REGINA -- When the Roughrider coaching staff made the move on Tuesday to replace receiver Manny Arceneaux with Jordan Williams-Lambert, the man who was the most disappointed was obviously Manny. Despite feeling down, he turned his demotion into a team inspiration.
He was helping Jordan at practice shortly after being told.
Damn it, that’s hard, very hard, but Manny was there, immediately supporting the teammate who was replacing him.
Over the off-season, Rider GM Jeremy O’Day endeavoured to sign “team” players, unselfish individuals who had a past history of putting teammates ahead of themselves.
Individuals like that aren’t always easy to find in pro football.
The Riders hit the jackpot with Manny.
Recent Arceneaux twitter posts, to me, are of legendary status:
These posts are the mark of this man. It’s like greatness. Any reasonable, sensible person would run through a wall for this guy.
I would!
Rider quarterback Cody Fajardo correctly stated that the team will need Manny in order to win a Grey Cup. I believe this is true, regardless of whether Arceneaux ever hits the field again.
I hope an individual like Manny stays in the game after his playing days are over, for the good of the game.
Clearly he would make a good coach, hopefully in the CFL.
Let’s hope that’s in his plans.
Don Hewitt starting covering the Saskatchewan Roughriders for CKCK-TV in 1979.
