Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
Cortez: New additions with an eye to the future
The Ticats announced the signing of two players during their Tuesday morning workout, and Head Coach George Cortez addressed both additions in the wake of the training session.
Defensive lineman Derrick Summers – who played in eight games with the Toronto Argonauts this season – and former University of Sherbrooke linebacker Phillippe Dubuisson-Lebon were both brought onto Hamilton’s practice roster.
Cortez suggested that Summers’ tenure with Toronto had earned him a look from the Ticats brass, while Dubuisson-Lebon comes highly recommended by Hamilton’s Head of Canadian Scouting Drew Allemang.
“Summers had been in Toronto for most of the year,” said the coach. “We’re taking a look at him to see how he fits into our plans.”
“Drew liked [Dubuisson-Lebon] as an athlete and we thought we could bring him in and have a look at him for the future.”
Cortez: Team is in high spirits
Cortez indicated that his players have bounced back well from the heartbreak of Saturday’s game in Calgary, and remarked that the Ticats should be proud of their effort in what was ultimately a loss.
“Considering that we’re all soaked like ducks, I thought that our spirits were high and we had good attention,” said the coach after Tuesday’s rainy training session.
“I think [the players are] very resilient, and other than the outcome, I think they should feel good about the way they played the game. I know that I do.”
Cortez: Final game will be felt by all
Saturday marks the Final Game at Ivor Wynne Stadium, and Cortez suggested that while his players remain focused on the task of training at this early stage, they will feel the importance of that occasion as it nears.
“I mentioned it today and I said that for some of the guys, it probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal right now,” said the coach. “A few years down the road, it probably will.”
“They’re bringing back the All-Time Team and it’s more than just a game. I’m sure for a lot of the guys, that wasn’t much of the focus today, but as the week goes along, I suspect that it will be more in their minds.”
“Not too many times do you play or coach in a place where it is the going to be the last time for the stadium.”
Burris: Ivor Wynne’s atmosphere stands out
Henry Burris emphasized the Hamilton fans when asked to reflect on what has made Ivor Wynne a special place over the years.
“Being a visitor for more years than I’ve been a member of the home team, there’s so much intensity in this ballpark,” said the Ticat quarterback. “To me, there’s no other atmosphere like this in the league.”
“To me, this stadium here exemplifies the people of Hamilton – the hard-nosed, blue-collar atmosphere that’s here. When you come here on game day, you can feel it in the air.”
“When big plays happen, you see how the crowd erupts here. It feels like a college football game in the States when you see the stadium shaking – the camera shaking – because the people are so passionate about the game and so passionate about supporting their own here at Ivor Wynne.”
Burris: Heartbreak in Calgary is in the rear view
Burris – much like his coach – indicated on Tuesday that the Ticats have moved past their last-ditch defeat in Calgary.
He pinned his focus squarely on Winnipeg and the task of pulling his team into a playoff position with two games remaining in the CFL’s regular season.
“I’ll have to deal with it when I go home in the offseason, but right now, it’s all about doing what we need to do to get into these playoffs,” said Burris of Saturday’s loss.
“Winnipeg is a team that we need to beat, because we felt like we could have won two games out there playing against them and now they’re coming to our house. They’re playing great football and putting a lot of points on the board.”
“We’ve got to be ready to eliminate those mistakes that we had on offence, put the ball in the end zone, and hopefully make them one-dimensional if we can.”
