Stampeders coach Dickenson apologizes for insult during game broadcast

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea isn't losing any sleep after seemingly being the target of some controversial comments from Calgary Stampeders counterpart Dave Dickenson.

In Sunday's CFL West final, television cameras caught an emotional Dickenson hollering at the officials about some calls, questioning why they were taking place in front of O'Shea and then saying "(expletive) Canadians."

Speaking Monday as the Bombers cleaned out their lockers following the 22-14 loss in Calgary, O'Shea made light of the incident.

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"Well, I'm a proud expletive Canadian," O'Shea quipped. "Him and I have already spoken.

"Things get (said) in the heat of the battle. It really is a heat-of-the-moment type of thing and I've got a good relationship with Dave."

Asked what was said in their conversation, O'Shea said "That's between him and I. I've got a lot of respect for Dave."

Dickenson addressed the controversy when the Stampeders met with reporters Monday morning at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

"Certainly there was emotions going through me," he said.

"Out of frustration I said something I shouldn't … I talked to Mike afterward and texted him, it had nothing to do with him personally ... it was just, I felt like the calls were coming out on their sideline, as some calls come out on my sideline.

"So, as a man, if you say something that you regret, you should apologize and I do, but more than that, I'm moving forward, there was nothing about it that had anything derogatory, I'm not trying to offend anybody, but move forward from here."

No grudges

O'Shea doesn't sound as if he'll be holding any grudges.

"I congratulate him and the Stamps," he said. "They won the game. They played extremely well and they beat us and they're a good football team and I think we're a good football team so, you know, they're moving on and we're not.

"But in terms of that, you know, I'm sure things get said."

The win over the Blue Bombers propels Calgary into Sunday's Grey Cup final against the Ottawa Redblacks, which is being played in Edmonton. 

"We're just looking forward to a great atmosphere, but we're looking forward to trying to accomplish something this team has been striving for, not only this year but in the last couple of years, and we feel like being in Alberta should help us," said Dickenson. 

"[We've] been in that stadium more than Ottawa has, so let's take advantage of that. Hopefully the weather is decent and we'll have a great game out there."

Ottawa beat Hamilton 46-27 on Sunday to advance to the final from the East Division. 

Calgary and Ottawa have met three times in the Grey Cup final. Ottawa won two of those, in 2016 (39-33) and in 1968 (24-21), and the Stampeders won one, in 1948 (12-7).

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