"I was telling them I was going to be the next coach of the Blue Bombers and they didn't have any reaction," said [Mike Kelly], who worked for the club as its offensive co-ordinator from 1992 through 1996. "I asked why they weren't surprised and they just said, 'Dad, it's the only job you've ever talked about.' "

"Mike will do things the Bomber way, if you want to put it that way," said [Cal Murphy], when reached by phone on Tuesday. "He's a football man. He eats, drinks and sleeps football. You can't ask for more than that. He's creative, he'll get good players and he has a good eye. And he can communicate. [Lyle Bauer] and Mike will work well together. That's pretty good having them there. Mike will do a good job and I think he'll be there a long time."

"Mike will establish a tone for the expectations in the locker-room and on and off the field. I think you'll see that when it comes to travel and when it comes to practice and in a variety of ways," said Bauer. "He has a mantra that is 'be more professional than the other guy.' Act like a professional, treat people like they're professional they'll treat you like a professional. You'll see this in his marching orders."