BOMBERS HOPEFUL DRESSLER WILL PLAY IN WEEK 2
It’s been a tough start with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for Weston Dressler.
The all-star slotback signed a two-year deal with Winnipeg in January reportedly worth $350,000 after being released for financial reasons by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. But after missing most of training camp with an undisclosed ailment Dressler suffered a head injury in the first quarter of the Bombers’ season-opening 22-14 loss to Montreal on Friday.
Dressler was back at Investors Group Field on Monday but didn’t practise with the Bombers. However, head coach Mike O’Shea is hopeful Dressler will play Friday when Winnipeg visits the Calgary Stampeders.
“It’s like anything else,” O’Shea told reporters. “He shows up every day, sees (Bombers trainer Al Couture) and we’ll go from there.”
O’Shea wouldn’t say if Dressler had suffered a concussion.
“We don’t discuss the specifics of injuries,” he said.
Dressler, one of GM Kyle Walters’ big-name free-agent signings this off-season, had three catches for 22 yards versus Montreal. On his final reception, Dressler was running towards the sideline when he was hit by rookie Alouettes cornerback Ethan Davis.
Both players lowered their head just prior to contact with the impact of the collision knocking Dressler’s helmet off.
Dressler spent eight seasons with Saskatchewan, five times surpassing the 1,000-yard receiving plateau. A two-time CFL all-star, the 31-year-old North Dakota native helped the Riders win the ’13 Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium.
He amassed 539 career catches for 7,797 yards and 50 touchdowns with Saskatchewan.
(Canadian Press)
>> O'Shea wouldn't say if Dressler had suffered a concussion <<Of course O'Shea won't admit to Weston suffering a concussion. WHY? Simply because if he does allow Dressler to play there will be an outcry from fans and media alike. You don't have to be a Dr to know that Weston did in fact suffer a concussion. When Dressler moved his helmet away from his body you could see he had lost his faculties. He was severely woozy and his head and upper body was swaying while his eyes were out of sorts. I've played enough hockey and football to… Read more »
It's not up to O'Shea… it's not even a decision by the training staff. The new protocols in place have the players doing a test on an i-pad. If he cannot meet his pre-season, when healthy score on the test, he does not return to play. Dressler will not play until he is healthy. With head trauma, there is no messing around with guessing or potentially putting players in harms way.
I would suggest that it is in fact a Dr that is hired by the team and is part of the training team. He is not going to adhere to pressure by head coaches and such. But we did see a player or 2 suffer a concussion last year and played the next week. Copied and pasted from COMPLEX Sports 2014 article. Four out of the CFL’s nine teams are currently using the K-D test for Concussion protocol. The Edmonton Eskimos, the Calgary Stampeders, the B.C. Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The baseline tests were conducted during spring training… Read more »
My understanding is that the K-D test has been implemented by all 9 teams of the CFL this year, after being raved about by the staff that used it last year. This is being backed (to some degree, somehow.. I forget all the details), by the NFL, I believe, so that they can look into the benefits of implementing the K-D test down south. With all the lawsuits & potential liability, I don't think teams will be looking to jeopardize too many more players, as has been done in the past. The K-D test quantifies the results of brain injury… Read more »