Rasheed Bailey will insist there have already been countless moments which have served as validators to his decision to return to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – while taking a financial hit – rather than exit in free agency this winter.
They could be as simple as sharing a meal with teammates, or the familiarity that comes from returning to his spot in the Blue Bombers clubhouse. It is the already-established chemistry with Zach Collaros on the field, and the appreciation his teammates and the coaching staff has with all the little things he does which often go unnoticed.
Yet, of all those moments, two recent instances really stand out – the interaction he had with fans on his flight to Winnipeg from Philadelphia for training camp welcoming him back and his ability to be there in person as a friend in support for Kenny Lawler for everything he is going through right now after being moved to the suspended list pending the resolution of legal matters pertaining to his 2021 DUI.
“My heart is happy that I’m here. But my heart is also sad because one of the main people I came back to play with was Kenny,” Bailey told bluebombers.com after Wednesday’s closed practice. “I had the chance to spend some time with him last night. You just hate to see someone go through a situation like this twice or three times.”
“We all have our tests, I guess. It hurts me to know what he’s going through. We all have a job to do, and this does make it feel like I made the right decision. It’s always bigger than one person and God always has a plan. This is how it’s supposed to be for me.
“I can tell you this: if I was somewhere else or even just sitting on the couch and I saw this news about Kenny I would have been sick to my stomach knowing I could have been here trying to help this team potentially win another championship.
“Plus, now I can be here to support him in person. That’s why, for me, being where my feet are right now makes me so happy as a person.”
Bailey’s departure from the Blue Bombers seemed a given when the CFL’s free-agent window opened in February. Lawler had already signed back in free agency and with Bailey being courted by at least two other teams, there was certainly opportunity for him to cash in on back-to-back career seasons, including last year’s totals of 63 receptions for 729 yards and nine touchdowns.
It could be said now that given Lawler’s situation the re-signing of Bailey was prescient, but that would be a rewriting history. In fact, the club’s good fortune simply has more to do with fit and comfort and Bailey’s own decision to take a step back and survey everything beyond the financial.
“I’m not going to lie – in the offseason I shed a lot of tears about my situation,” said Bailey, whose podcast ‘Showtime Speaks’ is available everywhere. “Sometimes when you get into this profession you forget it’s not forever. It’s not for a lifetime that you play this game. It’s important for me to come to work with people I want to work with, and I couldn’t imagine going to work with people who don’t want to put the time and work in. With this group, I know everybody is coming to work from the coaching staff to the people who work in the locker room and training room – I know they’re coming to work with their lunch pail and hard hat and trying to win another championship.
“I work extremely hard. I am one of the best in this league and when No. 88 puts his jersey on, I bring a different type of passion. I also love this place. I’m proud of playing my part in building something special here and I’d be damned if I would have left here knowing the mission was still not complete. We’ve got work to do. I’ve got work to do – not just in this locker room but in the community.
“They say that ‘money doesn’t buy happiness,” Bailey added. “It’s about relationships and situations that can change your life. I have that here. I know there’s more to do here. And so now it’s time to go on another run.”
