How a conversation with his dad led Eugene Lewis to the top of the league

Eugene Lewis remembers a conversation with his father five years ago, like yesterday.

Recipients from just outside Philadelphia were ready to land on the Montreal Alouette practice roster and considered whether it was time to do something other than football in 2017.

“There was a time when I told my dad (Eugene Senior) that if he was a practice team, he wouldn’t know if he wanted to do it,” Lewis recalled in a post-practice phone interview this week.

“If I were to join a practice team, I was thinking of going home and getting a real job, but my dad wants you to live your dreams, keep playing football, and what you love. If you want to keep getting paid for, just tell me you want to keep knocking on it. That’s what I did and we’re here now. ”

Here, Lewis is now the main receiver of the CFL and should be considered one of the top players in the league.

Not bad for the guy who first appeared in Canada three days before the end of the 2017 camp. After trying the NFL several times following his college career in football, he’s just trying to figure out if sports have a future. Pennsylvania State University and Oklahoma Factory.

And after having a very difficult time with the family after being released on the NBA’s Utah Jazz in 1989, there’s no bad advice from the current minister, Eugene Senior-this by the longtime Montreal Gazette football reporter Herb. Zulkovsky reported in the work.

“Odds were really against me when I got here,” said young Lewis, who learned about the CFL during his time at Pennsylvania State University with his Toronto-born roommate.

“When we come to the camp with three days left, they’re no longer in the pad. We have one pre-season game left and we’re basically doing walkthroughs and more.”

After notching two catches of 40 yards in its first pre-season game and playing two regular season games in 2017, Lewis became full-time in 2018 and recorded a season of 1,000 yards in 2019. However, this year’s shortened campaign ended in 3rd place by receiving the yard at the end.

29-year-old Lewis leads the league with 305 yards in three games this season. This is 65 yards ahead of Edmonton Elks’ second-placed Kenny Lawler. Lewis averages 20.5 yards in 15 catches of Alouette (1-2).

“My goal is to be the best receiver in CFL. I believe so,” Lewis said. “I just have to get out there and keep showing it. I want to lead the league in the yard, I want to lead in the touchdown reception, everything. Stay away from other recipients, show what you can do and yourself I want to show people why they feel they are the best recipients. ”

Alouette has begun his second quarterback this year at Trevor Harris on behalf of Vernon Adams Jr. The team is really looking for the next quarterback in quarterback since the great Anthony Calvillo (now Ars quarterback coach) threw him. The last pass of 2013.

“You have to roll with a punch, guy. Listen, there were seven quarterbacks in 2018 and led the team to receive,” said Johnny Manjiel, Montreal’s only eight times. Recalling the year he started, Lewis at 6’1 said. The team ended in 5-13.

“For me, I’m just out there and trying to play for my team.”

Lewis is doing just that, leading a 68-yard five-pass with a 37-13 victory over Montreal’s Saskatchewan at Alouette’s home opener last week. Rough Rider will host Alouette on Saturday to conclude the Home and Home series.

If Lewis can keep pace, he could be the third receiver since 2010 and win the league’s best player award. Brandon Banks did that in 2019 as Hamilton Tiger-Cat and Chad Owens won the Toronto Argonauts in 2012. ..

“I remember that year (the bank) won it, and it was huge,” Lewis said. “Often it’s the quarterback that gets it. (Bank) Winning motivates you and knows it’s possible … I just keep sharpening, keep winning, And to stay consistent in the field. ”

What I liked in the 3rd week

Another major performance of Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke is Canada’s QB transit yard record. There are several more big games and you can start talking about him as the best candidate player.

Speaking of quarterbacks playing well, Stampeders veteran Bo Levi Mitchell. Mitchell beat Edmonton and threw 321 yards in a match time decision due to a leg injury.

Alouette won the home opener over the rough rider after suffering two minor defeats on the street. Ars needs momentum to win more fans at the stand in this writer’s favorite place to watch the CFL game (Summer night stand on the slopes of Mount Royal at Molson Stadium). There is no such thing as a view of the Montreal skyline from.)

Bomber Defensive End Willie Jefferson Pick 6 vs. Tiger Cats. It’s nice to see one of the league’s top players hit the highlight reels and score.

What I didn’t like in the third week

Looking at the two-star receivers of Bryan Burnham (ribs) in BC and Shakel Evans (ankle) in Saskatchewan can cause injuries for weeks or months.

Tiger Cats attack. They settle on the field goal and continue to promise a turnover.

A terrible show of Argos in British Columbia. The 44-3 loss is not what the team is desperate to draw attention to in the country’s largest market needs.

One-sided nature of the week. The average winning margin was 21.5 points.

The fact that Toronto won 83-23 this season leads East 1-1 three weeks later.

What to pay attention to in the 4th week

Roke will face Ottawa’s Jeremiah Masoli in a great quarterback match to get things started on Thursday. Jeremiah Masori threw more than 300 yards as red black in each of the first two games.

When Hamilton hosts Edmonton in the league’s first Canadian Day game since 2019, Ticats’ sharp third jersey debut – “Hammer” is on the front.

Argos, carrying Andrew Harris, will face his old Bombers teammate for the first time and only on Monday of the season. This is an unfortunate day for Toronto home games (Toronto FC will play on BMO Field on Saturday night). After a productive opening, Winnipeg-born Harris took place last week in the 27-yard rushyard.

Alouette Spark Plug Chandler Worthy returned an 88-yard opening kick-off for a touchdown with Saskatchewan last week. With the same two teams meeting on Saturday, Ruff Rider believes he will make a new plan to contain something of value.

Recommended for the 4th week

BC Lions (-2.5), Ottawa Redblacks, Thursday, 7:30 pm (Eastern Time) / 4:30 pm (PT)

Lions have to travel the whole country in a short week-they crushed Toronto last Saturday-and suffered some serious injuries in the game. Ottawa has finished the goodbye week and is better than its 0-2 record. As of Wednesday, the spread was two points down from the opening line. Choose: Ottawa

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-6.5) Edmonton Elks, Friday, 7:30 pm (Eastern Time) / 4:30 pm (PT)

Two unwinning teams will be squared in an underground bowl. Not the dream scenario of CFL’s first Canadian Day game since 2019. It would be disastrous if the two Eastern Champions couldn’t beat Edmonton at his home. Choose: Hamilton

Saskatchewan Rough Riders Montreal Alouette (-3.5), Saturday, 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT

Ars smashed Rough Rider 37-13 in Montreal last week. However, the rider was off shortly before the trip. Choose: Saskatchewan

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-4.5) at the Toronto Argonauts, Monday, 7:30 pm (Eastern Time) / 4:30 pm (PT)

Argos was humiliated last week BC, but the undefeated bomber defeated Thai Cats and performed best this season. If Argos is proud, they will respond and make it familiar. Pick: Toronto

Odds from FanDuel As of Wednesday.

2022 record for spreads: 6-6

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Power ranking

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-0, last week: 1): Two defending champions have won the last two Gray Cup rematches, the Tiger Cats, to play the best match of the season.

2. BC Lions (2-0, last week: 5): Two home games, two explosive wins for Rourke and Co. The schedule is getting tighter now.

3. Calgary Stampeders (3-0, last week: 2): Despite half-time in all three contests, the stamp is undefeated.

4. Saskatchewan Rough Riders (2-1, last week: 2): Evans entered the foreseeable future after a broken ankle last week, stealing Cody Fajardo’s top target. The quarterback threw the first two intercepts of the season in Montreal.

5. Ottawa Redblacks (0-2, last week: 6): Redblacks can pull off goodbye after two brave performances defeated by powerful Winnipeg towards the start of the season Let’s see.

6. Montreal Alouette (1-2, last week: 7): Harris seems to have taken over the job of the first quarterback. The defense and special teams were excellent at beating Saskatchewan.

7. Toronto Argonauts (1-1, last week: 4): I was lucky to lose to BC and win the opener to Montreal. Crime has been struggling back to last season. In the heat, second-year coach Ryan Dinwoody and quarterback McLeod Bethel Thompson are set to turn things around before two home games during the return of the Canadian National Exhibition in August.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-3, last week: 8): The most disappointing team in three weeks. Dane Evans leads the league in the passyard, but the team has committed a CFL height of 11 turnovers.

Edmonton Elks (0-3, last week: 9): I had a chance to win in the last two weeks after being blown up BC in the opening round.