The times, they are a changin'.

A new week begins, yet things stay the same in Bomberland. Losing in Regina on Labour Day is expected. It's a tradition in itself. The Banjo Bowl was supposed to be different though. The game is traditionally an inverse of the Riders domination of the previous week. It used to be that no matter what the two teams records were, each team would almost be guaranteed to win at home. Times have changed though as the Riders have been asserting their dominance over the Bombers at home, in the "Crotch of Canada", and away, in the "Armpit of Canada". On a beautiful prairie Sunday afternoon and after eight Bomber turnovers, the Riders continued their run of dominance over the Bombers that dates back to the 2007 Grey Cup. I'm not even going to mention the score because I'm trying to do my best to block the game from taking hold in my memory bank.

The obvious magnet for the anger of Bomber fans is Mike Kelly. His offense has been a total failure from jump street. Flip-flopping between slandering the shotgun formation and using it constantly, the non-stop quarterback carousel, and refusing to use a formation with more than four receivers have created what might go down as the worst offense in CFL history. His public relations skills have been questionable from day one as well. But this post is not about Mike Kelly. Yes, it is obvious that he needs to go, but fans need to direct some of their anger towards the higher ups in the organization, most specifically Lyle Bauer.

To keep it short, Lyle Bauer needs to go. He has accomplished some pretty impressive financial feats during his tenure as President and CEO, including pulling the Bombers out of a massive financial hole. Yet his leadership has not translated into any on-field success. Nineteen years without a Grey Cup championship is a long time. Under Bauer's watch the Bombers have lost two championship games and have struggled through mediocre and down-right embarrassing seasons in between. The hiring of Mike Kelly was his decision and it has been reported that no one else was seriously considered. The responsibility for this season and all the turmoil and ugliness that has encompassed it falls squarely on Bauer. The end of the season needs to be a time of change and renewal, starting at the top.

Okay, that's the end of my rant for today. I promise my next post will be much more positive. NHL training camps are kicking off this week, so I'll take a look at how the Canadian teams are looking for the upcoming season.