He has one of the coolest names on the roster. So when we asked Junior Luke how it came to be, we were surprised to learn it didn’t quite go down as planned.
“The funny part is my parents actually forgot to give me a name,” explained the rookie defensive tackle with a hint of dis-belief.
“I guess my Dad was supposed to fill it out on a form so they wouldn’t mix me up, but he flat out didn’t do it. His name is Paul and that is what they were going to name me. So I guess by default I became Junior.”
If everything goes as planned, people won’t be forgetting his name anytime soon. The seventh overall pick out of the University of Montreal has recently earned a starting role in the rotation.
With four games left, the main goal remains to make the playoffs. For youngsters and rookies there also is the motivation of standing out and letting it be known they will be an even bigger factor in their second training camp come next May.
“I’m just thinking about the present time,” said Luke.
“I just want to win these next four games and have a shot to get into the playoffs. My main focus is on today, not tomorrow. If I focus on something I can’t control, there is no point. I need to get better and try to help my team win.”
Spoken like a true veteran, not a wide-eyed rookie. Next up on the ‘biggest game of the year’ file is a trip to Winnipeg where Andrew Harris and the 10-4-0 Blue Bombers will be out for blood after a 30-13 home setback against Hamilton.
The former Lions running back and 2011 Grey Cup Most Outstanding Canadian is on pace to do something no player has done in CFL history: eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing and receiving.
“They do a lot of things on offence and they have some momentum,” said Luke of the Bombers.
“They like to do trick plays and they’re very explosive with those guys on offence. At the same time we have to focus on us and not only about what they are doing. We have to get better throughout the week of practice and just have fun.”
These Lions-Bombers matchups are never for the faint of heart. The Travis Lulay-led offence erased a 15-point deficit in the final ten minutes to stun the Manitoba visitors in similar fashion to last year’s thrilling comeback in the Western Division-Semi Final. The Bombers’ two regular season victories in 2016 were by a combined five points.
Luke will now try and make his own mark in this classic Western Division rivalry. And he knows the result could likely be decided in the final minutes come Saturday.
“You have to finish in this league,” added the rookie defensive tackle.
“Take our loss to Ottawa as a prime example: as great a team game we played for three quarters, it isn’t always enough.”
A big reason the Montreal native has adapted to the pro game so quickly can probably be attributed to the fact he has some pretty solid veterans to learn from.
“Those vets are helping me out. Mich’ael Brooks, BT (Bryant Turner) and Craig Roh are making sure I have been comfortable. It has been an easy adjustment to the pros because I have played the Canadian game all my life,” added the 2014 Vanier Cup Champion.
Those elder statesmen were there to celebrate with him when he recorded his first professional sack on August 13th in Saskatchewan. You get the sense there are more of those to come. Not bad for a guy with no name.
Thanksgiving Monday Lions Report
The squad was back on the Surrey practice field on Turkey Day for a quick 45-minute session. Every player was accounted for besides linebacker/special teams foot soldier Adrian Clarke who left Saturday’s loss in the first half after suffering a quad injury. Alex Ogbongbemiga took Clarke’s special teams reps. The Calgary Dinos product has been on the practice squad since June and recently spent 2016 in Saskatchewan and Edmonton. The fullback made his CFL debut against the Lions on July 16th of last season. Chris Rainey took part in all drills after hurting his leg on the game’s final offensive series. He appeared to be in no dis-comfort.
At 6-8-0 and four points behind the Roughriders and Eskimos, Bryan Burnham admits they are running out of chances.
“What happened is done and now we just have to move on to Winnipeg,” said Burnham.
“We’ve had to (play desperate) the past few weeks and haven’t been able to get it done. Something has to change. I don’t think it’s a lack of effort. Guys are playing hard. Whatever it is, we have a few days to get it right. We’re going into a hostile environment, against a good team and we have to be ready.”
Burnham is returning to the venue where he had his career high of 208 receiving yards on October 8th of last season. That came against an opportunistic defence that led the CFL in turnover ratio by a wide margin. Many of those same playmakers remain on coordinator Richie Hall’s unit. Chris Randle leads them with five interceptions this season.
“Same old same old,” added Burnham.
“They have a lot of guys that fly around and make plays. We have to be smart and make plays.”
Let’s hope some of that Investors Group Field karma goes right for him and the offence.
Buono Takes Bait on Issue of Two Divisions
Over his three decades roaming the sidelines, Wally Buono has demonstrated several excellent traits. At or near the top of that list is his ability to be blunt and openly honest behind the microphone. That was evident at his Friday morning pre-game media conference when Redblacks radio broadcaster AJ Jakubec asked for the Godfather’s opinion on if the CFL should scrap its two divisions and simply give the best six teams a shot in the playoffs, regardless of geography.
“Here is my personal opinion: times have changed,” stated the league’s all-time wins leader.
“We are no longer a regional league. We are a national league. I am not sure that the old sentiments of East playing West (matters), because it is all about the Grey Cup game. I think the Grey Cup in itself brings the country together period. I think Ottawa (this year’s site) sold out long before anybody knew who was playing.”
Let’s ponder the old “one through nine” option for a moment. We would assume first and second place get byes, while the third versus sixth and fourth versus fifth make up your revamped “division semi-finals.” If that format were in place today, Buono’s club would be one point back of sixth place Ottawa with two games in hand. Instead, they face the daunting task of having to leapfrog both Edmonton and Saskatchewan to earn a playoff spot for the 21st consecutive season. Last year they would have earned a bye as the second place team and just needed to win one home game for a trip to the 104th Grey Cup.
There are multiple layers to this topic. Many observers might simply say these Lions don’t deserve to be playing past November 4th. Not many teams that lose six of seven games at such an important stretch of the season earn that right.
Another other roadblock is convincing the “traditionalists” that two teams close geographically, like Toronto and Ottawa or Calgary and Edmonton, could meet in the Grey Cup and have the entire country buy into it. The crossover rule currently leaves the door open for two teams in the same division to meet in the big game. Thanks to the Blue Bombers changing divisions multiple times over the years we have seen a Winnipeg-Saskatchewan matchup (2007) and of course your Lions took down those same Bombers at BC Place in 2011.
Look at our friends south of the border: we have seen Super Bowl matchups between San Francisco and San Diego, plus the New York Giants and Buffalo within the last 30 years. More recently, the Giants and New England Patriots have locked horns for the Lombardi Trophy twice.
When you add up all of these factors, maybe Buono is onto something. Although he admits any drastic change is probably not happening soon.
“The formula in my mind would be the two top teams get a bye and the next four teams make the playoffs. You could have the second and third place team in either division make the playoffs. We’re still in a society where we reward excellence, right? That’s my opinion. Whether the league would ever do that? Probably not,” added Buono with a laugh.
The timing of this was interesting, with Buono and the Lions preparing to face a Redblacks squad that will very likely be hosting a playoff game with a worse record than the team that finishes last in the West. Ironically, two losses to Ottawa are a big reason this Lions squad is currently on the outside looking in. It goes both ways.
Matt Baker: mbaker@bclions.com