Running around as a kid during recess seems to have given REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli a leg up in a statistical category that doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
His ability to actually catch the ball, meanwhile, is putting himself in a position to re-write a couple parts of the Ottawa football record books.
Heading into Week 13 action Sunday in Montreal with his REDBLACKS looking to solidify their grasp on top spot in the CFL’s East Division. But other than the importance of securing team points, every pass Sinopoli hauls in brings him a bit closer to history. And every yard he runs after catching those passes adds to his tally in a statistic category he’s quite proud of.
First up, chasing the records. And that’s record, plural. The first one, the single-season mark for most catches by an Ottawa CFLer, is likely to fall sooner than later. Heading into Sunday’s game, Sinopoli only needs 16 catches to equal the mark set by former Rough Rider Marc Lewis in 1987. After that, he’ll set his sites on the record for most catches in a season by a Canadian, set by Ben Cahoon (112). Currently, Sinopoli is only 34 catches from that record and, having recorded at least six catches in nine of 12 games this year, it’s hardly out of reach.
But like any good team guy, those records are something he’ll smile about after the season and once his time as a CFL player ends.
“That would be cool,” the always laid-back but ultra-competitive Sinopoli said of the possibility of breaking the two records. “It’s always nice when you get your name down in the history books, one of those accomplishments that would be behind winning the Grey Cup last year.
“At the end of the year when you look at your accomplishments, it’s all fine and dandy, but really, we’re all about putting ourselves in position to win another Grey Cup here in Ottawa.”
And while Sinopoli doesn’t dwell on his chance to make history, one stat line he is happy to delve into are his numbers when it comes to yards after the catch, those critical extra few steps after hauling in a pass that could make the difference on a play, a series or an entire game.
Heading into Sunday’s game, Sinopoli sits second in the CFL in yards after the catch. Of his 878 total yards this season, 334 of them have come after he’s caught the ball, a skill that has given Sinopoli the reputation as a player who is very hard to bring down.
While the modest Canuck spreads the credit around as far as the likely possibility of him hitting 1,000 yards for the third-straight season is concerned, the YAC category is one he takes pride in, something he’s always trying to improve on.
“For me it goes back to the schoolyard, playing tag, just trying to run away from as many people as possible,” Sinopoli said.
As a former star quarterback for the University of Ottawa, Sinopoli figured out early on that gaining those extra yards after hauling down a pass was a key component to his transition into one of the league’s most reliable receivers.
“When you start out, you’re getting very limited opportunities to get the ball in your hands and do something, especially in a league with only two downs,” he said. “I just had the mindset to go out and get every single yard I could. It’s a mindset, you’re always looking to try and find seams.”
A key to his success, said Sinopoli, is always looking beyond getting the ball in his hands. Sure, you have to catch the ball first, but then you need to know where to go with it.
“I’m trying to think one step ahead – where is the defender going to be when I catch it and where is the weak point of the seam going to be,” he said.
