Buck is back and ready to play

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This article was published 02/08/2011 (5558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting quarterback Buck Pierce returned to the field at Canad Inns Stadium in full equipment Tuesday morning for the first time since being injured in a 25-20 Bombers win over the B.C. Lions last Thursday.

Pierce left the B.C. game early with what the team called a left calf injury and Pierce practised Tuesday with the leg lightly wrapped. He emerged from the practice field to face a throng of reporters and promptly pronounced himself fit to start against the undefeated Edmonton Eskimos this Friday at home.

“I should be ready to go. I feel good,” Pierce said.

Pierce offered details for the first time on when and how the injury occurred. “I think it was in the first quarter on one of the sacks. Under the pile, my leg just sort of got caught in the turf and got pulled. And the rest of the game, I was having some trouble with that.”

Pierce said the training staff worked on the leg at halftime but were unable to loosen it up. Pierce did not play the fourth quarter against BC.

It was the second time this season that Pierce had to leave the game early with an injury. He also suffered what the team called a left quadricep injury in the club’s only loss this season, in Week 3 against the Calgary Stampeders.

Pierce said the two injuries were unrelated and chalked them up to the wear and tear of what has been an extraordinarily abusive season thus far for the 29-year-old quarterback.

“I’ve taken a lot of hits and a lot of punishment in the first five weeks. Sometimes your body can’t withstand that kind of punishment from week to week. But we have a long week this week — we got an extra day of working out and getting ready to go. And all signs point to me being ready to go and being healthy enough to go out there and play well.

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Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice agreed with his quarterback’s self-assessment. “He had a good day of practice. I think he handled our game plan pretty well and he was throwing the ball well.”

Earlier Tuesday, the Bombers announced that import receiver Damian Sherman has returned to the club and has been placed on the practice roster.

A 6-4, 213-pound product of Southern Illinois, the Bombers braintrust were high on Sherman this spring but he got injured during training camp and was released. He practiced with the club on Tuesday.

Also Tuesday, the CFL announced that Bombers defensive back Jonathan Hefney was named the top defensive player in the league last week.

Hefney had nine tackles and a 20-yard kickoff return in the win over BC. Hefney was asked if he felt like he was the best defender in the CFL last week. “I feel like I am every week,” said Hefney, “and that’s the approach that I take.”