Simpson returns to field after injury
Linebacker has eye on playoffs after broken clavicle sidelines him
The familiar No. 12 was on the field for Calgary Stampeders’ practice on Tuesday. If you didn’t see Juwan Simpson, well ...
“I heard him, too,’’ joked head coach/ GM John Hufnagel. “He’s feeling good and whether he goes to the game or not, we just want him to get some practice in.’’
Simpson has sat out these past five weeks with a broken clavicle and was given the green light by doctors this week to resume practice.
“Feels great,’’ the veteran middle linebacker submitted. “It’s been feeling good the last couple of weeks actually. Felt good to get back out there, running around. Just waiting it out, whenever that number’s called.
“I wanted to do some things and they told me I couldn’t. Everybody gives me a hard time and I deserve it. I don’t ease up on everybody, so I made sure everybody knew I was out there today. They couldn’t say anything to me. But it was really a great feeling.’’
Though he’s feeling pretty good, it doesn’t sound like Simpson will be in the lineup on Saturday afternoon in Vancouver, when the Stamps take on the Lions, which means he’d be more than ready for the rematch in the West Division semifinal the following week.
“Honestly for me, it’s not too far out of reach,’’ he said of playing this weekend. “At this point in the season, it’s whatever’s best for the team. Whenever. I’m here. I’m ready. I know I will play again ... and that’s a good feeling.
“I’ve got no expectations. If I had to take a positive about being injured, my body has come full circle. Whenever I do get on the field, you see that little dot that just keeps flying around ... that’s me.’’
Play or not, Simpson will not keep to himself the importance of this upcoming regular seasonender.
“This game is crucial just because we have to play them again,’’ he pointed out. “It’s something we have to drill into guys’ heads; this game counts. We don’t want to give them any motivation going into the next week. We want to set the tone.’’
RAYMOND WEIGHS IN ON HIT
Keon Raymond feels he had to stand up for his fellow defenders — in this case Hamilton’s Simoni Lawrence. There was quite the hue and cry this weekend about Lawrence’s low hit on Henry Burris as he scrambled around before letting go of the ball in the Ticats- Ottawa game.
Burris denounced Lawrence on TV at halftime, while the latter had his own choice words for the veteran QB.
Raymond weighed in on Twitter and then expounded on his position.
“When you get a quarterback running outside the pocket, he becomes a running back,’’ the Stamps’ veteran SAM linebacker argued. “I thought it was crazy for Hank to attack a guy when he played within the rules. I think Hank was emotional because he had a knee problem before. The quarterbacks get protection and I understand that. They’re the golden boys of the league and I’m all right with that. I’ve had to tackle Darian Durant and he’s 240 pounds. There’s no way me being 190 I’m going to hit him high. I’ve seen him run guys over.
“Simoni’s not a friend of mine or anything, but for them going on him ... stay in the pocket. That’s where your protection is. We get paid to hit. The object of the game is to hit somebody.
“Even our quarterback, I’d be mad if they hit him low if he’s in the pocket. But if you can’t hit them outside the pocket, that’s ridiculous. Football is football. If you don’t want to get hit, stay inside the pocket.’’
EXTRA YARDS : ... A record number of jackets, 5,100, were collected during the annual Stamps’ Salvation Army Coat Drive — in conjunction with last weekend’s game against Saskatchewan.