Stampeders deal with question of rest versus rust ahead of West Division final

How the Stampeders manage their three weeks between games to maximize rest without accumulating rust will be their challenge heading into the division final.

“We want to practise smart, but we want to practise hard,” head coach Dave Dickenson said. “We’re going to try some new wrinkles out.

“There’s still jobs — who is going to be on and who is going to be off (the roster). There’s still definitely a few positions that are a competitive battle.”

The players reunited wearing helmets but not pads for practice on a sunny, breezy day at McMahon.

“I thought guys were locked in and were practising smart,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t see any lulls from anybody where it was like, ‘oh, first day back’ and they’re kind of still in that vacation mode.”

Backup quarterback Drew Tate, not Mitchell, played in Calgary’s 17-8 loss to the Montreal Alouettes to conclude their regular season Oct. 30.

Mitchell, who leads the league in touchdown throws with 32, won’t have thrown a game ball in almost a month by Nov. 20.

The West Division’s nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award says his brain benefited from the bye more than his body.

“My body didn’t feel terrible. The mental break was better because you’re sitting at home and you wanted to be back,” Mitchell said.

“You kind of got that drive and hunger to come back right now and play. That’s how I think we felt on the field today.”

Joining Mitchell among the West Division’s award finalists announced Thursday were Stampeders running back Jerome Messam (offensive player), Daniels (rookie) and Dennis (offensive lineman).

Dickenson is a finalist for coach of the year in his first year as head coach of the Stampeders. The winners will be announced Nov. 24 during Grey Cup week.

Messam said he lifted weights and rode the bike during his break, but the CFL’s top rusher this season with 1,198 yards also conserved his legs.

“Do everything you can to stay off your feet because playoffs is going to be very physical, it’s going to be colder out here, so you’ve got to do everything you can to keep your body right,” Messam said.

Dennis, a man who did a lot of blocking for Messam, pointed out Calgary played 15 straight weeks of football before their bye week and were in need of rest.

“It doesn’t hurt to get your mind off the game and relax,” Dennis said. “Your body does what your mind tells it to you so if you’re mind is feeling fresh, your body is going to feel refreshed.”

Snow is in the forecast for Calgary next week. The left guard said Arizona was the right place to rest body and mind.

“I had to get out of the cold because I knew coming back here I was going to get some cold,” Dennis said.

While the only team over .500 in the East Division playoffs is the Edmonton Eskimos (10-8), who crossed over from the West, the team Calgary faces in the division final will have played a season of well over .500 ball.

“There’s four teams that are in the playoffs in the West and we feel like we’ll have our hands full with whoever makes it out of the B.C.-Winnipeg game,” Dickenson said.

The division final has tripped up the Stampeders in the past.

Since Dickenson joined Calgary’s coaching staff in 2009, the Stampeders have lost the division final at home three times in seasons which they’ve won 13 games or more.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Stampeders deal with question of rest versus rust ahead of West Division final

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