Gallant relishing time on TD list

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This article was published 06/07/2009 (5937 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shawn Gallant is proud to be one of the league leaders in touchdowns.

Granted, the Canadian Football League season is only four games old, but the 32-year-old linebacker hadn’t hit paydirt since the 2002 season with the Ottawa Renegades.

“If I do (stay a league leader), that would be the best thing,” said Gallant. “I’ll take league leader in special teams tackles.

“Anytime you get a touchdown, that’s great, but I can’t see me leading much after week two.”

Still, Gallant was glad to break his drought after Joe Lobendahn demolished Edmonton Eskimos kick returner Tristan Jackson on a punt return.

“It’s been awhile since I had one,” said Gallant. “Joe Lobendahn pretty much just smacked that guy (Jackson) so hard that he fumbled it and I just happened to be at the right spot at the right time.

“I’m lucky, yes, but Joe did all the work.”

Gallant’s touchdown was the Bombers’ first of the regular season, and knotted their game with the Eskimos at 9-9. The Bombers ended up losing 19-17, but Gallant felt that crossing the goal line provided a jolt to the Blue and Gold, who had only mustered a safety in the previous two and a half quarters of the game.

“It was tough for us to get anything going,” said Gallant. “Both teams were struggling on returns, so I hope there was a little spark to get us into the game a little bit.”

One of Gallant’s previous majors involved intercepting a pass from CFL legend Damon Allen, and he’s glad he at least beat Allen once.

“It was a nice little deal,” said Gallant. “When he became the all-time leading passer, I was like ‘yep, he would have had a little more, but I got him one time’.”

Bomber coach Mike Kelly appreciated Gallant’s rare flash of offence, but knows he can count on the Windsor, Ont., product for his other special teams duties.

“He was a force on special teams,” said Kelly. “He was always around the ball and played with tremendous effort.”

Thursday’s loss was Gallant’s first game with Winnipeg since rejoining the team from the Montreal Alouettes. Gallant donned Bomber colours in 2005 and 2006 after stints in Saskatchewan and Ottawa.

“It’s definitely a good homecoming. I’ve got a lot of family here so they were very excited.

“You can’t beat the fans here. In Saskatchewan, their fans are great, but Winnipeg, it’s the big city with a little atmosphere,” said Gallant. “You’ve got all the enjoyment of having a big city and going everywhere, but the fans are like it’s a small town, so I love it.

daniel.falloon@freepress.mb.ca