Minter nonplussed over non-call
Zach Minter maintains he wasn’t that offside.
But only if you were watching last Thursday’s game in Winnipeg on a black-and-white TV straight out of the 1960s.
On a big screen, in colour, the Calgary Stampeders defensive tackle knew he had jumped the gun.
“Oh my goodness,” Minter said after Monday’s practice, not trying to hide his laughter.
“I knew right away that I was offsides. But if you slow it down, I swear I am right on that ball snap. It’s like a micro-second early. I, honestly, don’t feel like I was that offsides, everyone else was just late.”
The Blue Bombers, however, weren’t laughing. Still aren’t. The third-and-one play that featured Minter clearly moving before the snap gave the Stampeders the football in Bombers territory and led to Anthony Parker’s 29-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the second quarter, one that gave the visitors a commanding 17-3 lead.
According to Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun, Mike O’Shea screamed in the ear of the official, while a witness said Bombers president and CEO Wade Miller tore a strip off game observer Ken Lazaruk at the suite level during half time.
“It was offside,” Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson said Monday after his squad reconvened on the practice field following a pair of days off.
“It wasn’t called. I could bring up other plays that way, as well. It was unfortunate. We stress that one play never makes or breaks a game. It doesn’t. Who knows what the next play would have been? Did it help us? Yes. But the quarterback, actually, went opposite of where he was so, to me, it shouldn’t have had a big impact on that play and our guys stepped up and made it.”
This week, the non-call is the furthest thing from Minter’s mind, as he gets ready to face his former team, the B.C. Lions (3-1), for the first time Friday at McMahon Stadium (8 p.m., TSN, News Talk 770).
Minter, 26, was released by the Leos earlier this year, but the Stamps (2-1-1) quickly scooped up the 6-foot-1, 301-pounder and has suited up in the last two games, producing one sack.
Why is this game important to him?
“Because it’s a division game,” Minter deadpanned. “It’s my first home game as a Stampeder. And they’re No. 1 in the league and we have a chance to take the No. 1 spot and be the best team in the West.”
What about the prospect of facing your former team? “I think that goes unsaid, man,” said Minter, who added there are no hard feelings, just business.
With starting defensive tackle Micah Johnson getting a day off practice Monday and Canadian interior linemen Quinn Smith (shoulder) and Derek Wiggan (toe) still not ready to return, Minter, Junior Turner and Demonte’ Bolden handled the trench work Monday.
SHAQ ATTACK
The Stampeders made a couple of roster moves Monday, one of which included signing DB Shaquille Richardson for his second stint in red and white.
The 24-year-old originally was signed to the practice roster last fall, but was granted his release when the Tennessee Titans came calling.
Richardson then returned to the fold this off-season and was impressive at the Stampeders’ Florida mini-camp in April, before latching on with the Carolina Panthers.
He was released by the Super Bowl bridesmaids a couple of weeks ago, and quickly turned his attention back to the CFL.
“I didn’t get to make it to training camp due to some injuries, so they needed to sign a veteran nickel, but I got great experience and I’m happy to be here and get on the field and make some plays, get some tape and get on the field again,” said Richardson, a six-foot, 194-pounder.