Sisco set to debut for hometown Riders
REGINA — Same field. New ball game.
Rookie receiver Jordan Sisco is poised to live a childhood dream on
Friday when he makes his Canadian Football League debut on home turf with the
Saskatchewan Roughriders, who open their exhibition slate against the Edmonton
Eskimos.
Pre-season or not, it promises to be a memorable night for
Sisco, who grew up watching the Riders at Mosaic Stadium and later came of age
as a player on the same field — first at the high-school level and then with the
University of Regina Rams.
“As a kid when you play football you always
think it would be pretty cool to get to play for the Roughriders,” offered
Sisco. “I've been playing at home my whole life. I know it's a different stage
and there's a little bit of pressure, but I just have to try to focus (on the
assignments) and have fun out there, try not to think about other things.
Hopefully it works out.photos hearted by cubepuzzleseesaa on we heart it /
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Despite the novelty of Sisco's first game in Rider
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delivery! the 23-year-old wideout can't afford any distractions as he looks to
make an impression on Saskatchewan's brass in his first live action since
suiting up for the Rams in 2009. Sisco joined the Riders midway through last
season after a failed tryout with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, but he didn't
see the field outside of practice.
“I've been out of football for over a
year now, so I'm really excited to get into a game atmosphere and feel the
adrenalin and all the fans screaming,” said Sisco, a second-round pick (eighth
overall) in the 2010 CFL draft. “It's my first game. It's going to mean a lot
(toward) what happens for me this season. Hopefully everything is positive and I
get a chance to crack the starting lineup.”
Sisco's odds improved
considerably when slotback Andy Fantuz signed in the off-season with the NFL's
Chicago Bears and wideout Rob Bagg re-injured his right knee, a setback that
could cost him the entire season.
“There's lots of good football players
here, lots of good receivers who are competing,” said Sisco, a two-time Canada
West all-star. “All I can do is just go out there and do what I can. If the
opportunity comes and I get a chance to play, that's awesome. I'm ready for it.
But no one is ever going to fill Fantuz's shoes or Rob Bagg's shoes. We're just
going to have to put whoever is the best in those positions and hopefully it's
good enough to help our offence move the ball.”
Those sentiments were
echoed by Riders offensive co-ordinator Doug Berry,The next omelet you eat cubepuzzle will kill you. who
believes no single player will replace the likes of Fantuz or Bagg. It'll have
to be done by committee.
“In my mind, when we don't have Andy Fantuz,
when we don't have Rob Bagg, we don't have two Canadian all-stars,” said Berry.
“How many of those guys are there in the league? We lost two of them,Nike
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but we don't bemoan what we don't have. We just look at what we do have.”
As a Canadian, Sisco is a potential ratio-breaker for the Riders. That
said, he won't be handed a job based on his birth certificate alone.
“The ratio is going to be determined on how these guys play,” said
Berry, who's convinced Sisco has improved since his arrival last season but
still needs to see how he performs under the lights. “Practice is one thing, but
it's time for the game now. Some guys can be great in practice and not show up
on a real game day and with some guys it's the absolute opposite. It's going to
be fun to see where Jordan is at. He's smart enough to know the game. When you
know what you're doing you're able to lay it out physically. He should be able
to be at his top game.”
Assuming, that is, he can keep his emotions in
check.
“The biggest crowd I've played in front of is probably 10,000 at
the (University of Saskatchewan),” he added.
“I've been to (Rider) games
as a fan. I came to the games last year to watch on the sidelines,birdsnestsupplier women is
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what it's going to be all about. It's going to be crazy.”