Buck Pierce Update #764

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/08/2010 (5717 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

According to the head coach, Bombers QB Buck Pierce – you remember him, right? – will dress against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this Friday. Yep, that’s what Paul LaPolice told the media today. The coach also put the chance of Pierce starting as a 50/50 proposition, with back-up Steven Jyles still an option to make his fourth straight start. Bottom line from LaPolice: They won’t announce anything until they have to.

According to what everyone saw on the field, it’s still up in the air. Pierce did move out of the pocket (which is what the coaches wanted to see), but Jyles still had more turns with the first-team offence. Take whatever you want from that fact.

According to the applause from the handful of sun-soaked Blue and Gold followers watching the workout after Pierce hit receivers Jamayel Smith and Terrence Edwards for long touchdown passes, the decision is a no brainer. Pierce is the people’s choice – stability in his right knee be damned!

Other notes:

• LaPolice told reporters on Tuesday that OL Luke Fritz would be starting at left tackle against the Ticats. What is still up in the air is who the new No. 6 guy will be. No confirmation from the coach today. For those willing to play the guessing game, the O-linemen still on the roster include Chris Greaves, Carlton Medder, and Chris Kowalczuk.

• DB Clint Kent – who is also moonlighting as the back-up strong-side linebacker these days – took some first-team reps with the defence at the halfback position. Not good news for Brandon Stewart, who appears to have lost his starting spot after a tough performance against Hamilton last week. More bad optics for Stewart: He was helping the defence work through coverage schemes – as a member of the offence.

• Doesn’t look like rookie Terence Jeffers-Harris is getting into Friday’s game, either. He was still sporting that black walking boot on his sprained ankle.

• Back to Jamayel Smith for a second. The wideout was taking turns fielding kick-offs today. Not sure if the coaches are considering using him back there side Deon Beasley, but it certainly is worth mentioning. Best I can tell, FB Daryl Stephenson was not a part of the return rotation.

• Hamilton signed import WR David Ball to their practice roster today. Ball was in the Winnipeg camp for a spell earlier this season.

• Finally, the Bombers showed off their retro 1970 unis this afternoon, with RB Fred Reid and S Ian Logan serving as the male models. The jersey is the classic royal blue, with white lettering and numbers, off-set against gold pants and a gold helmet (a grey facemask) with a big, white ‘W’ on the side. Outstanding. According to Bombers media assistant Dave Turnbull, the difference between this jersey and the one they wore in the ‘80s has to with a different collar and a ‘W’ on the sleeve.