LEWIS BRUSHES OFF RIDER COMMENTS

Calgary Stampeder Nik Lewis celebrates at the end of the game after the Calgary Stampeders beat the Edmonton Eskimos 24 21 in the Western semi-final game between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday November 15 in Calgary.
Photograph by: Dean Bicknell, Calgary Herald

CALGARY — Calgary Stampeders slotback Nik Lewis has a message to any Saskatchewan Roughrider who disapproves of his first-down celebrations.

“Stop me from getting first downs,” Lewis said Wednesday. “Simple as that. You don’t like people celebrating? Stop ’em from doing it.”

The suggestion was made in a story out of Regina on Wednesday that certain Roughriders believe the Stampeders receivers celebrate too much, particularly on plays that didn’t result in touchdowns.
“We don’t like that stuff, especially when it comes from their receivers,’’ said Saskatchewan linebacker Roy Williams. “They will celebrate after a two-yard catch. They can have that.”

What’s more interesting in the big picture is that for the second straight week, a Stampeders playoff opponent has started the war of words. Last week, before the West Division semifinal, it was Edmonton’s Maurice Lloyd accusing the Stampeders of disrespecting his team.

This week, it’s Williams and Saskatchewan receiver Chris Getzlaf firing the salvos in advance of Sunday’s Canadian Football League West Division final at Mosaic Stadium.

“I’m not the type of guy to celebrate a 10-yard hitch,’’ Getzlaf told the Regina Leader-Post.

“That’s their thing and it’s fine. Nik Lewis loves that first-down sign after catching an eight-yard pass. We’re more about if we score, let’s celebrate together. If we catch the ball, let’s go pick the guy up.”
But Lewis said he isn’t concerned about the Roughriders think of his first-down celebrations. He’s more concerned with his own team.

“We know if we do what we do, if we don’t have penalties and we don’t turn the ball over, then we can beat any team in this league,” he said. “So we’re not worried about them. They know who the better team is. They’re worried about us. We’re not worried about them. We’re not talking about them. I don’t need to talk about them. I’m not worried about what they’re going to do.

I’m worried about what we’re going to do. Because when we do what we do, we’re going to do it better than everybody else. But if we don’t do what we’re supposed to do, then we lose games.”

Last week, the Stamps consistently denied Lloyd’s accusations, and refused to get drawn into any controversy. Wednesday, they seemed resigned to once again being the target at which everybody’s taking aim.

“It’s an emotional game, and other teams are focused on us for some reason,” said Stamps quarterback Henry Burris. “The stuff they’re talking about has nothing to do with the game. Guys do what they do, right? Certain guys celebrate after touchdowns, certain guys celebrate when they get big catches or first downs. It’s their trade, so let those guys do what they do, and do what they do best. We won a championship by doing it, so who’s going to tell us to change it? I mean, we’re going to be us.”

“We’re the champs,” added Stamps cornerback Dwight Anderson. “I would (take verbal shots), too, if I was going against the champs. We’re the champs, and everybody’s coming for our throats. We’re still in the playoffs, we’re still the defending champions and they want to take us out. We knew coming in that we have a target on our back, and we’re still going to ride with it.”

Stamps coach John Hufnagel wasn’t about to get drawn into the verbal crossfire, choosing instead to focus on his own players.

“I think they were alluding to Nik Lewis,” Hufnagel said. “And maybe if Nik had got into the end zone a little bit more (Lewis scored just one touchdown in the regular season), maybe he wouldn’t have to do the other things.”

Lewis, for the record, insisted nothing will change in his on-field style on Sunday.
“No. Why?” he said. “I mean, I’m going to be me . . . we’re going to be the Stampeders. And on Sunday, we’re gonna ride.”

Calgary Herald

acameron@theherald.canwest.com