B.C. Lions: Justin McInnis is quite the catch for the season opener
Justin McInnis knows who will have the biggest pre-game impact Saturday at B.C. Place.
Article content
After all, the B.C. Lions' standout wide receiver understands that you can't beat legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg to get more than 50,000 fans jacked for the club's CFL opener against the Edmonton Elks.
Article content
Article content
'I'm excited,' McInnis said Thursday following practice. 'I grew up listening to Snoop. But honestly, I'm one of the weirder guys on the team. I don't wear headphones on game day or anything like that. I just like to soak up the crowd and be in the pre-game environment.
Article content
Article content
McInnis will do his part to entertain when the ball is snapped. And that could also be quite the show after a career season in 2024.
Article content
McInnis led all receivers last campaign in league yardage with 1,469, and was the first Canadian since Andy Fantuz in 2010 to lead that category. He was also second with 92 receptions and third in touchdown grabs with seven. His yards total was second highest by a Canadian member of the Lions after Matt Clark (1,530 yards), and the eighth-best for a Canadian all-time.
Article content
Check out our Top 10 CFL players heading into the 2025 season! 🇨🇦🏈
Do you agree with our list? 🤔
FULL TOP 50 LIST | https://t.co/edWmgy8IwF pic.twitter.com/FIFVbWdnkR
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 4, 2025
Article content
Article content
The 28-year-old Pierrefonds, Que., native is an imposing target for quarterback Nathan Rourke with a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and plenty of zip and zag to leave defensive backs in his wake, or use his vertical skills to out-contest any defender. He did that in practice Wednesday and it bodes well as a weapon.
Article content
Article content
'The best part of my game is I've got to use my height,' said McInnis. 'I'm not the fastest in the league, and I'm not able to do a lot of things that smaller guys can do. I'm always going to continuously work on getting better body control and things that will be a big advantage.'
Article content
Add a full-season pull with Rourke, who spent the last two seasons with four NFL teams before returning to the Lions last August, and the dynamic duo could develop the kind of chemistry to intimidate and dominate.
Article content
'Even in the off-season, we threw quite a bit, and at training camp,' said McInnis. 'One thing I like about Nate is that he's always communicating about things he sees and likes, and how he wants us to run certain routes. At the end of the day, it's being on the same page and he does a great job of expressing that.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cision Canada
an hour ago
- Cision Canada
APPLETON ESTATE DEEPENS ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THE VISUAL ARTS
A slate of individual and event partnerships celebrate the brand's passion for the art community TORONTO, Aug. 19, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Appleton Estate, the oldest continuously operating rum distillery in Jamaica, proudly celebrates several unique partnerships with local artists and events. These collaborations reflect Appleton Estate's passion for supporting visual arts rooted in a shared appreciation for craft. Since its inception, artistry has been a part of Appleton Estate's DNA. The creation and blending of its premium aged rums is an art form in itself. The brand has long supported artistic expression in all forms, born from the creativity of its Master Blender Joy Spence. In 2022, the brand collaborated with Canadian multidisciplinary artist Sean Brown and in 2024 collaborated with the AGO for its exhibit Life Between Islands: British Caribbean Art 1950s – Now. This year, Canadian artists Shantel Miller, Franco Égalité, Georgia Fullerton and Krystal Ball were each commissioned to create custom works inspired by a designated Appleton Estate expression - Signature, 8-Year-Old, 12-Year-Old or 15-Year-Old - with their art and behind-the-scenes videos debuting in The Globe & Mail and La Presse this month. In 2026, the brand will kick off its partnership with the Jamaica Art Society to support its 2026-2027 In Focus Fellowship cohort, providing opportunities for Jamaican artists and curators, ensuring the continued growth and preservation of the nation's artistic heritage. Additionally, Appleton Estate is partnering with Yorkville Murals, Toronto's leading art and mural festival, to host an immersive activation featuring a large-scale illustrated backdrop for its vibrant bar. Hand-selected by Yorkville Murals, Montreal-based artist Bryan Lanier (@_xrayland_), known for his surrealist, pop-art-inspired style, designed the piece, blending Appleton's iconic brand elements with contemporary design to reflect its balance of tradition and innovation. Like art, rum is rooted in mastery, patience, and creativity. This collaboration offers a striking canvas to celebrate craftsmanship while engaging a new generation of creators, artists, and explorers. Yorkville Murals transforms a stretch of Yorkville Avenue annually, from Bellair Street to Hazelton Avenue, building an interactive playground of art, culture, and community. This year, the festival returns with the third edition of its theme, No Empty Spaces, featuring 50,000 square feet of art, including murals, immersive installations, retail pop-ups, inflatables, exhibitions, art talks, and a high-energy block party. The Appleton Estate activation will be centrally located on Yorkville Avenue and open throughout festival weekend from August 23 – 24, 2025. Guests will be invited to enjoy elevated rum sampling of Appleton 8-Year-Old and savour the signature Appleton Jamaican Daiquiri cocktail at the bar – a gathering space to celebrate Caribbean flavour, creativity, and connection. ABOUT APPLETON ESTATE Appleton Estate, nestled in Jamaica's lush Nassau Valley, is a beloved hidden gem in the world of spirits and boasts one of the most extensive collections of aging rum in the world. With over 275 years of history, it stands as the oldest continuously operating distillery in Jamaica. Master Blender Joy Spence and her team of experts craft the world's finest age statement rums by adhering to the highest standards of craftsmanship and excellence. Each rum is an expression of Appleton Estate's distinct environment: its pristine, limestone-filtered water, a yeast strain handed down through generations, and warm, fertile microclimate of the Nassau Valley. Strict aging & production standards also ensure that each bottle reflects the youngest drop of rum in the blend, with no added flavourings or sweeteners. The Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum crafts premium aged offerings for every palate, from 8-Year-Old Reserve to the 21-Year-Old Nassau Valley Casks rum, and famed limited editions like the 17-Year-Old Legend and Hearts Collection. Discover more about Appleton Estate Jamaica Rums at ABOUT YORKVILLE MURALS Toronto's Yorkville Murals is an annual cultural event that celebrates contemporary muralism and public art. Through the creation of artistic murals in Yorkville and the implementation of cultural activations such as art installations, art talks, and art exhibitions, this project focuses on making Yorkville a landmark in Toronto for public art and an ultimate tourist destination. The event is presented by Taglialatella Galleries and INK Entertainment, and organized in partnership with the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area. YVM builds on Yorkville's reputation as a historic enclave of Toronto's early twentieth century art scene. The event has been designed as a safe, self-guided experience in the heart of Toronto.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cellar dwellers no more, Vanderbilt talking and targeting national title yes in football
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nobody is more tired of hearing how Vanderbilt should know its place than coach Clark Lea, and he has joined quarterback Diego Pavia talking about playing for a national championship. Yes, in football. And yes, this season. 'I don't think you can do something until you say it,' Lea said. 'Changing a culture is hard, and this has been an environment that hasn't given way to many winning seasons. … There's nothing about the history of this program to hold us back.' Lea knows well the challenges. He played here himself, and t he Commodores going 7-6 record last season is the program's first winning record since 2013 and just the fourth overall since 1983. Lea believes he has his best team yet in his fifth season. He knows Vandy went 4-4 in games decided by eight points or less last season, including two overtime games. Pavia, who has made headlines all offseason talking about playing for a national title, said that means Vandy was as close to finishing 10-2 as 2-10. Now Vanderbilt faces one of the SEC's toughest road schedules featuring five games against Top 25 teams, three inside the Top 10. Pavia's back The quarterback who made Vanderbilt history by leading an upset of then-No. 1 Alabama got an extra season thanks to a preliminary injunction granted by a federal judge. He threw for 2,293 yards and 20 touchdowns with four interceptions. Pavia also ran for 801 yards and eight more scores. He played with an injured hamstring over the final seven games, and Vanderbilt went 3-4 in that stretch. Eli Stowers The 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end led Vanderbilt with 49 catches for 638 yards and five touchdowns. He had three games with at least 100 yards receiving. With Pavia back, so is Stowers who is a preseason AP All-American who could be the first tight end taken in the 2026 NFL draft. Three-way 'Dore Martel Hight is hoping to follow the path that took Travis Hunter to a Heisman Trophy last season. Hight had two interceptions and a forced fumble at cornerback last season, and Hight also returned a punt for a touchdown. Now he's practicing at wide receiver, giving Pavia another target. Hight said he played against Hunter in high school when he played both offense and defense. 'Once I seen Travis do it, I was like, 'Hey, Coach, let me do that,'' Hight said. The schedule The Commodores open Aug. 30 hosting Charleston Southern followed by September visits from Georgia State and Utah State. The rest is a lot tougher, including a two-game road swing starting Sept. 6 at Virginia Tech and then No. 13 South Carolina. The true gauntlet starts Oct. 4 with a visit to No. 8 Alabama, back-to-back home games against No. 9 LSU on Oct. 18 and Missouri on Oct. 25 capped by a trip to No. 1 Texas on Nov. 1. The season finale is Nov. 29 at No. 24 Tennessee. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Brit mob, Bulgarian thugs go toe to toe
Young London bobby Philomena McCarthy rescues a five-year-old in the middle of the night — and discovers the child's murdered mother, while Bulgarian thugs have taken her father to rob the family's jewellery store. Philomena is in huge, undeserved trouble when the evidence points to her estranged father and three uncles — basically, east London's Sopranos — having links to the stolen jewels and maybe even to the murder. Michael Robotham's The White Crow (Scribner, 368 pages, $25) is a humdinger of a murder mystery, one of the year's best so far, with likable characters and some despicable villains — though having classic vicious English mobsters emerge as the good guys against evil foreign immigrants isn't the coolest of images. Buy on ● ● ● Widowed retired San Diego homicide cop Chase Chasen sets off on another idyllic group walk in the U.K. with sisterly librarian Billie — and, alas, an obnoxious squabbling American family full of adult siblings and partners all looking as though they're about to murder or be murdered. Really, the only true difference from the first book in the series (A Deadly Walk in Devon) is that in Nicholas George's A Lethal Walk in Lakeland (Kensington Publishing, 304 pages, $37, published January 2025), it further develops Chase's budding romance with coroner Mike. Savour the enticing details of the walks, the near-erotic descriptions of English country ales and the alluring pub foods, but just wish they'd get a little further down the trail. Buy on ● ● ● Two brilliant academics walk into a remote New Mexico desert without water, shedding clothing until they die of heat stroke — dumping yet another gruesomely icky and mysterious murder mystery on archeologist Dr. Nora Kelly and FBI agent Corrie Swanson. Could it be that there's some cultish madness among professors and PhD aspirants acting most scandalously, somehow involving an ancient desert people wiped out centuries ago after they moved to the dark side and claimed to have raised demons in their drug-addled rituals? Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Badlands (Grand Central, 368 pages, $40) is an OK entry in the long-running series of characters associated with special agent Pendergast, but it feels by-the-numbers. Buy on ● ● ● Rural Northern Minnesota Sheriff Red Hammergren searches desperately for a missing high school girl — whose father was gunned down, still unsolved — as a huge snowstorm whomps the region and an isolated cabin goes up in flames, leaving a high school drug dealer dead. Shady characters and buried secrets abound as Red sleuths with the help of three colourful nurse friends, battling the snow, secretive teens, MAGA wannabe town officials and even a D-level Hollywood actor and pro wrestlers doing a little (ahem) ice fishing. Linda Norlander's And The Lake Will Take Them (Severn River Publishing, 264 pages, $23), published in March, is an entertaining murder mystery set in familiar territory with extremely likable main characters. ● ● ● Detective Chief Inspector Freddie Troy of Scotland Yard sleuths a gangland murder and a suspicious dive off a high roof by an underworld figure in postwar London, troubled all the while by his brother's sharing a bed with the paramour of Mr. Big. That mysterious fashion model/concubine woman, from somewhere exotic, started life as a working class girl in Wales, having the least life-shattering of the devastating secrets in John Lawton's Smoke and Embers (Atlantic Monthly Press, 416 pages, $44). Play the zither music from The Third Man as you ponder whether a mobster is a Soviet plant, the 'Jewish' professor a Nazi, or how many people doing whatever it took to survive the fall of Germany stole another person's life. Gritty history. Retired Free Press reporter Nick Martin once used family connections to break the name of a $10 million secret donor to the University of Manitoba, asking a professor emeritus which of his former students could write a $10-million cheque that wouldn't bounce.
