By Jim Bender
It is time to kick off the celebrations this week.
Fans will celebrate that the CFL is finally back when the Winnipeg plays host to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at IG Field on Thursday.
The Blue Bombers can celebrate the fact that public health will allow a capacity crowd of only double-vaxxed spectators at the stadium.
The Bombers will also rejoice at raising their Grey Cup banner after winning it in 2019, the last time CFL teams were allowed to hit the field. And they will do it with the team they overwhelmed in that game at the stadium.
The players will be bursting at the seams to finally hit someone for the first time since the Covid pandemic shut down the entire 2020 season.
“Even just stepping on to that field, running through the tunnel and now having fans for the first game, which is super exciting, and having family members and friends just being there supporting me,” running back Brady Oliveira said during a Zoom interview. “I’m just excited about getting another shot at playing a game and it’s going to be super exciting and a great feeling for me also being a Winnipeg guy and knowing that my Mom’s gonna be there watching me and having all my friends there. It’s going to be an exciting time.”
An injury cut Oliveira’s 2019 season short, so he has been waiting longer to return than most.
“It’s getting more real. Real live snaps are about to happen,” he said. “I’m truly itching to get out there and just play football and playing in front of the best fans in the CFL.”
Early indications were that Oliveira will replace Andrew Harris, who missed most of training camp with an injury, as the starting tailback. Oliveira will play regardless.
“If (starting at tailback) happens, great,” said the 5-foot-10, 227-pounder. “I’m prepared for it and if it happens, it’s truly going to be a blessing. It being the home opener, having the banner being dropped, me being from Winnipeg, it’s also going to be a special moment.”
Receiver/returner Charles Nelson, who also missed the last part of the 2019 season, is anxious to return to play, too.
“I’m starving. I think all of us in here are starving,” he said. “You know, not having a season but preparing for a season last year was challenging, then, not to have one, was even more challenging. So, just to be out here since training camp started is a blessing. It’s an opportunity that we’re not taking for granted. We know it could be gone like that in an instant. So, to be out there and do what we love to do, it’s great.”
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea understands that hunger.
“They’ve missed it terribly,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll be excited and nervous and ready and rarin’ to go.”
One rarity about the 2021 training camp was that there were no exhibition games and with no hitting at practices, Thursday’s game will be the first time that players will hit each other in anger.
“I weigh about 225 pounds, I’m a physical running back, I’ll be just fine,” said Oliveira, 23. “If anything, I like to take on people. It’s part of the game, I’ve been tackled thousands of times. It’s been a while but it’s almost going to be second nature once I take that hit, the first one, maybe get the nerves out and we’ll be good to go.
“There will be nerves for everyone, obviously, not actually taking a live hit in however many months it’s been. But, after that first live play, when we get the nerves out, butterflies will go away and it’s just football. So, I think it will take one play for most people, then let’s just play ball, baby.”
