CFL.ca
If Anthony Calvillo can pull off his plan to return for the last game of the 2013 regular season and lead the Alouettes to playoff success, an unlikely turning point may have been a pass completed to the most unlikeliest of receivers.
A week ago in the bowels of Olympic Stadium, his concussion symptoms behind him, the future Hall of Famer picked up a football for the first time since Aug. 17 and threw a pass to the only guy in the room who has been around as long as AC has.
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He’s lead the Als to back-to-back victories, but Josh Neiswander knows he’ll be back on the sidelines once Calvillo returns to the lineup. “When he gets healthy this is his team and I’ll support that with all my heart.” |
Shorter in stature than Calvillo’s preferred target over the past decade and a half, but having arrived in the same year as Ben Cahoon in 1998, head athletic therapist Rodney Sassi made the catch that started the most prolific passer in pro football history back on the road to recovery.
On the morning the Als posed for their 2013 team portrait (the Montreal General Hospital would be a suitable backdrop given all their injuries), the 41-year old QB chucked a few passes across the locker-room to Jamel Richardson, himself thrilled to be rid of crutches for the first time in weeks after knee surgery.
Healing Calvillo’s brain has included everything from re-constructing his throwing to rebuilding his awareness of what happened the day Ricky Foley forced him to the turf in Regina.
“I was sure the hit was to my forehead, because that’s where the headache was,” Anthony reveals. “I was sure it was head-on and I kept telling everyone that until I finally saw the hit again.”
Calvillo was pressured from his left; his non-throwing arm awkwardly forced into his body and then knocked down with the back of his head striking the turf.
In the weeks since, he’s had treatments with Sassi to heal up what is now revealed to be a partially-torn rotator cuff. Ironically, he’d warned Josh Neiswander to be ready for a relief appearance, but the adrenaline was flowing until Foley forced the issue.
“My shoulder was sore and now it’s stiff, so just tossing the ball about 20 yards in the room I can start building up and this is part of the process,” he said.
“We all realize football is a very physical sport. The fact that I’ve been playing so long, I’ve put my body through a lot,” he added.
“Here I am at the end of my career you look at things a bit differently now maybe compared to when you’re in the prime of your career.”
Having backed up Calvillo for two years, Josh Neiswander is looking at things differently these days as well. He’s settled into the starting role, after having lost it to Tanner Marsh – himself yet to resume throwing after a thumb injury placed the rookie on the 9-game injured list.
Neiswander threw for a career high four touchdown passes in Edmonton last week, reaching a career-best 130 passer efficiency rating against the Eskimos (following up on games of 114 and 98), while posting back-to-back victories for the first time in his young CFL career.
The players have talked about “being that team” that peaks at the right time and runs the table into the post-season. So could Neiswander really just flip the football back to Anthony and hand him the starting role for the last game of regular season and playoffs?
“100 per cent,” says the humble Texan without hesitation.
“He’s the greatest Canadian Football player of all time. This is his team and we know that. I’m certainly well aware of that and I respect that to the utmost.”
“When he gets healthy this is his team and I’ll support that with all my heart.”
Sounds like something Calvillo would say. I blitz Josh again with a re-ask.
So if you’ve won five in a row by November, are running the table, there’s no quarterback controversy?
“None whatsoever,” he quipped.
“To be quite frank with you, for that question to be even asked is completely disrespectful to AC and who he is and what he’s done,” says Neiwander, who turns 27 the week after Grey Cup.
“For what he’s done for the Canadian game and for us, this is AC’s team and I respect that and back that, and I’ll be right on board with that without a doubt.”
Without a doubt.
A phrase Calvillo tosses around as routinely as he throws the slant or the out-route. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Neiwsander is not only walking the walk, he’s talking the AC talk.
Calvillo hopes to be running scout-team drills in practice the week the Als prepare for their road trip to face the Ticats in Guelph Oct. 26. All other things being equal, Neiswander gives back the reins for the finale against the Argos a week later.
“The studies show that if you are symptom free you should be allowed to go out there and play,” says Calvillo matter-of-factly.
“The one thing I’ve learned is your tolerance to take a hit might have gone down a bit.”
“You always take a risk when you step on the football field, so for me, this is what I do and I don’t know how much longer I’ll do it for, but I’ll feel very confident if the doctors give me the OK to step on the field this year.”
Not that he’s in denial.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is if you have one concussion and come back too early, then you can have some major issues down the road,” admits Calvillo. “That’s something we just can’t afford.”
Without a doubt.
