Hopefuls will be hopping

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/06/2010 (5654 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s important to remember this game is just a dress rehearsal, and not the real thing.

The majority of the 28,000-plus at Canad Inns Stadium today probably received the memo, that the exhibition game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes is simply an opportunity to evaluate talent and see how the pieces of the roster fit together before the curtain drops on the 2010 season in a couple of weeks.

Knowledgeable fans know that. The coaches certainly know that, too. Heck, even members of the media seem to be clued into this fact.

For the players looking for full-time work, though, the pressure to perform has been ratcheted up a notch.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” Bombers hopeful Terence Jeffers-Harris said after the team was put through its final paces Saturday. “It’s exciting to play some football again. There are a lot of expectations on a lot of guys, so I think when there’s an opportunity to go to work, you have to show up.”

Jeffers-Harris, a burner from Vanderbilt, is auditioning for the role of receiver/returner and he should get a lot of time fielding the ball today. Offences on both sides will be more interested in getting a feel for each other than punching it into the end zone — though the headsets on the sidelines would like to see the latter once in a while.

Winnipeg head coach Paul LaPolice, making his CFL pre-season head-coaching debut, is just looking for the simple things from his charges today: Cover the kicks, win the one-on-one battles and protect the football. He’ll measure those simple instructions against the level of competition in the player, and evaluate from there.

“For them to be successful on the field, they have to pick up the schemes and understand everything, and not get (overwhelmed) because there are 24,000 people in the stands,” LaPolice said. “Once they understand what they are doing, are they doing it 100 m.p.h., are they making the right reads, and are they being productive with the ball in their hands?”

Of the 60 or so players who will dress for the Bombers, no one will get more attention than quarterback Buck Pierce. Coming off a 2009 season that featured concussion controversy and a season-ending shoulder injury, the 28-year-old was trying to keep his emotions in check Saturday.

Leading a new team has a distinctive energy to it, and it’s easy to get caught up in that, but Pierce knows the score: The pre-season isn’t about victories; it’s about building a winner.

“It’s exciting for me to go out and play football again,” Pierce said. “It’s such a long off-season — especially with me and the way things went last year. It feels great.

“We’re here to evaluate talent,” added the pivot, who battling with Steven Jyles for the starting QB spot. “There are going to be mistakes and there’s going to be things that will need to be worked on.”

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

THREE ALOUETTE STORYLINES

1. CHIU ARE YOU?

The Alouettes were hit by the surprise retirement of centre Bryan Chiu as camp opened. Montreal will likely move Paul Lambert from guard to Chiu’s old centre spot, leaving Luc Brodeur-Jordain and Andrew Woodruff to battle for the starting guard position.

2. A NEW CATALYST, PLEASE

Montreal lost CFL all-star kick returner Larry Taylor to the New York Jets and finding somebody to provide instant field position isn’t as easy as some think. The Als are auditioning a number of candidates to replace Taylor, many of whom should get a look today — Chad Owens, Brandon Whitaker, Corey Council and Avon Cobourne’s brother, Patrick.

3. TWO DEFENSIVE HOLES NEED PLUGGING

Defensive tackle Keron Williams and Canadian cornerback Davis Sanchez bolted for the B.C. Lions in free agency, leaving two starting job openings on a Grey Cup championship side.