The hellacious hits keep happening

Even opposing CFL quarterback wonders why Bomber pivot Pierce avoids self-preservation

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011

If you are among the legion of football fans in this community who are wondering when Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting quarterback Buck Pierce is going to finally start engaging in some self-preservation on the football field, you are not alone.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/08/2011 (5559 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Now, even an opposing CFL quarterback is wondering when the oft-injured Pierce is going to get smarter about sliding to avoid unnecessary contact, with Calgary Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris wading in on the subject this week.

“He does some things sometimes and you just say, ‘What the heck is he doing?” Burris told reporters in Calgary on Monday. “That’s in his demeanour. He will do anything for the extra yard. You never want to see him get injured. When you play with a lot of risk, big-time injuries can happen…

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Pierce was crunched by B.C.'s Solomon Elimimian last game. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Pierce was crunched by B.C.'s Solomon Elimimian last game.

“He will try to run through a brick wall, even if it knocks him senseless. That’s the type of guy he is.”

Pierce has taken several ferocious open-field hits this season that could easily have been avoided with an earlier slide, including a devastating smackdown by B.C. Lions defender Solomon Elimimian in the third quarter last Thursday in which Pierce appeared to bang his head.

Pierce left the game shortly after the Elimimian hit, although the quarterback maintained Tuesday the injury that chased him from the B.C. game was a calf strain he suffered way back in the first quarter.

Whatever happened, the facts remain that Pierce has now left 18 of 44 career CFL starts early due to injury. That’s a mind-bending statistic and with even his opponents now seeming to be urging Pierce to be more careful, it begged the obvious question of Pierce yesterday: Any chance you might start sliding a little more?

Not any time soon, apparently, with Pierce refusing to acknowledge there’s even anything unusual about his style of play.

“I have a lot of respect for Henry and the way he plays the game,” said Pierce, who practised in full equipment on Tuesday for the first time since the B.C. game. “Everybody plays it different. Everybody does certain things.

“But for me, there was a point the other night when I took some shots. If you guys really watch me play, I slide quite a bit. I slide a lot when I’m in the open field. And when there’s a chance of me not being able to get down,” Pierce continued, “that happens to everybody who steps on the field…

“I always try and protect myself. I always do. I always try and put my team in the best situation, too, and gain as many yards as I can and use my legs. That’s part of our game plan as well, for me to run.”

The B.C. game marked the second time this season Pierce had to leave the game 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.”

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice agreed with his starting quarterback’s self-assessment and said he was pleased with Pierce’s performance in practice Tuesday as the club prepares to host the undefeated Edmonton Eskimos at home this Friday.

“He had a good day of practice,” said LaPolice. “I think he handled our game plan pretty well and he was throwing the ball well.”