BLUE BOMBERS NoteBook

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This article was published 17/07/2012 (4828 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Simpson gets the start

THE Bombers announced Monday import running back Chad Simpson will start in Toronto Wednesday night against the Argonauts.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said Simpson, who played in 28 NFL games as a reserve running back and kick returner between 2008-10, will start at tailback in place of Bloi-Dei Dorzon and will be backed up by non-import Nathan Riva.

Dorzon, who started the first three games of the season for the Bombers, will not dress against the Argos.

Simpson suffered an undisclosed injury in training camp and has yet to play in the regular season. LaPolice still had concerns about Simpson’s health as recently as Sunday, questioning his ability to make sharp cuts.

But LaPolice said he had a change of heart after speaking with Simpson. “In talks with Chad, he says he feels really good and he’s got no pain and laterally he’s moving fine,” LaPolice said Monday.

“I had a real heart-to-heart with him — ‘You know, understand it’s a little different, I don’t have a lot of backups. If you go on, someone else is coming off.’

“He said, ‘No, trust me coach. I think I’ll be good.”

Simpson will be the only injured Bombers player who will return to the lineup this week. The only other possible returnee this week was offensive tackle Andre Douglas, but LaPolice ruled out his return following practice on Monday.

“è “è “è

BOMBERS rookie receiver Chris Matthews is not only leading the CFL in receiving yards, he’s leading by a mile.

The 350 yards Matthews has hauled in through three games is almost a football field better than his next closest competitor, Argo Andre Durie, who has 266 yards.

Matthews is also tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with three and has emerged as an elite CFLer so quickly that Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says he’s already pointing out the 22-year-old pass catcher to the rest of the team as a player to emulate as the team tries to bust out of an 0-3 funk.

“The guys have to understand,” LaPolice said he told his players, “that activity doesn’t mean anything. We’re all out there running around doing things, but if you don’t perform at a high level, what does it matter?

“I talked about Chris Matthews — that guy’s getting a lot of plays because every time he gets an opportunity to make a play, he does it right.”

Matthews was at practice on Monday but did not take part in drills — ditto defensive back Johnny Sears. LaPolice said both men had minor injuries and were given the day to rest, but would start in Toronto.

— Wiecek

Brink hit

Bombers quarterback Alex Brink says he never lost consciousness when he got hit by Edmonton Eskimos linebacker J.C. Sherritt last Friday and suggested the situation looked a lot worse than it was as he lay on the field immediately afterward and then was pulled from the game. “I was concerned with the way that I got hit. I wanted to stay down and make sure the medical staff could come out and pay the right attention to it,” said Brink. Brink says he suffered no after-effects from the hit.

Feel it

“Good things… Love.”

— Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice laughed as he responded to a question about what he told his defence when they all gathered together for an on-field meeting after practice on Monday.