For most of his career Geroy Simon was a big wheel who his team could ride to victory.
This CFL season Simon has been a spoke in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ wheel.
The transition from being a main cog to one of the pieces hasn’t always been easy, but playing a role in the Riders’ advancing to Sunday’s 101st Grey Cup has made the journey all the more meritorious.
“We’re right where I expected to be as a team,” Simon said after the Riders escaped the bone-chilling cold by practising at the indoor YaraCentre in Moose Jaw, Sask., about 45 minutes outside of Regina.
“That was always my ultimate goal, helping this team get to, and win, a Grey Cup. “
Becoming a piece in the puzzle didn’t stop Simon from seeing the big picture.
“If I was the No. 1 guy I would still be a piece,” said the 38-year-old slotback who is the CFL’s all-time leader with 1,029 receptions for 16,352 yards.
“This is why I wanted to come here. I knew that this team was very good and it had the pieces. It just needed a couple of more. It just proves I made the right decision.”
Simon played 12 years for the B.C. Lions, establishing himself as one of the league’s most respected players. He gained over 1,000 receiving yards nine times, won two Grey Cup rings and was named the CFL’s most outstanding player in 2006.
| Simon support system |
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“It took a while for me to get over that. That’s just being a competitor. That doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all about helping this team win…That was always my ultimate goal, helping this team get to, and win, a Grey Cup. “ – Riders SB Geroy Simon on accepting the support role in Saskatchewan’s receiving corps. |
Never the fastest receiver on the field, the six-foot, 198-pound Simon was always the player you could count on to make the big catch. But even the slippery slotback couldn’t escape the grasp of Father Time. He missed five games in 2012 due to injury and failed to reach 1,000 yards for the first time since 2002.
Last winter Simon saw the writing on the wall. The Lions had a crop of young receivers and he didn’t want to take a reduced role in B.C.’s offensive scheme, so he agreed to a trade to Saskatchewan.
The move to the Prairies had its bumps.
Simon missed the first three games with an injury. When he got healthy he saw the ball sparingly.
On a Rider team stocked with players like Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf, Taj Smith, Rob Bagg and Kory Sheets, Simon was the fifth, even sixth receiver. At times it looked like quarterback Darian Durant hadn’t developed confidence in Simon’s ability to create separation from defenders.
“Me and Geroy have developed a great sense of chemistry,” said Durant. “Sometimes the role he is asked do in this offence really doesn’t put him in position to get the ball a lot.
“We’re asking him to block defensive backs, to recognize blitzes and things like that. It’s just what’s being asked of him and he’s doing a great job.”
Simon finished the season with 40 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. It was his least productive year in a decade.
Mostly Simon remained the good soldier, but at times his body position and expression on the sidelines shouted discontentment. In his return to BC Place in October he didn’t make a catch until the dying seconds to keep his streak of consecutive games with a catch alive. Simon angrily tossed the ball on the ground and didn’t speak to reporters after.
Head coach Corey Chamblin said it’s been an adjustment for both player and team.
“Any time you have Superman in the building there’s a lot of hype that comes around and a lot of things are expected,” Chamblin said.
Simon said he’s adapted to not being The Guy.
“It took a while for me to get over that,” he said. “That’s just being a competitor. That doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all about helping this team win.”
While Simon’s numbers are down he remains an important part of the Rider offence, both as a leader in the dressing room and as someone willing to sacrifice himself on the field.
“One thing Geroy has done for us, he’s brought that veteran leadership to our team,” said Chamblin. “We went through a four-game losing streak. Geroy was one of those guys that helped the guys understand it’s a whole season. That little patch can’t stop your season. I think also he’s been good for Darian from the point of mentoring and helping him take strides.”
Prior to the season Simon spent time studying all Saskatchewan’s pass-blocking assignments, from the offensive line through the receivers. During meetings he was able to offer advice to players on blocking schemes. The coaching staff quickly realized Simon’s value as a blocker.
Dressler, who joined Getzlaf and Smith with over 1,000 receiving yards this year, understands the frustration Simon felt at times.
“As a receiver you always want the ball,” Dressler said. “Sometimes you don’t get a lot of opportunities and when you are used to getting a certain number of chances throughout a game it’s hard to watch that number go down.
“He’s been nothing but supportive for our receivers corps. He’s been there for us, and when he does get his chances, although probably it’s more limited than it should be, he’s made the most of them.”
The rough spots have also been smoothed over by the devotion of Rider fans.
“Words can’t even describe Rider Nation,” said Simon.
“When I first got here I stopped for gas. I was in the city for five minutes. I had three people come up to me and say thank you for coming to Saskatchewan.”
Simon wants to play football again next year. It’s a question mark if that will be in Saskatchewan. No one knows if he will ever get another chance to win a Grey Cup.
That makes Sunday’s game even more special.
“This is going to be a totally different experience than any other Grey Cup that I have been in,” Simon said.
“Everyone in Saskatchewan is a Riders’ fan.”
