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![\"Ethan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4599757_web1_CP174691970.jpg\")
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Ethan Cairns \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea\u2019s even-keeled demeanour has a way of rubbing off on the players on his team.<\/p>\n
Why so happy?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re back at work,\u201d he said with a smile on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to those around him, that\u2019s just how O\u2019Shea operates.<\/p>\n
And when times get tough, his even-keeled demeanour has a way of rubbing off on the locker room.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2024, we sucked at the start of the year. And then we went on that stretch of winning eight straight. He stayed pretty calm and level-headed, and he knew that stretch was gonna happen,\u201d said safety Redha Kramdi after Tuesday\u2019s practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, the head coach is the leader. You don\u2019t want him to be too emotional, you want him to be in control of himself and the situation. But when it\u2019s needed, and he needs to be vocal, he is. He\u2019s the greatest to ever do it and the best coach I\u2019ll ever have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Veteran kicker Sergio Castillo has been on nine teams across three different leagues. O\u2019Shea is one of the very few he\u2019s encountered who is calm, cool and collected more often than not.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cWhen I came back in 2023, after being in Edmonton in 2022, we were down 22 points in Edmonton. Zach (Collaros) goes down, Dru Brown comes in, and I\u2019m looking around, and I\u2019m expecting chaos \u2014 but it was chill. Everyone was. And it was because of him,\u201d said Castillo.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd my son will ask me \u2018Dad, how come you never celebrate?\u2019 And for me, it\u2019s because I\u2019m Zen, but he doesn\u2019t understand that. And I kind of learned that from Osh. Whether it\u2019s high or low, always try to be Zen, try to be in the middle and that way people can\u2019t figure you out.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Shea, however, doesn\u2019t fully agree with the assessment. He is human, after all.<\/p>\n \u201cI ripped (Castillo\u2019s) ass when he (kicked) it out of bounds the other day\u2026 So, he\u2019s being very kind to me. That\u2019s not exactly the truth, but it\u2019s almost the truth, maybe. For the most part, it\u2019s the truth,\u201d concurred O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the greatest to ever do it and the best coach I\u2019ll ever have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe letting my emotions take over wouldn\u2019t serve them at all. It\u2019s happened. There\u2019s been a few games this year where I have not been pleased and they know it, but if it was a regular occurrence, I think you\u2019d end up more inconsistent possibly.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t confuse composure for acceptance, though. After the Bombers blew a 21-7 lead last Friday at home to Toronto and lost 30-28, it\u2019s not like O\u2019Shea is patting everyone on the back and saying, \u201cOh well, maybe next time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was more vocal about it being unacceptable,\u201d said Kramdi.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game happened, you\u2019re emotional about the result, you watch it the next day, you correct it, and then eventually, you have to move on to your next opponent. If we\u2019re still mad about what happened last week, it\u2019s like we\u2019re not paying attention on our next opponent. I think that\u2019s the mindset that he has and that\u2019s the mindset that I got because of him.\u201d<\/p>\n For fans, it\u2019s hard not to look ahead to next week, when the Bombers (7-7) host the Calgary Stampeders (7-8) in a pivotal matchup that will decide their season series and could ultimately determine who gets the final post-season spot when all the dust has settled.<\/p>\n But if you think anyone who gets paid to wear blue and gold is doing that, think again.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll tell you what helps the most: We take it game by game. He rarely looks too far ahead; it\u2019s always, what is our process this week? What do we need to do to win this week? How are we gonna practice this week? What\u2019s the game plan this week?\u201d said Kramdi.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, that\u2019s how he is, and I think that\u2019s how you should be. I think that\u2019s the best way to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n CONDELL ON LATE-GAME WOES<\/p>\n Questions need to be answered when the offence closes out a game like that.<\/p>\n After a sizzling start, the Bombers gave Brady Oliveira just four carries and the pass attack generated a measly 15 yards in the final two quarters of action Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cI do have the privilege, and it is a privilege, to be in front of you guys to be able to answer those tough questions,\u201d offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell told reporters Tuesday.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with an obvious one: What went wrong?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Bombers offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell: \u201cNot good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe all know that when you have sacks, they\u2019re drive-killers,\u201d said Condell. \u201cYou can\u2019t get any timing and rhythm in any of the offensive calls. You can\u2019t get to things.\u201d<\/p>\n Quarterback Dru Brown was sacked three times in the second half. The most damaging came with just over two minutes left, when the Bombers were clinging to a 28-27 lead. They faced a second-and-four near midfield after Oliveira scampered forward for six yards, but instead of giving it back to him, Brown was sacked by Argos linebacker Adarius Pickett.<\/p>\n A running play was apparently called, but after seeing how Toronto lined up, the Bombers called an audbile.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got another sack. With a seven-man protection,\u201d said Condell.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not good enough. First I have to look at myself from those calls\u2026 are we giving those guys a position to be successful? It doesn\u2019t go unnoticed.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bombers have surrendered a league-high 36 sacks this season. Whether it\u2019s been Collaros or Brown under centre, it has been an issue that has plagued them for the majority of the year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve looked at all of them. Multiple times,\u201d said Condell.<\/p>\n \u201cYou look at them and you see them, and unfortunately, every group has had a part of it\u2026 Obviously, it\u2019s something and we\u2019re attacking that challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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