Kicker’s joy right through the uprights

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/05/2009 (6315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

First things first: Dan Giancola doesn’t have any interest in running away from the numbers on his birth certificate.

After all, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who are close to contract terms with the veteran placekicker and expected to make his signing official this week, didn’t flinch about his age, so why should he?

“I’m 39,” Giancola says from his home in Niagara Falls, Ont. “And I know a lot of people out there are going to say, ‘Oh my God… he’s 39 years old. Why don’t they bring in (Troy) Westwood? Why don’t they bring in Bob Cameron? Why don’t they bring in Lui Passaglia?’ I respect that. I’ve been out of football since 2004. But what people don’t know is the love I have for the game.

“It took me 10 years in the first place to get a shot back in Toronto in 1999 and I made the best of that opportunity. And the last four years I’ve been trying to chase my dream again. To get another chance… it’s an absolute honour to even get the opportunity to come back. I’m so excited about this, especially it being Winnipeg. Oh my God. I mean, wow… I’m speechless.”

Before we go on here, a little Giancola refresher: It was back in ’99 when he first earned a paycheque in the CFL, landing a gig with the Toronto Argonauts after attending 131 free-agent camps. He hit 78.7 per cent of his attempts that year, tried out for the Buffalo Bills, was traded to the B.C. Lions in 2000, resurfaced with the Argos in 2001, was selected by the Ottawa Renegades in the 2002 dispersal draft, tried out for the Montreal Alouettes in 2003 and then returned to Toronto as an emergency injury replacement in their 2004 Grey Cup run.

But since then it’s been one family crisis after another for Giancola, now a personal trainer in St. Catharines. Both his in-laws and his wife were diagnosed — and have since beaten — colon cancer; his father was hit by Parkinson’s and his mother had a major seizure. And last year his wife had a chunk of her thyroid removed that doctors said was the size of “a baby’s head.”

“I haven’t talked to too many people about it because I really get emotional. But the way I was brought up is family comes first,” Giancola explained. “I had to walk away and say, ‘Dammit, it’s over.’ But over the last four years I just kept going to the park to kick the football whenever I could by myself. I’d bring the same bag of footballs I’ve had with me over the years and just kick, all because I loved doing it.”

And that, indirectly, led to a workout at Canad Inns Stadium a couple of weeks ago. Giancola got some sniffs from the Calgary Stampeders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts this winter when those clubs were concerned about losing their kickers to the NFL. He had been invited to attend the Bombers’ free-agent camp in Florida last month, but skipped the session so he could attend his eight-year-old daughter’s first communion. Instead, he showed up in Winnipeg on a chilly Saturday.

And, according to those in attendance, wowed Bomber brass. Giancola estimates he tried 40 field goals, 30 with the wind, 10 against it.

“It was cold, close to playoff weather. I did great — I missed only two kicks,” he said. “And you have to understand, I’m my own worst critic. But I was extremely proud of myself because prior to that, I hadn’t been able to kick a ball for close to a month because we were getting the weather here.

“When I finished that workout and had a chance to talk to (Bomber director of player personnel) John Murphy afterward, I said to him, ‘If it comes down to talking contract, just be fair with me. That’s all I ask.’ I miss the game. Honestly, I don’t care about the money.

“People can say what they want and I know there are going to be naysayers. You know what? I’d be one, too. But if anybody knows anything about me, they should know never to count me out. And I was going to keep going until I got that blessed chance again.”

BLUE NOTES: The Bombers announced Tuesday they have signed Canadian slotback Brock Ralph to a contract extension. Expect safety Ian Logan and receiver Terrence Edwards to sign similar deals in the next few weeks… The club has no interest in safety Richard Karikari, released by Calgary on Monday… Former Jacksonville Jaguar QB Quinn Gray is on the team’s radar screen, although a signing isn’t imminent.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca