Sears cuts losses, accepts punishment

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/11/2011 (5144 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Johnny Sears wasn’t thrilled with the events of the last couple days, but he’s moving on.

A day after CFL commissioner Mark Cohon issued a one-game suspension to Sears for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Toronto quarterback Steven Jyles last Friday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back explained why he accepted the penalty.

Simply put: He doesn’t want to miss the playoff game.

“To be honest, if I’m the first one to get suspended, I could be the first one to lose an appeal,” he said after practice at Canad Inns Stadium Wednesday.

“I don’t want to jeopardize my team and not be with them in the playoffs. I’d rather be in the playoffs. To play now and appeal, and risk missing one of the key games of our season…”

By not appealing the suspension, Sears forfeits one game cheque and is forced to miss the Bombers’ regular season finale in Calgary, a game that could decide if the Bombers finish first in the East Division.

But rather than gamble on what many around the league feel could be a winnable challenge, Sears figures it’s best to cut his losses and get ready for Winnipeg’s first playoff game — should that come Nov. 13 (East semifinal) or Nov. 20 (East final).

Sears said he talked to the team’s CFLPA representative Doug Brown before deciding to accept the ruling.

“I just don’t want to put myself in that situation,” he said. “I could take this one, take it on the chin, and keep rolling. Move on after this week instead of having it lingering as something that could affect our team later on down the road.

“We’re going to take it this week, and forget about it.”

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice, who said earlier he didn’t think the head shot was a suspension-worthy infraction, took a more passive stance on the issue Wednesday.

“Let’s move on and like we’ve done before, win games without guys,” the coach said.

Sears, who is still dealing with a slight ankle injury, doesn’t start in the Winnipeg defence but he does see time in a six-defensive-back set that is called for on occasion. His spot on the depth chart will most likely fall to practice roster import Darrell Pasco.

KITO BACK: The Bombers offence could receive a boost for the playoffs.

Highly touted rookie wide receiver Kito Poblah, who is currently on the nine-game injury list with a shoulder issue, has been practising with the team this week.

“We’ll see how he is the next couple weeks,” LaPolice said. “He’s really not in game shape. It’s not something (where) he could just come back and play the following week. We’ll see where he is for possibly the Eastern final.”

Poblah had battled knee injuries earlier in the season.

HELLO AGAIN: Jovon Johnson is looking forward to facing his old college friend Saturday.

Stamps quarterback Drew Tate and Johnson were teammates at Iowa for three years. Not surprisingly, the Winnipeg defensive back says he has a pretty good feel for what Tate can do on the field.

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“The key to success against him is that he’s a smaller guy; you have to get push up front and the D-linemen have to get their hands up because he’s smaller,” Johnson said. “His release (point) is lower. Once you get pressure on him and take away his first read…

“In college, I know I got a lot of picks off of him (in practice) because I just jumped the first read that he went to.”

Tate has won both starts since replacing veteran quarterback Henry Burris two weeks ago.

NOTES: Safety Ian Logan (flu) was not at practice again Wednesday. His status for Saturday is uncertain…The search for a new Bombers CEO is still ongoing. At least that’s what an ad in Wednesday’s Globe and Mail suggests. The job posting says a head-hunting agency called Boyden Global Executive Search is doing the legwork for the club. Construction executive Ossama AbouZeid has been the team’s interim CEO since July.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny