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‘Final week I am doing scout reps. This week, I am the beginning quarterback.’
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Davis Alexander discovered it odd final November when his father determined instantly to not attend the Alouettes’ Gray Cup sport in opposition to Winnipeg, particularly since there was an additional ticket obtainable.
Because the third-string quarterback at the moment, Alexander was unlikely to play. However his father, Matt, not often missed his video games. And if he couldn’t attend, father and son would speak, each pre- and post-game. Matt is Davis’s greatest fan, but his harshest critic as effectively. He at all times pushed him to succeed, informed his son the glass at all times was half-full, imploring him to deal with folks with kindness. And as a former skilled rugby participant from South Africa, father and son shared an athletic bond.
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Davis was involved, but understood, when his father informed him he had been sick, twice battling pneumonia. The journey to Hamilton for the out of doors CFL championship sport, below these situations at the moment of yr, made little sense.
Two months later, Alexander was informed the reality; his father, a non-smoker, had Stage 4 lung most cancers — the most-advanced type. He’s solely 56. The illness is hereditary — Alexander’s grandfather was additionally stricken with lung most cancers — and it is going to be intently monitored by the Als’ medical staff.
“We have been clearly … I keep in mind I didn’t say a lot. It was laborious to course of,” Alexander informed The Gazette this week. “The information damage clearly. You attempt to follow the script. We’re at all times constructive. I haven’t gone into too laborious particulars however preserve saying ‘keep on with the combat. Preserve at it.’ He has to maintain combating and consider there’s a plan and one in all these (remedies) will work out.”
The remedies have diverse and the oncologist is attacking it aggressively. Whereas the most cancers hasn’t unfold, neither is it in remission.
“It has been a tough half a yr,” Alexander mentioned. “It makes me assume each day you must try to seize alternatives, take benefit actually of each single day. Issues can change right away for good or dangerous. Have a look at my state of affairs. Final week I’m doing scout reps. This week, I’m the beginning quarterback.”
Highway to the Cup
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You already know the story by now.
Alexander, 25 and now in his third season with Montreal, changed a struggling Caleb Evans to start out the second half July 25 in opposition to Saskatchewan, accomplished his first 12 passes, threw two touchdowns and rallied the Als to a comeback victory. It was his first significant regular-season look. Throughout an emotional post-game tv interview, it appeared pure for Alexander to say his ailing father.
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The interview, and story, has now taken on a lifetime of its personal, quite a few CFL followers reaching out to Alexander via social media, elevating his spirits. He was scheduled to make his first begin Friday night time at Hamilton, with Cody Fajardo nonetheless battling a hamstring damage. And whereas soccer has been his salvation via a tough interval, there are additionally instances when Alexander’s thoughts and ideas naturally waver to a darkish facet.
“Final June there have been a few days I truthfully was having a troublesome time,” he admitted. “I don’t break down too usually, however there have been a pair days I awoke indignant. That took me again a bit of and it’s one thing I’ve by no means felt. I don’t know why and take a look at to not fear about it, however it was laborious to disregard. He’s battling. I’m battling. We’re all going via our personal battles. You simply must belief and consider; consider there’s a plan.”
Alexander has battled his total life. He was a promising baseball pitcher — he may even throw a knuckleball — till twice struggling harm to the ulnar collateral ligament in his proper elbow, an damage made well-known by Tommy John. Alexander determined to focus on soccer however, at 6-feet and 200 kilos, wasn’t extremely recruited.
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He went to Portland State, a Division IAA college the place he would go for 63 touchdowns over his profession, second solely to Neil Lomax (St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals). Nonetheless, few NFL groups took discover, so Alexander informed his U.S.-based agent to hunt out the CFL as an choice, figuring out how badly he wished a professional profession.
When Alexander signed with the Als in February 2022, he broke down and cried — and it had nothing to do along with his paltry CFL minimal wage. After he accomplished 15 of 18 passes for 178 yards in opposition to the Roughriders final week, Alexander’s teammates, to a person, spoke glowingly about him, all ecstatic that his endurance lastly had paid dividends. It appears Alexander’s smile and healthful character are infectious.
Those that know the person say how aggressive Alexander is. He believes it’s as a result of he needed to combat tougher rising up as a consequence of his peak drawback. However Alexander can also take a look at 5-foot-11 Vernon Adams Jr. in B.C. and know there’s a spot within the CFL for smaller, cell quarterbacks who make issues occur on the sphere. He entered final week’s sport and issues modified instantly in opposition to a superb staff. That’s not a coincidence. Now, like several quarterback, he should search consistency.
Alexander’s within the remaining yr of his contract and will grow to be a free agent subsequent winter. However he additionally has displayed endurance and loyalty.
“I wish to be right here,” he mentioned. “I wish to create some type of legacy, one thing to be happy with.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
twitter.com/HerbZurkowsky1
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