Howell returns for returns

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/07/2010 (5775 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Markus Howell talked about the excitement of being back, how great it was to see a few familiar faces around the team. In a way, it was like he didn’t believe it was really happening.

He’s probably not alone in that thinking.

The receiver/kick returner was out practising with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Rods Field Monday, soaking up as much information about schemes and systems as he was sunshine. A strange sight, indeed, considering the born and bred Winnipegger is 35 and two months into "retirement" but there he was, bouncing around, fielding kicks and running routes in hopes of getting into Friday’s game with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

A fourth-round draft choice by the Bombers in the 2000 CFL draft, Howell was with Winnipeg for five years before moving to Ottawa for one and then Calgary for the last four, retiring in May. Why is he currently in Bomber blue and not Stamps red?

Some clarity on his status: The 5-foot-10, 188-pound speedster officially filed his retirement to the league office, only to change his mind and officially unretire a short time after. The Stamps then officially released him before the 2010 season, allowing him to go wherever he wanted.

Officially, he wanted to come home to Winnipeg.

"A couple days ago a little birdie told me that my name was coming up a little bit, and (I should) turn up my work outs," explained Howell, who has family and business interests in town. "(Sunday), I got the phone call and things moved pretty quickly.

"It enables me to stay home. I was working on some things off the field and I couldn’t be in Calgary and Winnipeg at the same time. A couple other teams (called), I had to turn them down — it wasn’t the right fit — but when the home team called you can’t turn that down."

A perfect fit for Howell, yes, but his addition also seems like the perfect for the Bombers. If Howell can still play — keep in mind that at 35 he’ll be one of the oldest players on the roster (DT Doug Brown is turning 36 this September) — he provides another option at receiver, in the kick return game, and if needed, in the defensive secondary.

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"The thing he gives us, and that we were cognizant about, is that two of our starters do all of our returns," said head coach Paul LaPolice, who is familiar with Howell from their Bomber days together earlier this decade. "If Terence Jeffers-Harris is sore, like after that 60-yard touchdown (Friday versus Toronto), he still has to go out and return. So it’s good to have a guy like Markus who’s done it."

Even LaPolice enjoyed the good vibrations of Howell’s career coming full circle. When asked how Howell looked in his first workout, the coach offered this sound-bite: "He’s one of those guys who runs when going to the kitchen."

Howell is on the team not to replace Jeffers-Harris or Jovon Johnson in the return game, but to add depth and as one can gather, there’s little doubt on the Bombers side that he can still get it done. He’s been around the block, so he knows how things work on the field, plus he keeps himself in tremendous shape — a lifestyle choice he credits to his former teammate and fellow fitness fanatic, Milt Stegall.

"I took that from Turtleman himself," Howell smiled. "He said you always stay in shape, doesn’t matter if you’re playing or not. You always look good on the beach."

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca