QB a commercial success

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This article was published 30/05/2013 (4839 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Buck PIERCE has the starting job, but it’s Justin Goltz who has the starring roles.

The two men pencilled in to be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Nos. 1 and 2 quarterbacks, respectively, in 2013 faced the media on Wednesday as the Bombers got the new season up and running with the opening of rookie training camp at Investors Group Field.

Goltz took his turn before the media first and spent as much of his time talking about a very eventful winter in his budding acting career as he did talking about football.

The photogenic Goltz acted in three major commercials over the winter, including one for McDonald’s restaurants and another alongside actor Robin Williams for the Snickers candy bar.

“He’s a funny, funny guy. He’s crazy,” Goltz said when asked what Williams is like in real life. “Everything you see in television and movies — he’s exactly that way. It’s not an act — that’s how he is.”

It was fascinating stuff from a backup quarterback, not normally considered fountains of good copy for reporters.

And so it was a bit anticlimactic when Pierce — the man upon whom the Bombers have effectively pinned their entire season — took his turn before reporters.

You got any television commercials to tell us about, Pierce was jokingly asked?

“That’s his gig,” laughed Pierce. “I’ve got a face for radio.”

But Pierce has also got a proven mind and an arm for the CFL, provided the rest of the supporting mechanism that is Pierce’s battle-scarred body doesn’t let him down again in 2013 the way it did in an injury-riddled 2012 season.

Because if that happens, the Bombers could be in big trouble heading into a season where their most experienced CFL backup behind Pierce is Goltz, who has the grand total of seven completions in two-plus seasons in Winnipeg.

You want a proven actor? Goltz is your man. But a proven quarterback? Not by a long shot.

Still, what little action Goltz has seen in Winnipeg since 2010 was enough for Bombers head coach Tim Burke earlier this week to anoint him the No. 2 man behind Pierce and ahead of newcomers Chase Clement and Max Hall, the latter of whom has three starts in a little outfit called the NFL on his resum©.

That’s a big vote of confidence from Burke in Goltz — as was the fact the Bombers kept him on the roster after an off-season that saw them jettison their other two backup QBs, Alex Brink and Joey Elliot.

But all those votes of confidence from his team aren’t going to mean much unless Goltz can do something with them over the next four weeks leading up to the June 27 regular-season opener.

“I haven’t been given anything during my tenure as a professional football player,” said Goltz, “and I wouldn’t expect to be handed the (backup) position in the first place. Max and Chase are both viable candidates to compete for it as well — and I expect them to compete.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be slated as the No. 2 on Day 1. But at the same time, I’m not complacent.”

paul. wiecek@freepress.mb.ca