The winds of change have been swirling around the Winnipeg Blue Bombers since the club stumbled out of the gate to start the 2013 season.
However, nobody expected the tornado that swept through the Bomber offices at Investors Group Field on Friday.
A day after a confidential communique from CEO Garth Buchko to the Bomber board recommending the firing of General Manager Joe Mack was leaked to the media by a board member, Board Chair Brock Bulbuck held a press conference to confirm that Mack was indeed being fired.
But he didn’t stop there.
Bulbuck also delivered the stunning news that Buchko would no longer be with the club. 
And to further add to the intrigue, Bulbuck introduced Wade Miller as the Bombers “acting” CEO. All of which confirmed that the Bomber board had spent a frantic 24 hours on damage control. Not to mention also deciding to, as they say in the sports vernacular, “blow it up.” Thus began a new era in Bomber football.
Bulbuck expressed his feelings over the board leak and agreed it was regrettable that Mack was left twisting in the wind for 12 hours after news of his impending ouster became public. He added that the 12-member board of directors had become convinced that dramatic change at the top was required.
Hence the dismissal of Buchko, a successful radio executive who had only been on the job for 18 months and who inherited a myriad of problems from stadium delays to a poor product on the field. Buchko could not be blamed for the teams on-field performance. Safe to say the clubs directors were not happy with his leadership in other areas.
What qualifications does Wade Miller bring to the job? He spent 11 years as a player with the Bombers, earning a spot in the team’s Hall of fame through his sheer tenacity. A classic overachiever in every sense of the word. Or as former teammate Doug Brown described him “the little engine that could”.
During the latter stages of his career, Miller began developing outside interests that blossomed into tremendous success in the business world. So, the 40-year old Miller brings business acumen and an understanding of the football world to the position.
And he says the interim or “acting” CEO title suits him just fine–he has no problem having to prove himself because he has been doing it all his life. How quickly Miller will act in making more changes remains to be seen. But one thing is certain – Wade Miller will be decisive. And he won’t suffer fools.
