It is time for a change, and a thank you.

Author: Jeff Fisher

January 13, 2010

Jeff Fisher's E-Take is sponsored by Elite Performance Centres, the inventor and leader in High Performance Training in Winnipeg, with over 12,000 athletes trained to date.  www.elitewinnipeg.com   

It is time for a change…and a thank you.

Back from 1995 to 2001 I happened to walk the halls down at 1465 Maroons Road.  First as an assistant trainer and eventually in 1996 as the head Athletic Trainer, Assistant Director of Football Operations and Director of the CFL Combine.

During my first two seasons at the football club, I was very fortunate to work for Coach Cal Murphy, whom to this day I truly believe bled Blue and Gold.  Having spent a few hundred days in a row per year for countless hours a day it eventually gives you a pretty good idea of who someone is and what they are about.

Coach Murphy ruled the Blue and Gold with an iron fist.  If something was to run a certain way, believe me, it did…one way or the other.  The business model was definitely: keep pushing until it worked…and back in the late 80’s and early 90’s no one did it better.  This was the end of the era “that time forgot”, with player legends and head coaches that were the last of their kind.

After a poor showing, (9-9 in retrospect, hardly looks bad as per today’s Bomber standards) Coach Murphy was tossed out of his corner office only to make room for the now infamous Jeff Reinbold. With too much on his plate for a former Special Team’s Coach and an infrastructure that was non-existent after Cal’s departure, Jeff was doomed to fail from day 1.  Though he was a breath of fresh air in the dank halls of the Winnipeg Football Club, there was only so many Joan Biaz and Bob Marley references…and losses Winnipeg could take.

Often during difficult football seasons, as we all know being Bomber fans of late, the losses and “side-shows” often take the spotlight of many of the good things that happen behind the scenes.  These often go without notice.  Here is one of those things: overlooked for years and in my opinion, (and one that is shared by many others who survived that era), responsible for the survival of the Winnipeg Football Club.

Back in the late nineties, a business man, board member and a much needed leader with a vision took over the helm of the WFC.  You probably don’t remember much about him as he worked in the shadow of Jeff Reinbold’s miserable seasons.  His name is Ken Bishop and he was the GM of the club for a few short years.  To say that the Football Club was on rocky ground was an understatement.  The facility was medieval, the business model was non-existent and it was do or die for the brick box on Maroons Road.

Soon a plan unfolded, with a solution that would allow for the financial success in the years to follow…and it was a long time coming.  Staff meetings soon were commonplace, organizational flow-charts and a vision for an updated facility.  Something that had been lacking since the time I had set foot in the door.  Up to now, “the club” existed, towel boy to GM in a facility that would be more practical for a small town community club bake sale and a business model that left much to be desired.

During the “lean times” Ken would “float” staff payroll on his own dime, host Christmas parties and without exception be sitting behind his desk when I arrived at 6:30 am.  Ken was always the consummate professional, something that seems to be a distant memory in pro sport these days. 

With a monumental face-lift of the building a long term business plan and the signing of a hall of fame quarterback positive changes on Bishop’s watch were now really adding up.  There was a palpable change in energy at the club.  Players were hanging around in the off season, the new gunslinger and his teammates often commented on the new direction this club was taking and, add to that, a new coach with a proven track record.  Just then, with all systems running the best they had since my arrival, a board fuelled coup ensued and soon Ken was sent packing.

Many of these board members had strong ties to the incumbent GM and you guessed it, just as the Club was ripe for the picking, infrastructure in place, a good football coach and his trusty boy-wonder Brendan Taman…there was a new big kahuna in the house. 

Soon, actually within months, it felt like the old days again, an era re-frozen in time… mediocrity was commonplace, no sense of urgency and now the introduction of an ego that eventually helped to make my decision to leave very easy.  So many steps forward and instantly, so many steps back.  Some of the players who had not been liking what was happening, ironically were reassured by me that this was all going to be the right thing…well obviously, I was wrong.  Sure, over 10 years a couple of good things have happened, 2 Grey Cup appearances, moderate financial stability, but still…no Grey Cups.

Now I own a couple of sport medicine clinics and training centers and still to this day work with many CFLer’s, both locally and in other cities.  Their off-seasons of training are long and hard….and I can guarantee you that they are not training for Grey Cup appearances and losing seasons.  When my staff mop their sweat off the floor at the end of the day we can guarantee that nothing about their effort says mediocre…and I would expect that their efforts deserve more than what they have been given back at 1465 over the past number of years.

It took 10 years for a “culture of mediocrity” to fall and there is a lot of work to do to turn 1465 Maroons Road from complacent into a “culture of excellence”.  The present board has a lot of big decisions to make and a lot of changes have to take place…but I would suggest that they do one more thing as well.  Give Mr. Bishop a call and say thank you, because if it wasn’t for his vision…they may not have any decisions to make.

GO BLUE!

jeff@elitewinnipeg.com   www.elitewinnipeg.com
 

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