MUSICAL CHAIRS
With injuries affecting No. 1 QBs on both teams, we could see Justin Goltz vs. Bo Levi Mitchell
The music’s different — a blast of Burton and the Guess Who in Winnipeg, a little Paul Brandt country twang here — and so are the number of chairs. But the game’s the same.
Who starts at quarterback for who Friday evening at the brand-spanking-new Investors Group Field?
Down at McMahon Stadium on Tuesday, the locals continued to play the Calgary Stampeder edition of Rock, Paper, Scissors with Drew Tate, Kevin Glenn and Bo Levi Mitchell, while due east along the TransCanada, on the banks of the Red River, in Bomberville, the tough-as-tungsten but notoriously fragile Buck Pierce threw gingerly while the eager but grass-green Justin Goltz took all the first-team reps.
Either of the rival coaches, John Hufnagel and Tim Burke, could slip us a mickey, of course, but there’s the distinct possibility that come Friday night, on top of the marquee, it’ll be Goltz vs. Mitchell in a main-eventer of starting debutants.
The Stampeders, publicly at least, aren’t relishing the chance to tee off on Goltz, despite the vast chasms in experience and achievement between he and BandAid Buck.
One guy has launched 1,810 passes into the teeth of CFL defences, the other 29.
One guy has rung up a grand total of 14,953 yards through the sky, the other 245.
A year ago, Goltz was languishing as the thirdstringer while dressing for 11 games, his main claim to Manitoba fame scoring the final-ever touchdown at Canad Inns Stadium. But the off-season off-loading of both Alex Brink and Joey Elliott fast-tracked him up to No. 2 on the depth charts.
And, almost inevitably, Pierce’s health has become an issue.
“I think they’re both capable,” hedges Stamps’ defensive co-ordinator Rick Campbell. “Actually, they both have similar skill sets, can both run and extend plays, extend drives, with their feet. In limited playing time, Goltz has shown he can do that and throughout his career. Buck’s made a heckuva lot of plays out of nothing. It’s not as if you’re dealing with a totally different quarterback. They’ll run their offence they want to, regardless of who’s in the game. So either way ...
“Hey, you just never know. Guys like Bo Levi Mitchell can step in when needed and play at an extremely high level at a moment’s notice. Obviously they really like what (Goltz) can offer. They think he’s got a chance. They’re going to be emotionally charged up. How many times have you seen the team rally around the new guy in situations like this? We always assume we’re going to get everybody’s best.”
Pierce, of course, ever wavering between admirable courage and wilful obstinacy, seems to have had as many body parts ripped off and re-attached as the Velcro-ed Mr. Potato Head.
His latest owie came in the painful form of abdominal bruising after being impaled by the helmet of six-foot-six, 290-pound Cleyon Laing of the Argos on Friday at Rogers Centre.
Which has thrust Goltz onto the threshold of starting.
“I’m preparing as if I’m going to start and trying to build off the momentum of last week, keep things rolling,” Goltz told reporters on Monday. “You never know what the situation is going to be. I’ve seen this situation play itself out the last few years a bunch of different ways.
“As long as I prepare as if I’m going to start, then I can’t go wrong.”
Mopping up is, no doubt, a vastly different beast than being the pitcher of record right off the get-go but in relief duty against the Double Blue he finished an encouraging 13-for-15 for 170 yards.
“You never underestimate anybody,” cautions Calgary D-line boss DeVone Claybrooks. “That’s a trap you try to avoid. We’ve got a good group of guys who (don’t). After last week, we know we’ve got to sharpen the tools in our shed. A few things bounced our way that won’t in future games.
“All anybody wants, all anybody needs, to make their mark is an opportunity. And I’m sure, if (Goltz) plays, that’s the way he’ll be looking at this.”
There are countless examples of such carpe diem. Take July 24, 2008, in Winnipeg as fate would have it, for example. Ryan Dinwiddie, making only his second career start (the other being in the ’07 Grey Cup, subbing for the injured Kevin Glenn), torched Calgary for 450 yards passing, throwing a 35yard touchdown to future Stamp Romby Bryant with 12 seconds left to secure the upset. A few current Stampeders are even old enough to remember.
“At this level,” cautions linebacker Deron Mayo, “anybody can step in and make a difference. Look at our quarterbacks. We’ve got three and any of them can make plays. We’ve got to keep our focus as a defence, no matter who’s on the field. I mean, this is professional football: The guy wouldn’t be there if they didn’t think he could do the job.” Same goes for Mitchell. So, who’ll it be? Buck or Justin? Drew, Kevin or Bo Levi?
Today, the music — a rockin’ chorus of American Woman out east in Winnipeg, a few sweet bars of My Heart Has A History here in Calgary — stops. And we see which guys get the last two chairs.
You never underestimate anybody. That’s a trap you try to avoid DEVONE CLAYBROOKS