Blue Bombers 2008 Quest for the Cup

Let the fearless prognostications begin... The Blue Bombers open the 2008 CFL season on Friday, June 27 against the Toronto Argonauts. The gap between the Stanley Cup final and the beginning of the CFL season seems to grow shorter each year.

But that's a good thing. Basketball does not do it for me and baseball is boring. The CFL is a terrific sport and enjoyable to watch.

In 1990 I had to give up what were great season tickets as a result of my transfer to Toronto. Since my return to Winnipeg in 2006 I have gone to maybe 4 games. This season I have acquired half a set of season tickets. Not just any tickets, but tickets on the 50 yard line, east side on the LAST row of the lowest section. Prime ducats, prime!

The bombers missed a glorious opportunity in 2007 to win the Grey Cup after QB Kevin Glen's arm was broken and the Winnipeg's were forced to start a green-as-grass rookie quarterback in the Grey Cup. In 2008 I fully expect Coach Doug Barry will have learned from that debacle by finding and playing a second string QB. It appears that QB will be Ryan Dinwiddie. The other soft spots included our special teams, all of them (except maybe Kyries Hebert). With place-kicker Troy Westwood released and a rookie in his place I don't know if we've improved there. A still suspect part of the team.

The defense looks awesome. The secondary is a weak spot but there is a gleam of improvement there with a new ball-hawking attitude. We should see an improvement on the minuscule 10 interceptions last year.

All in all I see a solid team that will improve on 2007.

My prediction? Winnipeg 14 wins and 4 losses. Winnipeg wins the Grey Cup.