Pierce to Announce Retirement on Tuesday

[Rammer]

The self imposed retirement was the smartest thing that Buck has done in his CFL career. All one had to do was look at the Lions OL depth and realize that it wasn't going to be long before it factored into problems at the QB position and his number came up with a backup OL in front of him. With Lulay's shoulder injury, there was at least a sense of calm knowing that Pierce was in the stable to keep the O steady.

I recall suggesting that he wasn't going to remain with the Lions in his first TC, but that was based on having three QB's already. Once I saw him play his first exhibition match, there was noway the Lions could allow him to move. Since that time it is common for CFL teams to carry 4 QB's, his talent forced Wally's hand to adjust his roster thinking at the time. OBie and Wally were on the sidelines discussing Buck staying on the roster, and when Wally stated how to keep him, OBie said you're the GM, you can make it happen. The rest is history of course now, best wishes Buck, you are a real throw back CFL player with a lot of class.

Can't recall who on here, but prior to BP starting with the Lions, but found himself playing catch with BP at the beach in White Rock, as BP saw him with the football. Of course, hats off to MightyBuck who followed Buck's CFL adventure closer than anyone, hope you can continue enjoying the CFL now.

[Sir Purrcival]

It doesn't really track for me this "tired of waiting" explanation. You can retire at any point. I'm sure he is in Winnipeg right now attending to his business interests and with his family. What difference does it make whether he waits 6 days or 6 months? He could certainly carry on as he is doing now and then if he didn't like what the Lions had to say, retire. Negotiations wouldn't affect him at all right up until training camp. I think the larger truth is that Buck probably didn't relish the prospect of packing up and leaving his life in Winnipeg for what would have been at most 2nd string and maybe even third. He probably also weighed what the Lions were likely willing to pay him vs what he would make in the Peg and decided it probably wasn't worth the $$$ either. I can't blame him for either line of thought. That seems to make far more sense.

[TheLionKing]

A true warrior in every sense of the word. I wish Buck the very best in his future endeavours.

[MexicoLionFan]

My very best to Buck as well...he was a very good QB who was a warrior and easily admired...I think Buck's decision to retire now was likely due to both Wally's delay in signing him, but also the amount...as Rammer said, Buck is no dummy...he looked at the Lion's current rag tag OLine, Lulay's injuries over the last few years and realized he was likely to get quite a bit of playing time behind the same OLine...and for a significant pay cut, as I heard it, he just said no, and moved on...the right thing to do...Buck doesn't have to prove anything to anyone...

[TheLionKing]

Much consternation among some posters about the Lions signing a trio of quarterbacks and not addressing the other needs. Guess Buono knows what's he doing.

[Belize City Lion]

So happy BP is retiring as a Lion and that in his return he was a valuable contributor to the team. Absolute class guy all the way… a purrfect example of why the CFL is such a great league. Thanks Buck, all the best for a long and healthy retirement!

[Toppy Vann]

The report he got tired of waiting doesn't quite square with Buck's statements or his track record as he is not one to worry about this sort of stuff and he certainly didn't make it public other than to state the obvious which this retirement isn't. I'd be surprised if Buck was just saying the right thing for the media.

Buck was certainly my favourite Lion and I have known a number of Lions as friends and colleagues and I hold them in high regard.

There are a lot of classy CFLers now and in the past and I've known a few quite well but Buck is almost in a class by himself. This is not something that come later to him with maturity as in university there were stories of him and how he treated a young woman with a mental disability with a football post TD. Buck truly embodies the statement that you can judge a person's character by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them. I know some here met the Pierce family and Mightybuck at Lion games in the past and you can see how that family and friend Steve and his family represent quality people of outstanding character that Buck is a big part of.

While I have been one to suggest that Buck should take less hits I was never a critic and hated statements that Buck was somehow brittle or injury prone as some hits on him to the head were not legal and some were a failure of the team to properly protect him or freak.

What Buck will learn in coaching is how his view of the QB taking huge hits will change and he'll be focused on winning meaning he won't want his QB doing anything risky. The coaching mindset differs from that of a player like him as coaches want wins and a hurt QB hurts his team.

I'd have loved to have seen Buck coached in Winnipeg by a former QB like McManus or Damon Allen as neither of these guys took hits and no one would ever suggest that these guys were not quality players. Damon was the Gretzy of football - not hit much and he kept racking up the years.

"I wouldn't change anything I played the game the way that I felt this game should be played, and I felt that I represented myself extremely well on and off the field," he said. "There's always going to be critics, and people are going to say what they're going to say, but at the end of the day, I represented myself and my family and this league in a positive way."

[notahomer]

Looked great the first time I saw him throw in a preseason game. "WHOSE THAT GUY" I remember asking......

My favourite Buck moment will be last fall joining the Bomber fans in Winnipeg cheering "WE WANT BUCK" because WE ALL wanted to see Buck take the field, even if it was for the LIons.....

[WestCoastJoe]

Looked great the first time I saw him throw in a preseason game. "WHOSE THAT GUY" I remember asking......

My favourite Buck moment will be last fall joining the Bomber fans in Winnipeg cheering "WE WANT BUCK" because WE ALL wanted to see Buck take the field, even if it was for the LIons.....

Yes.

One of my favourite Buck Pierce plays, amongst many, was the downfield block for Stefan Logan. Amazing. Awesome. It said it all right there.

[SammyGreene]

Favourite Buck moment was during his rookie season in 2005. Lions were at Mosiac and staring at their first loss of the season with Printers knocked out of the game (Dickenson was already injured) and trailing 15-5. As the score suggests the Lions had done nothing offensively the entire game.

In steps Buck in the 4th quarter and he calmly engineers two late TD drives and the Lions somehow pull out an improbable 19-15 win to improve to 9-0. Don't think I will ever see a rookie 3rd stringer step into a game under those circumstances and do that again. His 4th quarter passing numbers were 9-12 for 191 yards.

[Sir Purrcival]

Favourite Buck moment was during his rookie season in 2005. Lions were at Mosiac and staring at their first loss of the season with Printers knocked out of the game (Dickenson was already injured) and trailing 15-5. As the score suggests the Lions had done nothing offensively the entire game.

In steps Buck in the 4th quarter and he calmly engineers two late TD drives and the Lions somehow pull out an improbable 19-15 win to improve to 9-0. Don't think I will ever see a rookie 3rd stringer step into a game under those circumstances and do that again. His 4th quarter passing numbers were 9-12 for 191 yards.

Ditto. I remember the post game show on the radio and the announcers were as excited a children in a candy store. They kept raving about his performance. It was very exciting to listen to for a post game show.

[Rammer]

Favourite Buck moment was during his rookie season in 2005. Lions were at Mosiac and staring at their first loss of the season with Printers knocked out of the game (Dickenson was already injured) and trailing 15-5. As the score suggests the Lions had done nothing offensively the entire game.

In steps Buck in the 4th quarter and he calmly engineers two late TD drives and the Lions somehow pull out an improbable 19-15 win to improve to 9-0. Don't think I will ever see a rookie 3rd stringer step into a game under those circumstances and do that again. His 4th quarter passing numbers were 9-12 for 191 yards.

Best line to come from that performance was ... What does it take to beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders? Answer...all it takes is a Buck and a quarter.

[Robbie]

Buck was a warrior his entire career. A great player and great ambassador for the sport. It was only injuries that prevented him from true greatness. He'll always be a champ in my books.

One heck of a warrior. Too bad he took some devastating blows or he could have done more in his time. He has the heart of a lion. Real big fan of Buck and wish him well in his life. Glad he retired though, I think it's the smartest thing.

I guess being a warrior quarterback at the risk of getting injured is what is required for the fans to like and appreciate him, like Dave Dickenson and unlike Damon Allen despite his much older age and the fact that he was never really injured much in his 7 years as a Lion. So comparing Buck Pierce to Damon Allen - who do you like more?

Favourite Buck moment was during his rookie season in 2005. Lions were at Mosiac and staring at their first loss of the season with Printers knocked out of the game (Dickenson was already injured) and trailing 15-5. As the score suggests the Lions had done nothing offensively the entire game.

In steps Buck in the 4th quarter and he calmly engineers two late TD drives and the Lions somehow pull out an improbable 19-15 win to improve to 9-0. Don't think I will ever see a rookie 3rd stringer step into a game under those circumstances and do that again. His 4th quarter passing numbers were 9-12 for 191 yards.

Ditto. I remember the post game show on the radio and the announcers were as excited a children in a candy store. They kept raving about his performance. It was very exciting to listen to for a post game show.

Yes, and I remember it was during the Canadian Media Guild strike so there were no on-air announcers on CFL on CBC so there were no commentators screaming from their lungs over the long pass that led to the game winning touchdown.

What are your other good memories of Buck Pierce?

I suppose the most sentimental play he made was when he was involved in the only Lions touchdown in his only championship in the 2006 Grey Cup. Leading 9-0 in the second quarter in the Montreal 25-yard line, Buck Pierce threw a lateral pass to Ian Smart who ran for the touchdown and they turned out to be the winning points in the Lions 25-14 win. Since it was a lateral pass, it didn't officially count as a touchdown pass. Does anybody know why Buono chose Pierce and not Dickenson to take the snap on that particular play?

And one immortal picture of him was in the post-game celebration in which he drank from the broken cup while holding the base with his other hand.


Speaking of Damon Allen again, since most of you stated that he's so frustrating to watch, did you ever feel the same way about Buck Pierce and were there any bad moments you recall? For me, the most frustrating game quarterbacked by Pierce was the 2008 WDF. Several times, the Lions went to the red zone but could only settle for a field goal or a turnover on downs. Similar to the 2006 GC, special teams played a crucial part but this time the Lions were not as lucky as the they couldn't score a single TD and Lions defence allowed the Stampeders to get back into the game and eventually win.
[video][/video]

As far as evaluating past Lions trades, I guess it's a stalemate for both Winnipeg and BC in the Buck Pierce-Akeem Foster trade as neither team gained a long-term advantage with Pierce retiring and the Blue Bombers losing Foster to Edmonton. Reminds me of the Charles Roberts-Joe Smith trade in 2008 with the same two teams and the same minimal effects.

[Sir Purrcival]

The other BP moment that I remember was a couple of years ago when as a BB, he had an amazing QB scramble for a TD.

Followup Against Edmonton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI4KbxPK8NI

[mightybuck]

Well everybody its been great ...so glad Buck began and ended his career with the Lions. It was fun coming up for a couple of games and getting to meet some of you...thanks for your patient with me on the board and my often over the top support of Buck....Good luck this year.. Lions are class orginaztion...I am happy for Buck as he begins a new phase of his life

MB