The Canadian Press
As we’ve come to know, when Bo Levi Mitchell identifies a target, chances are high that he’s gonna hit it.
“Since ’12, being here in this locker room,’’ he’s emphasizing, “one thing Dave (Dickenson), even when he was the co-ordinator, has always hyped is: ‘Leave a legacy.’
“How are you going leave your mark on the game?
“To possibly get to No. 1 one day, be the all-time leader in Stamps history would be amazing. Again, there’s a long way to go for that.
“But I’m looking forward to challenging and hopefully making it happen.”
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Bo Levi Mitchell is pictured after winning Most Outstanding Player in 2016 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Following meetings inside the Calgary Stampeders Football Offices at McMahon Stadium mid-afternoon Tuesday, the reigning CFL MOP was passing around homemade chocolate cookies from a clear, plastic container.
“Here,’’ he exhorted teammates. “Go on. Try one.”
The man has an insatiable appetite for more than just baked goodies, however.
Achievement – both collective and individual – is what drives his engine.
By ringing up 261 passing yards Thursday evening at BMO Field, the self-styled gunslinger from Katy, Tex., clambers up onto the third-
highest rung on the Stamps’ career yardage ladder.
That’d vault him to 16,742 and past Pistol Peter Liske’s two-stint, five-year aggregate.
Earlier this season, Mitchell moved into fourth spot, leapfrogging friend and mentor Jeff Garcia’s 16,449 yards in the colours.
Up a ways, there’s some catching to do in tracking down past icons Doug Flutie (20,551) and Henry Burris (32,191).
Four or five more seasons of the sorts of numbers we’ve come to expect from No. 19, though, and he’d be knock, knock, knocking on posterity’s door.
“It’s something that I hope to cross off the list at some point,’’ Mitchell acknowledges. “But – and I know this is going to sound cliche – so much credit goes to the guys around me, man. Can’t do it without them. So many nights, they make me look good.
“My biggest thing about being the the quarterback for this team is being available. Being there for those guys week-in, week-out.
“If I have to get carted out there, I’m going to be there for them.”
Bo Levi Mitchell searching the field for a target. Larry MacDougal/Photo
Liske, of course, is more a name from the distant era to the 27-year-old Texan. Flutie and Burris are more flesh-and-blood targets.
“Knowing both those guys, it’ll be cool to talk with them if it does happen at some point. I just saw that (Mike) Reilly just passed (Warren) Moon”- into third place on the Edmonton Eskimos’ all-time completions list — “and Moon tweeted at him ‘Congratulations. Keep going. Go win another Cup.’
“It’s really about those things. That kind of respect from those guys, players who’ve done it well for so long.
“That’s why I loved Legacy Night with the ’92 team (Saturday) so much. Coming in at halftime, those guys were like: ‘How many more can y’all put up? Don’t slow down.’ No telling us how great we’d been. Pushing us to keep going. The message was: Don’t take this as enough.
“Those athletes know what we need to hear.”
Heading east to the Big Smoke, there’s two points for the Stamps to pocket and another rung for their quarterback to ascend. In Mitchell’s sights, Peter Liske, the starting pitcher hereabouts from 1966 through ’68 and ’73-74.
Beyond that, up there at the gates of Olympus, standing in the celestial pocket, the Magic Flutie and Smilin’ Hank.
Big names. Big achievements.
But as we’ve come to know, when Bo Levi Mitchell identifies a target …
“Something like that would be a true testament to your durability, and to your loyalty to a team,’’ he reckons. “You don’t go places for money. You truly want to stay in a city and leave a legacy.
“That’s kinda the way I look at it.
“I want to stay here as long as I can, as long as they’ll have me, represent the White Horse the right way and the numbers will come along with it.”
