Bryant and Harris Take Home Hardware

OTTAWA – One more chapter has been added to the magical 2017 campaign authored by Andrew Harris. And one of the men who played a starring role in helping him to all that success – left tackle Stanley Bryant – has been saluted as well.

The two Winnipeg Blue Bombers were honoured at the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Player Awards Thursday night at the Shaw Centre, with Harris named the Most Outstanding Canadian and Bryant the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.

It marks the first time both men have won league honours and they are the first Bombers to capture the Canadian and O-lineman awards since 2001, when Doug Brown and Dave Mudge also took home the hardware in a year that Khari Jones was also named the Most Outstanding Player.

“It’s a great accomplishment, for sure,” said Harris. “I just talk about the consistency and the will and the want to keep coming back and through all the adversity and the ups and downs. You dream about these things, but you never know you’re going to achieve it.

“It’s just a testament to sticking to doing what got you there and getting those opportunities and hard work. That’s the biggest tribute. That’s the one thing I can say I consistently do, is put in that work and come to work every day.

“I might not be the biggest, fastest, strongest person or had the best pedigree, but there’s that consistency that I’m going to come to work and grind it out. It’s also the heart. I feel like I have a lot of heart… that’s the biggest characteristic I have and what I bring to a team.”

Harris was simply sensational in 2017, winning the rushing title with 1,035 yards, leading the CFL with 105 receptions – a new league mark for catches by a running back – while chasing his goal of making history by becoming the first player to finish a year with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving.

The 30-year-old Winnipeg product – the pride of Grant Park and Oak Park High Schools – receiving 74 of 77 first-place votes from a panel of voters from the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL coaches. The other finalist was Ottawa REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli.

The honour for Harris marked the 10^th time a Bombers player has been named the Most Outstanding Canadian Award since its inception in 1954. The others: Gerry James in 1954 and 1957, Ken Nielsen in 1968, Joe Poplawski in 1981 and 1986, Paul Bennett in 1983, Scott Flagel in 1987, Gerald Wilcox in 1994 and Brown in 2001.

Harris has been a CFL all-star before and was the top Canadian in the 2001 Grey Cup game. But his 2017 season showed another level to his game. Asked what might have fuelled that, he said:

“It was Winnipeg. It was being at home and playing in front of my family and friends in the city at Investors Group Field. It was everything, everything involved with being around Winnipeg was definitely a contributor to that. And the guys in that locker room. Those guys are my brothers and when you have guys that you genuinely care about and know about their families and they’re your friends off the field, that makes a big difference when you go out there on that battlefield. You’ll do anything for them.

“That’s one of the reasons I play the way I do and one of the reasons for my play to be elevated and people to be noticing that.”

Harris mentioned B.C. Lions boss Wally Buono in his acceptance speech for giving him the chance to play ball as a rookie back in 2009. And the first day he walked onto the field to practice with the Lions – then as a member of the Vancouver Island Raiders junior team – is still vivid.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” said Harris.

“I came out and I was a little late because it was the first time using the SkyTrain. They were throwing some hook patterns just warming up and Jarious Jackson had a cannon of an arm… I wasn’t used to that ball speed and I came back to the ball and the ball went right through my hands and hit me in the nose. I was like, ‘Wow. This is the real deal.’

“I was just in shock and awe running around with guys like Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson. I had no idea I would be where I’m at right now. It’s a dream. I’m still blown away by this and humbled by this.”

Bryant, meanwhile, was part an offensive line that helped the Bombers lead the CFL in rushing and finished second in scoring. Playing left tackle alongside guards Travis Bond, Patrick Neufeld and Sukh Chungh, centre Matthias Goossen and right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, Bryant has not missed a single game since joining the Bombers in free agency in 2015.

A humble sort with a self-deprecating sense of humour, Bryant cracked about the quality of his highlight clip showed before the award was announced. He was also asked about how nervous he was as he approached the podium to make his acceptance speech.

“I was nervous,” said Bryant. “I didn’t even button my suit right. I had the bottom button on the top hole, so I had to fix that going up there. But then I had to break the ice with the little highlight thing and I was good after that.

“This is one of the goals I had, I set for myself this year and just to see it actually happen feels good. I feel like I’ve been consistent my whole career and it’s just good to get that recognition.”

A pending free agent this offseason, it was presented to Bryant that winning the top lineman award certainly has to help his bargaining power.

“I guess so… I haven’t really thought that much about it,” said Bryant with a chuckle. “I’m just going to celebrate this award and go from there.”

Bryant’s win was the seventh by a Bomber lineman since the inception of the award in 1974. The others: Larry Butler in 1981, John Bonk in 1984, Nick Bastaja in 1985, Chris Walby in 1987 and 1993, and Dave Mudge in 2001. Prior to 1974 the CFL presented an outstanding lineman award, won by Herb Gray in 1960 and Frank Rigney in 1961.

Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly was named the league’s Most Outstanding Player, with the other major award winners including: Calgary Stampeders linebacker Alex Singleton (Most Outstanding Defensive Player), Stampeders kick returner Roy Finch (Most Outstanding Special Teams Player), Toronto Argonauts running back James Wilder, Jr. (Most Outstanding Rookie), Marc Trestman of the Argos was named the CFL Coach of the Year.

The Commissioner’s Award – recognizing an ‘individual or group for outstanding contributions to the league’ – was awarded by Randy Ambrosie honouring the memory of Rick Sowieta.

The Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award, chosen by the commissioner to ‘recognize an individual who has demonstrated great leadership and made significant contributions to the league, was presented to TSN Vice President and Executive Producer Paul Graham.

The CFL Players Association announced that Eskimos receiver Adarius Bowman is the recipient of the Tom Pate Memorial Award, given to a player who has made a ‘significant contribution to his team, his community and Association to celebrate outstanding sportsmanship.’

Montreal Alouettes offensive lineman Luc Brodeur-Jordain received the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award from the CFL and Veterans’ Affairs Canada in ‘recognition of his courage, perseverance, strength and service to his community.’