‘Sideshow’ Simmons won’t be playing tonight

By: Tim Campbell Posted: 3:00 AM CDT Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015

After the tempest last week that saw linebacker Jasper Simmons depart the Calgary Stampeders and land in the camp of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Simmons won't be playing for the blue and gold against his old team today at Investors Group Field.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/08/2015 (3880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After the tempest last week that saw linebacker Jasper Simmons depart the Calgary Stampeders and land in the camp of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Simmons won’t be playing for the blue and gold against his old team today at Investors Group Field.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea did not include Simmons on his roster for this week’s game when the list was made public Friday.

Earlier in the week, after a practice, Simmons told reporters he expected he’d be playing. The 26-year-old former member of the Stamps, Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts was not available for comment Friday.

Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press
Jasper Simmons joined the Blue Bombers on the field at Investors Group Field this morning. — Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press Jasper Simmons joined the Blue Bombers on the field at Investors Group Field this morning.

“He just got here and he’s got to have a chance to get acclimated with our system,” O’Shea said after Friday’s walk-through. “Jasper showed up and he knew, understood the situation, that it’s going to take a little time for him to get on the roster and it just wasn’t this week.

“Jasper’s a good football player. He is. It’s just that situation where it’s going to take a little bit of time.”

There was some degree of controversy over Simmons’ departure in Calgary. He had asked for more playing time, had been left of the team’s roster several weeks and finally just more than a week ago, his agent started a public criticism of the Stamps, leading to Simmons’ eventual release.

O’Shea said none of that “sideshow” factored into this week’s decision.

“No, I don’t see his start with us as a sideshow,” the coach said. “Whatever happened wherever else he’s been, that’s doesn’t affect me.”

The coach said Simmons took this week’s roster news, “professionally.”

“Just like he needed to,” he said. “He’s a professional guy. He understands. And it was laid out for him when he first showed up.

“He’s going to have to start on special teams in my mind. As he gets more used to what we’re asking him to do on defence, I’m sure given what he did in Ottawa and given his athleticism, he’ll probably work his way into some defensive plays for sure.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca