Waggoner high on life after Day 2 of Bombers rookie camp

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This article was published 28/05/2015 (3765 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Garrett Waggoner has just finished busting his hump from sideline to sideline in a periodic drizzle for over two hours. His gear is wet, his hair and shirt are completely drenched and, undoubtedly, his feet are aching.

And it seems as much as he tries, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie linebacker can’t wipe the perma-grin from his face.

“Being out here, that’s the best feeling in the world,” said Waggoner after Day 2 of Bomber Rookie Camp. “You do all those things in the offseason. You lift weights, you run, you run sprints to be able to come out here and play football at the end of the day. That’s what I’m super thankful for.

“I’ve been parking cars as a valet for the last six months, training and waiting for my opportunity. So I’m happy to be here.”

Yes, Ophelia’s on the Bay in Sarasota, Fla. — Waggoner’s plug: “Check them out. Best restaurant in Siesta Key” — may have lost one of their best valets, but the Bombers have landed one of their more-intriguing prospects. His background tale has been told, but bears repeating: his father was born in Burlington while his grandfather Hal played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 1950s. And so, despite being born and raised in Sarasota, Waggoner was eligible to be considered Canadian under the new terms of the CFL’s collective-bargaining agreement. Once his paperwork became official, Waggoner was eligible for the league’s supplemental draft and the Bombers surrendered a first-round pick next year to land the hard-hitting buzz saw from Dartmouth.

Waggoner arrived in Winnipeg for the first time Tuesday afternoon after being forced to spend an extra night in Minneapolis en route — the airline also lost his luggage — but just having the opportunity to stick his nose into a playbook and run around again on the field has him beaming.

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“I’m happy to help out wherever the coaches want me, wherever they think my skill set fits,” said Waggoner, who had looks from the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions and played with the Boston Brawlers in the FXFL last year. “That’s why they’re the coaches, that’s why I’m just going to play. I’m just here to play football. At the end of the day that’s all I want to do, play football.

“I’m just thankful. I’m blessed. It was a fortunate opportunity for me to be in the supplemental draft. The team that wanted me the most brought me in. From what I had heard, I was going to end up somewhere. I was just waiting and when I heard it was Winnipeg and when I got the phone call and saw the area code and saw it was Manitoba… I’m like ‘I’m a Bomber.’ I’m just super excited.”

The Bombers wrap up rookie camp Friday morning from 10:15-noon at the practice field beside the Winnipeg Soccer Complex. Saturday is medical day with the entire squad on the field Sunday for the first day of main camp.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait