Jul
Bruce III won’t stop being himself
Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:
Arland Bruce III stood in the end zone of Ivor Wynne Stadium yesterday afternoon and tried very hard not to be himself.
Wearing a black Barack Obama T-shirt and addressing a bank of cameras and microphones just a few yards from the spot of his infamous Michael Jackson tribute, the wide receiver stuck to the well-worn script, emphasizing words like “team” and sentiments like “just happy to be here.”
But the real Arland Bruce — the flamboyant, charismatic, touchdown-celebrating, coach-feuding one — peeked out from that self-imposed veil of restraint, like a receiver finding daylight in a suspect defence.
“I will not stop being myself. I’m not doing anything disrespectful for our team. I’m always here to help and bring fun — this is a fun league,” he said yesterday, shortly after his trade from the Toronto Argonauts was finally announced.
He’ll be in the lineup when the Tiger-Cats host the B.C. Lions tomorrow night.
Bruce’s signing turned yesterday’s practice under grey, drizzly skies into a bright-lights media event.
Instead of the two journalists who attended Tuesday’s session, more than a dozen showed up yesterday, including two national TV networks. Two dozen more media outlets called clamouring for time with the newest Ticat.
But the Canadian Football League team’s staff limited his availability and kept a close eye and ear on every word.
They certainly won’t be the only ones.
GM Bob O’Billovich and head coach Marcel Bellefeuille acknowledged that they met with Bruce to discuss their expectations.
“We let him know how we operate and what we expect and the type of attitude we’re developing with this football team. We were satisfied that he could fit into that mould,” O’Billovich said.
“Nobody’s perfect.”
The trade sees the Argos get the rights to defensive tackle Corey Mace, currently looking for an NFL job, and a couple of draft picks. The Ticats get one of the best receivers in the CFL, a three-time East Division all-star and a Grey Cup champion.
He knows it, too. Despite a rather inglorious exit from Toronto, traded at a discount after publicly feuding with Double Blue head coach Bart Andrus, humility and contrition were not the order of the day.
“There’s been other great players in every sport that have been released, traded, cut — it happens to the best of us and I consider myself one of the best,” Bruce said.
And this is hardly the Kansas native’s first brush with controversy.
The MJ tribute — after scoring a touchdown in the season opener against the Cats, Bruce removed his helmet and shoulder pads and laid on the ground arms crossed as if dead — netted him international media attention and a fine from the league.
So did a celebration last season that involved donning a Spider-man mask. And comments following the 2006 East Division final that accused on-field officials of racism.
It begs the question: colourful or cancerous?
“I’ve been around enough football players to be able to sense when a guy’s not a good guy or a guy you wouldn’t want to bring into your football team. I didn’t have that sense at all,” O’Billovich said.
Ticat Nation will be watching as well.
Public sentiment seems evenly split on whether bringing Bruce aboard — regardless of his obvious talent — is a good idea.
But Bruce had a message for them.
“Wait till Friday. Once I put the uniform on, I’m in, I’m sworn in,” he said.
