Zurkowsky: Shawn Lemon thankful to be back after year-long suspension for gambling
We'll never know whether Shawn Lemon would have been reinstated had Randy Ambrosie remained CFL commissioner. And it's not an area in which he cares to delve into.
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But the Alouettes' rush-end has returned — undoubtedly thanks to new commissioner Stewart Johnston — following a year-long suspension for gambling on league games in 2021 when he played for Calgary. And the 36-year-old veteran feels blessed for this second opportunity at a game he has played in Canada since 2011.
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'I'm here, and I'm thankful,' Lemon said Sunday following his first practice at Stade Hébert, and days after being re-signed by Montreal for the remainder of this season. 'The past year has been very tough. You're always going to deal with adversity in life. All you can control is the outcome and your outlook on things. Use that time to better yourself as a man … and wait for the opportunity. I'm ready to move forward.
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'I'm a very optimistic guy,' he added. 'As a man in life one thing you're always going to deal with is adversity. How you deal with adversity. How you respond to adversity. It all depends on the person. I'm just thankful to have an opportunity back with this amazing team … with teammates, coaches and a front office that I love.'
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While Lemon has served his penance for the gambling issue, he's in the midst of serving a two-game suspension after testing positive for the banned stimulant phentermine — prescribed as an appetite suppressant. Seeking to bury the past, Lemon wouldn't discuss what prompted him to take the medication.
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Lemon signed in time to miss last Thursday's victory against Toronto, but remains ineligible for this Thursday night, when the Alouettes travel to Calgary. He could be activated Aug. 2, when Montreal hosts Saskatchewan.
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While Lemon was on the field, starting quarterback Davis Alexander was not. Alexander reinjured his left hamstring late in the fourth quarter against the Argonauts — it was his first game back in a month — and won't play against the Stampeders — and likely well beyond. McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was the losing quarterback against both Hamilton and B.C. during Alexander's absence, will start against Calgary.
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Receiver Tyson Philpot (knee) and return-specialist James Letcher Jr. also were missing on Sunday. Letcher was seen with a cast on an arm during Thursday's game.
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While Lemon said he heard from other teams last week after being reinstated, the Alouettes were the only organization that piqued his interest. Lemon signed with Montreal as a free agent in July 2023 and played a significant role in its run to the Grey Cup that season. He made 26 tackles, had nine sacks, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and scored a touchdown. He was less conspicuous last season, with one sack in four games, which increased his career total to 102 sacks.
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