By Darren Cameron, Director of Communications & Media Relations
In my first off-season blog post, I thought I would begin with a topic – more specifically a person – who is well known, and very well liked in these parts: former quarterback, now Running Backs Coach, Buck Pierce. Buck is someone I’ve gotten to know extremely well during my six years as Director of Communications for the Bombers, both while he was a player and now as a coach, and I wanted to share parts of his story that most people probably don’t know.
It was late August 2013, shortly after we had made staffing changes at the highest levels of our organization, and we were in Guelph to play the Ti-Cats. Buck was supposed to be our backup QB that game with Max Hall in the starter’s chair. But, Max hurt his hand on the opening possession so Buck was called in to play the entire game. Little did we know, his last play as a Blue Bomber was him trying to take on four tacklers while getting bounced out of bounds near our bench.
On Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013, Kyle Walters called me in to see him. He informed me that a trade agreement had been put in place for Buck to be sent to the B.C. Lions, but we would wait until after our game that Sunday (Banjo Bowl) to announce it. When the trade finally occurred, his farewell press conference was something you don’t often see. First of all, traded players rarely do press conferences in the city they are traded FROM. It was a nice moment for Buck who always respected and understood the media’s work, and I think the media respected him in return. He was excited, but also saddened to leave and a bit confused about where the future would take him. Would he actually play in B.C.? What was going to be the plan after that season? He told me the day he left, “I’ll figure it all out later.” Typical Buck. Shrug his shoulders, grab his pads and get out there. That was always his mentality.
He saw limited snaps two out of his first three weeks in B.C., including coming into the game here in Winnipeg, where he told me the next day “I damn near almost cried when I ran out there,” referring to the standing ovation Bomber fans gave him as he trotted out from the Lions’ sidelines. Not surprising. He loves Winnipeg. But it’s not like when most players say they love where they play. He genuinely cares about this city, and its people. More on that in a bit.
Buck would get his final shot on the field in a late October game against Edmonton, throwing three touchdowns, running for another, and throwing several blocks downfield, one which lead to a Stefan Logan touchdown. The touchdown passes were crisp, the run was vintage Buck, but of course, it was the blocks he threw that he enjoyed the most. I sent him a text after the game – actually probably during the game – many of us in Winnipeg couldn’t help but be excited for him.
His response? “Thanks man! Did you see those blocks out there?!” Never one to brag about his own performance throwing touchdown passes, leave it to Buck to be most excited about taking on guys much bigger than he was, while other players reaped the benefits. That text was really the definition of his nine season, 15,000 yard CFL career.
In January we met for dinner, where he began to show interest in coaching. In one sentence he was adamant he was going to return to the Lions and finish his contract, in the next, he would wonder aloud if he should look into coaching. Once he made the decision that he was no longer going to play, the Roughriders came calling. This intrigued Buck immensely. Offensive Coordinator George Cortez has a heck of an offensive resume, and Buck wanted to absorb as much he could. Plus, at the time, no other team had inquired. Mainly because no other team knew Buck was going to retire. Once this news got around our headquarters in Winnipeg, both Kyle and Head Coach Mike O’Shea were quick to reach out to him, along with many other staff and players. Everyone was urging him to return to where he was loved and where he had declared his home.
On March 6th, he sent me a text telling me to call him when I could. I knew it was good news, otherwise he would have called me first. The next day, we introduced him as our Running Backs Coach, and he returned to his rightful colours of Blue and Gold. As an organization, we were thrilled to have him back. Buck’s the definition of class, in every facet, and one of the most likeable athletes this organization had seen in years. Not just in the football world but in the community too.
An example: It was a bitterly cold night in January of 2013, and Offensive Lineman Glenn January was scheduled to make an appearance at a hockey team fundraiser out of town. But early that evening, Glenn started to come down with a wicked illness and couldn’t go. With very few players around town that time of year, around 6pm, I called the only guy I knew I could get a hold of. I promised Buck we would be home by 10pm. I knew it was last minute and asking your starting quarterback, in season or not, on such short notice, isn’t really good practice. But, as usual, he obliged and we headed to the fundraiser. Well, 10pm rolled around, and Buck wasn’t done taking pictures with everyone who had come up asking for one. It was around this time I was approached by a woman who hesitantly asked, “I know this is a crazy thing to ask you, but my son is home sick tonight, he would have dragged himself here had he known Buck was going to be here. Do you think you guys would be able to just follow us to my house and say hi to him for one minute? He is the biggest Buck Pierce fan,” she said. A bit of an extreme request, but I could tell how much this would mean to her son just by the way she was talking. I told Buck and without hesitation he said, “Absolutely, let’s go!”
Well, that one minute stop turned into an hour long conversation with the entire family in the living room about everything from football to country life. Finally, it was me who had to tell Buck it was time to go. It was past midnight.
Moving into a coaching role has been a big change for a man who gave his all every time he stepped on the field as a player, but Buck says he just wants to be the best teacher he can be for young players coming up, giving them the kind of opportunity he had. But does he miss playing? I’ll give him the last word:
“Every single day. You miss it every day. What I feel good about is that I made the decision to make the transition and move on. I think a lot of players don’t get that opportunity, the decision is made for them. I feel like I got a lot out of my playing career and it helped transition me into a coaching career.”
If you have any blog ideas, feel free to contact me on Twitter @darren_cameron.
Until next time.
Darren
