Carlo Panaro idolized him as kid and still does. The rest of Chris Morris's Edmonton Eskimo teammates lionize the veteran tackle as a tough-as-nails warrior who bleeds Green and Gold.
Through 13 CFL seasons the six-foot-five, 290-pound Morris has taken a licking, kept on ticking and gutted it out.
Morris played the final 30 minutes of Thanksgiving Monday's 39-19 win over the Montreal Alouettes with his back tied in knots.
"I'm a firm believer that a lot of football players would not have come out for the second half," opined offensive co-ordinator Danny Maciocia. "Watching him in the locker room at halftime, I was convinced there was no way he was coming back out.
"It was not a pretty sight. People like him and Mike Pringle, they're warriors. They won't let you know how much they're hurting. They always put the team first. That's why I have the utmost respect for people like Chris Morris."
REMAINS DOUBTFUL
Until huddling with a specialist and being cleared to play by the Esks' medical staff yesterday afternoon, Morris was doubtful for tomorrow's crucial tilt versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
After sitting out Thursday's practice, Morris was back on the field but not looking that comfortable during the nearly two-hour practice session.
He was even less comfortable answering questions regarding his condition afterward.
"I really don't have anything to say about my back," said Morris, who finds dealing with the media more painful than any of the injuries he's elected to play through.
While his teammates and coaching staff rave about his warrior-like endurance, the University of Toronto product didn't want to go there following the workout.
"I don't have anything to say about that stuff, I really don't," said the 36-year-old without breaking stride as he stumped off the practice field flanked by the bulk of the Green and Gold offensive line.
Quarterback Jason Maas waxed eloquent when queried about Morris's seemingly open-ended pain threshold. Like everyone in the Esks locker room, Maas isn't quite sure how Morris, who's in the twilight of his career, does it.
Obviously, after watching Morris play the tail end of the 2001 CFL season with a dislocated elbow, Maas knows a little lower back pain won't stop the aging right tackle.
"If he's not THE toughest, he is one of the toughest individuals I've ever met in my life," offered Maas, himself no shrinking violet when it comes to enduring pain.
"There's not too many people would play through anything he has. It's a credit to him and I respect the man like no other.
"That's his makeup and that's who he is. He doesn't think anything different, he just shows up every day to work. He's going to play through anything."
All of which is good news for the Esks who can clinch second spot in the CFL Western Division and home field advantage in the western semifinal with a victory at Taylor Field.
The loss of centre Tim Prinsen due to an infected knee forced the coaching staff to move Kevin Lefsrud from right guard to centre two weeks ago.
Fourth-year man Glen Carson became the starting right guard. The new-look line gelled nicely and was able to give Maas ample time to throw in the face of Montreal's come one, come all defensive scheme.
MORE JUGGLING
Losing Morris would have meant more juggling of the starting front five.
Ultimately, after being cleared by the medical staff the decision to play or sit this week was left up to Morris.
"We were just worried about his back and if it was something new that was causing his problems," said head coach Tom Higgins. "Knowing that it's not something new, something fresh that he's done to it, he'll line up and play."
As was the case when Morris underwent arthroscopic surgery prior to an Esks-B.C. Lions clash in early July, Panaro was poised to start at the right tackle spot again this week.
Not only does Panaro know a little about playing the offensive line, he's a medical school grad in the midst of a five-year orthopedic surgery residency and knows a whole lot about pain and suffering.
"When he's sore or he's hurting, he'll never complain about it," Panaro said. "But you know it's something that would keep an ordinary man down.
"I've got a lot of respect for Chris as a player, but also as a person and what he's done for this team and the community. He was one of my idols growing up, watching him play."
Had Morris given himself the hook, rookie Rhett McLane would have been moved from the disabled list to the active roster. If Morris's back was to tighten up or begin to spasm again for whatever reason, McLane could be added to the 40-man as an emergency replacement.
