Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate was a guest on QR77’s Sportstalk program on Monday night to chat with Mark Stephen and Jock Wilson. Most notably, Tate provided an update on his rehab from the wrist injury suffered in the West Division semifinal win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Q: What is the update on the wrist?
It’s all right. It’s coming back slowly. The guys I’m working with are doing a good job and we’re being smart about it. Hopefully, for this time period, it will get strengthened and we’ll come back stronger.
Q: What are you doing in your rehab?
It’s mostly exercises and drills and range-of-motion (work).
Q: Are you still stinging from the Grey Cup loss?
It still stings but now that I’m back training, I’ve moved forward. It hung over me pretty much all of December and then . . . in January, it kind of went away. Now it’s back to work.
Q: Are you throwing the ball yet?
Lucky for me, my little stepbrother was running around the yard here so I was throwing a little bit to him. But I was just tossing it. I probably won’t pick up a ball and start firing it probably for another month, I think.
Q: Are you motivated by people who say you’re injury-prone?
I have enough motivation intrinsically, I don’t need anybody to tell me I’m injury-prone. My focus though is to have a healthy 2013, and a productive one at that.
Q: Is it hard to deal with the injuries?
Yeah, it was unfortunate but that’s the way the game is played. We all know that going in. I don’t know who I made mad to (mess up) that karma but hopefully I got it all out of my system and I can start fresh in July 2013.
Q: Do you feel you still have to prove yourself?
That’s just status quo from the past few years. To me, I haven’t done anything to separate myself from anyone on our team as far as achievements. I’ve only started about five games and I feel like I have a lot to prove and I have a lot to show.
Q: What do you think of situation like the one in San Francisco where Alex Smith lost his starting job to Colin Kaepernick because of an injury?
My biggest comparison is Wally Pipp. Do you know who Wally Pipp is? Wally Pipp was the first baseman for the Yankees. He took a day off and then Lou Gehrig jumped in and played 2,200 straight games. In this business, and especially when I got hurt early, you can lose your job to injury. You can lose your job on any day of the week. This is a performance-based entertainment system and you’ve got to produce. If you don’t, then you’re out.