Alexander experience cozy, at household in Winnipeg

It wasn’t until lately – call it a byproduct of a worldwide pandemic – that Brandon Alexander took any time to glance back again on his vocation and reflect.

He wasn’t at any time really fascinated in performing the rearview mirror point, but in its place chose to resolve his eyes on the road ahead.

But presented he was absent from the game for a yr with the cancellation of the 2020 Canadian Soccer League year, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back again had that a lot extra result in to revisit his highway travelled. That path consists of becoming a walk-on at the College of Central Florida to a dude constantly leaping the line to get added reps – very first at a Blue Bombers absolutely free agent camp in Florida to the pursuing teaching camp – to then reworking into just one of the most highly regarded voices in Winnipeg’s locker area.

“I’ve under no circumstances been a human being to look again at nearly anything I did – that can have some positives and negatives to it,” stated Alexander on Monday, not lengthy immediately after his a person-calendar year agreement extension with the Bombers was declared. “But very last yr pressured me to do that, glance back again a ton at what I have performed, what has transpired, what have I achieved, what I have failed at, along with a great deal of other issues. It created me mirror on a good deal of stuff.

“From there to now my whole occupation in sports has been really complicated for me. Any team I’ve been on I in no way came in as the ideal player or in no way came in as the starter or any of these items. I always arrived in as the man who experienced to function for anything I experienced, whether or not it was basketball, football or monitor. I was not good when I very first begun, but I ended up getting great due to the fact I just desired to show that I belonged on the staff – not as a starter or everything, but just that I belong in this article.”

“I took that way of thinking from when I was a kid till now,” he additional. “When I was in center school for some strange motive in the early morning – faculty started at 9:30 – I was the person who ran to college and it was a mile and a half away from my dwelling. I would operate to university every solitary morning. I never know why I did that as a kid. My thoughts was just programmed like that. Which is just me. That is generally been me.

“I enjoy to function challenging in everything I do. If I’m going to do a thing, I may as effectively put my all into it. Which is why I experience like I am the way I am.”

It also explains, in just a handful of paragraphs, why the 27-year-outdated Orlando product has morphed into a leader in the Bombers’ locker area. The club’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2017, Alexander noticed and figured out from the vets about him at the time, from Chris Randle to Moe Leggett to T.J. Heath.

It was also Randle who explained to Alexander to commence planning to be the secondary’s chief. He was rapidly-tracked into that function in ’19 and then, even though battling via a extend that noticed him miss out on eight games, he was moved from halfback to protection.

His method to all that – the film examine, remaining engaged – was significant as he helped lead a team that observed veterans Nick Taylor and Mercy Maston and rookie Mike Jones all moved into to the starting off lineup in the Bombers’ run to glory later in the time.

That management will be invaluable again in 2021 with Winston Rose obtaining signed a futures deal with the Cincinnati Bengals and Marcus Sayles possessing landed with the B.C. Lions.

“All destructive factors – or factors you think about destructive – can normally come out as a good predicament. That’s what took place,” Alexander said of his time on the hurt checklist. “When I acquired hurt I truly commenced viewing the sport from unique angles on the field – from the sidelines to the again of the stop zone to the other side of the sidelines. I was just seeing all the things and everyone. It permitted me to develop my head and see a lot more, so I was equipped to converse extra even inside the meeting rooms. Just owning that capacity to communicate to every person or sit correct now with each and every man off the subject and let them see what I see when I’m on the industry. It labored out effectively. And to be trustworthy with you now I’m happy it took place that way.”

Alexander said he could have been tempted to examination CFL absolutely free company, what with the market opening in considerably less than a month. But he’s also discovered a football residence in Winnipeg, a variable which performed a enormous purpose in his determination to stay place.

“I’m a male of loyalty,” he mentioned. “One factor that under no circumstances truly mattered to me was cash or currently being a starter or anything at all like that. What does make a difference to me is men and women who truly care and are authentic all around the sport and close to people today. And Winnipeg showed me that in the initially year and I didn’t genuinely have to have to see something else. The last time I felt like that was at UCF and I experienced a phenomenal four a long time there. My 3 many years in Winnipeg, we have experienced a phenomenal a few several years there. I really do not see anything as to why I will need to improve. I have only experienced two (head) coaches my complete vocation, faculty and professional and both coaches I like to loss of life – Mentor O’Leary and Coach O’Shea. It’s funny how the two of them are Irish.

“Both destinations I have been it is been a restricted-knit family and we created some thing and grew to become something exclusive. There’s no reason for me to go wherever else when I sense at ease right here.”


BLUE NOTES: The Bombers introduced the signing of two Canadians on Monday, both of those determined immediately after the 2020 CFL Draft in reciver Macho Bockru and defensive tackle Zach Houghron:

Bockru (6-2, 195, Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB) was a Canada West All Star in 2019 soon after leading the Bisons in obtaining yards with 493 on 34 receptions, a whole that rated fifth in the convention. Bockru, a product or service of Dakota Collegiate and the Winnipeg Rifles, also had 5 touchdowns, which led Canada West and was tied for fourth in the nation.

Houghron (6-3, 258, Wilfrid Laurier, Toronto, ON) appeared in 22 games over four decades with the Golden Hawks. He had two sacks, 7.5 tackles and two pass knockdowns in 7 game titles in 2019.