He sees the little things

WINNIPEG — It’s only details? Don’t tell that to Mike O’Shea.

The Blue Bombers coach was on the flight home from a road trip this season, sitting beside defensive back/ punt returner Kevin Fogg.

Fogg had his headphones on, watching a movie, and O’Shea wasn’t paying much attention.

But he did notice something was wrong. With the movie, that is.

“At some point there was a continuity issue with the movie,” O’Shea said. “A body was laying in one spot, and then when they showed the next shot the body wasn’t there anymore. They missed it in the movie.

“I just pick that stuff up. It’s always been that way. Details for some reason are important to me.”

That quality probably helped him play in the CFL for 16 years, and continues to help him today. What he misses, he counts on his coaching staff to pick up.

What O’Shea misses about the game from his playing days is the way special teams used to be a bit of a free-for-all.

“All the cameras are on you all the time. So some of the fun and shenanigans that went on in old-school football just don’t exist anymore. The street-fight mentality...”

O’Shea played all special teams, whenever he could.

“That’s what Canadians did,” he said. “It was a chance to play more plays. I was told early you make your mark on special teams. And it’s thoroughly enjoyable. I don’t know, there’s just something about it. Not everybody can do it.”

— Paul Friesen