Best of the Blue

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This article was published 06/11/2009 (5809 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FREE PRESS football writer Ed Tait takes a look at the Blue Bomber nominees for the Most Outstanding Player Awards:

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
MOST OUTSTANDING
SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAYER

JOVON JOHNSON

Position: defensive back/kick returner

His 2009 season: Second in the CFL with six interceptions, one for a TD; has added 69 tackles, second on the team… Third in the CFL in punt-return yards; fifth in kickoff-return yardage… Has two kick-return TDs, including a 118-yarder on a missed field goal.

Notable: Johnson’s selection marks the second consecutive year a defensive player has been named the Bomber MOP after Doug Brown grabbed the honours a year ago… A Bomber defensive player has been nominated as MOP on seven other occasions: LB Phil Minnick (1969); DB Paul Williams (1974); LB Greg Battle (1989); LB Greg Clark (1995); LB K.D. Williams (1996), LB Maurice Kelly (1999) and DT Doug Brown (2008).

Quotable: "I’ve never received such a prestigious award. I’ve never been on a team where I’ve been valued as much."

The other candidates: MOP: Geroy Simon (B.C.); Fred Stamps (Edm.); Joffrey Reynolds (Cal.); Darian Durant (Sask.); Arland Bruce III (Ham.); Jamal Robertson (Tor.); Anthony Calvillo (Mtl.).

Special teams: Jason Arakgi (B.C.); Tristan Jackson (Edm.); Sandro DeAngelis (Cal.); Jason Armstead (Sask.); Dylan Barker (Ham.); Justin Medlock (Tor.); Larry Taylor (Mtl.).

MOST OUTSTANDING
DEFENSIVE PLAYER
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN

DOUG BROWN

Position: defensive tackle

His 2009 season: The nine-year Bomber veteran has recorded 48 tackles, five sacks and one fumble recovery — his 48 tackles ranks second among D-linemen behind Edmonton’s Kai Ellis.

Notable: This is the seventh time Brown has been the Bombers’ top Canadian and the fourth straight season… Brown has now been named top defensive player for the Bombers three times.

Quotable: "It keeps you young being around the fresh talent we have on this team. It’s motivating. It’s an honour to be recognized amongst a group of peers that are this talented in this locker-room."

The other candidates: Defence: Korey Banks (B.C.); Kai Ellis (Edm.); Dwight Anderson (Cal.); John Chick (Sask.); Markeith Knowlton (Ham.); Kevin Eiben (Tor.); Anwar Stewart (Mtl.).

Canadian: Ricky Foley (B.C.); Patrick Kabongo (Edm.); Dimitri Tsoumpas (Cal.); Rob Bagg (Sask.); Marwan Hage (Ham.); Kevin Eiben (Tor.); Ben Cahoon (Mtl.).

MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

BRENDON LABATTE

Position: left guard

His 2009 season: Started all 17 games this season at left guard as part of a unit that is second overall in rushing yardage and has surrendered just 26 quarterback sacks — fewest in the league.

Notable: This is LaBatte’s first nomination as the top lineman… He was the Bombers’ most outstanding rookie last year.

Quotable: "You definitely have a lot of guys helping you out. We’ve had pretty good success as a unit this year and to be nominated as the guy is an honour."

The other candidates: Sherko Haji-Rasouli (B.C.); Patrick Kabongo (Edm.); Ben Archibald (Cal).; Gene Makowsky (Sask).; Marwan Hage (Ham.); Taylor Robertson (Tor.); Scott Flory (Mtl.).

MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE

JONATHAN HEFNEY

Position: defensive halfback

His 2009 season: Hefney, playing the difficult inside halfback spot, has amassed 64 tackles, five special-teams tackles and four interceptions.

Notable: A Bomber rookie has won the CFL Most Outstanding Rookie award twice in this decade: Albert Johnson III in 2000 and Gavin Walls in 2005.

Quotable: "I’m happy to get the rookie of the year, but I really want to get to the playoffs. I want to keep playing."

The other candidates: Martell Mallett (B.C.); Arkee Whitlock (Edm.); Malik Jackson (Cal.); Jerrell Freeman (Sask.); Marquay McDaniel (Ham.); Lin-J Shell (Tor.); Jerald Brown (Mtl.).

— Tait