October 21, 2011
Dave Campbell
ESKS.com
The amount of times a player in the game of football who actually touches the pigskin during a game can vary by position. If you’re an offensive lineman, you’ll likely never touch the football unless you’re the centre. Defensive lineman, linebackers, and defensive backs only touch the ball on fumbles, tips, knockdowns, or interceptions. It’s varied when you look at the running back position. The glamour position is the quarterback; he touches the ball on every offensive play. Yes, kickers too but they kick the ball, there’s football 101 for you.
Oh yes, last but not least. What about the receivers? Now there’s a feast or famine position. How much man or zone coverage does the receiver face? Is the defensive back physical: Translation: Does he get away with a lot of interference. How many double teams will a receiver face?
It’s a position that can breed frustration. This year alone, Arland Bruce protested while with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and was traded away to the BC Lions. Maurice Mann did the same and now he’s a member of the Toronto Argonauts. Calgary Stampeder slotback Nik Lewis has complained twice. Well the second time he said he didn’t want to talk the media because he might get cut, but said you could quote him on that.
Enter the Eskimo receiving triple threat of Fred Stamps (66 catches, 936 yards, seven touchdowns), Adarius Bowman (47 catches, 808 yards, two touchdowns), and Jason Barnes (41 catches, 728 yards, five touchdows). Have you ever heard a peep out of them about not getting the ball enough? Nope, it hasn’t happened. No griping at all to the media, not one comment about the offense needs to get me involved. The three simply just go about their business and patiently await their chance to contribute.
Eskimo Head Coach Kavis Reed says he’s happy his receivers are choosing the selfless road, which can be the road less travelled.
“Especially when you have guys that are very capable,” Reed said. “True to their character and I’ve said all along the character of that locker room has been absolutely unbelievable. Their character is showing that they’re not selfish, they’re enjoying each other, enjoying playing with each other, and understand that they can feed off each other and they’re doing that very well right now.”
Adarius Bowman at this point last season was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was a CFL top-ten receiver at the time but had difficulty staying focused and, by his own admission, he needed to grow up. Bowman says it’s hard to not be selfish when you want the football in your hands so badly.
“It’s a challenge I’d like to give myself (not to be selfish), do what’s not easy, just get mad and say I want the ball. I feel like I could easily do it,” explained Bowman. “It crosses your mind at times but to actually act upon it, I’m not going to do that.”
The Eskimos’ top receiver, Fred Stamps, has only one 100-yard receiving game in six games played since returning after missing three games with an abdominal injury. He says when one of his teammates enjoys a big catch game he treats it like they deserve that achievement. Stamps says at the end of the day, it’s about one thing.
“Everybody has one mind-set right now and that’s winning,” Stamps said. “Receivers want to get the ball and make plays, but as long as we come out with a victory, it’s fine. This whole team has one goal and that’s to be playing in that last game at the end of November in that Grey Cup game. Put all the egos aside and forget about everything else.”
Okay, this all sounds too good to be true about these three receivers. They never complain about not getting the ball? To get to the truth, enter quarterback Ricky Ray.
“Don’t let them fool you, they want the ball.”
AH-HA!! The truth comes out. Wait a minute; shouldn’t a receiver want the football? Shouldn’t a playmaker want to make plays? Of course! If a receiver doesn’t want the ball then the next catch he should make is the next bus out of town. Ray says Stamps, Bowman, and Barnes, in their protestations, are respectful about it.
“The thing that they do well is they’re not out in the media and complaining about it,” Ray explained. “They come to the sideline and give suggestions and let me know what they’re seeing out there. They’re definitely not the Jason Tucker type; he would come off and didn’t say anything. They definitely give suggestions, but in a good way.”
The Eskimos’ offensive attack was almost unstoppable in the first five weeks of the season. Then the injury bug hit Stamps, Bowman, and Barnes. Friday in Toronto will be the fifth game back together for the trio.
Defenses get paid too. They watch film so they know what the three are capable of doing. The problem is they can’t cover all three. Pick your poison. You double one receiver, you leave two free to roam.
One ball and so much talent to work with. It’s a nice problem for quarterback Ricky Ray to have.
NOTES: Eskimo linebacker Rod Davis has been fined an undisclosed amount by the CFL for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Winnipeg Blue Bomber quarterback Buck Pierce in last Saturday’s 24-10 win over the Bombers. General Manager Eric Tillman was cleared of any tampering charges in relation to comments made on an Edmonton sports radio show “Inside Sports with Dan Tencer” last week. Tillman mentioned his inquiry to the Saskatchewan Roughriders about slotback Andy Fantuz in a possible trade to Edmonton.