DALTON BELL

VANSTONE: Riders' Dalton Bell an all-round nice guy


By Rob Vanstone, The Leader-PostJune 8,

On Day 1 of (t)raining camp, Dalton Bell proved to be the rare quarterback who does not insist upon protection.

Bell was offered coverage, in the form of an umbrella, in the early stages of an interview after the Saskatchewan Roughriders concluded practice Sunday on Taylor Field.
"No, we're good,'' Bell said, cordially.

Then the skies opened up. In good conscience, I could not allow an interviewee to be saturated -- and my column to be washed away in the process. So I pulled out the umbrella and attempted to keep both of us dry.
The downpour was momentary, so I gracefully dropped the umbrella, along with my notes. As I fumbled around, Bell was thoughtful enough to pick up my roster.
So why am I telling you this? It is, after all, a trivial detail. But little things often reveal the most about a person.

He is, I discovered, as advertised.

Since Bell's arrival in Regina last fall, members of the Roughriders organization have been raving about Bell's off-field comportment. General manager Eric Tillman bordered on giddiness while appraising Bell as a person. The quarterback's absorption with film study also earned plaudits, while eliciting comparisons to somebody named Kent Austin.

"I've never met Kent Austin,'' Bell said of the legendary Roughriders quarterback and head coach, "but I guess that's a compliment.''
You might say.

Roger Eberts doesn't watch as much film as Austin. Bell is similarly inclined. Even while on the practice roster in 2008, Bell routinely remained in the Riders' office well into the evening.

"That's something I've always done throughout my whole career, and even my college career,'' Bell said. "I want to give myself the best chance to succeed so I've tried to do the off-the-field stuff, such as watching film and drawing up plays and going through different scenarios.''

Bell's passion for watching film was nurtured at West Texas A&M under quarterbacks coach was Wes Phillips -- whose father is Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips.
In two seasons as the starting quarterback at West Texas A&M, Bell posted a 20-4 record. He threw for 3,998 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior after amassing totals of 3,799 yards and 30 TDs the previous year.

NFL stints with the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks ensued. Bell was placed on the Roughriders' negotiation list on the recommendation of director of player personnel Joe Womack.

After a nomadic couple of years, Bell is anxious to make an imprint in the CFL, to the extent that the Canyon, Tex., product arrived in Regina in mid-May.
"I came up early because I wanted to give myself the best shot to play,'' the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder said. "I am taking it seriously. It's a job. I've been in places before and I've been cut a few times. It's not fun to get cut and it's hard for the family to survive when you're not having a job so, yeah, I am taking it seriously.''
Bell travelled to Regina with his wife, Abbie, and their son, Boston (who turns three in July).

"He came out to practice the other day and he thinks this is pretty cool,'' Bell said. "He's at that age where seeing Dad play football is cool. He wants me to tackle somebody, but I don't want to be tackling anybody.''
Bell would rather tackle a playbook.

"He is such a student of the game and he prepares so well,'' said Riders head coach Ken Miller, who figures that Bell has the makings of a "special'' player.
"He has the respect of everybody on the team -- not that the other quarterbacks don't. He has just demonstrated those things beyond what you would expect somebody of his experience to do.''

Bell is part of an inexperienced quarterbacking corps. Darian Durant, who is first on the depth chart, has started four games as a CFLer. Steven Jyles, who is immediately behind Durant on the pecking order, is No. 2. Bell and recently acquired Juan Joseph round out the quarterbacking equation.

At 26, Bell would love to move up the ladder and find a home in the pro ranks.
"Finding a team that has a plan for you is huge,'' he said. "Hopefully I have found that here.''

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