Jun
Dales happy stamp after attempt fell short
Courtesy Vancouver Province:
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Dales+happy+Stamp+after+attempt+fell+short/1654454/story.h
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On the day Burke Dales discovered he’d signed a free-agent contract with the Winnipeg Blue
Bombers, the Canadian Football League punter was as surprised as anybody.
Dales became an unlimited free agent on Feb. 16 after four seasons with the Stampeders;
later that day, reports started circulating that he’d signed a deal with the Bombers.
“The next morning when it went into the papers, my dad gave me a call from Ontario and he
said, ‘I thought you’d at least tell your old man before you signed with the ‘Peg,’ ”
recalled a laughing Dales.
“So I got up and checked it out on the Internet and thought, ‘You have got to be kidding
me.’
“We were definitely talking, but there was certainly never an agreement. I don’t really
know(how the reports started getting distributed) and I never really figured it out. It was
definitely a surprise and a shock. It certainly did get out of hand a little bit.”
Well, as we all know now, Dales never signed with the Bombers. Instead, he spent a few more
weeks angling for a job in the National Foot-ball League, and when he didn’t get a concrete
offer, he signed a new deal –two years plus an option–with the Grey Cup champion
Stampeders in late March.
“I really never had any true intentions of leaving,”said Dales, 32. “This is where I live,
this is my home, and my heart was always with the Stampeders. I mean, for me this was the
team that gave me the opportunity to develop as a punter in this league. And I think one of
the biggest factors was that I’ve built such a strong unity with this team and the core
group of guys. To go somewhere else didn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
Saturday, when the Stamps open their 2009 training camp at McMahon Stadium, Dales will begin
his quest not only to help the Stamps claim back-to-back CFL championships, but also to top
a 2008 campaign that was the finest of his professional career.
“My goal right now is to have the best year of my career,” said Dales, who aver-aged a
career-best 46.1 yards per punt while leading the league in net distance (distance of the
punt minus the return) with 38.1 yards. “I think I was good last year, but there’s so much
more in the tank for me. I’m looking forward to my coming-out party, if you will. Yeah, I
had a career-high year last year, I led in net punting, but I just feel I didn’t realize my
full potential.”
Improvements on both numbers would be great, said Dales, but he also wants to do some
fine-tuning in terms of placement of his punts to prevent long returns and help his cover
teams–long a sore point with the Stampeder coaching staff.
“I guess my biggest focus this year will be to become really solid in directional punting,”
said Dales. “I think I improved last year, but it’s something I’m going to really work on
this year: placement and hang-time. Those are the biggies, and I think the numbers will take
care of themselves.”
Unlike last year, when Dales had no competition at training camp, he’ll have another punter
to deal with beginning Saturday, although it’s a very familiar face:Mike Renaud, the man who
backed up, then succeeded, Dales as the Concordia University punter.
The Stamps signed Renaud shortly after the beginning of free agency when it wasn’t clear
whether or not Dales would return this season.
“One thing we can’t forget is that it is a business,” said Dales. “They have to cover all
their angles, and that’s essentially what they did. If I’m ownership, if I’m on the coaching
staff, I’d do the same thing. It’s just a smart business move.
“Mike is a great guy, he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s been given an opportunity here,
and I wish him the best of luck,”said Dales. “But he’s not just trying out for the Stamps;
he’ll be seen by every other team in the league as well. There will be some openings coming
up.”
Extra Points: The Stamps will have their rookie camp Thursday and Friday at McMahon Stadium
…Training camp sessions next week are open to the public, and will run at 8:45 a. m. and 4
p. m. most days …The Stamps open their pre-season on June 17 at home to the B. C. Lions,
with a 7 p. m. kickoff at McMahon Stadium.
