Jackson Sidelined For 3-5 Weeks, Casey Printers Returning the Den?

On Thursday, the B.C. Lions announced that starting quarterback Jarious Jackson will be out for about three-to-five weeks after a damaged rotator cuff after he had an MRI on his throwing shoulder, according to the Vancouver Sun. It was reported by the Sun that backup quarterback Buck Pierce will replace him.

But the Lions might have to add a new quarterback to the roster. It definitely seems Wally Buono still has interest in Casey Printers, who was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player back in 2004. Printers also played in the National Football League, giving him some more knowledge of the game.

"It's not as good as we thought, but it's not as bad, either,” Buono said. "There is some damage to the rotator cuff, but the doctors aren't exactly sure as there still is a little bit of inflammation. They think it may be three to five weeks."

Jackson has been missing many practices lately. Jackson was going through injuries, especially after the loss towards the Montreal Alloutes. Pierce retained his starting job after losing it to Jackson after suffering from injuries. The Lions haven't been that good this year, but with Printers in, it'll boost things up.

And he may be the answer.

CFL: Is Fred Reid the Next Stefan Logan?

Ex-BC Lions running back Stefan Logan signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers following a 1,366 all-purpose yard season.

The year before the South Dakota product signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in November 2007 and spent the rest of the year on their practice squad.

Logan then headed north of the border with the BC Lions where he put together a 122 rushing attempts, 889 rushing yard, 52 catch and a 477 receiving yard season.

He added three touchdowns (all receiving) and four fumbles (all while rushing) to his season totals.

Following 2008, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he's battling for a roster spot as a return specialist.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Fred Reid on the other hand played his college football at Mississippi State, which is no South Dakota but following the draft also went selected.

Just like Logan he bolted for south Florida but headed towards the shore with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005.

He was cut before the season, and didn't play football in 2006.

After star linebacker Barrin Simpson recommended Reid to the Bombers front office guys, they brought him into camp and obviously showed enough to keep a spot on the roster.

As a rookie in 2007 Reid got 40 carries, 270 rushing yards, two touchdowns and eight catches for 120 yards.

Playing in Joe Smith and Charles Roberts's shadow again in 2008, he still managed to get 101 carries and 709 yards with three scores.

Reid added 13 catches for 96 yards to his 2008 totals.

Now, Logan obviously had the better 2008, but Reid is on pace to shatter Logan's 2008 season.

After eight games in 2009, he has 115 rushes (seven less than Logan in a full season) and 795 rushing yards (93 less than Logan in 2008).

Not only are Reid's stats better in three years than Logan in one, they similar in body size.

Reid 5'8", Logan is 5'7" while they're both speedy 185 pound backs.

Because of these similarities, I'd be very surprised to not see Reid get an NFL shot as a kick returner or even a backup running back.

Channeling Anger, Showing Character|Let's Talk About Jarious Jackson

All of us BC Lion fans remember what happened in that game against the Toronto Argonauts. Last Friday, Jackson came out of the game with the Lions at a 19-7 deficit. Coach Wally Buono took Jackson out for third-string quarterback Travis Lulay, who hadn't made a CFL snap last year. It was surprising to me, though, after my post I made about a month ago for the case of Jackson at starting quarterback.

“Here’s a guy who was put down,” Buono said. “I don’t want to say we didn’t embarrass him, we must have. He was devastated at half-time in the locker room. But my job isn’t to worry about how they feel, unfortunately. My job is get them to win. It’s really a tough process.”

I believe it was a really tough process. Said Jackson after being put out for Lulay:

“I was disappointed. I was very angry. I wanted to stay in there. But I took that anger, I guess, and just channeled it in a different way. I guess that gave me focus.”

It wasn't that big of a deal as Lulay only survived six plays. Coach Buono's decision was to bring Jackson back in again. Many of you may think that Jackson would just fire at Wally, but he came in and played strong after throwing three touchdown passes and stunning Toronto in a 36-28 win.

“Everybody knows that Jarious is a good guy,” Buono said. “But that showed true character. When things were the lowest for him, what did he do? He could have easily quit on us. He could have done all of the things that bad character people do. But he didn’t. He isn’t a turd. He can deal with adversity.”

And that is why I like Jarious Jackson. Just a week after the win against the Toronto, BC lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a week after, 37-10. On September 4, the Lions will face the Montreal Allouettes. Let's hope Jackson performs well, like he has been all year.

Sources
The CFL Report
Vancouver Sun
BCLions.com

Backup Quarterbacks Needed Everywhere

Let's see here, all across the CFL there are 23 quarterbacks on active rosters, two on practice rosters, three injured and one on reserve.

Zac Champion of the BC Lions is the one on reserve and is irrelevant to this discussion while Ricky Santos (Montreal), Graham Harrell (Saskatchewan) and Jason Boltus (Hamilton) are "injured" and also irrelevant here.

And also for the purpose of this discussion (which you're not sure about yet) let's exclude every free agent quarterback and every quarterback who'll be cut by the NFL.

Now, where am I headed with this? You'll see in a minute.

In Calgary there's a bit of a quarterback controversy and I'd say they'd like to keep Burris, Nealy and Tate with them for now while they sort it out.

Hamilton likes Porter, Glenn and Tafralis, Montreal is good with Calvillo, McPherson and Leak while in Winnipeg Bishop, LeFors and Randall are good enough for them.

Now that leaves BC, Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Toronto.

If you saw the game between BC and Toronto last night, you saw Buck Pierce and Travis Lulay go down with head injuries for BC while Jarious Jackson was inconsistent.

In Toronto, Joseph and Pickett are doing battle but Pickett looked good enough and they don't seem to need a third guy and the only other QB on the roster is Stephen Reaves (practice roster) who probably won't garner much interest.

Edmonton and Saskatchewan however have some moveable pieces.

With Graham Harrell's expected arrival any week now from the injured list, Saskatchewan could part with either Steven Jyles or Dalton Bell in a trade but that would require a team give up something like a draft pick.

On the Riders practice roster is high flying quarterback Cole Bergquist and all a team would have to do is sign him and give up nothing but money to the guy.

Edmonton on the other hand has starter Ricky Ray, veteran Jason Maas and rookie Jared Zabransky.

Zabransky has shown the Eskimos enough promise to keep him on while Maas has a proven track record.

Now to the point of this article, if Pierce and/or Lulay are going to miss any significant amount of time or if Calgary decides they need more QB help or Toronto decides they need a third guy but don't want it to be Reaves then watch out for some moves.

If anyone goes I'd expect Bergquist to get signed, Bell might get dealt and Maas could go if Zabransky continues to improve.

Derick Armstrong Remains Free Agent, But for How Long?

After one game this year, in which wide receiver Derick Armstrong declined to play since he was made designated import, he was released.

Following his release, many Hamilton fans like myself believed it would be a match made in heaven for Armstrong to team up with star Prechae Rodriguez and young quarterback Quinton Porter. But that never turned out and Hamilton ended up trading the rights to defensive lineman Corey Mace (now with the Bills) to the Argonauts for unhappy star Arland Bruce.

Now let's think here, Hamilton now has more than likely no interest in him, Montreal should be good without him, Calgary has seven active ones so no need there, Edmonton is solid enough and Saskatchewan has really no problem with its wideouts.

So that leaves BC and Toronto since I doubt Winnipeg will take him back. But since Toronto recently re-signed P. K. Sam (he signed with Buffalo in the offseason but was waived when he became injured) and so far Mike Bradwell and Tyler Scott have held their own as well. So I'll take Toronto out of the running.

That leaves BC if you didn't figure that out already. Why BC you ask? Yes, Paris Jackson was a CFL West All-Star last year and Geroy Simon is just amazing. Rookie Emmanuel Arceneaux has also impressed while there's really nothing wrong with Ryan Grice-Mullen, Rufus Skillern, Greg Hetherington and Lyle Green. But that's just the thing everyone other than Simon will get no more one defender. And since you play three that's not so good.

By bringing in Derick Armstrong, the Lions add another scary wide receiver which will take some attention off of Geroy Simon who's been held pretty quiet for who he is. In my opinion, the Lions should bring in Armstrong if they hope to turn around their 1-4 start.

BC Lions Sign Three Including Armour

VANCOUVER, BC-In a move to shure up their linebacking core, the BC Lions signed ex-Calgary Stampeder JoJuan Armour. They also added running back AJ Harris and defensive lineman James Edwards.

Armour spent the 04' and 05' seasons with BC and will more than likely bump Javier Glatt to special teams. Armour who was released by Calgary after throwing teammate Jeremaine Copeland to the ground in training camp said that he is "week to week" and won't speculate when he'll play.

Harris spent the 2008 season with Edmonton and had 37 catches for 422 yards for the Eskimos before being released this offseason.

Edwards led the McMaster Marauders in sacks in both 06' and 07' and had one year of eligibility remaining.

Should the BC Lions Start Jarious Jackson Now?

Hey guys, I'll now be serving as an exclusive CFL and BC Lions writer for The CFL Report.

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The answer to that title question would be, "Heck yeah!"

On July 16, 2009, BC Lions fans witnessed a saddened approach of quarterback Buck Pierce, who went down with an injury after a concussion. But although they did win with a score of 40-22, it showed a sign of what skills their backup quarterback had. Jarious Jackson showed what he can do on the football field.

He threw a pair of touchdowns that game as he created a tandem with Geroy Simon. Jackson had thrown for 362 passing yards and four touchdowns that game, showing that he deserved to be the man when Pierce is out.

Jackson also created a tandem with Paris Jackson, and after tearing up the Eskimos, Jarious and Paris Jackson were named the CFL's Finest Players of the Week. BCLions.com then named the group called the "Jackson Two," which sounded somewhat similar to the Jackson Five. But no need for music, this is the Canadian Football League.

After the powerful performance, Jackson also displayed speed as he is a good scrambler in the pocket. He also ran for 20 rushing yards on three carries during that 40-22 win. But after that, the Lions were destroyed by the Calgary Stampeders in a 48-10 loss the next week. It looked the Lions were literally stampeded.

Buck Pierce had a very poor performance which brough Jackson in, who scored the only touchdown of the game on a one-yard dig. Although he didn't play that good, at least it wasn't as worse as Buck Pierce's.

Now it brings me to something, should the BC Lions start Jarious Jackson?

I mean, come on, they have the best backup quarterback in the CFL right now. Let's examine the stats of Buck Pierce and Jarious Jackson:

See now? Jarious Jackson is coming close to Buck Pierce's passing yards despite Pierce playing two more games. Jackson is already beating Pierce to it in touchdowns. He has less interceptions and he has a better rating than Pierce.

Overall, Jackson has been much better Pierce this year. He already has the same amount of stats even though Pierce has played more games. It is surprising actually. Pierce has been playing very poor this year as well. Jackson has shown quite an improvement this year.

I really do think Jarious Jackson deserves the job as starter. He has the speed, the quickness, and the arm. Jackson also has more knowledge of the game than Pierce as he also had some playing time in the NFL for quite some time. I do think the BC Lions should think about making a switch.

With the Lions at 1-3, and their only game that was won was when Jackson started, I think it's time switch and be Grey Cup champions like they were three years ago. The clock is ticking, and Jackson is waiting.

The Lions need to make a move now.

Lions Tear Eskimos, 40-22, Get First Victory Of The Season

Man, I cannot believe how long it has been since I have written a BC Lions article. Well, I'm back, and better than ever (seriously).

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The Lions have been struggling this season but for the first time this year, their opponents were the ones where trampled. The Lions roared to victory as they punctured the Edmonton Eskimos' lung in a 40-22 win.

With the sad wake of crying of Buck Pierce out, quarterback Jarious Jackson came in to re-capture greatness for British Columbia as he and Geroy Simon had a great day together as they were pretty much playing catch with the pair of touchdowns that have been made.

Jackson came out strong on Thursday night, reeling in 362 yards and dropping four bombs. The Lions improve to 1-2 in the Western Division, being ranked second there after the very impressive victory.

The Eskimos fall to 1-2, as they have ran threw another painful loss after the 50-16 nightmare from Montreal.

Pierce went out of the game after five minutes of play, as Jackson stepped in and started with a 45-yard strike to Simon down at the one-yard line. Running back Martell Mallett then broke in for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Lions a 9-0 lead after a safety in the first.

After that 45-yard pass, Jackson found Simon again as he blew up a 33-yard touchdown to Geroy Simon to size up their lead to 16-0. After hell was raging for Edmonton, the Eskimos recovered a fumble on the Lions 20 after the ball got popped loose from Jarious Jackson's arms on a vicious hit.

A passing touchdown as made to give a glimpse of hope for Edmonton as they were catching on, trailing by nine points in a 16-7 deficit. It then became 16-14 as Edmonton's Ricky Ray found Calvin McCarty open for a happy seven points.

It showed doubts that the Lions were going to win after their performance on defense lately. But never doubt the BC Lions, especially with Jarious Jackson in the game and with some comfortable targets.

Misery has begun, for Edmonton.

Jackson started out as he flew in 46-yard pass to Rufus Skillern and then hitting Paris Jackson for a 15-yard touchdown. He then found Geroy Simon on the next drive for a 40-yard lob to guarantee a score in the end zone.

It was all over from there as there really isn't much to explain anymore. The Lions captured a great victory.

Their next stop as at Calgary as the BC are the ones to stampede. Hold on Lions fans, the season isn't over for BC. Never doubt them, or they'll doubt you. It's how they get it done.

Calgary Stampeders, yes they will be tamed, next Friday.

BC Lions Add a Pair to Practice Roster

VANCOUVER, BC-The BC Lions have signed veteran running back Tyler Ebell and import offensive tackle Daren Heerspink to their practice roster.

Ebell entered the CFL in 2007 with the Edmonton Eskimos and had 124 rushes, 650 yards and a touchdown. Following the season he was traded to the Toronto Argonauts bu tore his achilles tendon and missed all of 2008. He was cut by Toronto on June 25.

Heerspink signed with the NFL's Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent but never saw the field before he was cut. He then joined the St. Louis Rams before being released last week.

Hamilton Sign LB Jamall Johnson

HAMILTON, ON-The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have announced the signing of linebacker Jamall Johnson.

Johnson started his career in Cleveland but was cut before the beginning of the season. He then joined the BC Lions where he played for four seasons (2005-2008). In 2006, he was a key piece in bringing the Grey Cup out west. On December 31 of last year he signed with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was recently released on June 19, 2009.

Johnson's signing leaves other big name linebackers such as ex-Stampeder JoJuan Armour and ex-Alouette TJ Hill still on the market. A few weeks ago the BC Lions reported they were negotiating with both Johnson and Armour.

BC Lions Make Cuts

VANCOUVER, BC-The BC Lions announced yesterday their final cuts:

Released:
WR Rufus Skillern
DB William Heyward
OL Martin Bibla
WR Jason Jones
WR Anthony Russo

Practice roster:
S Tang Bacheyie
RB Andrew Harris
RB Emmanuel Marc
SB Matt Carter
G Bobby Singh
LB Courtney Smith
DB Trestin George
WR Terrence Scott

CFL 2009 Season Preview: BC Lions

“No matter how many Wally Buono and the Lions try to spin it, the team lost a lot of key players during the offseason. This has led the casual fan to wonder if the Lions will be in rebuilding mode this season.”

It seemed like the BC Lions were good but never great last season.

The team had its highlights in 2008, and got some great individual performances from key players.

Defensive end Cameron Wake had a monster year with 23 sacks.

On offense, running back Stefan Logan had a break-out season with 889 rushing yards, while receivers Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson continued their solid play.

But when all was said and done, these players could not lead the Lions to a Grey Cup appearance.

Despite losing out on a home playoff game in the last game of the season, the Lions shocked Saskatchewan on the road to advance to the Western Final, where BC was defeated by the Calgary Stampeders.

Yet it seemed like whenever the Lions took a step forward, they seemed to take another one back.

The Lions traveled to a hostile Mosaic Stadium in the playoffs and beat the Roughriders, but lost in the regular season finale against a Stampeders team that was resting its starters.

Heading into the offseason, one had to believe the Lions would look to add a few players to help push their team over the top. Instead, the team lost a lot of players to free agency.

All of this makes one wonder what things will be like in BC this season.

Let’s take a closer look at the BC Lions:

What’s New?

The Lions' offseason didn’t exactly start the way they wanted.

In a disappointing (but not unexpected) move, Defensive Player of the Year Cameron Wake left the Lions to sign a four-year contract with the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Wake, a defensive end, was not the only defensive player to leave the Lions, as BC lost a trio of linebackers. Jamall Johnson joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jason Pottinger was traded to the Toronto Argonauts. BC also released veteran Otis Floyd.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions lost the bidding war for lineman Rob Murphy, who was signed by the Toronto Argonauts. The team also released slot back Jason Clermont.

Perhaps the biggest loss on the offensive side was running back Stefan Logan. Logan, who would have been the starting running back for the Lions, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Lions added a few players during free agency to counter-balance some of these losses. The team’s best pick-up was Saskatchewan linebacker Anton Mackenzie, who was part of Saskatchewan’s dominant linebacking corps.

Defensive end Nautyn McKay-Loescher was also added as a replacement for Cameron Wake.

The Lions also manage to re-sign key players, such as Paris Jackson, Aaron Hunt, and Baron Miles.

The Lions used the three draft picks obtained from the Pottinger trade to select running back Jamall Lee, linebacker James Yurichuk and slot back Matt Carter.

Concerns

Can the Lions hope to replace defensive end Cameron Wake and his 23-sack performance with the often-injured Nautyn McKay-Loescher?

Wake was a key force on BC’s defensive last season, and his aggression struck fear in the hearts of opposing offenses.

BC’s linebacking corps also has huge question marks after losing Johnson, Floyd, and Pottinger. The team did add Anton Mackenzie, but what other options do they have?

Mackenzie and Javier Glatt appear to be the only proven options available. Glatt is a good linebacker, but he has never really been a great one.

On offense, the Lions running game may be a weak point for them with Logan's departure.

The lack of a running game will put more pressure on Lions quarterback Buck Pierce, who lacks solid receivers to throw to besides Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon.

When it comes right down to it, there are a lot of question marks in BC with few answers.

Summary

Few can argue that Wally Buono has been a successful coach, and that the Lions always have a chance with him at the helm.

And the team still has talent. Jackson looks to be a rising star in the league and Simon is always reliable. On defense, the team still has a stellar secondary and all-star defensive tackle Aaron Hunt.

But with all the offseason losses, one has to wonder if BC will slide down the standings this season.

Whether the Lions have success could come down to a few things:

Will they find a solid running back? Can Buck Pierce be a consistent starter? And will the defense take a huge step back after losing Cameron Wake?

Another thing to keep in mind is the weak East division. Last season the Eskimos crossed over to the East and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lions do the same this season.

But don’t expect BC to finish high in the West because, though Wally Buono may not want to admit it, the Lions are in a rebuilding year this season.

My Prediction: Between six and eight wins, a fourth-place finish in the West and a possible crossover playoff berth in the East.

Outstanding Player of the Year: Paris Jackson

Defensive Player of the Year: Anton Mackenzie

Canadian of the Year: Brent Johnson

Lineman of the Year: Aaron Hunt

Special Teams Player of the Year: Ian Smart

Rookie of the Year: James Yurichuk

Camp Cuts: Week one

Week one of training camp is almost over and like everyone knows transactions come at a daily basis, so here they are for all eight teams:

BC LIONS:
Signed-DB William Heyward, OL Vaughn Lesuma (June 9), LB Courtney Smith

Released-C Lorne Plante, RB Charles Pierre, DB Donald Brown, OL Vaughn Lesuma (June 13), LB Marcus Richardson, RB Amos Allen, FB Lyle Green, SB Bret Anderson

Inactivated-OL Martin Bibla, DB Trestin George (June 7, reactivated June 13), OL Sherko Haji-Resouli (June 7, reactivated 13), WR Jason Jones, WR Anthony Russo

CALGARY STAMPEDERS:
Signed-WR Derrick Smith, DB Anthony Ivy, DB Ronnie Amadi, DB Perry Kyles (June 12)

Released-LB Robert Killebrew, LB Kurt Campbell, DB Lakendrick Terrell, DB Perry Kyles (June 10), WR Johnny Thomas, WR Reggie Williams (June 12)

Inactivated-DT Kenny King, G Jesse Newman, SB Reggie Williams (June 7)

EDMONTON ESKIMOS:
Signed-OL Joe McGrath (acquired in trade with Saskatchewan), WR Sean Young

Released-LB Derrick Doggett, DB Emanuel White, WR Eric Ware, LB Jason Kosec

Inactivated-DE Adam Braidwood

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS:
Signed-DB Cody Williams, DE Khari Long

Released-QB Erik Meyer, QB Josh Betts, DB John Williams Jr., OL Todd Londot

Inactivated-WR Willie Quinnie

MONTREAL ALOUETTES:
Signed-WR David Kircus, WR Glenn McKay, WR Chad Rempel (June 7), DT Darrell Campbell, LB Jay Staggs, DB De'Audre Dix, WR Keith Godding, DT Johnny Jackson (June 8), WR Dorrell Jalloh, WR Kevin Marion (June 9), DE Sean Ortiz (June 9), WR Andrew Hawkins (activated from Suspended list)

Released-C Ryan Mousseau, DE Sean Ortiz (June 7), LB Jon Abbate, DT Johnny Jackson (June 9), WR Chad Rempel (June 13), WR Kevin Marion (June 13)

Inactivated-WR Jamel Richardson, CB Stanford Samuels, DB Brandon Williams, DB Gemara Williams, LB John Mohring, RB Dahrran Diedrick

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS:
Signed-OL Jocelyn Frennette (activated), RB Jason Geathers, LB Brandon Perkins, WR Eric Morris

Released-OL Andrae Townsel, DB Derrick Johnson, SB Carl Berman, OL Joe McGrath (traded to Edmonton)

Inactivated-WR David McKoy

TORONTO ARGONAUTS:
Signed-NONE

Released-NONE

Inactivated-CB Demetrice Webb

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS:
Signed-QB Richie Williams, DL DeVon Hicks

Released-QB Darrell Hackney

Inactivated-NONE

That's it for this week, can't wait till week 2 kicks off!

My Exclusive Interview with Jerel Myers

Hey guys. I am now back with another interview. My last interview was about three months ago with Cal Poly cornerback, Scottie Cordier. I was so blessed to have that interview with him and now I am more blessed.

I was just looking up some players from the BC Lions roster. One of my favorite CFL players, Jerel Myers, was one of the names I looked up on Google. I was just scrolling through and found out he had a Facebook account.

Then I though for a second. What if it's just some fake account that a person with no life would make just so he could get some attention? Well, guess what? It wasn't. Not at all. If you look at it, you'll believe me.

I then contacted Jerel as I sent him a message on Facebook. I asked him if I could do an interview with him and I couldn't believe it...he said yes. I was so glad a player from a professional football league would like to be interviewed my some young and aspiring journalist.

Jerel Myers was one of my favorite players. I always checked out his highlights so it can help me be a good tight end in football, and it works! Myers gladly answered the questions with me.

I only gave him seven questions to answer because I didn't want to be a bother with him.

But first, when I show you that, let me give you a little background on this kid.

Myers was a standout from LSU. In 2003, he came out of college. He was labeled as undrafted for the NFL and was signed with the Bills. He played with them from 2003-2004. He then moved on with the Washington Redskins in 2005 but couldn't find success there either.

Finally, there came hope for this kid that had talent for a team. In 2005, he went on to play for the BC Lions of the CFL. He played there and in his first season, he had 36 catches for 473 yards and posted also posted two touchdowns.

He later left the Lions to play for the New Orleans VooDoo of the AFL after the 2005 season. But when Hurricane Katrina struck, he had to play for the new expansion team, the Kansas City Brigade. Myers proved he was a star their, ending his career in the AFL in 2008.

In 2009, Myers returned to the BC Lions, hoping to make a future with the team. I expect Myers to have a great season this year and hopefully getting some great passes from quarterback, Buck Pierce.

You know Jerel Myers now?

Here is the ultimate interview with BC Lions wide receiver, Jerel Myers:

Josh Dhani: What's it like returning to the BC Lions?

Jerel Myers: Its going to be exciting going back to BC. I see I have another opportunity to take care of my business so I'm going to take advantage of it.

JD: Did you ever dream of playing in the NFL?

JL:Everyone has dreams of the NFL. But things don't always go as you would plan for them to. Ive had a few opportunities but I just couldn't capitalize on them.

JD: What's it like playing with star, Geroy Simon?

JL: Geroy Simon is a great player. He taught me a lot about the CFL game just that one year when I was there. I love to see him play. I still kept up with his play even after I left.

JD: Are you going to miss playing in the Arena Football League?

JL: I'm going to miss the AFL a lot. Playing in that league for the past four years makes you used to a certain type of game and style. It was fun and I hope it comes back.

JD: I heard you actually played in the NFL. You played with the Bills from 2003-2004 and the Redskins in 2005. What was it like there?

JL: It was a good experience. Met a lot of good athletes and good people in general. I hope I get the opportunity again.

JD: What do you when it is the off-season?

JL: In the off season I coach football and substitute at my old high school. That's what I want to do once I finish playing football. I enjoy it as much as they enjoy me being out there with them.

JD: What are your goals for this season with the BC Lions?

JL: I only have one goal this season and that is to help the BC Lions win THE GREY CUP! I don't want nothing more or nothing less.

Good luck this year Jerel. Is wish you all the best. GO LIONS!

BC Lions: Sign Their Five Draft Picks

The Lions have signed their five draft picks from 2009. They agreed to the terms of the deals, but they were not released.

“Each of these players will be given every opportunity to make our roster and I believe they are equally excited about the chance to do so,” Wally Buono told BCLions.com.

The five draft picks they signed were Tang Bacheyie (defensive back, above), James Yurichuk (linebacker, photo), Matt Carter (wide receiver, photo), Matt Morencie (offensive lineman, photo), and Jonathan Pierre-Etienne (defensive lineman, photo).

Let's hope these guys perform well this year. Good luck this year, guys, and welcome to the BC Lions!

BC Lions: Sign Two Running Backs and One Defensive Back

The Lions have signed three players, two running backs and one defensive back. The two backs are Charles Pierre (above) and Martell Mallett (photo). The defensive back is Darren Tony (photo).

Mallett played at Arkansas-Pine Bluff from 2005-2008 and played 42 games. He had 582 carries for 2,888 yards, including 27 touchdowns. He was also the team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2008.

I expect Mallett to make the team and do excellent. If you look at his photo, he looks like a big, strong, and physical back that can literally punish defenses. He could be a beneficial asset to the squad of the BC Lions.

Now to Pierre.

Pierre played for Florida-Atlantic and also played the same time Mallett did (2005-2008). He was always the team's leading rusher, having over 1,000 yards and eight hard-earned touchdowns in his senior year.

What a way to end the year. In his four seasons at FAU, he piled on 3,058 yards and 23 well-played touchdowns.

I expect Pierre to make the roster as well because he is good at earning yards. He can be a special back to the squad of British Columbia.

Now to Toney.

Toney played with Arkansas State from 2004-2007. He had six picks for 111 yards and one touchdown in his "picking-off" career. He was also a decent kick-returner, having 1,513 yards and two touchdowns.

Toney also played with the Panthers but couldn't manage to make the squad. I expect Toney to make the team as well as he had some NFL experience, and had time guarding the fabulous Steve Smith.

If Toney can guard Smith pretty well, I expect him to be a valuable corner to the BC Lions defensive squad.

So those are the signings. The BC Lions made some pretty solid picks and look to stride this season, looking for another Grey Cup after winning in 2006. They are deeply hungry for one, and these signings will make them the contenders for the Cup.

BC Lions Sign Quarterback Travis Lulay

VANCOUVER, BC-The BC Lions have announced the signing of import quarterback Travis Lulay.

Lulay spent time with the Seattle Seahawks in 2008, before which he was a member of the New Orleans Saints and NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder.

Prior to that, Lulay spent four years at Montana State, where he set records for career passing yards, completions, passing yards in a season and passing yards in a game.

The 25-year-old was just the fifth QB in NCAA history to throw for 10,000 yards and run for 1,000 yards in his career.

The Lions also announced the signings of wide receivers Robert Long, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Terrence Scott and defensive linemen Gary Butler, Xavier Mitchell and Jonathan Williams.

BC Lions: Agree To Terms with OT, Justin Sorensen

Josh Dhani is a beat-writer for the BC Lions.

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Vancouver, CA—The BC Lions have announced that they and Justin Sorensen have agreed to terms of a contract.

Being the Lions, and fifth overall pick in last year's CFL Draft, Sorensen went back to South Carolina to complete his final year of eligibility. The Parksville native started all 13 games last year at right tackle for the Gamecocks. With those 13 starts, he had a total of 31 consecutive starts.

“Justin has played football at a very high level and I am looking forward to seeing what he can contribute to our club,” said head coach and manager, Wally Buono.

“I am very pleased to begin my professional career at home in British Columbia,” said Sorensen. “I cannot wait to compete for a roster spot in training camp this June.”

As the fifth overall pick in last year's draft, how can he not get a roster spot?

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BC Lions: Add Some West Coast Flavor, Sign Russo and Amey

Josh Dhani is a beat-writer for the BC Lions.

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Vancouver, CA—The BC Lions have announced today that they have signed import receivers, Otis Amey and Anthony Russo.

Amey looks to be one of the starting receivers, after having some NFL experience as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers in 2005, and being a superstar at Sacramento State. Amey also brings in some AFL experience by playing for the Austin Wranglers and the Cleveland Gladiators.

Russo joins the Lions with some NFL experience, too, by playing for the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent last year. With the Seahawks, he also stayed close to home, too. How? Well he also played at the University of Washington (2004-2007) and in his senior season, he had 49 catches for 766 yards and five touchdowns. That earned him a Pac-Ten Honorable Mention.

With those two receivers in, two other receivers had to come out: Eric McCain and Dereck Faulkner.

I wish Faulkner and McCain luck.

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BC Lions: Welcome Jerel Myers! Myers Comes Back to the Den

Josh Dhani is a beat writer for the BC Lions.

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Vancouver, CA—The BC Lions have signed wide receiver, Jerel Myers, back to the team. Myers has returned! Myers originally signed with the Lions in 2005, as he posted 36 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns.

The former LSU star left the team to play for the AFL's New Orleans Voodoo after the 2005 CFL season with the Lions. But when Hurricane Katrina struck there, Myers had to officially move to the expansion team of the Kansas City Brigade in 2006 in both receiving and all-purpose yards. He also made history with club, making the first reception and touchdown for the team.

Myers then became more popular with the Brigade in 2007, with 900 kick return yards and 1,183 receiving yards. He also led the team with all-purpose yards again (2,200) and was second in touchdowns with 22. He also had the franchise's longest kickoff return with a 55-yarder.

You are probably thinking, "A 55-yarder on a kick off return is the franchise's longest? The NFL has 100 yard kick off returns!" Well guess what? The AFL's field is half the size of the NFL's. So when you put it that way, that is actually pretty darn long!

Last season with the Brigade, Myers had much more better stats: 136 catches for 1,310 yards and 19 touchdowns. Then at LSU (from 1999-2002), Myers played 47 games and set a freshman record with the school, having 64 catches for over 850 yards and two touchdowns in 1999.

With all of his great stats, talent, and ability to do possibly anything, there will probably be another guy for Geroy Simon I bet. And, oh boy, that would be great. Geroy Simon is the best BC Lion to me.

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