Sinopoli and Spencer finalists for CFL awards
Receiver Brad Sinopoli and receiver/returner Diontae Spencer are finalists for league awards, the CFL announced on Thursday.
Sinopoli has been nominated for Most Outstanding Canadian after reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight season. Despite missing Ottawa’s final two games due to injury, Sinopoli — who is up against Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris for the award — hauled in 91 passes for 1,009 yards and three touchdowns.
Spencer is up for Most Outstanding Special Teams player, going against Calgary’s Roy Finch, a former Redblack. In his team’s final game of the regular season, Spencer set a CFL record with 496 all-purpose yards. He finished with 922 receiving yards to go with 1,313 punt return yards, 1,162 on kickoff returns and 267 after missed field goals.
The awards, to be presented Nov. 23 at the Shaw Centre, were voted on by members of the Football Reporters of Canada in each city, as well as CFL head coaches.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE
For the Ottawa Redblacks, it’s never about who’s hurt, who can’t play — it’s about sucking it up, licking their wounds and getting after whoever’s next.
That next comes in the form of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL’s East Division semifinal Sunday afternoon at TD Place.
“It’s football, you’re going to get hurt, there’s going to be an injury or two,” said defensive lineman Jonathan Newsome, a former Roughrider. “That’s what makes champions. You need guys who can get over the hump, guys who will stick together through everything and play for each other.
“The only challenge I see is they’re the next team on the list. We’ve got RNation (behind us). If the game was today, we’re ready to go. Sunday can’t come fast enough.”
Newsome said it doesn’t matter who lines up behind centre for the Roughriders — Kevin Glenn or Brandon Bridge.
“They’re not special, we’re going to go after them just like we go after any other quarterback,” he said.