Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
On Tuesday, the Tiger-Cats returned to work after a season-opening loss on Friday, but the mood in Hamilton was far from negative. In fact, there is tremendous optimism in TigerTown in 2013, and much of it rests on the shoulders of a man who stands just 5’9″ and weighs south of 200 pounds.
Lindsey Lamar has been nothing short of a revelation so far this season for the Ticats thanks to his three return touchdowns in as many games.
In his eyes however, much of the credit for his success this year is due to the efforts of the other 11 men on the field.
“I can’t take the responsibility,” he said after practice Tuesday. “We all come out here and practice together, and if those 11 guys aren’t doing their job, I wouldn’t be successful.”
Lamar’s efforts certainly haven’t gone unnoticed, and others have been much more willing to celebrate his individual achievements. His 104 yard kickoff return touchdown on his first regular season touch was named by TSN as their highlight of the night, and Lamar was named the CFL’s top special teams player of week one.
But don’t let the apparent ease with which Lamar has found success fool you. Behind every kick return, every touchdown, there are hours and hours of hard work: not only in buying into the team’s systems, but learning the CFL game as well.
“It hasn’t been easy. It’s a very different game,” he said. “And our coaches are really hard on us, they want everything to be done correctly every time.”
With all of his success so far in the CFL, it’s hard to imagine that just two months ago, Lamar was on the street a free agent.”
“It was a very tough period,” said Lamar of going undrafted and unsigned. “I didn’t have a good pro day. But what bothered me most was that there were lots of teams interested (before the NFL Draft), but then afterwards I wasn’t getting any calls.”
Eventually Lamar did get a call, and was invited to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie camp in May. According to him, those few weeks working out and practicing in Tampa were a turning point in his career, and his life.
“The camp went well, but they didn’t have a need for me,” Lamar said. “It gave me a huge helping hand. I walked out the door with my head held up high, and I was much stronger mentally and physically. That was the point that made me realize that I really want to play football professionally, and that I need to go after it.”
Less than two months later, Lamar is scoring touchdowns in Black and Gold, and getting national recognition for his accomplishments. But don’t expect him to get a big head about his success; Lamar is genuinely one of the most humble people you could ever meet.
“That’s always been me. I’m calm and laid back. I like to show up and do my job,” he said.
Fans shouldn’t expect any high-stepping or elaborate celebrations after touchdowns either, as that’s not Lamar’s style.
“The way I look at it, we’re professionals. We should act like professionals and act like we’ve been there before,” he said. “My father always told me to stay focused, so that’s where my seriousness comes from. I’m always so focused on the game, I don’t really think to celebrate.”
That attitude seems to align perfectly with Head Coach Kent Austin, who is a no-nonsense, no excuses kind of guy looking for players who are willing to buy-in and put the team above everything else. Lamar is exactly that type of player; humble, relaxed, and happy just to be a part of the team.
“I’m thankful to just be able to walk through these halls,” he said. “People don’t understand just how blessed we are, and I try to think about that every day.”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else,” Lamar said about landing with the Ticats. “I have a special feeling about what’s going on here, and I’m just glad I’m lucky enough to be here for it.”
