ADAM ORRICO
Argonauts.ca Staff
TORONTO — After being injured on the same play last year, two stalwart members of the Argos offensive line can’t wait to get things started.
“We all remember last year and we will be playing with chips on our shoulders this year.”
Those were the sentiments from Argos’ OT Brian Ramsay, as he tried to explain the hardships the Boatmen endured last season.
Ramsay and fellow offensive lineman Jeff Keeping sustained season-ending injuries to their knee and shoulder respectively, on the same play in a Week 16 matchup against the Edmonton Eskimos.
“A lot of people still find it hard to believe that both of us went down on the same play”, Ramsay told argonauts.ca on Wednesday. “But if anything good came from it, it is that it made me (and Jeff) hungrier to get out there this season.”
Both non-imports missed not only the remainder of the season but have been through an intense recovery period this off-season as they have tried to ready themselves for the 2010 campaign.
Ramsay, who suffered a torn ACL on the play, had successful surgery in December and has been following a rigorous flexibility, range of motion, and strength training regimen in order to be 100% for training camp.
As for Keeping, his shoulder was badly dislocated and he too has been put on a strict and thorough exercise routine which focuses mainly on strengthening the stabilizer muscles in the shoulder. “I feel good,” said Keeping. “I’m working hard and really excited to start thinking about football again.”
As banged up as they were, the Argos offensive line as a unit was equally as sore with an unexpected void left at the right tackle and left guard positions. Both positions were filled admirably by youngsters Mark Dewit and Chris Van Zeyl, but the chemistry that had been formed over the first three quarters of the season left the two linemen with an urge to help finish what they had started with their fellow big men up front.
“We feel like we’ve got a really strong nucleus of guys,” said the 6’5” 303 lb. Keeping, who re-joined the Double Blue last season after a short stint with the Montreal Alouettes. “As the year started to wind down we began to feel really comfortable with one another and we are all really excited to get back out there.”
Along with sharing injuries, both Keeping and Ramsay attended athletic therapy sessions together where they both developed similar viewpoints on how to avoid any type of injuries this season.
“We’re going to stay away from each other,” they agreed with a chuckle.
Both Ramsay and Keeping, along with the rest of the Double Blue, will get a chance to test their bodies on June 13 when the Argos host their first pre-season game at the Rogers Centre against rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats. For ticket information, please call (416) 341-ARGO (2746) or click here for more information on season tickets.