Pre-Season
Now training camp was finished and I had made it through the first cut. Our numbers were sliced drastically from 85 players to 65. It was hard seeing players clear their lockers and rooms. Honestly, there wasn’t really a whole lot you could say. There were many really great guys sent home and I wish them all well in their future endeavors. It was at this point in time where I started to understand that football was a business and it wasn’t just for fun anymore. I climbed back up from my position at #6 to # 3. Feeling much better, my confidence started to increase slightly. I still didn’t fully believe it but the ball was rolling.
Pre-Season Game 1 Edmonton vs. Calgary. My first time putting on a CFL jersey, a dream come true! I was still feeling star struck from being around Ricky Ray, Kelly Cambell and other talented athletes. Looking at across the field at my opponents, other star players that I have looked up to for years. I remembered cheering for these guys when I was in University, aspiring to be like them. They are all right in front of me now, WOW! Overall I played well with a couple of rookie mistakes. I lost contol on one punt coverage. Coach Thorpe lost it on me, the first time I’ve been yelled at in 6 years. Normally, I would make that play, but the game speed is twice as fast as during practice and I still wasn’t used to the practice speed.
Making it past the 2nd cut, the roster was trimmed down to 60 players. Though I still wasn’t getting any reps in practice I still managed to perform when given the opportunity. Football is 90% mental and my game was on point. 100% on my assignments but I still lacked in the 1 on 1 coverage’s. Wide Recievers I had faced in university were nowhere near the caliber that I was now facing. It was still a working process. Some of the vets slowly started to give me some respect and help me out. But, other rookie DB’s maintained the same arrogant attitude. One gentleman (we won't mention names) had been quick to help me early on, but now had changed. I took a few verbal assaults from him, before I lost my cool. After he started disrespecting me to my face I through a couple of hard lines back in his direction. He went into a rage in practice challenging me to a fight on the spot. Smiling, I declined and told him he wasn’t worth my time. After practice in the visiting locker room (where only the rookies were) he was a raging mess. He was yelling hysterically with his arms waving ready to fight. I continued to get undressed and just calmy listen to him rant. He went on about how terrible and slow I was and that I was going to get cut and the only reason I was there was because I was Canadian....etc. When I was given time to speak, I told him that this is a number game, and even though we are the same position you are not competing against me. On every team a certain amount of Canadian players are required on each team to keep the game Canadian. Makes sense, no? Everyone was around us urging us to fight. I did not add fuel to the fire because the battle was already won. Slowly he ran out of things to say and quieted down. When it was all settled and done I left the locker room without a word, while he had his head down in the locker room. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, the writing is on the wall sometimes and it's not hard to see. At lunch some players asked me how I remained so calm with him blowing up in my face. I told them he was just venting his frustrations on me, and that I wouldn’t do anything stupid to get myself cut. That night I called my sister to tell her what happened, not my mother, you know how mother’s worry. She reassured me, "Don’t worry Sammy you’re the best and everything will be alright". The next day I went into the locker room and to my surprise his locker was cleared out, he was cut. How ironic.
Pre-season game 2 first home game at Commonwealth in front of the die hard eskimo fans. The team roster was almost made and with the final cuts coming, the end was near. It's hard to explain how amazing it felt to be in the actual dressing room and have my own locker. Though I didn't have a secure place just yet, it was still a great feeling. It was a rush running through the tunnel and hearing thousands of roaring fans. Playing for the CFL, wearing an Eskimo jersey, is not something everyone gets to experience. It was a great honor, especially with all the history the Edmonton franchise has. Even though I did not play on defense, I played on the special teams, and played well so I was happy. After the game they told us to go back to the hotel and wait for a call. Either you made the team or you were going home. One way or another living out of my suitcase was coming to an end. I went back to the hotel feeling nervous but also excited. Could they really send me home? I didn’t believe it, it wasn’t the thought in my mind. The phone rang and my roommate answered, he made the team. Waiting in suspense, he handed me the phone. Good news. The most stressful time in my life was over. The dream finally came true. I called my mom with the good news, she was so happy for me! I fell to my knees, eyes a little watery, so happy that I had made it this far. I thanked God for keeping me focused. I still had no clue what was ahead of me...
Now training camp was finished and I had made it through the first cut. Our numbers were sliced drastically from 85 players to 65. It was hard seeing players clear their lockers and rooms. Honestly, there wasn’t really a whole lot you could say. There were many really great guys sent home and I wish them all well in their future endeavors. It was at this point in time where I started to understand that football was a business and it wasn’t just for fun anymore. I climbed back up from my position at #6 to # 3. Feeling much better, my confidence started to increase slightly. I still didn’t fully believe it but the ball was rolling.
Pre-Season Game 1 Edmonton vs. Calgary. My first time putting on a CFL jersey, a dream come true! I was still feeling star struck from being around Ricky Ray, Kelly Cambell and other talented athletes. Looking at across the field at my opponents, other star players that I have looked up to for years. I remembered cheering for these guys when I was in University, aspiring to be like them. They are all right in front of me now, WOW! Overall I played well with a couple of rookie mistakes. I lost contol on one punt coverage. Coach Thorpe lost it on me, the first time I’ve been yelled at in 6 years. Normally, I would make that play, but the game speed is twice as fast as during practice and I still wasn’t used to the practice speed.
Making it past the 2nd cut, the roster was trimmed down to 60 players. Though I still wasn’t getting any reps in practice I still managed to perform when given the opportunity. Football is 90% mental and my game was on point. 100% on my assignments but I still lacked in the 1 on 1 coverage’s. Wide Recievers I had faced in university were nowhere near the caliber that I was now facing. It was still a working process. Some of the vets slowly started to give me some respect and help me out. But, other rookie DB’s maintained the same arrogant attitude. One gentleman (we won't mention names) had been quick to help me early on, but now had changed. I took a few verbal assaults from him, before I lost my cool. After he started disrespecting me to my face I through a couple of hard lines back in his direction. He went into a rage in practice challenging me to a fight on the spot. Smiling, I declined and told him he wasn’t worth my time. After practice in the visiting locker room (where only the rookies were) he was a raging mess. He was yelling hysterically with his arms waving ready to fight. I continued to get undressed and just calmy listen to him rant. He went on about how terrible and slow I was and that I was going to get cut and the only reason I was there was because I was Canadian....etc. When I was given time to speak, I told him that this is a number game, and even though we are the same position you are not competing against me. On every team a certain amount of Canadian players are required on each team to keep the game Canadian. Makes sense, no? Everyone was around us urging us to fight. I did not add fuel to the fire because the battle was already won. Slowly he ran out of things to say and quieted down. When it was all settled and done I left the locker room without a word, while he had his head down in the locker room. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, the writing is on the wall sometimes and it's not hard to see. At lunch some players asked me how I remained so calm with him blowing up in my face. I told them he was just venting his frustrations on me, and that I wouldn’t do anything stupid to get myself cut. That night I called my sister to tell her what happened, not my mother, you know how mother’s worry. She reassured me, "Don’t worry Sammy you’re the best and everything will be alright". The next day I went into the locker room and to my surprise his locker was cleared out, he was cut. How ironic.
Pre-season game 2 first home game at Commonwealth in front of the die hard eskimo fans. The team roster was almost made and with the final cuts coming, the end was near. It's hard to explain how amazing it felt to be in the actual dressing room and have my own locker. Though I didn't have a secure place just yet, it was still a great feeling. It was a rush running through the tunnel and hearing thousands of roaring fans. Playing for the CFL, wearing an Eskimo jersey, is not something everyone gets to experience. It was a great honor, especially with all the history the Edmonton franchise has. Even though I did not play on defense, I played on the special teams, and played well so I was happy. After the game they told us to go back to the hotel and wait for a call. Either you made the team or you were going home. One way or another living out of my suitcase was coming to an end. I went back to the hotel feeling nervous but also excited. Could they really send me home? I didn’t believe it, it wasn’t the thought in my mind. The phone rang and my roommate answered, he made the team. Waiting in suspense, he handed me the phone. Good news. The most stressful time in my life was over. The dream finally came true. I called my mom with the good news, she was so happy for me! I fell to my knees, eyes a little watery, so happy that I had made it this far. I thanked God for keeping me focused. I still had no clue what was ahead of me...
Feeling it Sammy
ReplyDeletei'm proud of you
homie!!!!
haah Nice picture..
ReplyDeletelolol