Pierce steps up and delivers for Lions - Lowell Ullrich

[hwgill]

Pierce steps up and delivers for Lions

QB offers inspiring performance after being called out by coach

By Lowell Ullrich, The ProvinceOctober 4, 2009 9:29 AMBe the first to post a comment

Lions quarterback Buck Pierce holds on to the ball after absorbing a crushing late tackle by the Roughriders' Mike MuCullough during the second half of Friday's clash between B.C. and Saskatchewan at B.C. Place Stadium.

Lions quarterback Buck Pierce holds on to the ball after absorbing a crushing late tackle by the Roughriders' Mike MuCullough during the second half of Friday's clash between B.C. and Saskatchewan at B.C. Place Stadium.
Photograph by: Nick Procaylo, The Province, The Province

The stat sheet did not show the truth. Not even close.

Sean Whyte won a second straight home game with a late field goal as the Lions beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 19-16 at B.C. Place Stadium Friday. In reality, the Lions now have a partial claim on third spot in the West Division because of what a bruised and battered Buck Pierce did at the halftime of their CFL game.

His jersey stained with blood, what the quarterback did and said in the locker room may not only have played a role in giving the Lions a leg up in their season-series tussle with the Riders, but also set the tone for the rest of the season.

"He said 'Those mother-******* are trying to knock me out of the game. They're not knocking me out," relayed receiver Paris Jackson, who was not able to continue and may have to rest a slight MCL strain when the 6-7 Lions try to move ahead of the 6-7 Edmonton Eskimos on the road Friday.

"Right there it brought confidence to our team. This was the most vocal I've seen him. We've been waiting for him to step up and be a leader."

Rudy Ruettiger was the keynote speaker at the Orange Helmet Awards last year. Pierce should be next.

He would not have made it to the final gun without taking an injection at halftime to dull the pain for the sore ribs that will seem destined to eventually get the better of him.

He could not even so much as stand up and turn his shoulder after the game without wincing. His throwing hand was badly bruised, and he couldn't say he played in a nail-biter Friday either. Pierce left the nail on the ring finger of his throwing hand on the field after it came in contact with the helmet belonging to the Riders' John Chick.

With a season-high 342 passing yards on a night after coach Wally Buono had basically called him out seeking more, Pierce was a study in courage even if he didn't produce a touchdown. It was, as Jackson said, an inspiring effort.

"I know I was being criticized for not being more of a vocal guy. This is how I lead; that's the only way I know how," Pierce said after putting a game ball in his locker.

"I think it's important [teammates] realize I'm going to be with you taking hits. I've been streaky all year, but to finish the game with 1:15 left that's good for our offence."

Backup Travis Lulay produced the only Lions touchdown when he crossed up the Riders by hitting Jackson for a 38-yard score on a short-yardage second-down play in the third quarter.

The rest of the game for Lulay and his fellow backups was spent checking on Pierce, who was labouring on throws early even when untouched.

Only once, Pierce said, did he think he might not be able to continue.

B.C. didn't send a season-high crowd of 31,958 home joyous solely because of the quarterback. The defence held Saskatchewan to 44 rushing yards. Jackson and Geroy Simon had matching, 100-yard receiving games, a first in 11 contests.

They won despite failing to score 17 additional points because of two missed Whyte field goals and two more goal-line gaffes (see story opposite page). They won because Pierce, converting a season-high 18-27 on second down, acted like a $300,000 quarterback.

"I remember coming to the guys after the first goal-line [failure] and saying, 'What are we going to do? We've been here before. How are we going to answer?" he recalled.

Chances are he'll be asked to act similarly as the Lions try to take the season series with Edmonton, as Buono said he is not anticipating the return from an injured shoulder of Jarious Jackson.

None of that mattered immediately to Pierce who wasn't trying to think too much about the three straight road games facing the Lions. His thoughts were on getting a good night's rest and his next regular fishing date with Lulay on the Vedder River, a place the starting quarterback says is the only spot where he truly can disengage.

Someone tried joking that with his injury luck he'd probably get smacked pulling a salmon out of the water. The truth is Pierce plucked his team's future out of the mud with a performance that might have been the grittiest of a five-year Lions stay that has had a few of them.

lullrich@theprovince.com

[TheLionKing]

"Right there it brought confidence to our team. This was the most vocal I've seen him. We've been waiting for him to step up and be a leader."

Just because he leads by example instead of being vocal does not mean he's not a leader. Some of the greatest leaders are not vocal: Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Roy Dewalt, Lui Passaglia...

[Coast Mountain Lion]

Just because he leads by example instead of being vocal does not mean he's not a leader. Some of the greatest leaders are not vocal: Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Roy Dewalt, Lui Passaglia...

Mostly good examples except for one. I lived in Alberta for most of the years that Gretzky played for the Oilers. He never shut up, on or off the ice. He was called Whiner for a reason.

[Hutch85]

"He said 'Those mother-******* are trying to knock me out of the game. They're not knocking me out," relayed receiver Paris Jackson

Cheers to you, Buck! Helluva game, and a helluva performance by you. A great big to the Riders and other teams!

[ziggy]

"Right there it brought confidence to our team. This was the most vocal I've seen him. We've been waiting for him to step up and be a leader."

Just because he leads by example instead of being vocal does not mean he's not a leader. Some of the greatest leaders are not vocal: Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Roy Dewalt, Lui Passaglia...

I think you'll find even those guys spoke up, but just at the appropriate time and kept it to a minimum. If guys are talking all the time then people tune them out, good leaders know when to talk and keep it short so as not to get tuned out.