It is part mantra, part reminder, and at the same time provides a daily dose of humility to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
And it’s become as much a part of the lexicon in Bomberland this season as ‘FIFO’ and ‘punch first and keep swinging.’
“We haven’t arrived yet.”
It was spit out in and around the Blue Bombers clubhouse when the club regrouped after an 0-4 start, repeated when the team clinched a playoff spot and then when first place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division was secured.
And now as Saturday’s Western Final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders fast approaches, it’s being reinforced and hammered home again.
Guard Pat Neufeld
“‘We haven’t arrived yet’ is a mentality,” began veteran right guard Pat Neufeld after practice Wednesday. “It’s about not being complacent. Just because we’re at the West Final now it doesn’t mean you can take your foot off the gas. If you do that, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice. It’s the exact opposite for us — if we can push the pedal down even further now, we’re going to do that.
“We’re playing with the understanding you don’t want this to be your last game of the season. You want to go out and play fast, play physical, play our brand of football but you want to make sure you’re not clutching the stick too tight.”
Neufeld said he first heard the expression back in 2014 when Bob Wylie was the Blue Bombers offensive line coach. Yet, it seems a particularly fitting expression this year with a team that has undergone substantial change due to offseason exits and then injuries to key personnel this year like Adam Bighill, Dalton Schoen, Cam Lawson, Chris Streveler and Drew Wolitarsky, among others.
It’s an approach that serves a number of purposes both in the here and now and in the big picture. And it might have been heard loudest when the club went on an eight-game winning streak to save this season and lock up first place.
“That’s just how we play, and Osh (head coach Mike O’Shea) wants to constantly remind us of that — that we haven’t arrived yet,” said defensive end Willie Jefferson. “We’ve been saying this the entire season that this team is different and that was shown with the way things started at the start of the season.
“We haven’t arrived yet. That’s why we need to show up every day with our lunchpail and hard hat and get to work.”
Saturday’s Western Final is a showdown not only between two long-standing prairie rivals, but of two of the hottest squads in the CFL. The Blue Bombers are 9-1 in their last 10; the Roughriders are 5-1 since dropping the Labour Day Classic/Banjo Bowl doubleheader.
Running back Brady Oliveira
“Osh made the analogy that we’re on a road trip,” explained running back Brady Oliveira. “Everybody loves a good road trip, but we want to keep this trip going. That’s why we haven’t arrived yet. We want to continue to get better and have that growth mindset.
“We have to continue to grind this thing out and continue on this most epic road trip we’ve been on. It’s been lots of crazy turns — especially with the start of the season — but we embrace all those times.
“We haven’t arrived at our destination yet. Yes, we’re happy with being able to host the West Final, but that’s not our ultimate destination.”
Again, it’s a simple message but it’s one with many layers. Ultimately, it’s a reminder to grind, grind, grind and not worry about the compliments being thrown about until that final weekend on the schedule.
“Winning the Grey Cup — that’s the only time you’ve arrived in this league,” said Neufeld. “If you’re not hoisting that trophy, then you haven’t arrived.
“It frames your mind in a way to approach this game. It really makes you go out there and play in the moment and accept the challenge in front of you without thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll get the next one’ or ‘Oh, the defence will bail us out here.’
“Ego is the ultimate killer in football when you think you’re better than you actually are and you’re not humble. There’s no game in the world that will humble you like football from an Xs and Os standpoint, from a physical standpoint, from an emotional standpoint.
“This core in here has been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in this league and so ‘we haven’t arrived yet’ is a reminder to stay humble and keep working every day.”
OUCH REPORT: The official depth chart for the Western Final won’t be released until Friday, but aside from receiver Drew Wolitarsky, who is on the six-game injured list, this is as healthy as the Blue Bombers have been for a while:
Injury Report: November 6, 2024#ForTheW pic.twitter.com/q7DVpM8sEf
— y – Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) November 6, 2024
HIGH PRAISE: Blue Bombers left tackle Stanley Bryant will be participating in the Grey Cup derby for the 12th season in his illustrious career and head coach Mike O’Shea was asked by Josh Frey-Sam of the Free Press on Wednesday to talk about the future hall of famer.
“He’s the best ever,” O’Shea said. “Technically he’s obviously extremely proficient, sound, excellent and he’s got the will — some guys might not have the will to do it that well that long. And then because football’s the best team sport, he doesn’t do it by himself. He’s got to have everyone around him playing well, too, for us to get that many opportunities in playoff games.
“If I go back to when he first signed with us — and I can’t tell you why he signed with us — but as an organization we were very fortunate that he chose us. He’s been a cornerstone piece for this organization for as long as he’s been here.”
NO WORD YET: Defensive back Nick Taylor has been getting some work this week but, again, nothing will be official as to his potential return until the depth chart comes out.
In any case, the veteran defender has been soaking up every minute after returning to the club and not having played since last year’s Western Semi-Final as a member of the Calgary Stampeders.
“If I’m out there it’ll be good to be out there once again wearing the blue in front of this crowd. That would be fun.” he said. “It’s exciting right now to think that might even be an option, for me to be out there.
“When I got here it was just about an opportunity for me to try and get up to speed. I’ve been around JY and Richie (Jordan Younger and Richie Hall) since 2019, so I still know the system.
“I’ll be ready if my numbers is called. And if not, I’ll be out there rooting for my team. ”
HIGH PRAISE, PART DEUX: This from TSN’s Dave Naylor:
DROPPING BACK WITH DAVE – The passion and loyalty of Riders nation knows no bounds, and they’re widely considered the best fans in the CFL, but is that still true?
More from @TSNDaveNaylor: https://t.co/LAWVslAoQC pic.twitter.com/aed0HmpgES
— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) November 6, 2024