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CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘Felt like home': Crankshaft comic makes trip to Winnipeg
Tom Batiuk, creator of Crankshaft, said characters from the comic strip will be coming to Winnipeg to watch a Blue Bombers game. Uploaded on July 23, 2025. (Zoom) The creator of a popular U.S. comic strip is sharing his love for Winnipeg and its football team in his latest series. As of Monday, readers might recognize familiar elements in Crankshaft over the next several weeks as characters from the comic strip come to the city for a Winnipeg Blue Bombers game. Tom Batiuk, author of the daily comic strip that debuted in 1987, explained that his interest in the city began in 2011 which ultimately led to the comic strip setting. 'There was a lockout in the NFL. No football to watch, so I started watching Canadian football. Fell in love with the Blue Bombers … it's the best name in football,' said Batiuk, speaking from his Ohio studio. 'And so, I just decided at one point to start putting it on the t-shirts and sweatshirts in Crankshaft.' Batiuk said he was then contacted by the team's football club who sent him a Bombers' jersey with Crankshaft labelled on the back and invited him for a game, prior to the pandemic. He said he finally took advantage of the invite last summer with his wife, even getting the chance to run out of the tunnel leading to the field. 'The Bombers treated us royally and I just took notes and references for everything,' adding that he took 'tons' of reference pictures for the comic's illustrator. 'It felt like home. We were so welcomed and everything, it was a very enjoyable experience,' he said. 'And when I got back home, I started writing a story about Crankshaft going to Winnipeg.' Batiuk said he used to author Funky Winkerbean, a comic strip about high school kids with Ed Crankshaft as the bus driver. He said the character became so popular he spun Crankshaft off into his strip—expanding into all kinds of topics from bus driving to home life. Batiuk said this will be the first time the strip is set in Winnipeg, which usually takes place in a mythical town called Centerville. 'My life is separated by a very thin, thin wall between the strip and what goes on. So, I basically take everything from my life and eventually move it over into the strip.'
Globe and Mail
7 days ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Stampeders continue CFL dominance with 41-20 win over Bombers
The Calgary Stampeders continued their dominance of the CFL on Friday night. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 16 of 24 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Stampeders to a 41-20 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Calgary improved to 5-1 and sits alone atop the CFL's West Division. Winnipeg dropped to 3-2 before a sold-out crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium, an eighth straight full house. 'It feels great but the work's not done,' said Adams, who also threw one interception. 'We've got to get back tomorrow, watch the film, learn from the mistakes. I know I had quite a few out there, so I've got to get better from that and get back to work.' Calgary, however, has posted three straight dominant wins. 'Yeah, we've got confidence, for sure,' Adams said. 'We know we're a good team but we're not going to stop working. We've just got to keep working.' Adams completed TD throws of 37 and 42 yards to Damien Alford before finding Dominique Rhymes with a three-yard toss. Alexander stages last-minute comeback for Alouettes over Argos, but hurts hamstring Calgary's defence also picked off Winnipeg's quarterbacks four times, with Damon Webb intercepting a Chris Streveler pass and returning it 15 yards for a touchdown. The convert gave the Stamps a 38-13 lead early in the fourth quarter. 'The defence, man, they've done such a great job all year,' Adams said. 'I keep telling myself, if I can take care of the ball, they're going to give me a chance. They're gonna give us a chance to win.' It was the second time the Stamps stomped Winnipeg in the last three weeks. They beat the Bombers 37-16 in Calgary on July 3. Backup quarterback Quincy Vaughn also scored on a one-yard touchdown run. Rene Parades kicked field goals of 32 and 37 yards, and converted all five majors. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros exited in the second quarter with what's believed to be a concussion after falling to the field from a big hit. 'None of us like to see that,' said Stamps head coach/GM Dave Dickenson, a former CFL QB. 'I've never coached him but I really like the way he plays. I get nervous for him. I've been there … You never like to see other quarterbacks go out with head injuries. I know that affected their team.' Before leaving, Collaros completed eight of 11 passes for 151 yards and a four-yard touchdown to Nic Demski, with two interceptions. Streveler then completed 16 of 25 passes for 130 yards and one late eight-yard touchdown to Kody Case, with two picks. Sergio Castillo kicked field goals of 46 and 58 yards, and converted both TDs. 'Losing never feels good, especially in front of our home fans,' Streveler said. 'We've got the best fans in the league and we didn't play up to our standard today. But we're going to use this feeling to fuel us to have a good week of preparation next week.' The momentum switched after Adrian Greene picked off Streveler in the red zone with the Bombers threatening early in the third quarter. The Stamps scored on the ensuing drive to take a 24-13 lead. 'Obviously, you can't throw picks in the red zone, right?' Streveler said. 'So, we've got to take care of the ball, especially in a close game like that. That's on me, I gotta be better.' The Bombers got beaten badly by the Stamps in two straight games. 'It's ugly,' said Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, who rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries. 'I'm not even sure about this one. It feels a little weird because it was so close. It's not like the last outing with them where it really got out of hand quickly into the game. But we're in it. We knew we had to go into the second half and fight, but it just got away from us. 'We need to give credit to Calgary. They've been playing really good ball the last number of weeks. And they were the better team out there tonight. It's unfortunate to have a result like that in front of our home crowd. We're so much better than that. I don't care what everyone else thinks, but deep down I know we're so much better than that. The only way you get out of hard times is work.' Fans welcomed Bombers legend Milt Stegall back with a standing ovation before the game. Stegall, who was on the sidelines, returned to the TSN panel this weekend for the first time since the sudden death of his son, Chase. 'That (tribute) was amazing,' Dickenson said. 'I actually had a tear in my eye.' The Bombers travel to Toronto to take on the Argos in a Grey Cup rematch on Saturday. The Stampeders return to Calgary to host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bombers legend Stegall reflects on grief, loss and healing in Winnipeg return
When legendary Blue Bombers receiver Milt Stegall arrived in Winnipeg Friday morning, it was more than a homecoming to the city where he became a football icon. This particular return to his 'other home' — as Stegall describes it, underscoring that Winnipeg is anything but secondary to him — carries the raw and fresh grief of suddenly losing his 20-year-old son, Chase, just six weeks earlier. Stegall's presence highlights his extraordinary resilience, the lasting bond he has with his CFL family and Winnipeg's unique capacity to help heal. 'This place, as I always say, is so important to me and my family,' Stegall told the Free Press in an interview Friday, shortly after his plane touched down. 'Not just from a football sense, but from a life sense. Part of the way I am as a person is because of the time I've spent in Winnipeg.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Though never one to be nervous, the Canadian Football Hall of Famer admitted he was anxious to return to the CFL on TSN panel for Thursday's game between the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. He had felt guilty about bringing his high energy back to the group, trying to reconcile enjoying himself after suffering what he called the hardest moment of his life. It was at that point that Stegall drew a poignant parallel to the sudden loss of his father when he was 17 and a senior in high school back home in Ohio. Recalling the day his father died, he focuses on the message his mother gave, something that still sticks with him. 'She told me to go play my basketball game,' Stegall said, noting his father had been struggling with ongoing health issues. 'She said, 'Yes, you grieve, but you have to keep living. You have to keep moving'.' This same philosophy, Stegall said, is now rooted in his own family's experience. 'Keep moving, keep enjoying life, because Chase enjoyed life every day,' he added. 'It's what he would want us to be doing.' His first on-location panel with TSN — which dedicated the 2025 CFL season to Chase — though fitting, wasn't by design. Stegall didn't circle the game on his calendar; the timing just felt right. As a man of faith, he credits divine intervention, something bigger than himself or the game of football. After all, Winnipeg holds a profound significance for Stegall and his family. 'She said, 'Yes, you grieve, but you have to keep living. You have to keep moving'.'–Milt Stegall His youngest son, Collin, now 17, was born in the city, and while Stegall spent just 10 of his 55 years in Winnipeg, he's amazed and humbled by the love and support he continues to receive to this day. 'The support has brought tears of joy to me and my wife,' Stegall said. 'So, getting back on that panel, that was important for me because it's been therapeutic. The individuals I work with at TSN, from the other panel members to the people working the cameras, they aren't friends; they're family.' When remembering Chase, Stegall describes an outgoing, caring and selfless individual. While Stegall has always been one for the spotlight, his son seemed cut from a different jersey. 'Chase always put others before him and was genuinely concerned with how others felt,' Stegall said. 'That's a trait you don't find in too many kids, or too many people in general.' What Chase definitely got from his dad was his warm smile, something he always had on his face, even at times when he was in trouble. No matter what the occasion, Stegall said, his son always found a reason to grin ear to ear. It's a spirit the family strives to embody. 'He's left a legacy on the people he touched that will live on forever,' Stegall said. UNIVERSITY OF DEPAUL PHOTO Chase Stegall The grieving process has been predictably tough. There are moments that trigger Stegall, like sometimes when looking at family pictures or even while driving. He received the news of Chase's death from his soccer coach at DePaul University while in his car. Chase was mourned in two funerals, one in Chicago where he attended school, and another in Atlanta where he lived. Even amidst the warmth of a Winnipeg welcome, these moments serve as stark reminders of the massive void left behind. Stegall credits his family, notably his wife, Darlene, and son, for giving him strength. They are constant reminders of the love and support he receives, and reflections of the good Chase brought to the world. 'I'm getting to the point where there are more highs than lows. There are still lows, and there may be lows for the rest of my life,' Stegall said. 'But I'm also really realizing that my son was on this earth for 20 years, and he made a difference more so than some people who have been on this earth for 100 years. That helps me get through some of the tough times.' Stegall's remarkable perspective is deeply rooted in the powerful example set by his parents Betty and Garland Stegall. His father, born in 1922, worked as a foreman at a chemical plant before managing the family's grocery store and getting into real estate. 'My father was born in Newnan, Ga., and his grandmother was a full-fledged slave. He saw people hanged and being wrongfully accused,' Stegall said, his voice quieting. 'So, he moved out of that area, moved up to Cincinnati for a better life, only to still face so much racism. It still didn't hinder the type of person he was.' 'But I'm also really realizing that my son was on this earth for 20 years, and he made a difference more so than some people who have been on this earth for 100 years. That helps me get through some of the tough times.'–Milt Stegall Through all this, Stegall said his father remained 'the friendliest person,' picking up hitchhikers and showing immense kindness to those struggling to pay rent. His mother, who worked for more than three decades as a nurse at Shriners Hospital, was equally compassionate to others. Stegall remembered witnessing her calmness after he violently cut his chin as a child, washing away the blood gushing down his chest, and especially while working in the Shriners burn unit. 'The way she caressed them, the way she treated them — like they were her own kids. It was truly amazing to see,' he recalled of her interactions with severely burned children. Despite both having only high school degrees, they worked tirelessly to put all five of their children through college without debt, instilling in Stegall a great foundation and the drive to do great things. 'I saw my parents and the way they handled themselves, the way they handled other people's kids,' he said. 'It set an example for me where I was going to be the nicest person, I was going to do something great in life, because they were doing these great things and they had nothing.' He added: 'Everything I am, is owed to what my parents instilled in me from the time I was one until the time they passed away.' Stegall noted the unique bond between Winnipeg and its athletes, something he feels every time he's in the city. He attributes this to the Winnipeg's inherent friendliness and welcoming nature. He contrasts it with the more isolated experience of the NFL, noting that in Winnipeg, fans actively engage with players even at practice. This genuine connection, built over time, explains why even after 17 years away from the field, Stegall remains relevant to fans who never even saw him play. With an eighth straight sellout for Friday's game between the Bombers and Calgary Stampeders, Stegall admits he can't visualize exactly what to expect. He anticipates it will be 'angelic.' 'What's going to be special is walking into that stadium,' Stegall said. 'Walking into that stadium and just being around, that's special enough for me right there.' Jeff HamiltonMultimedia producer Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University's journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff. Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Canada News.Net
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Blue Bombers bid to bounce back in rematch vs. Stampeders
(Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images) The Calgary Stampeders easily handled the Winnipeg Blue Bombers earlier this month. The rematch is Friday night when the Blue Bombers aim to avenge the 21-point setback when they host the Stampeders. Calgary (4-1) is tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for first place in the West Division, while Winnipeg (3-1) is just a half-game behind. An interesting aspect is that the Blue Bombers had a bye last week while the Stampeders were posting a 24-10 win at Saskatchewan. Two straight games against Calgary is just fine with Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros, who will be seeking redemption. The Blue Bombers trailed by 23 points at halftime in the 37-16 loss. And Collaros threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns by Calgary's Damon Webb (30 yards) and Derrick Moncrief (70). 'Nothing changes. The beauty of this sport is you get to move onto the next one and try to execute and for us we're lucky we get to play them again,' said Collaros, who passed for 288 yards and one touchdown. '... You should be champing at the bit to get back at it. I think you are every week, win or lose. But to not play up to your expectations that you have for yourself, to be dominated in a game, is not a fun thing.' Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. passed for 222 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Bombers. Last week, he threw for 428 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against Saskatchewan in a game pushed back a day to Saturday due to wildfires in the area. Now Adams is expecting to see a very intense Winnipeg team trying to deliver some payback. 'Of course we don't expect them to like us,' Adams said of the Blue Bombers. 'But that's another great opponent coming up for us. 'And they're at home -- sold-out crowd -- and they're coming off a bye, so they're going to be fresh and ready to go. So we've got to bring our 'A' game.' Calgary has allowed a league-low 18.2 points per game, while Winnipeg ranks fourth in scoring at 28.3. The Stampeders (28.0) are fifth in scoring and the Blue Bombers are third in points allowed (23.5). Calgary coach Dave Dickenson is aware the Blue Bombers are tough to slay at home. 'It's a super big challenge,' Dickenson said. 'I understand what they're about. We got to focus on ourselves. Just make sure we show up and play a good solid game.' Winnipeg doesn't want to fall to 0-2 against the Stampeders this season. 'It's early in the season, it's one loss and we've all got to realize that it's not time to panic,' Winnipeg receiver Nick Demski said. 'It's time to get back to our standard of football and go out there and compete.'
CBC
18-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Riley Laychuk's Manitoba forecast for Friday, July 18, 2025
A mainly sunny sky across much of the province on Friday. Light wind for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers game in the evening, with a slight risk of a scattered thunderstorm.
