A Winnipeg Blue Bombers icon says spending almost a decade playing football in Manitoba has given him an appreciation for the cold weather — something many of his fellow Americans have a hard time grasping, at least at first.
Veteran left tackle Stanley Bryant, who agreed to a one-year contract with the Bombers last week — his ninth season in blue and gold — told 680 CJOB’s The Start that it’s easy to spot opponents who aren’t used to the CFL’s unique weather conditions.
“I’ve been in Canada all these years and experience a lot of games in the cold, and the snow games, which are fun games,” Bryant said.
“It’s just super cold, but I love it. It’s an advantage for an offensive lineman like myself, because of the slippery conditions. … Certain guys you can look in their eyes and tell they don’t want to be out in the cold.”
The seven-time CFL all-star, who will be 38 years old when the 2024 season kicks off, said he’s taken his tolerance for winter weather back home to North Carolina, where temperatures that his neighbours consider frigid, he takes in stride.
“It’s laughable (what) people seem to think is cold,” he said.
“There’s no snow days in North Carolina — if you have a snow day in North Carolina, it means the entire city shuts down, so we’re going to stay away from that.”
A three-time Grey Cup champion, including two championships with the Bombers, and winner of multiple individual awards, Bryant is among the most decorated players at his position in CFL history. While he’s currently enjoying time with family, he said he plans to get back to workouts in the ramp-up to his 14th CFL season overall next week — something that requires plenty of prep work considering his crucial role on the field.
“(My position) is different mainly because you’re protecting the quarterback’s blind side,” Bryant said.
“It’s a position where you don’t want to get beat quickly, because a lot of bad things can happen. The quarterback is, most of the time, looking the opposite way and can’t really tell what’s coming behind him, so you try your best to protect at any and all costs … to prevent (opponents) from getting to the quarterback.
“The worst hits are the ones the quarterback can’t see, so you have to be locked in each and every play.”
And while the Bombers have already begun making some steps toward solidifying the roster for the upcoming season, not least of which was inking Bryant himself to an extension, he said he’d love to see the team get the whole band back together for another run.
“I always hope we can get everyone back. I know that’s not possible, but maybe we can get most of the guys back, so we’ll see how things go in the next couple of weeks.
“There’s a few conversations. You can say what you want to guys but at the end of the day, guys still have to make the decisions on their future and how they see things. A lot of things play into guys’ frame of mind when it’s time to make a decision.”