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Winnipeg Free Press
39 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arbuckle looking to prove himself once again
TORONTO — For a few months, Nick Arbuckle's life looked a bit different. There weren't any cameras or red carpets being rolled out for a Grey Cup Most Outstanding Player, but the quiet-by-nature quarterback didn't need it. Following his championship-winning performance over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last November, Arbuckle — a career journeyman — was suddenly a recognizable face in Canada's largest metropolis. CHRISTOPHER KATSAROV / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie says Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle 'leads by example.' 'I remember taking my daughter for Happy Meals at McDonald's and somebody coming up and saying something, or going to Starbucks and people saying something,' Arbuckle, who spent last off-season in Toronto, told the Free Press Friday. It was the little things that held more weight for the product of Camarillo, Calif., a small town about an hour northwest of Los Angeles. Arbuckle, who won a Grey Cup as a backup to Bo Levi Mitchell in Calgary, hadn't been celebrated in years — not since his earlier days as a pro when many pegged him to be one of the CFL's next best quarterback talents. 'We did an assembly with the Grey Cup at my daughter's school for her show-and-tell day. So every time after that, going to pick her up from school for the entire school year, this last year, all the kids knew me as 'the football player,' and so that was pretty cool,' the 31-year-old added, pausing for a moment. 'Other than that, I think everybody moves on, especially in a city like this, where so many things happen, so many other sports teams are playing that's on people's minds, that everything we did last year, rightfully so, is part of history now.' Indeed, life has returned to what it was, and Arbuckle must prove himself again. He confessed he hasn't given the Grey Cup much thought since the few weeks of celebration that ensued. He's still to reminisce on the game — which ended 41-24 and saw him complete 26-of-37 passes for 252 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — and he hadn't watched the film back until this week, in preparation of hosting the Bombers at BMO Field on Saturday (6 p.m. CT). 'It existed as a perfect memory in my brain,' he said. Those thoughts, though stored away, remain vivid. 'The most fun part is being there for an entire week, living with the team. I feel like the level of preparation and camaraderie and everything you build when you are finished practice, and instead of going to your homes, you go back to the hotel room together. And you get to do outings and go shopping and go to restaurants, basically every day of the week,' he said. 'You get to do that on day one or day two, things you don't really ever get to do unless you're on the road the day before the game. So that's the most special thing, just how much you build and how prepared you are, both mentally and emotionally, going in with your team because of just being able to spend the whole week together.' Arbuckle was confident going into the game, despite only seeing action in five regular-season contests and the second half of the Eastern Final. One of those came in Week 8 against Winnipeg, a game that was forgettable from a production standpoint for the signal-caller but one the Argos won, nonetheless. 'I was like, 'We beat them already… we've done it before, we're a better team now, and everything's more comfortable — our team's healthier.' So it just felt like it wasn't this big thing that we had to overcome,' he said. That was despite most of the country writing Toronto off, entering the game with him at the helm after starter Chad Kelly had sustained a broken fibula the week prior. Arbuckle remained even-keeled and never felt slighted. 'I understand if I were a media person and a writer, in their shoes, I'd probably be looking at it the same way,' he said. 'I try to do that with all the things, just try to look at things from other people's perspective. It helps from carrying these negative chips on your shoulders that ultimately can affect your decision-making. And, when you're a quarterback, you can't let the outside noise affect you in any kind of way.' Arbuckle — who remains under centre while Kelly continues to rehab his injury — has maintained that approach in 2025 despite the Boatmen quickly sinking near the bottom of the East Division standings, as the team has battled a slew of injuries while trying to overcome significant turnover at key positions. 'He's pretty consistent,' said Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, who also coached Arbuckle with the Stampeders. 'I mean, honestly, you go and win a Grey Cup, I think it's going to build confidence amongst the team and himself. But he's been the same guy since what I had in Calgary. 'He is a leader. Now, does he have to be the most vocal guy? I think he leads by example.' That's always been Arbuckle's style. He's not a rah-rah guy. His moments of vocal leadership are few but deliberate. 'We have some other guys on offence who have some leadership qualities, as well,' Dinwiddie added. 'Nick has his own way. He's pretty authentic with it. So I know all the guys trust Nick, and we just got to find ways to win football games and continue to build more confidence.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. At 1-5, Toronto is nearing desperation territory as it welcomes Winnipeg on Saturday night. The Bombers will be looking to right their own wrongs, but Arbuckle is trying to help breathe new life into a season before it's lost. 'It's always tough whenever you're not winning,' Arbuckle said. 'I feel like guys still understand the potential that the team has and the length and duration of this season. It's a marathon, and we have five losses now, and nobody in this league is going to miss the playoffs with five losses. 'Everything we want is still in front of us, and we control our own destiny, but there's also that sense of urgency where you can't keep taking losses, or else you're playing playoff football for two to three straight months going into the playoffs.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
In latest bat flip flap, big league players side with Little Leaguer
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr., known for playing with flair, noticed when a Little Leaguer was suspended in baseball's latest bat flip flap. 'I thought that was ridiculous. You're going suspend a kid for having fun?' the New York Yankees All-Star infielder said Friday. 'Crazy.' Marco Rocco, a 12-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey, tossed his bat in the air on July 16 after his sixth-inning, two-run homer in the final of the sectional tournament for Haddonfield's under-12 team against Harrison Township on July 16. His father went to court and got the suspension eliminated. 'If it's a game-changing homer, it's fine. Even when I'm on the mound, it doesn't irk me. It's a human reaction and it's good for the game, just like a pitcher doing a fist pump after a big strikeout,' said Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner. 'I side-eye someone if they hit a solo shot and their team is down 5-0. That doesn't jive with me. I don't like it when opponents or teammates do that. I feel the same way about Little Leaguers.' Rocco was ejected for what his family was told were actions deemed 'unsportsmanlike' and 'horseplay,' and an ejection results in an automatic one-game suspension. His father, Joe, is a lawyer and his dad filed suit. Judge Robert G. Malestein of New Jersey Superior Court ruled in favor of the Roccos, and Marco played for Haddonfield against Elmora Little League in a 10-0 loss Thursday in the opener of a four-team, double-elimination tournament at the Deptford Township Little League complex. Marco went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I wish nobody would do a bat flip. I'm kind of traditional,' Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before adding, 'But let him play.' A staid sport for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, baseball has embraced emotion in recent years. José Bautista's bat flip against Texas in a 2015 AL Division Series was featured in the video game MLB The Show 16. 'It's a kid's game, Whether you're a kid or a major leaguer, we're in a have-fun era,' Detroit catcher Jake Rogers said. 'If you earn that moment, you earn that moment.' ___ AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Blue Jays top prospect Arjun Nimmala focused on growth, consistency in Vancouver
Vancouver Canadians shortstop Arjun Nimmala fields the ball during the fourth inning of a Northwest Minor League Baseball game against the Eugene Emeralds in Vancouver on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns VANCOUVER — Arjun Nimmala has learned a lot this year. As the No. 1 prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays, he's been figuring out what it takes to be a professional athlete while playing shortstop for the team's High-A affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians. As a 19-year-old living more than 5,000 kilometres away from his parents' home in Valrico, Fla., he's been figuring out how to take care of himself. 'There was a little bit of an adjustment period, learning how to do things on my own,' Nimmala said with a smile. Cooking was one hurdle the teen had to overcome. In recent months, he's learned how to make a few staples, including fried rice. A more intangible hurdle has been learning how to stay locked in on the day-to-day amid a whirlwind of speculation and excitement about his future. Staying focused isn't easy, Nimmala said. 'It's definitely hard. It's definitely something that you have to consistently make an effort for,' he said. 'You could definitely get lost in what people are saying, stats, all that stuff. And for an athlete, for a baseball player, those aren't the best things to be looking at. 'The better I can stay focused on what I can do in the present, the better I'll be on the field as well.' Few Canadians players feel the glare of the spotlight the way Nimmala has this season. At No. 46 on the MLB's list of the 100 top prospects, it's not only the shortstop's performance on the field that has grabbed headlines, but his story. Nimmala's parents immigrated from India to the U.S. before he was born, and when Toronto picked the teen 20th overall at the 2023 draft, it marked the first time an MLB team selected a first-generation Indian player in the first round. 'Going into it, I've always just tried to be the best player I can be and impact the team in the best way,' he said. 'But over time, my family and I, we've learned a lot of what it means to become the first or a trailblazer in some sort of way. For us, it's just making people proud while also getting better on the baseball field.' After spending last season with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League, Nimmala has shown major potential since moving up to Vancouver this year. The six-foot-one, 170-pound athlete boasts a .232 batting average across 84 games, is tied for most runs on the team (55) and slots in at second for most home runs (11). June was a stellar month for the Canadians, who chalked up a franchise-record 11-straight wins, with Nimmala contributing big hits in several games, including Vancouver's 8-4 victory over the Spokane Indians on June 11 when he blasted a three-run homer into the bullpen. Solid showings have been harder to come by in recent weeks, though. And that's part of the learning process, too, Nimmala said. 'I think we all know that recently, I haven't been the same or as good of a player as I was earlier this season. And that's just part of baseball. But it's also that I need to find ways to make adjustments and be better on the field as well,' he said. 'I think that comes with more experience and learning who I am, what guys are going to do against me. It's a lot of the little things that you can overlook that really make players really good.' During both his success and his struggles, Nimmala turns back to his family. They're home in Florida, where his dad, Balu Nimmala, stays up late to keep tabs on his son's play. 'He watches the games, even though it's like one o'clock back there. I'm like 'Bro, you should go to sleep,'' Nimmala said with another broad smile. 'But he's like, 'Just keep doing what you're doing, it's working, whether you're getting the results or not. Just trust who you are, what type of player you are, and just do things right.' So listening to him and knowing what I need to do are things that help me.' With just over a month left in the Northwest League's regular season, the Canadians are still looking to clinch a playoff spot. And Nimmala is still learning how to be a better baseball player, a better professional athlete. Those lessons only come with time, he said. 'I think one of the biggest things in growth, at least in baseball, is just experience. Whether it's taking more reps or more pitches, there's only so much you can learn from hitting (batting practice) and things like that. The real test is what you do out there,' said the highly touted prospect. 'It's in these very high-pressure situations, especially when we're trying to win and clinch and go out there and make playoffs, I think that's where you're going to get better.' For Nimmala, the learning has just begun. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025. Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
