Ted Wyman

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : BLUE NOTES: Blue Bombers will give players time to mull futures after devastating Grey Cup loss BLUE NOTES: Blue Bombers will give players time to mull futures after devastating Grey Cup loss Author of the article: Join the conversation Article content Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea certainly piqued the interest of fans when he said earlier this week that “maybe a couple” of players sounded like they were done with football after the team lost in the Grey Cup for the second straight year back on Nov. 19. Advertisement 2 Article content BLUE NOTES: Blue Bombers will give players time to mull futures after devastating Grey Cup loss Back to video As ambiguous as that comment was, it was enough for general manager Kyle Walters to be asked about it in his season-ending press conference on Wednesday. Article content The Bombers have a bunch of players over the age of 30 and it's only natural that some would be considering retirement, but Walters said he always gives them time to mull things over rather than relying on words said in the heat of the moment, after a devastating loss. “The loss was so emotional that I think a lot of guys talked and were upset and made some statements or let it be known that (retirement) could potentially be an option,” Walters said. “I think the best thing is to let things settle down for a month, take a deep breath and revisit guys with ‘What's their plan and what are we thinking for next year?'” Advertisement 3 Article content The Bombers fell 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup in Hamilton, losing on a last-minute touchdown after leading for most of the game. They've been to the Grey Cup in four straight seasons and won the first two, but have lost heartbreakers in the past two. You'd have to believe any older player would consider retirement after suffering that kind of crushing defeat two years in a row. “It was such a devastating loss for all of us, it's taken a little bit of time to get over,” Walters said. “Don't make a rash decision based on the raw emotion that you're feeling after a loss like that. That's where we're at.” DOWN WITH BROWN Walters was asked if it's a foregone conclusion that backup quarterback Dru Brown will leave the Bombers through free agency and try to become a starter with another CFL team. Advertisement 4 Article content “The market will dictate that and I think Dru has certainly shown he's earned the right to compete for a starting job,” Walters said. “I'm certain his agent will look around and try to find the best situation for Dru to compete as a starter and get paid as a starter.” Brown is stuck behind two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros in Winnipeg and, though the latter is now 35, he's signed through the 2025 season and hasn't shown much drop-off in his play to this point. Collaros threw for 4,252 yards and 33 touchdowns this past season, though he also threw a career-high 15 interceptions and had a costly pick in the end zone during the Grey Cup. Meanwhile, Brown threw for 983 yards and nine touchdowns with zero interceptions in limited action. He started and won two games and led the Bombers back to a win after entering the game with his team down 22-0. Advertisement 5 Article content Ottawa and Calgary would be possible landing spots for Brown and there's certainly a chance he could go to Saskatchewan, especially if Bombers offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce is hired as head coach of the Roughriders. The Riders have Trevor Harris under contract to be their starting quarterback next season, but he will turn 38 before the end of training camp. Brown is 26 and certainly seems to have a bright future. PIERCE WOULD BE HUGE LOSS If Pierce departs to become a head coach, which is inevitable at some point, it will be a big loss for the Bombers. The 42-year-old has been with the organization for the better part of 13 years — three as quarterback, six as an assistant coach (running backs, quarterbacks) and four as offensive co-ordinator. Advertisement 6 Article content “Huge (loss), I mean Buck's been here for a lot of years,” Walters said. “He's ingrained in the community, his family is. He's good at what he does. He's really good at what he does, and when you lose good people it's tough to replace but that's part of sport. “You look at what Calgary had to go through during all those years, where they would lose, it seemed, a coach every year would move on. So it's a challenge that, luckily for us, we've been able to avoid up until this point with our success, for the most part. But it is a reality of success, that you're going to lose good people.” Advertisement 7 Article content MCMANUS, GOVEIA KEY PIECES Walters is happy to have assistant general managers Danny McManus and Ted Goveia back in the fold for the next couple years as well. The two signed two-year contract extensions, along with Walters, on Tuesday. McManus and Goveia have done great work shaping the Bombers roster with recruits and draft picks from both sides of the border and have played big roles in the Bombers becoming the CFL's most successful franchise in recent years. Both players started with the Bombers around the same time Walters was named general manager and have made it a priority to recruit the kinds of players that fit in well with O'Shea's coaching style. “We go back forever,” Walters said. “I said it at Grey Cup, back when I first thought I was getting the job (in 2013), I called Danny, I called Ted and got everybody on board. Those guys work their tails off and they've been doing this for a long time and they're good and know the types of players that Mike wants. “It's critical now with more challenges getting players up here that we've got a good group that can be down there finding American players. They're the kind of behind-the-scenes guys that make everything move around here in regards to the talent that comes through.” X.com/Ted_Wyman Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : BLUE NOTES: Blue Bombers will give players time to mull futures after devastating Grey Cup loss Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

The Winnipeg Sea Bears have re-signed 2023 Canadian Elite Basketball League coach of the year Mike Taylor to a two-year contract.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea certainly piqued the interest of fans when he said earlier this week that “maybe a couple” of players

Board of Governors member Laura Walker has an opportunity to do something Canadian curlers have been clamouring for in recent years.

Article content Laura Walker has an opportunity to do something Canadian curlers have been clamouring for in recent years by having her voice heard at the highest levels of planning in the game.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Canadian curlers hope Laura Walker's appointment to Board of Governors a big step in right direction Canadian curlers hope Laura Walker's appointment to Board of Governors a big step in right direction Author of the article: Join the conversation Article content Laura Walker has an opportunity to do something Canadian curlers have been clamouring for in recent years by having her voice heard at the highest levels of planning in the game. Advertisement 2 Article content Canadian curlers hope Laura Walker's appointment to Board of Governors a big step in right direction Back to video Walker, a 33-year-old from Edmonton, recently became the first active athlete named to Curling Canada's Board of Governors, a move that was lauded as a step in the right direction by the players with the most at stake in the game. Article content The mixed doubles specialist has been on the job for a little more than a month and, while she's still trying to get her bearings in a different world, she's hopeful that she can make a difference with her one-year appointment. “The biggest thing for us is communication,” said Walker, who is the wife of Olympic curler Geoff Walker (Team Brad Gushue) and mother to two young children. “That being a two-way street, I think in the past athletes have felt like decisions were made around us and about us, things that really affect us, without having us be a part of it. Advertisement 3 Article content “I think that's going to be a huge step, just to make everyone more empathetic to the other side — athletes to the (National Sport Organization) and the NSO back to athletes. I think that's something that's really important and something we've been missing in the past.” Walker's appointment grew out of her involvement with the Curling Canada Athletes Council, a 12-member group that was formed two years ago to help improve relations between the planners and the players. Curlers have been more and more vocal in recent years about having more of a say in how the game is shaped at all levels — from the World Curling Federation to the Grand Slam series to national and provincial bodies — and have been taking steps to amplify themselves. Advertisement 4 Article content A World Curling Players Association was formed last January and, with the Athletes Council and now Walker's appointment to the Board of Governors, they are clearly moving things forward. How much of a difference they can make is the big question. “It's definitely a step, a good step,” said Mike McEwen, a Winnipegger who is skipping a team out of Saskatoon this year. “It's a very good thing with Laura's appointment to the board, but we're still a long way from what's actually needed, which is a true players' association, for athletes to get an authentic and measured input into what goes on in the sport.” High-level curlers are in a tough spot these days because they are the stars of events such as the Olympics, world championships, Grand Slam cash bonspiels and nationally televised Canadian championships that are played in arenas in front of reasonably large crowds. Advertisement 5 Article content There are questions about financial compensation, the points systems used to determine which teams qualify for the events and even the formats used for provincial and Canadian playdowns. At 43, McEwen is one of the veterans of the game and he doesn't believe anything truly will change until athletes get on even footing with bureaucrats. “To put it in plain terms, when I see it truly getting to a point where everyone is co-operating, it would be like all the branches look at each other as equals — the WCF, Curling Canada and the Players Association,” McEwen said. “That's not the case right now.” Obviously, the World Curling Players Association could make a difference, although it doesn't have that kind of clout yet. Advertisement 6 Article content “It's a big task to get it started and there are some difficulties in being recognized officially,” McEwen said. “From a little bit of arm's length, looking at it, that new formation is not at a point where it's effective yet.” All of this makes Walker's role all the more important. On behalf of the athletes, she's seeing things from a new perspective and can help her fellow curlers establish realistic goals as they move forward. “It's a learning process for me,” Walker said. “There's a lot to governance and there's a lot of nuances that I need to learn. I'm learning the lingo, I'm learning how everything works. I think that's really important for the athletes. For us to be able say ‘Hey, we want to have a voice,' we also have to put in the work to understand the governing side of things.” Advertisement 7 Article content The players recently scored a victory with the Grand Slam of Curling when they petitioned for a format change. The Grand Slam was using pre-game draws to the button to determine tie-breakers in the standings and a pushback from the players resulted in the re-institution of tiebreaker games for the next couple of events. Meanwhile, Curling Canada has made some significant changes as well, with the understanding that Canada has not performed particularly well internationally in recent years. Along with the Athletes Council being established, Scotsman David Murdoch was hired as the new High Performance Director for curling and the hope is his fresh perspective will bring some growth. Advertisement 8 Article content Walker is sitting on the Board of Governors for a one-year term and part of her role will be helping to make adjustments to bylaws that will allow the active athlete position to become permanent. “We're moving in the right direction,” said Walker, who was set to curl in a mixed doubles event in Winnipeg with teammate Kirk Muyres this weekend. “It's just a matter of getting it as close as we can to appeasing everyone. You're never going to appease everyone but it's trying to balance the tradition of curling with where curling needs to go at a competitive level. “As much as it's tricky to navigate, and that's something we're all learning to do, it's extremely important to continue to evolve the game. “And I'm here for it.” Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Canadian curlers hope Laura Walker's appointment to Board of Governors a big step in right direction Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

When the Winnipeg Jets acquired Nino Niederreiter near the trade deadline last season, they insisted he was far more than a rental player.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year contract extension Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year contract extension Author of the article: Join the conversation Article content When the Winnipeg Jets acquired Nino Niederreiter near the trade deadline last season, they insisted he was far more than a rental player. Advertisement 2 Article content Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year contract extension Back to video That has proven to be true as not only did Niederreiter have one more year on his contract, but he has now signed a three-year extension with the Jets. Article content The team announced the deal, with an average annual value of $4 million, on Monday. The deal begins with the 2024-25 season. The 31-year-old Swiss forward has been a valuable piece for the Jets both down the stretch last season and through 23 games this year. He has played a total of 45 games in a Winnipeg uniform and has 12 goals and 27 points while playing a strong two-way game. In total, Niederreiter has played 833 games, scoring 211 goals and 423 points. He played for the New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators before coming to the Jets. Last month, the Sun 's Scott Billeck reported that Niederreiter's agent was coming to Winnipeg with the intention of hammering out a contract extension. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year contract extension Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

One of CFL's most feared and respected defensive players, Willie Jefferson was at his introspective, reflective, and passionate best.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Introspective Willie Jefferson goes deep on his love for Winnipeg, the Bombers and the CFL Introspective Willie Jefferson goes deep on his love for Winnipeg, the Bombers and the CFL Author of the article: Join the conversation Article content When you watch the Winnipeg Blue Bombers play football games, there are many words and expressions that come to mind to describe defensive end Willie Jefferson. Advertisement 2 Article content Introspective Willie Jefferson goes deep on his love for Winnipeg, the Bombers and the CFL Back to video Violent, destructive, quick, ferocious and powerful would certainly be among those used by opposing quarterbacks. Start the conversation Have your say Leave a comment and share your thoughts with our community. Article content “Havoc-wreaker” often comes to mind. Or maybe “wrecking ball.” On Tuesday, we saw the other side of one of the CFL's most feared and respected defensive players. The best words to describe him in that situation would be introspective, humble, reflective, and passionate. Throw in a few more like “family man.” “leader of men.” “proud Winnipegger” and “ambassador for the CFL,” and you truly start to get a sense of who the 32-year-old really is. Fresh off personally negotiating and signing a one-year contract to stay with the Bombers for the 2024 season, Jefferson met with a small group of media members Tuesday and shared many thoughts about his time in Winnipeg and the CFL, places where he has truly found a home after many years bouncing around pro football trying to find solid ground. Advertisement 3 Article content In order to give you a chance to fully appreciate Jefferson's love for the league, his team and his family's adopted home, we'll provide you with a large sampling of his thoughts on many subjects. On being the first of 36 potential Bombers' free agents to re-sign for 2024: “We're trying to build something special. The culture here is great. The atmosphere here is great. The fans are great. The organization is wonderful. I'm just happy we were able to get the deal done. No dilly-dally, no hesitations. I knew what I wanted and the team was ready to give me everything I wanted plus a little bit more. I'm happy. I'm satisfied. All of the above.” On whether it was easier or harder to come back for another season after the Bombers lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup last month, coming up short in the CFL championship game for the second year in a row: Advertisement 4 Article content “It is null and void. I'm not mad. I'm not sad. I'm not disappointed or anything like that. Like I was telling my friends and my family — a lot of guys don't even make it to a Grey Cup. A lot of guys have amazing careers and never make it to a Grey Cup, never win a Grey Cup. I've had the opportunity to win two back-to-back with a great organization, with some great guys and build some relationships. Going to four Grey Cups and losing the last two, it is what it is. It's football. You win some, you lose some. We played a great team, we played a great game. It is what it is. We just hope to be back to that position again with some different guys and hopefully come out with a better outcome. I'm happy with everything — with re-signing, I'm happy with the way 2023 played out, not the way it ended, but the way it played out. We'll do it again.” Advertisement 5 Article content On whether he ever thought, when he first signed with the Bombers in 2019, that he'd be with the team for five years and would be a full-time resident of Winnipeg: “I had no idea that this would be the place that I would (have) my longest tenure as a player. I knew coming here in 2019 that I wanted to be a part of something great. Dealing with coach (Mike) O'Shea, dealing with coach Richie (Hall), (GM) Kyle (Walters), (President) Wade (Miller) … I'm just here living a dream. I wake up every morning wanting to be great, wanting to come into this building and spread excellence around. That's what I've been doing since 2019 and that's what I'm going to do until I'm out of here.” On what appeals to him and his family (wife Holly, daughters Kelley and Reilley) about Winnipeg, where they now make their year-round home: Advertisement 6 Article content “Me being from Texas, it's adapting to a different climate, a different setting. I'm used to it being 70 degrees at Christmas time. So, just to wake up in the morning and look out my window or open my door and see snow and see frost on the trees, at nighttime to see snow falling out my window with my daughters is great. It's something I never experienced as a kid and it's something I'm happy to let my kids experience. I'm just embracing all the things that are different about Winnipeg from Texas. I love to go home. I love to visit. I miss the food, I miss the weather, I miss the atmosphere, I miss friends, I miss family, but to be here in Winnipeg with the fans, the organization, my teammates that stay around in the off-season — Adam (Bighill), (Nic) Demski — for the most part I'm here. I love it. My family loves it. We embrace it.” Advertisement 7 Article content On his potential legacy in Winnipeg, where he has played in four Grey Cups in four seasons, won a CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player award and become an all-time fan favourite: “It's huge. That's exactly one of the reasons why I chose to stay. We've built something amazing here in Winnipeg, something that is hard to bottle up, and we've been able to do that for the last four years. Me being a part of that is huge. Me being close to Richie (Hall), being close to Wade (Miller), being close to Kyle (Walters), being close to (Mike) O'Shea, (public relations director) Darren (Cameron), (director of football operations) Matt (Gulakow), (events director) Jennifer (Thompson), Miss Carol (Barrott, in ticketing and fan services) … getting to know all these people and all these fans, my wife being a part of the organization, it makes the ‘legacy' word a lot bigger. I don't want to go anywhere and start over, start anew.” Advertisement 8 Article content On whether he has any plans to start winding down his pro career? “I feel great. I'm 32, birthday in January, 33. I still feel like I'm dominant. I'm a problem. It's going to take more than one guy to stop me from getting to the quarterback. Even if you bring two or three guys to me, don't throw the ball my way because I'll knock the ball down. Until you can stop me, or until I'm tired of playing football, I'm here, I'm in Winnipeg. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. If Kyle, Wade, or coach O'Shea decide to make a move then maybe. But I'm here, I love it here, people love me here. I'm pretty sure you don't want me to leave.” On how he has transformed as a player and a person since first joining the CFL with Edmonton in 2014: “It's a totally different me right now. I know who I am, I know what I bring to the table, I know what the organization needs from me, wants from me. I know what I need to bring to be great, to be successful now. That's me, what is it, eight-nine years into my career? When I first came into the CFL in 2014, with Edmonton, gold teeth, southside fade, I just wanted to make a team, be on a team for a year. I just wanted to stick, make plays. I wanted to get back to the NFL. Now, I couldn't care less about the NFL. I love seeing young guys make a name for themselves, make plays, get paid in the CFL, when they haven't had the opportunity (elsewhere). But if they have the opportunity to go down south to the NFL and make a name for themselves, put the CFL on the map even more than what it is, I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing guys like Nathan Rourke go down there and make such a buzz in the NFL. I love seeing guys like (Brandon) Zylstra go down there, have a tenure in the NFL, guys like (Alex) Singleton. That makes me happy for the young guys. It gives the young guys hope.” Advertisement 9 Article content On his message to young American players who might be considering the CFL as an option: “For me, I've built my legacy here in the CFL. I love the CFL, I love travelling all around Canada to play football, in each and every one of these stadiums, against each and every one of these teams, organizations. You get to meet some great players, get to see some great athletes. It's night and day. When I came here in 2014, I was really just trying to find a way to get out. Fast forward to 2023-2024, Willie Jefferson, I'm just trying to get more young guys from the States to come to the CFL, to experience the CFL, to get the chance to get back to the NFL. If you ain't got the opportunity right now, come play in the CFL, give it a chance, have some fun. Come travel the country, come make some connections with some people that you have absolutely no idea about. Come do that.” Advertisement 10 Article content On his desire to play for the Bombers in a hometown Grey Cup in 2025: “It would mean everything to these fans and to this organization. It would mean a lot to my wife. The first time I actually flew my wife out to a CFL game was here for the Grey Cup in 2015. It's one of the reasons why I chose to come here in 2019, memories here in Winnipeg, memories here at IG Field. For us to hold the Grey Cup here again in 2025, and for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to be in the Grey Cup in 2025, for me to be a part of that team, if it was to happen, it would mean a lot. Circle coming to full.” Advertisement 11 Article content On Jefferson and other players potentially taking less money than is ideal in salary negotiations if it means keeping more of the band together: “That's something that some of the guys do every year. Guys deserve more when they perform, but if (Walters) was to come to me and say ‘I know you did what you did last year, but we're trying to get such and such back and he needs this, would you be willing to take less so we can make sure this guy is comfortable here?' Sure. It's nothing big, it's all for the team. I have to weigh my options, think about what's best for me and my family, but at the end of the day, I want a good product on the field as well. I don't want to just worry about myself. I'm worried about the team, as well, when it comes to negotiations and things like that. I'm a team player, a part of this organization just as much as any of the other guys. I'm not a me guy.” Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Introspective Willie Jefferson goes deep on his love for Winnipeg, the Bombers and the CFL Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings Loading... 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