It was on the 17th of November that the CFL announced the plethora of 2021 Most Outstanding Player Awards. Many players got their due respect and for the Blue Bombers, some familiar names that came up over the course of the season were definitely on the list.
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The Most Outstanding Rookie Award went to DeAundre Alford; the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman went to left tackle Stanley Bryant; receiver Nic Demski took home the award for Most Outstanding Canadian Player and the award for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player went to fullback Mike Miller.
The defensive line in this team deserves the many kudos they’ve received over the course of the season and they perhaps all deserve a nod; especially from the perspective of Bombers fans and the journalists that covered the season, myself included. But linebacker Adam Bighill definitely deserves the award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
And for Most Outstanding Player, the nod went to QB Zach Collaros and perhaps there was no question about that. The Bombers have had quite the season and although that’s perhaps an understatement, this definitely isn’t: Zach Collaros had a tremendous season.
One person who did not make the list was of course Kenny Lawler. He was Most Outstanding Rookie in 2019, though. He had a trying season this year, complete with personal problems and game suspensions.
His arrest for a DUI was highly publicized, but in a piece at bluebombers.com, we got an in-depth look at his outlook when the season began. Did it go how he had planned? Probably not. But it’s been said before that you’ve got to get up sometimes and dust yourself off, no matter how many times you fall.
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“(A 1,000-yard season) would mean a lot to me, but that’s not the main concern on my mind. My main concern is going in there and getting a win every week and if the yards come with it, the yards come with it. I just want to go out there and compete and be with my brothers. And if that (1K receiving) comes, it’s going to be a helluva accolade but we’ll let our play dictate that…
I didn’t know that stat with Milt Stegall and the Bombers, but definitely (it was a goal) coming into this season. I didn’t work this hard for nothing. I didn’t put in those hours, I didn’t put in those sleepless nights/early mornings for nothing. I came in this season to be the best. That’s just my competitiveness and the level of competitiveness I have within myself. I want to be the best. It don’t matter at what, I want to be the best. That work I’ve put in, it’s come to light. That’s my sentiment.”
via bluebombers.com
The West Division final will definitely be quite the game on the 5th of December, we can all certainly hope, as will the final for the Grey Cup should all go as planned. It would seem that Lawler is very ready to show his worth.
*The following tweet shows the Bombers injury report tweeted by the team, as of the 19th of November, heading into their game against the Calgary Stampeders, tomorrow at 7PM EST.
Domenic Marinelli is an author and freelance writer/journalist. His work has appeared in The Sportster, E-Wrestling News, Pro Wrestling News Hub, CFL News Hub, XFL News Hub, Ringside News, Daily DDT, USFL News Hub, Slam Wrestling, Guilty Eats, Lombardi Ave, as well as other print and internet publications. He is the author of Generic V, Summer of the Great White Wolf, His Old Tapes (stories & poetry), Across a Dark River in Palermo, Ancient Credos In Sanskrit Moderna, and so many others. He lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. https://linktr.ee/AuthorDomenicMarinelli
