Lions’ Harris out to help prove Canadian running tandem can reap reward
By Lowell Ullrich, The Province August 17, 2011
Andrew Harris, who played for the Vancouver Island Raiders, isn’t too caught up in the moment to recognize the path he has taken, either.
The Winnipeg native will start at tailback for the Lions with Port Coquitlam’s Jamall Lee backing him up. Jerome Messam will likely start for Edmonton. It’s an outcome which would not have been possible had Messam not been traded by Buono for his alleged misdeeds in training camp, or if Harris hadn’t recovered from a off-season torn pectoral muscle injury which shelved the three-back attack in the first place.
It goes a bit deeper though. With Jamal Lee being elevated to the role of understudy, and Surrey’s Calvin McCarty backing up Messam, it’s one of the few times in recent years where there will be more Canadian backs in the lineup than imports.
“I don’t think there’s been a game like this,” Harris said Wednesday.
Yeah, let's make Andrew Harris a receiver. How about a safety? And Lee ... receiver. Oh Yeah, Jason Arakgi ... receiver. Gawdddd Just another head shaker. We almost get used to these notions.There certainly hasn’t been for him at least, considering his struggle for recognition since joining the Lions.
There was a time when Buono was so unsure how best to groom a 25-year-old with no college background he tried him as a receiver, then at safety.
The position switches made for a difficult existence, which will make what lies ahead additionally gratifying for Harris, knowing he will be involved in almost all of the Lions’ package units Friday, even though he might not get more touches.
Mind boggling. At least, finally, they get a chance to carry the rock.
Go with the non imports. Go for it. Looking forward to it.Lee, whose troublesome knee injury had restricted him to special teams, has gradually been given added practice work on offence.
He suggested the shift to the non-import runner is merely a ratio consideration.
“I understand the symbolism but I don’t try to label things,” he said.
Harris is a bit more forceful, if only because he feels not every Canadian gets a second chance to make a first impression.
It will take the Canadian blockers on both teams, such as the Lions’ Rolly Lumbala and Mathieu Bertrand of the Eskimos, plus the backups, too, but Harris says a message can be sent that there is a place for a Canuck running tandem.
“People have been talking about this for a long time,” he said.
“I was saying to [Lee] that we need to put a stamp on this so they don’t have to think twice, or that if we switch again down the road they know it worked. I want to put that in their minds.
“If they go with [Robertson], that’s fine. I just want to put that in Wally’s mind and in the league’s mind that [the Canadians] did well. That’s my goal.”
Just as it was the Lions’ goal last winter.
