THREE THEMES | LIONS @ESKIMOS

BECK AS IN WRECK

Travis Lulay has graduated to the exercise bike in his rehab following a knee injury and could be a possibility to start when the Lions and Eskimos play again, Oct. 17 in Edmonton. As for his backup, John Beck, the prognosis is not as encouraging. Beck, pictured, suffered a pectoral tendon strain Sept. 18 against the Stampeders. “For the muscle to heal, it’s anywhere from three to five weeks before I can begin throwing again,” Beck explained. “We only have a handful of games left (six after today). I’m on the one-game (injured list) right now. They’ll have to make a decision about where we go from here.”

WHYTE FLIGHT

Former Paul McCallum understudy and Alouettes kicker Sean Whyte, pictured, was on the point of filing his retirement papers following his release by Montreal on Aug. 10. Then fate intervened. Esks’ kicker Grant Shaw suffered a calf injury before the Labour Day game against Calgary. The Esks immediately reached out to the White Rock native, signed as a territorial protection by the Lions in 2007. “I was ready to retire and go work,” Whyte explained. “I had a good job lined up. Wally Buono gave me a reference. I was handing in my resumé that day. Then, I got the call. I knew I wasn’t done. I wanted to keep playing.”

COLD HAND

Esks quarterback Mike Reilly, pictured, got a valuable lesson in what experts call the “splash radius” when his team gave coach Chris Jones a Gatorade birthday shower after Friday’s walk-through at Commonwealth Stadium. Jones turned 49. “I’d totally forgotten about it,” Reilly said. “I remembered really quick once I felt that ice water.” He was even colder last Saturday. Reilly threw for just 49 yards in a 25-18 win over Hamilton, the fewest passing yards for a winning quarterback in a CFL game since 1974. “We’ve moved on, ” Reilly said. “Our offence can make life difficult on a defence. That’s what we plan to do (today).”