I’m so blessed to be a Calgary Stampeder and I’m thrilled to be able to sign a contract extension with the team.
This is going to be my third year in Canada and with the Stamps and everything has really been going great. I really can’t put into words the great times that I’ve had and the great people that I’ve been able to meet and the friends that I’ll be able to have for a long time.
Not only myself but my family, we truly appreciate everything the Calgary Stampeders organization has done for us.
If I could go back in time and have a chat with myself at the time before I came to Calgary, I would say, “It’s going to be better than you can ever expect or anticipate that it will be. You’re going to have a great time.
“The people on the team and the people in the organization are truly great people who really care about you as a football player and as a person as well. I’d just say to that me from two years ago. Enjoy every day and every opportunity that you get up there with them.”
This coming season, I’ll be wearing a new number. I want to tell Stanley Bryant that I really appreciate him giving up No. 62 for me. We’ve talked about it for a while — we were roommates last year and I kept putting it in his ear about trying to get his number for next year.
It’s a tribute to my grandfather, who played in the CFL and who tragically died in a plane accident. He wore No. 62 and that number was retired at the University of Iowa. I wanted to change numbers and do something in the memory of him.
My off-season has been going wonderful. I’m just working out, working hard and taking care of business. And actually, I’m in the process of planning a wedding — I’m getting married May 19 here in Houston. My fiancee Kishanda and I could not be happier. Our families have been truly behind us and we’ve been getting a lot of support and a lot of great advice.
We’ve been extremely busy planning the wedding and getting ready to move on with our lives. Shianda my fiancee can not wait to move up to Calgary and start our lives and our family.
My fiancee is a travelling nurse and her assignment right now is in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So she’s not even in town right now so I’ve been doing much more of the legwork for the wedding than I ever could have anticipated. It’s truly been an experience. I’ve been telling my friends and some of my teammates and they can’t believe how much work I’ve been doing. I’m having to meet with people and approve things and write people cheques . . . so it’s been pretty hectic but we’re really happy. We’re thrilled things are coming together.
By the way, I’ve joined Twitter — @harrisonjones62 — during the off-season and I find it extremely rewarding being able to meet people and express my views and hopefully being able to offer people an encouraging word whenever I can. Just sharing how blessed I’ve been in my life, not only being where I am but being around the people that I’m around and being part of the Stampeders family.
Edwin Harrison, #62
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