INSIDE THE Xs AND Os

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/08/2010 (5872 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VEGAS LINE:

Winnipeg by 4 1/2

BLUE VS. TICATS:

The Bombers are 54-44 vs. the Tabbies all-time and 6-4 in the last 10. Winnipeg is 1-2 against Hamilton this season.

THE FORECAST:

According to Environment Canada, look for a slight chance of showers during the game, including the risk of a thunderstorm. Wind west 20 km/h. High 23.

CROWD COUNT:

Over 25,500 as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

ROSTER UPDATE:

QB Buck Pierce returns to the lineup after missing three games with a right knee strain. K Louie Sakoda replaces Alexis Serna, who was released Tuesday. WR Jamayel Smith is also expected to dress. OL Andre Douglas (knee), SB Terence Jeffers-Harris (ankle), KR Markus Howell (hamstring), and LB Marcellus Bowman (hand) are on the one-game injured list. Nine-game injured list residents include OL Ryan Donnelly, DB Keyuo Craver (knee), OL Glenn January (pectoral), S Shawn Gallant (knee), DB Jerry Ralph-Jules (leg) and LS Chris Cvetkovic (knee). WR Scott McHenry was moved to the practice roster. S Ian Logan (knee) is on the 46-man roster, but he will not dress.

TICAT MOVES:

WR Glenn MacKay, LB Ike Brown, WR Reggie Fish, and DT Albert Smith have all been activated. Fish is on the 46-man roster in case WR Arland Bruce III can’t go (he hasn’t practised all week). Safeties Dylan Barker and Ray Wladichuk are injured, meaning DB Shannon James gets the start in the middle of the secondary. WR Adam Nicolson and DL Demonte’ Bolden are out.

BRACE CASE:

Pierce will be wearing a knee brace — an apparatus he says shouldn’t limit his ability to run out of the pocket. "I’ve been wearing it everywhere I go now," he said. "Whenever I go out of the house, to the grocery store and back. I’m pretty used to it. It’ll be something to get used to early on in the game and in game-speed situations. But I think I’ll be OK."

KICK STAND:

Besides Pierce returning under centre, the biggest change on the Blue and Gold side is the addition of Sakoda. The former Utah place-kicking star has yet to try a field goal as a pro, and has spent all week mentally preparing for his first chance tonight. He says the biggest thing on the physical side of things was developing some chemistry with his holder, P Mike Renaud, and long-snapper Taylor Inglis. "It’s kicker’s preference, so I tell them how I want the ball and (Renaud) puts it in that spot I want. We seemed to come together pretty quickly this week."

BRUISIN’ BRUCE:

Ticats WR Arland Bruce III called the Bombers secondary "dirty" following Hamilton’s 29-22 win last Saturday. Winnipeg DB LaVar Glover on the cleanliness of the Bombers secondary and how Bruce’s comments were absorbed within the group: "We’re not dirty — I don’t think we’ve been dirty enough. I didn’t go to the media when he cheap-shotted me in the first game; it’s all just a part of it. If he thought we were dirty (the last game), he may really think we’re dirty (after) this game."

— Adam Wazny