Notes and quotes from Blue Bombers training camp…
GOOD TO BE HERE: There’s an obvious excitement in Barrington Wade’s voice and the source of it is obvious: the man is just thrilled to be out here at Blue Bombers camp doing what he loves and chasing his dream.
“It’s been really good,” Wade began after practice Tuesday. “The biggest thing I was just adjusting to was just being back out here. It’s been a while since Ive played. I haven’t really been on the field since (last) August. It’s been fun being back, seeing the new scenery and being around a team again.
“I’m super happy to be back. It’s all I’ve been thinking about, all I’ve wanted to do. Every day I come out here I’m excited.”
A University of Iowa product who has had NFL looks from the Baltimore and Denver, Wade was first spied by Blue Bombers scout Cyril Penn last year during Broncos training camp. The club then signed him in the offseason.
“They told me they wanted me and I was like, ‘Yeah.’ Instantly I said, ‘Yeah’ because even with me being out for so long I’ve never stopped training,” he said. “I’ve always been ready and waiting. The moment I got a call from somebody I was definitely ready to go.”
You can read more about Wade and how he was found by the Blue Bombers in Cyril’s piece here:
“My want-to to get back playing is very high,” said Wade. “I thought about it every single day. I know for a lot of guys it’s really hard mentally. That’s the toughest thing — to stay focussed and keep working — because you never know if you’re going to get a shot again.For me, training and working and pushing myself a lot is how I clear my head. I just kept believing I would get another shot.”
That comes with an element of uncertainty, though. And Wade found his inspiration through that from his family.
“I have a lot to play for,” he said. “I believe I have a God-given ability to play. I care for my family a lot and I want to make them proud. My brother dreamed of me being on a field and watching me play on TV and so that’s something big for me. He matters a lot to me.”
COMING SOON… : to CFL training camps… a new safety initiative that is very well explained in this piece from the CFL:
New health and safety measures introduced to further safeguard players
FYI: Teams must reduce their rosters to 75, plus non-counters (draft picks, junior players) by 11 p.m. Tuesday night… OL Drew Richmond spent all of last year recovering from a knee injury suffered in November of 2021.
It was an injury which would have had many walking away from the game. But the big tackle is back, and the club is thrilled to see him working. “It takes a lot to take that through the end,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “What’s excellent is he must have kept his eye on the finish line which was a little bit off in the distance, but he focussed every single day to be ready. You’ve got to work every day to be back. He’s definitely showed enough that we want to look at him.”… Spotted at training camp: University of Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie, who was showing a prospective recruit around the facility, as well as Winnipeg Rifles head coach Geordie Wilson.
“Brian is quite often around the facility and it’s a pretty good partnership between both clubs,” said O’Shea. “And Geordie… there should be a good push from the Bombers to support the Rifles. It’s good football, so to have more guys playing in our community is a good thing.”
