All-star game didn't disappoint
By Ian Hamilton, The Leader-Post
January 27, 2010
Jordan Sisco made a name for himself in some circles at the
East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, Fla.
Unfortunately, it sounds like others didn't give the University
of Regina Rams receiver the chance.
"When you're out (at a social event associated with the game),
the first thing everyone asks is, 'What's your name and where
are you from?' " Sisco said Tuesday. "When I told them I was
from Regina, they got this shocked look on their face and were
like, 'What?'
"As soon as you tell them you're from Canada, though, everybody
remembers you because there are only two Canadians (in the
game). That was cool."
Sisco and Windsor Lancers offensive lineman Matt Morencie were
the CIS's two representatives in the annual NCAA all-star
football game. While some folks tried to get to know them,
others didn't -- including some of the other players involved.
"A couple of guys came up to me and asked, 'What's it like in
Canada?' and asked about the Canadian game," said Sisco, 21.
"Then there were guys who didn't even acknowledge I was there."
That extended to the field as well. After having a few balls
thrown to him in practice during the week, the 6-foot-1,
212-pound Sisco wasn't the intended receiver on any pass play
during his five drives on offence in the game.
Even so ...
"It was awesome," said Sisco, who also played on special teams
as his West squad lost 13-10 to the East. "Whether I saw a lot
of action with balls thrown my way or not, I still learned a
lot.
"My coach was (former NFL head coach) Marty Schottenheimer, who
I used to see on TV beside (San Diego Chargers running back)
LaDainian Tomlinson. Two years later, he's my coach in an
all-star game."
Sisco said he also saw NFL stars like Tennessee Titans running
back Chris Johnson and Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall
when they showed up to watch the workouts. Officials from all of
the NFL teams also were omnipresent during the week.
The one person who may have had the biggest impact on Sisco
during the week was his position coach. Keenan McCardell played
17 seasons in the NFL and was eager to pass on his expertise.
"Every time I ran a route against a DB or even against air, he'd
tell me, 'You can do this or do that. You can fix this by doing
that,' " Sisco said. "He was really helpful -- and some of the
guys were helpful too with the terminology."
Sisco, who has one season of CIS eligibility remaining, is sixth
on Canada West's all-time list for receptions (141) and 11th on
the career list for receiving yards (2,051). However, Saturday's
game was his initial first-hand exposure to the American game.
"I knew a lot of the rules just from watching it every weekend
and from playing lots of Madden," he said, referring to the
popular NFL video game. "But that one yard (that defensive
players don't have to give the offence in the NCAA and NFL,
unlike in the Canadian game) was the biggest thing.
"The DBs weren't allowed to jam us on the first day of practice,
but they could the second day -- and there was one DB that I
couldn't get away from if my life depended on it. But the next
day, before practice, (McCardell) and I worked on it, and I
didn't get jammed the rest of the week."
Rams head coach Frank McCrystal, who attended the game, said
Sisco did "all the special things you look for from someone who
can play at the next level." McCrystal fully expects Sisco --
who's eligible for the CFL's 2010 Canadian college draft -- to
be playing somewhere else next season.
"I don't see us getting Jordan back," the head coach said.
That would be fine by Sisco, who used the Shrine Game as
something of a measuring stick.
"In the CIS, there aren't too many shutdown corners like there
were down there and like there are in the pros," he said. "It
was good to see how I'm going to stand up at the next level."
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