Rob Bagg answers his critics

Rob Bagg finally came through on a promise to his son, Thomas.

Bagg said Thursday that he told Thomas that he would give him the football after scoring a touchdown this CFL season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The presentation finally took place after Bagg snagged a nineyard touchdown pass in the first quarter of Sunday’s 38-24 win over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I thought I would get an opportunity to give him one a little earlier, but it was actually perfect how the timing worked out,’’ said Bagg, whose five-year-old twins, Thomas and Ella, started Grade 1 this week.

“I gave it to him the night before he had to go back to school in Ontario and he was pretty pumped to bring that into show-and-tell. Many people can hate me, but my little boy thinks I’m pretty cool.”

Bagg ’s last comment was partially in response to a fantasy football report posted by 3DownNation.com before Sunday’s game.

The post suggested that the 32-year-old Bagg was likely playing in his final Labour Day Classic.

Bagg took umbrage with the posts and his emotions boiled over when he returned to the bench after scoring a touchdown to help the Riders assume a 23-3 lead.

“I wish I handled myself with a little more composure because my grandmother was watching back home,” Bagg said.

“Still, I believe in myself.’’ Bagg epitomizes how far hard work can carry a determined athlete. He wasn’t drafted out of the University of Queen’s and attended Saskatchewan’s training camp in 2007.

Despite making the team, he returned to Queen’s for his final season of college football eligibility. He made the roster in 2008 and is now in his 10th season with the Riders.

Bagg has persevered despite a broken collarbone, suffered late in the 2009 Grey Cup game, and three major knee surgeries. His age has contributed to speculation that he may have lost a step.

Sunday’s touchdown may have been an opportunity to show the skeptics that he can still play in the CFL.

“There really wasn’t anything that I did in that game that would change anyone’s perception of me from one week to another,’’ said Bagg. “If they haven’t watched the games before and still feel that way, they aren’t going to change their minds now.’’