Concussion battle ‘frightening’ for Als’ Boulay
MONTREAL — Now that he’s been married for more than a year and is expecting the imminent arrival of his first child, Etienne Boulay realizes he’s playing for more than just himself.
And when it comes to the head and brain, a player doesn’t fool around.
Although Boulay’s season has come to a crashing halt, after being placed on the nine-game injured list Tuesday with a concussion, he understands he’s in no position to argue.
Boulay will miss his third game Thursday night when the Alouettes host the Edmonton Eskimos at Molson Stadium.
“The headaches won’t go away. I still feel off, not myself,� Boulay said in a telephone interview Wednesday, having elected, or been told, to stay away from Olympic Stadium. “At least my personality’s back. I’d lost my sense of humour. It was like I was sleepwalking.
“It’s a weird injury. And it’s frightening.�
Boulay, the Als’ veteran safety, suffered the first concussion of his career on July 24 against Saskatchewan, but now believes it might have been an accumulation of hits.
The five-foot-nine, 190-pounder, in his sixth season with Montreal, has never been a finesse player, shall we say. He’s fast, physical and punishing, leading with his head. Perhaps it was the game against Toronto on July 15, when the knee of teammate Eric Wilson struck Boulay in the back of his head.
All Boulay knows is he hasn’t felt the same since he and John Bowman converged on Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant in the second quarter. Boulay remained in the game, although he felt tired and emotional, and he certainly wasn’t himself that night at home.
“I felt off, in a fog. I couldn’t concentrate and didn’t feel like talking,� he remembered. “I couldn’t watch TV. And it gave me headaches if I was in the light too long.�
A week or two and he would return, Boulay figured. But the decision was taken this week, by general manager Jim Popp and Scott Delaney, one of the team’s physicians, that additional time was required.
Boulay attempted to practise on Monday but lasted only a few plays before removing himself, complaining of nausea.
“This isn’t an injury where you can be a tough guy,� Boulay said. “A concussion’s different than a knee or muscle. The head and brain can’t be replaced. I don’t want to be hit again, go down and have this recur.
“I’m disappointed, but I know it’s the right decision.�
Most concussions are resolved between seven and 10 days, according to medical experts, but some can persist for weeks. General symptoms are headaches, dizziness, feeling in a fog and being emotionally depressed.
Since a concussion doesn’t like being irritated, victims must virtually shut down their lives, resisting the temptation to exert themselves.
The Canadian Football League has now adopted standardized concussion protocol, much like the NFL and NHL. Before being cleared, Boulay will have to complete a 30-minute test, performed on a laptop, during which his memory, decision-making process and ability to react will be tested.
At this stage, none of the experts are suggesting this will be a season-ending or career-threatening scenario for Boulay, but nothing’s carved in stone and it’s impossible to predict anything. He’s eligible to return Oct. 21, the day before the Als are at Winnipeg for their 16th of 18 regular-season games.
Once the Als have played nine games, they can prematurely remove a player from the nine-game list, as they did with wide receiver Kerry Watkins last month against Hamilton. But a player’s contract doesn’t count against the salary cap when he’s on the nine-game list, and Boulay undoubtedly is one of the team’s highest-paid players.
If Popp at all is feeling financially squeezed, Boulay won’t return early. Count on it. Especially since head coach Marc Trestman made it clear he remains comfortable with the tandem of rookie Jeff Hecht and veteran Tad Crawford continuing to replace Boulay.
Both Hecht and Crawford are non-imports, and the coach is reluctant to play with the ratio.
“We’re fortunate we’ve got guys who can carry on. Jeff Hecht has picked things up quickly,� Trestman said.
He’ll continue rotating the two, with Hecht starting, since it’s a long season and both play on special teams.
Hecht has been this season’s biggest surprise, making the 42-man roster from the opening game despite not being drafted, and the St. Mary’s product continues playing out of position, having been a linebacker at university.
“I’m excited by the opportunity to continue showing my skills — the same skills other teams passed on,� he said. “To be passed over was insulting.
“I want to take the decision out of their hands. There’s no reason to get somebody else. I’m determined to make them find me a spot.�
Montreal Gazette
hzurkowsky@montrealgazette.com