By Jonathan Anderson
Stampeders.com
Larry Taylor started the 2012 season on fire.
The kick returner/receiver made his presence felt early in the season when compiled 441 total yards to his credit in a single game against Toronto in Week 2.
Taylor’s impressive play would see him lead the CFL in punt- and kickoff-return yards in the early going. An injury on Sept. 7 in Edmonton, however, knocked him out of commission.
Returning to action in Week 19 as the Stampeders closed out the season with a trip to Edmonton, Taylor returned to his previous form, returning four kicks for 104 yards.
He followed up that performance with 137 return yards in the Stamps’ West semifinal win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“I feel good, I feel very blessed and fortune to be back out there at a very important time,” says Taylor. “To be able to help the guys through this post-season run and reach the ultimate goal of winning the Grey Cup is the ultimate goal is a blessing.”
Taylor takes his injury obstacle in stride.
“It’s football — it’s just one of those things,” says Taylor. “Injuries happen; it comes with the territory. I’m just happy to be able to get back out of the field with the guys.”
Taylor is anxious for Sunday’s West final at BC Place.
“In this game, you’re never 100 per cent,” he says of the wear and tear of a long football season. “I’m feeling as good as I can feel. I’m looking forward to getting out there with this opportunity we have on Sunday.”
The veteran return man senses something special about this club.
“The camaraderie on this team is great,” he says. “It’s a close-knit team. You preach family on every team, but this team is special, you can feel it.
“The bond with this team is very special. We’ve come a long way since training camp and were not going to let anything on the outside interrupt what we have here.”
Taylor knows something about what it means to win when it matters — he and his Montreal Alouettes teammates captured the Grey Cup in 2009.
“Those teams over there were very close,” he notes. “I sense that feeling with this year’s team. We have a lot of talented guys but no one is worried about individual statistics.
“We have one goal in mind. Everybody has the same goal in mind — we’re just playing our roles to take care of our part.”