It is frustrating, 0-5 is, and not just for the players and coaching staff. For fans, too. And when the referees refuse to call something blatant, something that this writer's 10-year-old son saw - "Hey, Dad, that guy grabbed Geroy Simon way before the ball got there" - then the frustration mounts.
The B.C. Lions lost to the Winnipeg Blues Bombers on Thursday July 28, 2011, in Winnipeg, 25-20 and though that call was hardly the only big play of the game it had the most impact. Quarterback Travis Lulay and the Lions were driving into Winnipeg territory with about 2 minutes left and had momentum. Why the call wasn't made is anyone's guess but it could not have been missed. It was that obvious.
"Look, I don't expect them to call it every play, but it's just blatant sometimes," Simon lamented postgame. "They (the defence) know if the game is tight it's not going to be called. If I catch (it) I run in for a touchdown. It's ridiculous. It takes away the art of being a receiver."
Bombers Beat Lions, Go 4-1
The Bombers were down 13-6 at the half and B.C. deserved full marks for their first half-time lead of this 2011 CFL season. B.C. got their 20 points on a 4 for 4 performance from kicker Paul McCallum and a Jamal Robertson run. Winnipeg got some strong performances, one from a source they didn't expect.
Back-up quarterback Alex Brink had to come in late in the third quarter when starter Buck Pierce left with an ankle injury. Pierce was 11 for 18 for 206 yards and a touchdown throw - an 82-yard catch and run strike to Clarence Denmark - but Brink had to come in and drive for the winning score.
Along with running for a 15 yard gain, he completed his first four passes, that final completion a touchdown from 22 yards out to Terrence Edwards that gave Winnipeg their final points. That score, with under four minutes left, set the stage for the call that wasn't made.
Lions Buono: "We Are Improving"
Lions coach Wally Buono wasn't have any of the trashing of the refs and though he hardly seemed pleased by the non-call he didn't want to talk about it. He said his team is improving and he may takes steps to improve it more. "Are we floundering, are we improving, are we staying status quo? We're probably all of those things, at different times," the coach said.
"I think we're improving. We're doing a lot of things well. But we're still an 0-5 team. We're still winless. We need to make plays at critical junctures. If we can improve our personnel, we're going to do that. But there are limits to what you can do."
Tribute to Coach Richard Harris
The night began with a tribute to Bombers late-asst. coach, Richard Harris, who died suddenly on Tuesday after a team practice, of a heart attack. Harris, a former NFL player, had also coached four years in B.C. and it was sadly fitting it was these two clubs that met in the days following his passing.
"It was a wave of sorrow we were on top of and we had to dig so deep,'' Bombers defensive tackle Doug Brown said. "We were so drained, we were so destitute coming into this game. So many guys, we had nothing more to give. We were spent. At halftime, we just looked each other in the eye and we knew what we had to do for (coach Harris) and we were able to pull it off.''
Geroy Simon might suggest they had a little help from the referees.
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