Blue Bombers fans go online to demand GM's firing
CBC News
Posted: Sep 4, 2012 10:50 AM CT
Last Updated: Sep 4, 2012 1:14 PM CT
Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Tim Burke leaves the field after the team lost 0-52 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday in Regina. (Liam Richards/Canadian Press)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans are demanding answers from the team — and the firing of general manager Joe Mack — following Sunday's 52-0 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Team faithful have been posting on Facebook and Twitter to express their anger over the Bombers' humiliating defeat at the Labour Day Classic.
A Facebook page, Fire Joe Mack, has more than 2,700 people weighing in on the team's future, while a Twitter account of the same name has about 280 followers.
Several other groups and Twitter accounts have been created in recent days expressing similar sentiments.
A Bombers spokesman told CBC News that Mack will be made available to media later this week.
Sunday's loss dealt a blow to Tim Burke in his CFL debut as interim head coach. He had taken over as head coach last week from Paul LaPolice, who was fired on Aug. 25 amid the team's losses.
Burke is scheduled to speak to reporters at 3 p.m. CT Tuesday.
'Worst game'
Blue Bombers fan Toula Malliaris said the public outcry is to be expected.
"How can you just fire a coach halfway into the season, anyways? You're going to get a lot of media, and all the fans, really upset," she said Tuesday.
On the streets of Winnipeg, fans lashed out over Sunday's game and LaPolice's firing.
"Worst game I've seen in years. They should fire the coaching staff and fire Mack," said Bill Townsend, another fan.
Said Kathleen Pellerin, a season-ticket holder, "You know what? LaPolice deserves to laugh. Totally deserves to laugh."
"You can't just pull another coach in … how much money are they wasting by firing all these coaches?" she added.
Pellerin said if things don't turn around this season, she may consider cancelling her season tickets for next year.
Meanwhile, the team and some fans are hoping for revenge against the Roughriders at the Banjo Bowl match this weekend in Winnipeg.
Evan Samborksi said he and his friends had hoped a new coach would change the team's performance.
"I heard someone yelling from their apartment yesterday, like, 'Did you see the Bomber game?!' It's pretty ridiculous," he said.
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