streak and posting pathetic offensive numbers.  It’s not like the Bombers lost to Montreal 52 – 0, it was the lowly RIDERS.

 

Now on that side of the border, the half full guys will argue that the true Riders were the ones playing on Labour Day.  That the true Darian Durant came to play that day.

 

The glass half empty guy?  He’ll be in the beer line wondering why there’s no Pilsner for sale.

 

As much as the Bombers have to prove that last week’s debacle was an aberration, the Riders will be out to prove that they can be contenders.

 

Keys to the game

 

For the Bombers to win

 

• SEE ALL PREVIOUS REPORTS – everything old is the same again

(but just to repeat)

 

• Scoring a point or two would help
• Secondary needs to be a second ahead not a second behind
• Quite finding new and exciting ways to keep your offense off the field
• Spike the Riders watermelons with Vodka (no wait, I think they do that themselves)
• Avoid being inept on special teams

 

For the Riders to win

 

• Squint when you look at the stands (you’ll think your back home)
• Rattle Elliott – with only 35 yards passing last week, his confidence has to be waning
• Go deep early – more secondary woes for the Bombers could make it a long afternoon
• Keep it close at the half – Bombers are desperate

 

 

Game Prediction

 

Unlike the Labour Day Classic, the Banjo Bowl has a been a pretty even affair of late.  4-4 since inception.  Riders however are 3-1 in the last 4.

 

If the Bombers truly are as bad as they appeared last week, then we’ll know early and it could be an insufferable afternoon surrounded by the crazed green stubble jumpers.  If however, they have any pride, then we should be in for an entertaining afternoon.  The Bombers should be desperate to seek a smitten of revenge.  The season may already be lost, but a victory Sunday would reward the ever so faithful Bomber fans.

 

I’m a glass half full kind of guy.

 

Bombers 27 Riders 24

Last game

 

Corbett Report:              Lions 21 Bombers 13

Actual:                          Lions 20 Bombers 17

 

Season results

 

Bomber games      6 – 3

All CFL games      18 – 18

 

This week’s other games

 

BC over Montreal

Edmonton over Calgary

Hamilton over Toronto

 

 

 

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