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September 4, 2017

Finch a runaway success

To Jerome Messam’s abundance of abilities, add swami, psychic and clairvoyant to the list.

“I had a feeling Roy was going to do something special today,’’ the freight-train tailback was crowing after the Stamps dumped the Edmonton Eskimos 39-18 Monday. “He always plays big on Labour Day.

“You watch TSN Wired, you gotta see.

“I called it out.

“I just felt it. Just felt a big play coming. I saw the kicker out-punt the coverage. When Roy’s back there, that’s going to be a problem.”

A disaster, actually.

“I’m just very focused,’’ said Roy Finch, the soul of modesty, after turning another Labour Day into a personal showcase. “Every game’s a big game for me.

“Today was the Labour Day Classic. (McMahon Stadium) was packed today. But I treat every week the same.

“High intensity. Stay focused on what I do. Keep the same regimen.”

As he did a year ago, the 5-foot-7, 164-lb., stick of pocket dynamite ripped the Labour Day Classic wide open, tore the Eskimos punt coverage to shreds, in Monday’s 2017 edition, transforming a 15-point lead into 22 just like that, hauling back a Hugh O’Neill hoist 90 yards for a touchdown.

 

In the 2016 Labour Day tilt, remember, Finch’s explosive TD return of 85 yards propelled the Stamps ahead 17-0 en route to a 45-24 victory.

“I don’t want to compare him to guys … he’s not there yet,’’ cautioned Calgary Stampeders coach Dave Dickenson. “When I first got in the league, I watched a guy in Edmonton, Gizmo Williams, and I remember thinking: ‘Wow! That guy is just so quick and so fast. He’s playing at a different speed.’

“Roy’s small, Gizmo was all jacked-up, but he’s playing with a big heart, fearless, and making great plays for us.”

Finch grinned when reminded of Messam’s shot-call.

“I heard that. Feels good. My teammates better be in my corner. I’m in their corner.

“As my teammates know, I’m not cocky at all. But the way I practice, the way I go about my business during the week allows me to be confident out there on game day.

“I don’t want nobody to change me.

“I just want to continue to be me.”

That’s fine by everyone in and around McMahon, you can wager large.

“He’s our X Factor,’’ reckoned Stamps safety Josh Bell. “And our Y and our Z.”

Roy Finch celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell Monday at McMahon. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

See, Finch doesn’t run, exactly.

He more like … detonates.

“He’s been born with gifts,’’ lauded Messam. “He can stop and start on a dime. He’s got great quick-twitch and great acceleration.

“You guys know what he does on special teams but just to spell me when I get tired, he’s great on receiver routes and he’s great getting outside. And he’s also strong enough to run between the tackles.

“Roy’s just doing a great job as far as him maturing as a player and being able to do more.”

A year ago, quietly, Finch established a franchise single-season record for punt-return yards with 993.

Well, he’s currently at 786 with eight games left on the docket to leave that total in tatters.

The rookie returner, Tunde Adeleke, can only step back and gawk.

“It’s so exciting to see him do his thing,’’ said the CIS kick-returning star. “At any point, he can take it to The House. Roy’s got great vision and one of the best cuts you’ll ever see in football.”

Monday’s emphatic statement game, coupled with Winnipeg’s Sunday loss at Saskatchewan, has opened a three-point lead for the Stamps atop a tightly-packed division.

“Like Dickie said today, we want to start stretching out,’’ reminded Finch. “This is an integral part of the season.

“So we’ve got to start stretching out and make our statement that we’re the best team in the West.”

No one can accuse No. 14 of not doing his bit in that aim.

“All week long,’’ marvelled Bell, “you know they’re in the meeting room, talking about Roy, planning for Roy, plotting against Roy.

“They’re in there saying: ‘We’ve got to stop him. We cannot let him beat us.’ And then he does, he beats ’em, and they’re like: ‘Ahhhhhh, we practiced for this guy all week and he’s still killing us.’

“How demoralizing must that be?

“He’s taking maybe two-possession leads and turning them into three. Changes the whole game. Changes what their offence has to do against our defence. It’s so clutch what he’s doing.

“If you’re playing the Calgary Stampeders and you allow him to score a touchdown? He’s broken your back.

“That’s what he’s doin’ right now:

“Breaking backs.”