Easy going Bryant brings charisma, athleticism to Bombers field

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This article was published 16/06/2015 (3762 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There are some people in life we just want to be around. They are magnets and women, men and children like to be in their orbit. Stanley Bryant is one of those people.

To be honest, it’s easiest in this job to dehumanize the subjects we cover. Make them numbers and nothing more. When they do something great or when they stumble, what is written about them has it’s genesis in that moment and isn’t coloured by past interactions. That’s not going to be easy with Bryant.

Effortlessly, he makes you want to like him. Man crush? No. But Bryant had me laughing on Tuesday morning in an interview we did for a Free Press video and this column.

Put it this way, if you’re out having a few beers this football season and Bryant walks into the establishment, a good time is going to break out. He’s smart, funny and relaxed.

The Bombers are paying Bryant in the neighbourhood of $160,000 this season which is solid money for an import offensive lineman. He might be the best left tackle in the CFL and was a major contributor to the Calgary Stampeders winning the Grey Cup last season. If Winnipeg is better this season, a lot of it will have to do with Bryant.

The 6-6 and 313-pound Bryant has been a CFL all-star the last two seasons and twice was the Stampeders nominee for the league’s best offensive lineman award. He’s athletic and smart.

Veteran Dominic Picard says Bryant is one of the most complete offensive lineman he’s had a chance to play with and is the kind of player a team can build around.

“He’s not going to get beat. He has quick feet and is strong. He’s a great run blocker and is one of the best in pass protection,” said Picard. “When I call a play, he instantly knows what we’re doing. He’s experienced and smart. We’re lucky to have him.”

Bryant, 29, grew up in North Carolina with his mother and sister. After watching him run around with his cousins, his mother put him into flag football and he eventually earned a scholarship at Division 2 school Elizabeth City State University as a tight end.

Bryant transferred and walked on at East Carolina University and earned a starting position at tackle. After a tryout with the Denver Broncos he ended up in the CFL, first with the Stamps and now with the Blue Bombers.

“I love Canada. If I had a choice, I would be a citizen, but I heard the test is tough. I think Canadians know more of American history than Americans do, which is weird,” says Bryant. “But I don’t watch Canadian television… it’s terrible. There’s nothing on it that I want to see.”

Uhm, what about hockey?

“No. I’ll watch baseball before hockey. Baseball can be boring during the regular season but it builds to the playoffs. It gets interesting in October,” he said.

Moving is part of life for a professional athlete and for Bryant leaving Calgary for Winnipeg was just another adventure in life.

“I would say it’s exciting because you don’t know what to expect,” said Bryant. “Kind of nervous and exciting at the same time, because you know you’re going to experience great things when you get to a new place. You get to meet new guys, a new city, new people.”

Bryant is standing on the side of the Bombers practice field and is animated during our conversation. He asks me what size my shirt is and wonders if it would fit him and where did I get it. At one point, he reaches over to pat my belly. It’s not a typical interview with a pro athlete: It’s friendly. Maybe that’s because it’s the pre-season and he hasn’t been scorched for giving up a sack but Bryant has been around. He knows the role of the media and how it can be a double-edged sword.

In the end, it’s just Bryant’s personality. He’s a positive guy.

“I wouldn’t say I’m mean. I do get angry. It’s hard to make me angry off the field, but even the small things can tick me off on the field,” said Bryant. “And then also just being a competitor. I don’t want to be the guy to lose any battle, any situation on the field, so that just brings the edge out on the field, knowing I can win every down.”

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With great talent comes leadership responsibilities. Bryant and Picard will be the captains of this offensive line and most likely two of the strongest voices on this team.

Bryant says he leads first by example and secondly with a strong dose of positivity.

“Even when one of my teammates on the line is having a bad game, I stay positive, regardless of the situation. I might talk junk to him after, just pick on him after the game. But during the game, you gotta stay positive, keeping him in the moment,” he said. “You don’t want to be down on him – he’s already down on himself, for maybe giving up a sack or maybe just not playing as good as he’d like. You just have to stay in his ear, stay positive, and let him know that he’ll be alright.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless