Eskimos vets share memories of late coach
The Edmonton Eskimos core leadership group has certainly grown together over the years.
But it’s the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that a couple of its members have to thank for helping them grow up.
Chances are Adarius Bowman and Odell Willis wouldn’t be the veteran leaders they are today without the time they spent with the same Bombers club they are facing at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday (7 p.m., TSN, 630 CHED).
And one former coach, in particular, stands out above the rest from their days there.
Five years ago Tuesday, Bombers assistant head coach and defensive line coach Richard Harris died from a heart attack at age 63 after collapsing in the team’s office.
“It wasn’t just a defensive thing, man,” said Bowman, who spent two seasons in Winnipeg before joining the Eskimos the same year it happened. “For most of us, he was almost like a father figure, especially in my case. And I know he touched Odell a lot from being around him.
“We used to go for lunches and do a lot of things. Most of his talk wasn’t even about ball, it was about becoming a man. We were so young then, 22-23, and what’s crazy is it felt like all his words sunk in on me after I left there. But he definitely took the time to do that.”
Not every coach does. Especially with a player from across the line of scrimmage. But suffice to say that the 260-pound retired NFL defensive lineman recognized the unbridled potential in this pair of upand-comers who might not have had the squeakiest of clean images early on in their football careers.
“We didn’t understand the impact we could have off the field. He used to tell me, ‘Someone’s always watching, even when they’re not watching, A.D.,’” Bowman said. “And at the time, I’m like, ‘That sounds stupid.’ But I understand what he meant now. So that’s a coach that will always be with me.
“I know that hurt a lot of us when that occurred. I remember when it was first announced, it just didn’t seem real. Coach Harris was a huge man that had a bigger heart. Some of the things he said is stuff I’m still learning now.”
Willis doesn’t need any sort of anniversary to remember his former position coach.
“He was one of the best, one of my favourites,” said Willis, whose Swaggerville teammates were always anchored in reality by Harris. “I’ve never paid attention to how many years it’s been, when I think about him I just think about all the positive things and all the good stuff he did for us.
“For a guy who didn’t have it easy to having almost everything in the NFL, he’d seen it from both sides. The older you get, the wiser you get, and that was just him. He could relate to everybody, whether you came off of the streets or came from a good family.”