Winnipeg QB Buck Pierce practised without the metal hinge on his right knee today, instead choosing to go with a heavy tape-job that looked to be more cumbersome than the original brace. I’m going to say anywhere from 3-6 rolls of tape. Anyway, he moved around a little bit and said afterwards that he feels a lot more comfortable WITHOUT the brace. Paraphrasing, he said the most important thing is that the knee is stable.

 Sounds good, right?

Speaking with head coach Paul LaPolice after practice, reporters got a similar message: Pierce doesn’t like the brace, Pierce feels better without the brace and the most important thing is that Pierce’s knee is stable. I think most Bombers fans would agree with that last part. A stable knee on the No. 1 quarterback ensures no worry that the oft-injured Pierce will hurt his knee scrambling out of the pocket or in any other game situation involving his right leg.

 Here’s where my confusion starts: If the quarterback – a player who everyone agrees gives the Bombers the best chance to win – is allowed to ditch the brace, and both the coach and player are saying that the most important thing is that the knee is stable, why is there mountain of tape on the leg then?

 Two points:

 1. I’ve duct-taped a few things back together in my time and I can say this with absolute authority: It never works. It always gives way and leads to bigger problems down the road.

 2. Pierce has a history as a bit of a salesman in B.C. – selling the coaches on his good health even when he may not have been 100 per cent.

 Is that what’s going on here? Are they leaving the decision to Pierce? Have the Bombers not learned anything from Week 7, when he came back too early and set the healing process back a week or two? Is this going to be an issue for the rest of the year?

 One man’s advice: Sit out an extra week, Buck. Come back for the Banjo Bowl when the taped-up stable knee is a little more secure.