All Activity

Winnipeg Blue Bomber CHATTER 🏈Brad H. Arrison · · Above and beyond: Blue Bombers’ hopeful gives new life to six-year-old strangerPaul Friesen Growing up in Tucson, Ariz., Stevie Rocker, Jr., never thought he’d be playing college football in Montana or trying out for a pro team in Manitoba. Those are mere footnotes compared to the impact the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hopeful is having on a young boy in Argentina. Just over a year ago, the 23-year-old running back donated bone marrow to save the life of a kid he’s never met. “I was told I was helping a kid who had a really bad bone problem, and I’m pretty much his last hope,” Rocker said in a chat with the Winnipeg Sun on Monday. “If nothing goes through, he’s going to have to live in a hospital for the rest of his life, which wasn’t very long.” Rocker had signed up for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) at the University of Montana. It began with a simple cheek swab, putting him into a database that connects him with potential matches. A blood test to find a true match was next. “Ninety percent of people, when they do it, they’re blood (stem cell) donations,” he said. “And blood donations for older people. So you expect that when you’re going in. But they were telling me, ‘You’re part of the 10 percent. You’re doing a bone-marrow donation.” That meant more of a surgical procedure, being put under instead of simply being hooked up to an IV. After completing reams of paperwork and having more blood drawn, Rocker and his girlfriend flew to Kansas City, where he had more blood draws the day before hitting the operating table. Doctors were to drill into and extract the marrow from the hip bones in his lower back. “They were telling me it was a 30- to 45-minute procedure,” he recalled. “And it ended up being two-and-a-half hours. Because they didn’t know that I was an athlete, my bone density is a little harder. So it took a lot longer for them to drill into the back.” Rocker will never forget the date: April 26. The pain – he compared it to being hit in the back without pads on – went away in a week or two. The feeling in his heart isn’t going anywhere. “This kid’s six years old,” Rocker said. “He hasn’t really had a chance to even see the world, have an opportunity to even live out his own dreams. I play football. I’ll deal with the back pain if it’s a chance to give this kid an opportunity to live, have a life, and not worry about having procedures and being in the hospital. “Just an opportunity for him and his family to be together and get out of there.” So far, the only thing Rocker knows about the boy is his age and that he’s from Argentina. He may eventually be told a little more. “That’s all I’m hoping,” he said. “Just one day, I can at least reach out just to know they’re doing alright.” Meeting his donor recipient would be the ultimate. As for living his own dream, Rocker got that call four days before the Bombers opened rookie camp. He knew the Canadian game had bigger end zones with goal posts in the front and an extra man on the field, and that was about it. He was as naive about the country in general. “When I was leaving Arizona, we were in the 90s already,” he said. “I come out here and I seen snow the first day of rookie camp. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ Canada was something I always thought would be a visiting destination, not a place I’d end up living for a while.” Rocker not only survived the three-day rookie camp, but he also hit Day 9 of main camp on Monday. “And here I am. It’s an awesome opportunity,” he said. “Just feeling appreciated, knowing that somebody’s looking at you in a different light.” Coaches will, of course, be looking to see how good the 6-foot-0, 220-pounder is as a running back, receiver, blocker and potential special-teams player. Hearing his backstory, they’ll immediately get a handle on him as a person. “We try to fill our room with good people,” head coach Mike O’Shea said. “That would obviously be the sign of being a great person.” Asked about the origin of his willingness to go the extra mile to help someone he doesn’t even know, Rocker pointed to his upbringing in Tucson. “You just learn about being kind to people in general,” is how he put it. “God always gives you an opportunity just to show the kind of person you are, regardless of how big or small. You never want to pass up that opportunity, because you never know how that’ll reach somebody else. “Saying my story may reach out to somebody else who’s on the fence of wanting to do it.” Rocker would love nothing more than to make this team and get to know Winnipeg a little better. He likes the little taste he’s had. If he’s cut, though, he’ll take some invaluable things with him, like lessons he’s already learned from star tailback Brady Oliveira, along with tips from other players and coaches. Something else he carries with him wherever he goes is a reminder of the selfless decision he made, an act he’ll hold closer to his heart than any football. “I’ve got two little scars on my back,” he said. “I’ll have those forever.”

Yeah ....he certainly earned the handle 'Incompleterson'....Receiving dept. looks a little thin...especially if we lose anyone to injury AND the years have caught up with Demski...maybe we should start beating the bushes and keep the rolodex handy

yup...or at best last 3rd of season when he has a good 15 months of rehab behind him

Didn't we learn last year about the guy coming back way way too early? IF schoen makes a comeback the time to take a flyer on him is next preseason.

I wonder if they figure Schoen will be back sometime this year.... I certainly wouldn't be banking on that, but I'm curious if that is somehow in the plans.

We are doing better than last year. Pokey and White are a huge improvement over Wheatfall and a broken Schoen. Week 5 (I think) it was Wheatfall and Cody Case, Sterns...the big thing for this year is that Demski can be our #3 receiver. But your point still stands, though a bit preemptive: we need to find new game breaking receivers. Looks like Frederickson and Singer are making plays in camp. But in general, it's been shown time and time again that us fans miss who is really looking good. I wouldn't be surprised if we pick up another teams cuts, maybe at receiver or depth o line as an insurance policy.

I had his number but I dropped my phone.

I mean purely from a numbers standpoint it seems like they are barely trying. Aside from White and Pokey there are only 5 American receivers in camp. That is unheard of for a CFL training camp. One of them (TJ Davis) played quarterback in college. It looks like it's basically Dorian Singer and Christian Fredericksen competing for a spot on the practice roster.

Man, if we go into the season having failed, again, to find anyone worth playing receiver....

I truly think Daniels woulda been there if we didn't trade up. He is more a project than anything night now, and is/was not a guy who was gonna step in and be dominant and a difference maker....If we are truly in this mindset that we were gonna start 3 National receivers than the smart move would have with trading up picking the best true receiver and a guy who could actually be a 5th option. And if the brain trust here was under the idea Corcorran was good enough as being the main back-up...god forbid the actual 3rd starter than gimme some of what they were smoking cause I want some We blundered that pick, and again fall into the trap that just cause we have a holdover, who the HC liked for whatever reason then we were solid and good and didnt need to upgrade. Like really how hard is it to scout and recruit a true WR with a skill set that would be good on a CFL field....It's not, but we always tend to get stuck in this loop of coveting certain intangibles that don't translate into legit performers.

9, he’s number 9. lol, i don’t think you’d get him back here for all the protein shakes in muslce beach. We will be able to get better talent for in depth at wr and dl after cuts happen. which is really sad.

Yeah. That Daniels pick is definitely interesting in more ways than one now. Did they overpay. Would he have been there if they didn’t trade up. Who knows, dude seems more like a bring it on game day guy not practice guy tho so maybe when he blows a dude or 2 up in a game , the opinion changes.

Ahh that makes sense, thanks. I expect it to be a lot of tcf offensive ni depth outside of rb is the opposite of the D. The D is highly athletic, real football players with tons of upside and good size with great versatility. The O ni depth are warmish bodies with the right passport and little else. Next year they will really have to focus on building ni skill position depth.

Almost like it would have been a better pick to grab a receiver who can play instead of a guy who is basically a weak OL with some slightly advanced catching ability if the D ignores him in the 2nd round. IMO we are boned ratio wise if any of the following go down with significant injuries: Oliviera, Demski, any Canadian OL, Kramdi We basically don't have the Canadians on O to even absorb those injuries long-term if something happened. Like even if we wanted to flip to 4 Canadian OL...we don't have them in the building. Pretty close to the same situation at receiver. If we needed to flip to an American RB, our roster would be a mess.

Oy! Looks like we are down to scraping the bottom of the barrel again. Barring more injuries, we look to be ok but not dominant in the NI category. Anyone have Kamau Peterson's phone number?

Just throwing it out there. 2026 minus 1993 = 33 aka Patrick Roy’s Jersey number. Montreal wins the cup. And against the former Nordiques of Colorado

Tachinsky was with the Elks. Just released late last week.

Tachinsky was with Edmonton and just released a couple days ago so they couldn't have brought him in until now. Britton already retired again so it doesn't say much about him. Jack is a 7th round pick so I'm not sure expectations were all that high (and I'm sure the expectations for these 3 new signings are about the same).

I've never liked you.

never mind. We brought in tachinsky at wr and fellow bison kaleb mackie mcleod. All our problems are solved 😜 Mcleods athleticism would be fringe if he was 30lbs heavier. Why tachinsky as a flyer now but not in rookie camp? smells like desperation to me. Also brought in former elk late pick and school returnee kolby hurford. Solid size and production, good athleticism. Boy what does this say about briton and jack though lol. Maybe we should try to stretch peterson and even mci into the wr spot some. I bet peterson would pick up routes real fast. He’d be nasty off the waggle too.

We lack a lawler type, but we also aren’t going to stumble on one. And it takes time to develop a wr. At this point i’d just give rhymes the bag. But it isn’t happening. Nah not every guy is a stat filler especially on the back end of the ni roster. Korny is tcf at best though. waste of any spot other than that.

"Unfortunately, in this business you have to make decisions that are best for the team, but not necessarily for the individual player. Saying goodbye to people you care about is the worst part of my job, but we felt like we had to do it in the best interest of the club.” That's what Rigmaiden said when they released him - doesn't sound injury related to me. It sounds like they didn't feel they were getting the performance they wanted at the price they were paying.

Not a surprise, I said since last y season end that he'd likely not be available until labor day area. Prob why they brought Korn back so early into the off-season...If he really doesnt jump off the page and dominate and show he can be a legit pro he should be gone..

depth in terms of bodies PERHAPS...but that.doesn't really translate to depth that can actually play. If we go away from a traditional 5 receiever set on occasion it will likely be more of a hybrid te/slot usage with MCI and at times Daniels....Could see many plays where BO moves out spit wide with MCI in backfield ir 2 back sets where one is in motion in some capacity. Demski/Neild/Clercius is a good trio to start 2 canadians with nice depth with the 3rd guy for injury and or some rotational packages....and then Cobb as bottom roster depth to cover the 3rd guy if injury happens, as he has returner use, and can do several things on offence is the logical choice, especially with Daniels here now, and the continued development of MCI. Corcorran should not be on roster...he is a non factor on teams in any way...blocking pales in comparison to Neild and Clercius...and now Daniels and is lomited in his routes and doing anything with the ball. Denmark could cut and change routes at speed without gearing down, and then actually shift into a higher gear after the catch...or to track a ball...thats what made him so good we sorely lacking any kind of big play guy outside the 3 main incumbents. Neild and Clercius are more possession guys and reliable chain movers....we need a legit burner or big athletic freak that will just bully DB's and win contested balls and garner attention. What I witnessed at camp is less than inspiring right now. Hopefully the pre-season games unearth a gem, but not sure who that will be yet Going with a pedestrian Canadian who will basically just be a guy out there taking up a position and eating reps but have no real impact on anything, let alone be a threat ain't doing ZC any help.

Let’s go Habs. End the curse. They last won it in 1993 and only they can break the curse. They will beat Carolina guaranteed as Carolina has been off for way 2 long. Colorado Montreal final. Book it. Montreal wins. Guaranteed. They have faced a ton of adversity. 2 game 7s. Carolina has 2 sweeps. Montreal will beat them. Honestly Montreal. How can’t you cheer for them. Bunch of young guys who are having fun and a goalie who don’t take no **** from other teams players plus the best in arena environment in hockey by far and I’m a Jets fan but Montreal has a way more electric atmosphere all game. It’s not close.