Ritchie finally accountable

Coach had to answer to the community

It's the sportswriter's version of the Extreme Makeover: go on vacation and come back to a place you hardly recognize.

In some ways, I like what you did with the place. Dave Ritchie's time had definitely run out, probably as far back as last November. And keeping Don Matthews off the air during CFL telecasts will spare us all some pain.

On the other hand, why can't Brandon snake-oil salesman Darryl (Beef) Wolski stage a hockey fight tournament right here in River City? And what is Bobby Hull's No. 9 doing back in circulation with the franchise formerly known as the Winnipeg Jets?

Let's start with the Blue Bombers, and the decision that should have come at the end of last season.

Allowing the Bombers to dig themselves into a 2-5 hole could well cost this franchise a home playoff game. The only saving grace is the CFL West isn't exactly a powerhouse.

Ritchie had obviously lost his team. Instead of providing leadership, he'd single out some of his most loyal veterans for public criticism, probably because he was feeling the heat himself.

By the end, his uncertain status had become a crutch for his players, giving them an excuse to lose. Human nature being what it is, they used it.

For the record, I was never out to get Ritchie, an idea he carried around for the better part of six years.

I just didn't let him off the hook for some of the things he did and said over the years. The way I see it, anyone running our community-owned football team should be answering to the community.

It was never anything personal. At least, not for me.

Ritchie helped turn the Bombers around when they were at their worst. He just couldn't get them to be their best when it mattered most.

And that's why his teams will go down as great collections of talent, with zilch to show for it. Quite a waste, when you think about it.

Waste -- that's a good word to describe half-time interviews with Matthews, the Montreal Alouettes coach who loves nothing more than to take a dumb question and shove it down a reporter's throat.

Kudos to TSN's CFL producer Paul McLean for telling Matthews his answers left a lot to be desired, too.

Matthews and TSN agreed to boycott each other the rest of the season, but a better solution would have been to use reporters who know how to ask a question. Or get The Don to be a little more gracious.

Yeah, right.

GONGING THE GOONS: Don't know about you, but I feel bad for Wolski, the Brandon-based promoter behind the Hockey Gladiators goon show.

While I denounced his idea from the start, I marveled at his ability to pull it off, and stood amazed as people actually paid money for tickets.

But now that Wolski's event has been booted from Minneapolis and Winnipeg, all his effort, not to mention a ton of money, is in jeopardy.

Let the boys play -- I mean, fight -- already. And let the people, not some suits in an office, decide whether this thing flies or dies.

TATTOO TROUBLE: I see former Goldeyes pitcher Bobby Madritsch was ordered to cover up his tattooed arms by a major league umpire the other day. It's not the first time Madritsch has gotten into trouble for his body art. Here in Winnipeg, some fans complained to the Goldeyes a few years back after mistaking a native peace symbol on Madritsch's chest for a Nazi swastika ... So the Phoenix Coyotes un-retired Hull's No. 9, did they? This officially cuts off all ties. Those of you who didn't hate the Coyotes yet are now allowed to do so.