Blue almost get two all-stars

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This article was published 13/11/2014 (3986 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had two CFL divisional all-stars on the team in 2014 — but, curiously enough, only one still on their roster when their season ended a couple weeks ago.

The CFL announced Wednesday former Bombers running back Nic Grigsby — who played almost the entire 2014 season for Winnipeg before the Bombers cut him — was named an East Division all-star with his new team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Grigsby and Bombers slotback Clarence Denmark, who led Winnipeg in receiving in 2014 and finished second overall in the league in receiving yards with 65 catches for 1,080 yards and 3 TDs, were the only players to play for Winnipeg in 2014 to receive divisional all-star honours yesterday.

Only the expansion Ottawa Redblacks, who had no all-stars in their inaugural season, had fewer players honoured.

It’s just the third time in history the Bombers have had just one CFL divisional all-star — CFL statistician Steve Daniel said the only other two years it happened were in 1978 and 1995.

The Montreal Alouettes led all teams this season with 11 divisional all-stars, followed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with 10, the Edmonton Eskimos with nine, the Calgary Stampeders with seven, the Toronto Argonauts with six and the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders with five apiece.

The lack of honourees for a Bombers team that lost 10 of their last 12 games probably shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, but some Winnipeg players still took to social media after the announcement was made to criticize the voters — the Football Reporters of Canada and nine CFL head coaches.

“All-star voting is bulls . Yup I just said how others feel,” Bombers slotback Nick Moore tweeted from his personal account, citing specifically the lack of all-star honours for Bombers cornerback Chris Randle as a glaring oversight.

‘Ain’t no way Chris Randle shouldn’t have been the first DB on that list’

— Bombers slotback Nick Moore, via Twitter, on his dissatisfaction with all-star selections

“Ain’t no way Chris Randle shouldn’t have been the first DB on that list. Teams wouldn’t even throw his way!!!!!”

Denmark agreed with his teammate’s assessment of the lack of honours for Randle, who was in his first season with the Bombers. “I would definitely say Chris Randle should have been on that list,” Denmark said in a phone interview from his off-season home in Jacksonville, Fla. “And maybe (safety) Moe Leggett. And I think (kicker) Lirim (Hajrullahu) deserved recognition also. He played lights out this year.”

Hajrullahu was passed over at the kicker and punter position in the West Division in favour of B.C.’s Paul McCallum and Calgary’s Rob Maver respectively.

Hajrullahu was the leading points-getter among West Division kickers this season and is a rare and valuable CFL commodity as a Canadian who handled both kicking and punting duties. But McCallum was slightly more accurate on field goals — hitting on 90.5 per cent of his attempts versus 87.0 per cent for Hajrullahu. And Maver narrowly out-punted Hajrullahu distance-wise, averaging 45.4 yards versus 43.8 yards for Hajrullahu.

While he was passed over as an all-star, Hajrullahu could still get some league recognition today when the CFL announces this year’s divisional nominees for the outstanding player awards. Hajrullahu is Winnipeg’s nominee in three categories — rookie, Canadian and special teams.

Grigsby was quickly snapped up by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after the Bombers cut him. He played just three games for Hamilton, mustering 146 yards on 30 carries, but was presumably voted a division all-star largely on the strength of his work with Winnipeg.

Grigsby finished the season second in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns and third in rushing. Bombers GM Kyle Walters said in a statement Wednesday he was happy for Grigsby but had no regrets in replacing him late in the season with another import running back in Paris Cotton.

“Whenever it doesn’t work out for a player in one organization, you always hope he can go elsewhere and achieve success and Nic’s production throughout the season earned him that nomination, so we are happy for him,” said Walters.

“Paris Cotton played the final four games for us, had a six-yard average and a couple 100-yard games, and we’re pleased with where we are at with the running back position.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek