Troy Westwood

Infobox CFL player
Name=Troy Westwood
team=


ImageWidth=
Caption=
status=Not active
import=no
position1=Kicker
position2=Punter
number=7
College=Augustana College (South Dakota)
DateOfBirth=Birth date and age|1967|3|21
Birthplace=Dauphin, Manitoba
Height_ft=5
Height_in=10
Weight_lbs=190
CFLDraftedYear=1991
CFLDraftedRound=6
CFLDraftedPick=48
playing_years=1991–2007
playing_teams=Winnipeg Blue Bombers
career_highlights=
CFLAllStar=
Awards=
Honors=
Records=
CFL=15

Troy Westwood born March 21, 1967 in Dauphin, Manitoba) is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Since his release on June 15 2008, he is a free agent.

After briefly playing professional soccer for the Winnipeg Fury, Westwood has been with the Bombers since the 1991 season, when he was selected 48th overall in the 6th round of the Canadian College Draft. He holds numerous club records, such as all-time scoring leader and single season scoring leader. He is known for stirring things up off-field: he has tried his hand at professional boxing and tap dancing, and had a public feud with Montreal Alouette Ed Philion. He is arguably most known for his tongue-in-cheek insult of the rival Saskatchewan Roughriders' fans by calling them "banjo-pickin' inbreds." He later followed that up with a faux apology, saying he did not think anyone in Saskatchewan was actually capable of playing a banjo. These quotes inspired the Banjo Bowl.

Westwood is also known for his mullet, which he has vowed not to cut until he wins the Grey Cup. He decided to grow it out after the 2001 Grey Cup loss to Calgary, in which he missed three out of four field goal attempts. This poor performance capped off what was Westwood's worst season statistically as he only converted on 60.8% of his field goal attempts that year. As of 2006 his career field goal success rate is 72.8 percent.

Westwood was re-signed by the Bombers on February 23, 2007.

After a disappointing start to the 2007 season against Edmonton, Westwood was told by Bomber coach Doug Berry not to dress for the second game of the season against Montreal. After replacement Rob Pikula went 1/2 in field goals, Westwood was reinstated as the Bomber's place kicker by the third game of the season. In the 7th game of the season however, Westwood sustained a hamstring injury and his future with the club was again in doubt. However, after injuries to Pikula and newly signed Pat Fleming, Westwood was called upon for kicking and punting duties in the Eastern Semi-Final where he went 1/2, kicking the game winning field goal from 20 yards out with no time left on the clock.

Westwood was cut by the Bombers on June 15 2008 [cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sportsnews/story/2008/06/15/westwood-cut.html|title=Kicker Westwood cut by Blue Bombers|date=2008-06-15|publisher=CBC Sports|accessdate=2008-06-15]

Music

Westwood, who was exposed to First Nations culture growing up in Dauphin, has also recorded several albums inspired by First Nations music, both in the band Eagle and Hawk and later as a solo artist named Little Hawk.

Career stats

Regular season

Personal life

Westwood is known by many through his musical career as a member of Manitoba's Eagle & Hawk, which he began in 1993 with Vince Fontaine. [ [http://www.manataka.org/page760.html Sounds of Manataka - Little Hawk ] ] He provided lead vocals, and songwriting from a First Nations perspective in this role, until stepping down in 2001, due to the time demands of playing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

References

External links

* [http://www.bluebombers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=189 Troy Westwood profile on Blue Bombers site]
* [http://www.littlehawkmusic.com/home.html Little Hawk Music]
* [http://www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/3200C15_17T1037T16T1036T2T1.dhtm?eid1038=96 Aboriginal Peoples Choice music Awards, Artist profile page]