My Most Memorable Game | Nick Taylor

Each week a Bombers player visits with Ed Tait of bluebombers.com to reminisce about a particular game, or games, that is most memorable for them in their careers in high school, college or professional careers.

Nick Taylor background:

• Taylor signed with the Bombers on August 19, 2019 after starting the season with Edmonton but being released after three games. He made his first start for the Bombers on October 5^th in Saskatchewan and played in the final four games, plus the three playoff contests.
• He has 39 CFL games on his resumé, having played for Ottawa in 2016-17 and Edmonton in 2018-19 before joining Winnipeg.
• Taylor did not play college football, but was the starting point guard for Florida International University, where he was once coached by basketball hall of famer Isiah Thomas.
• He got the attention of NFL scouts at FIU’s Pro Day and was later signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. Taylor also played for the Fort Lauderdale Barracudas of the Stars Football League and the Orlando Predators of the Arena League before signing in Ottawa
• An avid gamer, Taylor won the national NBA 2K championship in Las Vegas in 2011, capturing the $25,000 prize that went with it.

Taylor:

“The game that stands out for me the most in my career was the Calgary playoff game last year, the West Semi-Final. Remember, I didn’t play in college.

“There’s always been this mystique of playing in Calgary and I had never beaten them there in my career until then. Plus, there was what it meant to (Winnipeg) to get by them. I’m not going to say that felt like, ‘OK, we beat Calgary, we’re going to the championship’ but it was, ‘If we can get past this Calgary hurdle that’s big.’

“Our defence was phenomenal in that game and I had a couple big plays personally. I had an interception and we were in a zero coverage and they tried to throw it up to (Reggie) Begelton and I defended that pass and broke it up.

“I just felt like I helped contribute to us taking that important step. That was big personally and in the whole circumstances of the season for me. It was just knowing what you can provide to a team and then going through getting cut. Then seeing it go your way later, man, that’s a good feeling.

“I had been cut by Edmonton in the summer before the Bombers signed me. I was there in Winnipeg for a few weeks just sitting around, going to practice, waiting for my opportunity.

“But I didn’t know anything about the city. I barely knew any of the players. I didn’t even know what the GM looked like. I’m in the building just trying to find my way. I guess I knew a couple of players from previous places, but everything was new. It was about just trying to fit in.

“So, to go from that to helping in the playoffs… it just all worked out. But that game in Calgary helped me find my place.”