Fast facts: regular season game one vs. Ottawa

June 17, 2004 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers News Release

ALL-TIME REGULAR-SEASON RECORD vs. OTTAWA RENEGADES: 3 wins and 1 loss

ALL-TIME REGULAR-SEASON RECORD vs. OTTAWA-BASED TEAMS: 36 wins, 25 losses and 1 tie

ALL-TIME OPENING DAY RECORD: 30 wins, 39 losses and 1 tie

ALL-TIME OPENING DAY RECORD @ HOME: 15 wins, 17 losses and 1 tie

STREAKS: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won the last three meetings with the Ottawa Renegades the Blue Bombers are also riding a three-game win streak on opening day a win tonight would tie the clubs longest opening day win streak of four games, set three previous times (1933-1936, 1958-1961 & 1989-1992)

LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING: 34-29 win, Aug. 12, 2003, Winnipeg vs. Ottawa @ Canad Inns Stadium the Winnipeg Blue Bombers celebrated the 50th anniversary of football at Canad Inns Stadium by defeating the Renegades in a mistake-filled contest kicker TROY WESTWOOD scored 14 points and averaged 48.0-yards per punt on six kicks to lead the Big Blue defensive backs TIM CARTER & RAHEEM COVINGTON made their CFL debuts in this game

LAST MEETING AT SITE: 34-29 win, Aug. 12, 2003, Winnipeg vs. Ottawa @ Canad Inns Stadium

BROADCAST: Radio CJOB 680, Canadian Football Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Irving play-by-play, former Blue Bomber Mitch Zalnasky & Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame member Bob Cameron color commentary & Andrea Rawlings sideline host

GAME SCENARIO: Its Opening Day, which means both teams would like to begin the 2004 CFL season in a winning fashion Winnipeg will dress seven rookies against a very talented Renegades side

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: Tonights game will be the 516th regular-season home game in Blue Bomber History the team boasts a 325-184-6 mark, good enough for a 63.7 winning percentage this will be the Bombers 427th regular-season game played at Canad Inns Stadium the club is 271-151-4 for a 64.1 winning percentage

INITIATION TIME: seven players will make their CFL debut tonight defensive end STEPHEN ANZALONE defensive end TOM CANADA defensive back CEDRIC DICKERSON linebacker NEIL McKINLAY fullback CORY OLYNICK punter JON RYAN and defensive back MARCEL SMITH

NEW SURROUNDINGS: six other players will make their Winnipeg Blue Bombers debut tonight centre CORY ANNETT fullback RANDY BOWLES cornerback ERIC CARTER quarterback KEVIN GLENN wide receiver KAMAU PETERSON and runningback KEITH STOKES two players fullback CHRIS CVETKOVIC & quarterback STANLEY JACKSON make their regular-season debut for Winnipeg the duo joined the club in last years playoffs

INJURIES: defensive back TIM CARTER (elbow) and wide receiver JAMIE STODDARD (shoulder) will not play

ROSTER MOVES: linebacker TONY ORTIZ (family matter) is on the teams suspended list and will not play linebacker TRAVIS ORTEGA has been released

NOTES: with a victory tonight, head coach DAVE RITCHIE would tie Bob OBillovich for 7th place in the CFL record books for regular-season wins with 107 fullback RANDY BOWLES will play in his 50th CFL game tonight wide receiver REGGIE JONES will play in his 25th CFL game tonight with four (4) defensive tackles MAURICE KELLY would take sole possession of 6th place in Blue Bomber record books for career defensive tackles with 224 runningback CHARLES ROBERTS is on the verge of several career milestones 233 combined yards would give him 9,000 11 receiving yards would give him 1,500 two kickoff returns would put him at 100 65 kickoff return yards would put him into 4th place in the Blue Bombers record books with 2,113 slotback MILT STEGALL needs 92 receiving yards to tie Earl Winfield for 9th place in the CFL record books 15 receptions would tie Stegall with Canadian Football Hall of Fame member James Murphy for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers club record kicker TROY WESTWOOD will play in his 225th CFL game tonight his string of 225 consecutive games played is the 7th longest streak in CFL History linebacker RYLAND WICKMAN needs just one defensive tackle to reach 250 for his career that would give him sole possession of 4th place in the football clubs record books

OLD FRIENDS/NEW ENEMIES: Renegades head coach & director of football operations JOE PAOPAO worked with Winnipeg in 1997 & 1998 director of media relations & communications BARRE CAMPBELL grew up in Manitoba Ottawa offensive lineman MIKE ABOU-MECHREK was drafted by Winnipeg in 1999 (5th Round, 32nd Overall) and played for the Big Blue from 1999-2001 defensive back DAVE DONALDSON wore the Blue & Gold for four years from 2000-2003 safety DONNIE RUIZ was a Blue Bomber in 2001 before Ottawa selected him in the 2002 Expansion Draft centre MIKE SUTHERLAND was a Blue Bomber in 2001 & 2002 linebacker GERALD VAUGHN, the CFL record holder for blocked kicks, was with Winnipeg in 1996 Blue Bombers general manager & vice-president of football operations BRENDAN TAMAN worked for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1989-1992 as their operations manager of football Winnipeg head coach DAVE RITCHIE led the Rough Riders defence to a 1st place finish in 21 of 25 categories in 1992 as their defensive coordinator defensive backs coach LESS BROWNE was a CFL All-Star for Ottawa in 1992, setting the club record for interceptions in a season with 11 defensive line coach & special teams coordinator JIM DALEY is originally from Ottawa and coached junior high school, high school, junior, university and professional football in the nations capital offensive line coach DONN SMITH lives in Ottawa and was one of the greatest players in Rough Riders History he played nine years for Ottawa, winning two Grey Cups, making two all-star teams, winning the clubs rookie of the year award as well as their most outstanding lineman award twice he was named Ottawas All-Time centre in 1994 he coached junior football in Ottawa and was the head coach of the Carleton University Ravens from 1993-1998 defensive back RICKY BELL came to Winnipeg in a trade with Ottawa in 2002 after playing 15 games for the Renegades that year wide receiver ROBERT GORDON played for the Rough Riders in 1991, 1992 & 1996 wide receiver REGGIE JONES played 12 games for the Renegades over the 2002 & 2003 seasons linebacker LAMAR McGRIGGS was an East Division All-Star for the Rough Riders in 1996

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