East final ‘is game we wanted’
‘We’re on top, and they’re back in our house,’ Toronto kicker Bede says
I think it’s a good thing for the city, I think it’s a good thing for the team, for the Argonauts themselves, bringing people to the stadium.
Argonauts kicker Boris Bede reflects his teammates’ mind set heading into Sunday’s showdown with Hamilton in the East Division final at BMO Field.
“I think this is everything it needs to be. I think is the game we needed to have,” Bede said after practice Thursday. “They’ve been the best (in the East) for the past couple of years, and we’re right back here, we’re on top, and they’re back in our house, so it’s just show up.
“This is the game we wanted. We’d have taken Montreal (which lost to Hamilton in the East semifinal) but this is the game we wanted. And either Montreal or Hamilton, we have to protect our house and play ball.”
Bede and the Argos are expected to be playing in front of 20,000-plus fans Sunday, their biggest crowd of the season. The kicker acknowledged that is very important to the players and to a franchise that averaged 8,603 fans per game during the regular season.
“I think it’s a good thing for the city, I think it’s a good thing for the team, for the Argonauts themselves, bringing people to the stadium,” Bede said. “In the past couple of years, it hasn’t been the best, to be honest with you. And we’re getting on top right now, and we’re getting that respect that we’ve earned throughout the season.
“People coming to the stadium is a very big thing for us, and we just gotta bring more people, so Toronto people GTA area, this is a PSA,
BORIS BEDE ARGOS KICKER
get to the stadium on Sunday.”
Bede, a native of Toulon, France, has fun during his media availabilities, part of what he says is a “keep it simple” approach to the daily grind of practices, and the pressure of game days. The pressure will be fully amped Sunday with a Grey Cup berth on the line. But while the Argos-Ticats rivalry battle for the East has been a story line since the beginning of the season, Bede won’t feel any pressure other than focusing in on his job.
Argos coach Ryan Dinwiddie said the team’s record might not be what it is without Bede’s kicking excellence. Bede was one of seven Argos named to the East Division all-star team, after making 28 of 33 field goals this season. Six of those came from 50 or more yards, three
more than any other kicker in the CFL. Bede is also the league’s alltime leader in kickoff average, and led the league this season with a 67.4-yard average, including one 95-yard boot.
He’s also the Argos nominee for the league’s outstanding special teams player. And he seems to be a master at balancing fun and focus.
“Well, it’s kinda interesting that you ask me if I’m excited … I’m extremely excited but, truly, I’m more calm, its more like a regular game to me. I don’t want to look at it like it’s too big, and I don’t want to look at it like its nothing …
“I’m just trying to stay in the middle … just like it’s a flat line. I know it doesn’t maybe sound right, but just remain the same, this is like a preseason or a regular-season game.”