Huskies, Rams open Canada West football playoffs on road
29m ago
"The thing with the playoffs is every play gets amplified," said Huskies head coach Scott Flory.
Pete Robertson is accepting the consequences of his actions.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end has been suspended for the Banjo Bowl after headbutting Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros following a play late in the fourth quarter of the Labour Day Classic on Sunday.
Kickoff for the rematch on Saturday is set for 2 p.m.
“I couldn’t explain it; it’s a play that happened,” Robertson told reporters Wednesday. “When I was talking to the league, I told them I won’t make no excuses or explanation for the situation — it’s a play that happened.
“My biggest thing was I put my team in that situation at the moment. It was a crucial time.”
With just over four minutes left in Sunday’s fourth quarter, the Bombers faced a second-and-goal from the Saskatchewan five-yard line trailing 20-17.
Collaros threw a pass toward receiver Drew Wolitarsky in the Saskatchewan end zone, but Robertson got his hands up and knocked down the pass.
In the ensuing celebration, Robertson used his helmet to butt Collaros in the head and the Bombers’ quarterback — who has a history of concussions — fell to the turf.
The headbutt gave Winnipeg a new set of downs and, on the next play, the Bombers scored a touchdown. Sergio Castillo added the convert to put the Bombers up 24-20.
But the Riders would pull off the comeback, winning 32-30 in overtime.
“I know it’s plays like that (that) I can’t do. I have been playing D-end for a while so I just know it’s common sense,” Robertson said.
Head coach Craig Dickenson admitted the Riders are disappointed Robertson is suspended, but they’re more disappointed in the actions by the veteran player.
“That’s something we don’t approve of and we certainly don’t want that to be a part of the game and not part of what we do either,” Dickenson said. “We’re very happy that Zach is OK and he is playing this game.
“We want to apologize to him and Pete is going to take his suspension like a man and hopefully learn from that and hopefully all of us learn from that — that’s not what we do and that’s not part of the game.”
Dickenson said Robertson is one of the more popular players in the Riders’ locker room.
“He came out right away and knew he screwed up. He apologized to the team and I think he has done a pretty good job of making the guys know that’s not the Pete we can expect in the future and he is sorry for what he did,” Dickenson said.
Robertson also said it was very important that he apologized to his teammates about the incident.
“As a man, right or wrong, I take it as it comes,” Robertson said. “I don’t try to run from it and I handle it right then and just try to get it behind me.
“That’s the biggest thing for me. When I talk to (general manager Jeremy O’Day) and when we were up there dealing with the mediation, that was the best thing: Let’s go and handle it right now and get it out of the way.”
Robertson said he hasn’t seen Collaros’ reaction to the play but did say he would try to reach out to Collaros at some point.
Notes: Offensive tackle Colin Kelly (knee) will be out long term with his injury. Safety Jayden Dalke (knee), guard Evan Johnson (foot), fullback Thomas Betrand-Hudon (illness) and linebacker Justin Herdman-Reed (quad) were all absent from practice Wednesday … Quarterback Mason Fine (hamstring) was limited in practice. Offensive lineman Philip Blake (pec) was limited, but did practise for the first time since the pre-season … The Riders announced running back Kory Sheets, safety Tyron Brackenridge, defensive back Tristan Jackson, slotback Chris Getzlaf and fullback Neal Hughes will be among the players present for the 2013 Grey Cup team’s induction into the Plaza of Honour on Oct. 7 at Mosaic Stadium. The ceremony is to take place during the Riders’ game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.