CIS Corner: Giff's dilemma

Notes on our teams/athletes of interest from The 613, 10 days ahead of kickoff ...

• Gaels: The Whig has an article on the Queen's Mike Giffin and his desire to play running back and not to switch to fullback, which is what the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had in mind when they drafted him in the spring.
  
  This did come up during an interview last week (in that case, it was as agent in the the service of Queen's Athletics, so diplomacy was de rigeur, you understand). On some level, one has to respect Giffin sticking to his guns. There is also the reality that the Ticats have his rights, have Jesse Lumsden and Trey Smith. There also have been and will be offensive stars in the CIS who had to make a position change to play in the CFL -- just ask the running backs turned fullback (Duane Forde) or the quarterbacks turned fullbacks (Mathieu Bertrand) or QBs turned wide receiver (Vince Danielson). Ultimately, following your heart is a good thing.
  
  Coach Pat Sheahan notes the Gaels need a more diverse rushing attack, which was noted at the outset of last season.
  
  (Small world: Giffin's fiancee, Heidi Smith ... her brother played hockey with Shawn Sager, Official Brother of Out of Left Field.)
• A busy week has meant being late on this link, but the Leader-Post caught up the ex-Gaels receiver Rob Bagg, who's in his rookie year with the Roughriders.
• The Bagg link is via the Big Man on Campus, our man at The Merc, Greg Layson, the hardest-working man in the OUA beat business.