It's a great honour, but right now it's small consolation.
Three days after the Edmonton Eskimos were eliminated from the playoffs by the Calgary Stampeders, Fred Stamps learned he was named a 2009 CFL all-star.
"It's kind of bittersweet but we lost the game and now that we're out of the playoffs, we have to put it behind us and get ready for next year," said Stamps, who led the league with 1,402 yards on 85 receptions. He also had eight touchdowns. His 16.5 yards per catch was second in the league to Stampeders receiver Romby Bryant's 16.6 average.
"At least I can go home with a little positive thing," said the New Orleans native, who finished his third season with the Eskimos. "It's an accomplishment, but I wish we could still be playing football right now. But it's OK."
PROGRESS
Expecting to be home in time for Thanksgiving, Stamps will have the off-season to reflect on his progress as a player.
"I feel as though I made a lot (of progress), but I feel as though I could get better. I'm going to go home, get ready for the off-season and work hard and try to come back better this year."
He's coming back with just one thing on his mind and it has nothing to do with statistics.
"My goal is to help my team win whatever it takes," he said. "Like I said at the beginning of the season, it doesn't matter if you catch a ball or not, as long as we win. That's how I feel. My main goal is I want to hold that Grey Cup trophy."
It was Stamps's first thousand-yard season in professional football, nearly doubling last year's production of 50 catches for 751 yards and six touchdowns.
A 49-yard reception in the last minute to beat Calgary in mid-August was his highlight catch.
"The Calgary game, that was a big catch for me and a big win," said Stamps, who has seen the play over and over again.
"My grandmother, she's a big fan, so she makes me watch it. She wants to watch it all the time."
NO THOUGHTS
Stamps has no thoughts about one day moving his career south of the border.
"I'm an Eskimo, I'm not worrying about the NFL or any other league. I want to be here next year, that's my main focus," said Stamps, who re-signed with the Eskimos in January and will be in Green and Gold next season. "I'm still under contract, so I want to be here."
GREEN IS MONEY: Rookie Skyler Green was selected as the CFL Gibson's Finest Special Teams Player of the Week this week for his outstanding performance in the CFL West Division semifinal last Sunday.
In just his second CFL game and inaugural playoff appearance, Green returned a handful of kickoffs for 176 yards, highlighted by a 93-yarder for a touchdown. He also averaged nearly 20 yards per return on four punts for a total of 77 yards.
GERRY.MODDEJONGE@SUNMEDIA.CA
