After the end of their season on Sunday, the Riders' annual garbage bag day saw most of the players show up to clean out their lockers. Stu Foord with Wes Cates.
Photograph by: Roy Antal, Leader-Post
REGINA — Wes Cates wishes the outcome in Sunday's Grey Cup game would have ended with his team on top.
But the Saskatchewan Roughriders veteran running back said he will reflect on the 2010 CFL season as one of the best in his five-year career.
"I'm pretty proud of this season just based on the fact that a lot of people didn't think I had the potential to be a difference maker this year," Cates said Tuesday as he and his teammates congregated at Mosaic Stadium to clean out their lockers.
"I'm pretty proud of this season just based on the fact that a lot of people didn't think I had the potential to be a difference maker this year," Cates said Tuesday as he and his teammates congregated at Mosaic Stadium to clean out their lockers.
"I came out and helped my team win games and made a difference. To bounce back and have that resilience showed me a little bit about myself and helped me gain some of that confidence back that I might have lost from 2009."
After a disappointing '09 season that saw him rush for 932 yards, the lowest total among starting 'backs in the CFL, Cates enjoyed a productive 2010 campaign. The product of California, Penn., rushed for 1,054 yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns, which was three shy of a Riders' record in a single season.
Cates also proved to be durable late in the season. He gained more than 60 yards in each of the Riders' three playoff games, including 83 yards rushing in the Grey Cup. He also reached the end zone in each post-season game.
"Wes is a huge part of our offence," explained Riders centre Jeremy O'Day. "I couldn't be more proud of him for coming back from last season where he was nicked up ... and people were writing that maybe we needed a new running back. Wes took it upon himself to come into this year in good shape and stay healthy and do a great job for us."
Cates wasn't immune to the grumblings in Rider Nation that suggested he was getting up there in age and that maybe he had lost a step. The presence of a younger and perhaps more explosive Hugh Charles didn't help matters.
Cates wasn't immune to the grumblings in Rider Nation that suggested he was getting up there in age and that maybe he had lost a step. The presence of a younger and perhaps more explosive Hugh Charles didn't help matters.
But Cates stayed focused on providing a steady performance each week.
"The people who thought (Cates) might have been finished probably would have thought he would have be worn out by the end of the season," said Riders centre Jeremy O'Day. "But a lot of people don't understand what he means to our team not only running the football but securing it and catching it and, more importantly, help us O-lineman in pass protection."
"The people who thought (Cates) might have been finished probably would have thought he would have be worn out by the end of the season," said Riders centre Jeremy O'Day. "But a lot of people don't understand what he means to our team not only running the football but securing it and catching it and, more importantly, help us O-lineman in pass protection."
Cates, 31, will enter the 2011 CFL season as the oldest starting running back next to Montreal's Avon Cobourne, who is a few months Cates' elder. But Cates feels like he has a lot left in the tank.
"I feel good," Cates said. "Right now, I couldn't even tell you how much longer I could play because I feel like I can go for a few years at least. I'm definitely going to do a better job of keeping my body together this off-season than I have before.
"I'm excited to see what kind of shape I'll be in coming into camp next year."
But he also expects to be pushed at training camp by Charles and others.
"That's the name of the game — it's all about competition," Cates said. "You have to relish those moments and appreciate the people who drive you and motivate you to be better.
"That's the name of the game — it's all about competition," Cates said. "You have to relish those moments and appreciate the people who drive you and motivate you to be better.
"If you just want to be mediocre and think that nobody will challenge you for your spot then that's the day you'll probably lose it."
cslater@leaderpost.com
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