Argos’ Ray still the real deal
Even at 37, future Hall of Fame quarterback showing he’s got plenty of game left
Ricky Ray’s last visit to Commonwealth Stadium was a bit different from this one.
A season ago, the Toronto Argonauts quarterback appeared to be on his last legs and was barraged with questions about whether or not he’d be playing his last game inside Commonwealth Stadium, where his inevitable Hall of Fame career began with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2002.
This time, he was asked about being on pace to crest the 5,000-yard mark in passing, which is something he’s done three times in his illustrious career, but hasn’t happened since 2008.
“Quite a difference from one year to the next,” said Ray, whose Argonauts are in a tight race for first place in the East Division with the Ottawa Redblacks. “It’s good to be back here playing again and to have another opportunity to be back out there on the field, where last year I wasn’t totally sure about that.”
It wasn’t until an off-season change at the top of Toronto’s football operations, which welcomed in new general manager Jim Popp and head coach Marc Trestman, that the oft-injured 37-year-old and threetime Grey Cup champion was heralded as the hands-down offensive leader once again.
“Getting the call from coach Trestman gave me a great opportunity,” said Ray. “Just the way he coaches and gets everybody to execute and what he expects from you, we were able to get off to a good start because of that.
“So I definitely owe a lot to how the season’s going to him and the rest of the guys out there for working hard and doing what he’s asked us to do. It’s been a lot of fun playing for him.”
BABY BOWMAN
He’s a decorated veteran of 10 Canadian Football League seasons, but Adarius Bowman is a rookie when it comes to fatherhood.
The all-star Eskimos slotback took to Twitter this week to announce he and his wife are expecting a new recruit to the Bowmans’ starting lineup in April.
“It was time to let the world know. Me and my wife are excited, I’m over-excited,” Bowman said before heading off to an appointment to find out the gender. “Boy, girl? I don’t care. I hope both of them come. One of each would be nice. Health is the biggest thing. We’ve been getting OKs on that so far.
“And I’ve got a better appreciation for my mom now. I don’t know what I thought pregnancy was, but I get it now. I don’t know how women go through that, but it’s been a good thing and I’m so looking forward for it to get here.
“I feel so much like a rookie when it comes to this.”
BLUE SALUTE
The Edmonton Police Service was front and centre Saturday, holding the Canadian flag on the field during the national anthem.
Const. Michael Chernyk was injured when a roadside barricade next to Commonwealth Stadium was rammed before the 11-year veteran of the force was attacked and stabbed by the driver during the Eskimos’ last home game Sept. 30.
He was taken to hospital with injuries to his head and arms and released 24 hours later before receiving a hero’s welcome at the Oilers’ home opener Oct. 4.
“We really wanted to acknowledge and salute EPS specifically for the way they protected us all at our previous home game,” said Eskimos spokesman Allan Watt. “The system they have is really good, it’s robust and our fans need to know that, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we reach out to the constable that was injured and to the tactical squad and EPS in general?’”