Hope rests on Brink

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This article was published 10/10/2010 (5811 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — For the third time this season, a new name will be added to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting quarterback ledger.

The Alex Brink era gets underway at Canad Inns Stadium Thanksgiving Monday, when the former Washington State star makes his first professional start against the B.C. Lions (3:30 p.m., TSN, CJOB). The 25-year-old, who won the battle for the third-string job behind Buck Pierce and Steven Jyles in training camp, is looking forward to everything the career moment will bring.

“It’s going to be a fun day; I’m going to enjoy every minute of it,” a confident, almost cocky, Brink said following the team walk-through Sunday morning. “It’s not my first start ever. I’ve played football before. I’m going to approach it like any other day, any other game.”

Asked if he has anything to prove, Brink was succinct: “I want to win, that’s all there is too it,” he said.

Despite losing eight of nine games, the Bombers (3-10) are still clutching to a faint playoff lifeline. A loss to the Lions (5-8) would eliminate them from the East division post-season picture, but a win — which would be just the second victory from the Bomb Squad since beating Edmonton July 24 — would not only keep hope alive in the East, but would keep B.C. within striking distance in the West division crossover.

High stakes for the Blue and Gold, and the backdrop for Brink’s first start in three years. The coaching staff, as one might expect, wasn’t interested in putting any additional pressure on the rookie pivot Sunday.

“It’s not going to be (about) Alex Brink alone,” head coach Paul LaPolice offered in his pre-game press conference. “It’s going to be how our special teams plays, how our defence plays, how our offence plays — and that’s how teams have to win in this league.”

LaPolice said the game plan with Brink at the controls will be straight forward; he will have the entire playbook at his disposal, and will be counted on to throw the ball deep or run a quarterback sneak just as Jyles and Pierce were asked to do before him.

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“We believe in these guys,” LaPolice said, noting that Brink will have plenty of rope to get comfortable out on the field — even if the Winnipeg offence sputters early in the game.

Brink is just one of a handful of changes the Bombers are expected to make for the game. Back-up safety Brady Browne returns to the lineup, and DB Jonathan Hefney gets the start at one of the halfback positions, moving DB Jovon Johnson back to the corner. Non-import Scott McHenry also returns to the 46-man roster, RB Yvenson Bernard looks poised to make his first appearance of the season, and P. Mike Renaud — who missed all week of practice due to illness — is feeling better and ready to go.

On the Lions side, QB Travis Lulay makes his second straight start against the Bombers and backup kicker Sean Whyte draws into the lineup, replacing veteran Paul McCallum (who is suffering from a hamstring injury).

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca