Winnipeg coach says they're going to GREY CUP**

[url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/Football/2006/07/03/1665567-sun.html]http://www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/Footb ... 7-sun.html[/url]

"I'm still always trying to get better," Berry said. "We're still looking. It's early in the season. We haven't finalized who we're going to the Grey Cup with yet."

And yes, you read that right.

It was like watching a TV commercial for a new, improved product.

Winnipeg wide receiver Chris Brazzell stood up before a media throng in the dressing room Saturday night and declared: "We're the new Winnipeg Blue Bombers, I know that."

For proof, the Bombers had just laid waste to the CFL's reigning Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos to the tune of 46-10.

The week before, the Bombers had beaten the Toronto Argonauts, who had finished first in the East last season. And in Week 1, the Bombers had thrown a scare into the Alouettes, who lost the Grey Cup match, in Montreal.

Winnipeg improved to 2-1 and a share of first place with 2-0 Montreal in the East.

"It's been a nice start, that's for sure," Bombers GM Brendan Taman said yesterday. "Winning is nice but we've still got a long way to go yet."

Taman, of course, will be on the hot seat all year after the Bombers finished 5-13 last season. He fired head coach Jim Daley and hired Doug Berry to replace him.

Taman is enjoying the early resurgence.

"It's nice for the fans and everybody," Taman said. "Now at least, we've given them some hope that we have a decent team."

The defence had been the most pleasant surprise in the first two games but the offence broke out in a big way against the Eskies -- thanks to Kevin Glenn's best game since he threw for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-23 victory over B.C. last October.

'MAKING HEADWAY'

"Kevin played proficiently," Taman said. "It confirms that he is making headway in his career and is progressing up the ladder. And he didn't give up the football. Edmonton moved the ball but they turned it over."

Glenn completed 15 of 24 passes for 368 yards and three TDs in three quarters of work versus Edmonton.

"It's always a treat to throw up those kinds of numbers, because if you're throwing numbers up like that, your defence is most likely going to hold a team," Glenn said.

"It's great to have that feeling when you come out and play that way against a good Eskimo team. They have a good defence, and we've shown from Week 1 to Week 2 that we've grown, and from Week 2 to Week 3. We're climbing that ladder."

Glenn needed a big game, and that rubs off on the rest of the roster.

"Kevin's the leader in the huddle and he's our leader on offence," said offensive tackle Dan Goodspeed. "You give him time, he makes plays, so it works hand-in-hand. We always knew it, just sometimes we weren't giving him a lot of time. But (Saturday), we gave him some time and look at what happens. We're pretty happy with that."

The Bombers play the 1-2 Argonauts in Toronto this Saturday.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/cfl/wpg/roberts_charles_hor.jpg

An interesting result in Edmonton is the CFL's popularity ... just 2% lower than the NHL's. Does that mean NHL supporters are much more vocal about what was virtually an equal level of support last year? Or does it have something to do with the Esks' Grey Cup run?

  1. NHL interest is at 19% in Montreal, with the CFL at 18%.

Thatll give the other teams particularly the ones in the east extra incentive to play them harder. thats the sign of a rookie coach though throwing out lines for other teams to hang in their locker room.

If hte bombers wanna be in the grey cup they will just have to buy tickets like everyone else that wants to be there

Thats a lot better than Daleys approach which was always rebuilding. Nothing wrong with confidence. Good for him

My man Doug Berry. I'm with him 100 & 10%.
This is OUR Grey Cup for the taking.

I agree. Berry may not reach his goal, but at least he’s aiming high. Daley had no expectations if not “to see what the team was doing good and then build on it”.

i think he ment that theyre going to the grey cup to watch it.

I wouldn't be all that surprised.. the only team in the East that's been better is the Als... and the Bombers are just getting this team together. Of course, when Damon comes back I think the Argos will have something to say about that.. and I'm still holding out hope that the Cats are just having early jitters.

Basically what I'm saying is I don't know, and anything goes in the CFL. :stuck_out_tongue:

....aim high....the skys the limit...aim low....you usually shoot yourself in the foot...goBigBlue..Berrys' my man.. :thup:

Two TDs, but that dance...
Underused Brazzell does his magic; end-zone moves need some work

Mon Jul 3 2006

By Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press

IT was funky, to be sure, but also looked sloppy and unpolished. Shoot, even Winnipeg Blue Bomber wide receiver Chris Brazzell himself will admit his touchdown celebration dance -- the one he busted out twice in Saturday's win over the Edmonton Eskimos -- could use a little work.

The man does have a legit excuse, however. Until Saturday, the slick wideout hadn't crossed the goal-line with a score since a 19-17 loss to Saskatchewan last Sept. 10.

So what exactly was that dance all about anyway?

"I don't know what it was," said Brazzell when asked to describe his dance moves afterward. "I know it's some Jamaican thing I saw on TV. I was just trying... I messed it up. I messed it up bad. The good thing is I had an opportunity to try it.

"Hopefully, next time I'll do it again better."

Essentially a non-factor in the first two Bomber games this season -- he had just three catches for 17 yards -- Brazzell reintroduced himself to CFL defensive backs against the Esks.

Once a feared deep threat, he had four receptions for 181 yards and two TDs on Saturday -- the first from 30 yards, the second a 79-yarder. That screams that he should get more work.

Brazzell ate up veteran defensive back Reggie Durden so quickly and thoroughly -- all of his catches came in the first half -- that the Esks moved him from short-side corner to the wide side to get him away from the Bomber deep threat.

"I just took advantage of my opportunities. (The Eskimo) defence was designed for what I did," Brazzell said. "They play one on one and Durden was pressing me because they felt he could cover me.

"They ran cover zero (man to man) and it was just me and him. One thing I will say is they moved him from corner to the field corner (the wide side), so I did my job."

Although Brazzell's bluntness may have gotten him in trouble in the past -- he's in just his fifth season but has already suited up with Edmonton, B.C., Hamilton and now Winnipeg -- he's now choosing his words more carefully.

Instead of asking -- no, demanding -- more work, here's a little window on how Brazzell is now approaching things:

"We scored 46 points against the Grey Cup champions," he told a media throng. "Who we got next week?"

Reporter: "Toronto."
"Ohhhh," continued Brazzell, clearly disappointed. "We've got Toronto and they'll play that deep-zone stuff again, so we might run the ball all day again next week. We go week to week."

LEFTOVERS: Through three weeks of action this season, CFL home teams are 10-1. The lone exception? Montreal's 32-14 win in Hamilton on June 24... After surrendering six sacks in their first game, the Bombers have yielded just two since and none against the Eskimos, who tied with Calgary last year with the most sacks in the league... WR Chris Brazzell looks to be the only player to come out of Saturday's game with a minor nick, although he'll just miss practice tomorrow and should be in the lineup on the weekend in Toronto... Love this quote from Berry, when asked if he was satisfied with his lineup: "We're still looking. It's early in the season," he said, before grinning and adding: "We haven't finalized who we're going to the Grey Cup with yet."

i cant beleive u guys are actually taking him seriously...coach berry is not one to say that they are already going to the cup..he was just being sarcastic, because the only thing that anybody asks him is if the team is good enough and will the offence be able to compete, so he was having a lil fun.....even tho what he said is quite possible going to come true 8)

when i saw kevin glenn at the quaterback challenge, i told him i liked what moves the bombers have made this offseason, and i think theres a good chance he'll be playin in the grey cup...he said 'yea yea, we'll see if things go our way'

lol… Now THAT’s confidence !

haha. What a cocky guy. The winnipeg does look impressive this year, and will challenge montreal for the divison. But come on, claiming your in the grey cup already after three games!? :lol: Let me know when they award grey cups for regular season blowouts then we'll talk mr.berry.

the winnipeg?

You ask any good coach if they're going to the greycup, and they'll respond yes. Nothing wrong with having confidence in his team. Was he supposed to say "no, we won't be good enough this year".

Well… Last year, Dany Barrett said his goal was to make the playoffs… and for once, he achieved his goal. It wasn’t beautiful, but it was a playoffs appearance nonetheless.

Its too bad the goal is the same again this year....

isnt the goal, a 'home' playoff game this year?...which means a 1st or 2nd finish in the west.

it would be nice, but ive heard that all before...

now that was funny…lol