WINNIPEG — What’s old is new again for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In an unexpected move, the team as welcomed back Paul LaPolice to the football club’s coaching staff.
“His experience, passion and thirst to be the best is why decided on hiring him,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “It’s a great fit.”
The team hired LaPolice as its new offensive coordinator Monday night and formally introduced him Tuesday morning.
LaPolice was the Bombers’ bench boss for a little more than two seasons starting in 2010. He was a finalist for the CFL Coach of the Year award after leading the team to a Grey Cup appearance in 2011.
LaPolice though was fired the following year after a 2-6 start to the season marking the second time he was let go by the team. He also fired in 2003 after two seasons as the Bombers offensive coordinator. LaPolice says he didn’t hesitate coming back to the club.
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“In professional sports, you get fired,” said LaPolice. “It’s part of the business, especially in a nine team league. I’ve moved on and have gotten better. I believe I’m a better coach compared to three years ago. I’ve done different things to make sure I was ready when the time came.”
The team’s current coach, Mike O’Shea, said the team is also in a different place than it was back in 2012.
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“From that time everything has changed,” added O’Shea.
The Bombers interviewed five people outside the organization before deciding on LaPolice. The American has been a coach for more than 20 years. During that time, he even coached current Bombers’ president and CEO Wade Miller.
“To be quite honest I called Paul when I first took the (head coaching) job and he wasn’t in that space quite yet but he is a guy I have respected,” said O’Shea. “When you talk football with LaPolice you are learning.”
LaPolice was also an offensive coordinator with the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2008 to 2009. He worked with the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats around his first stint with the Bombers.
LaPolice’s first task as the Bombers’ new assistant coach is to sit down with O’Shea and build the rest of Winnipeg’s offensive staff.
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