WINNIPEG – There hasn’t been much winning in Winnipeg lately.
“It’s hard,” said one Winnipeg Blue Bombers fan. “It’s sad. You can only take so much after so much losses.”
In the last nine days, the Jets and Bombers have combined for six consecutive losses. Fans hate the skid so much that some have even stopped going to the games. The Bombers’ loss to the Calgary Stampeders Saturday night was 11,000 tickets short of a sell out.
“Everybody wants to play in front of a packed house,” said Bombers head coach, Mike O’Shea. “We have to do our part. We win more games, more people will show up.”
Even the coaches are getting cranky. Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice dropped an f-sharp during an exchange with reporters Monday when he was asked about accountability.
“It’s not the player’s job to tell you about it,” barked Maurice. They don’t have to open this book up and tell you everything that goes on in the room. I can make you cry in that (expletive) room!”
Maurice later apologized for swearing.
There is a way though to find some positive in all the losses. Sports psychologists say to look at the small victories instead of concentrating on the final result.
“The process goals that teams can do, we can think about or see the team doing,” said Dr. Leisha Strachan, a sports psychologist professor at the University of Manitoba. “That gives us some encouragement that we are getting better.”
The Jets (1-4-0) will look to snap their four game skid Tuesday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes (0-2-2). The Bombers (6-10) play their final home game of the season Saturday night against the BC Lions (8-7).
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