O’Shea: ‘I believe in the resiliency’ of CFL

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea is always one to look at the positive side of things.

When asked about players with nagging injuries during a season, he invariably says he expects them to play.

When a player is struggling, he makes it known publicly that he believes in him.

You could hear that same optimism in O’Shea’s words as he spoke about the potential for a shortened CFL season in 2020.

“I believe it’s gonna happen,” O’Shea said. “Everybody I’ve run into around town, getting gas or groceries or whatever, they ask the same question. I wholeheartedly believe that we’re gonna play football this year.”

Sunday was supposed to be the first day of training camps in the CFL but owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, those have been postponed indefinitely. The season is on hold as well, the CFL is struggling with financial burdens and no one knows for sure if or when the players will be back on the field.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie has asked the federal government for a bailout of up to $150 million and there are legitimate concerns about the viability of the league going forward, whether or not it stages games in 2020.

“I honestly can say that I’m not worried about the future,” said O’Shea. “I believe in the resiliency of our league. In terms of the toll it’s taking or going to take, that remains to be seen. I’ve put a lot of years into this league, seen a lot of different things, seen teams come and go, but I’ve also seen a league survive, and survive when the pundits said it wouldn’t.”