Bombers have fired head coach

[RICKEARS]

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Saturday that they have fired Head Coach Paul LaPolice.

Defensive Coordinator Tim Burke will assume the head coaching duties immediately.

“This was an extremely difficult decision to make especially when dealing with the kind of quality individual as Paul is,” stated Blue Bombers Vice President and General Manager of Football Operations Joe Mack.

“As the season has progressed, and looking back on how we struggled throughout the second half of the year in 2011, we have become increasingly concerned with the direction of our Club and felt this was in the best interest of our entire organization. Our commitment to winning hasn't changed and this decision was made in order to get our team back on track."

[ArgoRavi]

The Bombers went 4-14 in 2010 and have gone 5-13 in the regular season since the beginning of September last year. The 7-1 record which they compiled during July and August of last year really seems like an aberration now more than anything else. So that means that the Bombers are 9-27 in the Lapolice/Mack era when you take away that eight-game stretch early last year. I am not sure if Lapolice is the primary problem there. I likely would have given him the rest of this season as the Bombers don't really have to worry about lack of fan support anytime soon, especially with the move to a new stadium next year, but I guess that something had to break. Judging from last night's game though, the players had certainly not quit on Lapolice.

[OV Argo]

Good riddance to LaPo - classic, standard, same-old CFL good ole boy; sad thing - good bet he'll probably get re-hired by some clueless, desparate CFL team and get another shot as a HC or OC; instead of some new blood, not with the program coach getting a chance.

[Gill The Thrill]

Good riddance to LaPo - classic, standard, same-old CFL good ole boy; sad thing - good bet he'll probably get re-hired by some clueless, desparate CFL team and get another shot as a HC or OC; instead of some new blood, not with the program coach getting a chance.

Idiotic move and a sense of desperation by this team. They have a silly schedule this year because of the stadium situation and have their starting QB injured. They gave BC a great game yesterday and looked like they were getting back in the race.

I think you're looking at a team that will be this year's version of the '08 Argos. Remember when they fired Stubler with a 4-6 record after Labour Day and proceeded to lose every game for the rest of this season. I don't know if the Bombers will lose every game, but I think the players will be walking on egg shells and performing like it because of this. La Police was not perfect but after getting them in the Grey Cup last season, he deserved an oppurtunity to turn the team around after that stupid schedule.

Hopefully for the good of the league numbers in Southern Ontario, the Ticats will play better and will leave the Bombers in the dust....They may be 3-7 hopefully after the Argos get through with them in the next 2 games, but then I hope they play better and get back to .500. It's good to see the rare occurence of 2 over .500 teams in Southern Ontario as it builds hype for the playoffs.

[Gill The Thrill]

Good riddance to LaPo - classic, standard, same-old CFL good ole boy; sad thing - good bet he'll probably get re-hired by some clueless, desparate CFL team and get another shot as a HC or OC; instead of some new blood, not with the program coach getting a chance.

Would not be surprised if he ends up in Regina by the end of the season. Saskatchewan looks dead and even way worse than the Bombers. Lapo had the Bombers improving weekly this season while the Riders have been going backwards....since week 3. They look like Hamilton's run defense this afternoon.

[LLB997]

Joe Cortez is next

[1argoholic]

Mack doesn't do much in the offseason and LaPolice gets the boot. I like LaPolice as he was a great guy when he was with the Argos. Is it LaPolices falt that Buck goes down again? They lost key guys that wheren't replaced and they really weren't a great team last year anyhow. I like the fact that Winnipeg is a mess, Hamilton is struggling and Montreal is beatable. A bonus is that Sask sucks.

[1argoholic]

Good day in the CFL as Sask loses again and Winnipeg is a mess!!! The two teams I dislike the most. Stupid move is correct and Mack will be next as he doesn't have a clue. The fans in Winnipeg have been waiting more than any other CFL team to win another Grey Cup. They thought they'd be in a nice new stadium and it's all gone to the crapper. Winnipeg in the crapper and Sask has soiled Sheets. I LOVE IT! Ottawa will win a Grey Cup before Winnipeg is my prediction.

[Fungi]

How is this classified as Argo news. Dump it in where it belongs. Rider news , Bombernews and ticat news is not very interesting. We have a good team going, and we're getting better. This negative stuff ???? let their fans cry about it.

[1argoholic]

I think it's GREAT news.

[ArgoGabe22]

Watch he'll be hired by the Argos as the OC running Milo's offence next season. What are the vegas odds? I'll bet a dollar.

[ArgoRavi]

Watch he'll be hired by the Argos as the OC running Milo's offence next season. What are the vegas odds? I'll bet a dollar.

I must admit that that thought crossed my mind today after his firing.

[anthonyrussell]

LaPolice has been thrown under the bus a bit, certainly feels that way.

[gilthethrill]

I don't think you will find too many people on this forum who are not surprised Winnipeg is where they are this season.

[1argoholic]

I had that thought as well.

[Fungi]

It's a mediocre team, run by mediocre people, with a mediocre injured QB. He'll always be injured or about to be injured.
Will Hamilton or Riders be next.
I'll say Riders.

[294life]

If Cortez loses back to back to you guys he'll likely be next. Chamblin has a better shot at sweeping the bombers.