Blue Bombers Stick to Plan Despite Losing Pierce Again

It’s the kind of news that has become all too common when it comes to Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce: he will be unavailable to the Canadian Football League club for an indefinite period as he attempts to recover from his latest injury.

This time, he has torn ligaments and a muscle in his left foot and will be in a walking boot for at least a week.

“They (the doctors) said about four weeks,” Pierce said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not one to really listen to timelines, that’s more for you guys (the media) to hear, and I have an idea about it. Players have come back quicker (from this injury), as well. … I’m pretty sure it’s four or less. They didn’t say it’s something that’s going to be real lengthy. It has to heal, obviously, to be able to play. It will still probably be another week until I’m out of the walking boot.”

Now Alex Brink will be calling the signals, while Joey Elliot will be the backup. The pivots might be changing, but the game plan is not — well, not significantly, anyway. No major differences are expected in their game against the Toronto Argonauts on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.

“My game is pretty tailored towards the structure of what a defence is going to give you,” Brink said in an interview. “When a defence plays a certain coverage, there’s always going to be open zones. I’m pretty good at pre-snapping coverage, understanding what teams are trying to do and finding those open guys.”

While it’s a good break for Brink, it’s another bad-news story for Pierce. The Kansas native is the kind of player any football fan wants to see succeed. The guy is a gamer. He has a burning will to succeed, a competitive force which should ideally be in every athlete. He plays through pain; he adapts to situations. Not only does he do his best, but he is always seen to be doing his best.

Unfortunately for Pierce, his desire is stronger than his body: the damn thing is always breaking down on him. Part of it is he gets himself into situations where he’s exposed to potential injury. Part of it is that some athletes are not as lucky as others, and recovering from their various maladies becomes part of the test of their lives.

It’s the latest in a long line of maladies which has befallen the eight-year CFL veteran, and now that he’s 30 his lack of durability is having a more significant impact on his ability to hang onto the job as the team’s top quarterback.

Both Pierce and Toronto Argonauts placekicker Noel Prefontaine have to face the same questions. The 15-year vet is facing surgery on his hip, and the 38-year-old might have to consider retirement as a result. Pierce also will likely have to think about life after football before he wants to, but the inevitability is inescapable: when you’ve been hurt as much as Pierce has in his career, it’s wise to at least consider a career change — before a more crippling injury makes the decision for him. With Pierce, that scenario is more a question of “when” than “if.”