CFL.ca Staff
Calgary –For Nik Lewis, Saturday night’s matchup in Calgary isn’t just another game and the Stampeders aren’t just another opponent.
More than 11 years and 805 catches after his first game in a Stamps uniform, Lewis is back in Cow Town this weekend for his first game at McMahon Stadium not wearing Red and White. The 33-year-old even psyched himself up by visiting a week early, taking in the Stamps vs. REDBLACKS game a week ago.
Lewis can say for sure now that he’s as ready as he’ll ever be for whatever happens on Saturday.
“The two Grey Cups we won, being rookie of the year in 2004,” started Lewis, reflecting on his illustrious CFL career, “being part of the best team in Calgary history and the worst team in Calgary history. Players are going to change and everything changes sometimes, but I think when you can put things together and go on a run like we did and win 17 games, it makes it a lot of fun and a lot of fun to hang around the guys.”
No one in Calgary has been through what Lewis has. He saw coaching changes — when he showed up Matt Dunigan was the head coach, then it was now-Montreal head coach Tom Higgins and then John Hufnagel. He saw regime changes, from Henry Burris, Joffrey Reynolds and Jermaine Copeland leading the way to Drew Tate and Jon Cornish to Bo Levi Mitchell. He saw MOPs and MOCs, Most Outstanding Offensive Linemen and some of the best teams in franchise history along with some of the worst.
“I’ve been fortunate to play with Jermaine Copeland, Ken-Yon Rambo, Joffrey Reynolds, Henry Burris, Jon Cornish – the list goes on,” said Lewis. “I’ve played with a lot of great players. And now I get to play here with an S.J. and a Fred Stamps and Tyrell Sutton.”
“I’m fortunate to be a small-town guy that gets to come up here and play on this stage and just witness their careers and try to enhance their careers, and they’ve enhanced mine.”
Lewis and the Stampeders parted ways on good terms, particularly winning a Grey Cup Championship. An ankle injury sidelined Lewis through a good part of 2014 while an influx of young receivers pushed him out of Calgary’s plans by the 2015 off-season.
Yet while Lewis’ time in Calgary ended, his CFL career wasn’t over yet. The Alouettes, a team boasting a top CFL defence and looking to surround younger, unproven quarterbacks with veteran receivers, came calling. This season Lewis already has 191 yards on 15 receptions and a touchdown, more than half way to achieving last year’s output through four games alone.
The touchdown, his first since August 9, 2013, came in Week 2 against his former team — a 29-11 upset win for the Alouettes against the Stampeders.
On Saturday, however, the Alouettes will have to prove it was no fluke. They’ve since beaten a powerhouse Ticat squad and also enjoyed a bye week. This weekend they’ll look to prove they’re an elite team once and for all. Lewis will surely play a large role, especially with Fred Stamps out of action due to a personal matter.
“I’ve won games in Calgary with a group of young guys,” said Lewis, responding to questions about Stamps’ absence. “S.J. (Green)’s won games here with a group of guys. Sam (Giguere)’s won games in Hamilton. We’ve all been able to win games and carry teams and put teams on our backs at times to win games.”
“If that’s what we need to do then that’s what we need to do,” he continued. “They gave up some yards last week and I expect them to be a better defence, because whenever you give up yards usually you try to bounce back because you’re more focused and more in-tune.”
“I expect it to be tough but it’ll be fun and they’ll have to do a lot to get through me.”
